All Purpose News and Politics Thread Part IV: The Center Cannot Hold

[Gray Lensman]

One of the other big revelations from today's hearing...

The acting DNI, Dan Maguire, could not verify if Rudy Giuliani has a security clearance.

Which, if Giuliani can prove the State Department had him acting as an emissary in Ukraine without one... holy s***.

That, and he supposedly blurted out to the news the following words..."I'm not acting as a lawyer!" So much for privilege if that sticks.

[Iron Maiden]

I'm just waiting to see who will be the first one of this bunch to step forward and flip on Trump. I bet the Mooch and Michael Cohen are going to say "told ya "

[Tami]

I'm just waiting to see who will be the first one of this bunch to step forward and flip on Trump. I bet the Mooch and Michael Cohen are going to say "told ya "

The Mooch is already saying that.

[Gray Lensman]

The Mooch is already saying that.

And Cohen basically said it in advance during his congressional hearings.

[wjowski]

I like Warren but I think she will sink the election like past candidates perceived to be too liberal, like George McGovern and Mike Dukakis. Both landslide losses. We need all the Democrats and all the fence sitters to vote against Trump

And how will electing Biden, someone who's been a senator longer than many people on this board have been alive, do that?

Now keep in mind, I like Biden, and I feel some of the **** he caught when he announced his nomination is unfair, but the GOP is going to be using that long, long voting record of his to tie a noose around his neck if he gets the nomination.

[Gray Lensman]

And how will electing Biden, someone who's been a senator longer than many people on this board have been alive, do that?

Now keep in mind, I like Biden, and I feel some of the **** he caught when he announced his nomination is unfair, but the GOP is going to be using that long, long voting record of his to tie a noose around his neck if he gets the nomination.

Everyone running has negatives, the issue is going to be how big those negatives are, and how effectively Donnie's Cronies can define the opposition with something loosely based upon them.

[Dalak]

I like Warren but I think she will sink the election like past candidates perceived to be too liberal, like George McGovern and Mike Dukakis. Both landslide losses. We need all the Democrats and all the fence sitters to vote against Trump

Pretty much what Lensman has said, Donnie's going to have a slur for each of them that can be repeated at his rallies and it's a matter of how well it affects the populace at large.

Everyone running has negatives, the issue is going to be how big those negatives are, and how effectively Donnie's Cronies can define the opposition with something loosely based upon them.

[PaulBullion]

Trump threatens US officials who gave information to the Ukraine case whistleblower

Which didn't stop the NYT from basically doxing the whistleblower.

They are trying very hard to be hated by the entire political spectrum. It's an odd business strategy.

[BeastieRunner]

IMO, without their names and testimony I don't know how this goes to impeachment. The fact that it summarizes the transcript should be the grounds to push for full transparency, but until that happens I think he has room to get off on this.

Pinning him to trying to cover it up would be pretty damn helpful too.

The coverup is the crime, the phone call was piss poor political judgment.

Unlike Nixon, Trump got caught in the act of a coverup and the more that is coming out is that this is the most RECENT thing he's trying to cover up.

The skeletons are about to fall out.

I'm willing to bet money after testimony of the whistleblower, that you'll see somebody flip for immunity and the graves will begin to be uncovered.

[worstblogever]

And Cohen basically said it in advance during his congressional hearings.

From Cohen's opening statement before his Congressional Testimony:

As many people that know me best would say, I am the person they would call at 3AM if they needed help. I proudly remember being the emergency contact for many of my children's friends when they were growing up because their parents knew that I would drop everything and care for them as if they were my own.
Yet, last fall I pled guilty in federal court to felonies for the benefit of, at the direction of, and in coordination with Individual #1.
For the record: Individual #1 is President Donald J. Trump. It is painful to admit that I was motivated by ambition at times. It is even more painful to admit that many times I ignored my conscience and acted loyal to a man when I should not have. Sitting here today, it seems unbelievable that I was so mesmerized by Donald Trump that I was willing to do things for him that I knew were absolutely wrong.
For that reason, I have come here to apologize to my family, to the government, and to the American people.
***
Accordingly, let me now tell you about Mr. Trump. I got to know him very well, working very closely with him for more than 10 years, as his Executive Vice President and Special Counsel and then personal attorney when he became President. When I first met Mr. Trump, he was a successful entrepreneur, a real estate giant, and an icon. Being around Mr. Trump was intoxicating. When you were in his presence, you felt like you were involved in something greater than yourself -- that you were somehow changing the world.

I wound up touting the Trump narrative for over a decade. That was my job. Always stay on message. Always defend. It monopolized my life. At first, I worked mostly on real estate developments and other business transactions. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Trump brought me into his personal life and private dealings. Over time, I saw his true character revealed.

Mr. Trump is an enigma. He is complicated, as am I. He has both good and bad, as do we all. But the bad far outweighs the good, and since taking office, he has become the worst version of himself. He is capable of behaving kindly, but he is not kind. He is capable of committing acts of generosity, but he is not generous. He is capable of being loyal, but he is fundamentally disloyal.

[Theleviathan]

The coverup is the crime, the phone call was piss poor political judgment.

Unlike Nixon, Trump got caught in the act of a coverup and the more that is coming out is that this is the most RECENT thing he's trying to cover up.

The skeletons are about to fall out.

I'm willing to bet money after testimony of the whistleblower, that you'll see somebody flip for immunity and the graves will begin to be uncovered.

I disagree, I think what he did is the crime. It's a form of bribery or blackmail. The coverup is what escalates it to the point that we might get the Senate to convict.

[BeastieRunner]

I disagree, I think what he did is the crime. It's a form of bribery or blackmail. The coverup is what escalates it to the point that we might get the Senate to convict.

Well today, he just told a bunch of UN delegates that they should help him shoot the "spy" ... the whistle blower. Or he should just deal with it like in "the old days."

There's another crime.

[BeastieRunner]

LOL!

"I'm not going to answer any questions about my perfect call to Ukraine. It's a disgrace. I'm doing good things about the economy. You can ask me anything about the economy."

"How will this impeachment hearing impact the economy?"

[Theleviathan]

LOL!

"I'm not going to answer any questions about my perfect call to Ukraine. It's a disgrace. I'm doing good things about the economy. You can ask me anything about the economy."

"How will this impeachment hearing impact the economy?"

Did that really happen? I ask because I'd love to watch that exchange go down.

[BeastieRunner]

Did that really happen? I ask because I'd love to watch that exchange go down.

His tarmac interview today. Then he went on a old white-man tirade, complete with yelling at the press core.



EDIT: Man, they edited out him walking away and then walking back after being asked that. The tirade is there.