Democrats win the House, and he’s already fired Sessions: Trump thread 87

[TheClaws]

We start this new thread on a brighter note: the mid-terms were a win for the Democrats, securing the House of Representatives and further seats in the Senate. This means more scrutiny for POTUS and the GOP, and bargaining power.

He’s still a feckless, vain bully, oddly admired by some varieties of Christians - enjoy the cartoon by Mike Luckovich.

Let me rewrite this for you:

It's all too easy to look back with rose-tinted glasses when... the current President is DJT.

Even Nixon manages to come out better.

Merde, sadly I don't think there is any impact on Pence or the rest of the GOP if Trump is impeached, except at the ballot box next election.

Unless, that is, the charges of criminality (or identifiable wrong-doing) extend to Pence et al.

I mean, I'd bet the farm Pence does actually know about some of the Russia dealings... but also that he's kept his hands clean and it will be difficult to pin down any wrongdoing.

The exception to this might be stuff around Flynn. If it can be shown that Flynn didn't lie to Pence about contact with the Russians or work for Turkey, and that Pence knew all along, then Pence might be in danger.

Eg, see this piece from 2017:
What does Flynn's guilty plea mean for Vice President Pence?
eu.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/12/10/what-does-flynns-indictment-mean-vice-president-pence/935678001/

Catching up with the thread, 9/9.

It WAS for amateurs. Too many easy clues.

Well, there is that, Lweji.

Hah, I was replying to "when the current president is DJT".

But works for the quiz, too.

sadly I don't think there is any impact on Pence or the rest of the GOP if Trump is impeached, except at the ballot box next election.

Unless, that is, the charges of criminality (or identifiable wrong-doing) extend to Pence et al.

Exactly. What hold does Trump have on GOP?
Pence should be happy to rise to the office, particularly now that the mid-terms are over.

Maybe they think they need Trump for a second term, because Pence would lose against a reasonably solid Dem candidate.

But they could make further loses in the House in 2020, even if DJT was reelected.

Still, if I was DJT, I'd worry about impeachment or worse on the second term.

Manafort recruited Pence too. www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a23133924/paul-manafort-cooperating-robert-mueller-mike-pence/

Pence hasn't been interviewed by Mueller despite his relationship with Flynn and Manafort which has led some to believe he may be a target.

However, if Pence is implicated the next in line would be the Speaker who from Jan will likely be Nancy Pelosi. That's unless Pence leaves the VP post and is replaced before Trump is indicted/impeached/resigns. That's what happened with Gerald Ford.

Well, that's a pain about Pence, Perking. We are doomed to see this crap continuing, whether or not Trump is finally stopped in his tracks, sooner or later.

Forgive me, this is totally irrelevant. I had missed this viral video when it first came out as I was too busy being worried about Brexit and Trump. I am sharing it now because it cheered me up no end this morning after I'd read the latest news!

I hadn't realised that GHWB was linked to JFK's assassination in the conspiracy theories.

GHWB wasn't my flavour of politician but he served honourably and did what he thought was right at the time. I think he voted for Clinton in 2016. I cannot imagine the Bush family wanting Trump to do the eulogy.

Sorry, I cross posted with you Lweji and Gump. Now putting my fingers in my ears and singling la-la-la whilst watching the video I linked to above.

Ahhh, that was fabulous! Needed that! Thank you Merde.

Thanks, Merde.

From earlier this year:

Laurence Tribe
@tribelaw
Here’s the NYT story exposing Trump as someone who tried, from 2 weeks before taking the oath of office, to deceive the entire country about how Putin personally helped him win by criminal hacking into our election infrastructure. This is huge.

www.nytimes.com/2018/07/18/world/europe/trump-intelligence-russian-election-meddling-.html

Sarah Kendzior
@sarahkendzior
Note that Pence would have received many of the same intel briefs as Trump. Pence is complicit, has been consistently lying, and should also be removed from power.

