The Former Trump Presidency Thread

Skinypupy · Post by **Skinypupy** » Fri Jan 13, 2017 12:37 am

Interesting article (and by interesting, I mean horrifying) about how Trump's press conference antics closely mirror Putin's.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Fri Jan 13, 2017 12:58 am

Skinypupy wrote:Interesting article (and by interesting, I mean horrifying) about how Trump's press conference antics closely mirror Putin's.

It isn't actually horrifying until investigative journalists start turning up dead. Trump is just acting like Trump, so I don't think he's consciously imitating Putin's relationship with the press just yet.

Kurth · Post by **Kurth** » Fri Jan 13, 2017 1:38 am

Grifman wrote:
Kurth wrote:But this is really the heart of what is bothering me - if Buzzfeed was so wrong to publish the unverified file because it was . . . unverified . . ., then why does CNN get a free pass for reporting on it but not actually publishing the contents? If there is no reason to believe what's in the dossier is credible, why make a big headline out of it? And if the "news" event is solely hat the dossier has now been "presented" to Trump and Obama, that seems to be significantly undermined by the fact that no one actually told them about it and it was never discussed during the briefing.
It's as if you don't even read what I wrote so I'll say it again:

1) A US Senator (John McCain) took them seriously enough to forward the data to the FBI/CIA
2) The allegations have led to not just a memo but an active investigation
3) This has also been shared with the top Senate/House intelligence leadership

I'll bold my question to you again:

You don't think that this makes it serious and newsworthy?

As for credibility, no one knows. That's why there is an investigation by US intelligence agencies.

No need to get snarky. I wasn't ignoring you, I just missed your post.

Your points are well taken, and I'm not saying it's completely unworthy of coverage, but if the underlying allegations are not credible - and from what I've read so far, no one seems ready to say they are - then that does undermine the weight of the story. And it calls into question CNN's judgment regarding running under the sensational BREAKING NEWS banner with a headline that talks about the materials being presented to Trump and Obama.

Maybe my greater concern here and the reason I found some of Conway's points to be persuasive in her interview with Copper has more to do with my overarching concern that we are horribly ill-served by our most powerful "news" organizations today. How is anyone going to really understand when Trump's stepped over the line and done something really awful if every little thing he does is tagged as a BREAKING NEWS headline?

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Fri Jan 13, 2017 1:53 am

Sepiche wrote:The Director of the OGE gave a hell of a speech today:
https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/up ... emarks.pdf

Funny how Chaffetz keeps turning up in interesting stories, such as this one on the newly declared War on Ethics.

House Republicans have summoned the head of the independent federal ethics office to answer questions about his agency and his public criticism of President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to separate from his real estate empire.

A letter sent late Thursday from Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), chairman of the GOP-led House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, was viewed by ethics experts as a veiled threat to the budget of the Office of Government Ethics unless its director changes his rhetoric and approach.

The letter to Walter Shaub Jr., director of the Office of Government Ethics, asks him to appear before lawmakers in a closed-door, transcribed interview. Shaub is not being subpoenaed, but was asked to respond to questions in a setting much like a deposition, committee staff said.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Fri Jan 13, 2017 2:12 am

People (appropriately) heap scorn on Trump, while largely overlooking how Chaffetz, McConnell, and Ryan are all also terrible people, just with a little more competence and a much greater capacity to look reasonable and professional.

Grifman · Post by **Grifman** » Fri Jan 13, 2017 2:44 am

Kurth wrote:No need to get snarky. I wasn't ignoring you, I just missed your post.

Sorry.

