The Republicans are starting to remind me of Monty Python’s black knight.
No matter how much their arguments in support of Trump are shredded, Republicans still holler that no one has proved Trump did anything wrong. We all knew going in that no matter what was proved to have happened, it was unlikely the Republican Senate would remove Trump from office. That certainly hasn’t changed.
I confess I have a hard time watching because I seem to only check in when Republicans are asking questions. As soon as they start on the whistleblower, or Hunter Biden, or anything to do with the bleeping Steele Dossier, I turn it off again. This usually happens within seconds.
See Greg Sargent, The GOP defense of Trump is in slow-motion collapse. It’s about to get worse.
Republicans continue to insist there was no connection between the withheld aid and Trump’s corrupt demand that Ukraine carry out his political dirty deeds. Never mind that Sondland actually did convey that message to Ukraine, and that Sondland has now confirmed that overwhelming evidence persuaded him that this is what Trump intended.
The GOP defense is now this: Trump is exonerated, because it hasn’t yet been nailed down beyond any doubt that Trump directly commanded Sondland to tell Ukraine that the money was withheld for that corrupt purpose.
Like many other GOP defenses, this one is in slow-motion collapse. And it’s about to get worse.
And worse it got. Devin Nunes continues to push the fiction that Ukraine interfered with the 2016 election, which Fiona Hill pointedly shot down today.
“I refuse to be part of an effort to legitimize an alternate narrative that the Ukrainian government is a U.S. adversary, and that Ukraine — not Russia — attacked us in 2016,” the statement says. “These fictions are harmful even if they are deployed for purely domestic political purposes.”
Not that it will make any difference to Nunes. See also Alex Ward, Thursday’s impeachment testimony makes the Burisma-Biden connection undeniable.
I will say one thing for Gordon Sondland — the guy is no fool. Neither is he innocent; he went along willingly with the obvious corruption and tried to shield Trump as long as he could. But he knew when to fold. While he may be persona non grata in Republican circles for some time, he won’t face prosecutions. He’ll keep his money and his businesses and enjoy some celebrity for a while.
About last night’s debate — it was the best one so far, I thought. The questions were sensible. I don’t think any one candidate stood out, but most helped themselves. The exceptions were Joe Biden, who really isn’t as mentally sharp as he probably used to be, and Tulsi Gabbard, who appears to be auditioning for a Fox News gig. Tom Steyer still fails to provide any reason for his being there, other than his money. Everyone else did fine.
Here's what bugs me. Trump told many people to work with Guiliani on Ukraine. Mayor Bug-eyes was all over TV demanding investigations into Hunter Biden and claiming proof that VP Biden was protecting Burisma because of Hunter Biden's job. Rudy has claimed he was working as the president's personal attorney. Trump has identified Rudy as his personal attorney, Multiple witnesses have said Rudy demanded the investigations, particularly Burisma, with officials of the Ukrainian government as a precondition of official acts by the president. (Phone call, personal meeting, and release of aid) Trump has not disowned Rudy or his actions in ANY way. All of this looks like a deliberate device.
1) Have Rudy do the dirty deeds
2) Don't ever have POTUS make the illegal demands.
3) Let Rudy hide behind privilege if any investigations happen.
4) Have GOP in Congress claim there is no proof Trump did it.
Trump claimed he wasn't doing it (when he was) with Ron Johnson and with Gordon Sunderland. This is equivalent to claiming to two different police officers you didn't commit the murder, but it doesn't explain the body in the trunk. It's not proof of anything.
The evidence of duress is evident. As SOON as aid was released, President Z of Ukraine canceled the interview with CNN.
Dr. Hill appears to speak with stunning levels of knowledge and understanding of Russian methods of asymmetrical warfare. Her cautions of effects of past attacks and warning of future aggressive interventions are best heeded. She cites evidence of previous actions by Russia are aimed at discrediting our elections and enriching people and organizations that foster controversy and discord. In essence, using internal domestic U.S. factions on domestic issues to weaken the country as a whole.
For Republicans to keep blinders on regarding the extent of the Russian threat is quite alarming. It is more so since facts emerge as to the hold on security assistance to Ukraine are at the heart of the impeachment inquiry, The willingness of Trump, Giuliani, and Pompeo to implement an extortion plan for political gain that had direct and certain gain for Russian interests needs bipartisan concern or lends to the conclusion that the Republican Party is acting in bad faith to the people of the United States.
Trump continues to vilify Democrats, and deny Russian aggression and interference. Doing so continues the divisive asymmetrical warfare fostered by the Russians and directly appears to aide and abet these actions. For Republicans to provide cover for these actions is alarming. Wrapped in the flag, they pamper those who's aim is to destroy it with blinders firmly in place. As Dr. Hill quite effectively communicated, spreading false claims about a Russian generated cover story for election interference is harmful to the interests of the United States. Republicans too, have a duty to the citizens to protect our interests and need to start doing so. Acting as pawns for Russia does not do that.
Dr. Hill identifies herself as apolitical with her first allegiance being the truth. As so often happens of late, the truth does seem to have a political bias. The path to the truth, however, is generally impaired by biases. At this point in time the Republican bias seems quite the roadblock to the truth for them on this issue. How silly to have one's political reality dominate their intrinsic reality. To do so is a serious personal flaw in my view which hampers the quest for the truth. That and Dr. Hill's British accent and her use of the language make her statements and views seem of superior levels of credibility. The Republicans should emulate her ability to seek truth without political bias. It does get to the point that Republican's reputation for untruth, mushy thinking, and obvious bias makes it almost impossible for one to listen to them at all.
That and Dr. Hill's British accent and her use of the language make her statements and views seem of superior levels of credibility.
Yeah, and the fact that she described Giuliani's actions as his being on a political errand as opposed to carrying out American foreign policy.
Dr. Hill made a great point (and a plea) about not falling for Putin's game of bait-and-switch.
Pooty-Poot wants Republicans – and especially Jabba the tRUMP – to believe his story that Russia didn't interfere with the 2016 election, it was Ukraine that did! Belief in that would further divide an already divided America!
Of course, her plea went over the Republicans heads, past their ears, and bounced off their empty head's on the rebound!
What I find curious, is that not only did the Senate Intelligence Committee conclude that it was Russia who interfered in 2016 – BUT ALSO THE HOUSE'S! BTW – IN THE HOUSE WHILE R'S CONTROLLED IT!
So my question is, how can the Republican members of this House think that BOTH Russia and Ukraine did that dirty deed in 2016?!?
Is this some kind of Quantum Theory as it applies to today's political situation: Schrodingers Politics?
OY!!!!!!!!!!!!
On this day 56 years ago JFK was assassinated. Time flys, huh?
Russian interference is one of the most important parts of this story. Hill helped reveal the Orwellian "oligarchic collective" of Russians and Republican donors and other players at work. All the usual suspects in right wing media are spinning madly to divert and deny. Russian interference on Twitter can be watched here:
https://securingdemocracy.gmfus.org/
For anyone interested in how this all works on a granular lever, Christopher Wylie's book Mindf*ck is a real eye opener.
Sorry, I meant granular level. Spell check can't catch them all …
I confess I have a hard time watching because I seem to only check in when Republicans are asking questions.
I don’t watch it live, I get home and choose excerpts, either on MSNBC or internet. I’m not interested in Republican nonsense, I want to see how the principals came off, for example LTC Vindman or Fiona Hill. And how Adam Schiff is dealing with it all. I have heard enough right wing nonsense to fill ten lifetimes and have zero patience for it. Life is way too short to waste on Stupid.
Swami,
Yeah, time flies.
But Kennedy shouldn't have to Dallas!