The one in which Trump orders his staff to fire Mueller, and they give him the finger

[PerkingFaintly]

Apparently this has already happened, back in July 2017.

But the orange one try again...

Trump Ordered Mueller Fired, but Backed Off When White House Counsel Threatened to Quit
www.nytimes.com/2018/01/25/us/politics/trump-mueller-special-counsel-russia.html

Coverage by Maddow: twitter.com/maddow?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Previous thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3142761-All-Trump-sees-is-green-All-we-see-is-a-traitorous-orange-menace-Who-is-right-Place-bets-now-Trump-continued?pg=1

Ex KGB defector Yuri Bezmenov actually said the brainwashing techniques they used would cause people to deny reality even if it smacked the brainwashed in the face. Reading here he wasn't wrong shockingly.

This is going to be one hell of week!

A word from Yuri

m.youtube.com/watch?v=_Iz3VjoHXLA

I keep thinking (and probably going on about, sorry) that watergate also went slowly with the republicans shielding their president until they suddenly couldn’t any more. I wasn’t around when it happened but that seems to be pretty consistent in accounts of watergate. So perhaps all is not lost yet.

The Hoarse Whisperer
@HoarseWisperer
Stressing out about the day's news?

This may help.

A shortie on the doings at the FBI.

1/

Earlier today, it was announced that FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe was leaving effective immediately.

With Trump's endless criticism of McCabe, it's pretty natural that the collective reaction was shock and fear... as if Trump had won here somehow.

2/

In reality, McCabe was poised to leave in two months anyway. He reaches full retirement in March-ish. His departure in and of itself isn't shocking.

The timing seemed sudden and sharp though of course.

3/

The key thing is looking at who Chris Wray appoints to replaces him.

Now, as background, Trump thought Wray was going to be a loyalist because Wray had been involved in helping Chris Christie during Bridgegate.

Wray ain't a dirty bird though.

4/

Wray is ex-Department of Justice. He worked under Jim Comey. He won the highest award for service in DOJ.

He's a Justice Department veteran. He ain't a Trump sleazeball hanger-on.

5/

As FBI Director he has now pushed aside two people Trump was critical of... James Baker and Andrew McCabe.

In normal times, those moves would raise an eyebrow. New bosses bring in their people.

In these abnormal times, they raise plenty of eyebrows.

6/

...but while people worry Wray may be less than a good guy, his actions thus far are incredibly comforting.

After he pushed James Baker aside he appointed someone SURE to rankle Trump. The U.S. Attorney closest to Mueller's investigation. Dana Boente.

7/

Today, immediately after apparently nudging McCabe out the door, Wray announced his replacement...

...and the guy he picked is in many ways Trump's worst nightmare.

David Bowditch. An FBI career man. A mini-Mueller.

8/

Bowditch isn't JUST an FBI veteran, he has the kind of pedigree Republicans would usually experience the kind of erection you have to call your urologist over.

He was a police officer. He joined the FBI and was a sniper on SWAT teams. He was on the Joint Terrorism Task Force

9/

He fought gangs and was instrumental in a history-making gang prosecution.

The guy is a caricature of the kind of "Law and Order" background Trump alleges he cares about.

In a word: he's unimpeachable.

10/

Andrew McCabe had become a distraction and Trump had found some storylines that were effectively muddying the waters.

Chris Wray just did exactly what he did with James Baker's role.

He not only robbed Trump of his ammo, he returned fire with a Howitzer.

11/

Wray just screwed Trump so damn hard, it's gonna leave a mark... and Trump is too dumb to even realize he just got game-set-matched by an appointee who ain't having any of it.

Wray just stole Trump's talking points AND turned up the heat on him.

12/

Even better, Bowditch's elevation entirely earns the trust of the rank and file FBI. They have now seen twice that Wray is on their side not Trump's.

Comey was their homey but now it's Wray all the way.

13/

The most delicious little morsel in this pie to the face is this though...

Chris Wray just sent a 90-decibel message right into Trump's earhole:

"Come after whoever you want. There are a million more behind 'em. There is no stopping the FBI."

