Trump 32: Pissing off the World, One Country at a Time

[Audrey2]

Sorry folks, Al Unser, also known as Big Al.

[JMarie]

20 hours ago, fraurosena said:

That may be true, but I distinctly remember reading that Rachel Maddow is often beating Hannity lately and is the best watched show for that time slot, and that overall MSNBC is often doing just as good if not better than Faux. So yes, there is a section of the public that avidly follows Faux News, but there is also a portion of the public that is at least as large that does not. And it is these people, (MSNBC'ers and those watching CNN, NBC, ABC and other local 'real' news networks) that I'm appealing to in my post. Because combined, these viewers are certainly the majority of the public.

Could be, but there's a considerable percentage of the population who cling to everything Fox News says.  Then there's the right wingers who think Fox News isn't conspiracy laden enough (such as the Mark Levin fans).  Add in the percentage who have a lot going on in their lives, and don't have time to watch any news.  Then add in the group who thinks the news is boring, and would rather watch anything Kardashian.  The uninformed (whether intentional or not) is still a significant chunk of America, IMO.

[fraurosena]

6 minutes ago, JMarie said:

Could be, but there's a considerable percentage of the population who cling to everything Fox News says.  Then there's the right wingers who think Fox News isn't conspiracy laden enough (such as the Mark Levin fans).  Add in the percentage who have a lot going on in their lives, and don't have time to watch any news.  Then add in the group who thinks the news is boring, and would rather watch anything Kardashian.  The uninformed (whether intentional or not) is still a significant chunk of America, IMO.

I have no doubt that's true. How else could that orange man-baby have been elected (with or without outside help)? It's a sad fact that there are so many uneducated, uninterested and indoctrinated Americans out there. 

That's why those of you who are educated, interested and not indoctrinated by Faux, Brainfart and InfoWars should make your voices heard. You are not a tiny slice of reason in a sea of insanity. You are a big part of America and you can make things happen. Women's and #NeverAgain Marches are cases in point.

Now is the time to march again, this time for democracy and freedom.

[47of74]

I think this was because Satan wanted easier access to his minion.

Quote

A sinkhole has developed on the White House’s north lawn, reporters observed Tuesday.

Voice of America’s Steve Herman and Breitbart’s Charlie Spiering shared photos on Twitter of the sinkhole, which is located just outside the entrance to the briefing room.

 

 

[AmazonGrace]

The Deep State moles are creeping ever closer.

[mamallama]

Damn!  I think Melania's escape tunnel caved in.

[Gobsmacked]

26 minutes ago, 47of74 said:

I think this was because Satan wanted easier access to his minion.

 

 

Has any one put a microphone down yet to welcome the Imps  and teeny weeny Demons with? 

[fraurosena]

1 hour ago, 47of74 said:

I think this was because Satan wanted easier access to his minion.

 

 

Did anyone happen to see a red balloon floating up from there? Could be Kellywise is clawing her way up from her crypt.

[Cartmann99]

4 hours ago, Audrey2 said:

Sorry folks, Al Unser, also known as Big Al.

I don't follow any flavor of car racing, so if you told me that the two best drivers were Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, I'd just smile and nod politely. 

[Audrey2]

2 minutes ago, Cartmann99 said:

I don't follow any flavor of car racing, so if you told me that the two best drivers were Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, I'd just smile and nod politely. 

My dad was not a big sports fan but he did have two sporting traditions a year - the Indy 500 and the Daytona 500. The Indy 500 was not broadcast live until 1986, so I grew up going to my great aunt's house the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend and listening to it on the radio. (Before 1986, it was broadcast later in the evening, after it had been on the radio and the winner was decided.) Both my dad and I liked Mario Andretti and our conversation always revolved around how he was going to make it out of the race. He was an exceptionally good race car driver at the time but only won the Indy once, in 1969. I know I have shared this on other threads, but I invite myself to a friend's house with a television you Saturday night of Memorial Day Weekend, spend the night, make breakfast, and then take over his TV to watch the race! Even for those of you who don't enjoy auto racing you might enjoy about the first 15 to 20 minutes which is full of pageantry, as is the Kentucky Derby.

[Cartmann99]

2 hours ago, 47of74 said:

I think this was because Satan wanted easier access to his minion.

 

 

If this had happened during the Obama administration, Jim Bakker would have had a special doom bucket made up, and would have given away mini-rolls of The Four Horsemen of The Apocalypse fiber supplement and toilet paper with every sale.

