Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

“And when the Committee says to “report your income,” that could mean anything!

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

I’m just a talker, trying to find a channel!

This fight is for everything.

Bark louder, little dog.

“Can i answer the question? No you can not!”

Republicans don’t lie to be believed, they lie to be repeated.

Wake up. Grow up. Get in the fight.

FFS people, this was a good thing. take the win.

Donald Trump, welcome to your everything, everywhere, all at once.

We are aware of all internet traditions.

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

White supremacy is terrorism.

This isn’t Democrats spending madly. This is government catching up.

Let’s show the world that autocracy can be defeated.

There are a lot more evil idiots than evil geniuses.

Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.

It’s the corruption, stupid.

My right to basic bodily autonomy is not on the table. that’s the new deal.

Michigan is a great lesson for Dems everywhere: when you have power…use it!

American History and Black History can not be separated.

Jesus, Mary, & Joseph how is that election even close?

Tide comes in. Tide goes out. You can’t explain that.

Teach a man to fish, and he’ll sit in a boat all day drinking beer.

You are here: Home / Politics / Trumpery / Trump Crime Cartel / Another Cohen Thread

Another Cohen Thread

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Looks like the last thread had 200+ comments so here’s a new one while the committee is on break.  My impressions so far:  Republicans are shitting themselves trying to show that an admitted liar told lies for someone other than the liar who employed him. Jim Jordan, a lawyer, has been made to look like a fool by an admitted fool and obviously terrible lawyer.  Meadows’ attempt to show that Trump is not a racist by having a black woman employed by Trump stand behind him was horrible, and Cohen’s response, asking why the grandson of a Holocaust survivor would work for Trump, was cutting.

Reader Interactions

353Comments

  1. 1.

    plato

    Michael Cohen, talking about the behavior of Republicans: "I'm responsible for your silliness because I did the same thing that you're doing now for 10 years. I protected Mr. Trump for 10 years."— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) February 27, 2019

  4. 4.

    plato

    Who else wishes that there was a hidden camera in Trump's Hotel room right now as he watches the Michael Cohen Testimony in Vietnam?It would make more on pay-per-view than a Hulk Hogan/Mike Tyson Fight.— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) February 27, 2019

  5. 5.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    repost from below

    Mona Charen @ monacharenEPPC
    Cohen said he presided over several “catch and kill” efforts. Someone should ask him to list them.

    I wonder how much of this is planned for the last Dem questioners, just before the evening news cycle starts, when trump is drowsy and huffing minibar toblerones, like say a high-profile, media-savvy freshman whose questions are bound to attract eyeballs in any case? Is AOC the one who’s going to ask about NDAs, mistresses and abortions? (I think she’s on the committee)

    and I can’t believe I’m quoting Mona Fucking Charen

  8. 8.

    Anonymous At Work

    In My Cousin Vinny, when Pesci dares the DA to voir dire Marisa Tomei, the lesson is that a witness can both improve their credibility and diminish yours at the same time, if the witness can credibly answer questions. It’s not a “can’t-lose scenario” but a high risk-high reward one.

  9. 9.

    oldgold

    If Chairman Cummings has not already done so, he should say this: “Mr Jordan the reason this committee is having liars and convicted felons testify is that these are the individuals President Trump surrounded himself with. We did not choose them, President Trump did.”

  10. 10.

    The Dangerman

    …and Cohen’s response, asking why the grandson of a Holocaust survivor would work for Trump, was cutting.

    Haven’t been watching (figured half of the questioning would be only liar, liar, pants on fire, thus borrrrrring)…

    … but who is the GS of a Holocaust Survivor? Kushner?

  12. 12.

    dmsilev

    When life imitates movies imitating life… This is like the end of Goodfellas, when Henry Hill turns on his old mafia buddies. No, he’s not a nice person and he did a lot of awful things, but, well…

  14. 14.

    VeniceRiley

    When will the Republicans bring out Diamond & Silk?
    That was like the time my great nephew tried to tell me Milo wasn’t racist because he dates black dudes.

  17. 17.

    plato

    @oldgold: Yup. Tell it like it is, dems. No more ‘my honorable comrades across the aisle’ bs. The thugs see you as their mortal enemies, not as their pals.

  18. 18.

    khead

    @dmsilev:

    That is the same reference I’ve been using.

    Henry Hill was a liar and a cheat, but his testimony (and receipts) put an entire crime family under the jail.

  22. 22.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Is Jumpy Gym Jordan really the one they think is their most effective questioner? Or did he pull rank to get them to do this? I guess he is a hero to the true MAGAts, but I suspect this isn’t playing so well with the 20% or so who are persuadable/disengaged

  27. 27.

    Yarrow

    Oooh, “The American people don’t care about my taxes. They want to know what I know about Mr. Trump and not question has been asked about Mr. Trump so far.”

  29. 29.

    Elizabelle

    History lesson from Connolly. People have turned and then told the truth at Congressional hearings.

    Joe Valachi was a witness.

  32. 32.

    Ryan

    Doesn’t this testimony and what we already know tell us that Don Jr. and Trump are also both liars who lied to protect Trump?

  36. 36.

    plato

    Michael Cohen to Jim Jordan: "I just find it interesting, sir, that between yourself and your colleagues, that not one question so far since I'm here, has been asked about President Trump. That's actually why I thought I was coming today."— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) February 27, 2019

    This is chutzpah. The rethugs trait of peddling blatant lies is not.

  40. 40.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    I despise Chris Christie, but he’s been playing an interesting outsider game wrt trump

    andrew kaczynski @ KFILE
    Chris Christie: “The interesting thing is there hasn’t been one Republican who’s tried to defend the president on the substance. I think that’s something that should be concerning to the WH. Why are no Republicans standing up & defending the president..”

  43. 43.

    Elizabelle

    It’s just surreal to hear these GOP tools and pissants accuse Cohen of behavior they practice, some of them right there during their questioning.

  44. 44.

    plato

    Republicans could help find the truth, but instead just keep repeating that Cohen committed crimes, lied, and is untrustworthy.He committed crimes while working for Trump. He lied for Trump. Donald "The Best People" Trump trusted him to be his personal lawyer for a decade.— Rep. Don Beyer (@RepDonBeyer) February 27, 2019

  46. 46.

    Amir Khalid

    @Mrs. D. Ranged in AZ:
    The “ch” is pronounced as in “loch”. “Choot-spa” is a mispronunciation of Michele Bachmann’s. (Remember her? Charles Pierce used to call her The Girl With The Faraway Eyes.)
    ETA I see this topic has already been covered.

  49. 49.

    Elizabelle

    WRT the point of Massie’s questions: I guess they’re going to defend Trump, in the end, that he got bad legal advice? Try to blame it all on the subordinates?

