One of the most telling things to come out of this week’s Treason Summit is the realization by many Trump administration staffers that Donald Trump is simply incapable of differentiating between “Russia meddled in the election” versus “Trump colluded with Russia during the election.” I argued that there is no difference, and Trump seems to think so as well, which is why he consistently conflated the two issues as if they’re connected, because they are connected. As I said, Russia didn’t “meddle” in a vacuum – they had a goal, to get the compromised Candidate Trump elected, and they were working in concert with the Trump campaign. The question of “Trump truly doubts the intelligence on Russian meddling” has never been a thing: he actively obfuscates the intelligence because he knows it makes him guilty. He doesn’t realize the obfuscation also makes him look incredibly guilty too, I guess. Now the New York Times spells it out: Trump was given a high-level security briefing, with ample evidence, of Russian meddling… back in January 2017.
Two weeks before his inauguration, Donald J. Trump was shown highly classified intelligence indicating that President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia had personally ordered complex cyberattacks to sway the 2016 American election.
The evidence included texts and emails from Russian military officers and information gleaned from a top-secret source close to Mr. Putin, who had described to the C.I.A. how the Kremlin decided to execute its campaign of hacking and disinformation.
Intelligence officials described multiple streams of intelligence that led them to blame Russia, including findings by British, Dutch, and U.S. intelligence services, and several human sources who confirmed Putin’s personal involvement:
That included one particularly valuable source, who was considered so sensitive that [CIA Director John] Brennan had declined to refer to it in any way in the Presidential Daily Brief during the final months of the Obama administration, as the Russia investigation intensified. Instead, to keep the information from being shared widely, Mr. Brennan sent reports from the source to Mr. Obama and a small group of top national security aides in a separate, white envelope to assure its security.
While it seemed that Trump had been “grudgingly convinced” during the meeting, since then he’s been working to discredit two of the intelligence officials who briefed him – Brennan and James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence.
[From The New York Times & NY Magazine]
Some of this is new information, but let’s also be clear: we knew that Trump had been extensively briefed on Russian interference just before the inauguration too. I remember at the time that several unnamed intelligence sources believed that Trump shared some of the information with Putin, because many of the CIA’s Russian “sources” ended up dead in the coming weeks. That’s where we are now: in the worst and least-believable Tom Clancy novel. Only it’s real life.
Also: Trump wants to hand over a former American ambassador named Michael McFaul. McFaul was the ambassador to Russia, and Putin apparently wants him for “questioning.” Trump is thinking about sending an American diplomat to Russia to be “questioned” over nothing. This is ridiculous.
If you can get through this interview, bless you. I cannot.
Photos courtesy of Getty.
America: The Trumpian Demise has jumped the shark 300 times since 2017. If this was a Shonda Rimes drama I’d be rolling my eyes like SURE, JAN.
the McFaul thing is terrifying. Like part of me thinks “surely he can’t just do that” and “surely someone would stop him” and then I remember this is 2018 and he does what he wants and the Rs don’t want to stop him.
Apparently Trump also tried to get the British Intelligence Officer to be questioned by Russia but the agent sarcastically said that he is a British citizen and that Trump has no authority to order him to do anything. Only PM May can do and that she obviously don’t feel friendly towards the Russians after the chemical attacks.
Curious what it’s like to have a leader who isn’t friendly towards Russians….
It’s been a while for us Americans.
There’s an older episode of Pod Save The World that explains the Bill Browder stuff pretty well. I was listening to it on my run this morning..crazy sh*t. It really drives home how effed up Putin is.
The idea that 45 would hand over one of our own to Daddy Vladdy is sickening. I could see him doing it, too.
Also read that if we want to question those individuals in Russia that have been indicted Putin said we could go over there and do do. So talk whatsoever of them being extradited.
Putin wants to kill Browder. Luckily he has British citizenship so he will remain in the UK.
Trump is a traitor. It’s obvious. Congress needs to act now.
I don’t believe he can do it. He would be stopped. One way or another. I’ve been counting Americans in official positions. I can no longer care about their political opinions, I am just counting Americans. So, right now I have basically stamped 3 players who are loyal Americans; Mueller, Rosenstein, and yesterday I was relieved to be able to add Christopher Wray, our FBI director to that list. But there are others I don’t know about, we don’t know their names.
