OT: Twitter Thread on 3 Decades of Russian & Mafia Relationships with Trump

[thebuzzardman]

As an aside, one of the links off the Utah corruption thing

https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-james-woolsey-mueller-mar-a-lago-2017-11

A quick read of this makes Woolsey seem guilty as well. Or is it that this falls under a kind of "legal corruption" and Flynn goes over the line and then Trump kind of jumps over it talking to him?

Certainly doesn't give me a warm and fuzzy about Woolsey as part of any "responsible opposition"

[j4remi]

I hope when the dust settles that these "resistance" insiders don't get treated like some sort of heroes for doing the bare minimum while acknowledging all of the damage Trump is doing and trying to do. It all smacks of damage control for when they can get him out of office and claim that "this is not the Republican party, it was Trump." They should be blackballed, straight up and down. They saw the damage firsthand and let the man keep his power while claiming to be resistance. FOH

[thebuzzardman]

Just read this. I thought it was a satire piece at times. This is Trump talking to Bob Woodward. THE Bob Woodward, who Trump knows is doing a book on his presidency:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/09/04/transcript-phone-call-between-president-trump-journalist-bob-woodward/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.abbe0decf022

Bob Woodward, an associate editor at The Washington Post, sought an interview with President Trump as he was writing “Fear,” a book about Trump’s presidency. Trump called Woodward in early August, after the manuscript had been completed, to say he wanted to participate.

Over the course of 11-plus minutes, Trump repeatedly claimed his White House staff hadn’t informed him of Woodward’s interview request — despite also admitting Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) had told him Woodward wanted to talk. He also started the phone call by saying Woodward had “always been fair” to him, but by the end he said the book would be “inaccurate.”

Spoiler:

Trump: Hello, Bob.

BW: President Trump, how are you?

Trump: How are you? How are you doing? Okay?

BW: Real well. I’m turning on my tape recorder, with your permission.

Trump: Oh, that’s okay. That’s okay. I don’t mind that at all.

BW: I’m sorry we missed the opportunity to talk for the book.

Trump: Well, I just spoke with Kellyanne [Conway] and she asked me if I got a call. I never got a call. I never got a message. Who did you ask about speaking to me?

BW: Well, about six people.

Trump: They don’t tell me.

BW: A senator. I talked to Kellyanne about it two and a half months ago.

Trump: [?].

BW: She came for lunch.

Trump: Well, it’s too bad. Of course, you and I had a conversation a couple of years ago, and so that I think got you there a little bit. And we had a conversation many years ago, if you remember, in Trump Tower.

BW: Yeah, I do.

Trump: That has to be 20 years ago. And you were thinking about doing a book about me then, which is interesting. Who knew it would’ve been on this subject? Right? That was not in the cards at that time.

BW: That’s right. Well, I’m sorry, I . ..

Trump: I still remember that.

BW: I spent a lot of time on this, talked to lots of people.

Trump: All right. Good.

BW: And as you know and are living, we are at a pivot point in history.

Trump: Right.

BW: And I would’ve liked to have done that, and I maximized my effort, and somehow it didn’t get to you, or . ..

Trump: It’s really too bad, because nobody told me about it, and I would’ve loved to have spoken to you. You know I’m very open to you. I think you’ve always been fair. We’ll see what happens. But all I can say is the country is doing very well. We’re doing better economically just about than at any time. We’re doing better on unemployment maybe than ever. You know, I mean, if you look at the unemployment numbers, you’ve heard me say it. And we’re doing better on unemployment than just about ever. We’re having a lot of — a lot of companies are moving back into our country, which would’ve been unheard of two years ago. If the other administration or representatives of it had kept going, had kept — you know, if the other group had won, I will tell you, that you would have, I think you’d have a GDP of less than zero. I think we would’ve been going in the wrong direction. Because regulations are such a big part of what we’ve done, Bob.

BW: Well, I understand that point of view. And as you know, it’s also a difficult time where the political system and you and my business is being tested.