Your points are well taken, and I'm not saying it's completely unworthy of coverage, but if the underlying allegations are not credible - and from what I've read so far, no one seems ready to say they are -

Whoa, stop right there. I think you go too far there. We don't know they aren't credible. Some parts don't seem credible to me, but other parts do. The sexual stuff sounds crazy to me, but Trump's organization having contacts with the Russians - that seems entirely possible, because a number of his people already had known previous Russian relationships. I think you overstate things when you say "no one finds them credible". If they weren't at least possibly credible, the FBI wouldn't have an ongoing investigation, and it would not have risen as high as it has to be reviewed with the current President and leaders of Congress.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Fri Jan 13, 2017 10:06 am

Kurth wrote: Maybe my greater concern here and the reason I found some of Conway's points to be persuasive in her interview with Copper has more to do with my overarching concern that we are horribly ill-served by our most powerful "news" organizations today. How is anyone going to really understand when Trump's stepped over the line and done something really awful if every little thing he does is tagged as a BREAKING NEWS headline?

I think that narrative has been primarily pushed by those who have something to hide, to be honest. We've always had yellow journalism, so it's nothing new. And it will sometimes find its way into reputable news agencies. But usually with some type of caveat noting that its unfounded or lacks any facts to back it up.

We need a free press. I don't think that can be disputed by anyone in this country. But we also have to take the good with the bad. There has been, and always will be, publications like the National Enquirer and Breitbarts. Unfortunately, they're being pushed as the truth now by a group of people who want to hear only the things they agree with. This president elect has done more to harm freedom of speech before even taking office than anyone I can think of right now. And he needs to be monitored, watched and reported on even more strenuously because of that.

RunningMn9 · Post by **RunningMn9** » Fri Jan 13, 2017 10:17 am

Kurth wrote:Your points are well taken, and I'm not saying it's completely unworthy of coverage, but if the underlying allegations are not credible - and from what I've read so far, no one seems ready to say they are - then that does undermine the weight of the story. And it calls into question CNN's judgment regarding running under the sensational BREAKING NEWS banner with a headline that talks about the materials being presented to Trump and Obama.

I don't understand why this is so complicated? The story isn't "here is this list of questionable allegations". The story is "The Russians have let it be known that they have this dirt on Trump, which may or may not be the dirt that was compiled as part of this oppo research on Trump."

Having it known that Russian spy agencies have made it known in intelligence circles that they have dirt on Trump, and having that been taken serious enough by our intelligence agencies to brief Congress, the POTUS and the PEOTUS - is pretty goddamn newsworthy.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Fri Jan 13, 2017 2:09 pm

And it's not like they're saying Trump's father may have shot JFK.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Fri Jan 13, 2017 2:32 pm

It's simple really - current news media needs to press the PEOTUS for a list of real, approved news sources. He's still on Twitter ranting about all the fake news so why not provide us with some state-sanctioned information outlets.

Would you like to know more?

Sepiche · Post by **Sepiche** » Fri Jan 13, 2017 3:47 pm

What the fuck?
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/d ... auguration

In a bizarre move, Donald Trump has demanded that the commanding officer of the Washington, D.C. National Guard resign from his post in the middle of the Inauguration ceremony, even though the general will be in the middle of helping oversee the event's security, the Washington Post reported on Friday.

Maj. Gen. Errol R. Schwartz will be removed from his post at 12:01 p.m. on Inauguration Day, just after Trump is sworn in but before the Inaugural parade begins, according to a memo obtained by the Washington Post.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Fri Jan 13, 2017 3:54 pm

That's when the Red Army assumes control.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Fri Jan 13, 2017 4:00 pm

In other news, the D.C. National Guard will be rebranded as the Leibstandarte DS Donald Trump. They will be issued new uniforms, based on classic Hugo Boss designs, updated to include a lavish abundance of gold trim.

Ralph-Wiggum · Post by **Ralph-Wiggum** » Fri Jan 13, 2017 4:21 pm

More Trump presidency/Russia connections...

The man tapped to be national security adviser to President-elect Donald Trump, Gen. Michael Flynn, exchanged text messages and spoke with Russia's ambassador to the U.S., Sergey Kislyak, in December — around the time of the Obama administration's response to Russian interference during the presidential campaign, a spokesman for Trump acknowledged Friday.

But Sean Spicer, the spokesman and incoming White House press secretary, insisted all of this contact happened before President Obama announced the retaliation, and, as a result, Obama's move to expel 35 Russian diplomats wasn't a topic of conversation.

