The real story here is why are there so many illegal leaks coming out of Washington? Will these leaks be happening as I deal on N.Korea etc?
Good point. Michael Flynn resigned not because he broke the law, not because he could be blackmailed over it by Russia, and not because he lied about it to Mike Pence. He resigned because the press found out about it.
Assuming that there are more leaks than usual, which is what all media outlets are saying, the "real story here is why" President* Trump's erratic, hateful and incompetent actions have led to them. For example:
JTA wrote:Watch the handshake when Trudeau exits the car on his way to meet Trump. You can tell Trudeau knew what was up and that Trump was gonna do that weird thing where he pulls the other person towards him. If you look at Trump's hand you can tell he's trying to do it, but Trudeau remains firm.
The real story here is why are there so many illegal leaks coming out of Washington? Will these leaks be happening as I deal on N.Korea etc?
Good point. Michael Flynn resigned not because he broke the law, not because he could be blackmailed over it by Russia, and not because he lied about it to Mike Pence. He resigned because the press found out about it.
Assuming that there are more leaks than usual, which is what all media outlets are saying, the "real story here is why" President* Trump's erratic, hateful and incompetent actions have led to them. For example:
billy.pilgrim wrote:I hope everyone watched colbert last night. He lit into the new trump spokes kid from Brietbart big time and laid out a big time challenge.
Hope he uploads it to youtube. I didn't get to see it.
The real story here is why are there so many illegal leaks coming out of Washington? Will these leaks be happening as I deal on N.Korea etc?
Says the President who - when news of the latest N.Korea missile test came in while having dinner with the Japanese president - had a strategy meeting right there and then. In the middle of a restaurant. With other diners listening in and tweeting about it.
I know I said "Trump will never be elected" and I was wrong. In part because I yet again over-estimated the intelligence of voters and in part because I followed state by state polls. I followed the same practice with the election that I do with March Madness - I look at a panel of people who supposedly know what they're doing, go with a compilation of their picks, maybe tweak a little for my own satisfaction, but generally rely on them. I've won more often than I've lost, but it's by no means 100%. Sometimes things don't go according to the data.
Having said that, however, I really don't see how Trump is going to last 4 years. I suppose there is no limit on what he could do that would alienate his faithful, but I don't see how he can avoid screwing up so badly that he'll have to go one way or another. Even Nixon still had some supporters when he waved buh-bye on the plane. But off he flew into the netherworld. If Trump really were a good manager, strong on organization and leadership and it was just his own ignorance, then he could compensate. But he's soooooo bad at handling even simple things, and so much of an authoritarian, he's doomed. NTTAWWT.
I'm inclined to agree, but the counter argument is that he's so vain and insane that he would suffer any humiliation rather than live the rest of his life as a "quitter". Of course, that still leaves open the possibilities of assassination, impeachment, suicide, debilitating illness and natural death.
There's also the possibility that he'll adapt, having learned the hard way. Some of his worst staff are gone - Paul Manafort, Michael Flynn and his batshit loony son before him, Roger Stone and Corey Lewandowski. Others are likely gone soon.
Given some sane, adult advisors he might do an acceptable job. As I mentioned in the non-Trump Republicans thread, having all the sane adult Republicans disown him was going to make things worse.
"Grow up" might be a better term. This is his first real job; it could happen. He may realize that he HAS TO get some good advisors, and listen to them. But I only give it a 50/50 chance of happening.
rstrong wrote:
Given some sane, adult advisors he might do an acceptable job. ...
The key is to get rid of Steve Bannon.
Given that he would follow the advice of those sane adult advisors, which never in his lifetime so far has there been any indication he'd likely do. Sane, adult advisors are dull, not creative, not flashy, and most of all the good ones aren't going to be Trump Toadies who spend the majority of their time simply trying to curry favor. Thus he will continue to listen to the Toadies and fire the sane adults.
Bannon is going to have to go because eventually everyone will think (or know) that Trump's his puppet and Trump won't be able to stand it. He's tight with Bannon now, but he was tight with Christie, Guliani, and others who have gone to bed in Trumpland and woke up in Siberia.
