We stand at a tipping point: do we fire up the popcorn maker or start digging a fallout shelter in the garden? (Trump cont)

[boatyardblues]

Old thread here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3207431-When-a-nation-s-children-marched-and-their-President-ignored-them-Trump-cont

I’m all out of inspiration for the rest of this opening post. Send the St Bernard with the brandy please.

Some Republicans are still hounding Clinton for the email saga yet are mysteriously silent on the phone use. It's the hypocrisy that rankles for me, though this isn't the only instance of course.

Amy Siskind
‏*@Amy*_Siskind
A sign of what awaits Republicans this November: special election in NY district 37 for open state senate seat after big victory in Nov 17 - had to drive around to find a parking space then wait in line to vote.

www.npr.org/2018/04/24/604949251/why-dozens-of-national-security-experts-have-come-out-against-trumps-travel-ban

Josh Dawsey
‏*@jdawsey1*
From pool report: "When Jon Karl asked POTUS if he would consider a pardon for Michael Cohen, the president glared at Karl and snapped, 'Stupid question.'"

A Beast piece.

Kellyanne Conway, Conservative Snowflake

Oh my!

The embarrassment of Trump with Macron. You'll have to google it.

He's talking of him being his best friend. Then he says 'let me pick that piece of dandruff off of you, you have to be perfect'. Then proceeds to do just that.

Then 45 takes him by the hand in the Rose Garden and pulls him along behind him.

All footage available!

Quel cauchemar! Yep, it really happened and there's video to haunt us with.
uk.businessinsider.com/trump-brushes-dandruff-off-macron-video-2018-4?r=US&IR=T

I’m not sure I can bear to look. Sounds icky.

Jim Sciutto reporting:

Trump, in Oval with Macron, says Iran deal was “insane, ridiculous,” doesn’t address missile testing.

It would “be so easy” for Iran to restart its nuclear program, and if they do, “they’re going to have bigger problems than ever before,” Trump says.

“Mark it down."

And now this from Trump. Is he indicating IranDeal could survive? "We could have at least an agreement among ourselves fairly quickly. I think we're fairly close to understanding each other. And I think our meeting, our one on one went very, very well."

Plus:

"Kim Jong Un has really been very open and I think very honorable based on what we are seeing." Trump just now on the #NorthKorean dictator.

twitter.com/_/status/988808168821153792

Hope link works. It's Trumpy pulling Macron along.

Embarrassing

He's playing daddy to Macron. It's a power thing. I bet he viewed the footage from France about 1000 times

I reckon he thinks Macron really likes him. He's a bottomless pit of need.

Oh to be a fluent French speaking fly on the wall in the Macron boudoir after today's events! Bet there's even more scintillating reparté to come over Melania's 'personally' planned banquet this evening.

I'm surprised Trump went in for the dandruff - him being a germophobe and all.

Not that I'm saying people with dandruff are breeding grounds for germs!!!

Considered view of our household: weird power play.

Meanwhile back in the sound-proofed booth:

EPA Blows Off WH Prep For Thursday’s Congressional Hearing

Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt faces a make-or-break moment on Thursday, when he’s slated for a pair of congressional hearings, but he’ll be heading to the Hill without the full backing of the Trump White House.

Two sources familiar with Pruitt’s preparation for the hearing say that the EPA has turned down an offer from the White House to help prepare the administrator for what is sure to be a bruising few hours of questions about the ethics and government spending controversies that have dogged him of late.

One of the sources, a White House official, characterized the EPA’s response to the West Wing as “get lost.”

www.thedailybeast.com/trump-white-house-offered-to-help-prep-scott-pruitt-for-hearings-epa-told-the-white-house-to-get-lost

I can understand Pruitt's point of view.

Also, I doubt there was any dandruff. That was a put down gesture.

Snowflake conservative Kellyanne.

"That’s worse than liberal snowflakeism. At least liberal snowflakeism is felt to be real. Conservative snowflakeism is manufactured to rally the base. As the base is about to need a lot more rallying in the coming months, I think we can expect to see plenty more snowfall on the right between now and November."

www.thedailybeast.com/kellyanne-conway-conservative-snowflake

Kyle Griffin
@kylegriffin1
Jeff Sessions has decided against recusing himself from the investigation into Michael Cohen, a person familiar with the matter tells Bloomberg.

“By staying involved in the Cohen probe, Sessions is entitled to briefings... That could put Sessions in the position of being asked by Trump, who strongly condemned the FBI raid on his longtime lawyer, to divulge information about the Cohen investigation.”

www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2018-04-24/sessions-declines-to-recuse-himself-from-probe-into-trump-lawyer

Yes, more power play--a variation on that messed up handshake.

No wonder Melania tries to evade his grasping hands.

www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/trumps-history-of-lying-from-john-barron-to-realdonaldtrump

Wow, look at Melania's face in this clip. I read an tweet earlier, by someone watching live, saying she looked close to tears when she and T. met the Macrons today. And she really didn't want to hold his hand.

sorry... I... just... did DT pick (imaginary) DANDRUFF off the shoulder of the French premier????!!!

Did he really just do that?

Are 70 million French people SEETHING right now at this appalling indignity, as they should be?

And is DT reading from some (self-penned) silly textbook called How To Try To Make Yourself Feel Bigger And More Important Than Someone?

He's like the nasty school bully, finding new ways to belittle people. And Macron's meant to be his main buddy on the world stage!!!

Is he really this crass? I mean, I know he is. But... really?

Colbert knows his poisonings, and Trump mumbles with Stallone.

Most importantly, why has he denied knowing Mr Magoo? Is there a NDA?

At least he didn't drag May behind him. He's a right gentleman.