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You are here: Home / Politics / Trumpery / Hail to the Hairpiece / Late Night Open Thread: Do You Think He Will Be My New Best Friend?

Late Night Open Thread: Do You Think He Will Be My New Best Friend?

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Quote’s from Politico. What a pathetic excuse for a human being President-Elect Smallgloves is — desperate for any indication that he’s something other than a failed heir and reality-show grifter elevated far beyond his competence. Any sign of positive attention, and he expands like a soaked sponge.

Further evidence, from the NYTimes, “Less Defiant Trump…: ‘I Hope We Can All Get Along’“:

On Twitter Tuesday morning, President-elect Donald J. Trump was the media-bashing firebrand many of his supporters adore, denouncing The New York Times as a “failing” institution that covered him inaccurately — “and with a nasty tone!”

Eight hours later, after a lunchtime interview with editors and reporters for The Times — one that was briefly canceled, after Mr. Trump quarreled over the ground rules, then restored — the mood of the president-elect, it seemed, had mellowed.

“The Times is a great, great American jewel,” Mr. Trump declared as he prepared to leave the gathering in the newspaper’s 16th-floor boardroom, where portraits of former presidents adorn the walls…

The president-elect had sounded less gracious Tuesday morning when he abruptly called off his meeting at The Times in a Twitter post, contending that the paper had changed its terms for how the conversation could be reported.

A Times spokeswoman, Eileen Murphy, said the paper had made no such changes, and said that Mr. Trump’s team requested on Monday that the meeting be off the record — a request The Times declined.

Three people with knowledge of Mr. Trump’s deliberations said that Reince Priebus, the incoming White House chief of staff, had tried to scuttle the meeting at The Times by telling Mr. Trump, erroneously, that the newspaper was shifting its terms.

Mr. Priebus had been among those urging the president-elect to cancel his interview because he could face questions he might not be prepared to answer, these people said. (A spokesman for Mr. Trump declined to comment on Mr. Priebus’s role.)…

That’s an easy one: Fall Guy. Smithers to Trump’s Mr. Burns. If Priebus isn’t already wishing it had been arsenic instead of Bailey’s he poured on his breakfast cereal during the run-up to the election, he will be, soon enough.

Reader Interactions

53Comments

  1. 1.

    Wag

    the mood of the president-elect, it seemed, had mellowed.

    The drugs (Adderal? It would be irresponsible not to speculate) finally kicked in

  3. 3.

    The Dangerman

    What shocks me is Trump has gotten people like Romney to come and kiss his ass; Mitt has about as much chance of being SOS as I do of hitting the Lotto (well, I don’t play, so there is a slightly better chance for Romney to be nominated).

    Has Trump picked a non-White Man yet for any post? I haven’t been paying attention much since Election Night.

  6. 6.

    Dog Dawg Damn

    Listening to CNN’s panel normalize Trump sending Jared Kushner to make peace between Israeli and Palestinians. Like W. T. F.??????

    He’s sending his fucking son-in-law to do that, and they are totes cool with it, because statesmen have tried and failed!

    Jesus Christ.

  8. 8.

    PeakVT

    So, what’s everyone planning to do? I plan to:

    1) Join the local Democratic party, and attend some meetings (and try to figure out why the local gubernatorial candidate ran 15+ points behind Clinton – yeesh).
    2) See if I can volunteer for a voter registration organization. (Is DFA still alive? Maybe that one.)
    3) Remind everyone I talk politics with that the Repukes will control all three branches of government, and that they own whatever is to come.

  9. 9.

    Mnemosyne

    reality-show grifter

    He’s not a “reality-show grifter” because “The Apprentice” was not a reality show. It was a game show.

    Call him what he is: a former game show host.

  10. 10.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Dog Dawg Damn: This was our last Special Envoy for Middle East Peace:
    https://www.brookings.edu/experts/john-r-allen/

    John R. Allen is a retired U.S. Marine Corps four-star general and former commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. Prior to joining Brookings as senior fellow and co-director of the Center for 21st Century Security and Intelligence, Allen served as special presidential envoy to the global coalition to counter ISIL, a position he held for 14 months. Immediately following retirement from the Marine Corps, Allen was the senior advisor to the secretary of defense on Middle East Security, and in that role he led the security dialogue with Israel and the Palestinian Authority for 15 months within the Middle East peace process.