This came in response to a Washington Post column from David Ignatius that raised serious questions about contact between Flynn and the ambassador. In the column, Ignatius writes he was told by a "senior U.S. government official" that Flynn had called the ambassador several times on the day of Obama's action. Ignatius then asks:

"What did Flynn say, and did it undercut the U.S. sanctions? The Logan Act (though never enforced) bars U.S. citizens from correspondence intending to influence a foreign government about 'disputes' with the United States. Was its spirit violated?"

Also in the article:

And finally, there were two totally bizarre occurrences on Capitol Hill. Just as the man who hopes to become CIA chief was testifying and a senator was in the middle of asking him about Russian interference, the power went out in the building, cutting the feed to C-SPAN, which was televising the hearing.

And, on the same day, as a congresswoman was making a speech on the House floor, again about Russia, the C-SPAN live stream online switched to a feed of RT.

But I'm sure it was just a coincidence that it happened both times the topic being debated was Russia.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Fri Jan 13, 2017 4:24 pm

Max Peck wrote:In other news, the D.C. National Guard will be rebranded as the Leibstandarte DS Donald Trump. They will be issued new uniforms, based on classic Hugo Boss designs, updated to include a lavish abundance of gold trim.

As an aside: at one point Nixon instituted a special uniform for White House staff and the uniformed branch of the Secret Service. These were immediately ridiculed as looking like something out of a banana republic.

The uniforms were later--this is true--given to a local high school marching band.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Fri Jan 13, 2017 4:25 pm

British ex-spy behind Trump dossier seen as a cool operator

LONDON (AP) -- Christopher Steele, the one-time British spy who has compiled an explosive dossier on President-elect Donald Trump, is a well-regarded operative who wouldn't make up stories to satisfy his clients, according to diplomatic and intelligence experts who know him.

Steele, 52, worked for MI6, Britain's overseas intelligence agency, and served in Moscow in the early 1990s. After leaving the agency, he and a partner started Orbis Business Intelligence Ltd. in 2009. The firm provides strategic advice, gathers intelligence and conducts cross-border investigations, according to its website.

"I know him as a very competent, professional operator who left the secret service and is now operating his own private company," Andrew Wood, Britain's ambassador to Russia from 1995 to 2000, told the BBC on Friday. "I do not think he would make things up. I don't think he would, necessarily, always draw correct judgment, but that's not the same thing."

In a tweet Friday, Trump described the "phony allegations" as having been compiled by his political opponents and a "failed spy afraid of being sued." He did not mention Steele by name.

The dossier was reportedly produced as opposition research for the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign and was being discussed in Washington as early as October, even though its details weren't widely reported until this week. The report contains unproven information on close coordination between Trump's inner circle and the Russians about hacking into Democratic accounts - as well as unproven claims about unusual sexual activities by Trump attributed to anonymous sources. The Associated Press has not authenticated any of the claims.

Wood said U.S. Sen. John McCain asked him about the document during a security conference in November because of Wood's relationship with Steele. After their conversation, McCain made arrangements to get a copy of the report, Wood told the BBC.

Wood is now an associate fellow at the think tank Chatham House and is a consultant for companies with interests in Russia.

Three British intelligence officers interviewed by The Associated Press described Steele as well regarded in the intelligence community, with excellent Russian skills and high-level sources.

$iljanus · Post by **$iljanus** » Fri Jan 13, 2017 7:21 pm

And no good deed goes unpunished...

So remember when the director of the Office of Government Ethics voiced some concerns over Trump and his "plan" to separate himself from his various businesses?

From WaPo article:

President-elect Donald Trump’s refusal to divest from his global business empire has provoked a showdown in Washington over government ethics, pitting a small federal agency tasked with preventing conflicts of interest against the incoming administration and its Republican allies on Capitol Hill.

The dispute erupted Friday after a top House Republican demanded to question the director of the independent Office of Government Ethics, who took the unusual step this week of denouncing Trump for retaining ownership of his businesses while transferring management to his sons.