A former American ambassador will not be turned over to trump’s boss, Putin. But, I do fear what could happen to him. Michael Flynn was involved in an agreement to kidnap a Turkish dissident living in the U.S. and turn him over to Erdogan. Also, i believe we will see a murder of an American on our soil, ala what putin has been doing in England before this is over.
I agree with you. We are heading to a murder on US soil I believe this too.
I think we can count Dan Coats as loyal to the country also.
I suspect everything told to Trump gets to Putin if it has relevance. There have been suggestions that Trump actually talks frequently with Putin, who can speak English well enough to not need an interpreter ;which would mean Trump would not need one either).
I don’t know how such frequent phone calls between Trump and Putin could escape detection, however. Would he be able to use a burner phone? Aren’t all international calls monitored? Or is there another way to do it? Satellite phone? Radio?
Alternatively, there is another mole in the White House besides Trump who would have more freedom of movement. Jared? Ivanka? Miller? Until he was fired – I would assume Flynn. Is Trump still in contact with Flynn? Bannon?
Private messages on Twitter? Secret decoder rings?!?
It is just too much of a coincidence that our intelligence people’s Russian sources started dying after Trump started such detailed briefings. They should have bugged his underwear before allowing him to meet privately with Putin
the republicans on the HPSCI are actively thwarting any investigation into Russian activity and neither Mitch McConnell (who unilaterally tanked word of the Russian interference being made public w/a bipartisan announcement) nor Paul Ryan will take any action that undermines their power.
The fact that the Republican party is now, for all intents & purposes, acting like an arm of the Russian government is terrifying
@jwoolman
It has been said Putin is fluent in English. That the whole interpreter need is just theatre. I can’t imagine a top KGB mastermind wouldn’t. So I believe you on this.
I know we ignore Eric the Unloved but he would be a perfect person to pass messages.
It truly is terrifying. That an American president would hand over American citizens to be imprisoned, tortured and possibly killed by the Russian gov’t is the stuff of nightmares.
I wonder what ambassador John Huntsman is thinking right now. How safe does he feel if this is how the US President treats ambassadors?
We do not hand Americans over to ANYONE least of which Russia. Trump is Putin’s Puppet and a traitor. He will be proven this and I will expect all he touched to be pulled down & anyone who supported him during this crisis be indicted for crimes against this country as well. THIS is why trump can’t show his taxes. Russian money & Money Laundering. I’m quite Interested in the little red haired spy’s story and how she will help bring down the traitor & hopefully the NRA at the same time.
Traitor.
TRE45ON
+1
TRE45ON
TRE45ON. +2
Tre45on Weasel
Everyone knows Russia helped Trump and the Republicans win and they will continue to do that.
It’s a vicious circle which can only be broken with the remaining 70% of the population voting Democrats for every single position this November to get rid of these scums.
The rest of the world has had enough and it will only be a matter of time before Canada, UK, Australia & New Zealand throws United States out of Five Eyes. Trump & Republicans have become traitors and the world has seen how they threw their own people under the bus. They will not hesitate to hand over intelligence from the other 4 countries to Russia.
Don’t count on Australia to stand up to Trump. Our government’s tongue is so far up Uncle Sam’s ass it’s not funny.
I’ve been reading this Australian on twitter over the last 20 months. He may be blowing smoke, but I like what he has to say. https://mobile.twitter.com/911CORLEBRA777
Germany has intel on Dump too. mueller I am sure already has it.
Don’t count on Canada if it votes in the Conservative party next year.
The central provinces are all led by Conservatives now.
That’s right and we have Premier Doug Ford of Ontario aka: trump lite following 45’s playbook. Just depressing
Of course Drumpf knew all along about Russian interference. That’s one of the reasons he’s been so unhinged….his frail ego can’t accept that he didn’t legitimately win the election….he was installed by his puppet master Putin. And the mere fact that he didn’t immediately tell Putin to kiss off when Putin asked to interrogate the US ambassador is crazy. Diplomats are probably shaken at the realization that this orange turd would even think or allow such a thing. I’m just hoping that the gloves are finally coming off and the intelligence/diplomatic community have had enough and start leaking like a sieve to help rid us of this damn fool.
