So much going on. By now you’ve heard the FBI has arrested Roger Stone with indictments for obstruction, making false statements, and witness tampering. It’s also being widely reported this morning that an “unnamed Trump campaign official” who plays a significant role in the indictments is Steve Bannon. At the very least, the indictments tell us there was lots of communication going on between the Trump campaign and Wikileaks. Martin Longman sums it up:
The Trump campaign conspired, colluded, and coordinated with WikiLeaks to disseminate stolen, private communications of U.S. citizens and the Democratic Party in order to seek an advantage in a political campaign. We no longer need to have any debate about that question.
What we don’t know is how much Trump himself was involved with any of this or to what degree the Trump campaign understood that Russia was involved in the hacking.
The latest news is that Stone is refusing to plead guilty. He’s bullshitted his way through a so-called career; maybe he thinks he can bullshit his way through the courts.
Several hours ago Trump folded on the State of the Union speech and acknowledged that he wouldn’t be giving it in the House chamber until Nancy Pelosi says he can give it, and that will be after the government shutdown ends. I don’t see that he had a choice that didn’t make him look even more pathetic.
Is our POTUS learning? His “border wall” bill failed to pass in the Senate yesterday. A Dem “no border wall” bill also failed, but six Republicans crossed lines and voted for both bills, while only one Dem (Manchin) voted for the Republican bill. This means the Dem bill came closer to the 60 vote “end cloture” threshold. What will Trump’s next move be, if any? Politico reported yesterday,
White House officials aren’t sure of their next move.
But they do know one thing: they’re losing, and they want to cut a deal.
The president is weighing the idea of a three-week continuing resolution to fund the government, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) revealed Thursday afternoon, reviving a prospect the president has previously ruled out. Trump acknowledged the proposal in an afternoon meeting with lawmakers, saying that Democrats would have to offer “some sort of pro-rated down payment” on the Mexican border wall he is demanding. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi quickly shot down Graham’s idea, however, telling reporters late Thursday “that is not a reasonable agreement.”
Especially after yesterday’s Senate votes, seems to me the Dems don’t have to offer anything.
It’s possible the Senate is moving in the direction of a clean CR to open government like the one it passed in December. Or, it’s possible that by some time next week the Senate will pass a bill to open the government that doesn’t specifically include border wall funding but which might include some additional border security money the president can play with.
Meanwhile, Trump and his people continue to demonstrate they have no idea how ordinary people live. It’s the “let them eat cake” administration. Trump’s poll numbers continue to erode. And his losing, on every front I can think of.
Update: Trump caved faster than I expected him to. Congressional leaders, Trump reach tentative deal to temporarily reopen government without wall funds, according to Hill officials.
"…pro-rated down payment…?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"
What are you negotiating over, "Donny Dollhands." A used car?
Donny: "I can't pay the full $500 deposit or your antique Yugo. What 'bout if I give you a pro-rated deposit?"
Man selling Yugo "WTF? FTW! Who the hell are you, and what are to talking about??"
The LAT is showing a picture of Stone defiantly reprising Tricky Dick’s ‘Victory’ body language. I am so going to enjoy seeing this guy in an orange jumpsuit.
'The Lioness In Winter' wins!
'The Merchant of Menace' loses!
Loses!
LOSING!!
LOSING LIKE A LOSER, LOSING!!!!!
I hope Roger has a 15 year supply of soap-on-rope in case he runs into a Nixon fan in the prison shower. *
* This is not to advocate… Uhm… Staring at a man's back in a prison shower! Yeah, that's it!!! "
I listenened to Trump try to spin his surrender into the claim his border wall is about to be built. How will Hannity, Limbaugh and Coulter accept Trump's capitulation? I suspect Trump will get a token amount for the "wall". Maybe 500 million with a promise of future negotiation to let Trump pretend he won. Why should Nancy let Trump pretend anything?; She's a pro. She can accept victory with grace. Anyone who doesn't have his head shoulders-deep in a dark place can see Trump was crushed.
Doug:" Anyone who doesn't have his head shoulders-deep in a dark place can see Trump was crushed"
I agree, I must say I'm a bit surprised, I figured Trump would hold out long enough to let the MSM turn on the democrats, for some reason they (the MSM) pretty much stuck to the fact that this was Trumps shutdown. Score one for Nancy Pelosi, I'm glad she didn't take my advice and give him a deal!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2qJoYS1niw
Requesting the dancing banana.
Trump promised Coulter a wall, but instead delivered a cave.
Adjusting to life in or after the cave requires us to embrace the primitive. I have taken to drawing petroglyphs as art therapy. I was getting tired of those colored pencils and those overly geometric calming adult coloring books anyway.
I recommend either for Gorge Will. It seems Lindsey has truly drug him into a mental crisis of sorts. Proving that walls lave limitations, I snuck Will's tirade past the WaPo pay one. It was worth more than the favor it will cost me. A little trickle down benefit from a friend who is on the other side of the wall. This snippet should probably give enough of the tone of the piece:
Lindsey did, go to the mat on the wall and the shutdown with shrieks forecasts of doom. Doom it probably is. Not because it was a good or even workable idea, but because it was a bogus solution to a hyped up problem. Doom to that sort of politics is a good thing. Let us hope this political beast has been repressed for a while. This dragon never seems to be vanquished for good.
Now I just have to decide witch wall of the cave the beast would look best on and return to my art therapy. I worry about old George a bit. How much can one spleen take?
What effect is the Trump defeat going to have? On Trump and the Trump supporters? Trump has supreme arrogance but he just got publicly flogged by Pelosi. Trump knows Democrats aren't afraid of him and will bring him down in the style of a wild pack of dogs bringing down the oldest weakest straggler in the herd. The Mueller Investigation and House inquiries are going to deliver more injuries. All of them will display the weakness of the con man in the White House.
Trum will play the victimhood card, That will satisfy some BUT, a lot of the people who believed in Trump thought he was a winner, not a supreme victim. Bill came back from victimhood and scored victories but he had a plan and political agenda. Trump's agenda was the wall and racism for some and the illusion he built on a TV show for others. The illusion is being shattered – all Trump will have is racism and a wall, neither of which he can deliver in the fullness Trump supporters want.
The only hypothetical out for Trump (other than fleeing to Moscow) is reelection, assuming the GOP in the Senate won't impeach. How's he gonna do that with ratings in the toilet and no agenda for populist issues like health care and higher wages?
Doug: " BUT, a lot of the people who believed in Trump thought he was a winner "
His supporters (30%) will stand by his side, if someone was dumb enough to think a guy who filed for bankruptcy six times, along with all of business failures (Trump Steaks, Trump Casino's, Trump University, etc) was a winner they can be convinced of anything. That being said I don't see how he gets re-elected unless of course the russians get involved again and our candidate is a complete loser?
filtered as twit again!