Trump: Yeah. Yeah.

BW: I take it very seriously. I’ve done books on eight presidents, going back from Nixon to Obama.

Trump: Right.

BW: And I learned something about reporting, frankly, Mr. President.

Trump: Good.

BW: I’ve got to go talk to people and see them outside of the White House and outside of their offices, and gained a lot of insight and documentation. And it’s — you know, it’s a tough look at the world and your administration and you.

Trump: Right. Well, I assume that means it’s going to be a negative book. But you know, I’m some — I’m sort of 50 percent used to that. [Laughter] That’s all right. Some are good and some are bad. Sounds like this is going to be a bad one.

BW: It was a chance missed, and I don’t know how things work over there in terms of . ..

Trump: Very well. We . ..

BW: . . . getting to you.

Trump: Well, if you would call Madeleine [Westerhout] in my office . . . Did you speak to Madeleine?

BW: No, I didn’t. But I . ..

Trump: Madeleine is the key. She’s the secret. Because she’s the person . ..

BW: Well, I talked to Raj [Shah] about it. I talked to . . . I talked to Kellyanne.

Trump: Well, a lot of them are afraid to come and talk, or — you know, they are busy. I’m busy. But I don’t mind talking to you. I would’ve spoken to you. I spoke to you 20 years [ago] and I spoke to you a year and a half or two years ago.

[Listen to Woodward and Trump's call on The Post's "Can He Do That?" podcast]

BW: A couple of years ago, I understand.

Trump: And I certainly don’t mind talking to you, and I wish I could’ve spoken to you. But nobody called my office. I mean, you went through, I guess, different people. ...

BW: Well, Mr. President, how can I spend all this time talking to people and — like Kellyanne and Raj and Republican senators?

Trump: Who were the senators? No, they never called me about it.

BW: Senator [Lindsey] Graham said he had talked to you about talking to me. Now, is that not true?

Trump: Senator Graham actually mentioned it quickly in one meeting.

BW: Yes. Well, see. And then nothing happened.

Trump: That is true. That is true. Well, that — no, but that is true. Mentioned it quickly, not like, you know, and I would certainly have thought that maybe you would’ve called the office. But that’s okay. I’ll speak to Kellyanne. I am a little surprised that she wouldn’t have told me. In fact, she just walked in. [to Kellyanne] I’m talking to Bob Woodward. He said that he told you.

Conway: Yes.

Trump: About speaking to me. But you never told me. Why didn’t you tell me?

Conway: [inaudible].

Trump: I would’ve been very happy to speak to him. All right, so what are you going to do?

BW: Well ...

Trump: So I have another bad book coming out. Big deal.

BW: . . . it goes on, and I . . . What you can count on is that I’ve been very careful. And Evelyn, are you on?

EMD: Yes.

BW: Evelyn Duffy, who’s my assistant, Mr. President.

Trump: Hello, Evelyn.

BW: She transcribed all the tapes because, with permission, I taped people for hundreds of hours.

Trump: Good.

BW: And I think there’s nothing in this book that doesn’t come from a firsthand source. Is that correct, Evelyn?

EMD: I believe that’s —

Trump: But are you naming names? Or do you just say sources?

BW: Yeah, well, it names real incidents, so . ..

Trump: No, but do you name sources? I mean, are you naming the people, or just say, people have said?

BW: I say, at 2:00 on this day, the following happened, and everyone who’s there, including yourself, is quoted. And I’m sorry I didn’t get to ask you about these . ..

Trump: I mean, you do know I’m doing a great job for the country. You do know that NATO now is going to pay billions and billions of dollars more, as an example, than anybody thought possible, that other presidents were unable to get more? And it was heading downward. You do know all of the things I’ve done and things that I’m doing? I’m in the process of making some of the greatest trade deals ever to be made. You do understand that stuff? I mean, I hope.

BW: Certainly, I understand and I would’ve loved to go through a discussion with you about NATO, because this goes back to early in your administration and your concern about it, and the agreement that the countries have that they would increase their defense contribution, what is it, by the year 2024? And you know . . . So anyway, we are . ..

