By Dustin Rowles | Politics | October 2, 2019 |
By Dustin Rowles | Politics | October 2, 2019 |
9:35: Remember when Manafort was in the barrel before he got sent to prison, and Trump was like, “I barely know the guy! He worked on my campaign for a little bit. NBD,” even though Manafort was his campaign manager, who changed the Republican platform at the convention as the U.S. relationship pertains to … Ukraine. And now we find out that Trump and William Barr have been talking to other foreign leaders about discrediting the Mueller Report? Man, all of this always goes back to Russia. It always goes back to Ukraine. And here’s just more evidence of that:
Breaking via WaPo: Rudy Giuliani in recent months has consulted on Ukraine several times with Paul Manafort via a lawyer. https://t.co/XyAZQpxBMa
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 3, 2019
From The Washington Post:
Rudolph W. Giuliani in recent months has consulted several times with Manafort through the federal prisoner’s lawyer in pursuit of information about a disputed ledger that would bolster his theory that the real story of 2016 is not Russian interference to elect Trump, but Ukrainian efforts to support Hillary Clinton.
It’s 2019, and Trump still cannot let go of the 2016 election because he cannot stomach the thought that someone else helped get him elected, that he’s an illegitimate President. And half his nefarious bullsh*t all leads back to Russia, Ukraine, and Manafort, the guy he barely knew who worked on his campaign for a “brief time.”
Honestly, it makes one wonder how much Mueller missed.
5:55: WHY DID HE HAVE TO BRING NICKELBACK INTO THIS?
LOOK AT THIS PHOTOGRAPH! pic.twitter.com/QQYTqG4KTt
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2019
3:56: I feel like this is an important reminder, especially on days like today when there is a lot of Trumpian noise. At the end of the day, this is all that matters, and none of the spin or the punditry or the meltdowns will change it.
The President used taxpayer funded assistance to pressure the leader of a foreign government to investigate his political opponents to benefit his re-election, and enlisted the State Dept and DoJ in that effort. We know this from documents. Everything else is noise.
— Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) October 2, 2019
Also, this is indeed how the Republicans are trying to spin the NYTimes story, which had a very bad headline, which is helping the GOP spin their bullshit.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy getting fact checked in real time by one of the authors of the New York Times' story. pic.twitter.com/gnPRW7cr9O
— andrew kaczynski🤔 (@KFILE) October 2, 2019
3:24: During the press conference with the Finnish President, Trump is clearly melting down. In fact, #TrumpMeltDown is trending on Twitter. Watch this, and you’ll understand why.
This latest (much like all the ones that preceded it) Presser was stone cold crazy.
— Ryan Hill (@RyanHillMI) October 2, 2019
He was on the verge of angrily breaking down in tears over Jeff Mason’s question.
He’s unraveling!#TrumpMeltdown pic.twitter.com/OIIpsJPiyk
3:06: The President is holding his joint press conference with the Finnish President, and you can follow the tweet below to the entire thread, but I’ll save you the trouble: Trump is ranting and raving, but saying the same things over and over, with one exception: In response to the NYTimes report that Schiff knew about the whistleblower’s complaint before he saw it, Trump is accusing Schiff of helping the whistleblower to write the complaint. In other words, just as predicted, he’s turned this into something sinister.
Trump accuses Adam Schiff of helping the whistleblower write his complaint. He then advises reporters to ask Putin how tough he's been on Russia. pic.twitter.com/iTGChor2rv
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 2, 2019
2:08: I don’t yet know what the implications of this are, although I am sure that Trump will try and spin it into something sinister, but apparently Adam Schiff knew about the whistleblower’s complaint before he saw it. The CIA whistleblower passed his information along to a colleague, who told a House Intelligence Committee aide, who passed it along to Schiff (the whistleblower’s identity was never revealed). The whistleblower only did so because his complaint was not proceeding as it should have been (because the White House/DOJ/State Department was likely blocking it). As the Times notes, however, this will surely make Schiff an even bigger target of Trump’s ire, and he’s already demanding that Schiff be tried for treason.
1:00: When he says the Tweets out loud, it’s not any better, folks.
TRUMP on Adam Schiff: "They should look at him for treason." pic.twitter.com/AwttLmIHmo
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 2, 2019
George Conway has THOUGHTS.
So *NOW* can we *FINALLY* have a serious national conversation about the psychological condition of the President of the United States?
— George Conway (@gtconway3d) October 2, 2019
Oh, and here’s another poll (I know they mean nothing a year out, but I LIKE THEM when they’re supportive)
39% of registered voters feel that Trump should be reelected. 57% say it's time to have someone new.
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 2, 2019
Monmouth says support for Trump's reelection has stayed in a narrow range of 37% to 39% for almost a year, while the preference for someone new has ranged from 57% to 60%.
12:30. It’s just gibberish words now. BLANK STRAP.
During Oval Office photo op, Pres calls whistleblower in Ukraine matter very inaccurate. Says House Intell Chair @RepAdamSchiff a lowlife who should resign in disgrace and be pursued for treason. Says Schiff couldn't carry Secy Pompeo's "blank strap."
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) October 2, 2019
Here’s the BLANK STRAP quote in video form.
Minutes after tweeting "BULLSHIT," Trump avoids saying the word "jockstrap" because he doesn't want to offend anyone.
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 2, 2019
He then insisting his call with the Ukrainian president that's at the heart of an abuse of power scandal was "perfect." pic.twitter.com/Kq3Suqzz3F
12:00: Trump did not take the press conference well.
