Dolt 45

This Friday’s Trump-Dump Open Thread: Sucking Up to His Master, Putin… and #Failing

by Anne Laurie| June 8, 20185:22 pm| 93 Comments

This post is in: C.R.E.A.M., Dolt 45, Foreign Affairs, Open Threads, Republican Venality, Russiagate, Go Fuck Yourself, Not Normal

On South Lawn before departing for Canada, Trump calls for Russia to be reinstated in G-8 (which has been the G-7 since the annexation of Crimea)

— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) June 8, 2018

President Trump says Russia should be allowed back into the G7 https://t.co/UtW5t5kYLb https://t.co/QitUSIN7Nx

— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) June 8, 2018

This was a carefully-practiced line. He prepared for this. It was very important to him. It's obvious in how he says it; how he is visibly remembering the precise words he came up with. https://t.co/dX4sbgx2aW

— Adam Davidson (@adamdavidson) June 8, 2018

Here's the official transcript of Trump's call for Russia's inclusion. He was not asked about Russia at all — the question was something about people calling this summit a "G6 plus 1" because of the divide with him. pic.twitter.com/DUHLouVC5a

— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) June 8, 2018

Putin’s spokesman on Trump’s G8 comments, basically thanks but no thanks. “We’re putting an accent on other formats” https://t.co/SbueGVHfIZ

— Miriam Elder (@MiriamElder) June 8, 2018

I will not stoop to being a member of any club that would have me as a member, you loser!

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What’s particularly stupid about these comments, btw, is that Russia is still a member of the G20, which is the more important forum at this point. https://t.co/V0cZgauKON

— Daniel W. Drezner (@dandrezner) June 8, 2018

According to my reporting, the expulsion from the G8 upset Vladimir Putin more than economic sanctions. My question is: if you're a master deal-maker, why do you give someone who sees the world in stark, zero-sum terms the thing he wants most without getting anything in return?

— Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) June 8, 2018

Clearly, in Trump's mind, "we" is he and Putin.

— Schooley (@Rschooley) June 8, 2018

Say what you will about Trump, he sure is loyal to the country that elected him. https://t.co/7Lw4gvLi3y

— Rep. John Yarmuth (@RepJohnYarmuth) June 8, 2018

Russia was kicked out of G7 because Putin invaded Ukraine & annexed Crimea. Letting Russia back in without any change in Russian behavior would Make America Look Weak Again. https://t.co/lyrBn9KCFZ

— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) June 8, 2018

Canada is flatly rejecting Donald Trump's suggestion to reinstate Russia in the G7, four years after it was expelled from the group of industrialized nations for annexing Ukraine's Crimea. You can watch Trump's comments below https://t.co/ytZVt2PCf3 pic.twitter.com/UlA01vGHFj

— CBC Politics (@CBCPolitics) June 8, 2018

The American President may not mind being isolated, but neither do we mind signing a 6 country agreement if need be. Because these 6 countries represent values, they represent an economic market which has the weight of history behind it and which is now a true international force https://t.co/UA86fcjozs

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) June 7, 2018

Trump's call to readmit Russia to G-7 is appalling. But shocker is that Italy's populist govt has backed Trump rather than siding with Europe, which provides its currency and stabilises its debt burden. The most imminent geoeconomic crisis may still be in the eurozone.

— Sebastian Mallaby (@scmallaby) June 8, 2018

Bill Clinton didn’t invite Russia to join G-7 because Russia was a major economy. He did it to give Yeltsin something while US was pushing NATO enlargement forward. What would be reason to go back to a G-8 other than Trump needing a friend? Bigger question now is US staying in.

— Jim Goldgeier (@JimGoldgeier) June 8, 2018

One reason Trump would want Russia back at the G7/8 table: He wouldn't have to be the biggest villain at the table anymore. https://t.co/F4AxcN2Z6i

— Josh Barro (@jbarro) June 8, 2018

So, let's see where we are.

Closest allies alienated ??
Insane trade-war underway ??
Rule of law in peril ??
North Korea rewarded with lavish fete ??
Russia offered legitimizing of military conquest ??