So good. So damn good.

p.s. Bowditch is so perfect an appointee, I'm LOLing

Wray just took Trump's rhetoric and shoved it down his throat by appointing someone who it would be absurd to criticize

The guy is a mini-Mueller. Wray replaced McCabe with someone even worse for Trump

www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/david-bowdich-named-assistant-director-in-charge-of-fbi-los-angeles

I could post article after article about Bowditch. Just Google the guy.

He is comically perfect as the face of law enforcement.

Trump is going to lose his mind when he realizes his win was actually a loss.

But to give with one hand and take away with another:

Leah McElrath
@leahmcelrath
I fear it is done.

That said, I will never stop fighting - nor should you.

Dan Pfeiffer
@danpfeiffer
Apparently, democracy can also die in the light

I woke up on 11/9/2016 to the clear realization we had lost a war most people had no idea we were even fighting.

For the record:

This is NOT a reflection on Mueller or his investigation.

The unfortunate reality is laws are just marks on paper if there is no one both able and willing to enforce them.

Mueller cannot save our republic from a GOP that refuses to enforce the law.

Preet Bharara
@PreetBharara
Does anyone know who in our government cares about preventing Russian interference in the next election? Anyone?

It's a serious question. Check the record -- Sessions? Pompeo? Not.

No one in the Republican Party appears able and/or willing to do so.

Democratic efforts have been shut down by the GOP.

Walter Shaub
@waltshaub
Today was a big day for some people who put party over country.
It was one of the darker days of the past 40 years for democracy.

There is no indication any GOP lawmakers will do what is necessary to enforce the rule of law vis a vis the Trump administration.

Political journalists should have been consulting with experts in criminal psychology.

Failure to do so and the (ongoing) resulting expectation Trump will think and/or behave like a person with a conscience has led to a failure of imagination with devastating consequences.

We are watching the systematic destruction of the United States occur with relatively minimal outcry.

This is happening in part because of denial, yes, but it is also happening because a lot of journalists are too afraid to identify obvious patterns for fear of looking uncool.

Please STOP sending me @HoarseWisperer’s thread and Bowditch articles.

The findings of Mueller’s investigation rely on Congress for enforcement.

There is NO evidence the GOP will enforce the law against Trump (or his criminal co-conspirators) and plenty of evidence they won’t.

Right now despair AND hope are our enemies.

Our best chance is to be courageous enough to see things clearly EXACTLY AS THEY ARE.

If you do so, you will likely feel fear and anger - both of which are ENERGIZING.

You fight evil because you must - not because a win is certain.

As an aside - Natsku - is there any news on your brother? Apologies if I have missed it.

Tom Nichols
@RadioFreeTom
GOP HPSCI vote comes out just in time to swamp WH announcement that there won't be any further imposition of sanctions on Russia.

Jasmin Mujanović
@JasminMuj
The real scandal here is that it's been clear for months that the admin would water down and otherwise sabotage the Russia sanctions for months. And then, as now, there will be zero consequence for the WH directly undermining US national interests and security. Truly remarkable.

Sarah Kendzior
@sarahkendzior
Exactly. Like most corrupt acts in this admin, it was predictable and therefore preventable -- if people had the will to do the right thing.

Sarah Kendzior
@sarahkendzior
Exactly. Like most corrupt acts in this admin, it was predictable and therefore preventable -- if people had the will to do the right thing.

For "people", read "GOP", no?

And also democrats, journalists and general public I think

John Stoehr
@johnastoehr
I think polarization became bipartisan in 2000 when the Supreme Court intervened in a presidential election. Polarization was a Republican enterprise before that (Think Newt Gingrich "this is war.). Afterward 2000, the Democrats saw what the Republicans were willing to do to win.

Joy Reid
@JoyAnnReid
The difference is that while Democrats saw it, they never became willing to replicate it. Almost to the end, President Obama thought the gop’s partisan fever would break and they would deal. Ultimately he turned to EOs but Dems overall stayed bound by the normal political rules.

I think Democrats have been in a 17 year state of shock over just how radical the GOP became from the Clinton era on - and how far they are willing to go outside of democratic norms to gain and hold power.

The idea that a major political party would suborn foreign intervention in our elections then demonize federal law enforcement in order to prevent an investigation into the interference, on top of extreme voter suppression and attacks on basic healthcare, voting etc ARE shocking.

But Democrats have been slow to accept what is happening, and even slower in figuring out what to do about it.

