Shutdowns, military pullouts, and resignations: it’s Christmas and Trump thread 89

[TheClaws]

It’s chaos in Trump’s world, more so than usual, with #TrumpResign trending in Twitter after a number of key debacles: the pull-out of US troops from Syria, the resignation of General Jim Mattis, and the shutdown of the government over Christmas due to bipartisan disagreement over wall funding. (Those are just 3 issues.) The next few weeks will be rocky.

Previous thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3442038-But-When-the-president-does-it-that-means-it-is-not-illegal-Trump-thread-LXXXVIII

I have it too. How about on mute with subtitles?

Garry Kasparov
‏
Verified account

@Kasparov63

'A few things to listen for tonight. 1) The words "crisis," "threat," "emergency," & "enemies" without evidence or on "secret" evidence. 2) Framing Trump's base as victims of these threats. 3) Blaming predecessors & opponents for not dealing with the threats, or for causing them.'

www.wsj.com/articles/trump-undecided-on-emergency-declaration-for-border-wall-officials-say-11546959778

Seven or eight minutes of Trump-speak is a lot to take.

Garry Kasparov
‏
Verified account

@Kasparov63
7m7 minutes ago

4. Attacking media for not blindly repeating his narrative. Saying "the fake news will tell you.." 5) Blaming shutdown & "crisis" on others while positioning himself as the only one who can fix it. (If you enter a debate about solutions, you have accepted there is a crisis.)

www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/trump-primetime-address-776278/

NBC News
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@NBCNews
42m42 minutes ago

'JUST IN: US Supreme Court rejects appeal from an unidentified company in a foreign country that was seeking to escape a grand jury subpoena that is widely assumed to be sought by Special Counsel Mueller's prosecutors.

"The administrative stay previously entered ... is vacated."'

www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/politics/2019/01/08/paul-manaforts-lawyers-just-accidentally-connected-some-big-dots-between-trump-campaign-russia/

Ahem!

If you're looking for anything even remotely worth watching tonight at 9pm EST, I will be folding laundry in my underwear for 8 minutes on Instagram live.
Instagram.com/thestormydanie…
twitter.com/stormydaniels/status/1082745074474237953?s=21

I do like Ms Daniels.

From Stormy's thread:

Dave Bagnall
@djbsuffolk
2h2 hours ago
More
If Trump keeps glancing sideways during the broadcast you'll know he's got it on a phone or tablet just off camera.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jan/08/what-is-america-going-to-do-about-its-trump-problem-in-2019

Thanks to whoever suggested mute & closed caption. I was able to hang in there.

But to paraphrase, it was “all closed caption and fury, signifying nothing”. Lies upon fibs upon mendacity. Nothing new to see here, move along.

Chuck and Nancy were ace in the rebuttal though.

Are Fox News and Trump not friends any more?

So not state of emergency thank goodness

Fox seems to be wavering from time to time, calling out Conway, for example but I doubt they want to deviate too much from their Trump path.

Merriam-Webster
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Verified account

@MerriamWebster
5h5 hours ago

📈Top lookups, in order: dubious, furlough, national emergency, alien, fearmonger, propaganda

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/trump-new-york-daily-news-cover_us_5c35793ae4b05b16bcfbc810

The Oval Office speech said nothing new but Trump used it as a fundraiser for his 2020 campaign.

They've dropped the 4000 terrorist claim now though. (One lie that was credibly proven)

I suspect Fox will turn on him soon enough. There is just so much for them to work with!

You might enjoy this piece about the speech

Not since Hannibal Lecter tried to charm Clarice have we witnessed such a chilling love of humanity.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jan/09/border-wall-speech-trump-is-losing-the-macho-game-of-staring-himself-down-in-the-mirror

Well, I'm pleased it was just all his usual blather and not a state of emergency.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/03/20/hillary-clinton-questions-whether-cambridge-analytica-helped/

And today:

David Carroll 🦅
‏
Verified account

@profcarroll
42m42 minutes ago

'July 4, 2017: I filed with the UK Information Commissioner with concerns about Cambridge Analytica’s failure to answer questions about our data

May 5, 2018: ICO issues Enforcement Notice to comply with disclosure requests under criminal penalty

Jan 9, 2019: CA/SCL pleads guilty'.

Carole Cadwalladr
‏Verified account
@carolecadwalla
1h1 hour ago

'Judge fines Cambridge Analytica £15,000 plus costs. A piddling amount. But, it's important because these laws mean nothing if they're not enforced. Much bigger question is:they've pleaded guilty so are they now finally going to hand over the data? Or is this just another ruse?'

Carole Cadwalladr
‏Verified account
@carolecadwalla
39m39 minutes ago

'So this was the basis of the guilty plea. I’ve got to say this does not smell good. There seems to be no intention to actually hand over @profcarroll’s data. Was pleading guilty just easiest way of getting off hook & not answering qs in open court?'

www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/rod-rosenstein-plans-leave-justice-department-after-new-attorney-general-n956571

'WASHINGTON — Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who had been overseeing Robert Mueller's special counsel investigation, plans to step down within the next month, according to administration officials familiar with his thinking.'