US Politics Thread |OT| SAD TRUMP

[Nintex]

So uh, Rudy was on TV again

https://twitter.com/MeetThePress/status/1031177883547574279

https://twitter.com/MeetThePress/status/1031182464809689088

[VomKriege]

To be fair it seems pretty plain what he was trying to mean by "Truth isn't truth" (Rashomon, etc...). It's insane he's so bad at this though.
The big thing is that he is not even denying the meeting was to gather dirt on Clinton.

[agrajag]

Yeah, it's called opposition research, or as some people call it "OPPO DROPPO"

[agrajag]

Did Shosta take his L yet on the Russia collusion thing?

[agrajag]

that little thing?

[Phoenix Dark]

Rudy is claiming the woman was just some Russian chick...as if she wasn't literally a Russian agent (Natalia Veselnitskaya).

The way they lie is amazing. Deny everything, then deny some of it, then say it happened but not like everyone says, then say it happened but who cares, etc.

[kingv]

I think Giuliani has a good point about Trump being caught in a perjury trap. Last year a buddy of mine had some bad luck and ended up in a grand theft auto trap and minor kidnapping trap, didn't have trap insurance, and wound up doing time in a county penitentiary. You never know where these traps might be lying around so it's always good to be careful. Precautionary principle and all that.

It is remarkable spin. And it’s remarkable how much of the political establishment just lets it go by.

Like they are admitting that he can’t go under oath because he’ll lie, and then calling it a trap. It’s insane. America has always been far Shittier than we ever knew and it’s people far stupider.

[Nintex]

I think Giuliani has a good point about Trump being caught in a perjury trap. Last year a buddy of mine had some bad luck and ended up in a grand theft auto trap and minor kidnapping trap, didn't have trap insurance, and wound up doing time in a county penitentiary. You never know where these traps might be lying around so it's always good to be careful. Precautionary principle and all that.

It is remarkable spin. And it’s remarkable how much of the political establishment just lets it go by.

Like they are admitting that he can’t go under oath because he’ll lie, and then calling it a trap. It’s insane. America has always been far Shittier than we ever knew and it’s people far stupider.

What Rudy is 'trying' to say is that Comey might've said that Trump knew about the meeting and Trump says he didn't know about the meeting.
So if Trump testifies and says that he didn't know about the meeting and Mueller sticks with Comey's narrative that means that he's 'lying'.
And although Mueller can't take into account 'past conduct' (i.e. Trump's history of 'alternative facts') as Rudy calls it he can just guess which account Mueller is going to believe (Comey).
What is not clear is how Comey got involved into this business about the meeting. As Trump and Comey never came face to face until after the campaign and I might be wrong but I don't recall Comey ever commenting on this meeting.

However at this point it is quite clear that Trump would've known about a meeting in his own tower about this own campaign.
He could've just said that he knew about the meeting in a broad sense but didn't know what it was about as he didn't attend it himself.
Yet by saying Trump didn't know about the meeting at all they've made everything far more complicated.

[Phoenix Dark]

We're also seeing the uselessness of US media. Most of these people are pundits, not journalists - and frankly many of the journalists might as well be pundits. They're more interested in image, aesthetic, mythology, etc than anything that involves details or facts. They would rather walk into a diner in bumblefuck Ohio and talk to a random white man to learn about the country...than read a policy paper or demographic breakdown.

So Rudy gets to go on multiple shows and make wild claims without fear of pushback. Today he says the meeting was to get dirt on Clinton, but the dirt wasn't provided so it doesn't matter; oh and by the way, Trump didn't know about it. The obvious followup question should be: but intent to commit a crime is still a crime, no? If I conspire the commit a crime and take some (but not all) steps to commit a crime...I'm guilty of conspiracy. Taking the meeting was a crime. Promising policy shifts or rewards in exchange for foreign help is a crime. This...isn't hard.

A large batch of email dumps came after the meeting, and even more came after the "grab her by the pussy" tape came out. Does anyone honestly think some dumbass (Don Jr, Kushner, etc) on the campaign didn't ensure that happened? That's a crime.

[agrajag]

Well, you see your honor, I attempted to murder this guy but I didn't succeed, no crime committed!

[Nintex]

We're also seeing the uselessness of US media. Most of these people are pundits, not journalists - and frankly many of the journalists might as well be pundits. They're more interested in image, aesthetic, mythology, etc than anything that involves details or facts. They would rather walk into a diner in bumblefuck Ohio and talk to a random white man to learn about the country...than read a policy paper or demographic breakdown.

So Rudy gets to go on multiple shows and make wild claims without fear of pushback. Today he says the meeting was to get dirt on Clinton, but the dirt wasn't provided so it doesn't matter; oh and by the way, Trump didn't know about it. The obvious followup question should be: but intent to commit a crime is still a crime, no? If I conspire the commit a crime and take some (but not all) steps to commit a crime...I'm guilty of conspiracy. Taking the meeting was a crime. Promising policy shifts or rewards in exchange for foreign help is a crime. This...isn't hard.