With Republicans and Democrats weighing in, the episode has brought unprecedented attention to a usually obscure office and its director, Walter Shaub Jr., who became an instant sensation on Twitter and in news headlines this week after he blasted Trump’s plan as “meaningless” and said the president-elect is not meeting the standards set by “the best of his nominees.”

House Republicans reacted swiftly, summoning Shaub to appear before the Oversight and Government Reform Committee to answer questions about his office and his public criticism of Trump. Shaub made the remarks at the Brookings Institution on Wednesday, hours after the president-elect and his attorneys had laid out the business plan at a press conference.

By late Thursday, Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) had sent Shaub a letter summoning him to appear before lawmakers in a closed-door, transcribed interview much like a deposition.

Closed door "interview". I guess that's when they'll introduce him to that alien parasite like in that episode of Star Trek TNG, Conspiracy

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Fri Jan 13, 2017 7:31 pm

The same Chaffetz who said he couldn't look his daughter in the eye if he supported Trump?

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Fri Jan 13, 2017 7:53 pm

$iljanus wrote:And no good deed goes unpunished...

So remember when the director of the Office of Government Ethics voiced some concerns over Trump and his "plan" to separate himself from his various businesses?

Yes, I do.

$iljanus · Post by **$iljanus** » Fri Jan 13, 2017 8:03 pm

Max Peck wrote:
$iljanus wrote:And no good deed goes unpunished...

So remember when the director of the Office of Government Ethics voiced some concerns over Trump and his "plan" to separate himself from his various businesses?
Yes, I do.

Oops sorry bout that! My contribution will be that pic from one of the better TNG episodes from that season.

Zarathud · Post by **Zarathud** » Fri Jan 13, 2017 8:17 pm

Trump appears to have adopted nothing more than a Revocable Trust (or Living Trust) with 3 Co-Trustees sharing responsibility for most decisions except some investments needing approval of a hand picked "ethics advisor" while President. His 2 sons have actual control in law and fact of the assets. In this situation for tax purposes, the IRS would interview the ethics advisor and check whether anything was ever rejected.

This is nothing more than stage dressing. It's the plan you come up in less than 24 hours as something that would be pleasing to the client but identify as needing changes to actually work.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Fri Jan 13, 2017 9:15 pm

$iljanus wrote:
Max Peck wrote:
$iljanus wrote:And no good deed goes unpunished...

So remember when the director of the Office of Government Ethics voiced some concerns over Trump and his "plan" to separate himself from his various businesses?
Yes, I do.
Oops sorry bout that! My contribution will be that pic from one of the better TNG episodes from that season.

No worries. I just can't pass up the opportunity to snark out.

In other news...

U.S. Intelligence Officials Reportedly Warn Israeli Counterparts Against Sharing Info With Trump Administration

Israeli intelligence officials are concerned that the exposure of classified information to their American counterparts under a Trump administration could lead to their being leaked to Russia and onward to Iran, investigative journalist Ronen Bergman reported by Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot on Thursday.

The intelligence concerns, which have been discussed in closed forums recently, are based on suspicions of unreported ties between President-elect Donald Trump, or his associates, and the government of Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

As Russian intelligence is associated with intelligence officials in Tehran, highly classified information, such as Israel's clandestine methods of operation and intelligence sources, could potentially reach Iran. Such information has been shared with the United States in the past.

American intelligence officials expressed despair at the election of Trump during a recent meeting with their Israeli counterparts, Bergman reported. They said that they believed that Putin had “leverages of pressure” over Trump, though they did not elaborate. The American media reported on Wednesday that Russia has embarrassing intelligence about the president-elect.

According to Bergman, the American intelligence officials implied that Israel should “be careful” when transferring intelligence information to the White House and the National Security Council (NSC) following Trump's inauguration – at least until it is clear that Trump does not have inappropriate connections with Russia.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Fri Jan 13, 2017 10:24 pm

Ethics Office to Trump - Kiss Our Asses

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Sat Jan 14, 2017 2:41 pm

What's the over-under on how long it takes for Baiting Trump and Scoring a Personal Attack Tweet™ to overtake baseball as the America's national pastime?