[GreyhoundFan]

"A tale of two elections"

Spoiler

THE BIG IDEA: The Trump administration doesn’t care about free and fair elections, except when it does.

In March, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was asked whether President Trump agreed with John McCain that Vladimir Putin’s reelection in Russia was a “sham.”

“We're focused on our elections. We don't get to dictate how other countries operate,” Sanders replied. “What we do know is Putin has been elected in their country, and that's not something that we can dictate to them, how they operate. We can only focus on the freeness and the fairness of our elections.”

Trump had ignored specific warnings from his own national security team — including a section in his briefing materials that said “DO NOT CONGRATULATE” in all caps – when he congratulated Putin for securing six more years.

Yet, on Monday, Trump issued a strongly worded statement condemning the reelection of Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro to another six-year term as illegitimate. He even signed an executive order to block the government from selling or collateralizing certain financial assets. “The United States remains committed to the Venezuelan people, who have suffered immensely under the Maduro regime,” the president said in a statement. “We call for the Maduro regime to restore democracy, hold free and fair elections, release all political prisoners immediately and unconditionally, and end the repression and economic deprivation of the Venezuelan people.”

Vice President Pence released a separate statement: “Venezuela’s election was a sham -- neither free nor fair. The illegitimate result of this fake process is a further blow to the proud democratic tradition of Venezuela. … America stands against dictatorship and with the people of Venezuela.”

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo added that the U.S. “will take swift economic and diplomatic actions to support the restoration of their democracy.”

-- In a conference call for reporters, senior administration officials struggled to square why Trump considers Maduro’s election fraudulent but not Putin’s. “The region has never seen a kleptocracy like this,” said one official, speaking on the ground rules that participants could not be identified. “We’ve never seen a country as wealthy in terms of its natural resources and human capital as Venezuela driven into such an economic death spiral so quickly, by such small groups of individuals determined to enrich themselves at the expense of millions of people.”

An estimated 1.5 million Venezuelans have fled the country, many to neighboring Colombia and Brazil.

“This is a true catastrophe, in every sense of the word,” he added. “The humanitarian suffering in this country is on a scale that we really don't see in other places. The exodus of the migrants is something paralleling Syria at this stage. … The effect on a close ally of the United States, Colombia, is enormous and is threatening to drag that country into the abyss from an economic standpoint as well.”

-- The Syria comment was striking because the Russians are propping up Bashar al-Assad and also bear a degree of responsibility for the continuing humanitarian crisis there.

-- ProPublica reports that the U.S. considered declaring Russia a state sponsor of terrorism after the chemical weapons attack on a former Russian spy and his daughter in England – but then backed off: “Soon after the March attack, Rex Tillerson, then the U.S. secretary of state, ordered State Department officials to outline the case for designating Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism under U.S. law. Experts in the department’s Bureau of Counterterrorism began to assemble what they thought was a strong case. But almost as quickly as the review began — within about two days — the secretary of state’s office sent new instructions to drop the initiative, according to State Department officials familiar with the episode. ‘There are a lot of issues that we have to work on together with Russia,’ a U.S. official said. ‘Designating them would interfere with our ability to do that.’”

-- Remember: Trump’s congratulatory call to Putin came after the chemical attack. In addition to congratulating Putin when he was advised not to do so, he also chose not to bring up the nerve agent that had been used on U.K. soil.

-- Putin is not the only strongman Trump has praised after a questionable election. More often than not, Trump has shown little concern about whether democracy is respected.

Trump called China’s President Xi Jinping in October to congratulate him his “extraordinary elevation” after Xi pushed the Communist Party congress to eliminate presidential term limits so that he can rule for the rest of his life. “I think it’s great. Maybe we’ll have to give that a shot someday,” Trump later quipped to Republican donors at his Mar-a-Lago Club.

Last April, Turkey held a referendum to weaken its constitution so that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan could claim even more power. International observers identified many irregularities, voters were not provided with impartial information by state-controlled media and civil society organizations were blocked from participating. The State Department released a statement highlighting reports of irregularities and expressing concern. But Trump offered no such critique when he spoke to Erdogan by phone. He only congratulated him on winning.

Trump congratulated Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte the same month for his antidrug campaign, which includes the extrajudicial killing of suspected drug dealers.

He also welcomed Egyptian leader Abdel Fatah al-Sissi, who took power in a coup, to the White House. “He's done a fantastic job in a very difficult situation,” Trump declared during a photo op. “We are very much behind Egypt and the people of Egypt. And the United States has, believe me, backing, and we have strong backing. ... And I just want to say to you, Mr. President, that you have a great friend and ally in the United States and in me.”