A large batch of email dumps came after the meeting, and even more came after the "grab her by the pussy" tape came out. Does anyone honestly think some dumbass (Don Jr, Kushner, etc) on the campaign didn't ensure that happened? That's a crime.

Someone pointed out on Twitter that October 7th was the day it all came off the rails:

- The Russian interference report was released.
- The Access Hollywood tape came out.
- Wikileaks starts leaking Hillary's emails.

Responding to Michael Hayden who said that he certainly warned the American public about the Russian interference while everyone is now saying that they didn't.
However, their report drowned in the Access Hollywood tape and e-mail coverage. Everyone assumed then that Wikileaks/Roger Stone dropped the Hillary e-mails to drive attention away from the Access Hollywood tape.
But what if Wikileaks goal was not to drown that story but the Russian interference report?

[agrajag]

Did Shosta take his L yet on the Russia collusion thing?

ok what's the story so far, then? Who did what, what do we know, and what do we not know?

stankakovich is my long lost twin confirmed

you are hereby put on IGNORE

So uh, Rudy was on TV again

https://twitter.com/MeetThePress/status/1031177883547574279

https://twitter.com/MeetThePress/status/1031182464809689088

[agrajag]

Meeting with Russians to get dirt on Hillary is collusion, numbnuts

[curly]

I wish William Saffire was still alive

 

[Nintex]

Michael Cohen apparently ran Taxi businesses, loans, tax fraud etc.
https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1031314215641014272

The business plan for all these people seems to have been:

1. Work for Trump
2. Commit banking and tax fraud on the side
3.
4. Profit

[benjipwns]

We're also seeing the uselessness of US media. Most of these people are pundits, not journalists - and frankly many of the journalists might as well be pundits. They're more interested in image, aesthetic, mythology, etc than anything that involves details or facts. They would rather walk into a diner in bumblefuck Ohio and talk to a random white man to learn about the country...than read a policy paper or demographic breakdown.

So Rudy gets to go on multiple shows and make wild claims without fear of pushback. Today he says the meeting was to get dirt on Clinton, but the dirt wasn't provided so it doesn't matter; oh and by the way, Trump didn't know about it. The obvious followup question should be: but intent to commit a crime is still a crime, no? If I conspire the commit a crime and take some (but not all) steps to commit a crime...I'm guilty of conspiracy. Taking the meeting was a crime. Promising policy shifts or rewards in exchange for foreign help is a crime. This...isn't hard.

A large batch of email dumps came after the meeting, and even more came after the "grab her by the pussy" tape came out. Does anyone honestly think some dumbass (Don Jr, Kushner, etc) on the campaign didn't ensure that happened? That's a crime.

And even more than any of that meaningless crap, nobody seems to care that nobody is pointing out the fact that neither Barack or Michelle Obama nor Bill Clinton nor Anita Sarkeesian have yet to testify under oath at all about their actions during the 2016 presidential campaign. Even Sean Hannity is still on about Hillary Clinton's e-mails and never once has demanded to know what the President knew and when did he know it when he was overseeing the Russian's placing of ads on Facebook that caused Hillary voters to switch to Trump. QAnon is obsessed with pedophiles instead of the fact that Barack Obama told the President of Russia he could be more flexible after his re-election and then just happened to not prevent the Russians from defeating his old nemesis Hillary with twitter spam bots that caused Democratic voters to not vote.

And despite all of this, Lou Dobbs only cares about demanding Paul Ryan resign for Gym Jordan rather than simply retire in a few months like planned. If Lou can't protect me from the Business Round Table, Chamber of Commerce, Koch Bros., George Soros, Dimm Globalist Agenda, than all I've got is TUCKER!

[benjipwns]

Michael Cohen apparently ran Taxi businesses, loans, tax fraud etc.

But federal investigators appear to be especially focused on his work as an investor in taxi medallions, the permits that drivers need to legally operator yellow cabs in New York City.

This is a common long time racket in NYC, I'd be surprised if someone of his character class wasn't involved in taxi medallions.

[Mandark]

I wish William Saffire was still alive. He'd be having a field day with the obfuscations and euphemisms.

What's with you treating these dead Iraq War stans like they were all Diogenes?

[benjipwns]

Time for a major L, Mandark, Saffire's article can't be debunked for another millenia: https://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/31/opinion/to-fight-freedom-s-fight.html

'To Fight Freedom's Fight'
By WILLIAM SAFIRE
AUG. 19, 3200

...

If Bush follows words with deeds, he will avert that disaster. Instead he will apply his Afghan template: Supply arms and money to 70,000 Kurdish fighters in northern Iraq and a lesser Shiite force in the south, covering both with Predator surveillance and tactical U.S. air support.

