Rubio would get Florida and strong support from Evangelicals and more Hispanics than Trump got in 2016.Nikki Hailey. She's liked well enough by Trump supporters, yet she has somehow escaped most the stain of his Presidency.
Rubio would get Florida and strong support from Evangelicals and more Hispanics than Trump got in 2016.Nikki Hailey. She's liked well enough by Trump supporters, yet she has somehow escaped most the stain of his Presidency.
If she's established certainty, based on her exposure to and rational analysis of all possible evidence, that Trump will be exonerated she has reason to be excited. Otherwise her opinion is of no value.I...dunno.
I heard an interview with this woman representative of the RNC this afternoon. She reminded me a little of @Don't Noonan She seemed positively gleeful about impeachment. Claimed that it would guarantee winning Michigan and Wisconsin, and taking back the House. I mean she was really excited.
As senior director of the WH Situation Room, I managed POTUS head-of-state calls. So, what light can I shed on the Trump-promised phone transcript?
First off: unless this administration has changed procedures in place for many yeras, there are no WH tapes of this phone call. As I used to say, the WH became averse to taping Presidential phone calls in about 1974.
Could there be recordings made by the foreign head-of-state's government or a foreign intelligence service? Sure, particularly when the call is made over a non-secure phone.
Could there be recordings made by the US Intelligence Community? No. Law, regulation, and practice forbids such collection of USG officials. Besides, there's no foreign intelligence value in doing so, as the US official is aware of the call's contents.
Yes, there should be transcripts of the call. It is a long-standing practice, intended to not only memorialize the call but to protect the President against the foreign leader/gov't making egregious claims about the call.
The White House Situation Room and the responsible NSC directorate develop the transcript. WHSR, which monitors the call, develops a verbatim working transcript which is reviewed and finalized by the NSC directorate and captured in a memorandum of conversation (MEMCON).
This MEMCON can vary greatly from a lightly edited full transcript to a vaguely worded summary of the call. Sharing of the MEMCON outside of the WH and across gov't has varied from Admin to Admin and the sensitivity of the call, but has always been very limited.
Who in the USG listens to the call as it happens? This varies from call to call. I managed the very rare call in which only myself and WHSR heard the actual call. In most cases, the call was listened to live by several people.
Call participants often included the Nat'l Sec Advisor or his/her deputies, the WH Chief of Staff, an appropriate NSC Sr Director and members of his/her staff. Extremely rare for a non-WH person to be present for the call and we never looped in anyone outside the 18 acres.
Hint...neitherTwo theories:
1. Trump admitted that he asked the Ukraine President to investigate Biden. And he refused to have the IG report released to Congress. That's enough.
2. The Democrats know more than they're saying. The whistleblower report is more than just this one phone call. And it's really bad.
I don't know which of these is correct.
The fact that the senate did not offer even a token objection is telling, imo.They voted on a non-binding resolution to “express the sense” that Trump should provide the whistleblower report to the intel committees. They didn’t vote to require him to do diddly squat. I don’t consider it much of a rebuke at all.
I'd say if Trump is removed via impeachment, Pence is almost as deep into this controversy. He would have trouble staying in office and they might simply go for one of those joint trials.You mean if he's removed.
If Trump is removed by the Senate, Mike Pence will be sworn in as President. And yes, he would probably then be the nominee for President, though that's not certain. Richard Nixon resigned in 1974, and Gerald Ford became President, but was seriously challenged by Ronald Reagan in 1976.
Has any GOP member of congress tried to defend these allegations?That was a very very tepid response by McCarthy. He didn’t even try to defend Trump.
I don’t know man. They are in the right on almost every issue yet have no control of anything. You’re presuming a lot. The democrat leadership is really stupid.Two theories:
1. Trump admitted that he asked the Ukraine President to investigate Biden. And he refused to have the IG report released to Congress. That's enough.
2. The Democrats know more than they're saying. The whistleblower report is more than just this one phone call. And it's really bad.
I don't know which of these is correct.
