US Politics March 2019: “I can’t say I’m happy. I can’t say I’m thrilled”

meanwhile, what's our favourite melon-headed mclovin cosplayer up to

Incredible pic.twitter.com/q3rEwg4IYo

— Joe Bernstein (@Bernstein) March 1, 2019

he wowed'em at CPAC yesterday

nvr frgt:

http://cdn.liberalamerica.life/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/seb1.jpg

the same way one might wow a baby by jingling a keyring

btw ICYMI, in his latest defense against his corruption charges yesterday, Netanyahu kept saying "fake" and "witch hunt."

the full article that gorka quote comes from is worth a read btw: https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/03/01/trump-national-security-council-225442

extremely normal stuff

During the brief Flynn era, NSC staffers were shocked when two men who said they were associates of Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest son, showed up at NSC offices in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, wearing badges that indicated someone in the West Wing had let them on the White House grounds. They came with a 10-point plan for how the United States could turn Venezuela’s strongman president, Nicolas Maduro, into a U.S. stooge. The basics, according to people familiar with the incident, were as follows: The U.S. would release two nephews of Venezuela’s first lady who were in prison on drug charges; in exchange, Venezuela would free a young American man it had imprisoned on dubious weapons charges; then, Trump would meet with Maduro and the two would hash out some sort of arrangement where the U.S. would lift sanctions on the country’s kleptocratic government in exchange for unfettered access by American companies to the oil-rich Venezuelan market.

The entire pitch appeared to be “a pretext for this great business opportunity for them,” one person familiar with the incident said.

To prove their bona fides, the men — Gentry Beach and Wadie Habboush — called Venezuela’s foreign minister in front of the NSC staffers, leaving a voicemail, and showed a picture of themselves with Maduro, another person familiar with the episode said. “They pulled out a picture of them hugging Maduro. They were like, ‘Yeah, we were in Venezuela two weeks ago.’ And they were all doing the Trump thumbs-up sign,” the person said. The incident, details of which were first reported by Mic, so rattled the NSC staffers that they immediately reported it to the institution’s legal officers. One of the staffers was so alarmed at what he was being asked to consider that he drafted a resignation letter. The men pitching the idea even managed to get a meeting with Bannon.

Very cool idea, Netanyahu, to explicitly tie yourself to turns of phrase that are likely to become the 'I am not a crook'-esque go-tos of every future hackneyed Trump impression.

(Rich Little IV tightens mouth into a sphincter and mimes unzipping an invisible zipper hovering six inches from his face) 'Witch hunt! Fake news! Sad!'

'gentry beach'

add it to the already-huge list of real-life pynchon-character names this admin has generated

The two men, identifying themselves as Glenallen Mixon and Willie Dustice,

The men pitching the idea even managed to get a meeting with Bannon.

the "even" in this sentence should be replaced by "unsurprisingly"

totally

Good Mariotti piece:

http://time.com/5540879/trump-mueller-report-investigation-collusion/

Also I'd been wondering what they'd be saying, if anything, in response to this past week and...

Otto Warmbier’s parents have responded. “We have been respectful during this summit process. Now we must speak out. Kim and his evil regime are responsible for the death of our son Otto. Kim and his evil regime are responsible for unimaginable cruelty and inhumanity...” pic.twitter.com/esU45U8JVL

— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) March 1, 2019

Cummings putting down a marker:

https://oversight.house.gov/news/press-releases/cummings-demands-that-white-house-immediately-comply-with-oversight-committee

I asked a question yesterday in the AOC thread about congressional committee coordination of questioning, and this story in Huffpo today gives a little info about how that works--

Working alongside intergovernmental affairs chief Randy Abreu, {AOC aide Klarissa} Reynoso began her research on Cohen last Thursday when the staff learned the date of Cohen’s committee testimony.

The professional staff of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform worked nonstop last weekend to draft a list of 35 questions that each Democrat on the panel could choose from, and put their own stamp on.

On Tuesday, after conferring with Ocasio-Cortez, Reynoso met with committee staff to select a question. She chose to pursue the line of inquiry about Trump’s efforts to devalue golf course property to lower his taxes.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/sean-hannity-michael-cohen-congress_n_5c78d06fe4b0de0c3fbf7fec

makes sense.

and as someone noted upthread, i'm sure the GOP draft list of questions for the same hearing was something like

ask him if he's a liar
ask him if why he can be trusted if he lied
ask cohen if he'll write a book
ask him if he's gonna make money
ask him if he'll agree to not make money

oh that was the wrong link.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-mastered-michael-cohen-testimony-preparation-staff_n_5c78605ee4b0de0c3fbf4eb9

^^^What was so weird (laughable expected) about watching this was how many congresspeople conducted their questioning that allowed for absolutely no actionable takeaways. Like wtf. AOC did what everyone should've been doing.

otm

i have mentioned it before, but I used to conduct investigations for SF86 clearances. After every single category (residence, education, personal references, employment, then the additional questions about foreign national contacts, drug/alcohol use, etc.) of which the subject lists people who can cover the duration of those timeframes, when you actually went to interview those people, you would always, always ask them if they knew of any other people (not already given to you by the subject) who could also corroborate that timeframe or event. Questioning 101.