    Cohen WRT whether Lanny Davis would be paid: “Are you offering?”

  50. 50.

    Gin & Tonic

    @Elizabelle: The voiceless velar fricative that’s found in Hebrew and Yiddish and most (all?) of the Slavic languages is a difficult sound to learn for non-native speakers. It’s not ‘h’ as in “horse” – you have to constrict the back of your throat to get it.

    ETA: I see I’m late to the party.

  51. 51.

    plato

    BREAKING: A GOP lobbyist just told me @realDonaldTrump is in “complete disarray” and that he was “blindsided” by Cohen’s opening statement. Trump feels “betrayed” & is “absolutely furious.” Says Trump even wanted to fly back to US, and also didn’t know Cohen could bring evidence.— Scott Dworkin (@funder) February 27, 2019

    Running away from Vietnam. His life story.

  53. 53.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    we have a new dumbest questions from something called Congressman Higgins:
    “Why weren’t those boxes of documents turned over to auhtorities?”
    “They were, then they were returned to me”
    “Was Mr Lanny Davis aware of those boxes? !”

  57. 57.

    hilts

    Republicans are shitting themselves

    Agreed and Trump will likely go through a considerable number of diaper changes over the next 12 hours.

  59. 59.

    Leto

    From below:

    This Massie Guy has a masters in mechanical engineering from MIT? Maybe they need to revise their white man admissions standards.

    @Yarrow: But that’s stating an obvious fact. Personally I don’t think it’s that big of a deal.

  62. 62.

    Amir Khalid

    @Gin & Tonic:
    That sound is also in Arabic, which is of course a Semitic language. So anyone who was raised a Muslim and taught to read the Quran should be able pronounce it.

  63. 63.

    SFAW

    @Elizabelle:

    Cohen WRT whether Lanny Davis would be paid: “Are you offering?”

    I thought Soros paid Davis with some of the money he had left over from ratting out Jews to Hitler/Heydrich.

    I heard one member of the Partei of Traitors asking all sorts of questions, “connecting the dots” (a la Glenn Beck or Alex Jones) to show that Cohen is really a paid stooge or a mole for argle-bargle veeblefetzer.

  64. 64.

    raven

    @Yarrow: @Yarrow:

    Captain Clay Higgins is a lifelong resident of Louisiana. He has served Acadiana in Law Enforcement for the last eleven years and currently serves as Deputy Marshal for the City of Lafayette.

    Captain Higgins has become one of the nation’s most influential cops, regularly speaking to law enforcement agencies across America. Higgins is a strong advocate of what he calls… “The sacred oath of the badge”. He states that the sworn oath is not to a Sheriff, or a Chief, or a Marshal… It’s an oath of allegiance to the Constitution.

    He is a passionate defender of the Bill of Rights.

    As a Christian, Higgins is known for his refreshing focus on the power of the individual to be redeemed.

    Higgins received his initial training in police work when serving as a military police officer in the United States Army.

  65. 65.

    Haroldo

    @plato:

    BREAKING: A GOP lobbyist just told me @realDonaldTrump is in “complete disarray” and that he was “blindsided” by Cohen’s opening statement. Trump feels “betrayed” & is “absolutely furious.” Says Trump even wanted to fly back to US, and also didn’t know Cohen could bring evidence.— Scott Dworkin (@funder) February 27, 2019

    Running away from Vietnam. His life story.

    Nicely, nicely done.

  69. 69.

    Mrs. D. Ranged in AZ

    @Amir Khalid: Yes, like one is getting ready to spit a loogy :) And how could one forget Mrs. Zombie Eyes?! But I had forgotten her mispronunciation.

    Funny but true story…I’m as white a person can get, from Memphis. I frequently use Yiddish words like tuckus, fakakta, mashugana, etc. Don’t know why, just always have. I’m the black sheep of my family in many ways and they usually have no idea what I’m talking about. I did the DNA thing back before it was popular and it turns out that we are (way, way back) through my Mom’s line Ashkenazi Jews (Haplo Group K). I think it’s funny as hell. I love telling my racist relatives (and I have quite a few since our family comes from “old cotton”) that we’re Jewish just to get a rise out of them.

  72. 72.

    SFAW

    @plato:

    and that he was “blindsided” by Cohen’s opening statement.

    Example # 12,987 of what a fucking moron the Traitor-in-Chief is. Blindsided? Good Christ.

  75. 75.

    Ocotillo

    Remember tan suits? WTF does Gym Jordan get off skipping wearing a suit jacket or blazer at a committee hearing? Where is the outrage?

  79. 79.

    Yarrow

    Cracks me up that the Republicans keep trying to get Cohen to commit to not taking any money from book deals, etc. Cohen keeps saying, “Nope.” Heh.

  80. 80.

    Renie

    So how long a meeting did the GOP have to get straight their constant talking points about Cohen being a liar. Wonder who decided who would say which talking points.

  81. 81.

    Laurent Castellucci

    @Yarrow – He is going for the “You lied about saying you didn’t want to work in the whitehouse.” Thing is, Cohen’s answer covered that, He wanted to be the personal lawyer, he wanted to be a part of the administration, he just didn’t want to work in the White house.

  85. 85.

    plato

    FLAG: Michael Cohen says that he cannot testify about his last conversation with Trump because it is being investigated by the Southern District of New York. Cohen says that he knows about more illegal acts by the president, says that those are part of the investigation.— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) February 27, 2019

    More iz coming baby.

  89. 89.

    Elizabelle

    @eemom: Lucky bug! Connolly’s an excellent congresscritter.

    Of course, I have Abigail Spanberger now, so I am happy about that.

  90. 90.

    Inventor

    Impeach in the H.o.R.
    Try in the Senate.
    Convict in the Senate.
    Remove from office.
    Indict by Grand Jury.
    Try in a Federal Court.
    Convict by jury.
    Imprison for life in a federal penitentiary.

  91. 91.

    hilts

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    I despise Chris Christie, but he’s been playing an interesting outsider game

    I haven’t read Christie’s book. I’ve seen several reviews noting that he criticizes many of Trump’s appointees but he does not direct any word of criticism to Trump himself.

  94. 94.

    bemused

    @misterpuff:

    Virginia Foxx very much reminds me of a few harridan teachers from the 50’s and 60’s. Shudder. Even Foxx’s hair and clothing style would fit in that era.

  96. 96.

    khead

    @zhena gogolia:

    Yes, but I have flex time. It’s great. It should be mandatory for anyone who can do it without hurting productivity. I am more than willing to work this evening after watching this shitshow.

  97. 97.

    Yarrow

    Who are the lawyers behind Cohen? I know Lanny Davis. Who’s the other one?