Trump: Well, you know last year, if you see the secretary, [Jens] Stoltenberg, he said I believe $44 billion just last year, and that was from last year’s meeting. And this year it’s much more money they’ve agreed to put up. So it’s a tremendous amount of money. No other president has done it. It was heading down in the opposite direction. So I don’t know if you’re going to report it that way; probably not. But that’s too bad, but that’s all right, but you know, one of those things.

BW: Everything is going to be factual. And it is not a good thing for my business, if I may say this to you, Mr. President, to the presidency, or to the country, to not have real, full exchanges on these. And I broke my spear on it trying to get to you.

Trump: Well, other than Lindsey [Graham], who did quickly mention it, nobody mentioned it.

BW: You say Kellyanne’s there, ask her.

Trump: Nobody told me about it. Well, let me ask her. Why don’t you speak to Kellyanne. Ask her. She never told me about it.

[Conway takes the phone.]

BW: Kellyanne?

Conway: Bob, how are you? Hi.

BW: Hi. Remember two and a half months ago you came over and I laid out, I wanted to talk to the president? And you said you would get back to me?

Conway: I do. And I put in the request. But you know, they — it was rejected. I can only take it so far. I guess I can bring it right to the president next time.

BW: Yeah.

Conway: But I try to follow all the protocols, or else I’m accused of being somebody who doesn’t follow protocol.

BW: President Trump, I just want you to know I made every effort.

Conway: But you had talked to [former White House communications director] Hope [Hicks], right, who said no?

BW: Listen, I talked to anyone I could. [Laughs]

Conway: You talked to a number of people and they all said no?

BW: I talked to Raj.

Conway: Raj.

BW: He was going to work it out.

Conway: Hope. [Me?].

[The president says something in the background that is inaudible.]

Conway: I said you tried talking to everybody? What about when you interviewed, like, other people? They all said yes? That they’d try?

BW: Yeah, well, about six or seven people. I tried. And I couldn’t have — you and I spent a whole lunch on it, Kellyanne. And I said, I want to cover the substantive issues in foreign policy and domestic policy. And you said you would get back to me. Nothing.

Conway: Yeah. So, I did. I presented it to the people here who make those decisions, but . ..

BW: Who are the people?

Conway: But anyway, I’ll give you back to the president. And I’m glad to hear that you tried through seven or eight different people. That’s good. You should tell him all the names. [Laughs] Thank you.

Trump: But you never called for me. It would’ve been nice, Bob, if you called for me, in my office. I mean, I have a secretary. I have two, three secretaries. If you would’ve called directly — a lot of people are afraid . . . Raj, I hardly have . . . I don’t speak to Raj.

BW: Kellyanne is a . ..

Trump: I do, I do, and Kellyanne went to somebody, but she didn’t come to me.

BW: Well, does she have access to you?

Trump: And she should’ve come to me. She does have access to me. Absolutely. She has direct access, but she didn’t come to me. And you know what? That’s okay. I’ll just end up with another bad book. What can I tell you?

BW: It’s surprising to me that these people — did Raj have access to you?

Trump: Not really, but he would’ve been able to do it. But I have an office. You have the office number. I have an office that’s directly into my office.

Conway: [inaudible in background]

Trump: It doesn’t matter. Let me tell you what matters: The economy is the best it’s been in many, many decades. And it’s going to get a lot better. And the country is doing very well. That’s what’s important.

BW: Yes, sir. I thought I would . ..

Trump: We’re doing a good job.

BW: . . . never kind of say, let’s not talk about this because the book is done to a president . ..

Trump: Yeah, I know.

BW: . . . and, but that’s the position we’re in. And it’s one I tried to avoid. You need to know I made maximum effort.

Trump: All right. It’s too bad.

BW: Yes, sir.

