Sound The TRUMPets! A Thread for Presidential Pondering 2016-2020(?)

[SimonNZ]

"Hey U Up": Sean Hannity's Desperate, Longing Texts to Paul Manafort

"Earlier today, a court unsealed more than 50 pages of text messages that were apparently exchanged between presidential lapdog Sean Hannity and noted crime enthusiast Paul Manafort over the course of a year. The texts, which span from July 2017 to June 2018, show Manafort desperate for an ally and a Hannity who's just desperate, generally speaking.

You can read the release in full here. The Hannity portion, when read alone, is a grim, troubling text, but true art is supposed to challenge you. We urge you not to look away."


Republicans Move to Derail Roy Moore

"Republicans are promising to do everything they can to obliterate Roy Moore in the Alabama Senate primary," Politico reports.

"A push is underway to get President Donald Trump involved in derailing Moore. Republicans are actively moving to recruit Jeff Sessions to run for his old seat. And GOP leaders are warning the party will jeopardize perhaps its only chance at picking up a Senate seat next year if they let Democrat Doug Jones get his favored match-up."

Said Sen. Martha McSally (R-AZ): "Give me a break. This place has enough creepy old men."


Detained migrant children got no toothbrush, no soap, no sleep. It's no problem, government argues.

"The government went to federal court this week to argue that it shouldn't be required to give detained migrant children toothbrushes, soap, towels, showers or even half a night's sleep inside Border Patrol detention facilities.

The position bewildered a panel of three judges in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit on Tuesday, who questioned whether government lawyers sincerely believed they could describe the temporary detention facilities as "safe and sanitary" if children weren't provided adequate toiletries and sleeping conditions. One circuit judge said it struck him as "inconceivable."

"To me it's more like it's within everybody's common understanding: If you don't have a toothbrush, if you don't have soap, if you don't have a blanket, it's not safe and sanitary," Senior U.S. Circuit Judge A. Wallace Tashima told Justice Department lawyer Sarah Fabian. "Wouldn't everybody agree to that? Would you agree to that?"

Fabian said she thought it was fair to say "those things may be" part of the definition of safe and sanitary.

"What are you saying, 'may be?'" Tashima shot back. "You mean, there's circumstances when a person doesn't need to have a toothbrush, toothpaste and soap? For days?"

The government was in court to appeal a 2017 ruling finding that child migrants and their parents were detained in dirty, crowded, bitingly cold conditions inside U.S. Customs and Border Protection facilities along the southern border. Migrants are first taken to those facilities after they are apprehended at the border.

But although the conditions that were the subject of the 2017 ruling date back to the Obama administration, the testy court exchange comes as the Trump administration confronts an unprecedented migrant surge that has overwhelmed facilities and caused serious health and safety risks within them. At least six child migrants have died since September, mostly after falling ill at detention facilities in the Rio Grande Valley. In this case, the Trump administration has continued to fight the 2017 ruling that sought to remedy deplorable conditions within these same facilities, at times blaming Congress for not providing enough resources to address the crisis."


Private prison stocks are falling after Elizabeth Warren released a plan to ban private prisons

[...]"Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, said in a tweet that "private prison companies have spent millions to turn our criminal and immigration policies into ones that prioritize making them rich instead of keeping us safe —with terrible consequences. Today I'm announcing my plan to end this private profiteering off of cruelty."

The plan calls for banning private prisons and detention facilities, stopping contractors from charging service fees for essential services, and expanding oversight. But with Republicans controlling the Senate, Warren will likely hit a wall with her proposal without some GOP support.

Private prisons have been targeted by Warren in the past, when the senator said she was looking into the system's approval process, saying the group accrediting operators appears to be a "conflicted party" that doesn't hold facilities accountable."

[Todd]

Nadler apologized after repeatedly calling Hope Hicks 'Ms. Lewandowski' at hearing


What say the members of the GMG Big Brain Brigade, was Mr Nadler being a sexist pig during the hearing, or is he really so old and decrepit and forgetful and inept that he should step down? This funny pic of a recent event may help clear things up:

[BasilValentine]

Private prison stocks are falling after Elizabeth Warren released a plan to ban private prisons

[...]"Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, said in a tweet that "private prison companies have spent millions to turn our criminal and immigration policies into ones that prioritize making them rich instead of keeping us safe —with terrible consequences. Today I'm announcing my plan to end this private profiteering off of cruelty."

The plan calls for banning private prisons and detention facilities, stopping contractors from charging service fees for essential services, and expanding oversight. But with Republicans controlling the Senate, Warren will likely hit a wall with her proposal without some GOP support.

Private prisons have been targeted by Warren in the past, when the senator said she was looking into the system's approval process, saying the group accrediting operators appears to be a "conflicted party" that doesn't hold facilities accountable."