    Ooooh! Felix Sater comes up! Thank you, Rep. Raskin. Cohen talking about Sater being involved in Bayrock and Trump Soho and Ft. Lauderdale projects. “Trump distances himself when things go bad for someone and at that point in time it was going bad for Mr. Sater.”

  99. 99.

    waspuppet

    Meadows’ attempt to show that Trump is not a racist by having a black woman employed by Trump stand behind him …

    Well, let’s just ask her what her experience of working for Trump has been like. Oh, right — she signed an NDA which is a totally normal thing for a president to make someone do, especially one who campaigned on being a great manager.

  101. 101.

    hilts

    @Ocotillo:

    Gym Jordan get off skipping wearing a suit jacket or blazer at a committee hearing?

    In all the times I’ve seen Jordan interviewed on cable, he was never wearing a jacket.

  104. 104.

    plato

    Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin to Cohen: "Our colleagues aren't upset because you lied to Congress for the president, they're upset because you stopped lying to congress for the president."— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) February 27, 2019

    Tell the truth, dems, tell the truth. More and more sunshine.

    Did Nancy Smash time this hearing so that the totus thug will be left fuming and all blotchy across the globe?

  107. 107.

    Leto

    @raven: He’s an Oath Keeper, isn’t he? Sounds just like their propaganda.

    As an aside, I’m off to my orthopedic dr’s appointment so I’m relying on everyone’s snark as I go to see my new arch nemesis.

  108. 108.

    Just Chuck

    Basically, every republican is either going on about book deals or sounding like every mob lawyer from the movies: “Aren’t you a RAT, cooperating just to save yourself and get your sentence reduced?”

  109. 109.

    Elizabelle

    Mark Meadows really, really wants a job with the Trump Administration, doesn’t he?

    What a jerk.

    ETA: just hit mute. Some of this, it will be skimming the transcript later.

  111. 111.

    Brachiator

    @hilts:

    Agreed and Trump will likely go through a considerable number of diaper changes over the next 12 hours.

    Trump is desperately trying to set up a Hail Mary with North Korea that will win him the Nobel Peace Prize and secure his re-election. A stunning success in Asia will make all this other unpleasantness go away.

  113. 113.

    Yarrow

    Back to shouty Mark Meadows. He’s going on about “foreign contracts.” Cohen says they’re not on the form because they’re not governmental companies and he wasn’t a government employee. Meadows says he’s wrong. Does anyone know what the answer is?

    Meadows doesn’t believe they were editing the statement last night.

    Meadows has to be hiding things. He’s an ass.

  116. 116.

    la caterina

    Meadows still has his knickers in a twist about the timing of the release of Cohen’s written statement. That’s rich.

  118. 118.

    catclub

    @Brachiator: Suppose Obama had brokered a peace treaty with Iran that took nuclear weapons for them off the table. He would be hailed by all sides as a hero, right? Likewise if Trump does so with N Korea.

  119. 119.

    Yarrow

    Oooh…Sater’s office became Cohen’s office. Cohen says Sater didn’t pay rent for his office. Cohen agrees Trump lied under oath re: Sater.

  120. 120.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @hilts: he criticizes many of Trump’s appointees but he does not direct any word of criticism to Trump himself.

    Yup, he even goes after Jared, but treats the Beast himself with kid gloves

    @hilts: I wonder if he learned that schtick from Gowdy, who liked to affect the “up all night preparing these questions and reading’ over files” look, like a lawyer in a movie of the week

  122. 122.

    Yarrow

    Rep. Rouda keeps saying “convicted Russian mobster Sater.” Heh. Cohen says you can find things that show the relationship between Sater and Trump in files, hard drives, boxes, etc.

  123. 123.

    Ocotillo

    @hilts: Yes, I saw a puff piece on CNN about him and they cited how he is always seen in his dress shirt only with a loosened tie, lovable scamp type of fawning.

    My beef is in this sort of setting he really should be wearing a jacket but IOKIYAR

  125. 125.

    Kent

    So, if according to Republicans, we can’t listen to or give any weight to what liars say, I guess that means we can’t ever listen to Trump or give any weight to anything he says. Do they really want to go down that path?

    I’m teaching classes today so can’t actually listen to the testimony but I am following the live blog comments at the NYT where reporters are streaming their comments. Pretty good for the NYT. Gives a picture of what is happening.

  126. 126.

    Leto

    @Yarrow: They all make money off of reporting “what really happened”. One of the talking heads on MSNBC this morning talked about how we’re a reality tv nation. We want to know all the gossip and shenanigans. Not because we care about the rule of law, and how that affects everyone as a nation, but so we can hold our noses up and pretend we’re so much better than that.

    Also it’s another way of trying to shut him up. They’re all going to be directly, or indirectly, indicted in the Russia/Trumpov crime ring of getting him elected. All of their actions, and inaction, are going to be exposed. Just like how 1/2 of the gang of eight all remained silent when briefed on how Russia was directly aiding Trumpov, even going as far as telling Obama that they would politicize it if Obama tried to warn the American people wtf was going on. Traitors, all of them.

  127. 127.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    the Nobel committee (?) gave Obama the prize for not being George W Bush, I doubt they’re going to give it to trump for legitimizing North Korea as a nuclear power, even if there is a treaty

    ETA: Justin Amash taking an interesting tack: “Why did trump hire you?”

  128. 128.

    germy

    @catclub:

    In April 2009, Foxx expressed opposition to the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, claiming that the murder of Matthew Shepard was not a hate crime. While debating the act at the House of Representatives, she called the murder a “very unfortunate incident” but claimed “we know that that young man was killed in the commitment of a robbery. It wasn’t because he was gay.”

    wikipedia

  129. 129.

    gene108

    @plato:

    Michael Cohen, talking about the behavior of Republicans: “I’m responsible for your silliness because I did the same thing that you’re doing now for 10 years. I protected Mr. Trump for 10 years.”— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) February 27, 2019

    The Congressional Republicans are not so much protecting Trump, but protecting themselves from a right-wing primary challenge, which would cause them to lose their seat, eg Mark Sanford.

    They built this lunatic base, and they have to live with the consequences.

  130. 130.

    Kent

    Early on one of the Republicans accused Cohen of being the first person EVER convicted of lying to Congress coming back and testifying to Congress.

    Didn’t we just have that conversation about Elliot Abrams who was convicted of lying (or withholding info from Congress) coming back and getting grilled last week?

  133. 133.

    plato

    Jim Jordan has said PUBLICLY that he can't name ONE Trump lie. Jordan contends Trump has NEVER lied. This despite the fact that The Washington Post has reported on NINE THOUSAND LIES told by Trump. And today Jim Jordan is attacking Cohen as a liar. It's a low moment for Congress.— Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) February 27, 2019

  136. 136.

    different-church-lady

    Who else wishes that there was a hidden camera in Trump’s Hotel room right now as he watches the Michael Cohen Testimony in Vietnam?

