I just watched an American President say before the world that he sides with the President Russian over his own government’s view of how Russian ‘s have created mischief….
For his own ego and to cover his own ass?
Donald Trump is embracing an ex-Russian KGB guy….
Trump’s comment where so bad?
Even Fox News people are saying Trump’s performance was ‘disgusting’….
Donald Trump fucked up…
Will anything come from this?
Will Congress address this?
We know Mueller is has and will continue to…
….
My comments while watching this spectacle….
Trump has put on Crimea and his election meddling out of his mind….. Putin has to be smiling to himself….
…
Asked directly to tell Putin to keep hands off America? Trump avoids the question and goes after Clinton ….. Says Putin is ‘Strong and Powerful’….. Putin then does a masterful chess move…Says cops don’t count…The politicians do…Congress, eh?
…
Putin is asked directly ….. Doe Russian have compromising things on Trump? Putin chucked…. Says he didn’t know Trump was in the country…. There was hundreds in St Petersburg Disregard this….
…
Obama got this right…..
Putin has been locked out of the world due to mischief….
Trump is trying put Russia back….
This is Not a surprise for those who know about Trump’s ‘awaking’ in 1987……
…
…you are watching an American President say ‘Fuck-U’ to his own countries intelligence community that has tried to point out things that make him wary about getting rolled….AGAIN…like the North Koreans did…
….
When Putin was asked did he want Clinton to lose?
Said yes….
…from The Atlantic….
In an astonishing news conference on Monday, President Trump, standing next to Vladimir Putin, rejected the overwhelming consensus among U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election.
“They said, ‘I think it is Russia.’ I have President Putin. He just said it is not Russia,” Trump said in Helsinki after a two-hour private meeting with the Russian leader. “I will say this: I do not see any reason why it would be.”
The remarks capped one of the most bewildering performances by an American leader during a joint news conference with a foreign leader….
Note…
Hillary Clinton yesterday to Trump….
‘Do you know whose team your playing for?
image….KEVIN LAMARQUE / REUTERS
Waiting for the dancin by Trump’s fellow Republicans…
Again?
Fox News was NOT happy with this performance
CNN, NBC, Fox personalities slam Trump over performance at Putin press conference
President Trump on Monday drew critical reviews from media analysts and pundits across the political spectrum for his performance during a joint press conference with Russian Vladimir Putin….
More…
Obama dismisses Russia as a ‘weaker country’
As tensions build between the U.S. and the Kremlin over election-related hacking, President Barack Obama on Friday dismissed Russia as a “smaller,” “weaker country” that does not “produce anything that anybody wants to buy except oil and gas and arms,” but warned that it could pose a serious threat if Americans “abandon” democratic values.
Responding to intelligence reports that Russia sought to disrupt the presidential election through cyberattacks, Obama was harsh in his assessment of the Kremlin: “The Russians can’t change us or significantly weaken us,” he said at his end-of-year press conference on Friday. “They are a smaller country, they are a weaker country, their economy doesn’t produce anything that anybody wants to buy except oil and gas and arms. They don’t innovate.”
Politico 12/16/16….
More….
NPR’s transcript of the press conference, which I didn’t watch (if only I knew, but maybe, just before lunch, it was better that I didn’t) :
https://www.npr.org/2018/07/16/629462401/transcript-president-trump-and-russian-president-putins-joint-press-conference
I’m sure the video is even harder to watch.
My favorite quip about this disgrace…
“Even Fox News is blasting Trump,
Quick somebody say something about a football player kneeling!”
Hot Damn!
Justice Dept charges a female Russian as an agent who facilitated Russian Trump people meetings….
Fake news!
Don’t worry–Hannity will be giving Trump’stesticles an extra tongue bath by tonight
Gonna be interesting to hear the line when Trump gets back to DC
Jim Sciuto
Via twitter on DNI Coats backup of the America Intel people…
Brushback pitch from DNI Dan Coats saying IC had “been clear in our assessments of Russian meddling in the 2016 election & their ongoing, pervasive efforts to undermine our democracy & we will continue to provide unvarnished & objective intel in support of our national sec.”