Yup. It’s why he constantly brings up the election and how he won bigly and tremendous crowd size and how no one thought he would win and how Clinton had illegal voters on and on..
Because he knows he didn’t win fairly and he knows that he doesn’t deserve to be POTUS.
And it eats away at him.
He’s so obvious. You could tell at the summit press conference that certain questions about interference shake him to his core.
Mueller is like the Tell Tale Heart. Indictment, indictment, indictment is the thumping of the truth.
” And still the men chatted pleasantly, and smiled. Was it possible they heard not? Almighty God! –no, no! They heard! –they suspected! –they knew! –they were making a mockery of my horror!-this I thought, and this I think. But anything was better than this agony! Anything was more tolerable than this derision! I could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer! I felt that I must scream or die! and now –again! –hark! louder! louder! louder! louder!”
“Villains!” I shrieked, “dissemble no more! I admit the deed! –tear up the planks! here, here! –It is the beating of his hideous heart!”
Wow Tiffany :))
Great post. 🙂
I agree. The one point I’ll bring up that hasn’t been discussed in a while is that remember so many people thought Trump didn’t want to win? That he only ran to advance his business? Remember how shocked he was on election night? I’m trying to reconcile all that with this narrative. I guess the logical explanation is that Putin pretty much forced him to run…and he wasn’t entirely convinced he’d win?
Trump didn’t believe he was going to win….he just ran to further his business interests. But Putin had other plans and assisted Trump in winning. That’s why he was so shook. It was his “oh shit” moment…look what just happened and now I’ve got to actually deal with this. Then his fragile ego took over and we’re seeing the results.
He stupidly didn’t know it was an actual job. He thought it was like being chairman of a board and he would only need to attend monthly meetings and bark orders and others would do the actual work. He never bothered to read the job description. He didn’t want to move to DC and he was shocked that he actually had to hire people to staff the West Wing. He thought all those people would just stay on.
I will mark out my spot on the crazy train and go so far as to say I do BELIEVE that Russia hacked key locations, and with the help of the GOP. This is in addition to all the psy-opps and propaganda, stolen data, etc.
I flat out think Hillary won.
Same.
Agreed. I am not one for conspiracy theories but this entire election was sketchy and illegal and wouldn’t be shocked if they changed votes or deleted votes.
She did win. The Electoral College is a farcical intermediary that overrides the popular vote.
The margin was too small (75,000 votes scattered over a few states) for his electoral vote win to not be carefully recounted. That’s easily within machine error. But many machines can’t be recounted.
We need to immediately insist on paper backup (checkable by the voter) for every machine or else just paper ballots. Hand recounts of paper ballots or backup have to be made mandatory, no way for anybody to go to court to stop it. We must be able to at least know the vote count itself is not contaminated. And we need to do this for November 2018. The stakes are high for these midterms and the hackers will be in full bloom. We have had selective hacking of the vote since 2004, the Russians are just a new player in the game. But they are a powerful player.
We have other serious problems such as gerrymandering and voter suppression tactics that kept millions from voting in 2016. We need an updated Voting Rights Act restored. We need to secure election-related databases. But the feds will do nothing as long as Trump and his Republican friends are in control. So we need to do what we can without government support.
I agree. If evidence would prove otherwise I could be convinced, but right now, all of the signs point to serious interference. They hacked voter information, they hacked state voter rolls, they hacked voting software companies.
It defies belief that Russia would get into voting software firms and state voter rolls and then NOT use that information together.
I remember the night before the election and they were talking about the eight swing states and one pundit said Trump will take some but he can’t take all, that the numbers weren’t there. Only he did take those states and all by only 1%. And I also remember that in Pennsylvania, aN experienced, saavy Democrat who had worked on elections for decades assured the Dems Hillary would win the state only she didn’t. I have always wondered whether Russia actually changed votes.
“I let him know we can’t have this”. Firstly I 100% doubt this occurred.
and secondly, Jesus, it’s like he scolded a toddler wanting a pre dinner snack. What diplomat speaks like this??
Bold Putin, NO! I said No, stop!
“What diplomat speaks like this?” You could say that about pretty much anything Trump says. Nothing but the most surface level knowledge on anything. Barely even surface level. His ignorance is reflected in how utterly inarticulate he is.