In Phase II, I'll bet it was recently agreed in Washington that Turkish tank brigades and U.S. Special Ops troops will together thrust down to Baghdad. Saddam will join Osama and Mullah Omar in hiding. Iraqis, cheering their liberators, will lead the Arab world toward democracy.

It's not a pipe dream.

[curly]

I wish William Saffire was still alive. He'd be having a field day with the obfuscations and euphemisms.

What's with you treating these dead Iraq War stans like they were all Diogenes?

Theory: shosta suffered a major head injury in 2004 and is perpetually stuck in that year a la Andy Richter's character in 30 Rock.

[Phoenix Dark]

Shosta is actually Ahmed Chalabi, who faked his death so he could dedicate his time to re-litigating the Iraq war exclusively on The Bore.

[Boogie]

Mueller has concluded that Papadopoulos is guilty.

He received $10 000 from a foreign agent (but not from Russia) and lied about a few things to the FBI that hampered the investigation.
The requested sentence is:

spoiler (click to show/hide)

6 months in prison
$9500 fine

[close]

This was one of the main 'TREASON!' suspects. So uh.... 

I dunno, it still seems like basically nothing compared to what we were promised. Public hangings of the traitors. 

Steve Bannon is traveling Europe, he was supposed to be executed months ago

Aren't witches supposed to be burned or drowned? So much for a witch hunt.   

Do, by all means, tell us what you expected to see here.

Because I'm curious how if, in your world, suspects who cooperate fully with law enforcement are handed down lengthy, punishing sentences, you expect to induce suspects to cooperate with law enforcement in the first place?

And feel free to work that line of thinking into what it could possibly mean here.

[VomKriege]

Shosta is actually Ahmed Chalabi, who faked his death so he could dedicate his time to re-litigating the Iraq war exclusively on The Bore.

Still a bigger base than he really had in Iraq.

[kingv]

Mueller has concluded that Papadopoulos is guilty.

He received $10 000 from a foreign agent (but not from Russia) and lied about a few things to the FBI that hampered the investigation.
The requested sentence is:

spoiler (click to show/hide)

6 months in prison
$9500 fine

[close]

This was one of the main 'TREASON!' suspects. So uh.... 

I dunno, it still seems like basically nothing compared to what we were promised. Public hangings of the traitors. 

Steve Bannon is traveling Europe, he was supposed to be executed months ago

Aren't witches supposed to be burned or drowned? So much for a witch hunt.   

Do, by all means, tell us what you expected to see here.

Because I'm curious how if, in your world, suspects who cooperate fully with law enforcement are handed down lengthy, punishing sentences, you expect to induce suspects to cooperate with law enforcement in the first place?

And feel free to work that line of thinking into what it could possibly mean here.

It could very well be that there are other unfiled charges pending for Papadopoulos and this kick in the nuts could be the “no motherfucker, we are actually very serious” to get him to cooperate more fully.

One interesting thing I think I saw was they mentioned something about his actions misleading them into not apprehending a suspect. I wonder who it could be.

[benjipwns]

Shosta is actually Ahmed Chalabi, who faked his death so he could dedicate his time to re-litigating the Iraq war exclusively on The Bore.

Nonsense, he's his grandson. Or great grandson, I mean, I didn't look up how old Chalabi was.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

okay, i did, he would have been 74

[close]

[Nintex]

https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1031608819867156486

The Chelsea vs. Ivanka debate will be lit. 

In other news

spoiler (click to show/hide)

- Trump brought a border patrol officer on stage and said: "He speaks perfect English"

- Melania did a Cyber bullying speech

- Melania will visit Africa by herself to see a bunch of poor children in shithole countries

- Rudy has called out Brennan via Twitter and says Trump asked him to handle 'the case'

[close]

[kingv]

If Chelsea had a kid with Jeff Sessions it would be a dead ringer for Gollum.

[team filler]

chelsea ugly af, even hildawg looked decent when she was young 

[Dickie Dee]

Well, looks like Chelsea's political career has been cut short now that the incel block has come out strong against her.

[Nintex]

https://twitter.com/jeffmason1/status/1031662963445456901

 

[Mandark]

https://www.facebook.com/amirah.ellison/posts/10216952176467802

Keith Ellison's daughter on the accusations against him.

[agrajag]

she's a BernieBro don't believe her lies

[benjipwns]

Who better to know where to look for his crimes?

[kingv]

chelsea ugly af, even hildawg looked decent when she was young 

she needs to ask ivanka who her doctor is.

[benjipwns]

https://twitter.com/rebeccaballhaus/status/1031689315183730688

[Phoenix Dark]

https://mobile.twitter.com/ActorAaronBooth/status/1031736260577177601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1031736260577177601&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fs9e.github.io%2Fiframe%2Ftwitter.min.html%231031736260577177601

Dems probably can't win back the state house but man if those governor numbers pan out...

