Asked whether an administration staff change-up would ameliorate this latest crisis, a Republican source formerly involved with a pro-Trump political group told The Daily Beast, “yes, if it comes with a frontal lobotomy for Trump.”
Mother Nature cleaned out that frontotemporal lobe a plenty long time ago — you stupid whackos who have been propping him up and enabling him all this time, and who seem clueless on the genuine solemnity of the Presidency by turning it into a game, you lot can all go to prison with him.
Former FBI director #Comey has agreed to testify in open hearing before senate Intel committee. Will take place after Memorial Day pic.twitter.com/R4L6vjjsng
Of course, we have to wait until after Memorial Day, because the congress critters will all be marching in local parades. This should happen now, IMHO.
Yes, I’m sure you are right, and despite the big pre-election comments/distractions, I believe he has beem carrying a massive workload, and I think it’s probable a genuine hack, serious enough to turn an election into being massive vote distortion, may not have been as clear and certain until it was over. @louisemensch had spelled it out in the carolina conspiracy, how the exact time the computers were hacked was after election night. I feel only those who were involved in collusion knew what was coming down, I don’t think Dir Comey saw it.
Why would he hold back? Trump has denigrated him every chance he’s gotten so Comey has no reason to be discreet during his public testimony. Comey needs to go for Trump’s jugular.
Those were the days when children were treated as beautifully as any dignitary when it came to being a guest or visitor or family member of staff at the White House.
The Trump administration is exploring whether it can use an obscure ethics rule to undermine the special counsel investigation into ties between President Donald Trump’s campaign team and Russia, two people familiar with White House thinking said on Friday.
Trump has said that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein’s hiring of former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel to lead the investigation “hurts our country terribly.”
Within hours of Mueller’s appointment on Wednesday, the White House began reviewing the Code of Federal Regulations, which restricts newly hired government lawyers from investigating their prior law firm’s clients for one year after their hiring, the sources said.
An executive order signed by Trump in January extended that period to two years.
Mueller’s former law firm, WilmerHale, represents Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who met with a Russian bank executive in December, and the president’s former campaign manager Paul Manafort, who is a subject of a federal investigation.
Legal experts said the ethics rule can be waived by the Justice Department, which appointed Mueller. He did not represent Kushner or Manafort directly at his former law firm.
Just in: The Senate Judiciary Committee says Comey will NOT testify before the Committee, says they're "extremely disappointed". pic.twitter.com/QBle3FdhJP
I don’t know, but at this point, he may be more “comfortable” with the Intel Committee. At least for now, I’m good with this, because who wants to hear Grassley “read” a question for him? Grassley’s one of the RWNJ poster children for what “dumber than dirt” looks like.
So I’m confused – again. Isn’t he testifying in an open situation? Are they just upset because they won’t be able to ask the questions? Surely they can discuss with their colleagues questions to be asked?
Now committees are fighting each other? So much for trump bringing people together.
If it’s like some of the other hearings, the GOP will probably ask questions to attack and try to discredit him rather than try to gain any substantive information.
I’m sure that will happen regardless of which committee he testifies for. Comey will not let his reputation go that way – he does seem to think he is invincible.
No-one will ever stand up to any of them like Hillary Clinton did.
Yea – funny that the women seem to do their homework and get it right – rather like the black guy that was so good at his job. White man syndrome – think they know it all – know nothing – tRump is the prime example.
At this time in history, with a FUBAR president who LITERALLY cannot remember what he has done since election day 2018, to have Senators squabble over which committee Comey publicly addresses is pathetic and childish. (Apparently Feinstein [my Senator] is in a snit because Comey is testifying with the Senate Select Intelligence Committee, not HER Judiciary Committee — really irks me.)
Someone said on @Lawrence that there were fewer, but more intelligent people (reGOP) on the intelligence committee and not on the judiciary committee as it’s alot larger with more GOP idiots, like Ted Cruz on it.
aha – sounds like Comey wants to avoid the time wasters who would ask about emails & Benghazi. Given Comey appears to be smart – still can’t work out why the Hillary episodes happened. Maybe some underlings got to him. I think he regrets it (he did say something in that regard – I’d have to check)
…and can everything bill and EO that’s been signed be reversed, and every cabinet and staff position that’s been filled revert back to PBO’s appointments, and and Garland take his rightful place on the SCOTUS ???
How I wish there was……..unfortunately, the Constitution is very clear……No Recall Option other than the Impeachment Procedure & the 25th Amendment.
Nope, President Obama can’t be called back. It’s never going to happen.
321M Americans & the rest of the world are watching the GOP Congress. They hold almost the cards along with CorpMedia. The Press must elevate their Constitutional Role or forever be seen as The Entity that Abdicated their Constitutional Role…….Holding those in Power Accountable.