    Allen commanded the NATO International Security Assistance Force and United States Forces in Afghanistan from July 2011 to February 2013. Allen’s command of the 150,000 U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan occurred at a particularly critical period in the war. During his command, he recovered the 33,000 U.S. surge forces, moved the Afghan National Security Forces into the lead for combat operations, and pivoted NATO forces from being a conventional combat force into an advisory command. Further, he established the division size Special Operations Joint Task Force. In the process, his forces closed or realigned over 500 bases and facilities. All of these activities were conducted in contact with the enemy and during active and particularly intense combat operations.

    During his nearly 38-year military career, Allen served in a variety of command and staff positions in the Marine Corps and the Joint Force. Prior to assuming command of the NATO and U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Allen commanded at every level in the Marine Corps through the Marine Expeditionary Brigade. He served as the G-3 operations officer of the 2nd Marine Division. He was the aide de camp and military secretary to the 31st commandant of the Marine Corps.

    As a general officer, Allen served as the principal director of Asia-Pacific policy in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, a position he held for nearly three years. In this assignment, he was involved extensively on policy initiatives involving Mongolia, China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia. He was also involved in the Six Party Talks on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. He played a major role in organizing the relief effort during the South Asian tsunami from 2004 to 2005.

    Allen’s contingency and combat operations assignments included Operation Sea Signal in the Caribbean in 1994, Operation Joint Endeavor in the Balkans from 1995 to 1996, Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq from 2007 to 2008, and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan from 2011 to 2013.

    Beyond his operational credentials, Allen has also led a number of professional military educational programs including service as the director of the Marine Infantry Officer Program; commanding officer of the Marine Corps Basic School; and commandant of midshipmen in the United States Naval Academy. He has served as the Marine Corps fellow to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a commandant of the Marine Corps fellow, and was the first Marine officer to serve as a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He remains a permanent and active member of the Council. Allen holds a Bachelor of Science in operations analysis from the U.S. Naval Academy, a master’s degree in national security studies from Georgetown University, a Master of Science in strategic intelligence from the Defense Intelligence College, and a Master of Science in national security strategy from the National Defense University.

    (Full disclosure: he was technically my boss for several months in 2014. I was funded by his office to serve as the subject matter expert for quality assurance/quality control and executive editor on US Army Europe’s/DOD’s final report on the security dialogue between the Israelis and Palestinians.)

  11. 11.

    John Weiss

    Fuck the NYT. They are less than dead to me. I won’t be viewing my ‘free’ articles from them. Much less pay them for more of their drek. The “Newspaper of Record” failed us all.

  13. 13.

    Suzanne

    @PeakVT: My local Dem district had their biannual reorganization last night. I signed up to be a PC.

    Oddly, this was the first time in my politically-aware life that the national results have been bad, but the local results were good. Makes all of the canvassing feel like it was not in vain.

  14. 14.

    Mnemosyne

    In case I haven’t shilled for it enough, this is your reminder that Moana opens tomorrow. If you need an escape from the real world, it’s a perfect opportunity.

    You’re welcome.

    (Don’t worry, you’ll get the joke after you see the movie.)

  15. 15.

    Anne Laurie

    @The Dangerman:

    Has Trump picked a non-White Man yet for any post?

    Just today, he offered Ben Carson the Dept. of Housing & Urban Development — you know, the one Repubs usually refer to as the (extremely unneccesary) “diversity outreach” post.

    And because Dr. Carson, bless his heart, is a Republican, he said he was considering it… even after saying over the weekend that he “didn’t think he knew enough about politics” to accept a post under Trump…

  16. 16.

    Anne Laurie

    @amk: Much as it pains me to say anything nice about Willard Romney, he can argue that — like President Obama — it’s worth taking some abuse from Trump and his minions if he can do his mite to keep them from blowing up the world.

