President Donald Trump: The Thread

[bmags]

Not to go all conspiracy theorist here, but I find it REALLY hard to believe there are 30 people willing to talk off the record/anonymously about something that probably only a handful of people knew about. We already know Trump supporters are delusional people, so there aren't a lot of "free-thinkers" remaining in the administration. And reports have always been it's a very small inner circle around him. I dunno, not really buying this one.

 

Almost every article has been 10+ sourced with this administration, because if you don't talk to Haberman/Thrush or Kessler/Parker/Costa, then the chances you are the one getting s*** talked about.

 

Trump loves being covered. He is influenced by the media, and his administration knows that. This is not a tight-lipped group.

[StrangeSox]

Wait, that was real? For really real?

 

Donald Trump interviews melt brains.

 

 

Yes, it's 100% real. Yes, there's even more insanity.

http://time.com/4775040/donald-trump-time-...eing-president/

 

On deal making in business vs. deal making in Washington

 

It’s never different. I think it’s never different. It’s always the same. You have to know your subject. And that would be the misconception of misconceptions for that. I mean, it’s not that I–look, I always had health care for my company. But it’s not that I–it was just something that wasn’t high on my list. I had people that negotiated for my company.

 

But in a short period of time I understood everything there was to know about health care. And we did the right negotiating, and actually it’s a very interesting subject.

 

more praise for dictators

…I get back [former Egyptian prisoner] Aya [Hijazi]. Nobody could have done that. Nobody else could have done that. They could have negotiated – how tough is [Egyptian leader Abdel Fattah] el Sisi, right? Nobody else could have done–and he’s a great guy. Nobody else could have gotten her back. She would have been in jail for twenty-eight years. And that’s not twenty-eight years you’re going away for one. That’s twenty-eight years meaning twenty-eight years.

 

 

 

[Jenksismyhero]

It's 30 people from the WH, Capital Hill, Justice and the FBI. Trump's inner circle is small, but he's also not exactly a crafty and careful operator. Knowing that Trump was pissed no one was going along with his ridiculous claims about Obama wiretapping him or that he wanted the Russia s*** to be dropped in favor of finding whoever leaked the Flynn information to the public doesn't require being close to Trump himself. I'm guessing a whole lot of career FBI guys and particularly Comey loyalists are going to be leaking like crazy now, and they might have had insight at least from the FBI/Justice side.

 

Right, but how would those people know that Trump was growing tired of Comey? They wouldn't have first hand knowledge of that.

 

And he's been barking about leaks to the press for months now. If it's anyone close to that inner circle they wouldn't be around anymore. I agree he's been a terrible manager and he's allowed a lot of bickering/sparring between his staff members, but he allegedly continues to be undermined by people in the admn. I'm not sure what the benefit is for those people to be talking anonymously when they're making their employer less electable. They're ruining their future job prospects.

Edited May 11, 2017 by JenksIsMyHero

[Jenksismyhero]

Almost every article has been 10+ sourced with this administration, because if you don't talk to Haberman/Thrush or Kessler/Parker/Costa, then the chances you are the one getting s*** talked about.

 

Trump loves being covered. He is influenced by the media, and his administration knows that. This is not a tight-lipped group.

 

I can see this when the staff is talking about other staff members. But not Trump himself.

 

I don't doubt that Trump was growing tired of Comey and was pissed that Comey wouldn't take his wiretap claims seriously and that he continued to pursue the Russia probe. I find it hard to believe that 30 people in the WH, FBI and DOJ (1) had first hand knowledge of this and (2) would be willing to completely contradict the WH official statement to a reporter.

[bmags]

Maybe he gets undermined because he routinely floats himself that staff members are losing influence, or aren't good at their jobs. Or blames his comms team for his not understanding that firing his FBI director would be a big deal.

 

Trump himself has been an unamed source in Maggie Haberman stories, we don't need to overthink this. They can't get 2 people to tell an official talking point correctly, they didn't get 30 people to tell a coordinated lie behind the scenes.

[StrangeSox]

I can see this when the staff is talking about other staff members. But not Trump himself.

 

I don't doubt that Trump was growing tired of Comey and was pissed that Comey wouldn't take his wiretap claims seriously and that he continued to pursue the Russia probe. I find it hard to believe that 30 people in the WH, FBI and DOJ (1) had first hand knowledge of this and (2) would be willing to completely contradict the WH official statement to a reporter.

 

It doesn't mean they necessarily had first-hand knowledge. It's possible (probable?) that a lot of them are second-hand sources, e.g. someone high up in DoJ actually had first-hand knowledge and passed it along to their deputies who leaked.

 

There's also huge factional infighting within Trump's inner circle, so there likely is some first-hand sourcing there.

 

Maybe he gets undermined because he routinely floats himself that staff members are losing influence, or aren't good at their jobs. Or blames his comms team for his not understanding that firing his FBI director would be a big deal.

 

Trump himself has been an unamed source in Maggie Haberman stories, we don't need to overthink this. They can't get 2 people to tell an official talking point correctly, they didn't get 30 people to tell a coordinated lie behind the scenes.

 

Haha yeah I had sort of forgotten that. A few weeks ago, an "anonymous WH source" was passing along info in 100% Trump language and it definitely came straight from him.

 

Edited May 11, 2017 by StrangeSox

[bmags]

I can see this when the staff is talking about other staff members. But not Trump himself.