Trump: I’m just hearing about it. And I heard — I did hear from Lindsey, but I’m just hearing about it. So we’re going to have a very inaccurate book, and that’s too bad. But I don’t blame you entirely.

BW: No, it’s [?] — it’s going to be accurate, I promise.

Trump: Yeah, okay. Well, accurate is that nobody’s ever done a better job than I’m doing as president. That I can tell you. So that’s . . . And that’s the way a lot of people feel that know what’s going on, and you’ll see that over the years. But a lot of people feel that, Bob.

BW: I believe in our country, and because you’re our president, I wish you good luck.

Trump: Okay. Thank you very much, Bob. I appreciate it. Bye.

[Call ends]

[Recording ends]

[JohnStarksTheDunk]

I hope when the dust settles that these "resistance" insiders don't get treated like some sort of heroes for doing the bare minimum while acknowledging all of the damage Trump is doing and trying to do. It all smacks of damage control for when they can get him out of office and claim that "this is not the Republican party, it was Trump." They should be blackballed, straight up and down. They saw the damage firsthand and let the man keep his power while claiming to be resistance. FOH

Agreed. As you and others have pointed out, this is most likely an attempt to distance the Republican Party from this mess and perhaps even rescue the writer’s own reputation, if he or she has future political aspirations.

In actuality the writer and others in this so-called “resistance” are enablers, willing to put up with Trump’s madness because they are getting everything else they wanted. The mention of his positive “accomplishments” such as tax cuts and general praise for conservative values is the real tip-off. These people wouldn’t have been able to get these things done (including another right wing extremist on the SCOTUS!) if they hadn’t rode Trump’s coat-tails to victory. Either they knew he was incompetent and dangerous from the beginning, or found out literally the first day on the job. But they didn’t employ the 25th Amendment because, quite frankly, Trump is/was too popular among a particular sect of voters. These folks are no more heroic than McConnel, Ryan, and everyone else in Congress who have done nothing about the situation. The writer hints that Trump should be stopped, but ultimately doesn’t want to be the one to stop him.

The only good sign here is that it shows that even within the Administration, folks see the writing on the wall. He’s done.

[HarthorneWingo]

Snakes in the Grassley


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

[j4remi]

I don't subscribe to the NYT, so I don't wanna press my article limits for the whole month. But looks like they've got hands on some of the confidential Kavanaugh e-mails...

[GONYK]

I don't subscribe to the NYT, so I don't wanna press my article limits for the whole month. But looks like they've got hands on some of the confidential Kavanaugh e-mails...

https://www.scribd.com/document/387988906/Booker-Confidential-Kavanaugh-Hearing

[Pointgod]

I hope when the dust settles that these "resistance" insiders don't get treated like some sort of heroes for doing the bare minimum while acknowledging all of the damage Trump is doing and trying to do. It all smacks of damage control for when they can get him out of office and claim that "this is not the Republican party, it was Trump." They should be blackballed, straight up and down. They saw the damage firsthand and let the man keep his power while claiming to be resistance. FOH

Absolutely this. If this anonymous person actually gave a damn about the country they would quit and say this stuff publicly. They're basically saying sure Trump is a deranged lunatic but I'm fine with that because he passes a Republican agenda......perfect encapsulation of the lows the Republicans have sunk to. The midterms are coming up, the they should be putting the pressure on Congress to keep Trump in check whether it's Republicans or Democrats. Instead we have the equivalent of a gossip article when your country is swirling down the drain.

[thebuzzardman]

I hope when the dust settles that these "resistance" insiders don't get treated like some sort of heroes for doing the bare minimum while acknowledging all of the damage Trump is doing and trying to do. It all smacks of damage control for when they can get him out of office and claim that "this is not the Republican party, it was Trump." They should be blackballed, straight up and down. They saw the damage firsthand and let the man keep his power while claiming to be resistance. FOH

Absolutely this. If this anonymous person actually gave a damn about the country they would quit and say this stuff publicly. They're basically saying sure Trump is a deranged lunatic but I'm fine with that because he passes a Republican agenda......perfect encapsulation of the lows the Republicans have sunk to. The midterms are coming up, the they should be putting the pressure on Congress to keep Trump in check whether it's Republicans or Democrats. Instead we have the equivalent of a gossip article when your country is swirling down the drain.