Yes I imagine this brief bit of a few negative remarks by Republicans toward Trump will have no lasting effect.
Of course Jack, just like Charlottesville. Party over Country.
It is noteworthy that most of the criticism emanating from Republicans is from those not seeking re-election or due to health reasons are unlikely to be back in the political arena:
Paul Ryan, John McCain,Jeff Flake ,Trey Gowdy, and Bob Corker.
Republicans running for re-election have been noticeably absent from any initial criticism of Trumos actions.
Fox talking heads where MOT happy
Oh they’ll come around and quickly.
The average Fox viewer doesn’t watch to hear criticism of their Leader.
President Trump must clarify his statements in Helsinki on our intelligence system and Putin. It is the most serious mistake of his presidency and must be corrected—-immediately.
Newt Gingrich
Via twitter
House Speaker Paul Ryan, a cautious Trump supporter, says, ‘The president must appreciate that Russia is not our ally….
AP Politics
I’m starting to think the pee tape isn’t just real, but it’s spectacular.
Rick Wilson
Via twitter
Trump people releases ‘talking piints’ From Air Force One enroute back to DC……
Says Trump actually ‘believes in the Intel community’…..
The Trump people are handing out answers for fellow Republics to give out to help unfurl up Trump’s action’s ..
Trump’s worst fear
He comes out looking ‘weak’
Jack?
I do NOT think Trump is gonna just walk away from this unharmed….
Talking heads Hannity and Tucker Carlson?
Both supportive of Trump.
No – I do think this will have lasting effect. I don’t think this by itself will make Trump a 1-term president, but I don’t think Trump will recover from this as easily as before. And it has been a long time since I felt this way.
The Republicans will fold like lawn chairs.
Stu Rothenberg this evening on PBS News Hour with Susan Page made essentially the same points that Jack has been making — that Republican reaction to Trump’s performance in Helsinki has on the whole been relatively mild (cf. Rand Paul’s interview with the same edition of the News Hour) and rare.
I don’t see a transcript yet, but you can see and/or hear their discussion here:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/susan-page-and-stuart-rothenberg-on-trump-and-putin-reactions
“relatively” mild to what? GOP cticism may be weaker than we would prefer, but it is much stronger than I have seen in over a year.
Compared to what Zreebs?
They want this to blow over and will work to change the subject.
If they were serious they would hold hearings and call the American interpreter as a witness.
Well let me put it this way. Unlike other times,no one seems to be backing Trump.
Wait until tomorrow!
Or maybe the day after tomorrow?
You’ll likely see Trump “clarify”his remarks.
Then the whole thing will fade away.
One way we will know that the hoopla is over?
When CG reappears and starts blasting Democrats over some insignificant thing and then starts talking about Keith and thirty years ago.
Now, in the wee hours EDT, I have a written transcript of Stu Rothenberg & Susan Page on PBS News Hour. Here’s some of what they said about Russian among Republican politicians and voters:
Stuart Rothenberg:
Well, this could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back, but I think it’s more likely not the case for Republicans.
We saw earlier in the program Rand Paul not really criticizing the president. I have a press release here from Lamar Alexander saying:
“There’s no doubt Russia interfered in our 2016 presidential election,” and that’s about it. No specific criticism of the president.
I get the sense that Jeff Flake, John McCain — Mitt Romney issued a statement, Ben Sasse. These are the outliers in the Republican Party.
(CROSSTALK)
Stuart Rothenberg:
And I think you’re going to find Republicans continue to support the president. I guess we will see.
Susan Page:
Remarkable when you say McCain and Romney are the outliers in this party. Of course, they’re the last two presidential nominees of the Republican Party. But it is no longer their Republican Party. It is now Donald Trump’s Republican Party.
And it’s proved to be very difficult to shake the hold that Trump has had in a party that’s been redefined in his own image, now, most notably, in attitudes against Russia.
If there’s one thing that characterized Republican politics in the past, it’s been a pretty hard line on Russia. We certainly didn’t hear that today.
Stuart Rothenberg:
Just to add — that’s terrific points.