The Other Important Line of Defense Is #WeThePeople. We have to resist, march, write, Make Noise & Cause Loads of Mischievous Political Trouble. Power Never yields unless Challenged & made Uncomfortable.
Former V.P. Joe Biden will serve as keynote speaker at the May 23 ribbon cutting and dedication of the Buffett Canc… twitter.com/i/web/status/8…— Omaha World-Herald (@OWHnews) May 19, 2017
Evening everyone…Bought my copy of People….I will keep for my collection, but honestly, I thought it was skimpy. A little disappointed, actually. But, it has our Forever POTUS/FLOTUS….so I will smile and just be.
Yeh why all the pussyfooting? This is an a serious people Abuser that should not be in Office. Why not let him deal with the reality of international meetings and to Hell with spoon feeding someone of little brain and no ethics. White House already scheming to undercut the Special Investigation/Mueller. He’s had his 100 days. No more pandering!
Each election to date the GOP seems to just get by – margins dropping from 15% to 2%. The dems really need a win to take forward. I so hope this is it.
LOL jacqueline – I’m thinking he took his wife along so he can blame any gaffs on her – maybe he needs her to name countries for him.
Foreign press questions (which will relate to his trip – not the home grown disasters) will be interesting. Maybe he will refuse to have any press conferences.
I’m still waiting for the media pundits to apologise to PBO for all their ridiculous attacks.
Exactly – especially on that last part. Waiting forever for that!
One thing that’ll irk all of us here is to remember how little coverage PBO got for any of his foreign trips. And yet they’ll cover most of trump’s – just to count his gaffes. I’m going to try NOT to watch any of it.
Well remember coming to TOD because nowhere else could we follow his trips.
I will read the media reports on the gaffes – I cannot listen to the man ever – his language skills are appauling
Russian officials bragged in conversations during the presidential campaign that they had cultivated a strong relationship with former Trump adviser retired Gen. Michael Flynn and believed they could use him to influence Donald Trump and his team, sources told CNN.
The conversations deeply concerned US intelligence officials, some of whom acted on their own to limit how much sensitive information they shared with Flynn, who was tapped to become Trump’s national security adviser, current and former governments officials said.
“This was a five-alarm fire from early on,” one former Obama administration official said, “the way the Russians were talking about him.” Another former administration official said Flynn was viewed as a potential national security problem.
You are on fire tonight swbluega. And speaking of tonight – almost lunch time in my world & we are going out for a meal. Retirement is much more enjoyable than I imagined. Why some of these folks don’t just retire and enjoy the grandbabes is beyond my understanding.
Democrat Jon Ossoff holds a roundtable with women’s health advocates in Roswell.
Democrat Jon Ossoff held a roundtable Friday with women’s health advocates and breast cancer survivors as his campaign stepped up the attack on Republican Karen Handel’s stint at a breast-cancer charity.
The two rivals have traded ads and accusations in the last week over Handel’s short-lived tenure at the Susan G. Komen Foundation and its high-profile aftermath. And Friday’s event was also an attempt by Ossoff to remind potential Handel supporters of that episode.
Joined by his fiancée Alisha Kramer, a medical student studying to be an OB-GYN physician, the advocates urged him to expand access to Planned Parenthood and double-down on the Affordable Care Act.
Ossoff said the discussion reminded him that the healthcare debate in Congress is about “families, lives, people who are under immense stress already.”
She near decimated the Komen foundation (as it turned out they spent more money fundraising than supporting anything) almost brought them undone. The high profile is no more. And she was forced to leave – he should keep reminding folks how she ruins everything she touches. Pleased to read this. Also pleased to see the unusual situation where a man understands the needs of women’s health care & all the female candidate cars about is defunding planned parenthood.
There are ads right now talking about her outrageous spending when she was SoS. Ironically, there were similar ads run by the GOP when there were about 16 Republicans in the race. Republicans don’t like her either but will usually vote for her over a Democrat. Not sure — and hopeful — this will be the case this time.
That would be a good option, but even better would be for Democrats and Democratic-leaning Independents (and anti-Handel/Trump Republicans) in GA06 to get out and vote.
Hi, amk … I saw a “correction” tweet from Frum to this, because he found out Comey hired a private plane to ride home … but just happened to think that indignity would be another reason why trump waited until he was out of town to fire him, so he couldn’t use his government plane for the return trip. Horrible, horrible trump. Hoping he will be the one suffering a gazillion indignities, soon.
David Frum said on Real Time with Bill Maher that he voted for Hillary, as the responsible choice, rather than voting for trump. (Personally, I never heard him say that before.) Glad he shared his vote. Also said we need to get rid of trump immediately and that – no matter what anybody thinks of him – Pence would be “better,” and nobody has to vote for Pence in 2020. I’m not at that last point, yet, but otherwise getting rid of trump is the only answer now.
