President Donald J. Trump

[Count Machuki]

Apparently, when Laura Ingraham questioned Rudy Giuliani about reports that he inserted himself into the Ukraine business, he first responded that he was doing it at the behest of the State Department. He then said: “Laura, I’m a pretty good lawyer, just a country lawyer.”

"Wellsir, I don't know spit about y'all's big city international law but back in Manhattan my Auntie used to say..."

[Count Machuki]

Vox has Trump's released version of the Ukraine call. It doesn't seem any more crooked than normal, but I guess it's is really more about ignoring process and whistleblower protections at this point, right? I mean, God knows I can think of a dozen reasons to get this schmuck out of office but this particular transcript/memo (as released) doesn't seem like much of a smoking gun.

https://www.vox.com/2019/9/25/20883325/ ... mpeachment

I mean, for starters, it's five pages long. For a half hour conversation?
Could the White House be acting in a less than forthcoming way about this?

[Sneelock]

well, didn't Nixon release "unredacted" transcripts before they found out there were tapes?
me, even if this is the whole enchilada, I'm not so sure "there's no there there" but I DO think this is a "don't throw me in the briar-patch" move by the President.
clearly he is going to take the position that he needed to get to the bottom of Biden's affairs so that people can chant "lock him up" should he get the nom. Just as clearly, even if one Biden or the other is guilty as sin this is WAY off the reservation for what a sitting president should be using his powers to do. let's see what the whistle blower report has to say.

I think three things at once. ONE: this IS serious enough for an Impeachment inquiry. I mean, he admits he froze the assets anticipating the phone call. TWO: TRUMP DOES want an impeachment inquiry to galvanize his base and up the "Deep State" rhetoric a few notches. THREE: His "PRESIDENTIAL HARASMENT" tweet gives the DEMS an opportunity I don't think they are likely to take. this guy with no government experience gained political power by saying he could PROVE O. was NOT a citizen. HE NEVER DID. Presidential harassment my ASS. Dems could really change the way a lot of people view this "different kind of President" if they have the nuts. Also, how many times has he changed his basic story in the last couple of days. keep him on the defensive - rope-a-dope him. His peanut butter is spread mighty thin on his cracker as it is.

[Snarfyguy]

The Republican-controlled Senate has now voted to rescind Trump's declaration of a national emergency in order to fund the wall.

This strikes me as a big vote of no-confidence.

Trump's about to go live. What are the odds he incriminates himself further?

[Flower]

The Republican-controlled Senate has now voted to rescind Trump's declaration of a national emergency in order to fund the wall.

This strikes me as a big vote of no-confidence.

Trump's about to go live. What are the odds he incriminates himself further?

I'm still amazed how anyone could even think about voting for Trump or even consider the prospect of "the wall" ...

As for the odds of him incriminating himself .. I don't believe that there is a bookie who would take the bet.

[Jimbo]

Michael Tracy and Aaron Mate breaking it down. G'head and say these guys aren't worthy.

[Flower]

I love Dr. Ronald Feinman's points of view on many subjects.

http://www.theprogressiveprofessor.com/

[Minnie the Minx]

I love Dr. Ronald Feinman's points of view on many subjects.

http://www.theprogressiveprofessor.com/

I read those expecting something scorching and razor like. Alas! I bet he has a voice like a stuffed harmonica. And goes on and on and ON in bars.

[Snarfyguy]

Michael Tracy and Aaron Mate breaking it down. G'head and say these guys aren't worthy.

I don't have 55 minutes for that shit. Riddle me this:

How is an (obviously) implicit quid-pro-quo solicitation w/ Ukraine -- for the president's personal benefit -- legit?

How is the president's personal attorney allowed to conduct international diplomacy that's properly the bailiwick of Congress and the State Department?

How can Wm. Barr's testimony that he "can't remember" whether Trump ever asked him to conduct any investigations be squared with Trump's admission that he asked his Ukranian counterpart to work with Barr on investigating Biden?

I'll give you 100 words, around double what I've just used. Go!