    [THE DOORS’ “THE END” PLAYS ON SOUNDTRACK]
    “Every time I think I’m gonna wake up back in Trump Tower.”

  137. 137.

    joel hanes

    @catclub:

    Likewise if Trump does so with N Korea.

    The key word in your comment is “imagine”, because the only deal that Kim will cut with Trump will amount to recognition and acceptance of North Korea as a nuclear power. And Trump’s such a boob that he’ll accept, thinking he’s done something, when any of the three or four most recent Presidents could have done the same, if they were damn fool enough to recognize and accept North Korea as a nuclear power.

    In short, Trump’s only move is to give away the store. He’ll probably do so.

  138. 138.

    Yarrow

    Rep Amash asking Cohen, “What does Trump fear most.” Cohen says he can’t answer.

    Amash taking a kinder tone in his questioning. Not the shouting of Meadows and Gym Jordan. Good cop, bad cop I guess. He’s getting more out of Cohen.

    Lawyers are looking tired.

  140. 140.

    Brachiator

    @NotMax:

    Nah. He’s filling up page after page practicing the Donald J. Kim signature while deeply sighing over his newest love.

    Why not both?

  142. 142.

    Aleta

    Go ahead and say it: ‘Did I lie? Was I corrupt? You already know it’s why Trump hired me, it’s what he wants from anyone who protects him, including members of this government. “

  146. 146.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @plato:

    Did Nancy Smash time this hearing so that the totus thug will be left fuming and all blotchy across the globe?

    Very likely. I would take it for granted she thinks about timing for everything congress does, and if she knew about the trip when she scheduled this, that would be a factor taken into account.

    @Brachiator:

    A stunning success in Asia will make all this other unpleasantness go away.

    And then he’ll win all these trade wars, bring back coal mining and the steel industry to the exact towns they left, and start handing out free unicorns. He may or may not have the depth of thought to follow a simple plan like the ‘successful negotiation’ one while he’s this angry. It’s moot. None of the things that would give him a victory – North Korea giving up its nukes, opening its borders, or becoming an actual Democracy – are things that Kim Jong Un has any intention of doing, ever, under any circumstances.

    Although I could see Trump coming back AGAIN crowing that he got Kim Jong Un to commit to denuclearization, only AGAIN for it to be revealed that by ‘denuclearization’ Kim Jong Un means US removing our nukes while North Korea keeps theirs.

  147. 147.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Elizabelle: He broke with the GOP over another issue recently too, didn’t he?

    The national emergency. Amash is a libertarian, what Rand Paul pretends to be, sometimes. If that sounds like praise, it’s only because I’m comparing a sincere nut job to that tribble-headed phony.

  150. 150.

    MisterForkbeard

    @Brachiator: I’m a bit worried that this makes Trump more likely to make a really bad deal just for the headlines. It was already a major concern amongst nuclear and foreign policy experts.

  152. 152.

    suezboo

    @Amir Khalid: It’s in at least one Germanic language = Afrikaans. I had to practice hard in school to get the throaty “g” sound right. Die groen gras groei. All like chutzpah which I can, in consequence, pronounce.

  154. 154.

    Leto

    @gene108:

    They built this lunatic base, and they have to live with the consequences.

    Exactly. Libertarians, white nationalists, climate/science deniers, bible humpers, moon landing deniers, pedophiles, liars, cheaters… they’ve courted all of the vilest, horrible people has to offer, embraced them fully, then try to turn around and present themselves in Congress as honorable people just trying to represent honest, humble, real ‘Murkins. Fuck’em all.

  158. 158.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @gene108:

    The Congressional Republicans are not so much protecting Trump, but protecting themselves from a right-wing primary challenge

    I think they’re protecting white supremacy, myself. Those primaries from the right were scary at first, but their track record isn’t great. This is about their deep and honest belief that anyone who dares question them, especially their right to be in charge, should fuck off and die.

  159. 159.

    Elizabelle

    This tool refers to Trump as commander of chief across the ocean negotiating a deal. He sees a president who is very sincere, who wants to make this country better for every American.

    Who is this tool?

    And why can’t CBS identify them?

  161. 161.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    almost comical how they’re all offended by Cohen calling trump a racist, I guess these GOOPers never met Paul Ryan

  165. 165.

    plato

    @Frankensteinbeck:

    None of the things that would give him a victory – North Korea giving up its nukes, opening its borders, or becoming an actual Democracy – are things that Kim Jong Un has any intention of doing, ever, under any circumstances.

    Jimmy Kimmel: Lil kim took a 2000 km long train journey to meet up with trump. The guy took the slowest possible mode of transport to show his eagerness to meet up with trump.

  166. 166.

    Elizabelle

    OT but kinda related: From WaPost website:

    North Carolina political operative indicted in election fraud case that upended congressional race

    A grand jury charged Leslie McCrae Dowless, who was working on behalf of Republican Mark Harris, with seven counts in connection with ballot irregularities in the 9th Congressional District.

  168. 168.

    Elizabelle

    Breaking news banner on the WaPost:

    Cohen says federal prosecutors are investigating unspecified criminal allegations regarding Trump that haven’t been made public

  169. 169.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    “Did you lie when you confessed to federal crimes and agree to spend three years in the penitentiary just to get a book deal?”

  172. 172.

    catclub

    @MisterForkbeard: I would note that two previous nuclear renegade nations are presently exchanging pleasantries over Kashmir. They have no longer been isolated by the world for building their own nuclear weapons.

    more likely to make a really bad deal just for the headlines. It was already a major concern amongst nuclear and foreign policy experts.

    The acceptance of NKorea as a nuclear power may be a concern to experts, but I predict it will happen because nobody will
    invade to take them away, and without that, NKorea is not giving them up. See the above previous cases.

  173. 173.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??

    @RandomMonster:
    What? You’re saying you don’t want to see God-Emperor Trump vanquish his enemies and win forever and ever?! Heresy! //

  174. 174.

    different-church-lady

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    The interesting thing is there hasn’t been one Republican who’s tried to defend the president on the substance.

    The White House knows we live in a post-substance world. The only thing they’re worried about is whether they can keep it that way.

  176. 176.

    bemused

    @NotMax:

    True but trump has no loyalty to anyone but himself even though he expects absolute loyalty from everyone else. If trump was in Cohen’s shoes, trump be spilling everything to save his own butt. It’s weird that trump is so shocked if he really is shocked at Cohen’s testimony.

  177. 177.

    J R in WV

    @catclub:

    @Brachiator: Suppose Obama had brokered a peace treaty with Iran that took nuclear weapons for them off the table. He would be hailed by all sides as a hero, right? Likewise if Trump does so with N Korea.