And here we go. This is about the timeframe Neal figured initially, IIRC, so hey.

NBC NEWS: Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal has asked the committee’s attorneys to prepare a request for President Trump’s tax returns https://t.co/ECZchGKj8a

— Michael Del Moro (@MikeDelMoro) March 1, 2019

and the universe cries out for a qualmsley, but hears nothing in return

Scotland wants their money.

Scottish government wins Donald Trump wind power legal costs

Donald Trump's Aberdeenshire golf resort must pay the Scottish government's legal costs following a court battle over a major North Sea wind power development.

Mr Trump battled unsuccessfully in the courts to halt the project before he became US president.

A total of 11 turbines make up the development off Aberdeen.

Judges have now ruled Trump International Golf Club Scotland Ltd should pay the legal bills incurred.

Glwt

Is it safe to assume the Mueller investigation has already gone through the tax returns?

They have talked with Weisselberg haven't they, I thought several times. So would think they would have some access to the records, though might have thought there might be more outcry from GOP members that they were looking through things like that without direct Presidential permission. Even if it is what a large amount of the population want them to do

I assume Mueller has seen or has the tax returns, but he is somewhat limited in investigative scope. I imagine he could and likely did pass on anything suspicious to SDNY, where obv. Cohen said there are currently several investigations in progress. The question is whether there is anything in the tax returns that would be of interest or suspicion to congress but not to Mueller or SDNY. Maybe just general assholery, like not paying taxes or not paying enough?

Omar 'misstepping' again:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/01/politics/ilhan-omar-engel-statement/index.html

though I don't see anything wrong with this statement. At what point will the Dems give up and stop getting on her tit, or will they keep it up and ostracize her? I don't see her shifting on this topic.

The Israel Lobby will set their dogs on any Congressional representative who fiercely criticizes the Israel Lobby. It is a measure of their power that they can mobilize an instantaneous response, not from the Israeli ambassador, but from inside the Capitol and from US representatives. And not just from representatives in the opposition party, but from Omar's own party. That's a demonstration of power, in case anyone feels like joining Omar as a target.

At what point will the Dems give up and stop getting on her tit? Not any time soon, that's a cinch.

^^^ This whole thing is becoming as ridiculous as saying one cannot be a feminist and criticize Ivanka Trump at the same time.

Trump having a regular one at CPAC

Trump has spent as much time talking about David Weigel during this speech as he has discussing trade policy.

— Osita Nwanevu (@OsitaNwanevu) March 2, 2019

good afternoon!

very surprised that trump isn't spending all his time talking about the invasion on the southern border

pushing two hours of sweaty extemporizing now

god, this fucking moron

Trump will speak to the CPAC conference in Maryland shortly. Tweets in this thread.

— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) March 2, 2019

e.g.,

Trump complains of other presidents not challenging "40%" auto tariffs from China. They were not 40% until China retaliated against Trump's tariffs. They're now back down to 15%.

— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) March 2, 2019

the whole speech is nuts

lmao there's like 5 tweets about this guy

Trump says that nobody in Hollywood could play US generals, "These guys are like perfect people." He says he met a general named "Raisin Kane." He said he was incredulous but that yes, the guy said, his name is Raisin "like the fruit." ??? someone help me with this one

— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) March 2, 2019

when he's in defeeeeeeeeeeeeat

surely this

Trump mocks senators with white hair. He says, "I don't have white hair. I don't have white hair."

"Trump has spent as much time talking about David Weigel during this speech as he has discussing trade policy."

is it about his Prog Rock book?

he's claiming Newsom calls him and tells him he's a great president. I find that pretty hard to believe.

I find that pretty hard to believe.

this could be the title of any one of these threads.

We're all used to presidents who lie strategically, for political reasons. We still aren't used to having a president who lies gratuitously, habitually, vainly, and constantly, often for no reason, or maybe just to perk himself up because it feels good to tell a series of self-aggrandizing lies, the way some people feel better after their first cup of coffee.

it's even more reflexive and thoughtless than that. it's like stratching his nuts.

