Trump, May 2017: 100 days of [unintelligible]

until... I won't believe anything will ever come of this

Things have already come of it. His credibility among members of Congress is now very low, even with members of his own party. Energy and attention go to whatever is being talked about in DC and whatever the press pushes forward, and these issues have eaten up all manner of energy and attention. Leaking is becoming an easier choice for bureaucrats in every dept of government, as new leaks seem to arise almost hourly and are having demonstrable effects.

These are not impeachment, but they do matter.

Boy, he really didn't think he'd win, did he?

We got more!

Reuters FLAG: Jared Kushner had at least 3 previously undisclosed contacts with Kislyak, per *seven* sources https://t.co/HknUqSNbZv

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) May 27, 2017

U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and close adviser, Jared Kushner, had at least three previously undisclosed contacts with the Russian ambassador to the United States during and after the 2016 presidential campaign, seven current and former U.S. officials told Reuters.

Those contacts included two phone calls between April and November last year, two of the sources said. By early this year, Kushner had become a focus of the FBI investigation into whether there was any collusion between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin, said two other sources - one current and one former law enforcement official.

Kushner initially had come to the attention of FBI investigators last year as they began scrutinizing former national security adviser Michael Flynn’s connections with Russian officials, the two sources said.

While the FBI is investigating Kushner’s contacts with Russia, he is not currently a target of that investigation, the current law enforcement official said.

Wait, did Tillerson just go rogue?

State Department quietly lifts refugee limit, which could nearly double number of people admitted. @GardinerHarris https://t.co/67nocHN7c8

— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) May 27, 2017

“Did you set up a covert Kremlin comm channel last week?”
“No.”
“Did you /try/ to set up a covert Kremlin comm channel last week?”
“Yes.” pic.twitter.com/4jqz9tvkNy

— Kenn White (@kennwhite) May 27, 2017

http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/how-worried-should-jared-kushner-be

Given these previous reports, yesterday’s news that the F.B.I. is interested in Kushner is not surprising. “Mr. Kushner previously volunteered to share with Congress what he knows about these meetings,” Kushner’s lawyer, Jamie Gorelick, said in a statement. “He will do the same if he is contacted in connection with any other inquiry.”

The second half of the statement suggests that Kushner has not yet been contacted by the F.B.I., a fact confirmed to me by the White House. Defenders of Kushner seized upon this detail as somehow exculpatory, noting that Flynn had been interviewed by the F.B.I. in January. But this might not mean much. In fact, it could actually be a bad sign. “The fact that Kushner hasn’t been contacted now, let’s assume it’s true,” the source close to Comey said. “It’s either meaningless with respect to culpability or, pointing to the riskier side, the more likely that he’s implicated, because the people you’re really suspicious of you don’t really interview until later.”

people you’re really suspicious of you don’t really interview until later

otm. you want to ask them a multitude of questions and then confront them with a multitude of statements from other sources or with other evidence that contradicts their account. Although, presumably Kushner's lawyer would sit in and would shut it down immediately if Kushner started incriminating himself.

but thx for the link Elvis, the LA Times map is great and does indicate regions in the Bay that are pretty close to me (sparsely populated and rural - but duh) that went for Trump

I used to live in Dana Rohrabacher's district - not rural at all, just desperately reactionary.

xp

someone on my facebook said that the senate should really investigate whether anyone on the trump team has ties to the u.s.

i laughed.

Hmm, about that.

“He came here to learn — he came here to get smarter,” said Cohn. pic.twitter.com/QGK5A72WE6

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) May 27, 2017

How much money does the DNC have? Because the facebook post posted upthread scolded the DNC for not matching the '6 million' that the RNC had spent (which is not entirely true, but whatever). But with over 400 congressional seats, at 5 million a seat in a '50 state strategy', that's 2 billion dollars. And then there's senate races, which are usually more expensive. How does the DNC fundraise for that, when on top of that, they're supposed to not take rich people's money anymore?

To sharivari's point, I don't think Putin's endgame it purpose is necessarily a set of pro Russian policies, though I'm sure he thought here and there he's get some concessions no other admin in history would have given him.. He's just destabilizing a regime, sowing political chaos. Whether Trump stumbles on as a zombie pariah president or gets impeached and Pence or Ryan become insanely unpopular one term presidents, we've already diminished our standing in the world, caused unnecessary rifts in the NATO alliance, etc etc. Proven the US election process is able to be compromised by foreign intervention.

He wins no matter the outcome.

Yes. He's getting almost exactly what he wants. But nobody wins if we go to war. Here is a link to a terrifying article

http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/04/18/trumps-madman-theory-isnt-strategic-unpredictability-its-just-crazy/

Also, we've already seen that Trump is nothing if not impressionable. If you're dealing with an idiot who often embraces what he was last told, then of course the Russians would want to have sympathetic people around him. And really, per Putin, it's not like the guy has some sort of grand Bond villain plan. He mostly hated Clinton (mission accomplished) and wants sanctions lifted. I mean, it's not like anyone did anything concrete when he invaded Crimea and started messing around in Ukraine, Montenegro, etc.. Then again, when it's being reported that Trump's son in law literally suggested a secret communication channel to Russia via their proprietary privacy methods, who the fuck knows what is going on.