    But President Obama DID broker a peace treaty with Iran, that DID take nuclear weapons off the table for Iran. He has been hated for that accomplishment since the day it was signed, and indeed, Trump has, alone among the nations that negotiated that Joint Agreement, repudiated it.

    [ETA And so, obviously you know this, which means you are a Republican Russian Troll…]

    Plus, Trump cannot negotiate such a treaty with DPRK as Chairman Kim believes that his nuclear weapons are an existential requirement for his regime to survive, given the behavior of the US towards other nations nearing the Nuclear family. Like Iran and Iraq, for a couple of examples.

  178. 178.

    Miss Bianca

    @Dorothy A. Winsor: Seems to me that Donnie might actually want to *stay* in Vietnam, rather than rushing back home, to the scene of multiple crimes. But maybe that’s just me…

  179. 179.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Richard M. Nixon @ dick_nixon
    I am never sure what is worse: the dimestore Atticus Finch lawyering in the Senate or the threadbare Sam Waterston lawyering in the House.

    I couldn’t stand either. Rubes or bores. Couldn’t wait to get out.

    seeing the back-benchers up close is always both funny and disturbing

  182. 182.

    Brachiator

    @Frankensteinbeck:

    North Korea giving up its nukes, opening its borders, or becoming an actual Democracy – are things that Kim Jong Un has any intention of doing, ever, under any circumstances.

    Although I could see Trump coming back AGAIN crowing that he got Kim Jong Un to commit to denuclearization, only AGAIN for it to be revealed that by ‘denuclearization’ Kim Jong Un means US removing our nukes while North Korea keeps theirs.

    I agree that Kim Jong Un is playing Trump. But again, Trump is desperate for something that looks like a victory. This creates opportunities. North Korea may see an advantage in keeping Trump in play as president rather than having to deal with a new, less craven president.

  184. 184.

    JGabriel

    via plato:

    Who else wishes that there was a hidden camera in Trump’s Hotel room right now as he watches the Michael Cohen Testimony in Vietnam? … — Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) February 27, 2019

    Dorothy A. Winsor:

    @plato: There may very well be such a camera.

    And Putin is laughing his ass off watching it.

  187. 187.

    plato

    BREAKING: Republican operative from the Harris campaign behind the election fraud in NC was just arrested.— Scott Dworkin (@funder) February 27, 2019

    Karma is back with vengeance today.

  193. 193.

    Martin

    @germy: We elected some great Dems here in CA last year. Was nice to see Lawrence O’Donnell give props to Katie Porter last night.

  197. 197.

    Doug R

    @Frankensteinbeck:

    Did Nancy Smash time this hearing so that the totus thug will be left fuming and all blotchy across the globe?

    Very likely. I would take it for granted she thinks about timing for everything congress does, and if she knew about the trip when she scheduled this, that would be a factor taken into account.

    Is this payback for the Afghanistan trip sandbag?

  198. 198.

    Elizabelle

    But he didn’t know who Cohen was until today … and then said since he was arrested.

    Crawdad guy. Worried about film and book deals. LANNY DAVIS!

  199. 199.

    opiejeanne

    Who was that idiot who basically said “How dare you come here today while the president is in Hanoi?”
    Was that Gym Jordan?

  200. 200.

    Jeffro

    Jaysus but this Higgins is dumb…

    They’re trying to wrap the blessed “boxes” into their FBI conspiracy

  202. 202.

    Elizabelle

    His instinct. Many of the men he has arrested over his career. The ones who are penitent until they get out again.

    He should take up novelisting.

  203. 203.

    catclub

    @J R in WV:

    He has been hated for that accomplishment since the day it was signed,

    exactly my point. likewise, Trump will still be hated even if he does come up with something with NKorea. I am not claiming he will be able to do so.

    I was responding to the idea that Trump thinks a NKorea deal will save his 2020 campaign.

  204. 204.

    germy

    How did Higgins get another swipe at Cohen? I thought they all get only one chance. Will I be hearing from some of the Democrats again?

  207. 207.

    Martin

    BTW, this is why we shouldn’t resist impeachment despite the makeup of the Senate. Impeachment hearings would flip over every rock and put it in public view. Let the republicans stand there and say that Trumps crimes aren’t crimes. Let them survive re-election. At some point they’re going to realize that their future requires them to bury Trump, it’s up to the Democrats to force that realization with public hearings.

  208. 208.

    germy

    OF COURSE Felix Sater was going to come up in today's testimony, and of course the media are dropping the ball, because they suck.

    Doing business with Felix Sater would disqualify a man from running for sewage commissioner.

    — Patrick Nonwhite (@NonWhiteHat) February 27, 2019

  214. 214.

    eric

    @germy: you know who should feel shame? the GOP…sure, but…the press….the NYT from the very city in which Trump played his mob-lite cons for years. They missed it all. Every single story. But, by god they got those emails. In fact, if I worked the political desk at the NYT, I would train my investigative sight on the NY FBI office and their role in the Clinton nonsense, which served as Comey’s stated reason for making the public statement he did. Shameless fucksticks.

  215. 215.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??

    @Martin:
    I think you might be right. From what I’m reading here, they’re panicking and this hearing is not going well for them. Imagine if a sustained barrage of these types of hearings kept hitting the GOP over and over going into an election year.

  220. 220.

    Mrs. D. Ranged in AZ

    @Elizabelle: He’s not afraid to fly. Several reasons–most important being he doesn’t have a safe plane to do it in. He had to borrow one from China to fly to Singapore. Also, he says it’s family tradition (which it is). And it’s more luxurious and comfortable (supposedly).

  221. 221.

    plato

    GOP members are trying to shame Cohen, which seems futile at this rock-bottom point in his life, and impugn his credibility, which gains little, since Cohen has already admitted he lied about some things. What no member has done: Try to show that Cohen's testimony today is false.— Shane Harris (@shaneharris) February 27, 2019

    Pretty much the gist of it.

  222. 222.

    Elizabelle

    @Martin: Agreed.

    I never believe the smarter than everybody types who tell us why useful stuff cannot be done.

    Bring the public along. Although: do you really want to inaugurate Mike Pence? The GOP owns Trump. Make them wear him, all of him.

  229. 229.

    Elizabelle

    Mrs. Miller from West Virginia. Distressed face. It’s ready for a commercial about filth in the house.

  230. 230.

    Brachiator

    @Martin:

    At some point they’re going to realize that their future requires them to bury Trump

    Never going to happen. The GOP is with Trump until the bitter end.

  235. 235.

    Elizabelle

    This woman is daughter of a congresscritter, and has no professional experience listed anywhere other than being a state delegate in recent years and now congresscritter.