A year and a half ago:

There are many reasons to oppose a Mike Pence presidency—but his skill at lying is the biggest

qz.com/992053/will-donald-trump-get-impeached-mike-pence-would-not-be-a-better-us-president/amp/

Yesterday:

Jon Cooper
@joncoopertweets
As the story swirls of Michael Cohen’s guilty plea and how it further implicates Donald Trump in the #TrumpRussia scandal, one GOP source tells me to “keep an eye on Mike Pence.” What did the
@VP
know and when did he know it? It’s only a matter of time before the truth comes out.

Oh, Gump, Pain, thank you for those quotes about Pence. Interesting. I don't believe (but maybe I'm just wishfully thinking) that Trump's MAGA following will be as supportive of Pence, who certainly doesn't seem to have the same "charismatic" qualities as Hitler Trump when speaking at rallies.

Interesting to see the contrasting views of Pence: a smiling liar, or highly trustworthy?

qz.com/992053/will-donald-trump-get-impeached-mike-pence-would-not-be-a-better-us-president/amp/
On Oct. 3 2016, Mike Pence took to the stage for his first and only US vice presidential debate—and calmly lied through his teeth about Donald Trump for 90 minutes. He lied about whether Trump had said more countries should have nuclear weapons. He lied about Trump saying he wanted to punish women who had abortions. He lied about Trump defending dictators. He lied about Trump doing business with Russia. Every time his opponent, vice-presidential candidate Tim Kaine, brought up a statement by Trump—a public, documented statement, the veracity of which Americans could easily validate—Pence did not embellish. He simply smiled and lied.

eu.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/12/10/what-does-flynns-indictment-mean-vice-president-pence/935678001/
Republican operatives, however, say Pence still has a very high trustworthy quotient, despite the number of times some of his statements have been undermined.

“Pence is a very careful person, and he is not someone who is going to say something and not mean it,” said Ron Bonjean, Republican partner at the public affairs shop Rokk Solutions. “So when he says that he was lied to, or his team has said that he was lied to, most Republicans, I say most people, take it as face value.”

Longtime GOP strategist Danny Diaz likewise said Pence is still widely viewed as a straight shooter.

“He’s someone who speaks with a high degree of credibility..."

If I were a betting woman - which you all know I'm not - I still wouldm't. put too much on a PenceTrump ticket for 2020.

In 2012, Manhattan prosecutors were ready to charge Ivanka and Don Jr. with felony fraud for deceiving investors at the Trump SoHo. But after a visit from a Trump attorney, DA Cy Vance ordered his staff to drop the case. Yet another one of those if only... www.propublica.org/article/ivanka-donald-trump-jr-close-to-being-charged-felony-fraud

twitter.com/markmobility/status/1068837469959921664

Pence doesn't have the cult following that would let him get away with Kakistacracy, rampant self-enrichment, blatent Nepotism and dismissals of science, rule of law, the US constitution, "the establishment" & journalists the way Chump does. Pence wouldn't get away with bragging about groping women, having shagged random females when he had a newborn at home or mocking a disabled reporter. Pence would actually be humbled by office & would try to act, you know, Presidential.

Pence would be an improvement.

www.theguardian.com/world/video/2018/nov/30/saudi-crown-prince-sidelined-in-g20-family-photo-video

Unless you happen to be a woman

JUST IN: President Trump to designate Dec. 5 as a National Day of Mourning for former president George HW Bush, White House says. The president and First Lady plan to attend the funeral for Bush set to be held at the National Cathedral in Washington.
twitter.com/edokeefe/status/1068869970501734400?s=21

... or not a Christian in the Pence way.

THREAD: What does Michael Cohen's sentencing submission tell us about his cooperation against Trump and the potential involvement of others in his criminal conduct? (Short answer: A lot more than you might expect)
twitter.com/renato_mariotti/status/1068786624606101504?s=21

www.thedailybeast.com/conservatives-prepare-yourself-now-for-what-mueller-may-find?source=twitter&via=desktop

I just want to shout at him "Pick that up! You're not at home now!"

President Trump discards the audio translation earpiece after hearing the President of Argentina deliver opening remarks of the G20 Summit in Spanish.
twitter.com/tombrennerphoto/status/1068861859888070657?s=21