US Politics Thread |OT| SAD TRUMP

[zomgee]

Key excerpt: Jared [Kushner] and Ivanka had made an earnest deal between themselves: If some time in the future the time came, she’d be the one to run for president (or the first one of them to take the shot). The first woman president, Ivanka entertained, would not be Hillary Clinton, it would be Ivanka Trump.

[I'm a Puppy!]

So, uh... what's the end goal here? Bannon wouldn't just say this crap without a benefit to himself.

I know, it does seem a little crazy. My only thought is that maybe he knows the ship is going down and is trying to make himself look like an outsider so he's not taken down with it.

[kingv]

I’m sure I’m not the only one thinking this but... the Mooch would have never let this happen.

[Brehvolution]

[thehunter116]

https://twitter.com/scottwongDC/status/948672407363039232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FscottwongDC%2Fstatus%2F948672407363039232

[thehunter116]

 

[Boredfrom]

So, uh... what's the end goal here? Bannon wouldn't just say this crap without a benefit to himself.

I know, it does seem a little crazy. My only thought is that maybe he knows the ship is going down and is trying to make himself look like an outsider so he's not taken down with it.

Bannon is not as smart as he likes to pretend to be. Probably both, Trump and Bannon, are tired of one another after the continous shit shows of last year, including the Roy Moore fiasco. 

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

I’m sure I’m not the only one thinking this but... the Mooch would have never let this happen.

https://twitter.com/DonaldJTrumpJr/status/948630939248267265

[Nola]

I will just say this, and frankly I am only aware of it because I vaguely remembered the author's name and realized it was because of the critic of his I read that penned one of the best books on American Healthcare in the last decade: Steven Brill's America's Bitter Pill.

 I wouldn't exactly be shocked if this most recent book ends up having more than one account that comes up questionable and this becomes a bit of a circus that may have a slight chance of backfiring in Trump's favor(of course given who this is dealing with who can tell what will be considered genuine or not).

The author has been hit with some notable criticisms from reputable places like the Columbia School of Journalism and former employers for being a bit loose with his narratives, and in the case of Steven Brill, accused of outright fabricating quotes in his Dot Com book. And pretty much all of his works have come under fire for issues of proper or sufficient context, like his Murdoch biography. Basically what I'm saying is there is probably a fair to decent chance this guy isn't the next Bob Woodward circa The Bush White House, and he didn't just author his first ironclad book that will be this administration's State Of Denial. Of course the Ivanka quotes about Trump's hair routine alone make me hope I'm wrong....

If nothing else, the author's shoddy history will probably give ample opportunity for the good faith conservative news outlets to ad hominem this guy pretty hard.

[Pwnz]

So, uh... what's the end goal here? Bannon wouldn't just say this crap without a benefit to himself.

I know, it does seem a little crazy. My only thought is that maybe he knows the ship is going down and is trying to make himself look like an outsider so he's not taken down with it.

I think that's what it is. It's far too concise and rational of an explanation that fits in with events we already know, and Bannon usually spews nonsense. It's too good for Bannon to make up.

[benjipwns]

Oh fuck, we're being GRADED?

You're doing fine, others are not maximizing how their likes could be distributed though.

[benjipwns]

She treated her father with a degree of detachment, even irony, going so far as to make fun of his comb-over to others

I like how breathless and landmine like they write this as. Ivanka's done this for years. She made fun of his hair on the Apprentice a few times, including with him in the room. She always was sarcastic when Trump would start doing his "I'm the biggest, hugest thing ever" routine.

Purely from the way they interacted on the show, she's the only one of the three kids he seemed to have anything approaching an equal relationship with, the other two (Donald Jr. and Eric) were always yes-men suck-ups who rolled over. She would disagree with him and make it clear like Carolyn had prior. They joked in ways that made everyone uncomfortable because Trump would never have taken it from anyone else, like when she made fun of Trump Ice once after a task involving it (explaining a teams loss with something like "maybe the product was poor") and there was a nice awkward silence from the contestants.

I guess that's not true. Melania was another one who could get away with making fun of him too.

[benjipwns]

OH YES.

An army of Benji's will soon be upon us.

 

Very unlikely. Even (especially?) if I did my job well.

Don't even get good anonymous post-course evaluation comments anymore, mostly just generic ones about how anti-American I am, though the bar was set high early on with that one that told me to put down the Chomsky and try some pro-American academics like Charles Krauthammer and Victor Davis Hanson.

