The Former Trump Presidency Thread

[Max Peck]

I built a truly great company worth many billions of dollars. That is a big part of the reason I was elected. As President, I can make far better deals with foreign countries than Congress.

He actually wrote that in a WH press release. Jesus Christ...

To be fair, it's the only part of that press release that he plausibly wrote, or even drafted, himself.

[Chaz]

I love it that he is dissing "Congress" not just the Democrats...

Well, considering there were a grand total of 5 "no" votes across both houses, he kind of had to dis everyone.

[malchior]

Marked improvement in Trump's abilities since Kelley took over...within the last week. Sounds legit.

Trump rattling off stats - and therefore Kelly is an effective CoS. Mostly because the bar is just that low.

[Octavious]

Pretty soon we will be cheering when he goes potty on his own.

[Skinypupy]

I love how "I was joking" is now the default response for anyone associated with this administration.

Despite his all too brief spell in the White House, Anthony Scaramucci will be forever remembered for his foul-mouthed rant to New Yorker reporter Ryan Lizza.

But according to Scaramucci, who lost his job on Monday after just 10 days, his allegations that former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus was a “paranoid schizophrenic” and that Steve Bannon practised autofellatio were all in jest.

“Most of what I said was humorous and joking. Legally, it may have been on the record, but the spirit of it was off. And he [Lizza] knew that,” Scaramucci told the Huffington Post on Tuesday.

Although, I suppose that framing it all as a joke is sadly fitting.

[ImLawBoy]

Pretty soon we will be cheering when he goes potty on his own.

OMG, can I hire Kelly to help potty train my twins?

[Octavious]

Pretty soon we will be cheering when he goes potty on his own.

OMG, can I hire Kelly to help potty train my twins?

It would certainly be an easier job than trying to control the whiner in chief.

[Octavious]

McCain
“The concerns expressed in the President’s signing statement are hardly surprising, though misplaced," McCain said. "The Framers of our Constitution made the Congress and the President coequal branches of government. This bill has already proven the wisdom of that choice."

Oh snap.

[Zarathud]

Pretty soon we will be cheering when he goes potty on his own.

OMG, can I hire Kelly to help potty train my twins?

I'm pretty sure that would be child abuse.

[Skinypupy]

Pretty soon we will be cheering when he goes potty on his own.

OMG, can I hire Kelly to help potty train my twins?

Seriously. Potty training twins is damn near impossible...mine are resisting every step of the way.

[LawBeefaroni]

I love how "I was joking" is now the default response for anyone associated with this administration.

Despite his all too brief spell in the White House, Anthony Scaramucci will be forever remembered for his foul-mouthed rant to New Yorker reporter Ryan Lizza.

But according to Scaramucci, who lost his job on Monday after just 10 days, his allegations that former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus was a “paranoid schizophrenic” and that Steve Bannon practised autofellatio were all in jest.

“Most of what I said was humorous and joking. Legally, it may have been on the record, but the spirit of it was off. And he [Lizza] knew that,” Scaramucci told the Huffington Post on Tuesday.

Although, I suppose that framing it all as a joke is sadly fitting.

Not sure which is worse. Saying those things not as a joke in a telephone interview or saying those things as a joke in a telephone interview.

[Unagi]

It's noteworthy that Scaramucci's remarks were a bit more 'locker room' to the common man's ear than "grab em by the pussy", but that Trump found his remarks inappropriate. Joke!


Joke! should be the new Sad!

[Isgrimnur]

Proverbs 26:18-19

[Max Peck]

I love how "I was joking" is now the default response for anyone associated with this administration.

Despite his all too brief spell in the White House, Anthony Scaramucci will be forever remembered for his foul-mouthed rant to New Yorker reporter Ryan Lizza.

But according to Scaramucci, who lost his job on Monday after just 10 days, his allegations that former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus was a “paranoid schizophrenic” and that Steve Bannon practised autofellatio were all in jest.

“Most of what I said was humorous and joking. Legally, it may have been on the record, but the spirit of it was off. And he [Lizza] knew that,” Scaramucci told the Huffington Post on Tuesday.

Although, I suppose that framing it all as a joke is sadly fitting.

Not sure which is worse. Saying those things not as a joke in a telephone interview or saying those things as a joke in a telephone interview.

It wasn't even an interview. He called the journalist to get the name of the source who provided the information about The Mooch's dinner with Trump and just spewed it all out, without even knowing enough about his own job to ask for it to be off the record.

[LordMortis]

Proverbs 26:18-19

So stealing that!