-- To be sure, the United States has a long history of allying with authoritarian powers to advance American interests. But even when turning a blind eye, presidents from both parties have historically chosen their words carefully to avoid endorsing or legitimizing, to the extent possible, antidemocratic actions. George W. Bush made the promotion of democracy a centerpiece of his foreign policy.

-- Also: China and Russia are not U.S. allies.

-- In his defense, Trump has been consistent about Maduro. Last August, he declined a request from the leftist dictator to speak on the phone. At the time, Sanders cited the lack of “free and fair elections” as the reason.

The only elections Dumpy really cares about are his and Putin's.

[GreyhoundFan]

Have your airsick bag at the ready: "Trump praises Nunes as ‘a very courageous man’"

Spoiler

President Donald Trump on Monday praised Rep. Devin Nunes — who is aggressively pushing the Justice Department for sensitive documents related to the Russia probe — as a "very courageous man."

In remarks delivered before he swore in Gina Haspel as CIA director, Trump diverted from the focus of the event to offer encouraging words to Nunes, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

“And a very courageous man. He's courageous, Congressman Devin. Thank you very much for being here. I appreciate it,” the president said of Nunes.

Nunes has been facing off with the DOJ after he and other House Republicans pressed the department for details about a source believed to have aided the FBI and special counsel Robert Mueller's probe into Trump campaign contacts with Russians ahead of the election.

The Justice Department has denied Nunes’ request, claiming it would risk national security and potentially endanger lives. However, the California Republican and his allies have dismissed those claims and have insisted that they’re interested in the source's role in Mueller’s probe and not the identity of the source.

On Sunday, Nunes said he will not meet with Justice Department officials to reduce tensions until he receives documents about the source.

Nunes had previously threatened to urge lawmakers to hold Attorney General Jeff Sessions in contempt of Congress for not handing over classified documents related to the sprawling Russia investigation.

Apart from the Nunes aside, Trump mostly stuck to his prepared remarks during the ceremony. He praised Haspel as the first female CIA director, adding that she is assuming her role at a crucial moment in United States history.

“We are reasserting American strength and American confidence, and by the way, America is respected again,” he said.

The president joked before Haspel was sworn in that if anyone didn’t agree with her nomination, they should let him know before it was too late. Haspel, however, was later met with applause, to which Trump said: “That means we’re keeping her, right?”

Trump also more directly touched on the controversial nature of Haspel's nomination, which was opposed by some senators because of her views on torture and her role in the CIA’s George W. Bush-era interrogation program.

“It took courage for her to say yes in the face of a lot of very negative politics, and what was supposed to be a negative vote,” Trump said. “But I'll tell you, when you testified before the committee, it was over. There was not much they could say. There was nobody more qualified than you, and you are going to do a fantastic job, Gina.”

Haspel said she takes “tremendous pride” in becoming the first female director, and praised “the remarkable courage and dedication displayed by generations of OSS and agency women in roles both large and small who challenged stereotypes, broke down barriers and opened doors for the rest of us.”

In addition, Haspel said she hopes to add more foreign language proficiency, strengthen partnerships overseas and in the U.S., and deploy more officers to the foreign field.

“We must learn from the past, but we can't dwell in the past. We must constantly learn, adjust, improve and strive to be better,” Haspel said. “We demand it of ourselves, and America deserves nothing less.”

 

[GreyhoundFan]

An interesting opinion piece from Jennifer Rubin: "Did Rosenstein and Wray play Trump?"

Spoiler

On Monday, President Trump met at the White House with Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein, FBI Director Christopher Wray and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats (among others) about the investigation into “any irregularities with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s or the Department of Justice’s tactics concerning the Trump Campaign” and congressional access to highly confidential material. This set off a furious reaction among those concerned with the erosion of democratic norms. There is widespread agreement outside of Trumpland that the meeting between investigators responsible for an inquiry into the president’s misconduct and those directly involved in the investigation is unprecedented and alarming. When it comes to the wisdom of Rosenstein and Wray’s attendance, there are two schools of thought.

As a preliminary matter, let’s note that all three of these are Trump appointees, all three have publicly attested that Russia interfered in the election to help Trump and none has a close personal relationship with Trump (nor does, for example, Attorney General Jeff Sessions).