(LAUGHTER)
Stuart Rothenberg:
Just to add, I was looking at a Pew Research Center survey — actually, a series of surveys from 2015 to 2018. And the attitudes toward Vladimir Putin have changed significantly among Republicans.
They’re much more approving of him — or less disapproval of Vladimir Putin and less criticism of Russia as a threat to U.S. interests. So it’s remarkable how the president’s attitudes towards Putin have filtered down in the party and really changed the GOP…
Susan Page:
I don’t think this is a voting issue for Americans.
I mean, I think it’s a huge challenge for our democracy generally, but if you look at the things on which people are going to vote in 2018 in the midterms, just, as you say, getting so close, I think it is going to be things like health care and the economy and some of the traditional things that either energize people to get to vote or not to do so.
I actually think the Supreme Court is a bigger voting issue in November than Russia meddling. Go forward two years to the 2020 race, where we think President Trump will be seeking reelection, and then I think perhaps it become a bigger issue…
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/susan-page-and-stuart-rothenberg-on-trump-and-putin-reactions
From the DoJ’s press release:
….
A criminal complaint was unsealed today in the District of Columbia charging a Russian national with conspiracy to act as an agent of the Russian Federation within the United States without prior notification to the Attorney General.
The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jessie K. Liu, and Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Maria Butina, 29, a Russian citizen residing in Washington D.C., was arrested on July 15, 2018, in Washington, D.C., and made her initial appearance this afternoon before Magistrate Judge Deborah A. Robinson in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. She was ordered held pending a hearing set for July 18, 2018.
According to the affidavit in support of the complaint, from as early as 2015 and continuing through at least February 2017, Butina worked at the direction of a high-level official in the Russian government who was previously a member of the legislature of the Russian Federation and later became a top official at the Russian Central Bank. This Russian official was sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control in April 2018.
The court filings detail the Russian official’s and Butina’s efforts for Butina to act as an agent of Russia inside the United States by developing relationships with U.S. persons and infiltrating organizations having influence in American politics, for the purpose of advancing the interests of the Russian Federation. The filings also describe certain actions taken by Butina to further this effort during multiple visits from Russia and, later, when she entered and resided in the United States on a student visa. The filings allege that she undertook her activities without officially disclosing the fact that she was acting as an agent of Russian government, as required by law.
The charges in criminal complaints are merely allegations and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The maximum penalty for conspiracy is five years….
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/russian-national-charged-conspiracy-act-agent-russian-federation-within-united-states
FBI Special Agent Kevin Helson’s sworn affidavit in support of Maria Butina’s indictment (17 pp.):
https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1080766/download
At some point we’ll learn exactly who U.S. Person 1 and U.S. Person 2 are, but Political Party 1 is clearly the Republican Party, Gun Rights Organization is clearly the N.R.A., and the National Prayer Breakfast is itself, as is CPAC (the Conservative Political Action Conference). Maria Butina was pursuing a Master’s degree at American University.
Because the PDF is image- rather than text-based (since it includes not only words but the agent’s and magistrate’s signatures), I cannot copy directly from it. However you would find paragraphs 17-19 (on pages 5-6) interesting as they lay out part of Maria Butina’s plan to influence the N.R.A. and various influential Americans.
Roger Stone says he’s gonna get indicted in some of this Russian contacts stuff
And is one of the unnamed people
Stones role in all this has been murky.
Remember he was once Trumps political advisor.Then, when the campaign begins, has a very public “break” and leaves the campaign .
However, throughout the campaign Stone remained in view.
Why?
Usually political operatives who depart campaigns exit the scene.Not So Stone.
Indeed, in some ways,it looks as if the so called “leaving the campaign” was nothing more than a PR move and that Stone remained connected to the campaign,just not “officially.”
That appears to be what Mueller is saying
The Russian contacts ARE turning out to be MUCH MORE extensive then anyone thought….
Trump and Putin’s denials and evasiveness are just disinformation …..
The ‘T’ word being murmured by some in the media….
We’ll see if this show and tell has legs
Alleged Russian agent Maria Butina and Alexander Torshin pictured with Gov. Scott Walker in 2015
On Facebook…..
Rebecca Berg
Two *very different* Republicans offered statements today that I think need to be seen.