I don’t like Pelosi even a little, but she’s far from stupid.I don’t know man. They are in the right on almost every issue yet have no control of anything. You’re presuming a lot. The democrat leadership is really stupid.
Is there anything that says Trump could not run again? Certainly a decent amount of abandonment that would have to happen for him to be removed in the first place, but he’s got a lot of money already raised.Probably needs its own thread. But if Trump is impeached, does Pence get the nomination in 2020? Will there be other viable candidates?
Of course you doI think there needs to be clear evidence of a quid pro quo or this is going to backfire tremendously.
I mean the party as a whole.I don’t like Pelosi even a little, but she’s far from stupid.
Speaking to reporters, the president defended his July phone call with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine as entirely appropriate, and stopped short of directly confirming news reports about what was discussed. But he acknowledged that he had discussed Mr. Biden during the call and accused the former vice president of corruption tied to his son Hunter’s business activities in the former Soviet republic.That isn't a Trump quote. Try again
Henry pointed to this language in the Nerdy Impeachment thread. It says the person impeached is forever disqualified from office.Is there anything that says Trump could not run again?
It'd be a heck of a thing if the Republicans fabricated a situation like this just to draw the Democrats into an impeachment trap.I mean the party as a whole.
Close, but no cigarSpeaking to reporters, the president defended his July phone call with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine as entirely appropriate, and stopped short of directly confirming news reports about what was discussed. But he acknowledged that he had discussed Mr. Biden during the call and accused the former vice president of corruption tied to his son Hunter’s business activities in the former Soviet republic.
“The conversation I had was largely congratulatory, with largely corruption, all of the corruption taking place and largely the fact that we don’t want our people like Vice President Biden and his son creating to the corruption already in the Ukraine,” Mr. Trump told reporters before leaving for a trip to Texas and Ohio.
Pelosi could have held off on impeachment. She could have said what Biden did: that if we don’t get the whistleblower report in a few days , THEN we impeach. That would have been strong enough. Instead she went straight to impeachment and that tells me she’s pretty sure about how strong her hand is. We’ll see.I mean the party as a whole.
Crenshaw...maybe. At least within the GOP realm, probably not nationally.I imagine you'll get a rehash of 2016 minus Trump. I'm not aware of any rising stars in the Republican constellation however. I'd hope for Kasich to emerge personally.
Congrats, you've arrived.Democrats are enemies of the people of the United States. They are choosing revenge for losing in 2016 over the country.
In the nation's early years, Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin used the term vrag naroda (enemy of the nation/people) to refer to those who disagreed with the ideologies pushed forth by the Bolshevik government and, later, adopted by the newly-formed Soviet Union. This could include anyone from the clergy who did not want to adopt state-enforced atheism to writers to political opposition that questioned the ideologies of the new government.
Close, but no cigar
Haven't heard of Crenshaw - do you have a synopsis?Crenshaw...maybe. At least within the GOP realm, probably not nationally.
Why not? At this point they are all-in on Trump.I understand the VP would be sworn in. Just wondering if the GOP would really want Trump remnants running in 2020.
Odd, considering the reports that Trump reached out Pelosi to ask if “...they could work something out on this whole whistleblower thing...”White House preparing to release whistleblower complaint to Congress
Trump has approved releasing the document at the center of his latest standoff with lawmakers, a senior administration official said.
Chris MegerianVerified account @ChrisMegerian
The president has returned to Trump Tower "for what is described as executive time," according to pool report.
From the outside, looking in, I agree.I despise Trump with every fiber of my being, but with no transcripts and not having seen the complaint, unless the dems have more evidence, this seems pre-mature. if I’m a TV District Attorney, I’d be like “This isn’t good enough - we need more”.
i actually thought they had a better case with obstruction on the Russia investigation. Muller set it up for them on a tee, and the dems kept swinging and missing.
Combat vet. Good guy. Eye patch.Haven't heard of Crenshaw - do you have a synopsis?
my linkChris MegerianVerified account @ChrisMegerian
The president has returned to Trump Tower "for what is described as executive time," according to pool report.
