Trump told Comey to shut down the Flynn investigation

[whichphilosophy]

I mentioned the matter regarding her server as this is one of the sources of later media flurries and does not alter the fact that we need to see the Memos and the Tapes from Trump.

You can't give a specific answer to any of your points.

Why are we Capitalizing words like Tapes and Memos like This?

I pointed to the Moon, but instead you looked at the finger. Do you understand the purpose of the statement?

 

[whichphilosophy]

I believe it, pretty much because that is how I'd be handling it if I never had to be diplomatic in my life. That being said, I don't think it is particularly telling, because if I was innocent, I'd be pissed as well.

Trump wants respect. The respect he thinks he deserves and is entitled to. He isn't getting it, and that is killing him.

Trump has always been this person, but with the god given gift of money and lawyers, Trump has been shielded for most of his corporate life from a lot of this stuff getting out. That shield is gone. Turns out the wannabe dictator was naked... and stupid... and can't read well because he is too vain to wear glasses.

The problem is that the media campaign is constantly on the attack 24/7 often with half information or assumptions wherein this latest one, just like the others hasn't panned out.

 

[Keith&Co.]

The problem is that the media campaign is constantly on the attack 24/7 often with half information or assumptions wherein this latest one, just like the others hasn't panned out.

How do you measure it as 'half' information?

But really, it's the job of journalists to let us know that stories are developing. To keep us up on the accusations being made and the memos being circulated and the temper tantrums being acted out.
And, yes, the news has no 'news cycle' any more. It's a 24/7 industry. Complaining about that is about as useful as complaining about porn on the internet.

And it's kind of disingenuous to complain about the news scrutiny of Trump, since it was the news that created El Cheato in the first place...

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Trump wants respect. The respect he thinks he deserves and is entitled to. He isn't getting it, and that is killing him.

Trump has always been this person, but with the god given gift of money and lawyers, Trump has been shielded for most of his corporate life from a lot of this stuff getting out. That shield is gone. Turns out the wannabe dictator was naked... and stupid... and can't read well because he is too vain to wear glasses.

The problem is that the media campaign is constantly on the attack 24/7 often with half information or assumptions wherein this latest one, just like the others hasn't panned out.

Trump tried to impede an FBI investigation less than a month in power! How can you be talking about anything else?

 

[funinspace]

Why are we Capitalizing words like Tapes and Memos like This?

I pointed to the Moon, but instead you looked at the finger. Do you understand the purpose of the statement?

I pointed to the Finger, but instead you look at the moon. Do you understand the purpose of the statement?

 

[ZiprHead]

White House sources say Trump is cursing up a storm - ranting and raving. Yelling at staffers & using the "F" word. He's losing it tonight.

Meh. This tweet is from a Democrat. So not particularly interesting. If the source had been members of Trump's team it would have been interesting.

 

[braces_for_impact]

So, all this bullshit going on and Paul Ryan tries to hold a press briefing on tax reform. Now he says we need to "collect all the facts". You didn't need facts when you accused Obama of frankly, ridiculous allegations - constantly. Then walking out of the room, you say you have "full confidence in President Trump". What is it about Paul Ryan? I want to punch him in his smug, big eared rat face SO BADLY.

 

[Artemus]

A very interesting analysis of what constitutes obstruction of justice and what is grounds for impeachment here, written by people who actually know what they are talking about. Being attorneys they are careful not to say that they believe Trump should be impeached and convicted, but their opinions seem rather clear when they conclude with

So the real question boils down to this: Does the pattern of conduct that is emerging, in the view of a majority of the House of Representatives and a two-thirds majority of the Senate, constitute an obstruction of justice of a type that is grounds for impeachment and removal?

 

[jonatha]

Watching Senator Angus King this morning calling for caution about impeachment. He said that there have been only two impeachments in our history (Nixon and Clinton)

/nit on

I assume he didn't mention names, since the two impeachments were Andrew Johnson and Clinton. (Nixon resigned before he could be impeached.)

Or maybe he's just wrong....

/nit off

 

[starwater]

So, all this bullshit going on and Paul Ryan tries to hold a press briefing on tax reform. Now he says we need to "collect all the facts". You didn't need facts when you accused Obama of frankly, ridiculous allegations - constantly. Then walking out of the room, you say you have "full confidence in President Trump". What is it about Paul Ryan? I want to punch him in his smug, big eared rat face SO BADLY.

Ryan has got to be in collusion or something. It makes no sense, he will be the last rat jumping off the sinking ship. Anyone with 1/2 a conscious would start distancing themselves as fast as possible from the trainwreck careening down the tracks. The first staffer to quit and tell all will be a hero.

 

[beero1000]

This is way speculative, but... if Dems take the House in 2018, and then both Trump and Pence are removed from office - would that then mean a President Pelosi? Would that mean that, depending on the evidence against Pence (and the amount of immediate damage Trump is doing) it might be strategically advisable for Dems to leave Trump in office until after 2018, even if he could be removed sooner?