But Gorsuch ??
But muh tax cut ??

Take a bow, everyone https://t.co/kCRvdwtaxB

— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) June 8, 2018

This Friday’s Trump-Dump Open Thread: Sucking Up to His Master, Putin… and #FailingPost + Comments (93)

Open Thread: I’m Objectively FOR Getting Trump Out of the White House

by Anne Laurie| June 7, 20186:57 pm| 207 Comments

This post is in: Dog Blogging, Dolt 45, Election 2018, Open Threads, Proud to Be A Democrat

The way my dog eats watermelon is everything ?? pic.twitter.com/DOnklK9uEP

— jenelle (@JenelleBnstr) June 5, 2018

Because some of us are capable of as much discrimination as that dog, pundits…

(scene: a restaurant somewhere)

Waiter: Ready to order?

Dem: I'll have the steak.

Pundit: You can't just be AGAINST pork! You have to be FOR something!

Dem: I'm FOR steak.

Pundit: Being ANTI-PORK isn't enough to win!

Dem: I just…

Pundit: This is why Trump won, ya know.

— The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) June 7, 2018

Today’s @NBCNews poll shows that running against Trump is a much better position in the fall than running with him by a huge margin. While Trump is popular among GOP primary voters, he is poisonous among general election voters.

— Matthew Dowd (@matthewjdowd) June 7, 2018

So a better question the media should ask instead of what are Dems going to run on besides being against Trump, is what are Republicans going to run on besides being for Trump and his agenda? https://t.co/A35aSBeOwi

— Matthew Dowd (@matthewjdowd) June 7, 2018

WsJ/NBC poll: "By a whopping 25-point margin, voters say they're more likely to back a congressional candidate who promises to serve as a check on President Donald Trump"https://t.co/zUnYuPWGQq

— Tim Mak (@timkmak) June 7, 2018

This number will only worsen for R’s.

You can sell an empty promise.

Once it’s sold and you don’t deliver though, you’re in for some major anger from the people who actually believed you… https://t.co/wegIj8rZUn

— The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) June 7, 2018

"Don't make it about Trump" has been dumb all along. I've been saying forever that in the end it's going to be 80-90% about Trump. Candidates would be stupid to not talk about other things. They have to. But it'll mostly be about standing up to or rolling over for Trump. https://t.co/LDCP0g0zbu

— Dana Houle (@DanaHoule) June 7, 2018

Open Thread: I’m Objectively *FOR* Getting Trump Out of the White HousePost + Comments (207)

Open Thread: Invertebrate Paul Ryan Indicates A Shift in the Political Tide

by Anne Laurie| June 6, 20186:43 pm| 162 Comments

This post is in: Dolt 45, Election 2018, Open Threads, Republican Venality, Russiagate, Ryan Lyin' Weasel, Assholes

Breaking News: Paul Ryan dismissed President Trump’s charge of a spy in his campaign and warned against his pardoning himself: “No one is above the law” https://t.co/GlRE5L6PoO

— The New York Times (@nytimes) June 6, 2018

Paul Ryan splits with Trump, says ‘no evidence’ FBI spied on president’s campaign, via @karoun @mikedebonis https://t.co/KicdSjZnIw

— John Wagner (@WPJohnWagner) June 6, 2018

“We don’t talk about committee business,” Nunes told me when I tried to ask him about this. He spoke this weekend on Fox about Gowdy remarks. https://t.co/DEH8EDajZ0

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) June 6, 2018

Cynics point out that Paulie No-Balls waited until well after Trump’s bullshite ‘spygate’ fantasies had become settled wisdom among the Deplorable Base, but I think any sign of Ryan developing an allergy to Republican lies has to be a positive for truth, justice, and the American way:

… Ryan (R-Wis.) described as “accurate” an initial assessment offered by week by Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), chairman of the House Oversight Committee, who told Fox News that “the FBI did exactly what my fellow citizens would want them to do” in investigating information alleging certain Trump campaign advisers had suspicious ties to Russia…

Ryan was careful Wednesday not to disparage all of Nunes’s complaints with the Justice Department, a list of grievances that includes several unfulfilled demands for documents unrelated to the spying accusations. Democrats maintain Nunes is determined to undermine the law enforcement agencies and, by extension, the foundations of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s investigation into whether Trump’s campaign coordinated with Russia to influence the election’s outcome.

