Obama and Trudeau on a dinner date tonight in Montreal. pic.twitter.com/qVm3LcM08C
— Yashar Ali (@yashar) June 7, 2017
Meanwhile, in a less blessed nation, per the Washington Post…
I'll believe that Trump is growing into the presidency when his staff stops talking about him like a toddler. https://t.co/RvUivv5DQf pic.twitter.com/6Tym2Efq8H
— Daniel W. Drezner (@dandrezner) June 7, 2017
Alone in the White House in recent days, President Trump — frustrated and defiant — has been spoiling for a fight, according to his confidants and associates…
And on Thursday, the president will come screen-to-screen with the FBI director he fired, James B. Comey, thoughts of whom have consumed, haunted and antagonized Trump since Comey launched an expanding Russia investigation that the president slammed as a “witch hunt.”
Comey’s testimony is a political Super Bowl — with television networks interrupting regular programming to air it, and some Washington offices and bars making plans for special viewings.
Trump is keen to be a participant rather than just another viewer, two senior White House officials said, including the possibility of taking to Twitter to offer acerbic commentary during the hearing…
“He’s infuriated at a deep-gut, personal level that the elite media has tolerated [the Russia story] and praised Comey,” former House speaker Newt Gingrich said. “He’s not going to let some guy like that smear him without punching him as hard as he can.”…
In the weeks leading up to Comey’s testimony, the White House had privately tried to erect a war room that would handle the communications and legal strategies for responding to the Russia matter. Former Trump campaign aides Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie were in discussions to lead it.
But the plan was scuttled, as with so much else in Trump’s administration, because of internal disagreements, according to multiple officials. Arguments included whether the war room would be run from inside or outside the gates of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.; who would staff it; whether they could be trusted by the president’s high-ranking advisers, or even trust one another; and whether Marc Kasowitz, Trump’s outside counsel, would ultimately control the message…
Looks like Newt imagines himself as a Kissinger for the current White House — and, sadly, he may even be right (… second time, as farce). Worth reading the whole thing, if you have a mordant sense of humor and/or a strong memory of the Watergate crisis.
Rumors were that Bossie, as a professional assassin, decided he no longer wanted a piece of Trump’s action (aka, “family considerations”). And Lewandowski without Bossie was considered Barney Fife without Andy Griffith. Of course none of the insiders — from Kushner to Bannon to Priebus — trust any of their fellows to take charge (not that one could blame them). SAD!
***********
Apart from stocking up on popcorn, what’s on the agenda for the day?
EBT
Sitting back after waking up early and working on my writing some more! Going to walk to the supermarket around 7 to beat the heat, I need some bread and maybe a cheap pizza. Learned the basics of OBS as well and made a short demo video of my game.
Comrade Jake
Eric Trump took money from kids with cancer to give it to Daddy. Holy shit.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/danalexander/2017/06/06/how-donald-trump-shifted-kids-cancer-charity-money-into-his-business/#6ba9e46c6b4a
amk
South Korea sez fuck thaad.
Yet another twitler’s dumbfuckery fail
Jeff
I should do some weeding.
ThresherK
Spousal ThresherK has a birthday tomorrow. Planning on a dessert, and ordered a gift. Got the card at a store which carries these.
Usually her birthday dessert includes native strawberries but it’s been awful for them this spring.
rikyrah
Good Morning Everyone ???
Baud
Fuck your feelings.
Roger Moore
Another day of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry conference. Get up early and stay up late. It’s a good thing there are only two days left.
Baud
@rikyrah: Good morning.
pamelabrown53
Morning, all. Got up way too early (I’m an insomniac). Think I’ll got take a walk on the beach before the rains.
Morzer
@amk:
That’s probably more to do with intense economic and diplomatic pressure from China than anything Trump has done. China’s been heavily restricting the flow of goods, services, tourists, boy bands etc from and to Korea for some time now and Korea clearly doesn’t think that more grief from China is worth the bother. It’s worth noting that part of the THAAD system is in place and will stay in place for the foreseeable future.
I’ll also note that President Moon wants to dismantle some of the corrupt military/security state that Park Geun-hye used to strengthen her authoritarian regime, including some dirty tricks at the time of the last midterm election. I am guessing that a fight over THAAD will help him to achieve that.
rikyrah
@pamelabrown53:
Walk on the beach sounds lovely ?
Baud
@Roger Moore: Have you ever had Abby from NCIS as a guest speaker? She’s loves her mass spec machine.
Matt McIrvin
@Comrade Jake: This is so specifically something I remember Trump fans accusing Hillary Clinton of doing during the campaign, and bragging that Trump didn’t do it. “At least he isn’t stealing money from a bogus foundation.”
Baud
Haha. GMA poll. 27% support Trump in Comey firing.
NorthLeft12
Unfortunately for Deadbeat Donald his punches seem to be landing on his own glass chin.
I keep thinking to myself that this cannot really be happening, and that somehow everything will return to normal soon.
pamelabrown53
@rikyrah:
Morning, rikyrah. Should be peaceful this early. Hope you have a lovely day.