I'm currently under the impression that the GOP are the only ones who could actually have curbed this behaviour, had they been so inclined, Pain. But they have been riding roughshod over anyone who disagreed with their self-interest Republican principles?

Breitbarters are calling for blood and civil war. They likely are the sort that sit in bars and mumble, but the below is an example of the comments that are being churned out. I’ve cropped off the name.

You are naive if you think party affiliation denotes loyalty. Mueller being a Republican is a moot point. Also, he's had over a year to do his job. He found nothing but a few trumped up process "crimes." He needs to go, and if he's complicit in the coup attempt against Trump, he should die a traitor's death.

And that’s a mild one.

Natsku - In amongst all this depressing news, I noticed you posting in the wee small hours. Has the baby arrived? Wondered if that’s what was keeping you up.

Yes, in the sense that they are the ones in power. But the press, opposition and the public are supposed to be acting as checks on those in power too and it’s possible that by not taking it seriously enough (obviously this doesn’t apply to everyone), it’s allowed the GOP to grow bolder in their complicity.

The GOP are ultimately to blame - I’m not trying to argue otherwise - but I think there’s been under reacting and normalisation in lots of quarters, probably fuelled by survivorship bias, which has enabled the GOP to more quickly embrace a kleptocracy and abandon any pretence of decency.

Pain - which has enabled the GOP to more quickly embrace a kleptocracy and abandon any pretence of decency. A chillingly succinct appraisal of what has gone on here.

I hope The Hoarse Whisperer is right.

So do I, Lweji.

The responses to this tweet are interesting. As is, actually, Amy Siskind's tweet itself as it seems unduly naive for one of her political perception.

Amy Siskind‏Verified account @Amy_Siskind

I can’t believe John Kelly- a general - is complicit too in taking down our democracy.

I don't know if my worsening headache is because of all this or because of my new glasses, which I've been wearing since Sunday.

I was offline most of yesterday, so coming back to this avalanche of news was depressing. But I'm with Pain and others in still holding onto the fact that Watergate took months too, and Nixon said he had had enough of the SC in his SOTU just months before he resigned.

The GOP are inactive, but they are also now mostly silent. Last week's revelation about Trump wanting to fire Mueller (McGahn taking a DeepThroat/John Dean sort of role?) seemed a turning point in the anti Trump camp, and this is the pro camp firing back. There will probably be more leaks at the end of the week. I'm thinking of it of a series of battles with each side gaining, then losing ground.

Nunes and co seem more to be getting more desperate and taking more risks. Mueller (and Wray if Hoarse Whisperer is right) seem under siege, but cooler and more strategic. The Dems are clueless, because they don't understand this sort of power game (think also Labour/Lib Dem and Brexit in UK)

I still think Mueller will win the war, but it will feel like a close run thing.

🤞🤞🤞

Morning all, long-term lurker and occasional contributor here. Thought I'd share an article by Suzanne Moore I saw this morning (although I misinterpreted the headline and was at the idea that we should consider Trump's ideas seriously). It does have depressing implications, though: resistance is all very well, but the only people who are in a position to actually act seem to be completely unwilling to do so...

Excerpt:

Like everyone else, I have been hooked to a narrative focused on Trump’s black hole of a personality. He is a narcissistic idiot savant who may have dementia/be Putin’s lapdog/be fatter than he says. He is a lazy, venal liar with no impulse control. Every so often, I will tweet him a word meaning idiot. It is random and, for a millisecond, it makes me feel better. But it is a performance of resistance, not an act of it.

Every day some terrible fact is exposed and social media rouses itself and ... nothing much happens. We are caught in a cycle of ineffectual reaction. Can this man really be in charge of pushing the nuclear button, we ask, every single time he pushes our buttons? Michael Wolff’s book Fire and Fury was going to bring it all tumbling down. It is a belting read, in a-bucket-of-KFC way; greasy and ultimately unsatisfying. Hillary Clinton reading bits of it out at the Grammys is surely the ultimate signifier of impotence. Let’s all laugh at him, us who are so much better.

As a collective strategy, this is proving as futile as my pathetic tweets. The Republican party keeps him in power. The Democrats still appear to be in a state of post traumatic stress disorder, stuck in the loss, unable to put it in the past. Trump has delivered to the right, to the Tea Party element, to the so-called “nativists” (also known as racists). He has cut taxes in ways Mitt Romney lost the nomination for talking about. The liberal revulsion to his misogyny and racism has been mistaken for opposition. It is not enough.