First, here is John McCain’s press release.
“Today’s press conference in Helsinki was one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory. The damage inflicted by President Trump’s naiveté, egotism, false equivalence, and sympathy for autocrats is difficult to calculate. But it is clear that the summit in Helsinki was a tragic mistake.
“President Trump proved not only unable, but unwilling to stand up to Putin. He and Putin seemed to be speaking from the same script as the president made a conscious choice to defend a tyrant against the fair questions of a free press, and to grant Putin an uncontested platform to spew propaganda and lies to the world.
“It is tempting to describe the press conference as a pathetic rout – as an illustration of the perils of under-preparation and inexperience. But these were not the errant tweets of a novice politician. These were the deliberate choices of a president who seems determined to realize his delusions of a warm relationship with Putin’s regime without any regard for the true nature of his rule, his violent disregard for the sovereignty of his neighbors, his complicity in the slaughter of the Syrian people, his violation of international treaties, and his assault on democratic institutions throughout the world.
“Coming close on the heels of President Trump’s bombastic and erratic conduct towards our closest friends and allies in Brussels and Britain, today’s press conference marks a recent low point in the history of the American Presidency. That the president was attended in Helsinki by a team of competent and patriotic advisors makes his blunders and capitulations all the more painful and inexplicable.
“No prior president has ever abased himself more abjectly before a tyrant. Not only did President Trump fail to speak the truth about an adversary; but speaking for America to the world, our president failed to defend all that makes us who we are—a republic of free people dedicated to the cause of liberty at home and abroad. American presidents must be the champions of that cause if it is to succeed. Americans are waiting and hoping for President Trump to embrace that sacred responsibility. One can only hope they are not waiting totally in vain.”
Next, are some Tweets today from former Congressman and current radio host Joe Walsh. I have mentioned him on here before. I should stress how much I disagree with him on a lot of matters, such as his hardline view on immigration and the way he is disdainful of establishment Republicans. He has tried to be principled and consistent though in willingness to criticize Trump. Today though, he seems to have made a clear break:
“Look, I’m no big deal, but today is the final straw for me. I will never support Trump again. If that makes me a NeverTrumper, so be it. I am a tea party conservative, that will never change. But Trump was a traitor to this country today. That must not be accepted. Speak out.
What you saw today was “collusion” on the world stage.
By the way, we are still under attack from Russia, and the President of the United States just made clear he’s on Russia’s side. Republicans, speak out. Now. This can’t be tolerated.
Trump was a traitor today. I cannot & will not support a traitor. No decent American should.
I’ve always tried to balance my personal distaste for Trump with my support for much of the agenda. The good Trump/bad Trump thing. After 2day, that dance is over. The bad Trump now clearly outweighs any policy benefits. He is a danger to this country. I can’t straddle anymore.
You saw a man today both ill-equipped to be President, and a man clearly not loyal to this country’s best interests. Gang, this is a crisis. Americans of all political stripes must speak out against him.
It’s no longer about what Trump does. It’s about what WE do. This is the time to speak out. This is the time for choosing. America is in danger. Choose country over party. Choose country over policy.”
Neither one of these clowns is running for anything this November.
This is why I think this episode will damage Trump:
Republicans believe that they are more patriotic than Democrats. They are probably more likely to display the flag and wear red, white and blue onJuly 4. So this deference to Russia – or any other country – won’t play well with the base. It doesn’t impact Democratic voters as much, but they are already committed to vote against Trump. An effective Democratic candidate can make Trump look like Putin’s pet poodle.
Fuuny, Zreebs, those are the same words as The Boston Globe used this morning:
EDITORIAL
Putin pets his poodle at the Helsinki summit
Trump’s actions in Helsinki were truly disturbing.
I promise that I hadn’t read or heard of the Boston Globe’s reference!
The same phrase actually came (independently) into my own head, by having seen many references to a biography of a British Edwardian politician (I forget which one) called “Mr Balfour’s Poodle”.