Morzer
@Comrade Jake:
No doubt Sean Spicer will note that only evil liberals would blame Junior Orange Duvalier for failing to find a cure for cancer.
Lapassionara
@Jeff: I should do weeding also. If I miss one day even, the weeds multiply exponentially.
Good morning, everyone.
Morzer
@NorthLeft12:
Trump always swings at the first person he sees – and given his narcissistic devotion to mirrors….
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
6,000 Canucks mob Neo-Liberal Obama in Montreal
(panoramic photo)
Sad!
Kay
I don’t believe the Trump/Sessions “feud”. Sessions is savvier than the rest of the Trumpsters. I bet he planted the whole thing to make himself look ethical and independent ahead of Comey testimony.
It probably helps Trump politically too- his fans have probably turned on Sessions by now. They’ll be pleased Trump is (allegedly) yelling at Sessions.
Baud
@Kay: Agree.
debbie
Oh, please. This is how Trump has always been, infuriated whenever he’s held to the consequences of his actions. PATHETIC!
Baud
GMA covering the Trump foundation grift.
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
Street jam packed with canadian frogs to watch Blue-Dog Obama eat
(video)
Morzer
@Kay:
I think it’s more likely that Sessions is warning Trump not to push him any further. It’s obviously not in Trump’s interest to have this sort of “White House in turmoil again” story emerge, so I assume that Sessions leaked it and given that he didn’t resign, he presumably isn’t looking to get fired. That makes me think that he’s reminding Trump that he could leave and he’s got quite a few interesting stories to share.
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
@Kay: Don’t think so. It was posted by Maggie Haberman who is Trump and Jared’s stenographer.
Baud
@Morzer:
Fixed.
Morzer
Baud
@Morzer: And wear a wire whenever you meet with the president of the United States.
OldDave
@Roger Moore:
You guys are all over downtown Indy. I’m in town for other business, and there are I (heart) Mass Spec folks everywhere. Small world.
Morzer
@Baud:
And a vicious mouse-trap in the groin area, in case he has a flashback to one of his beauty pageants.
Keith P.
Anyone else notice that almost every week of the Trump Administration has been his worst week ever? How scary is that? This week is already brutal, and it’s just Wednesday *morning*. There’s still the Mike Rogers testimony today (probably a fizzle), and the traditional 5pm Breaking News.
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
Even the liberal Mourning Blow just said “Trump is a corrupt president”
Kay
@Baud:
Didn’t someone else fake-resign? Some other highly ethical but still-employed-by-Trump lawyer? “I was going to RESIGN because I’m so ethical! That’s how ethical I am, I leak that I offered to RESIGN”
Like anyone gives a shit whether these people resign or not. Like we’re somehow invested in their imaginary sterling reputations. Go, don’t go, it’s a free country. There’s another one just like you in the pipeline.
Anya
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: Was John Miller her source?
Morzer
@Keith P.:
I think it’s interesting that Trump is obviously doubling down on keeping the base happy (he hopes!) by wrecking Obamacare and he seems to be forcing the GOP to go along with him. That suggests to me that Trump’s only plan is to run as fast as he can and hope to stay ahead of the avalanche of bad news that seems to be descending on a daily basis.
satby
@rikyrah: Good morning! And to all the rest of youse guys ?☕☕☕
JPL
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: I’m jealous.
Cheryl Rofer
Good morning, everyone.
It should be noted that the Dan Drezner tweet that Anne Laurie posted does not stand alone, witty as it is, but is part of a continuing thread in which Drezner quotes the latest White House leakers on how they keep the president occupied and away from the bad telly so that he doesn’t act out. Stuff like that.
Aleta
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Baud: Didn’t outside counsel for the Trump Organization always have two attorneys present when they talked to Trump?
Morzer
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:
Well, even Chuck Todd has been saying that the US has a problem with its institutions, so you know that some major barriers have been breached.
NorthLeft12
@Matt McIrvin: I recall numerous stories prior to the election about how the Trump foundation was a scam; hardly gave out any money, charged the charity exorbitant fees for use of Trump facilities; gifted rounds of golf for tax write offs, purchased non-charitable related items using foundation funds, redirected donations, etc.
Colour me unsurprised that Deadbeat Donald and his scummy cronies ripped off a different charity for their benefit.
Kay
@Baud:
It’s funny what resonates with media. It’s like # 1567 Trump Family sleaze scandal but THIS they care about.
It’s like Meals on Wheels. They’re throwing 23 million people off health insurance but for whatever reason Meals on Wheels is the Red Line. It’s basically random. Wholly irrational.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@OldDave: Avoid them, they’re trouble.
Morzer
“Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Anya: That John Miller knows Dolt45’s inner thoughts. John Barron too.
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
Has anyone noticed during the multiple terror attacks in London and before that in France that Giulianni didn’t appear on tee vee.
The grandstanding media hog who would do anything to get on camera, even to dress up like a woman or to serve his wife divorce papers on live tee vee has gone into hiding.