Iran’s hardliners had pulled all the stops and mobilised all their resources to bring out as many people as possible to grab the last centre of power in Iran that was not under their control, namely the executive branch.
Sensing an effort by the hardliners, supporters of President Rouhani who back his promises to steer the country toward moderation came out in big numbers too. Turnout has been unprecedented. In Tehran, five million people turned out to vote – twice as many as in 2013.
This was a revenge of the people against the hardliners who intimidated them, jailed them, executed them, drove them to exile, pushed them out of their jobs, and discriminated against women.
President Rouhani will now have a bigger mandate to push through his reforms, to put an end to extremism, to build bridges with the outside world, to put the economy back on track.
Iranians have said a resounding Yes to President Rouhani who, in recent years and particularly during the last several weeks of campaigning, promised to expand individual and political freedoms and make all those centres of power, like the Revolutionary Guard, accountable.
I still remember when the west and Iran were best friends – and my folks would remember when the west and Germany were sworn enemies. We keep talking about peace while the politicians on the right love to wage war. No idea why we continue to give them political power.
Well, the plus is that I’m not seeing a lot of reporting/commenting/tweeting about 45’s “red carpet” welcome. The little that I have seen or heard, of course — at least at the sites I venture to — compares it to President Obama’s “chilly” welcome.
As to the red carpet welcome, I guess this is in line with appease 45’s narcissistic mindset. But keep in mind, there was a reason that Saudi Arabia was not included in 45’s travel ban.
For the most part, the focus continues to be on the “breaking news” from yesterday and the chaotic state of the WH.
Because the kenyan muslin actually knew the bad actors behind islamic extremism and kept them at arm’s distance unlike the corrupt kkklowns party. Also, Too. It’s a tyrants only club and of course, twitler was welcomed with red carpet.
Trump may sow seeds for another 9/11
With United States President Donald Trump’s arrival in Saudi Arabia, the US expects to kick start an anti-Iran coalition.
In Saudi Arabia, Trump will meet with 56 leaders of Sunni Muslim countries who have gathered in Riyadh.
The conference marks the formation of a Sunni Muslim NATO, with a combined military force commanded by retired Pakistan army chief, General Raheel Sharif.
It is an attempt to recreate the united Islamic armies of the past and usher in a caliphate led by Saudi Arabia.
The US is expected to offer modern arms worth $100 billion to Saudi Arabia.
The target of this Sunni Muslim-US combine are Iran and Syria.
Sounds familiar? Cut to the 1980s.
/
Why are the Americans blind to the long term consequences?
Part of the explanation lies in the composition of the Trump administration.
Other than fashion designers or business tycoons, the only professionals in his administration are military men.
Unfortunately, the last time the US fought a conventional conflict in which strategic acumen and geopolitical vision was necessary was in 1991.
Ever since the US is mainly engaged in counter insurgency warfare, the so-called ‘Company Commanders’ war.
The current US military leadership thus lacks strategic vision and is innocent of history or geo-politics. There are no General Eisenhowers or General Marshals in the US military. The last of this tribe was Colin Powell.
45’s foreign policy is based on the directives received from Putin. History cannot/will not be used as a basis because 45’s knowledge of history is whatever is in his head.
45 seems to want to be friends with all our adversaries. I know that a part of that mindset is trying to prove he is better than Obama. It’s scary that his way of “making friends” is to impart classified/top secret information and alienate our allies.
I’ve only seen a glimpse of the coverage but the media is doing an “I love trump” again. They rarely covered PBO overseas and now it is wall the wall coverage. Wonder why the wife went along. They are both way out of their comfort zones – and it shows.
MSM love a train wreck, know that their audience is on the edge of their seats, knowing what a disaster FUBAR president is.
But they do sound like propaganda for DJT now, highlighting his Disneyesque welcome to Saudi Arabia (in contrast to PBO’s visit), the country which produced most of the terrorists involved in 9/11, and has one of the most repressive regimes in the world.
After all, corrupt and kleptocratic autocrats need to stick together https://t.co/rIBweo3GGt
Aside from the 15 or 20 minutes when I first woke up, I have been sticking to Twitter accounts. Yeah, they were talking about the red carpet treatment and the royal welcome, but the discussions would quickly turn back to the “nut job” comment and the “relieved pressure” after firing Comey, and the “person of interest” under investigation.
But I did notice in that short period that the media is trying to build up positives for 45 by looking at what they’re calling the negatives of the Obama trip.
The National Interest, a key player in what got us into this mess.
