POLITICS President Trump: 100+ Mornings After (Term 1 Complete)

Sounds very, very plausible. Consider today:

 

Meh, probably just promised him some Trump vodka and steaks and a weekend at the Trump Taj Mahal.

Nothing to see here.

 

we may never know who or what it was, but I am guessing it was something geopolitical that runs counter to the public messaging.

 

"If" it is indeed true, I'll give you three guesses to who it was, and the first two don't count.

 

but then I'll get made fun of.

yes, "if." but boy would that be a weird way to kill your life, which the whistleblower certainly has done. Whistleblowers are quietly found and dismantled.

 

Well.

 

Yawn.

 

Actually, I think this, and, apparently, a few other calls might be a big problem were there to be, and, supposedly, there is, recordings of such conversations. The whistleblower also is a Trump appointee, so the plot would further thicken if these tapes were to get out.

 

Let’s say this was said in a very direct way. What are the opinions on this. It seems inappropriate to proffer to a foreign leader more positive treatment if they provide political favors against opposition - particularly while in an official capacity as president. I have no idea if that violates any actual laws. But sure doesn’t sound good.

TD says yawn wither because he doesn’t see a problem with it or thinks it’s made up.

Do others agree that there’s really nothing wrong with it?

 

Rumor is that Trump took a shit tonight. Democrats calling for an investigation and possible impeachment.

 

How anyone believes anything the media reports on Trump is beyond me, at this point.

You think POTUS doesn’t direct other national leaders? You can’t be so naive as to be surprised by that, TT.

 

Offering funds if they take actions in their country that would potentially make a political opponent look bad doesn’t seem par for the course, so call me naive I guess. (that you would liken that to just generally giving direction makes me chuckle*)

I’m slow playing this one - said as much above when I said let’s assume it’s true....

I know it isn’t a good look. I’m just trying to get a feel for looks bad not a big deal vs yeah, that’s not ok.

*Let me help a little

- President Trump tells a foreign leader to take out some terrorist [uck fay]s, no one cares
- President Trump tells a foreign leader to take out a bunch of American critics of his who are touring that country, people would give a shit.

But, he was just giving directions, man.

I’m assuming you don’t think the latter is simply giving directions. But that’s murder. Easy one. So tell me where you would draw the division, and think that just giving direction would cross a line of acceptability.

Is it OK to give direction to a foreign government to put money in a bank account for him? Do a real estate deal?

Probably not. So financial benefit is out.

But political benefit in the form of taking down a political opponent? Obviously not as bad as the above. Ok? Maybe. I was legit asking how folks felt about it. Your yawn comment made it fairly clear you don’t care. Interested in others’ legit takes. Doesn’t feel kosher to me but not sure how bad it is (just optics vs legit not ok).

 

To be clear:
You’re saying that if a sitting POTUS were to be proven to have used a foreign government to attack his domestic political opponents, that’d be what, exactly? A poor look? Bad? Less than ideal? Criminal? Impeachable? What?

What do you think should happen to any American office holder who was proven to have done this?

My “yawn” comment was intended to convey that there’s been so many errant media reports related to Trump, that I don’t pay attention to them anymore.

 

Ok, thanks. I assumed it was either nothing burger or you just won’t buy the reports. I will say there is obviously something here with the IG involved but the media may be barking up the wrong tree with regard to what it involves. I was burned by the media on some of the Mueller stuff so I too take sources say less serious now than I used to.

Believe it or not, I’m just trying to formulate my opinion on this.

What I know is my gut says it’s not a good look.

But, I’m looking for input from others on any further issues with it. Just looks bad? Or actually is a bigger problem because of x, y, z. Legal issues? Just political ones?

The idea that a president would reach out to a foreign government and promise something if they back a proposal of theirs seems like pretty typical political play. But trying to get them to take down a politics opponent feels much more directly related to influencing a specific election. So I’m having a harder time framing how I view it other than worse than the first example.

But, I hope you agree, the idea that ‘presidents direct foreign leaders all the time’ isn’t the best response. It obviously matters what the direction pertained to. And perhaps that’s nothing all that concerning in this case. Perhaps it is. Looking for discussion on that - hopefully honest discussion not influenced by who is involved.

 

I don’t know where to put this, but since I had to see it, you all do too.

 

wow thanks.

surely a lawsuit is coming

 

Banned.

 

Good grief that’s hideous.

 

You ask a good question. What was your opinion when Obama was caught on hot mike asking Putin (via his puppet) to back off until after he could be reelected. That he would then have greater flexibility to work with Putin.

Seems this would fall into the category of offering a foreign leader more positive treatment if he provides a political favor that helps him beat Bush.

I do not remember more than selective outrage from Republicans for a few days. Certainly no calls for special investigations and hearings.

One thing that gives me comfort by the Trump treatment is the knowledge that karma is a [itch bay] and what goes around comes around. I look forward with glee the investigations of the next Democratic President by a Republican majority House or Senate.

 

this is a terrible analogy, because there is nothing analogous about "backing off" discussion of issues until after an election vs asking for help against an opponent in a domestic election.