You have figure his defense council has told him to disappear.
satby
@Jeff: @Lapassionara: I need to weed, mow the lawn, and plant the last few shrubs I should have planted last week. And also start making more stuff for the farmers market tomorrow, send out orders I got online, change the shower head, put up a backsplash in the kitchen….
Shoot, I’m already tired. At least it’s blissfully cool.
Morzer
@Kay:
It’s safe to care about kids with cancer. Or so they fondly hope. I have my suspicions that Alex Jones will be scurrying around to whip up his usual hate mob.
Cheryl Rofer
@Morzer: It looks more to me like the Senate Republicans themselves are leading the charge to take health care away from millions so that they can keep their campaign pledges to thw Waltons and DeVoses of the world. Trump doesn’t care what they pass as long as he can have a photo-op with all those white guys looking happy and high-fiving around him.
It also seems to be a point of pride for McConnell to roll back anything good that THAT president did.
Morzer
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:
These days Giuliani is all about a noun, a verb and the 5th Amendment.
sm*t cl*de
Newt’s choice of words are deeply revealing. He could have accused the elite media of inventing the Russia story, or boosting it… he would have been lying, but it would have been internally consistent.
But here his complaint is that the media are tolerating the story, with the implication that their proper role is to crush undesired stories, and with the implicit admission that the Russia story is true.
Kay
@Aleta:
Eric Trump is making this dumb distinction about “profit”. Trump didn’t make profit ON TOP of the ordinary profit he makes on the golf courses seems to be what he’s going with.
It’s too dumb and boring even to read :)
His defense is revealing. In it he says “I” helped sick kids. He has a foundation that is about HIM. They can’t even figure out that they’re supposed to say “we”.
Matt McIrvin
@Morzer: Only “as fast as he can” isn’t very fast. Remember when they were going to have a special session of Congress on Inauguration Day to pass the Obamacare repeal?
Jeffro
@Comrade Jake: Joy Reid tweeted a clip of Eric on some Fox News show, bemoaning Democrats’ “…lack of morality…” Joy’s comment was, “This, from the second son of the first of three wives of the lady parts grabbing teen ogler” Joy is The Bomb.
Morzer
@Cheryl Rofer:
It’s not so long ago that McConnell was saying that he couldn’t see 50 votes for the latest GOP snuff bill. Something seems to have changed – and the best guess I have is that the GOP are terrified of what will happen to them if Trump really is about to go down in flames. I think they calculate that they can hold the base in line if they wreck Obamacare – and that might be enough to save them, because nothing else seems likely to.
Matt McIrvin
@Morzer: I’m sure they’ll find a way to blame kids who get cancer. Actually the usual conservative tactic here is to treat kids as extensions of their parents and then complain about the parents being undeserving.
Morzer
@Matt McIrvin:
Yes, but recently we saw how the House suddenly didn’t need no stinking CBO score, much less to read the bill, so….
NorthLeft12
@Aleta: That can’t be true. The Great Grey Lady who knows all the news that it thinks is fit to print, is the world’s great example of impartiality.
How is it possible that they could somehow apply a different standard of scrutiny and behavior to the two major party presidential candidates. It’s a mystery!
Jeffro
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: Was there any speculation about Biden being jealous? I’d kind of expect that from our snooze media.
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
James Clapper just called Trump “ignorant”
Morzer
@Matt McIrvin:
Well, obviously those kids should have exercised better judgment genetically speaking when selecting their parents. That’s the real story here, not Eric Trump’s brave attempt to help them by electing a president who cares.
sm*t cl*de
@Morzer:
The following men will stay here: Keitel, Jodl, Krebs and Burgdorf.
satby
@Morzer:
and considering the blowback that keeps them all avoiding their constituents, that’s a pretty big miscalculation on their part.
Jeffro
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: He also said Watergate pales in comparison to Trump-Russia
bystander
@debbie: Thanks so much for giving me the entree to re-post Aunty American’s tweet about consequences.
Morzer
@sm*t cl*de:
Das war ein Befehl!
Yoda Dog
@Morzer: But wait, I thought Tax Cut Jesus was bringing Kansans to Job Nirvana and Scrooge McDuck level riches? No? That didn’t work out?
Jeffro
@Keith P.: He’s been in a downward spiral ever since he declared his candidacy. He has demonstrably devolved at every major step along the way.
Morzer
@satby:
Sure, but when all your choices look bad, sometimes the theoretically least bad among them acquires a mysterious and seductive glow.
JMG
The Republicans think they’re bulletproof. They honestly think money, racism and all around appeals to hate and fear will win them elections even as they do unpopular things. They could be high on their own supply. If they’re right, we as a country are gone. No way that ends well — or peacefully.
Morzer
@Yoda Dog:
It would seem that reality has failed the GOP once again.
Keith P.
Since Iran is getting attacked by ISIS now, Iran is our friend now, right?
Morzer
@Keith P.:
We have always been at war with both parts of Eastasia.
Kay
@Morzer:
Kasich did a modified version of this in Ohio. It came out of the conservative brain trust. Supposedly the smartest people on the Right.
Ohio has a one billion dollar budget hole because revenue didn’t meet predictions. That doesn’t include the local taxes that had to be raised to offset the state cuts in education. I actually came out behind. My property tax increase exceeds the Kasich state tax cut and our schools have less funding than they did in 2009.
I now send in state taxes but none of it comes back, where before some of it came back and that’s exactly how people see it- the reason people think state taxes are worthwhile is because some of it comes back to where they live. Kasich boasting about some net total cut doesn’t matter to them at all. They’re pissed because to them he’s “keeping it in Columbus”.
Aleta
(Fun graphic + plays music)
Behind the sensational success of “Hamilton” are some of the most densely packed, complex rhyming lyrics in the history of musicals. How exactly do they work?
Let’s start with the first verse of the musical’s opening number. Our algorithm breaks words into their component sounds and then groups similar-sounding syllables into rhyme families, which are color-coded.
(Link is to WSJ but it’s working now without a sub.)
bystander
@Keith P.: Clapper saying Watergate pales in comparison is pretty gratifying even if Rogers is a fizzle.
Baud
@NorthLeft12:
Almost nothing that’s happened wasn’t presaged during the election.
Baud
@Keith P.: Or maybe ISIS is. Who knows anymore?
Morzer
@Baud:
But.. your emails, Baud!
Baud
@JMG: Agree.
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
@Jeffro: It’s pretty bad (photo)
NorthLeft12
@Keith P.:
It’s as if Deadbeat Donald and his moronic posse are trying to divert attention from the previous week of foul ups and failure, so they need to top it. Of course, I don’t doubt that they are actually trying for the BIG WIN to basically wipe out every single failure before it.
They obviously believe that the US media and public are just that shallow.
Morzer
@JMG:
I am increasingly seeing a resemblance to the last time the South tried to hold the country hostage by shutting down all discussion of slavery via the gag rule. Hard to see how it ends well.
Baud
@Morzer: Hopefully, they don’t look to deep into The Baud! Foundation’s financials.
Baud
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: Heh.
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
@Morzer: win
Morzer
@NorthLeft12:
It’s the classic behavior of the gambler who doesn’t know when to quit and ends up losing everything and more chasing the one big win that will fix everything. Except that it won’t, because bad habits beat everything else when it comes to driving human behavior.
Aleta
@Aleta: Or link through Lin Manuel’s twitter:
https://twitter.com/Lin_Manuel/status/872019524639444993
ETA “My brain always reads “algorithm” in Spanglish, as in “something rhythm.”
Anyway, here’s a Hamilton Somethingrhythm:” (LM)
Baud
@Kay:
Right. I’ve said before, even I was only concerned with financial self interest, I would still support Dems because even higher taxes are more than offset by a better economy.
Morzer
@Baud:
I am not sure I wanted to know that you have a foundation. I am going to declare that fake news and maintain my image of you as a humble individual living in a log cabin in rags and eating ramen every second day.
Kay
@Morzer:
The theory on the Right was if taxes had to be raised locally for schools people would reject them, but that isn’t what happened. The local school levies in Ohio passed and passed and passed. So they’re paying the same or more taxes but now they know the state isn’t sending money back to their schools. Since they’re still paying state taxes now everyone says “they’re not sending us our money back” – they think someone else is getting the money they used to get.
Sab
@Cheryl Rofer: I’m in Ohio. Rob Portman is on the Kill Obama care Drafting committee. I call his office regularly. Never much response. Sherrod Brown’s office always gets back to me.
Ohio Juicers: Have any of you actually benefited from constituent service from Portman’s office?
amk
@JMG: The voters and the non-voters have proved them right in the last 4 election cycles. Why would they ‘learn’ anything when the rewards keep pouring in?
SiubhanDuinne
@Jeff:
I should do some weed.
smintheus
Be nice to think that the Washington Post could afford a competent copy-editor.
Peale
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: yep. But what could he add anyway. He can’t go on TV and blame Obama for any and all terrorism any longer. He has to change his act. I know the new line is to say that the attacks are coming because the terrorists are afraid of us now that we have such a strong leader, but that is kind of admitting that by electing Trump, the world is more dangerous than it was before.
Cheryl Rofer
Trump has nominated Christopher Wray to head the FBI.
Kay
@Morzer:
I’m hoping the same thing happens with Trump/DeVos. No one cares about net revenue or net tax cuts. If they’re paying federal taxes they want a return. For this to work they would have to abolish taxes. The people who don’t want to pay for schools sure as shit don’t want to pay for someone else’s schools.
bemused
SMH. Over at rawstory reading about Eric Trump letting out his hurt feelings re: liberal detractors to Sean Hannity. All projection, obliviousness and stupidity.
Morality is just gone. Morals have flown out the window.
You see Dem party imploding. There’s no leadership there. They’ve become obstructionists because they have no message of their own.
I’ve never seen hatred like this. To me, they’re not even people. It’s so sad.
LOL I don’t think the photo chosen of Eric was an accident but quite appropriate.
Quinerly
@Baud:
I’d buy THAT t shirt!
Immanentize
@Baud: I know the CW was that Republicans would dump Trump when he hit 31% in aggregated polls, but this 27% makes that seem possible
And it is the inevitable crazyfaction 27. I think next march my sign will be “Not the 27%!”
Morzer
@bemused:
I can understand looking at Sean Hannity and feeling that morality has vanished from the world.
Betty Cracker
@Kay: Sessions probably planted the phony resignation offer rumors. But the idea that Trump blames the KKKeebler elf for the Russia thing snowballing sounds plausible to me. IIRC, Trump was mad about Sessions recusing himself back when that happened — angry that he wasn’t consulted and angry at what he thought was an unnecessary move. I mean, we know Sessions didn’t have a choice, and he’s violated his so-called recusal anyway.
But Trump doesn’t understand how any of this shit works, and nothing can ever be his own fault, ever, so he might very well blame Sessions. I hope he goes batshit on all of his minions, one at a time.
Kay
@smintheus:
I think Trump is afraid that Comey will say Comey never told Trump Trump wasn’t under investigation. I don’t think Comey would ever say that. Trump lied. Police just don’t do that. They don’t exonerate people. There is no “finding people innocent”. It doesn’t work like that. “Well, we know who didn’t do anything wrong and it’s YOU!” That doesn’t happen.
Sab
@Cheryl Rofer: It’s just figures that someone from King and Spaulding would be willing to be involved with the Trump enterprise.
Morzer
@Sab:
I feel that King and Squawking would be more appropriate.
Amir Khalid
@Cheryl Rofer:
Interesting that this Christopher Wray’s résumé includes being/having been Chris Christie’s lawyer in the Bridgegate scandal.
Morzer
@Sab:
efgoldman
@Jeff:
Little early in the morning, isn’t it, unless you plan on getting nothing done. How’s your Cheetoh supply?
Sab
@Amir Khalid: That’s very interesting. Thanks.
rikyrah
@Comrade Jake:
They are all complete SOCIOPATHS
rikyrah
@Baud:
That.number.again!
Morzer
@Sab:
Nice optics. You can just see Trump thinking “Wray managed to save a blatantly corrupt fat crook, so he might save my slim, honest, obviously innocent self.”
JMG
Wray was head of the firm’s governmental investigations section — that is, he was in charge of keeping the wealthy and connected out of jail if possible.
rikyrah
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:
That made me smile. The rest of the world understands.
Quinerly
@SiubhanDuinne:
Do you need any help with that? Asking for a friend.
Aleta
@NorthLeft12: And in the story I read today, Eric was trying to shift the blame (via a source) to his father Don Fortissimo. Like he was taught.
bemused
I read CNN article about Republican legislators never talking about climate change and their resentment about liberals insulting them and talking down to them, trying to make them sound stupid. That is a main common Republican trait and a self-esteem issue, imo.
satby
@SiubhanDuinne: every day with the Drumpf misadministration is a day that requires some sort of soothing assistance.
Kay
@Betty Cracker:
The timing seems extremely convenient to me. Supposedly Comey isn’t testifying “on Russia”. He’s testifying on the encounters with Trump that he recorded in memos. Sessions was part of that. Sessions is the attorney general and Comey allegedly “confronted” him about leaving Comey alone with Trump. Sessions shouldn’t have allowed that to happen. It’s HIS JOB to protect Comey’s independence – he isn’t supposed to leave Comey to deal with Trump’s pressure. That forces Comey to step out of the chain of command.
Sessions intercedes for Comey. Comey isn’t left to deal with the corrupt President alone.
rikyrah
@Kay:
Like you Kay,
I don’t believe one word written about Attorney General White Citizens Council.
1.;he doesn’t have any phucking honor.
2. He is up to his neck in this Russia stuff
3. He is getting to live out his White Supremacist fantasies.
Nope.
He didn’t offer shyt about resigning.??
Immanentize
@sm*t cl*de: so perfect
Have you ever seen: Hitler Learns. His Teaching Schedule?
rikyrah
@Baud:
Brian Williams covered it on his show last night.
Cheryl Rofer
Here are Lawfare’s expectations of tomorrow’s Comey testimony. Much more at the link. Lawfare has been doing an excellent job of covering the Trump presidency.
rikyrah
@Morzer:
Tell the truth
Gin & Tonic
@Amir Khalid: Which had a perfect outcome: underlings get convicted, have their lives ruined and go bankrupt paying legal fees while the fat fuck at the top doesn’t get his hair mussed.
rikyrah
That Story last night about Comey asking to not be left alone with Dolt45. Who is he-Chester the Molester?
rikyrah
@Cheryl Rofer:
Is he a former agent?
Gin & Tonic
@rikyrah: The Sessions-Trump “feud” is as real as any WWE bout.
rikyrah
@Morzer:
Finally, they learned their phucking lesson. Took them long enough.?
satby
@rikyrah: Comey was probably already aware that Drumpf’s own lawyers always had a second lawyer in meeting with him as a witness. He wanted a witness.
rikyrah
@Roger Moore:
You know that you all are crazy party animals ???
Baud
@rikyrah: Stranger Danger!
Morzer
@Gin & Tonic:
GIVE HIM THE CHAIR!
Cheryl Rofer
@rikyrah: A Twitter respondent says no, and that this is a first.
Immanentize
@Betty Cracker: This is how I read it too. But notice Sessions didn’t offer to resign (if reports are even true) because of some great moral position, rather because Trump was having a tantrum.
rikyrah
@Keith P.:
This is what I expected. Maybe not as fast, but this is who he is.
Peale
@Gin & Tonic: yeah. Look, in this case, the underlings are so odious, that I’d settle for a few dozen underlings going bankrupt. Wouldn’t it be nice if Roger Stone had to have a garage sale?
Kay
@Betty Cracker:
From Comey’s perspective, he may see this as HE was left to fill a hole left by two AG’s. He may (rightly) think he never should have been put in the position because it’s their job. The whole “recusal” thing is ludicrous on some level, particularly in Sessions case. The AG will have no involvement in the largest investigation and prosecution? That’s a VOID, then. If Sessions were really ethical he would have resigned the moment he realized he had to recuse. This won’t work. He’s the attorney general. He can’t just absent himself because then someone else has to fill his role. He’s hopelessly compromised. He’s useless.
efgoldman
@Cheryl Rofer:
Well, I don’t see any indictments or convictions in his CV. I suppose that’s a step in the right direction.
JMG
@Immanentize: Notice also that Sessions’ offer to resign was rejected by Trump, who backed down when confronted face to face as is his habit. He knows he needs Sessions. An independent or just actually honest AG would be a mortal threat to him.
smintheus
@Amir Khalid: Also interesting that Wray’s most relevant background, as a nominee to run the FBI, is that he led the DOJ’s fight to restore integrity to the financial markets between 2003 and 2005. Those would be the very years which saw the explosion of toxic mortgage-backed securities.
Aleta
Yet supposedly when Comey asked Sessions to make sure he was never left alone with Trump again, Sessions said he couldn’t guarantee that.
Cheryl Rofer
@efgoldman: Also he’s not an outright political hack.
D58826
Twitter seems to think the guy is well qualified but
1. was in W’s DOJ
2. was Chris Christie’s bridgegate lawyer
3. in private practice represents big phara, wall street, etc.
And the fundamental question why would anyone with an ounce of integrity want to serve at the pleasure of Der Fuhrer. Maybe in ordinary times these would not be a disqualification but it sure looks like he is a well dress party hack.
Seth Owen
@smintheus: Copy editors don’t fix quotes. If that’s what Stone said, then it’s on him.
Retired copy editor here.
Roger Moore
@OldDave:
It’s a good-sized conference, about 7000 people every year. It’s enough to be noticeable.
Morzer
@D58826:
I’d like to know if Wray has connections to the sleazier side of New Jersey beyond Chris Christie. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to find him working with some very questionable people, since that’s how Trump likes to operate.
Immanentize
@Kay:
This is true and in a rational setting, Trump would be completely in the right to fire Sessions. A President needs a whole Attorney General. Same for Lynch’s deference to Come on the email issue.
Baud
@D58826: If it’s your one chance for a high status position, maybe you tell yourself you’ll walk away clean.
Quinerly
@satby:
I guess you heard that Melania picked the upcoming weekend for her big move to the WH?
bystander
@Sab:
White shoe law firm manque.
Immanentize
@JMG: Yes. These are among the reasons that I find the reporting of the feud not to be some masterful fabrication, but true. Also too, DOJ folks tell me that there is no relationship right now between the WH and Sessions. Nothing is getting done policy-wise. But that could be a feature.
D58826
@Morzer: Yep. It seemed that most of the names that were floated over the past few weeks were DC insiders with strong GOP ties. Again in ordinary times, all else being equal, that may not be a reason to reject a nominee of a GOP POTUS (or even in the case of Comey a democratic POTUS) but this is not an ordinary vacancy.
Aleta
I believe this is not a joke:
(12:45 President meets with victims of Obamacare.)
smintheus
@Seth Owen: That was almost certainly an oral quotation, thus the Post’s error. If he did write it, then you’d insert “[sic]” to indicate it was his own error.
D58826
@Aleta: Well he certainly can’t meet with victims of the old system since many of them died for lack of access to medical care.
Quinerly
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:
Rockstar! https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/06/06/barack-obama-is-in-montreal-today-will-speak-to-a-sold-out-crowd.html
Kay
@Immanentize:
This is like Comey’s fate. It keeps happening to him:
Comey’s whole career is like “where the HELL is the attorney general?” :)
I bet he IS uncomfortable stepping into this void again and again. Ashcroft was dying so he has an excuse. Why is Sessions sticking around? He’ll just be absent from this huge case? So he’s useless in all matters relating to Trump?
Aleta
@Quinerly: A joyful reunion I’m sure.
Morzer
@Kay:
I suspect that Sessions’ absence is very much by design and goes along with Trump’s authoritarian desire to wreck or neutralize any part of the government that might put some constraint on him.
satby
@Quinerly: I hadn’t! More hilarity to follow as we watch her bat Drumpf away more often now?
Quinerly
Interesting: http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN18X2LR
Enhanced Voting Techniques
@Kay: I believe it, Trump’s a narcissist and this “According to multiple unnamed sources, per the report, Trump considered Session’s recusal “one of the top disappointments of his presidency so far.”” is typical narcissist bullshit and Sessions called Trump’s bluff by offering to resign. Just keep in mind that everyone who works for Trump is being told by Trump how horrible and stupid they are, constantly. It’s not impossible that Sessions would be happy to quit just to get away from that.
zhena gogolia
@Morzer:
Haven’t they ever seen that Untergang clip, for God’s sake?
Betty Cracker
@Kay: Sounds like a good reason presidents shouldn’t appoint their own political surrogates to that position. Seems like it’s fundamentally different than a post like secretary of state, which involves carrying out the president’s FP vision. DOJ’s primary allegiance should be to the law, right?
Immanentize
@Kay: That is so odd when viewed through that lens. But I think the history of special counsels and purely political investigations has really changed the nature of the AG office. Of course, many of the AGs did that to themselves — and I include Reno who I genuinely liked and respected.
Jeffro
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: Kids…they just want to spend time with their buddies, you know? They move on…
zhena gogolia
@sm*t cl*de:
beat me to it, damn!
satby
@Quinerly: oh, boy! I gotta go look and see if he blocked me! Anyone tell Betty yet?
Jeffro
@Peale:
Yuck…the things you’d see spread out on that lawn…(shudder)…
Immanentize
@D58826: Re: Wray for FBI.
should we start a pool regarding which Republican will defend the appointment by talking about Bobby Kennedy?
Quinerly
Breitbart becoming too politically correct for the Rage Furby: https://www.buzzfeed.com/charliewarzel/the-pro-trump-internet-and-the-alt-right-is-turning-on?utm_term=.fgANGkEOv#.dpBzvD6x7
Morzer
@Jeffro:
Dead hookers, goats, dead goat hookers….
Aleta
Jeffro
@Morzer: Even hookers and goats know better than to stoop to hanging out with Roger Stone…
Morzer
@Jeffro:
I assumed that they’d been kidnapped (goatnapped?).
Quinerly
@satby:
This was percolating yesterday. Heard Howard Dean say that he blocks folks he doesn’t like…he laughed and said “but I’m not the President.”
Immanentize
@zhena gogolia: See my comment 126 with a great version of that clip.
rikyrah
@Aleta:
Uh huh
Uh huh
Very interesting indeed.??
Enhanced Voting Techniques
@Quinerly: The Jacobins are denouncing each other. How very French Revolution of them.
Kay
@Betty Cracker:
In this situation recusal goes to accountability. Sessions wants it both ways. He wants to stay in the job but not be accountable for a huge investigation/prosecution. I’m curious if Sessions left the room when Trump bellowed at him. That’s just reprehensibly cowardly. HIS JOB to deal with Trump, not Comeys.
Vicki Delany
I haven’t seen much in the US media (no surprise there) but Chrystia Freeland, the Canadian minister of foreign affairs, made a major speech in the house of commons yesterday. Essentially she said that Canada will re-position itself in the world because the US can no longer be trusted. Here’s one pundit’s take: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/trudeau-decides-its-just-not-worth-appeasing-trump-in-foreign-policy-shift/article35217327/ He concludes : For the first time in our country’s history, Canada’s foreign policy is essentially opposed to the foreign policy of the United States. Who would have thought we would live in such times?
Immanentize
@Kay: @Betty Cracker:
Or, in this situation Post-Dispatch, it was Rod Rosenstein’s job and Sessions should have told Comey never to meet with Trump without Rosenstein present. Then should have told Trump that was the arrangement.
germy
Roger Waters has a new album out. I wonder who he’s singing about?
Jeffro
@Morzer: Good point. I wouldn’t put it past him.
Kay
@Immanentize:
I feel like Sessions has more culpability than the rest of the low quality Trump hires because he’s experienced. They all get a pass because we’re supposed to be thrilled that they have no experience. Sessions knows all this. James Comey isn’t supposed to be telling him what his job is. It’s just a matter of time until he has to resign. He may as well go now.
Kay
@Immanentize:
The little weasel protects his turf in other areas. He was reportedly mad that one or another Trumpster was blathering about opiate abuse- that’s the Drug Warrior’s job! He wants all the power and none of the accountability.
Quinerly
@germy:
Friend went to his show here in St. Louis a week or so back. Said it was phenomenal.