One side, aptly represented by experts such as Jack Goldsmith, argues that we need to cut Rosenstein and Wray some slack. “Some people think they already should have resigned because of the president’s attacks on the integrity and independence of DOJ and FBI. They would certainly have plenty of reason to resign in protest,” he said in an interview with Isaac Chotiner. “But the main reason they appear to be staying on is to see the investigation through. It would disrupt the investigation for an uncertain period, and in an uncertain but probably bad way if Rosenstein, Wray, or Mueller left for any reason. That’s why I think we should support them in their decision to stay on, take the heat, and see the investigation to its completion, or at least as far towards completion as possible.” He added, “I am sure there are red lines, but given the stakes of resignation, and Trump’s unpredictable behavior, it is hard to know what they are.” The thinking is that the meeting was a tactical concession that gives up little ground, a means of deflecting Trump that permits them to do their work.

Others, including former attorney general Eric Holder, argue that the meeting was a hugely significant breach of democratic norms and Justice Department practice. Accordingly, Wray and Rosenstein are essentially enabling, rather than curtailing Trump’s trashing of constitutional norms. These critics worry that Rosenstein and Wray are incrementally damaging the very norms they want to protect.

I find the latter argument a little hard to fathom given that Wray and Rosenstein almost surely consulted with special counsel Robert S. Mueller III before attending. Moreover, Rosenstein has demonstrated that he is determined to give Mueller wide berth to conduct the investigation, including a recent public declaration that the Justice Department would “not be extorted.” Unless he has experienced a complete change of heart, one should imagine that in agreeing to the meeting he did not consider himself to be a victim of extortion.

I would suggest a third take on the meeting: Wray and Rosenstein, with Mueller’s full backing, might be setting up Trump. We know Mueller is already pursuing an obstruction-of-justice inquiry that might relate to acts such as Trump firing former FBI director James B. Comey, falsely accusing him of illegally leaking confidential material, pressuring Comey to drop the investigation into Michael Flynn, helping draft a phony cover story to explain the June 9 Trump Tower meeting and conducting an extended campaign to smear, discredit and disrupt the work of the FBI and the special counsel. In that vein, wouldn’t a meeting directly ordering Wray and Rosenstein to conduct what amounts to a wild goose chase and to put confidential material into the hands of congressional allies be part of the pattern of possible obstruction they are investigating?

Goodness knows what Trump said in the meeting and what he revealed about his intent with regard to outing the previously secret source. Moreover, Wray and Rosenstein already may have a very good idea who leaked the name of the source (initially to the right-wing Daily Caller, it appears) and may be keen to see whether the materials shared with congressional Republicans get leaked as well. (They, too, understand the finite protections of the Constitution’s “speech or debate” clause.)

This isn’t, alas, the “Deep State” at work. Remember, it’s Trump himself who is demanding the inquiry and document sharing; it’s his appointees who are complying with his wishes. If this is the “Deep State,” then it is so devious as to draft Trump and his top associates into its secret enclave.

But let’s get back to reality. Going to the meeting, taking copious notes, analyzing the notes to determine the propriety of Trump’s comments and referring that information over to Mueller is precisely what any responsible law-enforcement officials would do. It was, come to think of it, precisely what Comey did.

In short, I’m certainly inclined to give Rosenstein and Wray the benefit of the doubt as to their efforts to navigate around Trump. In fact, I’m willing to bet they knew exactly what they are doing and saw utility in having the meeting. We’ll know soon enough whether that meeting was part of the investigation, not an attempt to protect the investigation.

 

[47of74]

Of course the internetz has responded to the sinkhole

Quote

A sinkhole has opened up on the White House lawn — and the internet wasted no time making jokes about it.

Reactions to media reports on the sinkhole were swift, as many jokingly speculated that someone might have been using the tunnel as a secret means to enter — or escape from — the Trump White House.

My favorite reaction..

 

[CTRLZero]

I noticed I was not the only one whose first thought was "Hellmouth."  (My second was Hellnostril, but that is a subject for another thread.)

 

[AmazonGrace]

 

Referring to these rumors 

 

[fraurosena]

6 hours ago, GreyhoundFan said:

Have your airsick bag at the ready: "Trump praises Nunes as ‘a very courageous man’"

  Hide contents

President Donald Trump on Monday praised Rep. Devin Nunes — who is aggressively pushing the Justice Department for sensitive documents related to the Russia probe — as a "very courageous man."