This whole thing is outrageous and scary. Without a doubt, Putin has damaging info about Trump, because even my cat isn’t this dumb
Or maybe Trump is befriending dictators and using his position as President for personal financial gain.
Both.
No, Putin has Tainted Tangerine’s tax returns and ledgers.
….and videos involving all sorts of disgusting acts, and proof of money laundering, and proof of ties to the mob, and so on, and so on….
My personal theory: It is all about money laundering, debt and the perception of wealth.
Putin owns Trump’s debt, which has built up over decades. Trump survives off of the myth of successful billionaire rich guy. If Putin were to expose Trump’s truth that he isn’t wealthy, he ruins his entire brand. Also, if he were to call in all of his debts at once, he wouldn’t be able to pay. And Putin would kill him.
Saw this in a tweet:
Somewhere in the world, Rex Tillerson is watching an ice cube linger in a glass of whiskey saying to no one in particular: “I told you he was a fucking moron.”
TRE45ON
“TRE45ON”
Ah I see what you did there. Haven’t heard much from Big Rex since he got the boot.
Only the most dedicated deplorables don’t realize that DT is a moron. I am placing all my hopes and trust in Mueller and our intelligence services. They need to bring Treasonous Trump down so hard that he’ll never get back up.
BTW I love TRE45ON. Well done.
I too have put all my faith in Mueller and Co. I honestly believe that Mueller has a labyrinthine plan to isolate Emperor Zero and provide proof thereafter that he is a treasonous rat.
I’m not saying don’t vote blue 100%, but my faith in the election process has been shaken. Luckily, we have a cyber security czar (no we don’t). Luckily there’s no voter registration tampering (there is), no voting suppression (there is), no gerrymandering (there is), etc.
I have more faith in Mueller than I do in the elections of 2018/2020.
I had a dream about Mueller last night. I can’t even get away from this stuff when I sleep.
I’ve lost faith even in the Mueller investigation. There is nothing that will get rid of 45. Republicans would stand by him no matter what.
You just won the thread.
Seeing as Tillerson *may have* been Russia’s pick for that position after Putin allegedly nixed Mitt Romney?
More likely he’s drinking vodka.
Talk about Tillerson calling him a F..king Moron. Some of us right here at this site predicted this entire fiasco. We screamed to anyone who would listen that he’s a fool, a liar and a conman and nothing good was going to come of him being president. He will bring the country down to its knees like all his businesses. Anyone remember the casinos bankruptcies, the football team flap, Trump University scam where he had to pay back $25m to the students he scammed, the Dotard’s steaks, the boxing 🥊 thingy, The T towers are in his name only. He rents out his name to make money. His TT buildings were built by undocumented workers who he paid pennies on the dollar, not the amount they bargain for. When they demand their money he told them to sue him knowing they could not afford to do that. His whole life is a fraud. He refused to rent his apartments to blacks, the city of NY had to file a law suit against him and had to pay. Also,
We did and they voted for him anyway. Now it looks like he has destroyed the Nebraskan farming industry with his Putin ordered tariffs. The tariffs will destroy the midwest and maybe that will wake some people up. Idk.
@Magnolia. I suppose I should have, but I have absolutely no sympathy for anyone in the Mid West suffering because of Trumpanzee’s tariff war. I know eventually the pain will spread and we will all be suffering because of the tariffs, but hey misery loves company. Those Red States vote against their best interest so as to keep people of color down….well feel the burn now cause Trumpanzee is screwing them along with the rest of us.
Yes, the EU just signed a trade deal with Japan, so midwestern pork will take a hit. Soybean prices have dropped because China is the biggest importer of our soybeans, so farmers will take massive losses when it is harvested this Sept/Oct.
PLUS, they will all get to enjoy the inflation that is a natural result of low unemployment, but which is also being goosed by tariffs and trade wars.
@Isalund
I am fresh out of sympathy too. You can’t feel sorry for people who consistently hurt themselves and by doing it harm others even more.
@Tiffany:))
Putin is getting his money’s worth for sure.
He is targeting the “heartland” and they will suffer and maybe never recover. Small farms, industrial farms…they can forget it.
Of course he knew. That’ how this f’ing moron got into office. Pardon me, that is, aside from all mopes that actually voted for this POS!!!!!!
I’m waiting for the day when this MOFO gets impeached. I have no doubt it will happen just not sure exactly when it will happen. He’s as gulity as the day is long!!!!