    Not that I’d trust Romney’s intentions, mind you, but if the choice is Mitt or Rudy Giuliani…

  18. 18.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Mnemosyne: Honestly, you have done so much that I am a bit doubtful about it. One can do too much advocacy. I am not the audience, but come on. Does it need you to push it on a random blog?

  21. 21.

    Anne Laurie

    @Adam L Silverman: Yeah, but Jared Kushner is Jewish, which I assume Gen. Allen wasn’t. I’m sure Trump honestly believes that gives Kushner an “in”, since he’ll know all the secret passwords ‘n stuff.

    Also, there’s a rude joke about where a Big Successful Biznizman with a major new acquisition to staff sends his otherwise unemployable son-in-law. Been a lot of twitter-talk about Kushner using the old man’s “win” to make himself the next-gen Cheney — that’s gotta chap Smallgloves’ tender self-regard bigly.

  26. 26.

    Mnemosyne

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    If you like animation and/or musicals, it is. If you don’t enjoy either of those things, you won’t like it.

    My own mother hates animation and refuses to watch it, so it’s not like I’m unaware that some people just don’t like animated movies. But people who do like animation will enjoy it.

  28. 28.

    amk

    @Anne Laurie: Obama and mittbot are not the one and the same thing. He could have said fu to this clown and been the head of the sane gop rump to retain his credibility.

  29. 29.

    Peale

    @Dog Dawg Damn: yes. Because if there’s one thing Jared Kushner has demonstrated is that he has the … oh fuck it. Let’s hype the guy up so his fall will be greater.

  31. 31.

    Omnes Omnibus

    The audit isn’t going to happen; even though it should. Trump will be president. It will be interesting in the not good way.

    I know who I voted and advocated for. Who did you?

  32. 32.

    The Dangerman

    @Adam L Silverman:

    John R. Allen is a retired U.S. Marine Corps four-star general…

    Mighty impressive credentials…

    …but was/is he regularly sleeping with Ivankaka? No? Well, there ya go.

  33. 33.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Anne Laurie: One of my ongoing peeves is that we all too frequently send Jewish American special envoys to deal with this and at least one, Ambassador Ross, has dual citizenship in Israel. Hard to signal “we’re an honest broker” when you do that.

    Gen. Allen was very good, but, to be honest, a good deal of the problem is the current Israeli leadership. Everyone in Netanyahu’s coalition, and almost all of them are actually to the right of him, have now endorsed (or senior members of their own parties not in government have done so) a one state solution. This is not just a strategic mistake in terms of the peace process itself, but also Israel’s long term demographic survival as either a state for Jews or a Jewish state.

    Honestly, the solution to this wicked problem is easy. We know how to engineer/build/design the solution. What makes it a wicked problem is the marketing – we can never complete the sale.

  34. 34.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @The Dangerman: Has Trump picked a non-White Man yet for any post? I haven’t been paying attention much since Election Night.

    I don’t know about “picked”, but he, or Conway, is floating Michelle Rhee, Nikki Haley, Tulsi Gabbard, Bob Johnson, Ben Carson and…. hold on to your hat… as a special crossover Dem…. HAROLD FORD!

    He’s welcome to any and all of them, especially that jackass Ford.

  36. 36.

    Major Major Major Major

    @Adam L Silverman:

    This is not just a strategic mistake in terms of the peace process itself, but also Israel’s long term demographic survival as either a state for Jews or a Jewish state.

    It is my understanding that advocates of the one-state solution know this and, on the left, welcome it. The Israeli right I’m not so sure about, since I don’t read them as much–is the idea to have Palestinians as a kept underclass, rather than shitty neighbors?

    ETA: Oh, and what’s the solution which you mention but do not explicate?

  37. 37.

    Feebog

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    It will be interesting in the not good way.

    It going to be like driving by a particularly gruesome auto accident, you don’t want to look but you can’t help yourself. The multiple conflicts of interest already out there in just two weeks are mind boggling. And he thinks he is going to get away with it. Hey, I am the Great and Mighty Trump, I can run my businesses and be President with no problem.

  38. 38.

    Anne Laurie

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Honestly, the solution to this wicked problem is easy. We know how to engineer/build/design the solution. What makes it a wicked problem is the marketing – we can never complete the sale.