In remarks delivered before he swore in Gina Haspel as CIA director, Trump diverted from the focus of the event to offer encouraging words to Nunes, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

“And a very courageous man. He's courageous, Congressman Devin. Thank you very much for being here. I appreciate it,” the president said of Nunes.

Nunes has been facing off with the DOJ after he and other House Republicans pressed the department for details about a source believed to have aided the FBI and special counsel Robert Mueller's probe into Trump campaign contacts with Russians ahead of the election.

The Justice Department has denied Nunes’ request, claiming it would risk national security and potentially endanger lives. However, the California Republican and his allies have dismissed those claims and have insisted that they’re interested in the source's role in Mueller’s probe and not the identity of the source.

On Sunday, Nunes said he will not meet with Justice Department officials to reduce tensions until he receives documents about the source.

Nunes had previously threatened to urge lawmakers to hold Attorney General Jeff Sessions in contempt of Congress for not handing over classified documents related to the sprawling Russia investigation.

Apart from the Nunes aside, Trump mostly stuck to his prepared remarks during the ceremony. He praised Haspel as the first female CIA director, adding that she is assuming her role at a crucial moment in United States history.

“We are reasserting American strength and American confidence, and by the way, America is respected again,” he said.

The president joked before Haspel was sworn in that if anyone didn’t agree with her nomination, they should let him know before it was too late. Haspel, however, was later met with applause, to which Trump said: “That means we’re keeping her, right?”

Trump also more directly touched on the controversial nature of Haspel's nomination, which was opposed by some senators because of her views on torture and her role in the CIA’s George W. Bush-era interrogation program.

“It took courage for her to say yes in the face of a lot of very negative politics, and what was supposed to be a negative vote,” Trump said. “But I'll tell you, when you testified before the committee, it was over. There was not much they could say. There was nobody more qualified than you, and you are going to do a fantastic job, Gina.”

Haspel said she takes “tremendous pride” in becoming the first female director, and praised “the remarkable courage and dedication displayed by generations of OSS and agency women in roles both large and small who challenged stereotypes, broke down barriers and opened doors for the rest of us.”

In addition, Haspel said she hopes to add more foreign language proficiency, strengthen partnerships overseas and in the U.S., and deploy more officers to the foreign field.

“We must learn from the past, but we can't dwell in the past. We must constantly learn, adjust, improve and strive to be better,” Haspel said. “We demand it of ourselves, and America deserves nothing less.”

 

You may be shocked, but I have to agree with that statement. Nunes is a very courageous man. To fly in the face of all reason, to blatantly ignore facts, to spout the most obviously false and sychophantic conspiracy theories and letting the whole world see exactly how much of a brown-nosing little shit-for-brains you actually are takes a hell of a lot of courage.

[Cartmann99]

Will Trump's appearance at the Susan B. Anthony event be the straw that broke the camel's back for one or more of the women who have been paid to keep quiet? 

[apple1]

8 hours ago, AmazonGrace said:

 

Referring to these rumors 

 

Documentation? There has to be more than rumors if... (Sorry...)

[47of74]

Herr Orange had to leap to the defense of Bumpstock Barbie (aka Mrs. Trump #4)

Quote

After Fox News pundit Tomi Lahren got a drink thrown on her in a Minneapolis restaurant, President Donald Trump took to Twitter in her defense.

“Everybody is with Tomi Lahren,” the president tweeted Wednesday morning. “A truly outstanding and respected young woman!”

Immediately after, Twitter did what it does best by making fun of Trump’s hyperbolic (and inaccurate) pronouncement.

 

 

 

[Gobsmacked]

1 hour ago, 47of74 said:

Herr Orange had to leap to the defense of Bumpstock Barbie (aka Mrs. Trump #4)

 

 

 

Tomi L is the right age and colouring for Trump, she hangs on his every utterance and agrees with his crap. I can see Melania giving her a list of his nap times, favourite bedtime stories, a huge hug to say thank you before grabbing her pre-packed bags and Baron then  running like the wind to a private plane mysteriously already arrived and disappearing to a hidden Haven somewhere sunny and peaceful. 

[fraurosena]

 

[fraurosena]

 

Uh... yeah, like we totally didn't know... 

It's nice, I guess, that he's admitted to it. Sadly, it won't change matters.

[47of74]

Awwww....I bet Herr Orange is so upset that he can't block people on the Twitter.

I'm cool with it, just so long as people on the receiving end of his electronic orange diarrhea are still able to block HIM.

Fornicate Herr Orange.