[Captain Caveman]

The Trump administration is proposing cutting legal immigration in half and admitting only those with skills who speak English. So naturally they brought out white nationalist Stephen Miller to discuss the policy. This exchange with CNN's Jim Acosta is remarkable and worth watching in full:

https://twitter.com/cspan/status/892834930346086400
What a douche-bag.

[Kraken]

McCain
“The concerns expressed in the President’s signing statement are hardly surprising, though misplaced," McCain said. "The Framers of our Constitution made the Congress and the President coequal branches of government. This bill has already proven the wisdom of that choice."

Oh snap.

And the wedge gets a crack wider.

Saw an interesting column on Slate (not worth linking IMO) that argued the Trump administration is going to go rogue, because neither Trump nor his core supporters give a rat's patootie about the Republican agenda. In a Trump vs. everybody scenario his authoritarian impulses have free rein.

I don't think so because if he breaks with the Republicans they'll impeach his ass. They only tolerate him while he's useful, and that's already getting weak.

[Octavious]

His approval rating is rapidly reaching the point where people will start jumping ship. I think if and more likely WHEN it goes under 30% hell will break loose. I saw one poll had him at 33%. Sadly that's more than double Christie's approval ratings.

And OMFG they need to stop letting Lurch go in front of the camera. I swear this entire staff is just a massive inside joke to see how far they can push things.

[tjg_marantz]

Jim. Jim. Jim. Jim. Jim. Jim.

[noxiousdog]

The Trump administration is proposing cutting legal immigration in half and admitting only those with skills who speak English. So naturally they brought out white nationalist Stephen Miller to discuss the policy. This exchange with CNN's Jim Acosta is remarkable and worth watching in full:

What a douche-bag.

I thought Jim Acosta was out of line. It's not his press conference.

Granted, I do feel the US Government has a right (and an obligation) to control the amount of immigration, so my bias is with reasonable numbers and policy. Anyone that wants to argue we should just take anyone that wants to come is realistic. I do not have an opinion on what that level is, though cutting the numbers by half is ridiculous.

A recent AEI report says, Only 21% of the public thinks we should increase immigration as opposed to 38% who say we should lower it. 38% also say it should remain the same.

[Captain Caveman]

Acosta is part of the press and can ask what he wants. Miller can decide whether to call on him, how to answer his question, and when to disengage and move on to another question. Miller of course is more than happy to have an extended tussle with Acosta, who as a CNN reporter, has become one of the top people the Trump administration has targeted as "fake news". That's why Millers faux-outrage about being shocked-- SHOCKED-- about Acosta's comment about the U.K. and Australia was pure theatrics designed to appeal to Trump supporters and likely Trump himself. What seemed out of line to me was Miller "well actually"-ing the Statue of Liberty and his smug lecturing the son of Cuban immigrants about who are worthy immigrants. I don't think Acosta was out of line at all to point out that a policy prioritizing high-skilled English speakers would lead to a disproportionate restriction of immigrants from certain ethnic backgrounds. I mean, really, that's the blaring dog whistle in the proposed policy anyway.

[Ralph-Wiggum]

At least from that clip, it didn't look like Acosta was saying anything about specific immigration numbers; he was criticizing the proposed law to let only English speakers into the country. Miller argued against something Acosta never advocated, as far as I can tell.

Also, it does not surprise me that Steve Miller went to Duke.

[Captain Caveman]

At least from that clip, it didn't look like Acosta was saying anything about specific immigration numbers; he was criticizing the proposed law to let only English speakers into the country. Miller argued against something Acosta never advocated, as far as I can tell.

Also, it does not surprise me that Steve Miller went to Duke.

Where he was classmates with Richard Spencer. Who knew Duke played such a prominent role in the rise of the alt-right?

[Ralph-Wiggum]

Every Carolina fan could've predicted it!

[malchior]

I'm in the Acosta did nothing wrong camp. It was an obvious point to bring up. That Miller got all "cranky" was just a show. This is the same administration that is pursuing a borderline white nationalist set of policies so they should be pretty used to this line of questioning by now.

[tgb]

Acosta did nothing wrong, but at this point an incident like this is starting to become red meat beyond the base. I have anti-Trump friends that are starting to comment on the media being obsessed, especially CNN and MSNBC

[Vorret]

http://thehill.com/homenews/administrat ... club-in-nj

good thing he wasn't supposed to play golf or take vacations hahah

[tgb]

Isn't he on vacation every weekend?

Maybe it's a ploy by Kelly to get him out of the WH so Pence can seize power.