Ryan’s announcement appeared to surprise some fellow Republicans pushing for release of that information. Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), who has floated the possibility of impeaching Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein, who oversees Mueller’s probe, declined to comment on Ryan’s take until after he had spoken directly with the speaker…

“We don’t talk about committee business,” Nunes told me when I tried to ask him about this. He spoke this weekend on Fox about Gowdy remarks. https://t.co/DEH8EDajZ0

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) June 6, 2018

And speaking of organisms supremely sensitive to shifts in the prevailing ‘wisdom’…

I am literally dead now. Kellyanne Conway just called Trump "the Commander of Cheese" pic.twitter.com/zM9UqO0dnt

— Tommy Christopher (@tommyxtopher) June 6, 2018

Commander of Cheese pic.twitter.com/nsmjhcmULx

— Schooley (@Rschooley) June 6, 2018

Open Thread: Invertebrate Paul Ryan Indicates A Shift in the Political TidePost + Comments (162)

Repub Venality Open Thread: Terrible People “Guarding” Our Borders

by Anne Laurie| June 5, 20184:13 pm| 124 Comments

This post is in: Activist Judges!, Dolt 45, Immigration, Open Threads, Post-racial America, Republican Venality, All Too Normal, Fucked-up-edness

Separation of children is being used as a deterrent for other immigrants. This is Trump’s policy. https://t.co/isvla5HRWe

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) June 5, 2018

The president has gone through a lot of trouble to ax DACA and impose a tough immigration crackdown that’s at the heart of his political identity… but when things get controversial he’s preferred to blame Democrats, who want to do the opposite, rather than own those actions.

— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) June 5, 2018

Two lies here. There’s no legislation that requires separation; this is a Trump policy he refuses to own. Trump hasn’t started a wall; there’ve been a couple of fence replacement projects. pic.twitter.com/NRK3qtYsKt

— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) June 5, 2018

Here’s the AG who Trump professes disdain for describing the necessity of the policy Trump claims isn’t his own in an interview w @hughhewitt : pic.twitter.com/5VgZF6zmug

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) June 5, 2018

It sounds more reasonable with that honey dripping accent I'm sure pic.twitter.com/SPpSuwpU3m

— Schooley (@Rschooley) June 5, 2018

As this unfolds, please remember that the only way to seek asylum in the US—a protected right under international law—is to ‘spontaneously’ come to a US port of entry or govt official and apply. Sessions frames exercising this right as a crime for which you should lose your kids. https://t.co/Z5nwPaZlWq

— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) June 5, 2018

I bet when Trump is berating him on Twitter & pressuring him to resign, Jeff Sessions ponders quitting, but he remembers the real reason he's stayed in the office, & improves his mood by watching video of CBP agents ripping crying children from the arms of asylum seekers.

— Dana Houle (@DanaHoule) June 5, 2018

“Senator Merkley and his staff saw children in cages.” https://t.co/E0qXlmDQ0t

— Matt Katz (@mattkatz00) June 5, 2018

The Trump admin says the way to avoid family separation is to present for asylum at a port of entry.

Except that border agents are — physically — stopping some asylum-seekers from getting to ports of entry. https://t.co/BnDHXfPWh6

— Dara Lind (@DLind) June 5, 2018

Repub Venality Open Thread: Terrible People “Guarding” Our BordersPost + Comments (124)

Sportsball Follow-Up Open Thread: SMALL!

by Anne Laurie| June 4, 201810:42 pm| 135 Comments

This post is in: Dolt 45, Open Threads, Sports, All Too Normal, Clown Shoes

A White House official says President Trump found the small size of the Eagles group coming to be “unsatisfactory” so he changed the event pic.twitter.com/pLUoqQVVPJ