Re-posting from last month:
1/ A cocktail party at the DC Mayflower Hotel last year is "where the agreement for Russia to assist Trump in the elections all began." https://t.co/wqxhjV7FKS
Interesting background about the Trump/Russia election collusion. I wonder if any of it can/will be considered (if it hasn’t been already) in the investigation.
Healthcare is still in play and GOP is moving forward on this while (they hope) we are distracted. It appears that the GOP Senate is trying to present a bill that will avoid a filibusterer and allow it be passed with a simple majority vote. The House, in the meantime, is hoping that they will not have to have another vote before sending their celebrated bill to the Senate. (The anticipated CBO score will make this unlikely.) It will be an uphill battle for the GOP, but one that they can slip through the cracks if we stop paying attention.
This is a total sham! The letter talks about an "open" process, but this is no substitute for public hearings and the committee process. https://t.co/pB3G1LMcnM
Saudi Arabia is offering President Trump investment in America’s decaying infrastructure and industry worth tens of billions of dollars as a sweetener for arms deals and better relations between the two countries.
Mohammed bin Salman, the deputy crown prince and in effect the prime minister, made the offer during a visit to Washington this year, sources said. Mr Trump is hoping that the money will be invested in the “rust belt” states whose support helped to propel him to the White House.
Estimates of the sums involved range from $40 billion to $200 billion — in addition to current and future arms deals valued at $300 billion, which will be announced during Mr Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia, which began today.
The fact that the G.O.P. is a party of apparatchiks was one crucial factor in last year’s election. Why did Marine Le Pen, often portrayed as the French equivalent of Trump, lose by a huge margin? Because France’s conservatives were only willing to go so far; they simply would not support a candidate whose motives and qualifications they distrusted. Republicans, however, went all in behind Trump, knowing full well that he was totally unqualified, strongly suspecting that he was corrupt and even speculating that he might be in Russian pay, simply because there was an “R” after his name on the ballot.
And even now, with the Trump/Flynn/Comey story getting worse by the hour, there has been no significant breaking of ranks. If you’re waiting to find the modern version of Howard Baker, the Republican senator who asked “What did the president know, and when did he know it?” you’re wasting your time. Men like that left the G.O.P. a long time ago.
Does this mean that Trump will be able to hold on despite his multiple scandals and abuses of power? Actually, yes, he might. The answer probably hinges on the next few special elections: Republicans won’t turn on Trump unless he has become such a political liability that he must be dumped.
And even if Trump goes, one way or another, the threat to the Republic will be far from over.
I truly believe what whenever that pathetic treason-loving @ChuckGrassley tweets on Criminal Trump Russia we should send him this image pic.twitter.com/M8te2bzfyO
A question, I did not watch Trump arrive into Saudi Arabia, but I did see Melania and did was her head cover? Considering that Trump had something to say about Michelle not covering her head when she went to Saudi Arabia with President Obama.
The Obama Diary 
Evenin’.
✨⭐️💫
Evenin’. 🙂
Good Evening TODers
tuscany
Ahhh.
Asked whether an administration staff change-up would ameliorate this latest crisis, a Republican source formerly involved with a pro-Trump political group told The Daily Beast, “yes, if it comes with a frontal lobotomy for Trump.”
Mother Nature cleaned out that frontotemporal lobe a plenty long time ago — you stupid whackos who have been propping him up and enabling him all this time, and who seem clueless on the genuine solemnity of the Presidency by turning it into a game, you lot can all go to prison with him.
We’re on again!!
Can’t wait for this. Also, picked up my copy of People Magazine today. 🙂
He has the best, the very best, language skills
Of course, we have to wait until after Memorial Day, because the congress critters will all be marching in local parades. This should happen now, IMHO.
My advice for Dir Comey: bless you, sir, let it rip! Set the place in order, and retire in grace.
He will be hounded Pamela – rather like Hillary Clinton. Is this Karma? Very strange.
Yes, I’m sure you are right, and despite the big pre-election comments/distractions, I believe he has beem carrying a massive workload, and I think it’s probable a genuine hack, serious enough to turn an election into being massive vote distortion, may not have been as clear and certain until it was over. @louisemensch had spelled it out in the carolina conspiracy, how the exact time the computers were hacked was after election night. I feel only those who were involved in collusion knew what was coming down, I don’t think Dir Comey saw it.
Unbelievable that so many “conspiracies” are turning out to be true.
Lovely to see you ex aussie. 🙂 Hope all is well with you and the daughter.
I so feel more Aussie than Canadian-American!
Why would he hold back? Trump has denigrated him every chance he’s gotten so Comey has no reason to be discreet during his public testimony. Comey needs to go for Trump’s jugular.
Those were the days when children were treated as beautifully as any dignitary when it came to being a guest or visitor or family member of staff at the White House.