Republicans in Congress are now calling witnesses (like the steno) and asking them not to testify to the Democrats who are calling for more hearings and demanding full disclosure.
Nothing is happening to Drumpf unless the Republicans are thrown out of Congress.
Most of the GOP must be dirty too. Otherwise they turf Dump out, get Pence in and they can still pass all their anti choice legislation and judges. Why remain tied to an idiot traitor?
They’re dirty, complicit, in bed with the NRA, and pocketing the cash right and left. See how none of them questioned the nifty change the other day that the IRS will no longer require the NRA to report who donates to them? COMPLICIT and GUILTY, every last one of them.
The Democrats put forward an agreement that everyone running for office stand together and refuse to accept any election intel from questionable sources or stolen election intel. The Republicans refused to sign.
Yes, even though I believe the vote itself was hacked, FAR FAR TOO MANY people voted for him. Just an unacceptable number.
I have just spent a few days with family and dealt with the fact that several of my family members are STILL Trump supporters and also the very heavy blow that one of my most beloved uncles has been a supporter all along. My heart is broken and I’ve been crying about that Uncle. I’ve spent two nights having bad dreams.
I don’t know what to do. How to act. What to say. How can they continue to support this horrible regime? I have to call it a regime at this point. How can they claim to love my white-Hispanic children and still support this racist regime? I am so deeply hurt and scared, I feel like an animal licking it’s wounds now that I am home and it’s all sinking in.
It scares me so deeply that this will never end. The people I grew up looking up to, who I trusted to love me and my children, are in support of Trump. I feel I have lost even more if my family than I originally thought.
Like, what headline would it take for them to finally turn away? Is it that hard to admit they were wrong?
They sound like rusted on supporters who will support their side of politics right or wrong. Every party has them.
“rusted on” Great analogy, Rescue Cat.
Let’s not “both sides” this. There is no equivalent on the Democratic side.
I have to agree with RC. It may come in different forms but there are those on the left who cling with their eyes closed too.
I know how you feel. It’s unbelievable how people who once seemed smart and decent are now ignorant Trumpsters. I change the Trump subject when it comes up,because I end up screaming and enraged that people are so stubborn and keep the blinders on. Last week, my friend had a conservative radio show on in her car, we ended up arguing about the Zero Tolerance policy, and I got out at the traffic light and walked home 2 miles in the rain. I understand they’re probably embarrassed that they were conned, but when someone refuses to admit that Trump is dangerous and they still say he’s excellent, it blows my mind
Patricia, are they Faux News channel watchers?
I’ll also drop this little story here. Someone in my very red voting area wrote a letter to the editor describing how he’d been a lifelong Repub voter, but could not vote for Cadet Bone Spurs. He views him as a draft dodger. The letter writer recently talked to a friend who was still pro-Zero. The friend believed that Two Scoops had a legitimate medical issue (bone spurs). The letter writer told his friend that he understood how painful bone spurs are, and how they could impact one’s abilities.
Then, letter writer asks the friend what else bone spurs have prevented Two Scoops from doing. The friend was silent for a few seconds, and replied, “Draft dodger!”
Now, if we could replicate that one-on-one conversion many thousands of times.
The Trumpsters in my life have been brainwashed by never changing the channel. They sit there blank eyed watching Faux News all day, every day.
Occasionally I flip over to see what Faux line is spinning. Last night, it was (mis)communication issues and media meltdown.
All I can figure is that the diehard hosts are the “cool kids” and the audience wants to fit in.
My parents flipped between Fox and CNN all day. Thankfully, they realized some of the Faux hosts had gone off the deep end during O’s presidency.
Well, there was an exception. My mom liked Sarah’s dad, which amazed me because Mom was usually able to detect BS. I kept telling her he was a fake huckster — you could just sense it!
The Trump voters, that I know of, in my life are either quietly embarrassed or doubling the eff down. Some of the double downers know in their hearts they’re wrong and will blinker any convo attempt about the subject no matter how gentle or quiet.
And some are just angry white men.
I have had a few relatives cool way down but they were late to the party in the first place. They were Li’l Marco supporters and more suburban educated GOP southern types. The Ted Cruz ones are hanging on but having a tougher time lately. The full MAGA relatives are still onboard. Full stop.