    I thought she might be the teacher from hell.

    And did she say something about more important issues, like border security and neo-natal abstinence centers?

  236. 236.

    plato

    Cohen is destroying the last shreds of credibility of Trump the man, while Trump is in Vietnam destroying the credibility of the US presidency, dancing to Putin’s tune and flattering a mass-murdering dictator.— Garry Kasparov (@Kasparov63) February 27, 2019

  239. 239.

    catclub

    I am pretty impressed by how many big websites and news channels are covering this wall-to-wall. Bloomberg and WSJ are two that kind of surprised me.

  240. 240.

    plato

    The worst of this Cohen spectacle is the GOP Congress members so eagerly sacrificing the honor of their office and institution to defend Donald Trump. They know what he is.— Garry Kasparov (@Kasparov63) February 27, 2019

  243. 243.

    Elizabelle

    From Carol Miller’s campaign website.

    We need to send a representative to Congress who will fight for our West Virginia Values and support President Trump – and that’s exactly why I’m running for Congress. I’m pro-life, pro-jobs, pro-coal, pro-Second Amendment, I strongly support protecting Medicare and Social Security, and I’m running to cut the bull out of politics – That’s why I’m the only candidate endorsed by President Trump!

    As a small business owner, farmer, and job creator, I’ve seen first hand how the taxes and regulation from Washington DC hurt West Virginia families and businesses. As a State Delegate, I’ve protected our Second Amendment rights and fought for good-paying jobs West Virginians deserve. As a wife, mother, and grandmother I’ve raised my family with our Christian values and worked to help those most in need in our community.

    She went on and on about book deals.

  245. 245.

    catclub

    @??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??: and there was an article today(somewhere on the internet) on dad jokes.
    ‘Are they genetic?’ ‘Do they help with bonding with the offspring?’ ‘That pause between when the left brain first hears and the right brain gets it…
    and then there is the groan and eyeroll.’

  246. 246.

    Mrs. D. Ranged in AZ

    Evan Hurst live blogging this at Wonkette is just cracking me up….

    1:57: Jim Jordan wants to know about the alleged elevator tape of Trump hitting Melania that Michael Cohen says probably does not exist. (It could exist, but Wonkette would also note that to strike a woman, Trump’s little bitty paws would have to somehow be able to strike beyond the mountainous curves of his voluminous meat body. Science, could you weigh in on is this possible?)

  247. 247.

    plato

    Jackie Speier: How many times did Mr. Trump ask you to threaten an individual or entity on his behalf?Cohen: Quite a few times.Speier: 50 times?Cohen: More.Speier: 100 times?Cohen: More.Speier: 200 times?Cohen: More.Speier: 500 times?Cohen: Probably, over the 10 years.— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) February 27, 2019

    Jeebus.

  248. 248.

    plato

    Michael Cohen tells Jackie Speier that he would make his recordings (about 100 voice recordings) available to the Committee, if they want. Cummings says the Committee would want them.— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) February 27, 2019

    Yes. Nail the totus thug with his own words.

  251. 251.

    Brachiator

    @A Ghost To Most:

    I agree with Martin. Self-preservation will out.

    We shall see. So far, the GOP has embraced Trump more vehemently with every revelation, even despite the results of the midterms.

  255. 255.

    trollhattan

    @plato:
    Jackie Speier may represent California’s toniest little corner but she’s tough as nails and utterly unafraid. She’ll cut a guy.

  257. 257.

    joel hanes

    @different-church-lady:

    I’m surprised the Gross National Product hasn’t just plummeted under Trump.

    big ship takes a long time to turn.
    It’s turning.
    The recession that’s been impending for four or five years has been triggered.

  259. 259.

    plato

    Mark DeSaulnier: "You said 'the more people who follow Mr. Trump, the more people will be where I am.' Is it your expectation that people in the administration will end up where you are?"Michael Cohen: "Sadly, if they follow blindly like I have, I think the answer is yes".— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) February 27, 2019

    I sure hope mcturtle, who main enabler of the totus thug, meets cohen’s fate.

  262. 262.

    TS (the original)

    @catclub:

    Trump thinks a NKorea deal will save his 2020 campaign.

    Trump also thinks a NK deal will get him a Nobel prize – all to do with self, nothing to do with the US or the world

  266. 266.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    also too

    Brian Beutler @ brianbeutler
    Cohen doesn’t know who made the changes but names Abbe Lowell, along with Trump’s lawyers, as among the people who reviewed the testimony. This is a BFD.

    Lowell is JarVanka’s lawyer. That’s an interesting wrinkle

  267. 267.

    plato

    “To prop up one member of our entire race of black people, and say that that nullifies that is totally insulting.” Rep Brenda Lawrence on GOP use of black Trump Admin as political prop to try and “prove” Trump’s not racist.— Scott Dworkin (@funder) February 27, 2019

  270. 270.

    Jeffro

    Interesting plea from Rep Roy right now…”this is all a circus/waste of time/non-priority”. Um, agreed on the circus part…

  273. 273.

    Elizabelle

    “Thank God the Democratic majority can walk and chew gum at the same time.” — Rep. Plaskett. RE all the bloviating from GOP about the more important things they should be doing …

    Oooh, and she’s just brought up his finance chairing the RNC.

    Cohen says he was registered as a Democrat until Steve Wynn noticed that and insisted he switch.

  276. 276.

    Elizabelle

    Stacey Plaskett represents the US Virgin Islands.

    From Wiki: she is sharp.

    Plaskett is an African-American attorney, commentator and politician. She has practiced law in New York City, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. She is known for her understanding of Caribbean economic development and public-private partnerships for growing the economy of developing areas. She is an active community advocate in the Virgin Islands.

  283. 283.

    catclub

    @Elizabelle:

    Cohen says he was registered as a Democrat until Steve Wynn noticed that and insisted he switch.

    so he could be RNC finance co-chair! With Elliot Broidy! The gang that couldn’t shoot straight.
    Steve Wynn….? oh right, endless sexual harassment claims (to say the least).

  291. 291.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Raven Onthill: much as I despise trump, I don’t think we can blame the India-Pakistan dispute on him. I wouldn’t bet that he could find Pakistan on a blank map of the world

  292. 292.

    C Stars

    @Raven Onthill: I think I worry more about the mid to long-term effects–today we see that despite all of the evidence, the GOP will happily support/make excuses for him, AND he’s making friends with nuclear-armed dictators around the world, AND the emergency declaration thing–I dunno, it kinda seems like all the pieces are in place for a dictatorial takeover. The only way the GOP and its international oligarch friends can stay in power is by breaking the law and breaking western democracy (further), and clearly they won’t hesitate to do so…

    But that gets dark pretty quickly so I try not to go down that road.

