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In the Wake of Trump's Press Conference, Some Conservatives Are Getting Antsy

By Dustin Rowles | Politics | February 17, 2017 |

By Dustin Rowles | Politics | February 17, 2017 |

Yesterday, in what was basically the definitive response to the Donald Trump press conference, Fox News’ Shepard Smith derided Trump for attacking the media, called the President’s actions crazy, and demanded answers where it concerns Trump’s ties to Russia.

As is always the case after a big event, I go searching for the Republican response, because the left is already against Trump, and nothing is going to happen until the Republicans and conservative media turns against their President. I don’t like Joe Scarborough or Fox News, but I do recognize that when they sour on Trump, the base may start to sour on Trump. We may be seeing early signs of it.

Here’s a few examples:

— Again, it was Fox News last night that broke the news that not only was Donald Trump fully briefed on everything that Michael Flynn told to the Russian ambassador, but that Michael Flynn did not “misremember” anything. During questioning from the White House, Flynn remembered the entire conversation he had. This means 1) that he definitely lied to the FBI, which is a felony, and that 2) Trump knew that Michael Flynn also lied to Vice President Pence and did nothing until the press made it an issue.

— The problem with any felony investigation into Michael Flynn, however, is that it will have to come from the DOJ, currently run by Trump crony, Jeff Sessions. Conservative Joe Scarborough, however, thinks Sessions should recuse himself.

Also, he added this:

And this:

— I couldn’t tell you what political party Robert Harward belongs to, but his resume suggests he’s conservative. He’s a defense industry executive, and among his many positions in the military, he used to serve under Trump’s current Defense Secretary, James Mattis, and yet, Harward declined to replace Michael Flynn as National Security Advisor soon after the press conference, calling the White House too “chaotic,” and telling a friend that the offer was a “shit sandwich.” Trump is going to have a hell of a time filling that role with a qualified person (which is bad for him and for the country).

— Meanwhile, the Republican-led House Intelligence committee in the House is now open to investigating Michael Flynn (and the leaks), according to the Post.

— This came from an frustrated but unnamed Republican congressman, but I think the quote responding to Trump’s press conference is about right:

“The people that love him will love him more, the people that hate him will hate him more and the people in the middle probably will look at it the way that we look at in Congress, which is that’s just the new normal. That’s just the s*** that happens. I don’t know how else to manage it. We’re just trying to manage this s***.”

— Former White House Counsel under Richard Nixon, John Dean, not only said that “I’ve never seen a more classless president” in Donald Trump, but suggested that what’s going on right now in the White House is on the verge of Watergate 2.0.

— Congressman Mark Sanford (South Carolina) — who is floating an Obamacare replacement this week — has no respect for Trump whatsoever. From Politico:

The president, Sanford says, “has fanned the flames of intolerance.” He has repeatedly misled the public, most recently about the national murder rate and the media’s coverage of terrorist attacks. He showed a lack of humility by using the National Prayer Breakfast to ridicule Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ratings on “The Celebrity Apprentice.” Most worrisome, Sanford says, Trump is unprepared for the presidency.

— For Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell, this is as close as to criticizing the President as he gets. From The Weekly Standard:

Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell says President Trump’s approval rating would be “10 to 15 points higher if he allowed himself to stay on message.”

In an interview today, McConnell said he likes “what the president is doing,” citing deregulation efforts, his Supreme Court nominee, and Cabinet picks. But “what he’s saying makes everything harder.” His tweets and comments often make it “harder to achieve what you want to achieve.”

This comes from Maine Governor Paul LePage — the worst governor in America — who has basically been called mini-Trump. PAUL LEPAGE. When LePage is sh*tting on your performance, things have gone. off. the. rails.

— Finally, he’s not a conservative, but disgraced former NBC News anchor Brian Williams delivered some sobering commentary about the press conference:

“It went over big in Trump country, but not so in the rest of the country, where some serious and reasonable people called him unhinged, fixated on his press coverage and legitimacy. Trump’s critics — those who are worried about this presidency and this White House — saw a live special television event brought to you by narcissism, thin skin, chaos, and deeply personal grievances.”

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Dustin is the founder and co-owner of Pajiba. You may email him here, follow him on Twitter, or listen to his weekly TV podcast, Podjiba.