— Meridith McGraw (@meridithmcgraw) June 5, 2018

Some further commentary on Adam’s post. Not everybody wants to follow the labyrinths of, for instance, nuclear foreign policy. But cancelling an event because WAAAH MY WOUNDED FEE-FEES?…

I’ll believe that Trump is growing into the presidency when he stops treating himself like a toddler. pic.twitter.com/ZCtQ7u1Qmc

— Daniel W. Drezner (@dandrezner) June 4, 2018

Philadelphia Eagles wise receiver Torrey Smith said in February that most of his teammates wouldn’t go to the White House. Here was his reason. Sounds about right. pic.twitter.com/12vyVBn1LB

— Dave Zirin (@EdgeofSports) June 5, 2018

I sure hope the NFL passes another new rule that players invited to the White House have to go or else. It's a sad day when they can't just go and line up in those nice straight lines — coffles, I think they call them — for their pictures as required, to celebrate freedom.

— NarowlyDecidedHat (@Popehat) June 4, 2018

“Coffle”

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Sportsball Follow-Up Open Thread: SMALL!Post + Comments (135)

Repub Venality Open Thread: “If You Tell the Truth, You Don’t Have to Remember Anything”

by Anne Laurie| June 4, 20183:42 pm| 202 Comments

This post is in: Dolt 45, Open Threads, Republican Venality, Repubs in Disarray!, Russiagate, All Too Normal, Fucked-up-edness

President Nixon asked the Department of Justice if he could pardon himself. They said no, as no one may be the judge in their own case. He resigned three days later.

In case you want to follow the Nixon model, that would be Thursday. https://t.co/5ntHaySTBJ

— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) June 4, 2018

As has been stated by numerous legal scholars, I have the absolute right to PARDON myself, but why would I do that when I have done nothing wrong? In the meantime, the never ending Witch Hunt, led by 13 very Angry and Conflicted Democrats (& others) continues into the mid-terms!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 4, 2018

"Under the fundamental rule that no one may be a judge in his own case, the President cannot pardon himself."
Aug. 5, 1974 DOJ opinion, 4 days before Richard Nixon resigned.
It's right there on the DOJ website: https://t.co/G9gIbHNsDl pic.twitter.com/67H9pFzYXJ

— Steven Dennis (@StevenTDennis) June 4, 2018

Set a toddler loose in your home, and you’ll discover what needs to be childproofed. Set Trump loose in your government, and you’ll discover what needs to be crook-proofed. https://t.co/KjAh5PTOaU

— Will Saletan (@saletan) June 4, 2018

It’s Constitutional Infrastructure Week.

— Mike Mc (@images_mc) June 4, 2018

This is the part where the press needs to get every single congressional Republican—every last one—on the record about whether they believe the President can pardon himself (he can't) and what, precisely, they will do if he attempts it. https://t.co/IAu90j9LDt

— Susan Hennessey (@Susan_Hennessey) June 4, 2018

Sam Clemens (quoted in the title of this post) was a skilled liar, aka “Professional Storyteller”; watching the current Oval Office Occupancy mangle the ancient forms would, IMO, cause him actual physical pain:

Asked about shifting explanations for statement on Trump Tower meeting, Rudy Giuliani tells @GStephanopoulos:

"This is the reason you don't let the president testify. Our recollection keeps changing, or we're not even asked a question and somebody makes an assumption." pic.twitter.com/DLQsGbfGhA

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) June 3, 2018

Actual progression:
-there was no mtg
-there was a mtg, but about adoption
-mtg wasn’t about adoption
-nothing was offered
-something was offered, wasn’t any good
-what was offered wasn’t taken
-let’s say something was taken, so what?
-memories keep changing, so can’t answer https://t.co/H7JC7e4E1s

— Edward-Isaac Dovere (@IsaacDovere) June 3, 2018

"George, I really think you're missing the point: my client committed a LOT of crimes, he was basically a human crime wave at the head of a crime family. George, I was told I could get my parking validated." pic.twitter.com/0nlU8zbEvj