  293. 293.

    The Moar You Know

    Is anyone else afraid that someone might get nuked (or some awful but still less-horrible thing) because Trump is losing it?

    @Raven Onthill: Not even a little. That’s frankly a ridiculous proposition.

  294. 294.

    Kent

    @Jeffro: Florida Bar is also opening an investigation:

    https://www.thedailybeast.com/matt-gaetz-under-investigation-by-florida-state-bar-over-michael-cohen-threat

    The Florida Bar has opened an investigation into whether Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) violated professional conduct rules by threatening former Trump fixer Michael Cohen ahead of Cohen’s congressional testimony on Wednesday.

    The organization, which licenses lawyers to practice in the state, would not disclose details of the investigation, but bar counsel Chuck Hughes confirmed to The Daily Beast that a probe is underway based on a complaint received from a member of the general public.

    OOPS!!

  295. 295.

    Misterpuff

    @Elizabelle: Where is Pence today?

    I imagine Mother is the center of her web saying “It’s all coming to us!” and then asking her hubby “Are you sure you didn’t talk to those Russian guys?”

  298. 298.

    The Moar You Know

    While it’s definitely over-the-top, I think it’s not a stretch that we should worry about Trump trying to start a conflict in order to distract from his troubles. I could see him bombing Venezuela or something like that. Couldn’t you?

    @Mrs. D. Ranged in AZ: Nope. The man is a coward to his core. He’s not going to do jack shit to anybody.

  299. 299.

    Jeffro

    @Kent: Oops indeed! Keep it up, GOP – keep committing crimes for your god-king, see what it gets you.

    I mean seriously, for THIS guy you’re willing to pay any price? THIS GUY??

  301. 301.

    Elizabelle

    @Mrs. D. Ranged in AZ: There is enough awful stuff out there without encouraging Raven on the hill in his pants-wetting.

    He is a longtime hysteric. I do not encourage bombast like that. It embarrasses me.

  302. 302.

    Patrick Armshaw

    @Gin & Tonic: hey now! That voiceless velar fricative exist in English, too! Consider ‘ugh’ – it’s just we don’t think of it as a letter. Same as the German sound in ‘Ich’ – we got it at the beginning of Hugh, but don’t even recognise it.

    Lingua-Man, AWAAAAY!!!

  303. 303.

    Tenar Arha

    @Yarrow:

    Back to shouty Mark Meadows. He’s going on about “foreign contracts.” Cohen says they’re not on the form because they’re not governmental companies and he wasn’t a government employee. Meadows says he’s wrong. Does anyone know what the answer is?

    So, I think this is Meadows deliberately conflating the law about listing yourself as a foreign agent if you work or lobby for a government. It’s not the SF—86 which is to obtain a security clearance, where you must report all kinds of foreign contacts, relatives, friendships, and business relationships.
    (~*cough-Kushner*~)

    So, Meadows is wrong. Because apparently Cohen only worked with foreign NGO’s which means he doesn’t have to list them. (Pace that a lot of authoritarian regimes don’t have clear boundaries between government & non-government entities, which is probably why the FARA needs to be amended somehow).

  304. 304.

    Brachiator

    @The Moar You Know:

    While it’s definitely over-the-top, I think it’s not a stretch that we should worry about Trump trying to start a conflict in order to distract from his troubles. I could see him bombing Venezuela or something like that. Couldn’t you?

    Double Nope.

    Trump is a coward. He likes to talk tough, but there ain’t nothing behind his bluster.

  305. 305.

    JMG

    It may not surprise you to learn that the line on ABC after the hearing was “Cohen provided no direct evidence of collusion.” Like the evidence of other crimes is unimportant. He didn’t have pictures of Putin handing Trump sacks of money and documents. The one local news reporter (not an ABC affiliate) there said, “nothing new.” If Mueller has pictures of Putin handing Trump sacks of money and documents and displays them, the coverage won’t change a bit.

  306. 306.

    Brachiator

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    much as I despise trump, I don’t think we can blame the India-Pakistan dispute on him. I wouldn’t bet that he could find Pakistan on a blank map of the world

    In the old days, the US might take the lead in trying to defuse the situation. In these times, not so much.

    And I think that Pakistan is flying American made F-16s. Should give us some say in deployment.

  307. 307.

    Mrs. D. Ranged in AZ

    @The Moar You Know: @Brachiator: I agree he himself is a coward, I think he is fine with it so long as his ass isn’t in danger. I mean, he’s not the one who would be in the landing force and he wouldn’t be flying the plane. He doesn’t back down when it comes to other people making sacrifices. Look at what he did to the Farmers that supported him. So I think he is perfectly capable of committing our troops into something phenomenally stupid and dangerous.

  308. 308.

    Elizabelle

    @JMG:

    ABC. As in “Anything But Context”?

    Jackasses. Why I don’t watch US news anymore. The CBSN hearings feed was good, but turned it off once the talking heads arrived with the break.

  309. 309.

    Gravenstone

    @plato: Fucker clearly doesn’t read the news. And if Faux Noise doesn’t cover it in some fashion, he’ll never know about it. And here, it came back to bite him on his ample ass. Seriously, it’s been in the news at least the last couple of days that Cohen was going to paint Trump in a seriously unflattering light, and that he was bringing receipts (essentially literally). Trump has no one to blame but himself for this sudden slap to the face.

  312. 312.

    FlipYrWhig

    @JMG: It’s pretty amazing that “the president definitely cut multiple checks to his lawyer for helping cover up his sex with p0rn stars and nude models” has become just, like, a funny thing that happens.

  314. 314.

    Brachiator

    @Mrs. D. Ranged in AZ:

    He doesn’t back down when it comes to other people making sacrifices. Look at what he did to the Farmers that supported him. So I think he is perfectly capable of committing our troops into something phenomenally stupid and dangerous.

    Trump finds it easy to steal money from people, or to punish children. He has not been as eager to send men and women off to war, to put their lives at risk.

    But we are just playing the percentages here.

  315. 315.

    Raven Onthill

    @C Stars: we are, I think, on the same wavelength. Trump is in the middle of delicate negotiations, and his desire to harm someone – anyone – is now very great. He might, for instance, give away, or at least undercut, South Korea. Consider also what Kim Jong-un or Vladimir Putin might offer to do for Trump, while Trump is enraged. There is also Venezuela. And there is the possibility of aggravating, rather than cooling, the conflict between India and Pakistan.

    @The Moar You Know: powerful cowards can be terribly dangerous. It takes brave people to make peace. One has to trust. On the other hand, he does seem to be afraid to fire someone to their face, so perhaps you are right.

    @Elizabelle: Please stop telling us that everything is OK and that Trump won’t do anything too horrible when, in fact, he has exceeded our worst fears.

