TRUMP, What the hell is going on

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I actually watched Fox News this morning to see if it is as bad as it's made out to be. They had Sarah Huckabee Sanders on and a number of "commentators" who were clearly in the trump camp. It was just nonsense, I had to turn it off after 20 mins, couldn't watch anymore.

Not all of Fox news is so terrrible - Chris Wallace and especially Shep Smith call Trump out all the time. Most of the rest are just sycophantically awful. I believe Fox have also come out in support of Jim Acosta - criticising Trump's removal of Acosta's Press Pass to the WH - which has now been pertly revoked.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Trump slams Admiral William McRaven (highly decorated SEAL commander) when McRaven dares criticise him; and dismisses the US Intel Community assessment of the Khashoggi murder - preferring instead to support and defend the Saudi regime and their money.

Oh he is good - very good...

Except that maybe in the eyes of many Americans he is not so good - because in the mid-terms as final results have rolled in. The popular vote across the USA sees the Dems 8.5% ahead of the GOP - and that is a historically a very significant blue wave. The most recent anywhere near was in 1994 when the GOP swept Congress with a margin of 7%.

And why the 8.5% this time? It seems to have been healthcare - the US public do not believe or trust Trump on healthcare.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Trump gonna be very not happy - in fact he's going to be a-raging. Michael Cohen pleads guilty to lying to Congress about when Trump was involved in a Moscow 'Trump Tower'.

And why did Cohen lie? Well Cohen tells the Mueller investigation that he did so out of loyalty to Trump - to line up with what Trump and other Trump supporters were saying of Trumps business dealings in Russia prior to the election. And what Cohen has said may now contradict with what Trump has subsequently himself said.

Meanwhile on the Manafort front - good boys-own spy-intrigue stuff.

We find out that Manafort's lawyer has been briefing Trump and his lawyers over what the Mueller investigation have been asking Manafort and the nature of the investigations. And there is a growing suspicion that Manafort plead guilty (as he has done) and so is under investigation purely so that Trump can get an 'inside line' on the Mueller investigation - Manafort knowing that come what may he'll get a pardon from Trump. But Trump of course can't help himself as he has been talking about he has inside information about the 'witch hunt' - as he calls it. And now we know how...

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Broadcast by ABC today - Michael Cohen speaking out on Trump's recent tweets attacking him and his family - Cohen is not willing to take more from Trump given he's been truthful and been handed a 3yr prison sentence.

I lied for him (Trump) for more than 10yrs ... out of loyalty.

https://abc13.com/politics/watch-michael-cohen-speaks-exclusively-on-gma/4896898/

 

[larmen]

German newscare writing about illegal donations from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE. Could explain why he doesn’t follow the senate to condemn the prince. And at what point are we getting close to treason?

A Trump trial on pay per view could be good for the US budget ;-) making America great again.

 

[Hobbit]

The guy is teflon coated. He'll see his term out.

 

[ger147]

The guy is teflon coated. He'll see his term out.

I wonder what the odds are at the bookies of a Trump 2nd term?

 

[Hobbit]

I wonder what the odds are at the bookies of a Trump 2nd term?

A month ago I'd have said he'll get a second term. Now I'm not so sure.

 

[ger147]

A month ago I'd have said he'll get a second term. Now I'm not so sure.

I have no idea whether he can win a 2nd term or not, my gut feel says if the Democrats come up with a good candidate, he will lose next time round.

But you never know, he couldn't win 1st time round according to everyone who knew better...

 

[GreiginFife]

A month ago I'd have said he'll get a second term. Now I'm not so sure.

Never underestimate the mob stupidity of middle 'murica.

 

[Hobbit]

The Attorney General for New York State has ordered the closure of Trump's charity foundation amid accusations of illegality. She has accused Trump and his 3 eldest children of using the charity's money for political and personal gain. The list of illegal use is long.

The outstanding monies can only be disbursed by reputable organisations appointed by the AG. Trump and family are not allowed any access to the foundation.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

...and also yesterday and in court Trump's ex National Security Adviser took a hammering from the sentencing judge - with the judge seriously not impressed by Flynn's undercover actions for Turkey whilst NSA in the heart of the WH - stating “I am going to be frank with you, this crime is very serious, I can’t hide my disgust, my disdain, at this criminal offence.”