A magnificent time it was.
The Trump administration is exploring whether it can use an obscure ethics rule to undermine the special counsel investigation into ties between President Donald Trump’s campaign team and Russia, two people familiar with White House thinking said on Friday.
Trump has said that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein’s hiring of former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel to lead the investigation “hurts our country terribly.”
Within hours of Mueller’s appointment on Wednesday, the White House began reviewing the Code of Federal Regulations, which restricts newly hired government lawyers from investigating their prior law firm’s clients for one year after their hiring, the sources said.
An executive order signed by Trump in January extended that period to two years.
Mueller’s former law firm, WilmerHale, represents Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who met with a Russian bank executive in December, and the president’s former campaign manager Paul Manafort, who is a subject of a federal investigation.
Legal experts said the ethics rule can be waived by the Justice Department, which appointed Mueller. He did not represent Kushner or Manafort directly at his former law firm.
Because, OH! They have nothing to hide. FFS
There are five Oval Office exit paths: impeachment, use of the 25th Amendment, death by natural causes, assassination and resignation.
Here’s to the 25th!
😀
I think we’re lucky he agreed to testify before one committee.
Would they be likely to ask a question that the Intelligence Committee didn’t ask or that would bring out any new information?
I don’t know, but at this point, he may be more “comfortable” with the Intel Committee. At least for now, I’m good with this, because who wants to hear Grassley “read” a question for him? Grassley’s one of the RWNJ poster children for what “dumber than dirt” looks like.
So I’m confused – again. Isn’t he testifying in an open situation? Are they just upset because they won’t be able to ask the questions? Surely they can discuss with their colleagues questions to be asked?
Now committees are fighting each other? So much for trump bringing people together.
If it’s like some of the other hearings, the GOP will probably ask questions to attack and try to discredit him rather than try to gain any substantive information.
I’m sure that will happen regardless of which committee he testifies for. Comey will not let his reputation go that way – he does seem to think he is invincible.
No-one will ever stand up to any of them like Hillary Clinton did.
…and Sally Yates
Yea – funny that the women seem to do their homework and get it right – rather like the black guy that was so good at his job. White man syndrome – think they know it all – know nothing – tRump is the prime example.
Just 4 months! Knew it would be bad, but never imagined this after just 4 months!
Feels sooooooooooo much longer.
It sure does – especially when the GOP try and use him to sneak through their horrendous agenda.
I thought I would just have to turn off the US news for 4 long years – didn’t realise how things would change in 3 months.
GM 99ts.
Thank goodness I wasn’t the only one confused.
At this time in history, with a FUBAR president who LITERALLY cannot remember what he has done since election day 2018, to have Senators squabble over which committee Comey publicly addresses is pathetic and childish. (Apparently Feinstein [my Senator] is in a snit because Comey is testifying with the Senate Select Intelligence Committee, not HER Judiciary Committee — really irks me.)
typo.. meant election day 2016, not 2018 😳
well said arapaho, dem senators need to be at one against this administration.
Someone said on @Lawrence that there were fewer, but more intelligent people (reGOP) on the intelligence committee and not on the judiciary committee as it’s alot larger with more GOP idiots, like Ted Cruz on it.
aha – sounds like Comey wants to avoid the time wasters who would ask about emails & Benghazi. Given Comey appears to be smart – still can’t work out why the Hillary episodes happened. Maybe some underlings got to him. I think he regrets it (he did say something in that regard – I’d have to check)
Smart man
Hello lady of the music – you are looking great 🙂
Is there a recall option? Can President Obama be recalled? Please?
4 months in – testimony before congress, special prosecutor, few appointments (no-one will skill, intelligence and a functioning brain available)
…and can everything bill and EO that’s been signed be reversed, and every cabinet and staff position that’s been filled revert back to PBO’s appointments, and and Garland take his rightful place on the SCOTUS ???
SCOTUS – where the major damage has been done. The GOP activity in that regard was, to use a word I don’t often say, evil.
How I wish there was……..unfortunately, the Constitution is very clear……No Recall Option other than the Impeachment Procedure & the 25th Amendment.
Nope, President Obama can’t be called back. It’s never going to happen.
321M Americans & the rest of the world are watching the GOP Congress. They hold almost the cards along with CorpMedia. The Press must elevate their Constitutional Role or forever be seen as The Entity that Abdicated their Constitutional Role…….Holding those in Power Accountable.
The Other Important Line of Defense Is #WeThePeople. We have to resist, march, write, Make Noise & Cause Loads of Mischievous Political Trouble. Power Never yields unless Challenged & made Uncomfortable.
Wonderful. That’ll be a powerful moment for him.