Finally. What morons thought creating a profit motive for imprisoning human beings was a good idea?

[SimonNZ]

Nadler apologized after repeatedly calling Hope Hicks 'Ms. Lewandowski' at hearing


What say the members of the GMG Big Brain Brigade, was Mr Nadler being a sexist pig during the hearing, or is he really so old and decrepit and forgetful and inept that he should step down?

Sure, man. Ignore all the illegal obfuscating and subverting of justice by focusing on this peripheral non-story.

[Todd]

illegal obfuscating and subverting of justice

Blah, blah, blah.  All the blabber on this forum and online is hollow and worthless because of this fact:

[SimonNZ]

Blah, blah, blah.  All the blabber on this forum and online is hollow and worthless because of this fact:

Because Senate Republicans cant locate their spines or their conscience? As it stands today that may be true. But as I've opined before I think a great many would welcome the political cover that would come from the discovery process of an impeachment investigation and ultimately being at long last able to turn on Trump.

[Todd]

Because Senate Republicans cant locate their spines or their conscience? As it stands today that may be true. But as I've opined before I think a great many would welcome the political cover that would come from the discovery process of an impeachment investigation and ultimately being at long last able to turn on Trump.

More blabber.

[SimonNZ]

Is your view a simple "might makes right" when Dems control the Senate?

[SimonNZ]

meanwhile:

Trump repeats contested claim he does not know latest sexual assault accuser

"Donald Trump has claimed again not to know the latest women to publicly accuse him of sexual assault, E Jean Carroll, after his claim on Friday that he had never met her was disproved by a photograph of them together at a party.

The photo was included in the New York magazine article in which Carroll, a writer and celebrated advice columnist, made public her allegation that Trump assaulted her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s.

"I have no idea who this woman is," Trump told reporters at the White House, as he left for weekend meetings at Camp David.

When a reporter reminded the president that he and Carroll had appeared in a photo together, he replied: "Standing with my coat on in a line, give me a break. With my back to the camera. I have no idea who she is."

In the article – an extract from her new book, What Do We Need Men For? – Carroll alleged that in late 1995 or early 1996, Trump asked her for advice on a gift to buy a female friend.

In a dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman in Manhattan, Carroll wrote, Trump lunged at her and for the next three minutes sexually assaulted her.

"He seizes both my arms and pushes me up against the wall a second time, and, as I become aware of how large he is, he holds me against the wall with his shoulder and jams his hand under my coat dress and pulls down my tights," she wrote.

Carroll said there was then a "colossal struggle" as Trump opened "the overcoat, unzips his pants, and, forcing his fingers around my private area, thrusts his penis halfway – or completely, I'm not certain – inside me".

New York magazine said two of Carroll's friends – prominent but unnamed journalists – said she told them about the alleged assault at the time and that they had full recollection of her account.

On Friday, Trump responded to the allegation for the first time, saying in a statement: "I've never met this person in my life.

"She is trying to sell a new book – that should indicate her motivation. It should be sold in the fiction section."


Donald Trump compares himself to Brett Kavanaugh in latest allegation of sexual assault

[Todd]

Is your view a simple "might makes right" when Dems control the Senate?

Yes.  I have different long-term objectives than most people.  I want the federal government to become unstable.  Hopefully, McConnell and his Democrat equivalent next time around start destroying more non-Constitutional Senate rules, rendering the Senate a more majoritarian body, resulting in whipsaw legislation and regulatory chaos. 

I will also derive much enjoyment from watching dipshit Dems and their dim bulb non-American fellow travelers blabber on about how principled and righteous Dems are when they engage in exactly the same behavior as Republicans.

[SimonNZ]

Yes.  I have different long-term objectives than most people.  I want the federal government to become unstable.  Hopefully, McConnell and his Democrat equivalent next time around start destroying more non-Constitutional Senate rules, rendering the Senate a more majoritarian body, resulting in whipsaw legislation and regulatory chaos. 

I will also derive much enjoyment from watching dipshit Dems and their dim bulb non-American fellow travelers blabber on about how principled and righteous Dems are when they engage in exactly the same behavior as Republicans.

I can and do criticize the Dems for a variety of reasons, and don't call anyone "righteous". but from this distance it doesn't appear "they engage in exactly the same behavior as Republicans." With the Rs it appears institutional, accepted,(even demanded), without shame (pride, even), with transparent hypocrisy, with constant appeals to the basest instincts, with obvious misinformation and scaremongering, without internal criticism, faction or voices of dissent, and not subtle or occasional, but across the board and cranked up to 11.

To which I assume you'll reply: "yes, they - the Rs - do it better".

[Todd]

but from this distance it doesn't appear "they engage in exactly the same behavior as Republicans."

They do.  They are just better liars.  There's something to be said for brazen shamelessness.