— Orange Leader????? (@OrangeLeaderUSA) June 3, 2018

Repub Venality Open Thread: “If You Tell the Truth, You Don’t Have to Remember Anything”Post + Comments (202)

Russiagate Open Thread: Paul Manafort, Short-Time Coffee Boy

by Anne Laurie| June 3, 20187:20 pm| 84 Comments

This post is in: Activist Judges!, C.R.E.A.M., Dolt 45, Foreign Affairs, Open Threads, Republican Venality, Repubs in Disarray!, Russiagate

As only one of two people left who could become President, why wouldn’t the FBI or Department of “Justice” have told me that they were secretly investigating Paul Manafort (on charges that were 10 years old and had been previously dropped) during my campaign? Should have told me!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 3, 2018

….Paul Manafort came into the campaign very late and was with us for a short period of time (he represented Ronald Reagan, Bob Dole & many others over the years), but we should have been told that Comey and the boys were doing a number on him, and he wouldn’t have been hired!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 3, 2018

The Oval Office Occupant is incapable of not drawing attention to himself, even when doing so is obviously gonna make a bad situation worse. He’s like a toddler who bursts unexpected into the grownups’ cocktail party, face covered in crumbs, screaming I DIDN’T DO IT I DIDN’T DO IT THAT BAD MAN MUELLER AND THE FBI ATE THE COOKIES! (Also, he’s soiled his big-boy pants, and from the acrid smoke now billowing out of the kitchen, managed to set something on fire.)

Manafort being the shadiest prick in all K Street was obvious before he joined the Trump campaign and was all anyone talked about the second he joined. Trump LOVED the idea of having a dictator-shilling white collar blood merchant in his corner, working pro bono.

— zeddy (@Zeddary) June 3, 2018

Among the ultra-predictable, ultra-asinine things people with narcissistic personality disorder do, there’s this:

Blaming others for not preventing them from making their own mistakes. https://t.co/rVWcdF74VE

— The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) June 3, 2018

pic.twitter.com/Q4LHRsdbsl

— Schooley (@Rschooley) June 3, 2018

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Russiagate Open Thread: Paul Manafort, Short-Time Coffee BoyPost + Comments (84)

Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) on Late Night Open Thread (Dec 3, 2020 @ 12:11am)

Frankensteinbeck on Late Night Open Thread (Dec 3, 2020 @ 12:11am)

Enhanced Voting Techniques on Late Night Open Thread (Dec 3, 2020 @ 12:09am)

Yarrow on Late Night Open Thread (Dec 3, 2020 @ 12:08am)

trnc on Late Night Open Thread (Dec 3, 2020 @ 12:07am)

Naturally gregarious and alpha

Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.

You are either for trump or for democracy. Pick one.

We can agree to disagree, but i’m right.

I can’t take this shit today. I just can’t.

The house always wins.

And we’re all out of bubblegum.

Today in our ongoing national embarrassment…

No one could have predicted…

All your base are belong to Tunch.

Where tasty lettuce and good mustard aren’t elitist.

Technically true, but collectively nonsense

Mission Accomplished!

This blog is Obama’s Katrina.

We have all the best words.

We are aware of all internet traditions.

Tick tock motherfuckers! Tick fucking tock!

I’d try pessimism, but it probably wouldn’t work.

Just a few bad apples.

We still have time to mess this up!

If you tweet it in all caps, that makes it true!

The willow is too close to the house.

I personally stopped the public option…

This is how realignments happen…

This Friday’s Trump-Dump Open Thread: Sucking Up to His Master, Putin… and #Failing

Open Thread: I’m Objectively FOR Getting Trump Out of the White House

Open Thread: Invertebrate Paul Ryan Indicates A Shift in the Political Tide

Repub Venality Open Thread: Terrible People “Guarding” Our Borders

Sportsball Follow-Up Open Thread: SMALL!

Repub Venality Open Thread: “If You Tell the Truth, You Don’t Have to Remember Anything”

Russiagate Open Thread: Paul Manafort, Short-Time Coffee Boy