[kingv]

Just show them your bore posts where you defend trump.

 

[etiolate]

https://theintercept.com/2018/01/03/my-life-as-a-new-york-times-reporter-in-the-shadow-of-the-war-on-terror/

A long rundown of the Government and the Times squashing stories about the CIA.

[thehunter116]

OH YES.

An army of Benji's will soon be upon us.

 

Very unlikely. Even (especially?) if I did my job well.

Don't even get good anonymous post-course evaluation comments anymore, mostly just generic ones about how anti-American I am, though the bar was set high early on with that one that told me to put down the Chomsky and try some pro-American academics like Charles Krauthammer and Victor Davis Hanson.

 Don't ruin my fanfics.

[Joe Molotov]

She treated her father with a degree of detachment, even irony, going so far as to make fun of his comb-over to others

I like how breathless and landmine like they write this as. Ivanka's done this for years. She made fun of his hair on the Apprentice a few times, including with him in the room. She always was sarcastic when Trump would start doing his "I'm the biggest, hugest thing ever" routine.

Purely from the way they interacted on the show, she's the only one of the three kids he seemed to have anything approaching an equal relationship with, the other two (Donald Jr. and Eric) were always yes-men suck-ups who rolled over. She would disagree with him and make it clear like Carolyn had prior. They joked in ways that made everyone uncomfortable because Trump would never have taken it from anyone else, like when she made fun of Trump Ice once after a task involving it (explaining a teams loss with something like "maybe the product was poor") and there was a nice awkward silence from the contestants.

I guess that's not true. Melania was another one who could get away with making fun of him too.

Thank God someone's seen enough reality TV to help us make sense of the 2018 political landscape. 

[benjipwns]

https://theintercept.com/2018/01/03/my-life-as-a-new-york-times-reporter-in-the-shadow-of-the-war-on-terror/

A long rundown of the Government and the Times squashing stories about the CIA.

FSB front organization masquerading as "independent pro-Trump journalists" run by admitted anti-Americans tries to cast doubt on unimpeachable and patriotic American institutions that stand in the way of their global operation to undermine American interests. Film at 11.

[Great Rumbler]

Re: Wolff:

Shortly after Trump’s inauguration, Wolff says, he was able to take up “something like a semi-permanent seat on a couch in the West Wing” — an idea encouraged by the president himself. Because no one was in a position to either officially approve or formally deny such access, Wolff became “more a constant interloper than an invited guest.” There were no ground rules placed on his access, and he was required to make no promises about how he would report on what he witnessed.

Come on, fam.

[zomgee]

Trump’s lawyers have sent a cease-and-desist letter to Stephen K. Bannon  over his comments to the author of a tell-all book about the White House.


The lawyers are arguing he had violated a non-disclosure agreement in speaking about his time on the campaign and in Trump’s most trusted inner circle.


In a letter sent Wednesday night, Trump’s lawyers told Bannon his comments to author Michael Wolff in an soon-to-be-released tell-all book violate Bannon’s employment agreement with the president in numerous ways and also defame the president.

   love blooms in the courtroom 

[zomgee]

None of this makes sense, it's too obvious.

[benjipwns]

https://theintercept.com/2018/01/03/my-life-as-a-new-york-times-reporter-in-the-shadow-of-the-war-on-terror/

A long rundown of the Government and the Times squashing stories about the CIA.

https://www.emptywheel.net/2018/01/03/why-i-left-the-intercept-the-surveillance-story-they-let-go-untold-for-15-months/

 

[zomgee]

https://www.npr.org/2018/01/04/573504079/virginia-republican-david-yancey-wins-tie-breaking-drawing

Looks like the big Virginia win for the Democrats fell through from a draw out of a hat.

[toku]

https://twitter.com/gilbertjasono/status/948644130372153344

[kingv]

https://www.npr.org/2018/01/04/573504079/virginia-republican-david-yancey-wins-tie-breaking-drawing

Looks like the big Virginia win for the Democrats fell through from a draw out of a hat.

I expect another lawsuit. That challenging of that ballot was fucking tomfoolery, and never should have been allowed to proceed.

Basically, it opens the door to challenging every single ballot after the recount is done in court. There also seem to be conflicting statutes about whether or not another recount can be requested after the tie.

[Great Rumbler]

A lawyer representing President Trump sought Thursday to stop the publication of a new behind-the-scenes book about the White House that has already led Trump to angrily decry his former chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon. The legal notice — addressed to author Michael Wolff and the president of the book’s publisher — said Trump’s lawyers were pursuing possible charges including libel in connection with the forthcoming book, “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House.”