The Do Nothing Democrats should be focused on building up our Country, not wasting everyone’s time and energy on BULLSHIT, which is what they have been doing ever since I got overwhelmingly elected in 2016, 223-306. Get a better candidate this time, you’ll need it!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2019
11:45: Adam Schiff and Nancy Pelosi are speaking to reporters at a press conference.
Chairman Schiff on Trump's Ukraine call: "It's hard to imagine a set of circumstances that would have alarmed the Founders more than what's on that call … It's hard to imagine a more corrupt course of conduct."
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 2, 2019
Via CBS pic.twitter.com/LC2Rc2JTaI
Chairman Schiff: "Any effort by [Pompeo] or by the president or anyone else to interfere with the Congress' ability to call before it relevant witnesses will be considered as evidence of obstruction."
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 2, 2019
Via ABC pic.twitter.com/E8fjgLZgzd
Q: Trump wants to interview whistleblower.
— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) October 2, 2019
Schiff: "Lets not make any mistake here: the president wants to make this about the whistleblower & suggest that ppl who come fwd with evidence of his wrongdoing are somehow treasonous. This is a blatant effort to intimidate witnesses."
9:47: Oh, Trump also asked Boris Johnson for help to discredit the Mueller Report, and it doesn’t even warrant front-page news now. I think this news might fall into the “duh” camp.
Explosive story in the Times that bizarrely isn't even on its frontpage: Trump reportedly asked Boris Johnson for help to discredit the Mueller inquiry. https://t.co/BRcZbAmFSR
— Jane Bradley (@jane__bradley) October 2, 2019
—-
Ten days ago, when asked about the phone call between Ukranian President Zelensky and Donald Trump, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that he could not speak to it because he had not read the transcript. Pompeo has now admitted what the news media had already reported: Mike Pompeo was on that phone call. It’s unusual for the Secretary of State to be on a phone call with a foreign leader unless that phone call was a priority. The only thing in that phone call that could have been a priority to anyone was the decision to pressure Zelensky into investigating Hunter Biden. We know that. He knows that. That’s why he tried to hide his presence.
POMPEO to Martha Raddatz about Trump's Ukraine call: "You just gave me a report about an IC whistleblower complaint. None of which I've seen."
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 2, 2019
POMPEO today: "I was on the phone call." pic.twitter.com/dXfC1oy5g9
Now Pompeo, like Trump, is trying to use Mafia methods to keep those within the State Department from speaking to Congress. He’s stonewalling. He’s suggesting that the Democrats are intimidating employees within the State Department by asking for documents and/or testimony. It’s clear that Pompeo used his aides in the State Department to aid Rudy Giuliani’s attempts to shake down Ukraine, and he doesn’t want them to talk.
Trump, by the way, tweeted last night that this isn’t an impeachment. It’s a “COUP,” ramping up his Civil War rhetoric. “I am coming to the conclusion that what is taking place is not an impeachment, it is a COUP, intended to take away the Power of the People, their VOTE, their Freedoms, their Second Amendment, Religion, Military, Border Wall, and their God-given rights as a Citizen of the United States of America!” Rudy Giuliani, meanwhile, is threatening to sue Democratic Congress members for “violating” his Constitutional rights by subpoenaing his records. Good luck, Rudy.
Meanwhile, apparently Kurt Volker, the Ukraine envoy who “resigned” last Friday was actually forced out by Pompeo, who — according to The Daily Beast — Pompeo tried to scapegoat. Despite Pompeo’s attempts to stonewall Congress, Volker is nevertheless scheduled to meet with Congress tomorrow. Tomorrow could be an explosive day. So could today, because the State Department inspector general has requested an urgent meeting with members of Congress. Man, the cover-up on this has been insane.
Pompeo is also using the State Department to investigate email records of 130 current and former department officials who sent emails to Hillary Clinton. They’re still ‘BUT HER EMAIL’ing Hillary Clinton. And Trump is using William Barr and the DOJ and Mike Pompeo and the State Department to basically investigate intelligence agencies and his political enemies.
It’s a f**king mess. There’s no other way to put it. This impeachment investigation has revealed just how deeply authoritarian Trump is now. He does not govern. He uses the government to fight his political battles and settle scores. Hopefully, it backfires, because even if he is not impeached, he does not have the support to win re-election, unless he cheats, and that is what he is counting on. Surviving impeachment and using the powers of the presidency to get himself re-elected over the will of the people. He is trying to pull a Putin, and the State Department and the DOJ are going to do everything they can to help him.
Morning Consult poll:
— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) October 2, 2019
Two weeks ago: 36% for beginning impeachment proceedings, 49% against.
Last week: 43% for, 43% against.
Now: 46% for, 43% against.
That's a move of 16 net points in two weeks to begin impeachment proceedings, and independents are now in favor 43-39.
Both Nancy Pelosi and Donald Trump will speak in press conferences today.
I doubt that this will come to anything, but I should also note that Kamala Harris is trying to convince Twitter to suspend Donald Trump’s Twitter account, based on Twitter policies that prohibit inciting violence and making threats. Trump is threatening the whistleblower, and in his talk about a COUP and a Civil War, he is inciting violence. Of course, if Jack suspends his account, there will be a whole different kind of hell unleashed, although I don’t know where Trump will unleash that hell if he doesn’t have access to Twitter.