  316. 316.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @plato:

    Michael Cohen tells Jackie Speier that he would make his recordings (about 100 voice recordings) available to the Committee, if they want.

    HOLY SHIT. Folks, forget the rest of this circus. That’s the payoff from our perspective. People say Cohen has the receipts, and he has just agreed to share those receipts with Democrats who will certainly make them public.

  317. 317.

    Elizabelle

    @Raven Onthill: You brought up nuclear, dickhead. And don’t put words in my mouth.

    ETA: I don’t think this is all right, at all. But you smell of urine and hysteria, every time you show up here.

  318. 318.

    Chris Johnson

    @Raven Onthill: Putin doesn’t want to do anything nice for Trump. This is the part where Trump implodes and Putin smirks a lot. The idea is that it’s already gone so far (there’s doubtless plenty else: MOST of the Republicans went full traitor already) that to reveal everything would be the end of America as a functioning entity. This is also why the Republicans are all-in: they are also traitors.

    Putin doesn’t want to save Trump. Probably why Trump is currying favor with Kim and so on. Trump would like to run away, but Putin is not a safe haven for him (I used to think that would be the end game, but that’s naive of me)

  319. 319.

    Ruckus

    @Brachiator:
    I think and continue to hope that you are right. But with someone as fucked up as drumpf it’s not an obvious thing at all that he’ll follow any even semi normal path.

  321. 321.

    geg6

    @Raven Onthill:

    in fact, he has exceeded our worst fears

    Speak for yourself. He certainly hasn’t yet exceeded my worst fears. He may still, but he hasn’t even come close to exceeding mine yet.

  322. 322.

    Ruckus

    @Jeffro:
    They probably think this is their chance, their one and only chance, to go as far as they want. The crazy have one of their own as president, this is probably as good as it gets for them.

  324. 324.

    Yarrow

    @geg6: Right there with you. He hasn’t come close to exceeding my worst fears. He’s kind of incompetent and his team is full of clowns. If they were actually smart, competent people it would be a lot worse.

  325. 325.

    eemom

    @FlipYrWhig:

    It’s pretty amazing that “the president definitely cut multiple checks to his lawyer for helping cover up his sex with p0rn stars and nude models” has become just, like, a funny thing that happens.

    Yeah, like yesterday when that former employee said he forcibly kissed her, it was almost like “And….?”

  326. 326.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @Yarrow:

    He hasn’t come close to exceeding my worst fears.

    Most of Trump’s presidency has gone the way I expected. He’s been a little more active in ‘stop doing X military thing’ than I predicted. McConnell has been a little worse than I predicted, letting the shutdown drag on and giving Trump permission to do the national emergency thing. In general, this has been the shit-show of incompetence, cowardice, and malice I’ve put my odds on.

  329. 329.

    Jeffro

    @Frankensteinbeck:

    Most of Trump’s presidency has gone the way I expected… In general, this has been the shit-show of incompetence, cowardice, and malice I’ve put my odds on.

    Good analysis.

    Also sends a few chills down my spine when I think of how far a non-moron, non-corrupt, non-impulsive-blowhard with the same agenda could have gotten during the past two years. In short, where would we be with a competent, smart, restrained trumpov? Yikes now I have a few more chills…best not to think about it, I suppose.

  330. 330.

    Yarrow

    I missed this first back and forth about the form. Cohen did something on break. What did he say?

  331. 331.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @Jeffro:

    In short, where would we be with a competent, smart, restrained trumpov?

    I can give you a bit of reassurance. The system that gave Trump the presidency selects against competence. In particular, the Republican primary voting base (and I think most of their general election base) wants a moron. Trump validates them.

    No, McConnell is the competent (although thankfully not the genius his reputation paints) irredeemably evil fascist who has gotten into a position of high power. He is the one to fear.

  333. 333.

    Dan B

    @Elizabelle: I was much more concerned about Trump / Pence in the first year of their term. But I was just as afraid, or more afraid, that they would figure out how to mobilize an extremist unit of the CIA or military to stage a domestic incident that would provide an excuse for some crackdiwn shirt of martial law. That seems less likely as the billionaire wingers seem cautious about the internet blowing their cover in an overt act.

    What baffles me is Bolton and Pompeo have howled in the past about a weak/feminized military. Currently they seem less prone to glorious military adventures. Is it because they would be blamed for any disasters niw that they would be culpable or is it because the all volunteer military has already exceeded its limits? The military can be expanded only if unemployment increases ir if the pay is so lucrative that it bankrupts the US? Is Eric Prince running into practical constraints that can only be overcome only by turning the US into a version of North Korea?

    It’s puzzling that the saber rattlers seem subdued since 2016. Trifecta… but no cigar? (Pardon the old ugly-macho meme but it seems appropriate since it illuminates the roots of their bro fantasies.)

  334. 334.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    @Yarrow: It was about those form Meadows was raging about, how Cohen didn’t disclose some clients on them. Cohen said his four lawyers continue to believe the language of the form doesn’t require their disclosure.

  335. 335.

    Elie

    @Yarrow:

    We are not yet out of this mess, even given that these are clowns and incompetents. I won’t breathe again until this is over — meaning, he, they and most of the GOP are out of office and new, sane people elected. The wheels on this are moving slowly. Maybe necessarily so to reflect the rule of law, but damned slow for my emotional stability and patience….

  336. 336.

    Yarrow

    Ha! Cohen says Trump said he didn’t want to release his tax returns because he might end up under audit. Trump’s always claimed he couldn’t release them because he was under audit. Cohen says he understood Trump is not under audit based on his comments.

  338. 338.

    Elie

    I just have to add, I absolutely despise the bootlicking, corrupt legislators “protecting” Trump during this hearing. I just can’t watch/listen to them without wanting to jump through the screen….

  346. 346.

    Raven Onthill

    @Elizabelle: I’ve yet to call you names, or insult you personally.

    You still haven’t addressed my substantive concerns.

    Did any of you people objecting that Trump has yet to exceed your worst fears imagine that the Trump administration would order the commission of crimes against humanity on our Southern border?

  351. 351.

    Elizabelle

    @Raven Onthill: Way to move the goalposts. You came in here, raising the possibility of a nuclear strike. This is your very comment:

    Is anyone else afraid that someone might get nuked (or some awful but still less-horrible thing) because Trump is losing it?

    I find utter hyperbole makes discussing “substantive concerns” rather difficult. Would you agree? People seem to think better when their hair is not on fire.

  352. 352.

    J R in WV

    @Elizabelle:

    If you were speaking about Congresswoman Miller, from WV, I think she was a big pharma lobbyiest, working hard to maintain their high profitability margins, until the Rs ran her for congress. Don’t know much else about her than that.

Comments are closed.