The letter by Beverly Hills-based attorney Charles J. Harder demanded the publisher, Henry Holt and Co., “immediately cease and desist from any further publication, release or dissemination of the book” or excerpts and summaries of its contents. The lawyers also seek a full copy of the book as part of their investigation.

[Great Rumbler]

https://twitter.com/joshtpm/status/948998008351444999

omg

[Skullfuckers Anonymous]

A lawyer representing President Trump sought Thursday to stop the publication of a new behind-the-scenes book about the White House that has already led Trump to angrily decry his former chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon. The legal notice — addressed to author Michael Wolff and the president of the book’s publisher — said Trump’s lawyers were pursuing possible charges including libel in connection with the forthcoming book, “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House.”

The letter by Beverly Hills-based attorney Charles J. Harder demanded the publisher, Henry Holt and Co., “immediately cease and desist from any further publication, release or dissemination of the book” or excerpts and summaries of its contents. The lawyers also seek a full copy of the book as part of their investigation.

http://money.cnn.com/2018/01/04/media/michael-wolff-fire-and-fury-book/index.html

Looks like it worked. Release date has been moved

spoiler (click to show/hide)

to Tomorrow
 

[close]

[kingv]

This book is going to sell more than Harry Potter, and probably be more entertaining, truth be damned!

[Great Rumbler]

https://twitter.com/joshtpm/status/949029715310006272

[zomgee]

https://twitter.com/MichaelWolffNYC/status/949023092357128194

Are we going UP the rollercoaster hill or down?

[Joe Molotov]

No one's ever heard of Michael Wolfe because it's really a psuedonym for Donald Trump; he wrote the book and will rake in the money from dumb libs! 47th dimensional chess!!!!

 

[etiolate]

This is not at all a marketing ploy in any way.

[zomgee]

This is not at all a marketing ploy in any way.

Pretty impressive they got Trump to play along, too. And paying Charles Harder to bring a case against the publisher? Marketing!



Anyway, pretty good article on today's situation.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/taking-stock-of-another-manic-trump-morning

Takes a somewhat more reserved look at the potential.

[etiolate]

I see the book as a good test of the "I am defined by what I am against" policy.

How much do people warm up to ALT-RIGHT STEVE BANNON now that his book is negative towards Trump? Does Bannon speak truth now? Does the trust worthiness of the speaker matter or does the attitude of the speech determine belief?

[zomgee]

What lessons have the left learned?

https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/3k5vyw/jeff-sessions-weed-cole-memo-legal-marijuana

"Democrats Should Run on a Platform of Legalizing Weed"

[seagrams hotsauce]

oops

[Great Rumbler]

I see the book as a good test of the "I am defined by what I am against" policy.

How much do people warm up to ALT-RIGHT STEVE BANNON now that his book is negative towards Trump? Does Bannon speak truth now? Does the trust worthiness of the speaker matter or does the attitude of the speech determine belief?

I see this book [and the chaos surrounding it] as something funny to laugh at.

[Mandark]

If we can't cheer on a public spat between two jowly, old racists then this isn't America.

[Nola]

I see the book as a good test of the "I am defined by what I am against" policy.

How much do people warm up to ALT-RIGHT STEVE BANNON now that his book is negative towards Trump? Does Bannon speak truth now? Does the trust worthiness of the speaker matter or does the attitude of the speech determine belief?

Nah, turns out people can hold more than one thought in their heads simultaneously. Bannon can be a piece of shit far-right propagandist and people can enjoy seeing Trump’s thin-skinned ego lash out in the most Trumpian self-damaging way because Bannon had the audacity to voice an opinion that is basically just calling a spade a spade.

None of that requires growing an infatuation or positive opinion of Bannon. Just like a person can both consider Comey to be a well intentioned public servant that also made a couple really fucked up decisions that certainly impacted the election in some capacity....Another one of those people righties seem to make the same type of argument. I always assume as a lazy way to try and manufacture a sense of intellectual superiority.

[Nola]

This is not at all a marketing ploy in any way.

Pretty impressive they got Trump to play along, too. And paying Charles Harder to bring a case against the publisher? Marketing!



Anyway, pretty good article on today's situation.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/taking-stock-of-another-manic-trump-morning

Takes a somewhat more reserved look at the potential.

I gotta say, I very much appreciate the potential irony of the situation.