 

I don't doubt that Trump was growing tired of Comey and was pissed that Comey wouldn't take his wiretap claims seriously and that he continued to pursue the Russia probe. I find it hard to believe that 30 people in the WH, FBI and DOJ (1) had first hand knowledge of this and (2) would be willing to completely contradict the WH official statement to a reporter.

 

I mean, come on, Trump is tweeting out to that the investigation is fake news but you think him and his admin is tight lipped that he was fuming about it behind the scenes?

 

I mean this story is the least surprising thing of the day. These reporters (WaPo/MaggieNYT) have had these drops almost every week.

[StrangeSox]

What's funny with Trump is that for all of his whining about FAKE NEWS FAKE NEWS FAKE MEDIA!, he always goes to regular establishment media outlets like the NYT or Bob Acosta whenever there's a big story or he wants to talk about something. He still craves their validation and he's deeply hurt and surprised that everyone is still so mean to him.

[bmags]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/uph...m=.3cbe47c4813b

 

Very similar report from Flynn firing.

 

 

[knightni]

How is this group making it four years? They're totally unprofessional f***ups.

[Kyyle23]

@ap

 

BREAKING: Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe tells Senate panel he will not update the White House on the Russia investigation.

 

@Braddjaffy

 

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe says ex-director Comey had broad support in the FBI, contradicting White House claims.

 

 

[Soxbadger]

I can see this when the staff is talking about other staff members. But not Trump himself.

 

I don't doubt that Trump was growing tired of Comey and was pissed that Comey wouldn't take his wiretap claims seriously and that he continued to pursue the Russia probe. I find it hard to believe that 30 people in the WH, FBI and DOJ (1) had first hand knowledge of this and (2) would be willing to completely contradict the WH official statement to a reporter.

 

 

Jenks,

 

Read the quote again, it also states: "and on Capitol Hill, Trump confidants and other senior Republican's." Its a pretty wide net. It also doesnt say they had first hand knowledge. So its impossible to say, but I think you could likely find a bunch of people in those categories who dislike Trump and are willing to paint a negative picture.

[BigSqwert]

How is this group making it four years? They're totally unprofessional f***ups.

 

What are you talking about? Rush said he's doing a helluva job.

[Dick Allen]

Trump is now boasting that in a short period of time, he has learned everything about health care. Thank God for Donald Trump.

[StrangeSox]

Trump is now boasting that in a short period of time, he has learned everything about health care. Thank God for Donald Trump.

 

 

the look on that baby's face

 

that baby knew what's up

Edited May 11, 2017 by StrangeSox

[Kyyle23]

Trump is now boasting that in a short period of time, he has learned everything about health care. Thank God for Donald Trump.

 

He also invented the phrase "prime the pump" last week

[StrangeSox]

This seems, well, not good:

 

edit: this also means that the President is now contradicting the White House's official story on when and why Comey was fired.

Edited May 11, 2017 by StrangeSox

[knightni]

This seems, well, not good:

 

edit: this also means that the President is now contradicting the White House's official story on when and why Comey was fired.

That's because he's a habitual, chronic liar who's never been forced to be honest in his job/life.

[StrangeSox]

This also means they trotted Pence out to blatantly lie on camera again

 

I wonder if he was lying unknowingly or if he's in on it.

 

 

Elizabeth Landers ✔ @ElizLanders

.@VP said 7 times yesterday during presser on the hill that @POTUS fired Comey b/c of "recommendation of deputy attorney general."

12:15 PM - 11 May 2017

Edited May 11, 2017 by StrangeSox

[Quin]

If Democrats don't manage to f*** up the midterms, things will get real interesting real fast.

[Steve9347]

@ap

 

BREAKING: Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe tells Senate panel he will not update the White House on the Russia investigation.

 

@Braddjaffy

 

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe says ex-director Comey had broad support in the FBI, contradicting White House claims.

Wow. So he'll last two minutes.

 

The second point is truly monumental.

[Steve9347]

 

the look on that baby's face

 

that baby knew what's up

That is one extremely non-diverse crew of racist s***heads.

[StrangeSox]

Something that's flown under the radar a bit with the rest of this s***storm:

 

Sinclair-Tribune Media deal spotlights media concentration worries

 

Sinclair already owns a large number of local affiliate stations across the country, and they're looking to buy up the big chunk that Tribune owns. This will give them ownership and control over much of the media landscape. Sinclair has a heavily conservative bent, and has interfered in editorial control many times in the past. Back in the 2004 elections, they forced local affiliates to preempt regular programming in order to broadcast one of those Swiftboat "documentaries" critical of Kerry. They've also directed news reports to give favorable coverage of Bush during his presidency, and they recently openly discussed trading favorable coverage of Trump for access.

 

 

[StrangeSox]

The President asking the FBI director about an ongoing investigation into his own campaign and possibly himself has gotta be approaching "obstruction of justice," right?

[Soxbadger]

That is one extremely non-diverse crew of racist s***heads.

 

You mean all those Iphone users?

 

And Steve, if you really want to make inroads and see if Democrats can be more successful, it may be wise to drop the whole "racist" thing. Insulting people rarely gets them to change their mind.

 

In the next election cycle I hope people focus on things like: Healthcare, inability to lead, lack of funding for places like NC, self dealing, etc.

 

There is plenty of ways to convince someone Trump is going to sink the ship.