Australian Amb to US Joe Hockey met with Priebus and Bannon at WH today, a WH official says.
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) February 2, 2017
The warring powers within Lord Smallgloves’ court…
WH official: "Mr. Priebus and Mr. Bannon had a productive meeting with the Australian ambassador at the White House." 1/2
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) February 2, 2017
WH official: "They conveyed the President's deep admiration for the Australian people." 2/2 https://t.co/3X9KJDxtx5
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) February 2, 2017
2 astonishing aspects of story.
-Unhinged behavior by DJT, to very suave PM of very close ally;
-Purposeful high-level leaks: “Send help!" https://t.co/GlqQ5hE34B— James Fallows (@JamesFallows) February 2, 2017
Why all of the leaks out of Trumpland? People leak when the process is messed up, their input is not valued and/or the boss lacks respect.
— Glenn Kessler (@GlennKesslerWP) February 2, 2017
… Or sometimes, all three factors! And the blowback on every trumpstunt continues:
White House nixed Holocaust statement naming Jews – POLITICO https://t.co/M6ZvS8or0s
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) February 3, 2017
The State Department drafted its own statement last month marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day that explicitly included a mention of Jewish victims, according to people familiar with the matter, but President Donald Trump’s White House blocked its release…
Instead, the White House’s own statement drew widespread criticism for overlooking the Jews’ suffering, and was cheered by neo-Nazi website the Daily Stormer…
The White House’s explanations for omitting Jews in its statement haven’t quelled the controversy and in some cases made it worse. Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks originally defended the omission to CNN saying, “we are an incredibly inclusive group and we took into account all of those who suffered.” Chief of Staff Reince Priebus said he didn’t regret the wording.
White House press secretary Sean Spicer on Monday accused critics of “nitpicking” over the statement. He said it was written “with the help of an individual who is both Jewish and the descendent of Holocaust survivors.” A source with knowledge of the situation told POLITICO that person was Trump aide Boris Epshteyn…
Great job breaking it, Repubs!
This is really reminding me of the Watergate-revelation days, only louder and shoddier, as befits the farce succeeding a tragedy. I need to dig out my beloved copies of The Friends of Richard Nixon (George V. Higgins) and How the Good Guys Finally Won (Jimmy Breslin). Modern reviews complain that they’re insufficiently descriptive, to which I can only reply: You had to be there!
Open Thread: The Shoddier the Jury-Rigging, the Quicker the Ship Falls ApartPost + Comments (199)