The back-stabbing pompous blowhard president, that came of political fame by pushing birther conspiracies with an end goal of forming a fake news venture, going on to tangle himself into a self-defeating frenzy because some other potential pompous blowhard Trump’s ego welcomed in expecting praise and admiration, instead decided to potentially play wreckless with facts and narrative at Trump’s expense for fame and profit.

Complete with an 11th hour troll job of moving the release date up in response to threats.

  

[benjipwns]

BOOM: http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/367541-fbi-launches-new-clinton-foundation-investigation

The Justice Department has launched a new inquiry into whether the Clinton Foundation engaged in any pay-to-play politics or other illegal activities while Hillary Clinton served as Secretary of State, law enforcement officials and a witness tells The Hill.

FBI agents from Little Rock, Ark., where the Foundation was started, have taken the lead in the investigation and have interviewed at least one witness in the last month, and law enforcement officials said additional activities are expected in coming weeks.

The officials, who spoke only on condition of anonymity, said the probe is examining whether the Clintons promised or performed any policy favors in return for largesse to their charitable efforts or whether donors made commitments of donations in hopes of securing government outcomes.

The probe may also examine whether any tax-exempt assets were converted for personal or political use and whether the Foundation complied with applicable tax laws, the officials said.

IT BEGINS #LOCKHERUP

[bluemax]

The Mercers have cutoff Bannon: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/04/us/politics/bannon-mercer-trump.html

[zomgee]

All right! Go Bannon! That's how this works, right? Yeah! Always liked you Bannon! I'm intensely stupid! Our hero Bannon!

[HardcoreRetro]

So, it's basically Animal Farm but as a plottwist the pigs start eating each other at the end?

Get M. Night Shaymalan to make the damn movie.

[kingv]

So it seems pretty crystal clear that Trump obstructed Justice, now, right?

And probably Sessions.

[Brehvolution]

The Mercers have cutoff Bannon: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/04/us/politics/bannon-mercer-trump.html

Where is all that Caymen money going to go now?

[zomgee]

https://mobile.twitter.com/pixelatedboat/status/949100087350710272

[I'm a Puppy!]

This....can't be real.

[Skullfuckers Anonymous]

Trump just appointed a dead man (Leandro Rizzuto) to be an ambassador.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/president-donald-j-trump-announces-key-additions-administration-27/

Edit: Seems like it's his son, not him. FAKE NEWS!

[kingv]

That’s definitely a joke.

It’s probably not even in the book

Edit: looked up the dead ambassador to try to give Trump the benefit of the doubt, thinking maybe he just died... but no, he’s been dead for over a month. Even his Wikipedia page has been updated.

[I'm a Puppy!]

I mean it can't be real that we're at such a point that the gorilla thing is in the "Dan Rather" school of journalism. Not specifically true. But highly probable.

[Phoenix Dark]

the twitter handle is literally "the gorilla channel thing is a joke" guys. I feel like I'm gonna be hit with "haha we knew that, loser" posts but I had to risk it. can't have my fellow neoliberals falling for fake news

[kingv]

I almost menti Need that, but thought it too obvious to point out.

[Great Rumbler]

The Mercers have cutoff Bannon: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/04/us/politics/bannon-mercer-trump.html

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/949303089416294401

Sloppy Steve...? 

[Human Snorenado]

Can't wait until he's tweeting about what a loser "Jared Junior" is in a couple months

[I'm a Puppy!]

Maybe it's a sloppy seconds reference

[etiolate]

Sloppy serves multiple purposes. There is physical element, where sloppy is Bannon's  worn out appearance. He doesn't look put together quite right. Sloppy also means mistakes, screw ups and lack of attention to detail. And here's the kicker, sloppy makes you think of slimy.

-Future Scott Adams Persicope

[Boredfrom]

I see the book as a good test of the "I am defined by what I am against" policy.

How much do people warm up to ALT-RIGHT STEVE BANNON now that his book is negative towards Trump? Does Bannon speak truth now? Does the trust worthiness of the speaker matter or does the attitude of the speech determine belief?

No really, the book just confirms that Bannon is a opportunistic scumbag like Trump and all the ideological crap is just empty add lip.

[Joe Molotov]

the twitter handle is literally "the gorilla channel thing is a joke" guys. I feel like I'm gonna be hit with "haha we knew that, loser" posts but I had to risk it. can't have my fellow neoliberals falling for fake news

I'm still not convinced it isn't true.