The judge was also pretty critical of the government lawyers for arranging a 'no immediate custodial sentence' sweetheart deal with Flynn's lawyers for Flynn's cooperation...and asked 6 times whether Flynn's lawyers really wanted to continue to sentencing that day. Five times they said no - and only on the 6th time of asking when the judge pointed to the US flag in the courtroom and said that what Flynn had done “...undermines everything this flag over here stands for.” did they accept the offer. Flynn's lawyers clearly had had an 'oh shoot - we're in trouble' moment and agreed to delay sentencing to give time - as the judge was saying - time to add more to the balance that will enable him to not give Flynn a custodial sentence. I wonder what Flynn has been saying and will now say further...and will Trump call him a 'rat' - as he has called Michael Cohen.

Ve-e-e-ree interesting.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

What's going on all around Trump is that the investigations (17 in total) are getting closer to Trump, the Trump family and the Trump Organisation.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller requests the transcript of the House Intel Committee 2017 interview of Roger Stone (a Trump 'best buddy' if he has one) - and the GOP chaired committee today agreed to release it. Might be nothing in at all and the GOP may be saying - look Mueller - nothing to see here. An alternative might be that Stone told a lot that the GOP were very uncomfortable withholding.

Quite separately - that Letter of Intent for the Trump tower in Moscow that didn't exist, and even if it did it wasn't signed by Trump? (the Giuliani defence...) - well waddya know - CNN get hold of said LoT - signed by Trump. And when Trump was saying he had no ongoing commercial dealings with Russia? All lies and deceit. Maybe not criminal in their own right - but simply lies to the American public and evidence of dealings that could have opened Trump up to acts of coercion by 3rd parties...

Surely even Trump would not chuck in as a diversionary tactic pulling the US troops out of Syria against the advice of all National Security advisers and the military - who knows...

And the Border Wall and Trump shutting down government if the Dems don't approve budget for the wall in the government spending bill? Pity - the Senate has just passed a temporary bill proposed by the GOP to tide things over until Feb to reduce the risk of an immediate government shut down as threatened by Trump. Of course it has to get through Congress and then be signed off by Trump. If it gets to him it will be interesting to see if he refuses to sign off a GOP bill.

 

[ColchesterFC]

Yet more evidence of your double standards/hypocrisy SiLH. Trump lies about something (or lots of things) and you're all over it. Corbyn lies about what he said and you defend him and blame the Tories. The Remain campaign lied and you defended it as just exaggeration. Maybe Trump didn't lie. Maybe he just exaggerated.

 

[Hobbit]

Yet more evidence of your double standards/hypocrisy SiLH. Trump lies about something (or lots of things) and you're all over it. Corbyn lies about what he said and you defend him and blame the Tories. The Remain campaign lied and you defended it as just exaggeration. Maybe Trump didn't lie. Maybe he just exaggerated.

Very succinct and well said.

Sadly I given up hope that Hogie will even recognise a glimmer in the above.

 

[gmc40]

Yet more evidence of your double standards/hypocrisy SiLH. Trump lies about something (or lots of things) and you're all over it. Corbyn lies about what he said and you defend him and blame the Tories. The Remain campaign lied and you defended it as just exaggeration. Maybe Trump didn't lie. Maybe he just exaggerated.

To be fair, everything that's going on around Trump is a little more serious than whether Corbyn said "Stupid Woman" or "Stupid People".

There's a fair bit of faux outrage over what Jezza did or didn't say.

 

[Dando]

Yet more evidence of your double standards/hypocrisy SiLH. Trump lies about something (or lots of things) and you're all over it. Corbyn lies about what he said and you defend him and blame the Tories. The Remain campaign lied and you defended it as just exaggeration. Maybe Trump didn't lie. Maybe he just exaggerated.

Trump lies, but Corbyn exaggerates!
Lets hope SILH ducks out of this thread as well

 

[Hacker Khan]

Makes me laugh when people say they would have liked a trump like figure negotiating brexit for us.

As he's been repeatedly shown to be someone who made false promises that he can't enact and the absolute driving force behind anything he does is how it will benefit him personally in terms of keeping in power.

He'd of fitted in well 😉

 

[Griffsters]

Its pretty right wing on here, I welcome Swings it Like Hogan bringing a different perspective. One thing he has in Common with Trump is that he is teflon coated.

 

[IanM]

Interesting that an exec order last week to regenerate inner cities got zero coverage over here!

Imagine if a video of him stoking womens' hair (like one on the Brexit thread) did the rounds?

He is still a arse, but funny how the coverage is managed...