…. (and letting the other shoe drop offstage) A quick trip to Bing reveals that it wasn’t the biography of a single man, but an account of Edwardian British politics by the late Roy Jenkins (a Labour minister and co-founder of the SDP before becoming Chancellor of Oxford University). It describes the fight before World War I between the elected House of Commons and the largely-hereditary House of Lords (once described by the Liberal leader David Lloyd George as “Mr Balfour’s poodle”).
https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/houseoflords/parliamentacts/overview/balfourspoodle/
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12118016-mr-balfour-s-poodle
I agree with this statement of Rothenberg…you’re assuming that Republicans believe what Trump did was “unpatriotic.”I don’t assume that at all.
This cultish type devotion to Trump means that when the Leader dies or says anything,no matter how it appears,is per se acceptable comment.Indeed, one is already hearing “conservatives “ saying that Trump is actually playing Putin!They assume he “knows” what he’s doing.These are people who think he actually wrote that book,The Art of the Deal(whose author says that Trump is mentally unbalanced)The Evangelicals think he was sent by God.
So assuming that these type people view his actions as “unpatriotic “ is mistaken in my view.
No, I don’t think Republicans currently view Trump as unpatriotic, but I think that can change with an effective marketing message that is repeated over and over. A liberal won’t hear the dog whistle as loud as Republicans will.
I said “An effective Democratic candidate can make Trump look like Putin’s pet poodle.” It doesn’t mean that Republicans see it that way today. I think Hillary’s tweet something along the lines of “Do you know what side you are on” is a potentially extremely effective line of attack. It just needs reinforcement.
Republicans actually attacked Hillary by using dog whistles that targeted Democrats on ethical issues (does anyone really think Republicans care about closed door fundraising events with Goldman Sachs?), and they repeated that attack over and over and it was effective. To win an election, you need to use a line of attack that speaks to people who would be inclined to support your opponent.
After consulting with the White House and National Football League owners (but not the NFL Players Association) this morning, Commissioner Roger Goodell has announced a revised policy that the League and its owners will start enforcing at the beginning of the 2017 season:
All NFL players who are on the field will stand together respectfully during the United States National Anthem, and kneel reverently together when the Anthem of the Russian Federation is played.
¶ The NFLPA announced that it will immediately file a grievance under its existing contract with NFL owners.
https://politicaldog101.com/2018/07/nfl-pro-football-players-will-challenge-the-leaguess-national-anthem-policy/
Once again, James, showing your fixation on the secondary detail over the main story.
Ok
Ya got me?
What did I get wrong on this?
James, The national anthem of the Russian Federation is not currently played at NFL games, and it is not likely to played at NFL games in the future. I hope that helps?
The NFLPA was actually irrelevant to the rather weak joke (?) I was trying to make. It could have read just:
After consulting with the White House and National Football League owners this morning, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has announced a revised policy that the League and its owners will start enforcing at the beginning of the 2018 season:
All NFL players who are on the field will stand together respectfully during the United States National Anthem, and kneel reverently together when the Anthem of the Russian Federation is played.
Ok…..
I got it…..
And pledge allegiance to Putin and Trump in THAT order?
Thanks Z
I have 15 balls in the air right now…
I like DSD’s satire
Please continue
Heck I like your satire Z
And everyone else’s mostly
James, Can you tell when I am serious and when I am joking?
Sometimes…..
Yeah -it is probably not always obvious. Although I suspect that you are more likely to think I am serious when I am not, then think I am joking when I am serious.
David Duke is one Republicam who is very happy with Trump’s capitulation to Putin.
“There’s two people I think Putin pays: Rohrabacher and Trump… swear to God.”
— House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), quoted by the Washington Post in a private recording, speaking to a group of GOP lawmakers a month before Donald Trump clinched the GOP presidential nomination.
Speaker Paul Ryan quickly interjected: “This is an off-the-record… no leaks, alright? This is how we know we’re a real family here.”…
Politicalwire….
In his statement yesterday,McCarthy didn’t even mention Trump.
Instead he merely reiterated his support for the intelligence agencies.
McCarthy wants to be Speaker and he knows better than to alienate the Republican Congressional supporters of Trump.
A little meaningless rah rah statement like this is acceptable but direct criticism of the party leader is a no no.