[Jimbo]

How is it that Trump commits war crimes and the Dems don't give a shit? Here he seems to seek a political favor from an ally and it's impeach him! Consider yourself lucky we can see the transcript unlike not seeing Hillary's emails. But the Dems are so hypocritical when it comes to who's guilty of what. It's because when it comes to war they are as craven as John McCain and as dismissive of the consequences as Trump. And in this case there is a lot of smoke with Hunter Biden but there is an inferno of misdeeds when it comes to Trump's war crimes. Or maybe you don't think war is a big deal.

Donald Trump’s War Crimes
His administration is killing unusually large numbers of civilians, in violation of U.S. and international law.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-t ... 8c18beeaf9

[Still Baron]

How is it that Trump commits war crimes and the Dems don't give a shit? Here he seems to seek a political favor from an ally and it's impeach him! Consider yourself lucky we can see the transcript unlike not seeing Hillary's emails. But the Dems are so hypocritical when it comes to who's guilty of what. It's because when it comes to war they are as craven as John McCain and as dismissive of the consequences as Trump. And in this case there is a lot of smoke with Hunter Biden but there is an inferno of misdeeds when it comes to Trump's war crimes. Or maybe you don't think war is a big deal.

Donald Trump’s War Crimes
His administration is killing unusually large numbers of civilians, in violation of U.S. and international law.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-t ... 8c18beeaf9

So instead of answering snarfy’s easy questions, you’ve taken us on another field trip to the School of Bad Arguments.

[Davey the Fat Boy]

You expected otherwise?

[Snarfyguy]

Also (and I guess inevitably), Manafort's apparent efforts to gain a presidential pardon and the alleged -- flagrantly unethical if not downright illegal -- abuse of the joint defense agreement of those under investigation by [ahem, you-know-who] have now been credibly looped in to the current scandal.

https://www.nybooks.com/daily/2019/09/2 ... ne-scheme/

[Jimbo]

So instead of answering snarfy’s easy questions, you’ve taken us on another field trip to the School of Bad Arguments.

Jesus Christ, you Hillary-bots are cold motherfuckers. You really don't give a shit about war.

And this president whom you hate so much is now sending troops to SA. Where is the Dem push back? Lotsa Dems approved Trumps military budget. If you hate him so, if he is so incompetent, so corrupt, not only should you push for impeachment but should stonewall him at every juncture ala McConnel. But no .... He does something so piddly as to do his own opposition research, using his own lawyer and especially when we know Biden is corrupt, know Biden loves war, loves tax breaks for the wealthy, sheeit. Biden isn't worth it fellas.

[Charlie O.]

Consider yourself lucky we can see the transcript unlike not seeing Hillary's emails.

Speaking of which, who among us believes that that "rough transcript" is the unredacted real deal? Maybe it is, but Zelensky is blowing so much smoke up Trump's ass in that call, I had to wonder if Trump didn't just dictate the whole script a few days ago.

[Still Baron]

Here’s the bits of the whistleblower report they’ve released.

https://intelligence.house.gov/uploaded ... nclass.pdf

[Count Machuki]

God, that Nunes. What a dick.

[Count Machuki]

Acting DNI Joseph Maguire comes across as completely hapless and absolutely in over his head.

[Still Baron]

A non-American BCBer asked (in exasperation) early on in the administration what would be too much for Trump to survive. I think we could finally be there.

[Count Machuki]

A non-American BCBer asked (in exasperation) early on in the administration what would be too much for Trump to survive. I think we could finally be there.

From your lips to God's ears, man. I'm not so sure.

On the one hand, Trump's got just one year left in office (hopefully) so moving quickly on this impeachment and limiting it to this latest abuse of power makes sense in the whole get 'er done sense.

Then again, I'd love to see the whole smorgasbord of Trump wrongdoing aired out with people under oath. Thing is, that'd probably take a minute.

I have taken heart recently in thinking that Republicans are so craven and lockstep that once the writing is truly, truly on the wall they'll turn on Trump in a heartbeat. He's never really been one of them.