Evening everyone…Bought my copy of People….I will keep for my collection, but honestly, I thought it was skimpy. A little disappointed, actually. But, it has our Forever POTUS/FLOTUS….so I will smile and just be.
It is most often the cover up that brings miscreants down.
This from someone under ethics investigation.
Still under control — got his toy train and finger puppets.
Not understanding why they’re going out their way to appease 45.
told by whom? What a load of crap
Yeh why all the pussyfooting? This is an a serious people Abuser that should not be in Office. Why not let him deal with the reality of international meetings and to Hell with spoon feeding someone of little brain and no ethics. White House already scheming to undercut the Special Investigation/Mueller. He’s had his 100 days. No more pandering!
“No more pandering!” That’s how it’s been for him all his life, and why he continues to think he can do whatever he wants.
I get that the other heads of state want their stuff! And to get it will play nice. IMO in America that time is past.
How convenient for this person to have a name that rhymes with resist! #ResistWithQuist
GE JO’B.
MT election is on Thursday, and MT has only one Representative, so that person is an important voice for that state.
Saw this a couple of days ago…
And asked MTMarilyn about this…
Here’s her reply:
Each election to date the GOP seems to just get by – margins dropping from 15% to 2%. The dems really need a win to take forward. I so hope this is it.
GE and thanks so much. Getting exciting out there!
Something like this will probably happen. I’d bet a coupla dollars on it.
LOL jacqueline – I’m thinking he took his wife along so he can blame any gaffs on her – maybe he needs her to name countries for him.
Foreign press questions (which will relate to his trip – not the home grown disasters) will be interesting. Maybe he will refuse to have any press conferences.
I’m still waiting for the media pundits to apologise to PBO for all their ridiculous attacks.
“I’m still waiting for the media pundits to apologise to PBO for all their ridiculous attacks.”
I doubt that will happen. They’d most likely spend that effort trying to justify their “attacks”…calling them “challenges” instead..
Exactly – especially on that last part. Waiting forever for that!
One thing that’ll irk all of us here is to remember how little coverage PBO got for any of his foreign trips. And yet they’ll cover most of trump’s – just to count his gaffes. I’m going to try NOT to watch any of it.
I’ll read the tweets of those who *have* to follow it — the journalists.
As will I!
Well remember coming to TOD because nowhere else could we follow his trips.
I will read the media reports on the gaffes – I cannot listen to the man ever – his language skills are appauling
Not surprising if true.
Russian officials bragged in conversations during the presidential campaign that they had cultivated a strong relationship with former Trump adviser retired Gen. Michael Flynn and believed they could use him to influence Donald Trump and his team, sources told CNN.
The conversations deeply concerned US intelligence officials, some of whom acted on their own to limit how much sensitive information they shared with Flynn, who was tapped to become Trump’s national security adviser, current and former governments officials said.
“This was a five-alarm fire from early on,” one former Obama administration official said, “the way the Russians were talking about him.” Another former administration official said Flynn was viewed as a potential national security problem.
And why 45 thinks it was a mistake to have fired Flynn…the puppet master was not happy with him.
You are on fire tonight swbluega. And speaking of tonight – almost lunch time in my world & we are going out for a meal. Retirement is much more enjoyable than I imagined. Why some of these folks don’t just retire and enjoy the grandbabes is beyond my understanding.
Enjoy!
Rachel’s show is good tonight
The only winners will be lawyers!
What a concept…talking to WOMEN about healthcare!!!
Democrat Jon Ossoff holds a roundtable with women’s health advocates in Roswell.
Democrat Jon Ossoff held a roundtable Friday with women’s health advocates and breast cancer survivors as his campaign stepped up the attack on Republican Karen Handel’s stint at a breast-cancer charity.
The two rivals have traded ads and accusations in the last week over Handel’s short-lived tenure at the Susan G. Komen Foundation and its high-profile aftermath. And Friday’s event was also an attempt by Ossoff to remind potential Handel supporters of that episode.
Joined by his fiancée Alisha Kramer, a medical student studying to be an OB-GYN physician, the advocates urged him to expand access to Planned Parenthood and double-down on the Affordable Care Act.
Ossoff said the discussion reminded him that the healthcare debate in Congress is about “families, lives, people who are under immense stress already.”
She near decimated the Komen foundation (as it turned out they spent more money fundraising than supporting anything) almost brought them undone. The high profile is no more. And she was forced to leave – he should keep reminding folks how she ruins everything she touches. Pleased to read this. Also pleased to see the unusual situation where a man understands the needs of women’s health care & all the female candidate cars about is defunding planned parenthood.
There are ads right now talking about her outrageous spending when she was SoS. Ironically, there were similar ads run by the GOP when there were about 16 Republicans in the race. Republicans don’t like her either but will usually vote for her over a Democrat. Not sure — and hopeful — this will be the case this time.