Skinypupy · Post by **Skinypupy** » Sat Jan 14, 2017 2:48 pm

I simply cannot wrap my head around the fact that Donald Trump just called out John Lewis - JOHN FUCKING LEWIS - for being "all talk" on MLK weekend. Thats just...I can't even think of an appropriate level of disgust for that.

Of course, I'd bet my house that Trump has no idea of Lewis' history. It's just another congressman criticizing him, who must be from a crime-ridden district because, hey, he's black.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Sat Jan 14, 2017 3:05 pm

Skinypupy wrote:I simply cannot wrap my head around the fact that Donald Trump just called out John Lewis - JOHN FUCKING LEWIS - for being "all talk" on MLK weekend. Thats just...I can't even think of an appropriate level of disgust for that.

Of course, I'd bet my house that Trump has no idea of Lewis' history. It's just another congressman criticizing him, who must be from a crime-ridden district because, hey, he's black.

Openly racist president attacks civil rights icon on MLK weekend...and the crowd laps it up. At least, I assume they are, just because they always do.

If it widens the Inauguration boycott it will have been worthwhile. The more empty seats, the better the visuals (although I'm sure the trumpsters will fill them with stooges to prevent that).

gilraen · Post by **gilraen** » Sat Jan 14, 2017 3:25 pm

200 Buses Have Applied For Inauguration Parking — 1200 For The Women’s March

As of Friday, roughly 200 bus permits have been requested to park in Washington D.C.’s RFK stadium on Inauguration Day, a spokesperson for the District Department of Transportation confirmed to The Huffington Post. (A total of 393 have been granted within the entire district that day.)

By contrast, nearly 1,200 tour bus permits that have been requested for the Women’s March on Washington the following day.

To put that in context, The Washington Post reports that at President Barack Obama’s record-setting 2009 inauguration, more than 3,000 charter buses registered for parking permits in D.C.

tgb · Post by **tgb** » Sat Jan 14, 2017 3:45 pm

This seems as good a time to post this as any.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Sat Jan 14, 2017 3:50 pm

A glimpse into the alternate reality where little Donnie Trump grew into a man.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Sat Jan 14, 2017 4:25 pm

Here's John Lewis (light coat) being "all talk" in Selma, AL.

Show Trump that picture and he probably sees nothing but disrespect for the police.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Sat Jan 14, 2017 4:41 pm

Every time you bust my margins, you vote for Trump.

tgb · Post by **tgb** » Sat Jan 14, 2017 6:51 pm

Loser Blackhawk whines about broken margins, does nothing. Sad.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Sat Jan 14, 2017 9:50 pm

We're going to build a margin, a big beautiful margin, and we're going to make Mozilla pay for it!

PLW · Post by **PLW** » Sat Jan 14, 2017 10:48 pm

I assume Trump prefers people who don't get beat up by the police.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

Pyperkub · Post by **Pyperkub** » Sat Jan 14, 2017 10:56 pm

PLW wrote:I assume Trump prefers people who don't get beat up by the police.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

Don't kid yourself, Trump prefers people who own the Police.

Exodor · Post by **Exodor** » Sun Jan 15, 2017 12:49 pm

SNL spoofs Trump's press conference

If we survive the next four years at least it will be a golden age for comedy.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Sun Jan 15, 2017 1:55 pm

Don't worry - everything is *fine*.

tgb · Post by **tgb** » Sun Jan 15, 2017 3:01 pm

"Nice congress you have here. Be a shame if something happened to it."

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Sun Jan 15, 2017 3:06 pm

Exodor wrote:SNL spoofs Trump's press conference

Now we just wait for the 3AM twitter rant.

AjD · Post by **AjD** » Sun Jan 15, 2017 3:30 pm

Always interesting to learn about the reaction to Trump overseas.

Here's the TV listing for Trump's inauguration in Scotland's Sunday Herald: