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Make the republican party small enough to drown in a bathtub.

I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.

Infrastructure week. at last.

Do not shrug your shoulders and accept the normalization of untruths.

This really is a full service blog.

I like you, you’re my kind of trouble.

Red lights blinking on democracy’s dashboard

You can’t love your country only when you win.

And now I have baud making fun of me. this day can’t get worse.

A thin legal pretext to veneer over their personal religious and political desires

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

Black Jesus loves a paper trail.

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

Anyone who bans teaching American history has no right to shape America’s future.

Fuck these fucking interesting times.

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Republicans in disarray!

Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

Despite his magical powers, I don’t think Trump is thinking this through, to be honest.

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Republicans don’t want a speaker to lead them; they want a hostage.

You are here: Home / Past Elections / 2020 Elections / Helsinki Summit News Conference Live

Helsinki Summit News Conference Live

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Here’s the live feed for the President’s news conference with Putin at the end of their Helsinki summit.

ETA:

I’ve been away from the news most of the morning and am just now getting caught up. I think the real concern with the Helsinki meetings, as was the case with the Singapore summit with Kim Jong Un, is that we will only find out what the President said or agreed to in the one on one when either he tells us or when Putin does. An immediate worry has to do with US operations in Syria. As Josh Marshall highlighted yesterday, The Jerusalem Post, which builds on Adam Entous’s reporting in The New Yorker, has reported that the Israelis working with the Saudis and the Emiratis have been pushing the President to strike a grand bargain regarding Syria. Specifically that the US will withdraw from Syria, which the President has wanted to do for months, freeing up Russia and their local proxy Assad to control Syria and crush the rebels. The cost would be that Putin must push Iran, which is Assad’s other patron, out of Syria. In March the President froze all humanitarian aid to Syria and in the past month the US Special Forces that had been conducted an advise and assist mission with the Syrian rebels in Daraa have been pulled out. This is why Assad, with Putin’s backing, felt comfortable attacking the rebel strongholds in and around Daraa. This left not just the rebels, but the people in the region at Assad’s tender mercies.

The reason that this deal would be terrible is that the US led coalition has not defeated ISIS in Syria or Iraq. What has happened, is that free of having to function as both a military and political/social organization because of the loss of the physical caliphate, ISIS has been able to focus on the terrorist attacks that were its hallmark prior to trying to build an actual state. And because ISIS hasn’t been defeated, should the US pull out of Syria it leaves those in Syria seeking to remove the dictatorial Assad from power with only two choices: capitulate to Assad’s government or support ISIS. If the US stops its unconventional warfare strategy, a strategy of working by, with, and through our Syrian Arab and Kurdish partners on a train, advise, and assist mission, it removes the viable alternatives to Assad or ISIS. Moreover, a premature end to the US operations in Syria would once again be a betrayal of our Kurdish allies in the region, which will further cement the belief that the US cannot be counted on to finish what it either starts or encourages others to start with the promise of support. Finally, Putin doesn’t have a tremendous amount of leverage over Iran. If anyone thinks that Putin can, let alone would, push Iran out of Syria is delusional. Iran has far more personnel in Iran than Russia does. Iran is fighting in its own region, where it seeks to be the regional hegemon. And it has the best strategist within the region on the battlefield in Syria coordinating efforts, which is why things started turning around in Syria’s favor back in 2013. Prematurely ending the unconventional warfare strategy in Syria by removing US Special Forces and stopping their train, advise, and assist mission would be strategic malpractice. It will only serve to strengthen both Assad and ISIS, which will make things worse for actual Syrians. And despite the inane assessment of Benjamin Netanyahi, Muhammed bin Salman, and Muhammed bin Zayed, it is highly unlikely to get Iran out of Syria and contained within Iran’s borders.

Open thread!

Reader Interactions

258Comments

  1. 1.

    Adam L Silverman

    I’m gonna be on a few minutes delay, so give me a few minuted as I’ll be playing catch up for a bit.

  4. 4.

    la caterina (Mrs Johannes)

    Sounds like Vlad is showing up Donnie Dollhands by using a lot of big words about diplomacy.

  7. 7.

    D58826

    Some one please explain why this meeting is ‘historic’? American presidents and Soviet/Russian leaders have been meeting since at least Yalta. Of course none of those meetings resulted in POTUS on his knees kissing the Russian leaders dick, so I guess that makes it historic

  9. 9.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    I was walking by my muted TeeVee and saw that weird moment when trump disconnected and shook Putin’s hand. Was it as weird and out-of-sync as it looked in the moment?

  13. 13.

    MobileForkbeard

    @D58826: That’s it right there. This is a historic moment – never before have we had a traitorous president hold a press conference with known American enemies that are currently attacking the country.

  14. 14.

    LAO

    I see from twitter, that every things going well:

    Wow, Trump is going out of his way to praise Russia. I guess “wow” is now an understatement, but this is truly a remarkable moment in American history, 72 hours after the DoJ accused Russia of a criminal act against the democracy, POTUS essentially forgives Russia on world stage— Chuck Todd (@chucktodd) July 16, 2018

  15. 15.

    rikyrah

    Dr Auma Obama – Barack Obama’s sister – tells us why she’s trying to persuade Kenyan people it IS a good choice to stay and work in their villages. President Obama is opening a new training centre in Kogelo, his father’s village, today. pic.twitter.com/OUTRxBi27J

    — BBC News Africa (@BBCAfrica) July 16, 2018

  18. 18.

    Brachiator

    @D58826:

    Some one please explain why this meeting is ‘historic’?

    Because Trump said so, or will say so any minute now.

    Question time: America is number in oil and gas extraction? And can magically transport energy to Europe cheaper than a freaking Russian pipeline?
    Wow. People believe this shit when Trump says it?

    Let’s see. Trump is saying that “both sides have made mistakes.” Groveling before Putin. Had Obama ever said anything like this, the impeachment clown show would have been immediate.

    No collusion. The Democrats lost. I’m great. Nuclear. Something. Trump is a freaking idiot.

  19. 19.

    patrick II

    We beat her, and I’m not saying …(?)… and it’s a shame there should be even a little bit of a cloud over it

    I listened to 24 words of Trump’s speech. That was enough for me.

  25. 25.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @LAO: So how many minutes into today’s show does Chuck passive-aggressive/rhetorically ask a Broderist panel why the Democrats are failing to do anything about this, and they’ll all shake their heads and chuckle, “Oh, those feckless Democrats”

  28. 28.

    Quinerly

    Question: Do you hold Russia accountable for anything? President Trump: “I hold both countries responsible…I think we’re all to blame.”

  29. 29.

    trollhattan

    @LAO:
    How is this Trump day any different from another to Trump’s base? Trump can do no wrong!

  30. 30.

    Yarrow

    @LAO:

    He's bad at being President. He's bad at being a patriot. He's bad at being an America. He's owned. He might as well be wearing a dog collar and looking up at Putin for Donnie Snacks.— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) July 16, 2018

    Heh.

  32. 32.

    Quinerly

    At press conference with Russian president, Trump calls probe of Russian election meddling ‘a disaster for our country’

  33. 33.

    trollhattan

    @Quinerly:
    So we killed that Novichok woman and helped shoot down that airliner over Ukraine. Got it, thanks Trump.

    Boff sides.

  34. 34.

    A Ghost To Most

    I have made many preparations, but so far none of them have involved arms or ammunition. Every day I make the calculation, Is today the day? So far, the answer has been no.

    Is today the day?

  36. 36.

    Adam L Silverman

    I just added the following to the post as an ETA:

    I’ve been away from the news most of the morning and am just now getting caught up. I think the real concern with the Helsinki meetings, as was the case with the Singapore summit with Kim Jong Un, is that we will only find out what the President said or agreed to in the one on one when either he tells us or when Putin does. An immediate worry has to do with US operations in Syria. As Josh Marshall highlighted yesterday, The Jerusalem Post, which builds on Adam Entous’s reporting in The New Yorker, has reported that the Israelis working with the Saudis and the Emiratis have been pushing the President to strike a grand bargain regarding Syria. Specifically that the US will withdraw from Syria, which the President has wanted to do for months, freeing up Russia and their local proxy Assad to control Syria and crush the rebels. The cost would be that Putin must push Iran, which is Assad’s other patron, out of Syria. In March the President froze all humanitarian aid to Syria and in the past month the US Special Forces that had been conducted an advise and assist mission with the Syrian rebels in Daraa have been pulled out. This is why Assad, with Putin’s backing, felt comfortable attacking the rebel strongholds in and around Daraa. This left not just the rebels, but the people in the region at Assad’s tender mercies.

    The reason that this deal would be terrible is that the US led coalition has not defeated ISIS in Syria or Iraq. What has happened, is that free of having to function as both a military and political/social organization because of the loss of the physical caliphate, ISIS has been able to focus on the terrorist attacks that were its hallmark prior to trying to build an actual state. And because ISIS hasn’t been defeated, should the US pull out of Syria it leaves those in Syria seeking to remove the dictatorial Assad from power with only two choices: capitulate to Assad’s government or support ISIS. If the US stops its unconventional warfare strategy, a strategy of working by, with, and through our Syrian Arab and Kurdish partners on a train, advise, and assist mission, it removes the viable alternatives to Assad or ISIS. Moreover, a premature end to the US operations in Syria would once again be a betrayal of our Kurdish allies in the region, which will further cement the belief that the US cannot be counted on to finish what it either starts or encourages others to start with the promise of support. Finally, Putin doesn’t have a tremendous amount of leverage over Iran. If anyone thinks that Putin can, let alone would, push Iran out of Syria is delusional. Iran has far more personnel in Iran than Russia does. Iran is fighting in its own region, where it seeks to be the regional hegemon. And it has the best strategist within the region on the battlefield in Syria coordinating efforts, which is why things started turning around in Syria’s favor back in 2013. Prematurely ending the unconventional warfare strategy in Syria by removing US Special Forces and stopping their train, advise, and assist mission would be strategic malpractice. It will only serve to strengthen both Assad and ISIS, which will make things worse for actual Syrians. And despite the inane assessment of Benjamin Netanyahi, Muhammed bin Salman, and Muhammed bin Zayed, it is highly unlikely to get Iran out of Syria and contained within Iran’s borders.

  37. 37.

    Yarrow

    Trump keeps casting Russia’s election intervention in terms of a Democratic excuse for its defeat, not in terms of a foreign power’s actions.— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) July 16, 2018

    Yep. He’s not upholding his oath of office. He’s a traitor.

  39. 39.

    A Ghost To Most

    @Quinerly:

    At press conference with Russian president, Trump calls probe of Russian election meddling ‘a disaster for our country’

    So, a feature, not a bug.

    Fucking traitor.

  40. 40.

    Brachiator

    Trump was asked about Syria and instead talks about how he and Putin both are helping Israel?

    Our “militaries” are getting along, so suck it Syria. There ain’t no war there. Just humanitarian aid.

    This is an Axis of Bullshit

  42. 42.

    Mai Naem mobile

    I met a Trumper the other day at work. I honestly am scared for this country. These people are Fox watching ignoramuses.

  44. 44.

    Yarrow

    Oh god. Putin just gave Trump a soccer ball and Trump threw it to Melania. That ball needs to be checked for listening devices and polonium.

  47. 47.

    Cheryl Rofer

    Trump is asked by an AP reporter to denounce interference in the 2016 election. He attacks Democrats: Where is the server? The “Pakistani gentleman.” Hillary’s emails.

    There it is.

  49. 49.

    GregB

    I assume this is a set up for some sort of dramatic reveal implicating Hillary as the real colluding puppet.

  50. 50.

    Platonailedit

    Can’t stand even a minute of this travesty of press conference. Fucking assholes both.

  51. 51.

    Quinerly

    I think I’m going to be ill. Trump answering that last question. Coates should resign on the spot.

  53. 53.

    rikyrah

    @Yarrow:

    He’s bad at being President. He’s bad at being a patriot. He’s bad at being an America. He’s owned. He might as well be wearing a dog collar and looking up at Putin for Donnie Snacks.— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) July 16, 2018

    Ok, that was funny.
    No lie told, and funny.

  54. 54.

    oldgold

    The SERVERS!

    Unfuckingbelievable! He just threw our intelligence services under the bus in favor of a murderous KGB tyrant.

  57. 57.

    Brachiator

    Putin: “Unlike Trump, I know about intelligence. I can brag about having been a spy and make this dipshit standing next to me smile and grin. Who’s your vldaddy?”

  59. 59.

    Adam L Silverman

    He just said, as part of an answer to Jonathan Lemire from the AP, that if Clinton’s 33,000 missing emails were in Russia they wouldn’t be missing. He basically just asked Putin to release them if he has them. I may have now seen it all.

  64. 64.

    raven

    So the ex-CIA guy writes on the Greene Berets blog

    The U.S. has a long and blood soaked history of intervening in other countries and ousting elected leaders. Prominent on that list are Iran, Guatemala, Chile and Vietnam. Our protests against alleged Russian meddling are like a whore protesting the fact that a high school cheerleader lost her virginity on prom night.

    Special Forces (Green Berets) in Vietnam were the military arm of the CIA and, IMHO, largely responsible for that murderous cluster fuck. Now these fuckers want to say what the anti-war movement always said and absolve Russia because, as shit head said, “a lot lot of countries kill people”. But wait. . . It’s da jooz who are responsible :

    At the core of the U.S. mythology about Russia is the lingering resentment of how the Soviets treated Jews in the former Soviet Union and our self-delusion that we, the United States, defeated the Nazis. The largest tank battle in history was not the Battle of the Bulge. It was Kursk and that was led by a Russian General. The West has refused to acknowledge the critical role that Russia played in defeating the Nazis. Without the incredible stands at Moscow, Leningrad and Stalingrad, the West probably would have lost the war and we would be living under a true fascist regime.

    History is not a strong suit for Americans. Embarrassing ignorance is our currency. And we our flush with that cash.

    Fighting Soldiers from the sky. . .

  66. 66.

    Yarrow

    @Quinerly: Exactly. Tick fucking tock. I expect things may speed up a bit now.

    Anderson Cooper looks like he’s going to throw up.

  67. 67.

    A Ghost To Most

    @opiejeanne:
    Use your imagination. I know those people. The parallels to ~1930s Germany and Italy are staring us in the face. YMMV.

  70. 70.

    Quinerly

    @Adam L Silverman: Adam, I’m not trying to be dramatic but I’m physically ill over this. Isn’t this about as awful as Trump could have been?
    (OK, he could have taken a shit on the American flag)

  73. 73.

    Cheryl Rofer

  75. 75.

    Adam L Silverman

    @raven: I’m amazed that my estranged uncle allowed that. He has always been exceedingly careful to separate Phoenix from COORDS.

  76. 76.

    NotMax

    Neither watching nor listening.

    If he starts going on about the strawberries, or a duplicate key, please to inform about it here.

  80. 80.

    rikyrah

    GOP Candidates Emulating Trump Across the Country With Rude Behavior
    July 16, 2018 at 8:14 am EDT

    In races across the country, other Republican candidates — and some Democrats — also are branding their opponents with unflattering nicknames, tweeting in all caps, refusing to apologize for things that politicians once apologized for, being proudly politically incorrect, circulating false information, calling their hometown newspapers ‘fake news,’ releasing damaging information about their opponents and generating controversy to get headlines, even unflattering ones.

    A Republican candidate for California’s state legislature, copying Trump’s foray against President Barack Obama, has even launched a birther movement, demanding proof that his Democratic opponent is a legal citizen of the United States.

  82. 82.

    cmorenc

    @Quinerly:

    At press conference with Russian president, Trump calls probe of Russian election meddling ‘a disaster for our country’

    I actually agree with what Trump said here, but with quite the opposite meaning he has in mind. It indeed IS a disaster for this country that a probe of Russian election meddling is such an absolute necessity. Just as with one of the all-time best signs at the anti-family separation protest rally a couple of weeks ago: “I SHOULDN’T HAVE TO BE HERE”.

  83. 83.

    germy

    Brian Williams and Andrea Mitchell giving the Helsinki weather and European architectural report now while our democracy burns to the ground.
    — iResist (@ThomboyD) July 16, 2018

  84. 84.

    Yarrow

    @rikyrah: Yep. The panel is trying to be all panel-y and talk about it but their faces tell a different story. David Gergin tried his usual centrist bullshit but you could tell he was just saying words. They are in shock.

  86. 86.

    Cheryl Rofer

    John Brennan is irritated.

  87. 87.

    GregB

    Finland if you’re listening, we could really use the contents of that hour and a half meeting.

  91. 91.

    Quinerly

    @rikyrah: This is that awful. I still can’t take it in. My stomach is churning.

    I’m the most frightened I have ever been. I’m not a drama queen. Physically ill. Surreal.

  95. 95.

    sherparick

    @Brachiator: I shy away from calling him a “moron” or “idiot,” unless you mean in moral terms. Yes, he is ignorant of policy, and of anything that does not immediately help him or his precious “Base,” but he is a skilled grifter and manipulator of the media. He is a complete cynic, and his attitude toward Putin and Russia comes from Trump’s own statements that if he thinks you are “nice” or have helped him, he will be “nice” to you. ,

  99. 99.

    Brachiator

    Trump: MAGA. Make America Grovel Again.

    The Fox News version of this is going to be an interesting corrective to the CNN stunned reaction.

  100. 100.

    oldgold

    Anderson Cooper:

    Anderson Cooper sums it up…

    “You have been watching perhaps one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president at a summit in front of a Russian leader that I have ever seen…”

  104. 104.

    Betty Cracker

    Here’s Trump publicly casting aspersions on the conclusions of the security people he appointed, taking Putin’s word for what happened and blaming Hillary Clinton for a hostile foreign autocrat’s attack on our democracy:

    Trump is a traitor. If his party fails to hold him accountable for that thoroughly disgraceful performance — and they WILL fail to hold him accountable, I’d bet my next goddamned paycheck on it — they’re traitors too. And anyone who votes for a Republican in the upcoming election is complicit in treason.

  105. 105.

    Quinerly

    Former CIA Director Brennan’s voice shaky in this phone call.

    He says he is at a loss for words.

  107. 107.

    MomSense

    Holy traitorous mother fucker, batman.

    I haven’t been able to watch so I’m catching up by checking out some of the commentary on twitter.

    Trump says he and Putin “spent a great deal of time talking about” Russia’s election interference. “Putin feels very strongly about it and he has an interesting idea.” …what?

    Natasha Bertrand

  108. 108.

    MisterForkbeard

    @Cheryl Rofer: The big problem is that I don’t see how anyone could even disagree.

    Trump is actively and knowingly assisting Russia in ongoing attacks against his own country. And he’s being a subservient lickspittle to boot.

    How is that NOT impeachable, if not treason of some flavor or another?

  112. 112.

    Yarrow

    LOL.

    I'm starting to think the pee tape isn't just real, but it's spectacular.— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) July 16, 2018

    @Quinerly: At least things are very clear now. Glad to see people waking the fuck up. It’s been obvious for a few years now but people refused to believe it.

  113. 113.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Cheryl Rofer: While I do not agree with a lot of his policy views, I find myself in almost complete agreement with Amash’s take on all of this over the past 18 months or so.

  114. 114.

    stan

    @raven: Special Forces (Green Berets) in Vietnam were the military arm of the CIA and, IMHO, largely responsible for that murderous cluster fuck.

    Whoa whoa there, what????

    US Army soldiers were sent on that mission by their civilian leadership. And commanded by the Joint Chiefs who didn’t speak frankly to their civilian bosses.

    Don’t go blaming junior soldiers for a war that never should have happened and was fought without strategy. That part was WAY above their pay grade.

  115. 115.

    Yarrow

    What will republicans do
    What will republicans do?
    What will republicans do?
    What will republicans do?

    That is the only question that matters.
    — Katy Tur (@KatyTurNBC) July 16, 2018

    Rick Wilson replies: “Not a goddamn thing.”

    Yep.

  116. 116.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Cheryl Rofer: You notice the last tweet she screen grabbed?

  118. 118.

    opiejeanne

    @Betty Cracker: God damn it! I couldn’t watch, would probably have been screaming at the tv the whole time. After that I think I might lose my breakfast.

  119. 119.

    raven

    @stan: The CIA engineered that shit was and are SF not “junior soldiers” by any fucking stretch. Dumb fucks like me, yea, but not the “eltie”.

  121. 121.

    Cheryl Rofer

  122. 122.

    Brachiator

    @sherparick:

    I shy away from calling him a “moron” or “idiot,” unless you mean in moral terms.

    Interesting point. “Moron” and “idiot” are morally neutral. An idiot cannot understand morality. Trump cannot understand anything.

    Yes, he is ignorant of policy, and of anything that does not immediately help him or his precious “Base,” but he is a skilled grifter and manipulator of the media.

    I agree that with Trump, the ability to grift is natural, instinctive.

    He is a complete cynic, and his attitude toward Putin and Russia comes from Trump’s own statements that if he thinks you are “nice” or have helped him, he will be “nice” to you.

    Yeah, Trump has this thing where he will say good things and support people who say good things about him. But with other dictators, and particularly with Putin, there is something more. Even someone who was getting paid by Putin might pretend to be independent, but Trump absolutely refuses to say anything that might even be remotely critical of Putin. It’s not even as though he responds to something that Putin says. He volunteers servility. He tries to couch this in terms of seeking a new world order in which the US and Russia co-operate to build a better world. I don’t know. It’s almost as though he looks at Putin as a father substitute.

  124. 124.

    Quinerly

    @JPL: Poco is besides himself. He is the most tuned into me pup I have ever had. He is following me around like there’s a thunderstorm. Sunny here.

  127. 127.

    rikyrah

    I have watched US-Soviet/#Russia presidential press conferences for more than 30 years, sometimes in the room. Have never seen anything as bad or embarrassing as @realDonaldTrump’s just-concluded performance.

    — Steven Pifer (@steven_pifer) July 16, 2018

  129. 129.

    Gin & Tonic

    @raven: Hey, I missed you in a thread the other day. I had to drive up to Logan on Friday. Even in evening traffic (post rush hour, but still some slowdowns) it took 20 minutes from the Braintree interchange to Central Parking.

  130. 130.

    Brachiator

    I liked the part of the press conference where Putin pulled out the soccer ball and told Trump to go fetch.

  132. 132.

    tobie

    @Yarrow: Wilson’s right. The Republicans won’t do a damn thing. And that’s why I just plopped a donation to the DNC. We need a party, with all the infrastructure that comes with a party, to fight this menace. You don’t like it? Well, get involved in it to change it. In the meantime we need whatever support they can provide locally and nationally to kick out as many of Trump’s enablers in Congress as possible.

  133. 133.

    raven

    @Gin & Tonic: Oh thanks, I should be good! I probably should just leave the reunion and go straight to the airport and hang out is a concourse chair!

  135. 135.

    Baud

    @Dorothy A. Winsor:

    Of course he is. He won because the non-wingnuts bought into right-wing hate culture about her. Are they now going to admit they were wrong and apologize to Hillary? Probably not. So Trump can use Hillary as a punching bag forever.

  136. 136.

    Yarrow

    @schrodingers_cat: This is true. In this particular situation it does matter what the Republicans do because they control both houses of Congress and he is in their party, their leader. They are the ones who can do something to get him out of the White House.

  138. 138.

    opiejeanne

    @Dorothy A. Winsor: It’s guilt. He knows the election was stolen for him and it eats away at him. He knows that he does not belong in the White House, that he did not win that election, and it’s driving him nuts.

  141. 141.

    Adam L Silverman

    @stan: The specific website is owned and run by a retired Green Beret who knows better. He led an ODA on a COORDS mission. He knows the difference between COORDS and the CIA’s Project Phoenix. This Green Beret trained me. I also know one of the guys who was involved with Project Phoenix. They’re not the same programs.

  144. 144.

    GregB

    Even Ron Fournier said Putin brought Trump to heel.

    It was so shameless even folks like Fournier are shocked.

  146. 146.

    Quinerly

    @Cheryl Rofer: Cheryl and Adam…. How can this continue? How does this end? Cheryl, you have met me… I’m not a silly woman. I’m so incredibly frightened. Something really big and horrible happened today.

  148. 148.

    Yarrow

    @Adam L Silverman: I’m pretty much okay with Chuck Todd being publicly humiliated in any variety of manners. His brand of punditry and analysis is dangerous to our country.

    CNN got Darrell Issa to talk to them for a minute. He’s basically supporting the President. Anderson Cooper just said he’s speaking out of both sides of his mouth. Anderson Cooper is DONE with these assholes. It’s kind of funny.

  151. 151.

    Mike in NC

    Trump handed Putin the Crimea with a nice big ribbon on it. The rest of Ukraine is on the table. Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are also in play.

  152. 152.

    opiejeanne

    I’m going to go and pound some nails into the shed, work on putting the shingles back on. I hope that helps me calm down. I need a 2# hammer. Or maybe a 3#. Can’t remember.

  153. 153.

    Yarrow

    LOL. Anderson Cooper just said to Gloria Borger that if you’re looking for profiles in courage from people in Congress that you might need to get out a magnifying glass.

  154. 154.

    Quinerly

    Didn’t some cybersecurity expert on Russia resign today? 18 year veteran, 2 years from retirement? Did I dream this? Can’t find a news blurb. Think I heard it on the radio very early this AM.

  157. 157.

    Tazj

    CNN and Chuck Todd are shocked. CNN promoted every stupid rally Trump held and hosted every idiotic Trump surrogate they could find. They never listened to anything he said? Up until 5 seconds ago they were saying Democrats were too focused on Russia and had no message.
    In Chuck Todd’s world everything is usually bad news for Democracts. A few days ago he actually said the Strzok hearing was bad for Dems.
    I’m saying nothing new here, I’m just frustrated as hell at these people.

  159. 159.

    Tokyokie

    So the question I have for every last one of the treasonous fart blimp’s supporters is this: What would he have done differently if he weren’t trying to advance Putin’s interests?

  161. 161.

    germy

    At the Constitutional Convention, James Madison imagined impeachment as a relief from a chief executive who “might lose his capacity after his appointment. He might pervert his administration into a scheme of peculation or oppression. He might betray his trust to foreign powers.” https://t.co/1lKbNapUWD

    — LOLGOP (@LOLGOP) July 16, 2018

  162. 162.

    Brachiator

    Today is the anniversary of the execution of the Romanov family, July 16, 1918

    I stuck around St. Petersburg
    When I saw it was a time for a change
    Killed the czar and his ministers
    Anastasia screamed in vain

    I rode a tank
    Held a general’s rank
    When the blitzkrieg raged
    And the bodies stank

    Pleased to meet you
    Hope you guess my name, oh yeah
    Ah, what’s puzzling you
    Is the nature of my game, oh yeah

    It’s Putin’s game, for now.

  163. 163.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    @Cheryl Rofer: add “Makes America look weak, feeble and mentally unstable”

    I can see why the Russians threw in behind Trump so hard because Trump presents himself as the very image a 1% American businessman while at the same to a being a walking Communist trope of what’s all wrong with Capitalism,

  165. 165.

    Cheryl Rofer

    Here’s something that needs more thought.

    Trump’s affect was very abnormal today. He was incredibly subdued and managed to get through reading a prepared statement without his usual asides. Even when he is subdued, he usually has an air of glad-handing which barely showed up today. Maybe a little when Putin gave him the soccer ball.

    Even when answering questions with his usual stories about the electoral college and Clinton’s emails, he was much less animated than his past performances.

    I’d like to know why. I’d rather avoid explanations involving pharmaceutical assistance, but I don’t discount that. Or if there was such assistance, why?

  167. 167.

    Platonailedit

    @Quinerly:

    Ex-FBI Asst. Dir. Frank Figliuzzi: "In 25 yrs of working counterintel for this government, I never thought that I would sit here and watch a U.S. president castigate and denigrate the U.S. Intelligence Community … standing alongside the leader of an adversarial country." @MSNBC

    — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) July 16, 2018

  168. 168.

    Miss Bianca

    @tobie: Did you happen to catch the part in the indictments where the GRU not only hacked into the DNC, but set up a funnel website to *steal people’s donations* to the DNC?? Not just content with ratfucking, they are thieves as well. And Trump just sits there on his giant orange ass fluffing the guy who ordered it all.

    Yeah, I knew I was feeling nauseated this morning for a reason.

    @Cheryl Rofer: Yow. When you’ve lost Fox…is Trump going to start calling *them* “fake news” now?

  169. 169.

    Teddys Person

    @Drunkenhausfrau: I don’t think it was bugged by the Russians. It was recorded. Vlad probably whipped out a recording device and set it right infront of the orange traitor.

  173. 173.

    Brachiator

    @Cheryl Rofer:

    I’d like to know why. I’d rather avoid explanations involving pharmaceutical assistance, but I don’t discount that. Or if there was such assistance, why?

    Trump is an old man who does not travel well. He much prefers to be home at one of his own properties. He even prefers his own private plane to Air Force One.

    He could not even get recharged by golfing at his Scotland property. He’s worn out and wants to get back to the US after a long trip with too many meetings.

    Look for him to stage a rally soon. This will get his blood pumping again.

  174. 174.

    West of the Rockies

    @Quinerly:

    Would it matter? If there is a pre tape and it’s put onto the net, Trumplings wouldn’t care. He’d lose, what, five percent Republican support?

  175. 175.

    Davis X. Machina

    He didn’t sign anything making DACA permanent, or an immigration reform bill with a pathway to citizenship and no wall.

    He’ll be fine with his voters.

    And Kavanaugh’s nomination is pending in the Senate.

    McConnell and Sessions are happy.

  177. 177.

    Davis X. Machina

    @Mike in NC: I have it on good authority that Ukraine has always been part of the Rodina. Something, something, Victoria Nuland, something, neo-Nazis, something.

  180. 180.

    Miss Bianca

    @Tokyokie: I posed that question to my brother the RWNJ. So I actually have an answer to this question. Trump told Angela Merkel to buy natural gas from the US, not Russia, Trump is NOT trying to pull out of Syria but instead contain Russian ambitions in the region, and Trump just approved a Polish missile system that OBAMA had nixed, so that TOTALLY proves he’s not in Putin’s pocket!! HA! Take that!

    None so blind as those who will not see…

  182. 182.

    Yarrow

    @Quinerly: Hang in there, Quinerly. If you are truly feeling a lot of fear then maybe take a break. Do something physical to work the fear out of your body–take Poco for a walk or work on your house project a bit.

    The honest answer is that we don’t know how this is going to end because no one can predict the future. I personally have confidence in Mueller and I also know that a blue wave is coming. It is also clear that Trump and his kids and various cronies aren’t all that bright and left a massive amount of evidence of their treason. They are traitors, as are a lot of Republicans. It’s why Republicans are not stepping up to speak against him. Even if Mueller gets fired the evidence trove is so big and there are sealed indictments ready to go. Traitors will pay. Tick tock, motherfuckers.

    So given all that, the situation it’s going to get worse before it gets better. My personal take is that from this pivotal point things will accelerate. The situation is clear now. We are dealing with a traitor in the White House and many in Congress. Even our feckless media realizes it now. Punches that have been pulled will no longer be pulled. It’s going to get really crazy now.

    Meanwhile, there isn’t a ton we can do about the larger situation so do what you can do to help those who are being hurt, volunteer for a campaign, register someone to vote, and keep protesting these outrages. Those are the things we can do as citizens as we watch the rest of it happen.

    And remember to take care of yourself. As they say on planes, put the oxygen mask on yourself first before you help those around you.

  183. 183.

    BretH

    @Teddys Person: I don’t think it was bugged by the Russians. It was recorded. Vlad probably whipped out a recording device and set it right infront of the orange traitor.

    I’m sure Putin whipped something out in front of Trump.

  184. 184.

    Hobbes83

    @Yarrow:

    LOL. Anderson Cooper just said to Gloria Borger that if you’re looking for profiles in courage from people in Congress that you might need to get out a magnifying glass.

    Fuck Anderson Cooper for using the word “Congress” when he should lay blame squarely on the Republicans. They’ve been aiding and abetting this shit since 45 got into the White House, even after their fucking 2012 presidential candidate said that Russia was our number one geopolitical foe. Fuck these people. The Republican Party must be destroyed completely.

  186. 186.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Quinerly:

    I was a young adult at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis. I was scared then. I’m a lot more scared now.

  187. 187.

    Teddys Person

    @JPL:

    The poor mutt is concerned, because his master is saying holy fk over and over.

    It took me a few moments to understand your comment because in my mind mutt = Trump and master = putin (with apologies to you and your mutt).

  188. 188.

    Hobbes83

    @Quinerly: I bet you that motherfucker would still vote for Kavanaugh if a confirmation vote was held today. Fuck this guy and his performative condemnation.

  191. 191.

    trollhattan

    When you’ve lost Joe Walsh (not the James Gang guitarist)

    Former Tea Party lawmaker Joe Walsh on Monday said he was completely done with President Donald Trump in the wake of his jaw-dropping joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Walsh, who backed Trump in 2016 but who has been critical of the president’s attacks on law enforcement agencies, wrote on Twitter that he would no longer consider voting for him in 2020.

  193. 193.

    Davis X. Machina

    @Hobbes83:
    They’re patient.
    Presidents come, presidents go.
    Justices sit for decades, precedents can last a century.

  194. 194.

    Quinerly

    @SiubhanDuinne: I’m a little younger than you. I don’t know of anything in my life to compare to now. 9/11 seems small. And no disrespect to those who died. This is just an entirely different ballgame.

  195. 195.

    trollhattan

    @SiubhanDuinne:
    Little Donny in whatever rich kid academy he went to certainly did duck-and-cover drills in between shaking down his classmates for their lunch money. He bloody well remembers that stuff. Prague summer? Hungarian uprising? Any of that ring a bell, mister president? Hello?

  196. 196.

    D58826

    Folks on MSNBC are talking about the Russian economy. Not to put to fine a point on it but Russia is nothing more than a gas station with nuclear weapons.

  197. 197.

    Barbara

    @D58826: That about sums it up. There is nothing anyone needs that it cannot get from a country other than Russia, with the possible exception of natural gas to countries in close physical proximity.

  198. 198.

    tobie

    Does anyone know if there will be an Democratic PAC running ads against Kavanaugh’s appointment? After today, it seems like the argument that Trump can’t pick his own jury would have more traction than usual.

  204. 204.

    Manyakitty

    @A Ghost To Most: My day for that came about six months after the election. Nothing specific, just a flipped switch and I was ready to go there. Still feels weird, but I don’t regret it.

  205. 205.

    Dr. Jakyll and Miss Deride

    @Adam L Silverman:
    I used to get a lot of encouragement from the posts you used to put up about how the intelligence community (here and abroad) would have ways to fight back if somebody tried to disregard and discredit them the way Trump has been trying to do all along. At this point, do you think they still have any cards left to play, or has the effort to neutralize them succeeded to the point where it wouldn’t matter whether they played any more cards?

  207. 207.

    raven

    What the fuck, they’d love to have people quivering like scared puppies. Fuck em, fight back!

  210. 210.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Quinerly: GOP elected officials will tweet their deep concern. Some will also state it on TV or in the well of the Senate or the House. Then they won’t do anything else. The action, all of the action, is the midterms. That’s the target. That’s the focus. Mueller will keep doing what he’s doing, but that’s out of everyone’s control but his. That’s not a knock on him or his integrity, but what is in our control is the midterms. So focus on that. Focus on electing a Democratic House and Senate and as many Democratic governors and state legislatures as possible to give Mueller the institutional backup he needs.

    The only way out is through!

  211. 211.

    Adam L Silverman

    @schrodingers_cat: Mattis is doing a post NATO summit tour of our NATO and EU partners and allies. To allay fears and tamp down problems. He keeps his head down and does his job.

  217. 217.

    Gelfling 545

    @Quinerly: I remember my mother becoming ill when the election was called for Ronald Regan. I thought it was a bit excessive. Were she living today, I’d apologize.

  218. 218.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Miss Bianca: He’s lost Shep Smith, who he never had anyway. See what happens with tonight’s exclusive interview from Helsinki with Tucker and Hannity.

  221. 221.

    D58826

    Maybe be it’s time for the Secret Service to drag Der Fuhrer from the Oval Office and install VP Pence as POTUS

  223. 223.

    D58826

    @Adam L Silverman:

    See what happens with tonight’s exclusive interview from Helsinki with Tucker and Hannity.

    Only real question is who will be the ball licker and who will be the ball lickee

  225. 225.

    Raven Onthill

    I think the country is done with Trump. Unfortunately, it’s not clear to me that the country is done with the Republicans and their fascist ideology. Especially, I fear the would-be theocrats.

    Meantime, I am left with the thought that the Republican Party has been the party of treason for 50 years. Nixon and Kissinger, then Reagan and Iran-Contra (pardoned by GHW Bush), and now Trump.

    Boize moi!

  228. 228.

    Teddys Person

    @D58826: It might just be a free-for-all. Trump is probably tired of all the stiffness and protocol of his European adventure.

  230. 230.

    Quinerly

    @Adam L Silverman: I read about this guy the other day. Guy I’m thinking of is an analyist type who is going to the private sector. There was speculation about why he would be leaving two years short of retirement. If I dreamed this, I’m truly losing it. ?

  231. 231.

    maya

    @D58826: Nesting Dolls . Each one with an image of a Russian oligarch contained within a Putin doll. Bound to be a big hit with the RWNJ’s come xmas.

  232. 232.

    Gelfling 545

    @Quinerly: Last night I thought I’d take a break from the news and read a nice mystery novel. Unfortunately it was set in the 20s and involved a lot about Mussolini’s takeover and Fascist supporters in England. It was chilling. The parallels are deeply disturbing.

  235. 235.

    Duane

    @germy: If the actions of Putin’s puppet haven’t reached the level of impeachment by now, what does it take? Killing someone on Pennsylvania Avenue? He’s a treasonous traitor, for all the world to see.

  236. 236.

    Domestic short hair tabby (fka vheidi)

    Disappointed and saddened are the new thoughts and prayers

  239. 239.

    The Pale Scot

    @germy:

    Save your souls.

    Ua Ua, no backsies , free will and all that, nobody put a gun to their head.

  241. 241.

    Mandalay

    @Cheryl Rofer:

    John Brennan is irritated.

    In contrast, Little Marco thinks he’s being a statesman by not criticizing Trump:

    Foreign policy must be based on reality,not hyperbole or wishful thinking. And the reality is #Russia is an adversary. Because #Putin doesn’t believe in win/win scenarios & thinks only way to make Russia stronger is to make U.S. weaker. Any approach not based on this will fail.

    As always, Rubio shows the spine of a jellyfish.

  243. 243.

    Bess

    @Quinerly:

    Something really big and horrible did happen today.

    Most likely what happened has driven the end of Trump’s time in the White House closer than it was yesterday. Things are now getting so bad that we are seeing Republicans openly outraged. We need more right wing outrage before any action will be taken.

    The best thing that could happen if for Trump to do more outrageous things and piss off larger numbers of Americans. Get his support down to the irrational 27%. Make it toxic for legislators in all but deep red states to support Trump.

    We need to expect more damage. The thing to be worried about is potential action on Trump’s part that would be very hard to recover from such as him starting a war like Bush and Cheney did. Following the Senate 88-to-11 vote calling on Trump to get congressional approval before using national security as a reason for imposing tariffs on other nations and 97-2 in favor of a pro-NATO resolution it looks like the Senate has decided that Donald needs a shorter leash. Many on the Republican side won’t admit that publicly as it would harm their electability but they are speaking with their votes.

  244. 244.

    Bess

    @Duane:

    I think it takes the results of Mueller’s investigation to give enough Republicans ample cover.

    Trump is rapidly destroying any support he has in Congress from non-Tea Party Republicans. But they probably need a very obvious reason in order to defend themselves during their next election.

  249. 249.

    Brachiator

    @Bess:

    Most likely what happened has driven the end of Trump’s time in the White House closer than it was yesterday. Things are now getting so bad that we are seeing Republicans openly outraged.

    I’m not seeing much Republican outrage. The leadership is being quiet and cautious, and sticking to their story that Hillary is bad and the FBI and other agencies have been shown to be untrustworthy.

  251. 251.

    Quinerly

    @Adam L Silverman: I probably just dreamed it/mixing up the players. I have basically kept the radio on low all night since 9/11 (BBC, NPR). Who knows what I caught in a snippet?…plus, I have a pretty bad sinus infection and took some of that green otc stuff that knocks me out.

  253. 253.

    Quinerly

    @Gelfling 545: I wish I could concentrate right now to read something different from current events. Haven’t been able to focus on a book for a few weeks. Not like me. Leaving in about 3 weeks with Poco for a little road trip to NC. Hoping I can read on the beach like normal Quinerly. ??

  255. 255.

    Bess

    @Brachiator:

    I’m seeing it from talking heads, including Fox people, who have been strong Trump supporters. I’m seeing it from Republicans who are not in Congress plus from John McCain who is. And, very surprisingly, Liz Cheney.

  256. 256.

    Bess

    Rep Will Hurd, R-Texas

    I’ve seen Russian intelligence manipulate many people over my professional career and I never would have thought that the US President would become one of the ones getting played by old KGB hands.

    Republican Senator Jeff Flake called Trump’s words “shameful.”

    “I never thought I would see the day when our American President would stand on the stage with the Russian President and place blame on the United States for Russian aggression. This is shameful,” Flake said on Twitter.

    Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, a Republican, said Trump’s comments next to Putin made the United States look like a “pushover.”

    Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said that it was a “missed opportunity by President Trump to firmly hold Russia accountable for 2016 meddling and deliver a strong warning regarding future elections.”

    Graham, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said, “This answer by President Trump will be seen by Russia as a sign of weakness and create far more problems than it solves.”

    House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan said in a statement that Russia undoubtedly interfered in the 2016 election.

    “The president must appreciate that Russia is not our ally. There is no moral equivalence between the United States and Russia, which remains hostile to our most basic values and ideals,” Ryan said.

    Another Republican, Senator John McCain, described Trump’s summit with Putin as “a tragic mistake.”

    https://www.rawstory.com/2018/07/us-lawmakers-call-trump-weak-summit-russias-putin/

  258. 258.

    Bill Arnold

    @Quinerly:

    At press conference with Russian president, Trump calls probe of Russian election meddling ‘a disaster for our country’

    Have to admit, i wasn’t immediately sure about which country he was talking about.

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