[Octavious]

Wow read the transcripts of him talking to the Mexican president. OMFG he's got no clue what he's doing. New Hampshire will be glad to know that he called the place a drug infested den. Also he took time to compliment Putin because well he just has to.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics ... 139f229158

[Fitzy]

Wow read the transcripts of him talking to the Mexican president. OMFG he's got no clue what he's doing. New Hampshire will be glad to know that he called the place a drug infested den. Also he took time to compliment Putin because well he just has to.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics ... 139f229158

I read the transcripts until I was ill. The man is so damn narcissistic it's disgusting.

[pr0ner]

Barf. The lack of respect he shows for his peers (other than Putin) is staggering.

[geezer]

Barf. The lack of respect he shows for his peers (other than Putin) is staggering.

It's weird, right? He sounds only half as stupid in "private" and significantly more aware but even more arrogant. What a total dick.

[Holman]

Also leaked this week was the full transcript of Trump's interview with the WSJ, which the editors hoped (despite the fact that it was all on the record) to keep under wraps.

It's the usual Trumpian word salad where he's only occasionally able to bring a sentence to meaningful completion. He sure does love his crowd sizes, though.

BAKER: What have you been doing, Mr. President, sort of behind the scenes [towards passage of the health bill]?

TRUMP: A lot. A lot.

BAKER: I mean, what do you think the crucial conversations have been?

TRUMP: Many conversations. I just had one with a certain senator that was very convincing to that senator. So I’ve done a lot. I mean, last night — last night it was amazing. I was at the — you know, I was in West Virginia doing certain things and making a speech to the Boy Scouts, and that was some crowd. That was an incredible crowd.

BAKER: What are you most proud of in the first six months?

TRUMP: A lot of things. I think I’m proud of the Supreme Court choice. And that’s not just a nomination, that’s getting him through. I’m very proud of opening up regulations. One of the reasons you see optimism is because people can actually use their land. They can farm their land. I’ve had tremendous and tremendous — look, I had 45,000 people there yesterday. It’s the biggest crowd they’ve ever had, and they were — they were going wild yesterday in West Virginia. But people can actually use their land and they can build.

And then, of course, he just seldom knows what he's talking about.

[Octavious]

Just realized that he didn't even win the drug infested den. So not only does he insult the state, he didn't even win it. It must be fascinating to be able to create your own world.

[Fitzy]

Just realized that he didn't even win the drug infested den. So not only does he insult the state, he didn't even win it. It must be fascinating to be able to create your own world.

Allow me to prespin this one. He won the primary. And wasn't he claiming illegal immigrants from Vermont pushed NH over to Clinton?

[pr0ner]

That second quote Holman posted there. Holy shit. Always has to be bragging about SOMETHING, that Trump.

[Octavious]

Just realized that he didn't even win the drug infested den. So not only does he insult the state, he didn't even win it. It must be fascinating to be able to create your own world.

Allow me to prespin this one. He won the primary. And wasn't he claiming illegal immigrants from Vermont pushed NH over to Clinton?

Who knows I can't keep track of the crazy anymore. I guess that's his key strength. Have so much shit going on that you can't focus on anything.

I do know that from reading the transcripts that his loyal fans will just point out that he was doing exactly what he said he would. Try and get them to pay for the wall and renegotiate trade agreements. Of course I don't think acting like a baby and whining counts as negotiating, but maybe that's me.

[Captain Caveman]

This might be my favorite moment from the transcripts:

https://twitter.com/KevinMKruse/status/ ... 4339253248

[LordMortis]

Just realized that he didn't even win the drug infested den. So not only does he insult the state, he didn't even win it. It must be fascinating to be able to create your own world.

Allow me to prespin this one. He won the primary. And wasn't he claiming illegal immigrants from Vermont pushed NH over to Clinton?

He won the presidency, therefore he won all of the states.

[malchior]

Barf. The lack of respect he shows for his peers (other than Putin) is staggering.

It's weird, right? He sounds only half as stupid in "private" and significantly more aware but even more arrogant. What a total dick.

I think he still shows a dangerous lack of coherence.

And certainly, as to the relationship and friendship, I consider you a friend. I met you the one time and I studied you. You are a very hard person to study, because you are sending out messages that are important to the Mexican people.

WTF does that even mean?

He also just can't stop lying and misrepresenting himself. He didn't win a large number of hispanics. He didn't win New Hampshire. He is a complete loon and these guys have to tolerate him but are not going to actually work with him beyond the bare minimum. It is ridiculous that this is our face to the world.