[kingv]

They need to get that spenditnow attack ad going again.

[Mandark]

Just looked up the 2016 MI results. 50-50 popular vote and a 63-47 split in the statehouse.

Has anyone compiled a list of partisan districting advantage for state legislatures?

[agrajag]

[benjipwns]

heh I didn't even hear that Gary Johnson entered the New Mexico Senate race, it basically took away 2/3rds of the GOP's candidates polling

[benjipwns]

the MI numbers don't surprise me, but I imagine Whitmer is closer to her ceiling, and Schuette will close the gap meaninglessly

before the primary, a GOPer I know was talking about how difficult it was to decide between the two candidates for Senate, I told him it doesn't really matter because they'll lose by 25-30 points anyway until Stabenow retires or dies

if the guy ever actually becomes a legitimate threat in the polls due to her ignoring the race, Debbie Spenditnow just has to pay for the guy to have 30 minutes of his own free airtime to talk about his favorite subjects and he might struggle to crack 25%

[benjipwns]

Just looked up the 2016 MI results. 50-50 popular vote and a 63-47 split in the statehouse.

Has anyone compiled a list of partisan districting advantage for state legislatures?

http://gerrymander.princeton.edu/tests/ has some evaluations

MI is gerrymandered but there is a small geographical problem with the population and THE LAKES which means it will slightly favor the R's even if drawn "blind" because the vote is so massively overwhelmingly D in only a few locations, most of which are also along the coast and generally have to be majority-minority. So both parties wind up with a number of districts where they're racking up meaningless points, especially in some of the D ones where the primary is the race.

There is a measure on the general election ballot this year to establish a redistricting commission, there's to date no actual active opposition formed against it for the election. There were attempts to get it kicked off the ballot but those all failed and the opposition group hasn't fundraised or spent.
https://www.votersnotpoliticians.com/

An extra layer of protection guards against partisan tinkering when the Commission votes on maps. While it only takes a simple majority to approve a voting map, that majority must represent the political spectrum. That majority must include at least two Republicans, two Democrats, and two non-affiliated members. This prevents, for example, Democratic members from aligning with like-minded non-affiliated members to gang up on the Republicans and ram through maps that favor Democrats.

This isn't for state legislatures but Congressional and kinda fun to tinker around with: https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/redistricting-maps/

[Brehvolution]

[TakingBackSunday]

you guys, so much is happening right now

[Great Rumbler]

Manafort guilty on 8 of 18 charges [no verdict on the other 10]. Cohen copped a plea deal of some kind with the DOJ.

[Boredfrom]

Cohen implicates a "candidate" and admits violating campaign law.

[TakingBackSunday]

Said plea deal has Cohen confessing to violating campaign after being ordered to do so by Trump – and then reimbursed BY Trump.

[Nintex]

And Trump's doing a rally today.

 

https://twitter.com/PPVSRB/status/1032005898888245256

 

Trump's rally is at 7, so is this
https://twitter.com/HardballChris/status/1032000961911422977
 

[team filler]

 

[Nintex]

TRUMP: "I resign for I am become death the Destroyer the Worlds"

spoiler (click to show/hide)

[close]

[kingv]

I can’t believe Hillary fucking did this shit with Cohen.

Also, Manafort got another trial coming up in DC.

[team filler]

people really excited for mike pence to take over. no idea he had so many fans here 

[Nintex]

It's pretty amazing.

Mueller started out to find a link between the Kremlin and Donald Trump in an elaborate conspiracy to influence the election.
The most damaging think he came back with (so far) is Cohen paying off porn stars on behalf of Trump with campaign funds.

 

[team filler]

https://twitter.com/walterowensgrpa/status/1032012580519403520

[agrajag]

people really excited for mike pence to take over. no idea he had so many fans here 

 

[Mandark]

hey Nintex

[Nintex]

https://twitter.com/maggieNYT/status/1032012422738001920

Interesting. Maybe he can convince Rudy?

oh shit
https://twitter.com/costareports/status/1032013851162804224

[team filler]

people really excited for mike pence to take over. no idea he had so many fans here 

 

If I gotta choose between pence and trump I choose 

[Nintex]

Reagan survived the Iran - Contra thing. (As did Ollie North).
Clinton made it through Lowinski and the Whitewater scandal.

There's still hope.


Although I must say. Not going after Bush for Iraq but dumping Trump for paying off pornstars... is the most stereotypical American THING ever. 

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1032017630662729728
This will be a global broadcast at this point. 

The WH staff thinks Trump will pardon Manafort at the Rally and there's nothing they can do. 
https://twitter.com/tparti/status/1032015672333795328

[Phoenix Dark]

people really excited for mike pence to take over. no idea he had so many fans here 

I got a thing for midwest republican governors.