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

This is way speculative, but... if Dems take the House in 2018, and then both Trump and Pence are removed from office - would that then mean a President Pelosi? Would that mean that, depending on the evidence against Pence (and the amount of immediate damage Trump is doing) it might be strategically advisable for Dems to leave Trump in office until after 2018, even if he could be removed sooner?

Good for party, bad for nation.

 

[whichphilosophy]

This is way speculative, but... if Dems take the House in 2018, and then both Trump and Pence are removed from office - would that then mean a President Pelosi? Would that mean that, depending on the evidence against Pence (and the amount of immediate damage Trump is doing) it might be strategically advisable for Dems to leave Trump in office until after 2018, even if he could be removed sooner?

Are you suggesting an un-elected leader replaces an elected one.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

This is way speculative, but... if Dems take the House in 2018, and then both Trump and Pence are removed from office - would that then mean a President Pelosi? Would that mean that, depending on the evidence against Pence (and the amount of immediate damage Trump is doing) it might be strategically advisable for Dems to leave Trump in office until after 2018, even if he could be removed sooner?

Are you suggesting an un-elected leader replaces an elected one.

I know, it'd be unprecedented in American History, except for Gerald Ford (appointed VP after VP Asshole resigned, then replaced Nixon who himself also resigned) when it had already happened.

 

[starwater]

This is way speculative, but... if Dems take the House in 2018, and then both Trump and Pence are removed from office - would that then mean a President Pelosi? Would that mean that, depending on the evidence against Pence (and the amount of immediate damage Trump is doing) it might be strategically advisable for Dems to leave Trump in office until after 2018, even if he could be removed sooner?

Are you suggesting an un-elected leader replaces an elected one.

Pelosi is elected. Just not by the entire US.

 

[Keith&Co.]

This is way speculative, but... if Dems take the House in 2018, and then both Trump and Pence are removed from office - would that then mean a President Pelosi?

I think it'd be much more fun to watch Ryan try to clean up the mess.

 

[Keith&Co.]

Are you suggesting an un-elected leader replaces an elected one.

You mean, like the Constitution outlines the succession?
Strangely okay with that...

 

[beero1000]

This is way speculative, but... if Dems take the House in 2018, and then both Trump and Pence are removed from office - would that then mean a President Pelosi? Would that mean that, depending on the evidence against Pence (and the amount of immediate damage Trump is doing) it might be strategically advisable for Dems to leave Trump in office until after 2018, even if he could be removed sooner?

Good for party, bad for nation.

Well, that's the thing. It might be net worse for the nation, but it also might not. How much damage could a comparatively competent politician like Pence or Ryan do, especially under the backdrop of 'better than Trump'? Plus, 2018/2020 could be affected by time with a re-normalized non-Trump Republican president. Strategically, these things do need to be considered.

Politics, amirite?

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Good for party, bad for nation.

Well, that's the thing. It might be net worse for the nation, but it also might not. How much damage could a comparatively competent politician like Pence or Ryan do, especially under the backdrop of 'better than Trump'? Plus, 2018/2020 could be affected by time with a re-normalized non-Trump Republican president. Strategically, these things do need to be considered.

Politics, amirite?

The Democrats didn't push on W and did everything to not rock the boat. They were finally awarded large majorities in 2006 and 2008. The Republicans then successfully managed to pull off an unbelievable landslide after Pres. Obama got the ACA through Congress.

The population has no long term memory recall (other than the term Watergate). So even if the Democrats swept into office in '18, put Pelosi in charge, was followed by 7 years of robust growth, the Republicans would bitch and whine the entire way and encourage people to put Ivanka Trump into the White House.

Trump has put the US into an unprecedented position. The Republicans have to fire Trump right now. They fear '18 and the butt bashing that approaches, but if they do fire Trump out of a cannon over the Mexican border, what is the reaction of his Brown Shirt movement? Does that lead to an '18 landslide as well?

Very few know where anything stands, except Trump, who thinks he stands atop the pedestal of big league greatness and is wondering why no one else notices.

 

[Opoponax]

They would, but the problem is the rabid, unforgiving and totally unreasonable portion of the electorate still backing Trump. They view anyone not in their camp as their avowed enemy and House Republicans risk a civil war within the party if they cross them. We can hope that enough Republicans feel the heat from the non batshit insane portions of their base that they do something. But either way it's going to be a brutal fight to get him the fuck out of office.

I am sure a barrage of unsubstantiated claims can have an effect. Of course it will mean the US no longer respects the democratic process. It stems from Hilary stupidly using her own server for emails then finding Wiki leaks leaked them. The Russians were then accused for which there is still no indefeasible link.

I'm not sure if many people read what she had written on these and how this would have a major impact on the electorate. So Clinton says she has a private and public opinion on politics; so what? The 24/7 press barrage during the elections didn't seem to stop Trump being elected. This is continuing to this day.

Whataboutism still flailing hard.