Are you always the night owl? I thought e1 would be asleep. Lunch was good 🙂
Not always the night owl. Just happened to wake up and decided to check the blog.
I’m glad you had a good lunch and hope you enjoyed the rest of your day. 😊
It seems near impossible for republicans to vote for democrats. I hope they just stay home.
That would be a good option, but even better would be for Democrats and Democratic-leaning Independents (and anti-Handel/Trump Republicans) in GA06 to get out and vote.
Love this guy!
That’s two of us! 🙂
Hi, amk … I saw a “correction” tweet from Frum to this, because he found out Comey hired a private plane to ride home … but just happened to think that indignity would be another reason why trump waited until he was out of town to fire him, so he couldn’t use his government plane for the return trip. Horrible, horrible trump. Hoping he will be the one suffering a gazillion indignities, soon.
David Frum said on Real Time with Bill Maher that he voted for Hillary, as the responsible choice, rather than voting for trump. (Personally, I never heard him say that before.) Glad he shared his vote. Also said we need to get rid of trump immediately and that – no matter what anybody thinks of him – Pence would be “better,” and nobody has to vote for Pence in 2020. I’m not at that last point, yet, but otherwise getting rid of trump is the only answer now.
I remember when he said it, I believe it was on Lawrence’s show.
Cool. I missed it, but often wondered if he’d gone “that far.”
what a yuuuge turnout can and did achieve.
A positive
I still remember when the west and Iran were best friends – and my folks would remember when the west and Germany were sworn enemies. We keep talking about peace while the politicians on the right love to wage war. No idea why we continue to give them political power.
Well, the plus is that I’m not seeing a lot of reporting/commenting/tweeting about 45’s “red carpet” welcome. The little that I have seen or heard, of course — at least at the sites I venture to — compares it to President Obama’s “chilly” welcome.
Of note, Melania followed Michelle Obama’s lead and wore pants/no scarf. 45 thought it was insulting when MO did this:
It’s okay now of course.
As to the red carpet welcome, I guess this is in line with appease 45’s narcissistic mindset. But keep in mind, there was a reason that Saudi Arabia was not included in 45’s travel ban.
For the most part, the focus continues to be on the “breaking news” from yesterday and the chaotic state of the WH.
Good Morning Everybody.
Looks like Melania has copied FLOTUS Obama’s big belt style.
It’s obvious that she respects Michelle Obama and sees her as a role model.
Because the kenyan muslin actually knew the bad actors behind islamic extremism and kept them at arm’s distance unlike the corrupt kkklowns party. Also, Too. It’s a tyrants only club and of course, twitler was welcomed with red carpet.
Trump may sow seeds for another 9/11
With United States President Donald Trump’s arrival in Saudi Arabia, the US expects to kick start an anti-Iran coalition.
In Saudi Arabia, Trump will meet with 56 leaders of Sunni Muslim countries who have gathered in Riyadh.
The conference marks the formation of a Sunni Muslim NATO, with a combined military force commanded by retired Pakistan army chief, General Raheel Sharif.
It is an attempt to recreate the united Islamic armies of the past and usher in a caliphate led by Saudi Arabia.
The US is expected to offer modern arms worth $100 billion to Saudi Arabia.
The target of this Sunni Muslim-US combine are Iran and Syria.
Sounds familiar? Cut to the 1980s.
/
Why are the Americans blind to the long term consequences?
Part of the explanation lies in the composition of the Trump administration.
Other than fashion designers or business tycoons, the only professionals in his administration are military men.
Unfortunately, the last time the US fought a conventional conflict in which strategic acumen and geopolitical vision was necessary was in 1991.
Ever since the US is mainly engaged in counter insurgency warfare, the so-called ‘Company Commanders’ war.
The current US military leadership thus lacks strategic vision and is innocent of history or geo-politics. There are no General Eisenhowers or General Marshals in the US military. The last of this tribe was Colin Powell.
http://www.rediff.com/news/column/trump-may-sow-seeds-for-another-911/20170520.htm
45’s foreign policy is based on the directives received from Putin. History cannot/will not be used as a basis because 45’s knowledge of history is whatever is in his head.
45 seems to want to be friends with all our adversaries. I know that a part of that mindset is trying to prove he is better than Obama. It’s scary that his way of “making friends” is to impart classified/top secret information and alienate our allies.
that old curse of twitler living out his tweets continues. sad!
Good morning TOD fam. Yeah I’m awake on the west coast. Who can sleep through our national and global nightmare.
Good Morning, idon!
egg.sack.lee. what a numbnutz.
gm swbluega
I’ve only seen a glimpse of the coverage but the media is doing an “I love trump” again. They rarely covered PBO overseas and now it is wall the wall coverage. Wonder why the wife went along. They are both way out of their comfort zones – and it shows.