    Tracking.

    (But are you talking about the Israeli/Palestinian issue, or the Dem/Repub war? /snark)

  39. 39.

    Tissue Thin Pseudonym

    @Omnes Omnibus: I’m pretty meh on the audit, largely because Nate Cohn is absolutely right. The computer science guys who are claiming irregularities have no idea what they are talking about. If you try to sell me an argument about disparities between voting districts and don’t bother to control for demographics, you’re just announcing that you’re totally clueless.

    The audit is the wrong battlefield to fight on, because all it would accomplish is to reinforce Trump’s legitimacy. Like it or not, he really did win the election based upon the rules that were in place. Barring the wrong set of electors taking seats on December 19th, that fight is over. We need to focus on the fights that are still ongoing.

  43. 43.

    Kyle

    a failed heir…elevated far beyond his competence

    Which really describes every Repuke presidential candidate back to 2000 — Bush, McCain, Rmoney, and now Orange Foolius.

  44. 44.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    whither my comment? my comment was et

    Robert Costa ‏@ costareports 17m17 minutes ago
    Confirmed: Gov. Nikki Haley is President-elect Trump’s pick for U.S. ambassador to the UN. Announcement Wednesday morning.
    and
    If confirmed, Haley’s departure would enable top Trump ally Henry McMaster, SC’s Lt. Gov, to be what he has always wanted to be.

    McMaster’s a real bastard, isn’t he? and Haley get to check off the FP box on her 2024, if not 2020, application checked off

  45. 45.

    NotMax

    Because what every president needs is a chief of staff who flat out lies to him.

    Quelle sh*tshow.

    Shudder to contemplate which dirtbag gets to be White House counsel.

  47. 47.

    Mnemosyne

    @quakerinabasement:

    Right, but there are “competition shows” and “reality shows.” Trump’s show was a “competition show” — in other words, a game show.

    Let’s call him what he is: a game show host. He doesn’t even rise to the level of a Kim Kardashian. He’s a game show host.

  48. 48.

    VFX Lurker

    @Mnemosyne: I had the good fortune to catch a free screening of MOANA last night. It made me forget the world for two beautiful hours. I teared up at least twice. Great film.

    (The VFX also blew me away — cloth, hair, water, sand, lava and greenery are all amazeballs. Gorgeous design, too. So much awesome).

  51. 51.

    Matt McIrvin

    @Adam L Silverman: I was wondering if there might be a huge wave of left-leaning American Jews fleeing to Israel in the next few years, which would affect Israeli politics in much the same way the influx of right-leaning Russian Jews did.

    Maybe not, though, because the Jewish Americans I see currently wondering if they should leave the US don’t seem to regard Israel as a very promising destination (and are wondering aloud what would be). It’s the Big Sort on an international scale.

  52. 52.

    artem1s

    Mr. Priebus had been among those urging the president-elect to cancel his interview because he could face questions he might not be prepared to answer, these people said. (A spokesman for Mr. Trump declined to comment on Mr. Priebus’s role.)…

    “The Times is a great, great American jewel,” Mr. Trump declared as he prepared to leave the gathering in the newspaper’s 16th-floor boardroom, where portraits of former presidents adorn the walls…

    so they finally found the right combo of meds then? Expect more of the ‘nice’ trump in these little private meetings. Looks like the GOP is going to keep the king heavily medicated throughout his reign of terror

  53. 53.

    Bruce K

    This may sound shocking, but I think the best hope for the country at the moment is if Trump gets it into his head that Barack Obama is the one man in Washington he can trust to be straight with him. Obama’s got little left to prove, and damn near nothing to fear from Trump; I don’t think there’s anyone in Washington who’s more resistant to bribery, with money or power – he’s constitutionally prevented from running for President again, after all. (Though here’s a thought: there’s been at least one ex-President who got elected to the House of Representatives, and one ex-President who got elected to the Senate. Maybe when the kids are grown?)

    And let’s face it: when it comes to Presidents, at the moment, Obama is pretty much the gold standard. I can’t wait until Steve Bannon throws a tantrum and insists on throwing Obama out of the White House…

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