One moderate uncle, I liked tries to reach out every now and then. He is so damn funny I miss his crazy jokes. He used to tease me about veganism and fashion. His accent used to make my friends just fall over laughing because he plays it up for people. He is thoughtful and loves his dogs to the point he makes jokes about how devoted he is to them. Like he used to send out photoshopped pics of his dogs doing amazing feats around the world. Wow, that made me teary just writing that. *sniff* But I am not sure the chasm can be breached. I feel like he betrayed me personally. He kind of did since he voted for a Nazi.
I think their support for him revealed more than I can forgive. It means they overlooked all the stuff we knew before and drove to the polls and voted for him anyway. What does that say about them? It is out there now and it can’t be put back.
Has any skilled group checked Fox News broadcasts for subliminal messages?
I have one close family friend that I always looked up to as a kid. She full on still supports trump. I can’t look at her the same way any longer. I have lost my respect for her.
Beth and Patricia-I hear you so much.
I’ve talked a lot about how I recently cut off a dear friend and her Trumpster fiancée.
Last night my BF and I were talking about how much happier we are not seeing that Trump-y BS in our Facebook feed. True, we could have just blocked them but I don’t think that’s drastic enough. I hate to say this but I really think at this point we need to cut Trump-supporters out of our lives, at least until he is out of office and then maybe we can start to heal.
And believe me when I tell you that I NEVER thought I would say something like that. I have always taken great pride in the fact that I have friends of all political persuasion. I still do have Republican friends BTW but they are NOT Trump-supporters.
Look at it this way: you are hurting so much right now. Your Trump-supporting family members see how much this is affecting you and they STILL dig in their heels. That’s not exactly caring. When I realized that my friend cared more about scoring points with her Republican BF and friends than she did about basic humanity, I decided to end it. That’s not the person I used to know and certainly not someone I want in my life. It was–and still is–incredibly painful but everything is on the line right now. It’s not the time to be accommodating or understanding towards people who enable this nightmare to continue.
And I know everyone has to make that decision for themselves. But for me at least, I don’t regret it.
If your Republican friends are not calling every elected Republican and demanding they do something about Drumpf? They’re still supporting him.
I don’t know, honestly, but I doubt they are doing anything. They are still my friends and will remain so, though.
Huge difference for me between casual friends who have always been Republicans and a friend I’ve known literally my entire life who used to be a Dem and is now a Trump-supporter.
If Kitten’s Republican friends live in our state, there aren’t many people they can call. Our entire congressional delegation is Democrat. Our Republican governor has stood up to Trump on several issues. Not enough for my liking but he has stood up to him and outright defied him on the family separation policy. His own party completely ignored him when he put forth a really good plan to save the ACA. Our AG is also a Democrat and has sued Trump on just about every policy. GOP congressional members tend to ignore people who aren’t their constituents. So, other than not donating, there’s not a lot they can do within their party if they live in MA.
@ Kitten: Agreed. Nov 2016 I chose to delete (rather than hide) any Dumpsters from Facebook. My mom asked why I couldn’t just hide her Dumpster friends. I said I don’t want to willingly associate with anyone who supports the trash in the White House. She dropped it but I refuse to sugarcoat why I “deleted” these people from my life. This is not a politics discussion, if you support the orange Traitor you are a TRAITOR and most likely an ignorant misogynistic self absorbed racist. I could never have a Dumpster friend, it just wouldn’t work. Now I still see a few family members who still say theyd vote for him but I am not given a choice at family events and I try best to ignore their BS. If they bring up Mango Mussolini I leave the room. They definitely arent the worst out of his voters either, I think it was more they’re Republican and hated Hillary.
We have to face him every single day involuntarily, at least we can control who we associate with. Like you, I like having friends from all walks of life and beliefs. I don’t need or want my own thoughts mirrored back to me in the form of a friend or relative. Common ground is one thing but I would miss out on a lot of great people if I thought living in an echo chamber was ideal.
45 supporting goes too far though. That means they reject my value system and condone this lunatics behavior and I can’t with that.
GOP congressmen ignore anyone in their districts who isn’t 1) Republican and 2) isn’t a wealthy white Christian Republican male.
An exaggeration but sadly not much of one.