Patricia Kayden
@Morzer: Why do you believe that Trump is forcing Republicans in Congress to go along with him? Ryan and McConnell want to pass an extreme Rightwing agenda and are using Trump to get it done. Trump is so incompetent that he’s harshing their mellow. That won’t be the case with a President Pence.
Quinerly
Good piece: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/6/7/15751336/fbi-trump-russia-comey-trump-flynn
SFAW
@?BillinGlendaleCA:
Fixed
different-church-lady
@Morzer: If we ever see Spicer again.
Wyatt Derp
So what’s the caption for the Obama/Trudeau pic? My vote is Trudeau saying “so then I shook his hand and totally crushed it!”
Bobby Thomson
Wray looks solid. An executive editor on the Yale Law Journal, was ready to back Comey’s play in 2004 when he threatened to resign over the surveillance shenanigans while Ashcroft was hospitalized, unanimously confirmed by the Senate. He’s had a shitty client, but what criminal defense attorney hasn’t? Just keep him away from Kong.
Wyatt Derp
@Roger Moore: Always enjoyed the ASMS. Be careful in the hospitality suites.
NotMax
The burning question is:
What time of day has this White House settled upon to hand out the juice boxes and unroll the napping mats?
Wyatt Derp
@Matt McIrvin: Trump is pure projection. Whatever he accuses someone else of doing is certainly something he does himself.
rikyrah
@Aleta: As a Hamilton fan, on my way :)
Bobby Thomson
@Kay: Wray was backing Comey and Mueller up at the time, too. Unless the fix is in in a really big way (in which case we’re all screwed anyway), looks like a very defensible choice for FBI. The obvious question is, why would Trump appoint someone with integrity?
japa21
I really wish this columnist got more national attention, although a lot of his columns are Chicago specific. Today’s was, if possible, better than most, and most are great. Read the whole thing at http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/some-acts-of-terror-terrify-us-more-than-others/.
The concluding paragraphs really say it all.
D58826
http://www.newsweek.com/fbi-director-search-john-pistole-christopher-wray-donald-trump-jared-kushner-617861
I also saw on twitter but can’t find the link that this guy’s law firm represents the Russian oil company involved in the Steele dossier.
Now a lot of comments on twitter that you can ‘t judge the nominee by the clients of his law firm and even the most despicable person is entitled to legal representation (unless they are POC or Muslim or course). All of which is true but the clients a lawyer/law firm chose to represent does offer a window into their political views. This law firm doesn’t seem to have a lot of union clients for example. Surely for a post as sensitive as FBI director at this point in time we can find a qualified individual w/o the political baggage in general and the ties to Trump in particular.
Wyatt Derp
@Morzer:
Actually kidnapped is correct, as long as they’re young goats.
D58826
there we go on twitter. Doesn’t Der Fuhrer know anyone that isn’t connected to the Russians
https://twitter.com/SethAbramson/status/872443195266912257
Jim, Foolish Literalist
one more thing that is, I’m sure, fine
rikyrah
@Vicki Delany:
Thanks for that article.
rikyrah
@Bobby Thomson:
He’s attached to Chris Christie…which automatically disqualifies him to me.
D58826
looks like the d’s are back in rollover mode again – http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/336703-dem-senator-trumps-fbi-pick-has-solid-credentials
Applejinx
@D58826:
Maybe somebody is setting up a brutal betrayal. Does this guy LIKE Christie? He could be signing on with a quiet determination to utterly ruin Trump.
Trump’s motivation for selecting someone like that would be pure narcissism: nobody could ever be loyal to anybody but ME, and subordinates are interchangeable, and working for a guilty corrupt bastard on a *-gate is clearly ideal qualifications.
If Russia is involved in encouraging this choice, it could be ‘yes yes, good, now step RIGHT onto the trap’ because they don’t want Trump to win, they want him to do as much damage as possible when he LOSES and likely have a better idea than any of us, what he’s got to reveal.
Wray’s motivation for accepting could be vengeance for slights to Christie, and they could all know it and still be going ‘yes yes, fine choice, good job’. It’s a snake pit out there in Washington DC, it’s got to be just unbelievable at this point.
Boatboy_srq
@NorthLeft12: Every day he looks less like a genius real estate mogul and more like a New Jersey mob tough guy. He’s starting to make Tony Soprano look good.
satby
@japa21: Neil is a friend of a friend and generally a good guy. Good column!
And congratulations on the new grandbaby!
satby
@rikyrah: criminal defense lawyers have to defend their clients, they don’t subscribe to their beliefs by and large. I’m fairly sure reading the guy’s bio that he’s probably reliably Republican or he wouldn’t have been nominated, but he has a history in the DOJ that appears ok.
satby
@Applejinx: dude, take your meds.
Bobby Thomson
@D58826: no, they’re being honest.
Bobby Thomson
@D58826: a better question would be if there is any BigLaw firm without Russian clients. Probably not.
debbie
@Sab:
I know this thread is long dead, but in response to your post: Hell, no.