[SimonNZ]

Sadiq Khan hits back at Trump, calling him 'six-foot-three child'

sigh...why does everyone keep rolling with this "6'3" alternative fact of Trumps own imagining - its even now in multiple places on Wikipedia? Obama is 6'1", Justin Trudeau is 6'2' - Trump is clearly an inch or two shorter than both:

[Todd]

sigh...why does everyone keep rolling with this alternative fact of Trumps own imagining? Obama is 6'1", Justin Trudeau is 6'2' - Trump is clearly an inch or two shorter than both:

How is this not a peripheral non-story? 

[SimonNZ]

How is this not a peripheral non-story?

The President Of The United States transparently lying about something easily disproved for the purpose of propping up his snowflake ego?

This example on its own is merely silly. The collective examples taken together - and doubled down on, unacknowledged as untruths, and the idea that the truth is what he alone says it is - is very much a story.

[BasilValentine]

meanwhile:

Trump repeats contested claim he does not know latest sexual assault accuser

"Donald Trump has claimed again not to know the latest women to publicly accuse him of sexual assault, E Jean Carroll, after his claim on Friday that he had never met her was disproved by a photograph of them together at a party.

The photo was included in the New York magazine article in which Carroll, a writer and celebrated advice columnist, made public her allegation that Trump assaulted her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s.

"I have no idea who this woman is," Trump told reporters at the White House, as he left for weekend meetings at Camp David.

When a reporter reminded the president that he and Carroll had appeared in a photo together, he replied: "Standing with my coat on in a line, give me a break. With my back to the camera. I have no idea who she is."

In the article – an extract from her new book, What Do We Need Men For? – Carroll alleged that in late 1995 or early 1996, Trump asked her for advice on a gift to buy a female friend.

In a dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman in Manhattan, Carroll wrote, Trump lunged at her and for the next three minutes sexually assaulted her.

"He seizes both my arms and pushes me up against the wall a second time, and, as I become aware of how large he is, he holds me against the wall with his shoulder and jams his hand under my coat dress and pulls down my tights," she wrote.

Carroll said there was then a "colossal struggle" as Trump opened "the overcoat, unzips his pants, and, forcing his fingers around my private area, thrusts his penis halfway – or completely, I'm not certain – inside me".

New York magazine said two of Carroll's friends – prominent but unnamed journalists – said she told them about the alleged assault at the time and that they had full recollection of her account.

On Friday, Trump responded to the allegation for the first time, saying in a statement: "I've never met this person in my life.


Donald Trump compares himself to Brett Kavanaugh in latest allegation of sexual assault

Nyuk, nyuk! That pretty much proves it's true! According to the public testimony of Stormy Daniels, using visual aids supplied by a late night talk show host, all the way in for Trump is halfway in for the average man, hence Ms. Carroll's uncertainty.

[Todd]

The President Of The United States transparently lying about something easily disproved for the purpose of propping up his snowflake ego?

This example on its own is merely silly. The collective examples taken together - and doubled down on, unacknowledged as untruths, and the idea that the truth is what he alone says it is - is very much a story.

Yep, more blabber.

[SimonNZ]

Pompeo, a Steadfast Hawk, Coaxes a Hesitant Trump on Iran

[...]
"If staying in Trump's good graces is one guiding star for Mr. Pompeo, another is his religion. He has been open about the influence of Christian theology on his policies, especially those involving the Middle East.

A telling moment came in March when Mr. Pompeo visited Jerusalem, where he spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the threat that Iran poses to Israel. An interviewer from the Christian Broadcasting Network posed a question around a biblical tale about a queen who saved Jews from being massacred by a Persian viceroy: Did Mr. Pompeo think President Trump had been "raised for such a time as this, just like Queen Esther, to help save the Jewish people from the Iranian menace?"

"As a Christian, I certainly believe that's possible," Mr. Pompeo said, noting with pride "the work that our administration's done, to make sure that this democracy in the Middle East, that this Jewish state, remains. I am confident that the Lord is at work here."


Exclusive: Leaked Trump vetting docs

"Nearly 100 internal Trump transition vetting documents leaked to "Axios on HBO" identify a host of "red flags" about officials who went on to get some of the most powerful jobs in the U.S. government.

Why it matters: The massive trove, and the story behind it, sheds light on the slap-dash way President Trump filled his cabinet and administration, and foreshadowed future scandals that beset his government."[...]

[JBS]

Pompeo might simply be pandering to CBN's audience.

[BasilValentine]

Pompeo might simply be pandering to CBN's audience.

Let's hope so. Among the alternatives on the Christian right is your garden variety Armageddon freak who believes the Rapture won't happen until there's a final showdown with the heathen in the Middle East — and they all really want the Rapture to happen soon. They think the end of the world is a good thing that can't come soon enough.