Also worth keeping in mind, as discussed somewhere on the news somewhere, all these clarifications and policy polishes from the White House, they have not been coming from Trump but from various people around him playing clean up. Who knows what he really thinks, and whether they are doing that to clarify or redirect. Maybe he does want to loosen ties to NATO or stop sanctions and the people around him are covering for him with practical corrections. It was noted on the news how unusual it was that he took essentially no questions on this trip. They have him on some sort of lockdown.

That said, he will hit the ground stumbling when he comes back. I bet he's been saving all this good stuff for the USA, and like a real coward will resume talking trash when he's safe at home.

Is this the longest he has gone without golf in his entire presidency? Poor guy.

McMaster basically jumped on a grenade that may or may not ever go off, but he has to stay on or else every other person in the military could wind up dead.

By the way, there is so much going on that certain stories are starting to give me deja vu. Like, the secret Kushner backchannel to Russia? I thought I read about that weeks ago.

Heh otm

Has he got any golf courses on mainland Europe? Surprised he doesn't hop over to Scotland if not. Just to check on his property like.
call it the Eastern Whitehouse or something.

the white hoose surely

If you want tae ride, don't ride the White Hoose.

Who knows what he really thinks,

"thinks"

Ah the Iran-Contra "I cannot recall" defense: http://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/26/jared-kushner-russian-contacts-238877

it works!

Eventually to devolve to Trump saying "Did I run for president? I can't remember."

totally works if you're the preferred regime of whitey

there is so much going on that certain stories are starting to give me deja vu.

yeah it's nuts. there are leaks, then there are "sources confirm," and then there are stories that FURTHER confirm what the sources say, and then the story goes away for weeks at a time before it rears its head again with new allegations

McMaster basically jumped on a grenade that may or may not ever go off, but he has to stay on or else every other person in the military could wind up dead.

Based on his latest comment he not only jumped on it but started piling up dirt around himself:

McMaster says not "concerned" by idea of back channel btw transition team and Russians if report true. Won't comment directly on new report.

— Kristen Welker (@kwelkernbc) May 27, 2017

Meantime, I buy this take:

https://www.axios.com/jared-kushners-russia-connections-are-the-talk-of-the-wh-2424038299.html

A hot theory is that Trump can't clean house because those inside know too much to be let go, and outsiders (beyond old campaign hands) can't be trusted with what they'd learn.

Also, due to 'an unforeseen change in his schedule,' allegedly.

Trump cancels Iowa rally https://t.co/YvehFkM8jn pic.twitter.com/JIdEbLEIC9

— POLITICO (@politico) May 27, 2017

The hits keep on coming. pic.twitter.com/tdFXc1NGdt

— Brent Cox (@titivil) May 27, 2017

"Hi, I'm Donald J. Trump, former President of the United States and paid Hoveround endorser, and have a I got a deal for you!"

travelling in a golf cart shows trump's low energy! sad!

ORB powers already wearing off.

The text of this article oversells it, but this look like something too.

http://oppositionreport.com/chaos-erupts-as-trump-wanders-off-in-middle-of-meeting-needs-to-be-caught-by-staff-video/

Definitely an oversell, but his demeanor as he's standing up...that is not the demeanor of a healthy person.

i want to believe and all, but that is def overselling it. someone of his crew could've winked him over, only for him to be told by israeli guys: 'hold on, just one more photo-op and we're done here'.

Trump has a letter signed by a genuine MD that told us he would be the healthiest President of all time. Maybe he should start passing that out to every visitor along with those electoral maps.

I know I would want to drift away from fucking Bibi at every given opportunity tbh

stood up too fast, probably had a little mini-stroke there

Modernity has given us orb jokes and I am thankful for that

https://www.twitter.com/DuckSpeech/status/868457584226820096

Adviser close to Trump says he was "very unhappy" yesterday that John Boehner attacked his presidency. But decided not to tweet about it.

— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) May 27, 2017

Aw yeah

this dude is a human buttplug

Come now, a buttplug is more fun than him

Now's a good time to pack those bug-out bags, Seoul. 3 CVs in WestPac. VOA News: Sources: 3rd US Naval Strike Force Deployed to Deter North Korea

The USS Nimitz, one of the world’s largest warships, will join two other supercarriers, the USS Carl Vinson and the USS Ronald Reagan, in the western Pacific

This is consistent with CV locations, and highly unusual (generally only one CVN is deployed to WestPac). If we hear about the USS Theodore Roosevelt joining them from San Diego, its practically a given Trump's up to something.

NY Mag: Trump Is Saying He Will Pull U.S. Out of Paris Climate Deal

President Trump has told multiple people, including EPA head Scott Pruitt, that he intends to pull the U.S. out of the landmark Paris Agreement on climate change, according to a new Axios report based on information from three anonymous sources with direct knowledge of the conversations.

re: that Iowa rally canceled due to 'an unforeseen change in his schedule'. Maybe he needed to meet with his lawyer that day, because of some little legal problem or other they needed to discuss. You ever think of that, huh?

Trump-branded toilet paper to be sold in Mexico, will aid deportees

http://www.metro.us/sites/default/files/styles/mystyle/public/main/articles/2017/05/26/trump-toilet-paper.jpg

He's hit the ground running today, I see.

a billion dollars, SUPPOSEDLY, and this dumb motherfucker can't even pay someone to spell-check his tweets for him