We need to rethink our resistance to Donald Trump's ideas

gump for what little it’s worth, Adam Schiff on maddow last night said that the transcript of the debate that concluded in the decision to release the memo would be released today and that people could see how sheepish and ashamed members of the gop sounded as they fell in line with their leader. Now obviously the main thing is that they did do protectionist tribalism and not the right thing by country but I am slightly heartened to hear that they sounded ashamed, whilst simultaneously being depressed that these few crumbs are what I’m holding on to.

mackerella

The focus on his ludicrous ego and ignorance may make us feel superior. But that is all it appears to be doing. He will not be toppled by us jeering at a picture of his enormous arse or reports of his word salad on climate change, his links to Russia and his comments about pussy-grabbing. Not as long as he is supported by racists, the far right, Christian fundamentalists, the global business elite and his own party. And he is. It is time to get serious about what drives this presidency. At the moment, the joke is on us.

Focus on his actions, not his words is a good way of handling this presidency but it's disappointing she doesn't spell out what "getting serious" looks like. Ensuring people are registered to vote, driving people to polling stations, forming grass roots support for Democratic candidates, calling Senators to register anger about lack of action to protect Mueller/tax bill/any other of the thousand issues that have arisen, actively engaging in communities to alter perceptions are what some people have been doing but I'm worried that it'll mean nothing when faced with the money and power (and corruption) of those in charge. Not that I think those things shouldn't be done - they're more vital now than ever - but I can't help feeling that it's easy to ignore unless more people are involved or take action. Although every time I think it's futile, I remember that the Civil Rights Movement and women winning the right to vote managed to overcome huge obstacles to secure their victories and perhaps something of that scale, formed of ordinary people banding together, is the best safeguard for democracy. Now is not the time for complacency.

Nunes is quite Trump’s man, and by ‘man’ I mean ‘weasel’.

Joy Reid @JoyAnnReid
More
A reminder that Devin Nunes was a member of the Trump transition team. He is now leading the charge to release cherry picked classified material in an attempt to undermine an FBI investigation of the president —WHOSE TRANSITION TEAM HE SERVED ON...

I may have said before, but I was inspired by Naomi Klein's No is Not Enough. She observed that communities who have experience of fighting back are best placed to do so again because they have developed the mental muscles to do so. The US recent(ish) past with Vietnam and Watergate puts it in a good position.

In that respect, how apt we have both the 'The Post' and 'Darkest Hour' in cinemas atm. Do they use the past to signal the future? The US using the first amendment to overcome presidential lying and deception, and the UK pluckily trying to fight Europe by itself.

The Post is excellent, btw. Not just on the Pentagon Papers but also flagging up the sheer maleness and misogyny of that era.

Re: Pentagon Papers-esque tactis

ACLU
@ACLU
The Nunes memo on FISA surveillance of a Trump advisor should be made public—but the Schiff report must be made public at the same time. Trump's supporters can't be allowed to cherry-pick their way to undermining the Mueller investigation.

If the Nunes memo is released, Congressman Schiff and other members of Congress should read the Schiff report and all other underlying documents on the House floor—just like Senator Gravel read the Pentagon Papers into the record in 1971. It's their constitutional right—and duty.

Speaking of Gavel - here's his take on the memo:

www.rawstory.com/2018/01/senator-released-pentagon-papers-taunts-republican-wimps-cowards-nunes-memo/#.WnAXhutHgvE.twitter

That's exactly it Pain. People using tactics from old battles to tackle the current one. I remember Maddow's segment on Gavel a few weeks back.

While I'm philosophising, anyone noticed how Trump's presidency is also mirroring Clinton's time in office. The lying, trying to obfuscate, anti Washington conspiracy theories, as well as the womanising and unpopularity. It's almost as though the fates are testing the US and forcing it to face up to the partisanship which began in that era and either take the consequences (authoritarianism) or sort it out. Phew! 😳

(I could weave a similar tale about the UK and Brexit - we're in a time of realignment) 😏😊

Classy as ever.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-state-of-the-union-address-latest-updates-re-election-campaign-donors-names-flash-a8184581.html