The thread where we meet to discuss the unfolding Trump administration catastrophe, but end up discussing adoptions from Russia

[illegitimateMortificadospawn]

If we can get our hands free to type from the constant facepalming, we should be able to post on this topic.

Continuation of the previous thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2968382-The-one-where-Trump-just-cant-stop-being-Trump

Hadas Gold @Hadas_Gold
As @oliverdarcy notes, Fox News only network airing full, uninterrupted W.H. audio-only briefing as soon as it was over

Someone who is the Pence camp perhaps?

*in

I seem to recall that Mr Pence is not known as an............intellectual powerhouse.

Oh. Mrs Pence then?

Here's the modern equivalent of a duel:

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/vladimir-putin-judo-fraud-fights-staged-macho-image-allegation-benjamin-wittes-lawfare-a7847151.html

A house divided and all that:

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/steve-bannon-paul-ryan-insult-comments-quote-petri-dish-devils-bargain-joshua-green-a7847451.html

Onwards.

thehill.com/homenews/senate/342557-mueller-tells-senate-judiciary-it-can-interview-trump-jr-manafort

....The White House could not be immediately reached for comment....

I guess that Mueller has no concerns about Junior imperilling himself.

Further.

This is good.

m.dailykos.com/stories/2017/7/17/1681351/-Incredible-CNN-interview-with-Trump-voters-Half-of-panel-participants-now-regret-their-vote?detail=emaildkre

Although I think the likelihood of being allowed to talk in open session - by the lawyers - in front of a committee is low indeed.

That's a really peculiar post, Kursk.

Of course the Russian intelligence service is supposed to work in Russia's interest, and to attack the US (or UK, or China, or Poland...) by whatever means, if that's in Russian interests. This is what intelligence services do.

It would be odd if a US citizen's response to that were, "Fine by me, help yourself."

Rather than, "My country is being attacked, how can I defend against this?"

Or even, "My country is being strongly influenced by another country which has only in its own interests in view, not my country's. How can I act in my country's best interests?"

(Ditto citizen of UK, China, Poland...)

It would be more than 'odd', Perking.

Apparently, anyone would have gone to THAT meeting.

But, if you were, say, Al Gore and had come across some stuff obtained illicitly from the opposing campaign, what would you have done?
Report it? What a shocker.
(although he did loose the electoral college vote)

I saw that earlier. They behaved as I would expect.

With honour that is.

Although thinking about it, I'm not sure if all intelligence services take offensive actions, rather than just defensive. Japan, for example, is bound to non-belligerency by its constitution. And it's hard to imagine New Zealand going on the offensive except at rugby.

But I digress.

Or lose...

I know this us old-ish news, but:

Russia in USA 🇷🇺‏Verified account @RusEmbUSA 10h10 hours ago
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#Ryabkov: we need an unconditional return of 🇷🇺property in the #US🇺🇸; otherwise, retaliation measures will follow ➡️tass.com/politics/956740

What would the "retaliation measures" be?

A more encouraging poll:

Ted Lieu‏Verified account @tedlieu 1h1 hour ago
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Ted Lieu Retweeted Carrie Dann
Just 12% from counties that voted for @realDonaldTrump support #Trumpcare. Why? Because Obamacare is not failing.

Trump and Putin had a second, undisclosed meeting at the G20 summit - and there are no recordings of this meeting. (NYT)

www.nytimes.com/2017/07/18/world/europe/trump-putin-undisclosed-meeting.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur

'Russia specialists said such an encounter — even on an informal basis at a social event — raised red flags because of its length, which suggests a substantive exchange, and the fact that there was no American interpreter, note taker or national security or foreign policy aide present.'

Seth Abramson‏Verified account @SethAbramson 19m19 minutes ago
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Until today, all the claims of Russia deception were about the aides SURROUNDING Trump. But it was TRUMP who tried to hide this G20 meeting.

TheClaws,

That probably happens all the time between leaders, discussing some kind of covert plan, or striking an agreement.

Probably along the lines of, "we will send you cheap uranium, if you agree to turn a blind eye to an invasion of North Korea"