Good Evening, 99ts.
Now who’s the night owl ??? 🙂
(Guess it’s not quite that late).
LOL 11.21pm at the minute
GE 99ts.
MSM love a train wreck, know that their audience is on the edge of their seats, knowing what a disaster FUBAR president is.
But they do sound like propaganda for DJT now, highlighting his Disneyesque welcome to Saudi Arabia (in contrast to PBO’s visit), the country which produced most of the terrorists involved in 9/11, and has one of the most repressive regimes in the world.
Aside from the 15 or 20 minutes when I first woke up, I have been sticking to Twitter accounts. Yeah, they were talking about the red carpet treatment and the royal welcome, but the discussions would quickly turn back to the “nut job” comment and the “relieved pressure” after firing Comey, and the “person of interest” under investigation.
But I did notice in that short period that the media is trying to build up positives for 45 by looking at what they’re calling the negatives of the Obama trip.
The bar remains lowered.
Wonder if his gaffes wlll be overlooked, especially his signature thumbs up.
GM SWBG.
The National Interest, a key player in what got us into this mess.
Re-posting from last month:
And speaking of Singapore (appointment recently confirmed):
Good Morning, arapaho415.
Interesting background about the Trump/Russia election collusion. I wonder if any of it can/will be considered (if it hasn’t been already) in the investigation.
Hmmmmm
I would say this is true for all of 45’s spokespersons.
and then that coward that he is, ac apologized for telling the truth. murkan msm is the world’s public enemy no. 1.
Healthcare is still in play and GOP is moving forward on this while (they hope) we are distracted. It appears that the GOP Senate is trying to present a bill that will avoid a filibusterer and allow it be passed with a simple majority vote. The House, in the meantime, is hoping that they will not have to have another vote before sending their celebrated bill to the Senate. (The anticipated CBO score will make this unlikely.) It will be an uphill battle for the GOP, but one that they can slip through the cracks if we stop paying attention.
The villa is owned by the President Obama’s former ambassador to Italy, John Philips.
Five days in a villa in Tuscany, very romantic. How lovely, and they certainly deserve this beauty break!
Is the Conservative’s focus on Seth Rich’s death an attempt to distract from 45’s mounting issues or a continued attack at HRC???
Wow!!! Alabama?!?!?!?!?!
Interesting…sort of. Morning everyone
looks like more of an accidental touch while walking next to the scum.
GROSS. Both of them. GROSS.
Her stomach is bigger than her pancake ass.
SO here it is. The Saudi’s will finance our infrastructure now? This is not ok
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/world/saudis-pump-200bn-into-rust-belt-in-new-american-alliance-ms2zjltbl
Saudi Arabia is offering President Trump investment in America’s decaying infrastructure and industry worth tens of billions of dollars as a sweetener for arms deals and better relations between the two countries.
Mohammed bin Salman, the deputy crown prince and in effect the prime minister, made the offer during a visit to Washington this year, sources said. Mr Trump is hoping that the money will be invested in the “rust belt” states whose support helped to propel him to the White House.
Estimates of the sums involved range from $40 billion to $200 billion — in addition to current and future arms deals valued at $300 billion, which will be announced during Mr Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia, which began today.
Just putting this here because I liked it. 🙂
The fact that the G.O.P. is a party of apparatchiks was one crucial factor in last year’s election. Why did Marine Le Pen, often portrayed as the French equivalent of Trump, lose by a huge margin? Because France’s conservatives were only willing to go so far; they simply would not support a candidate whose motives and qualifications they distrusted. Republicans, however, went all in behind Trump, knowing full well that he was totally unqualified, strongly suspecting that he was corrupt and even speculating that he might be in Russian pay, simply because there was an “R” after his name on the ballot.
And even now, with the Trump/Flynn/Comey story getting worse by the hour, there has been no significant breaking of ranks. If you’re waiting to find the modern version of Howard Baker, the Republican senator who asked “What did the president know, and when did he know it?” you’re wasting your time. Men like that left the G.O.P. a long time ago.
Does this mean that Trump will be able to hold on despite his multiple scandals and abuses of power? Actually, yes, he might. The answer probably hinges on the next few special elections: Republicans won’t turn on Trump unless he has become such a political liability that he must be dumped.
And even if Trump goes, one way or another, the threat to the Republic will be far from over.
Agreed!
New post.
https://theobamadiary.com/2017/05/20/a-date-night-standing-ovation/
A question, I did not watch Trump arrive into Saudi Arabia, but I did see Melania and did was her head cover? Considering that Trump had something to say about Michelle not covering her head when she went to Saudi Arabia with President Obama.