Or woman…
All of this is a facade intended to make it look like Russia has a functioning democratic system. Vladimir Putin will, of course, easily win another term essentially making him the Russian president for (the rest of his) life.
Stay frosty!
Open thread.
NotMax
On tonight’s episode of Tsar Search…
Adam L Silverman
@NotMax: Well played.
Corner Stone
Soooo….McCabe just got fired?
NotMax
Breaking: Sessions fires McCabe. (Per MSNBC.)
efgoldman
If one of the sixteen dwarves had done that to weasel face, he’d have run away crying
If only
Fuckem
Gin & Tonic
For those who don’t follow this stuff, the guy getting the water thrown at him is Vladimir Zhirinovsky, a completely nutso Russian nationalist. Google him at your own risk.
Timurid
Pure spite is a good enough reason, right?
Corner Stone
How amusing that Gen Barry McCaffery has to say about Trump being a National Security Threat is cut short by a firing of Mccabe.
BCHS Class of 1980
Does anyone else think that the end of Putin’s reign will involve a diner and ‘Don’t Stop Believing?’
hilts
@NotMax:
Presumably, McCabe wasn’t sitting on the toilet when he got the word.
Corner Stone
@hilts: Aren’t we all?
Quinerly
@hilts: What a relief!?
hilts
@BCHS Class of 1980:
I’ll go with Back in the USSR instead.
Gin & Tonic
I guess Jeff Sessions feels that he doesn’t need any cooperation from the FBI ever again.
Smedley Darlington Prunebanks (formerly Mumphrey, et al.)
Jefferson Beauregard Sessions, III just fired Andrew McCabe.
tobie
@NotMax: McCabe will be fine. My question is what this will mean if McCabe is called to corroborate Comey’s testimony in the Mueller probe. As far as I can tell, the Trumpov team is working full-time to impugn the integrity of anyone who might testify against Trump. They just got another scalp.
Corner Stone
The AG is not there for pleasing the WH, you fucking asshole Pete Williams.
efgoldman
@tobie:
Until the lawsuit is filed. Sooner rather than later.
NotMax
@hilts
There’s a (or several) ‘when the sh*t hit the fan’ possibilities for comment, but shall leave those to others.
Also too, ‘wipe out.’
Corner Stone
I hope McCabe shows up with crossed bandoliers and two .45’s and starts blasting some motherfuckers.
Corner Stone
I thought his pension was secure?
hilts
@Corner Stone:
Trump does his best cogitating while sitting on the toilet.
I was no fan of Rex Tillerson, but for John Kelly to leak the story that Tillerson was on the toilet when he got fired was a real scumbag move. I hope Trump is on the toilet when Mueller indicts him.
Can’t wait until the curtain comes down on this clusterfuck presidency.
Quinerly
@Corner Stone: All the news I heard today was his pension was to start Sun. If he was fired before Sunday, no pension.
Gravenstone
@Corner Stone: What McCaffrey had to say about Trump tonight is important. But two days ago on MSNBC he was lauding the witch being pushed to replace Pompeo. So rather a mixed bag.
Mary G
It appears from the FTFNYT twitter that he says it’s in order to help Trump with Russiagate:
I imagine he’ll end up with his pension and they know it; they’re flinging poo for the chimps who watch Fox News.
ETA: Every time I think they can’t go any lower, they prove me wrong.
tobie
@efgoldman: I meant scalp in the sense that McCabe will no longer be a credible witness in the Mueller probe. Comey told 4 people about his conversations with the President. The Trump team is trying to discredit each and every one. McCabe himself just made a statement that the purpose of his firing is to discredit him as a witness. He gets it. Hopefully the media will soon too.
efgoldman
@Corner Stone:
This one is.
I understand Evil Leprekkkaun just ordered a dozen new sets of kneepads.
Corner Stone
@Quinerly: I do not know either way. But Adam had said a few times that this kind of move will not cut it to get the pension removed. I don’t know, just going on other’s comments for now.
If you can’t trust someone who wears a full footie Spiderman jammies outfit, who can you trust?
gene108
@Corner Stone:
I think he had to make it to Sunday to get the full pension.
Just a total dick move.
Wonder how long it takes for McCabe to sue for wrongful termination? And who all gets deposed under oath.
Major Major Major Major
So why does this discredit McCabe as a witness?
gene108
@efgoldman:
Trump doesn’t understand that the DOJ and AG are not his personal enforcers.
He sooooo badly wants to use the DOJ to get his numerous enemies.
Adam L Silverman
@Corner Stone: @NotMax: Yep, just bigfooted myself with the breaking news post.
TS
@Mary G:
They are digging for the center of the earth and beyond – long ago they reached dirt bottom
Steve in the ATL
@Major Major Major Major: it doesn’t, unless you watch and believe Fox News
efgoldman
@tobie:
He wouldn’t be anyway, to the mouth breathers.
Somehow I think Mueller and his team of experienced prosecutors will know what questions to ask. He only has to be credible to judge(s) and jury(s). They know how to build a case, McCabe is a sideshow.
tobie
@Major Major Major Major: He’s now been fired on the recommendation of IG Michael Horowitz on the grounds that he was less than candid in his interview. This can be used in court to raise questions about the truthfulness of any testimony he would give. I’m convinced this is why he’s been targeted while still in the employ of the FBI.
tobie
@efgoldman: I’m not so sure of this. In court he would have to admit he was fired and confirm the stated reason, even if he disagreed with it.
I have no doubt that Mueller has other evidence besides the testimony of McCabe. I’m just trying to game out what the strategy of Trump’s legal team is. As far as I can tell, it’s to call into question anyone who would offer testimony against Trump & Company.
Steeplejack (phone)
@Timurid:
Sessions saying that McCabe “lacked candor—including under oath—on multiple occasions” is rich coming from Mr. “I lied to Congress.”
poleaxedbyboatwork
@efgoldman:
Notta sideshow, more trial-balloon as canary-inna-coal-mine, imo.
It’s like that cartoon picture Sin City where the senator is bedside expounding on how if you can get chickenshits to cowardly proclaim what they know ain’t true to be so, that’sa testament a power.
If McCabe’s firing is “both-sidesed” to hell’n gone, reckon we’ll all have a purty clear pitcher of just how fucked we are n how far yet we gotta go.
Aleta
ho ho
bunch of hyenas at a poisoned well
matt
@Major Major Major Major: motive to get back at Trump on top of establishing a cover story of firing him for dishonesty.