*scratching

https://i.imgur.com/2yR4AQe.png

Trump on reversing North Korea sanctions: "In a certain way it's like the Special Olympics. For many years it hasn't been approved and then at some point it gets negotiated out in Congress. Well, I went out, and I said we're going to have funding for the Special Olympics." ?

— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) March 29, 2019

thank you Trump for finally funding the Special Olympics

Larry Kudlow did a tv show with Jim Cramer back in the early 00's. It was the show before Cramer got his big button.

Anytime I see Larry Kudlow’s name I think it’s Jim Cramer and think “of course that’s who Trump hired”

thank you for finally clearing this up for me

WrestleMania Year Zero

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/436536-trump-campaign-starts-selling-pencil-neck-adam-schiff-t-shirts

yeah, it's like that mixed with jerry springer

this is lacking your kofi kingston and your becky lynch so

when trump does tv interviews on fox he's like springer guest starring on maury

sign of the times: trump has been repeatedly warning that he will close the southern border next week, and it doesn't even make the news or, more importantly, this thread

The DEMOCRATS have given us the weakest immigration laws anywhere in the World. Mexico has the strongest, & they make more than $100 Billion a year on the U.S. Therefore, CONGRESS MUST CHANGE OUR WEAK IMMIGRATION LAWS NOW, & Mexico must stop illegals from entering the U.S....

....through their country and our Southern Border. Mexico has for many years made a fortune off of the U.S., far greater than Border Costs. If Mexico doesn’t immediately stop ALL illegal immigration coming into the United States throug our Southern Border, I will be CLOSING.....

....the Border, or large sections of the Border, next week. This would be so easy for Mexico to do, but they just take our money and “talk.” Besides, we lose so much money with them, especially when you add in drug trafficking etc.), that the Border closing would be a good thing!

----

Mexico must use its very strong immigration laws to stop the many thousands of people trying to get into the USA. Our detention areas are maxed out & we will take no more illegals. Next step is to close the Border! This will also help us with stopping the Drug flow from Mexico!

(note: i don't blame the news or this thread for not mentioning it. he is just cosplaying his idea of how a president announces policies, through twitter. still, super weird and surreal for this to be a thing that everyone is so used to that it doesn't even merit a mention)

he's mentioned a bunch of bullshit because he feels emboldened, but Barr letter changed nothing and most people still think he's a buffoon blowhard to be ignored.

It's been on the news - it's just been treated as "big dumb asshole says dumb shit, here's a response from the president of Mexico." I think a growing subset of the media is starting to give Trump utterances the correct response, which is, "Yeah, yeah, we'll believe it when we see it."

it's a bit late when you can see it, tho

what a world

https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeff-bezos-investigation-finds-the-saudis-obtained-his-private-information?ref=home

You got us again, Saudi Arabia. Now we're only going to give you 327 more chances. On the other hand, it's just so hard to stay mad at you, so carry on, I guess.

“We as Saudis will never accept to be attacked by the Washington Post in the morning, only to buy products from Amazon and Souq.com by night! Strange that all three companies are owned by the same Jew who attacks us by day, and sells us products by night!”
“Our weapon is to boycott… because the owner of the newspaper is the same as their owner.”
“We're after you - the Jew, worshipper of money, will go bankrupt by the will of God at the hands of Saudi Arabia... the owner of Amazon and Souq is the owner of the Washington Post is the spiteful Jew who insults us every day.”

Bezos is not Jewish, but you get the point.

I like this guy's brand of snark:

Though relatively benign at first (“Al Gore’s Diet Is Making Him Stupid”), the Trump/Pecker relationship has metastasized: In effect, the Enquirer became an enforcement arm of the Trump presidential campaign, and presidency, as the U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York laid out in its case against Michael Cohen, who has pleaded guilty. The U.S. Attorney has done the country a service by levying extensive controls on AMI, David Pecker, and his deputy Dylan Howard, through a non-prosecution agreement that requires them to commit no other crimes for three years, and requires everyone at AMI to attend annual training on federal election laws. I’m guessing that’s not how they used to spend their time.

Time to get to work on April's thread title. On this subject I shall defer to my betters.

April: I, myself, have almost had like a form of psychosis

New NBC poll:

Only 29% say Trump has been cleared of wrongdoing:https://t.co/OdfGaSqqaG

New WaPo poll:

Only 32% say Trump has been exonerated on obstruction (but public is evenly split on whether Trump committed wrongdoing re Russian interference):https://t.co/gxvlFXeXgq

— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) March 31, 2019

Maybe people have been noticing that he has consistently and relentlessly acted guilty as hell since the day he fired Comey and Mueller was named as special counsel and they decided this probably means what it looks like it means.