What bigbottom said. If I'm not mistaken, I think he had his own thread last year after an SNL cast member made fun of his eye. Very pro gun though. Which is great if you're a GOP voter.Haven't heard of Crenshaw - do you have a synopsis?
Pelosi has always been very measured on impeachment looking at the larger picture, so for her to move forward is a big step. I hope you are right.From the outside, looking in, I agree.
But the perception here is that the Dems know what is in the report - and we know the White House knows what is in the report. So, I don't get the sense that anyone in a position of power here is operating blindly.
WASHINGTON – Vice President Mike Pence on Monday defended his own and the president’s conversations with the Ukrainian president, telling Fox News’ Sean Hannity that there was no quid pro quo when Trump brought up former Vice President Joe Biden during Trump’s congratulatory call to the newly-elected president in July.Close, but no cigar
I have no idea what you are looking for - it seemed to be you were looking for a Trump quote where he acknowledged talking to the Ukrainians about Biden.
I don't think that is really in dispute here. The issue is really - Did he ask Ukraine to investigate Biden and his son? Did Trump freeze Ukrainian aid - we know he did - so why? When did that happen relative to Trump talking about investigating Biden? Did anyone else, besides Giuliani and Pence speak with the Ukrainians about investigating Biden (we know those two did - but are there any others)?
Who would raise their hand as a "fan of Pence"? Trump won due to his cult of personality. Pence has no personality. Pence would make a terrible Presidential candidate.I'm just not a fan of Pence. Just curious.
Exactly. Which is why I asked if the Republicans would look for a better candidate. Perhaps if Trump was impeached and removed some time early next year.Who would raise their hand as a "fan of Pence"? Trump won due to his cult of personality. Pence has no personality. Pence would make a terrible Presidential candidate.
I'd think the guy would have learned his lesson after the Flynn incident. They just push him out when they need him and he'll say what they put in front of him.So, now you have Pence on record as acknowledging that Trump talked about Biden with the Ukrainians.
And LOL at those worried this will fire up Trump's base. Trump's base is fired up every time a Starbucks barista says "Happy Holidays."*I don't really care if it "backfires" or not. History will judge this one and there's not much choice at this point. Either you try to uphold the Constitution or you don't. And let's make those mother ####ers on the right side of the Senate write their names in granite for all time if they let him walk.
Is it ok for Trump (the private citizen) to do opposition research in Ukraine? I mean, Hillary hired a lawyer (who subcontracted) to do opposition research in Russia in 2016...right?Rudy - acting on behalf of Trump - acknowledging he asked Ukraine to investigate Biden
This - alone - is pretty close to an abuse of power sufficient enough to support impeachment.
I agree.....Almost seems like Trump just wants to get fired. His ego can't take resigning, or losing the election. If he gets impeached he gets to go out with the rallying cry that the fake news stupid lib witch hunt was the reason he couldnt bring forth a more prosperous white nation
Based on Trumps comments this morning admitting to threatening to withhold 250 million due to “corruption” is it possible he actually wants to get impeached at this point? He’s acting like an addict who wants to get caught, almost like a cry for help.
He really did have an idealistic lifestyle prior to being elected (which I truly believe he never thought would happen and didn’t really want) and now the weight and pressure of the office have to be getting to him. His ego won’t allow him to not run again in 2020 and he loves playing the victim role. So he’s self sabotaging to give himself an out (protecting his ego for the election loss).
Another somewhat hidden gem here is Trump bloviating about other people's corruption not more than a few weeks or so out from exposure of yet another instance of him directing Federal business/tax payer dollars to one of his own properties. Adorable.Speaking to reporters, the president defended his July phone call with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine as entirely appropriate, and stopped short of directly confirming news reports about what was discussed. But he acknowledged that he had discussed Mr. Biden during the call and accused the former vice president of corruption tied to his son Hunter’s business activities in the former Soviet republic.
“The conversation I had was largely congratulatory, with largely corruption, all of the corruption taking place and largely the fact that we don’t want our people like Vice President Biden and his son creating to the corruption already in the Ukraine,” Mr. Trump told reporters before leaving for a trip to Texas and Ohio.