Sunken cost fallacy. They’d have to admit they were really that stupid not to heed everybody’s warnings. Add in a nice dollop of racism and internalized misogyny, and it’s not that hard to understand how we got here.
The misogyny doesn’t get near the attention it should.
I’m also of the same mind when you say that he cannot differentiate meddling and colluding because…they cannot be!
I also genuinely wonder how many people democrats or just sane people actually believe they are different issues.
Whenever I hear the journalists on CNN for instance and they keep repeating “why won’t he accept that there was collusion? This has nothing to do with his legitimacy!”, I keep thinking that they don’t believe a word they’re saying. They are speaking to an audience of one (and maybe a few republican politicians).
They know orange is watching and it feels like they are trying to placate him or something so that he’ll ease up on the Mueller probe.
Just my take. I think it’s also a way to reassure myself because SURELY these people don’t actually believe he was just an innocent bystander?…
I think they’re trying to placate his voters, which is ridiculous because these people, like him, don’t read and only get their bits of propaganda from faux..it’s the same reason they keep saying he misspoke instead of factually calling him a liar. Reporters who let him and his people spout garbage without stating simply ‘no, that’s a lie’ are allowing the spread.
So if 45 hands over this ambassador to Russia, what’s to prevent him from having a “serious accident” while in their custody? Putin does not play nice….
I’m horribly afraid that he would be sent back in the same shape as that pitiful Otto Warmbier came home from N. Korea. Michael McFaul may have to go into hiding from the traitor in the WH.
This should never, never be allowed. McFaul, who worked in President Obama’s admibstration will be murdered. He was beaten up and threatened several times while in Russia. Our president is willing to betray and hand over US ambassadors. This murder, treason.
Exactly. I think literally everyone but Trump knows it’s a horrible idea to even briefly consider. The fact that Trump didn’t immediately shut it down shows how ignorant and reckless he is. And he says he’s tougher on Russia than any other POTUS has been. Ha.
That was my first thought – Putin wants these people so he can take them out. Only a fool or somebody in collusion would agree to that.
My guess is that a faked suicide will occur. Or a heart attack.
What’s really terrifying is DT don’t know what he promised Putin or can’t remember enough to let government officials know. Look for Putin to keep changing what was promised.
Vlad needs to be Putin in his place.
It’s true. He is barely coherent, can’t grasp how anything works. He should not be let loose from his wing in the WH any more.
And for Putin to have recorded the entire meeting for leverage.
Putin is releasing through the Russian press talk of various vague agreements meanwhile the WH and US government have no idea what Dump agreed to. It’s ridiculous. There is no executive privilege here.
He most likely was also briefed shortly after he accepted the Republican nomination in July 2016. That’s when the candidate starts getting intelligence briefings.
What I got from this was that people DIED because Trump couldn’t keep his big mouth shut (Russian CIA operatives). I will be out of town November 6th and I am calling my local Board of Elections and getting an absentee ballot. Every vote counts.
I remember when those deaths occurred within a short time. I think the count reached at lest eight. One happened in NYC.
I was tossing and turning last night as I thought about my son being away at college and being old enough to vote for the first time. I have to tell him to add getting his absentee ballot in order to his to do list.
Putin is now putting out statements that, basically, if we don’t allow him to control drump we are only acting in self partisan ways. Putin is controlling our national narrative.
That drump is considering handing over Ambassador McFaul is beyond horrifing. Congress must censor drump, then impeachment.
Carl B (Watergate reporter) said last night that the big story right now is what Republicans are going to do. Reporters need to keep the heat on our elected officials and their role in checks and balances, not just Zero’s distractions and ramblings.
I desperately hope so. This is beyond monstrous. First, American citizens exercising their First Amendment rights, then separating children from their parents, now handing over ambassadors and those who worked on the Magnitsky Act, next us who will be imprisoned for no other reason than hate drump
*spoiler* most of the senior leadership of the Republican Party won’t do anything because they are just as compromised. As was true during Watergate, follow the money (specifically the NRA funneled Russian money via that read-headed spy that was just arrested).
And why is Rand Paul headed off to Russia in a month or so? Especially after defending Trump’s treason on CNN? Getting some marching orders of something Rand?
Several GOPers traveled there on July 4th as well. Rand must have missed the group trip.
It’s definitely about money and power.