Looking at the most recent tweets, the phrase that sticks out is "weak and very stupid".

^^That's re: April thread title.

April: record deepness

But perhaps the most startling story concerned a round with the sportscaster Mike Tirico before Trump was elected.

Tirico, the Post wrote, “hit the shot of his life, a 230-yard 3-wood towards an elevated green he couldn’t see. But he knew it was close. When he got to the putting green, however, Tirico’s ball was nowhere to be seen. Instead, it was 50ft left of the hole in a bunker. It made no sense – until Trump’s caddy caught up with him after the round.

Tirico was quoted as saying: “Trump’s caddy came up to me and said, ‘You know that shot you hit on the par 5? It was about 10ft from the hole. Trump threw it in the bunker. I watched him do it.’”

he is a comically evil person, just absolutely without any redeeming features.

No man's land: How Trump Tower became Chicago retail's biggest failure

About a year before the 2005 groundbreaking for Trump International Hotel & Tower, Trump Organization executive Charles Reiss met the late Chicago real estate broker Bruce Kaplan and his colleague, Leslie Karr. The Trump family, Reiss said, wanted advice on how to market the retail space that would face the Chicago River at the tower’s base.

“The way it’s designed now, it’s never going to lease up,” Karr recalls telling Reiss. The roughly 70,000-square-foot deck’s 10-foot ceilings, undulating facade and sunken location would be too awkward to attract customers, she said.

...

“It’s a dreadful space,” said Karr, who is now senior vice president for retail at SVN Chicago Commercial. “You could have some kind of luxury call center there, or maybe a high-end med spa, but not at the prices they were asking.”

A decade after the tower opened in 2009, it has just one retail tenant, a salon that occupies an enclosed 3,400-square-foot suite above the hotel lobby. The entire deck-level space remains empty, its blank beige walls on full display for the millions of tourists who stroll along the river each year. No part of it has ever been leased, according to Trump Organization tax appeal documents filed in Cook County and analyzed by The Real Deal.

i try to take one of these pics every time i drive over there, but it depends on the traffic lights.

https://i.imgur.com/CmpqKSd.png

maybe if we just don't have an April thread nothing bad will happen and everyone can have a nice time

POLL

The funny thing, it's actually a nice looking building that works well in the skyline! For that one year or whatever before they farted his name on the front it fit right in. Now it just gives you something to scowl at as you float by on a water taxi. Even the fancy restaurant had to close and reboot with a new chef because everyone was shunning it.

"TRUMP" should have a negative brand value. Stick those letters on a building and vacancies rise, while rents and sales prices fall.

I haven't had the opportunity to decline to attend a conference or wedding reception held at a T. property, but it would have to be easier than estrangement from MAGA-hat family over the past couple years.

Our grandchildren should all know him as the amoral buffoon who made the heat waves, famines, and migration crises of their own times incrementally worse. One of the reasons given for inaction on climate is those most responsible won't be affected. We should consider "visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations" as one way of encouraging good leadership, and if that requires dragging Ivanka's surname through the mud for decades, I'm game.

So, what's the new thread gonna be?

miserable

morning!

xpost It's been mentioned before, but he's the rare person whose election to the White House will result in his name on fewer things, not more.

https://scontent-dub4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/56659756_2203704173024836_5069491298382118912_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&_nc_eui2=AeEAwuaSAC0Uaxn7Qg6j3yf_fiNOZ8ykF2K0TE1uUadQMi-oERD_dExeuese32pxeJzIQlCE5jw75HDPEJqfia7W6RCyociR8UZaslw4g-k2Rw&_nc_ht=scontent-dub4-1.xx&oh=13f2a92bf05c9340d936cb3cbdaa68b0&oe=5D4488A2

https://scontent-dub4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/56659756_2203704173024836_5069491298382118912_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&_nc_eui2=AeEAwuaSAC0Uaxn7Qg6j3yf_fiNOZ8ykF2K0TE1uUadQMi-oERD_dExeuese32pxeJzIQlCE5jw75HDPEJqfia7W6RCyociR8UZaslw4g-k2Rw&_nc_ht=scontent-dub4-1.xx&oh=13f2a92bf05c9340d936cb3cbdaa68b0&oe=5D4488A2

BUt might just be that anything said by him today is going to be thought to fall under the same rubrik, maybe should be every other day too.

i think that might be photoshopped

i can tell by the pixels

those middle finger photos are so satisfying

US Politics April 2019: "We apologize for the error — lol, April Fools!"

xpost Yes. I have to avert my eyes to avoid seeing that shit on the walk to and from the train every weekday, who knew a flying bird would be the perfect complement.

US Politics April 2019 Thread: 'I find that pretty hard to believe'