I hate him. I hate his family. I hate his supporters. I hate the Republicans. I hate that I have this hate and disgust, but here I am…hateful and despondent. It’s been since before the election that I’ve been able to watch news over reading it as I can’t handle hearing his voice and watching him do anything at all…including breathing. I remember the pride I’ve felt my entire life for the absence of hate in my life. Before, negative feelings were reserved for eggplant and boiled okra. Now, I actively desire another human to be shackled and stoned on OUR White House lawn, dragged through land and sea to incarceration at GTMO where a gathering of Amnesty International will be waiting to formally approve and christen the allocation of torture.
Agreed. I feel a lot darker inside and I don’t like it. I spent my life trying to be more compassionate and accepting but there are days where I feel I am losing the fight.
Yes, me too. I have worked so hard in my life to not react to people, including family. To kill them with kindness basically. I adopted the “let there be peace in the world and let it begin with me” mantra. Really lived it. And now, so much of that has let me down. I’ve lost a lot of it. I’ve become dark in many ways. But I still hold on and try.
I relate Darla.
There are days I don’t have the energy for optimism. I guess that is the whole point of psychological warfare. 🙁
and the PINO is tweeting again this morning that anyone who doesn’t want him and Putin to get along wants war with Russia. JFC no one wants war with Russia. But him and his voters/supporters want Russia to invade Montenegro and The Baltics.
Places of which many have never heard prior to this week…place they would probably not find on the map.
Threats about WWIII have long been used to manipulate the populace.
Every since WWII in fact! : )
This is going to get worse – and even more crazy – and a whole LOT of people are going to go down for treason, conspiracy and a whole bunch of other high crimes and misdemeanors (*cough*mostofcongress*cough*) before there’s a HINT of light at the end of the tunnel.
Traitor. Treason.
Impeach him already!
For at least two decades, the Trump Company has been a wholly owned subsidiary of the Russian mob. Putin is the face of that mob, but many other oligarchs and shadowy figures are also at the helm. Our one and only job is to oppose them in every way we can. Vote. Agitate. Speak out. Educate. Russia has no allies. We have many. It is hard going, but we will win this by working together.
If Congress functioned and the Republicans chose country over party, they’d have already started hearings to ask, “What did the President know and when did he know it?”
But Congress does not function because, for many years, the Republicans have chosen party over country.
They don’t care about democracy, folks. To them, the Democratic party is a party OF democracy, and the Republicans cannot in in a democracy, so Democrats aren’t only the opposition — they’re the enemy.
One consolation—he looks terrible. Unhealthy, stressed and agitated.
Yes, he’s been bricking it since that press conference. He’s afraid to reveal what he discussed and agreed to with Putin – its being spoon fed by Putin and its making him look more and more like the traitor he is. My imagination has a fair idea of what dark, disgusting secrets Putin has on him and it has to be yuge to make EZ sh!t his pants and do whatever Putin tells him to.
He has been looking more leathery and exhausted in recent weeks. It’s making the usual orange tone jump to burnt orange.
Maybe that’s a sign of one’s goose being cooked?
He’s just announced another surprise summit with Putin in D.C.
Trump is Putin’s Surrender Monkey – Donnie the Commie
What can we do to help McFaul not be sent to be interrogated by Russia?
Let’s do it together CBitches. I’m getting on the phone but what else? Again, serious question.
Dan Coates and John Kelly are doing damage control, they are trying very hard to distance themselves from Russia. Why isn’t the press asking Dan Coates about his meeting with the Russian who was under sanctions in January? Andrea did an interview with Dan Coates and not once did she ask him about how he has been doing the very same thing as the Dotard and his administration in regards to meeting with Russians? The press is failing us. The Dotard gets away with the things he does because the press just aren’t doing their job.
I’m a political scientist, and these have been my three areas of academic interest over the past few decades:
1. EU integration
2. Russian political history and
3. US elections
Yes, really.
So this year has been the perfect shit storm. My family is also from one of the countries Putin wants to re-invade. Bonus points!!
My blood pressure has gone through the roof this week, and I’m sick of getting into arguments with know-nothings. I really feel like I need to take a break from the news cycle before my head explodes, but I can’t stop following every horrific detail.
Thanks again America! (Or at least, the 33-50% of you who continue to support this abomination of a president).