If someone wanted to engage in some full on Anti Republican snark, the following statement could be made:



"The best that a republican can come up with in this situation is to violate the rule of law and be in direct opposition to the US Constitution? Alrighty!"


I hate Trump a LOT. This Op-Ed might be the one thing anyone could think up that is worse.

[GONYK]

So some informed speculation leads to the conclusion that the Op-ed author might be Jon Huntsman

[ChilledAlex]

Just read this. I thought it was a satire piece at times. This is Trump talking to Bob Woodward. THE Bob Woodward, who Trump knows is doing a book on his presidency:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/09/04/transcript-phone-call-between-president-trump-journalist-bob-woodward/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.abbe0decf022

Bob Woodward, an associate editor at The Washington Post, sought an interview with President Trump as he was writing “Fear,” a book about Trump’s presidency. Trump called Woodward in early August, after the manuscript had been completed, to say he wanted to participate.

Over the course of 11-plus minutes, Trump repeatedly claimed his White House staff hadn’t informed him of Woodward’s interview request — despite also admitting Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) had told him Woodward wanted to talk. He also started the phone call by saying Woodward had “always been fair” to him, but by the end he said the book would be “inaccurate.”

Spoiler:

Trump: Hello, Bob.

BW: President Trump, how are you?

Trump: How are you? How are you doing? Okay?

BW: Real well. I’m turning on my tape recorder, with your permission.

Trump: Oh, that’s okay. That’s okay. I don’t mind that at all.

BW: I’m sorry we missed the opportunity to talk for the book.

Trump: Well, I just spoke with Kellyanne [Conway] and she asked me if I got a call. I never got a call. I never got a message. Who did you ask about speaking to me?

BW: Well, about six people.

Trump: They don’t tell me.

BW: A senator. I talked to Kellyanne about it two and a half months ago.

Trump: [?].

BW: She came for lunch.

Trump: Well, it’s too bad. Of course, you and I had a conversation a couple of years ago, and so that I think got you there a little bit. And we had a conversation many years ago, if you remember, in Trump Tower.

BW: Yeah, I do.

Trump: That has to be 20 years ago. And you were thinking about doing a book about me then, which is interesting. Who knew it would’ve been on this subject? Right? That was not in the cards at that time.

BW: That’s right. Well, I’m sorry, I . ..

Trump: I still remember that.

BW: I spent a lot of time on this, talked to lots of people.

Trump: All right. Good.

BW: And as you know and are living, we are at a pivot point in history.

Trump: Right.

BW: And I would’ve liked to have done that, and I maximized my effort, and somehow it didn’t get to you, or . ..

Trump: It’s really too bad, because nobody told me about it, and I would’ve loved to have spoken to you. You know I’m very open to you. I think you’ve always been fair. We’ll see what happens. But all I can say is the country is doing very well. We’re doing better economically just about than at any time. We’re doing better on unemployment maybe than ever. You know, I mean, if you look at the unemployment numbers, you’ve heard me say it. And we’re doing better on unemployment than just about ever. We’re having a lot of — a lot of companies are moving back into our country, which would’ve been unheard of two years ago. If the other administration or representatives of it had kept going, had kept — you know, if the other group had won, I will tell you, that you would have, I think you’d have a GDP of less than zero. I think we would’ve been going in the wrong direction. Because regulations are such a big part of what we’ve done, Bob.

BW: Well, I understand that point of view. And as you know, it’s also a difficult time where the political system and you and my business is being tested.

Trump: Yeah. Yeah.

BW: I take it very seriously. I’ve done books on eight presidents, going back from Nixon to Obama.

Trump: Right.

BW: And I learned something about reporting, frankly, Mr. President.

Trump: Good.

BW: I’ve got to go talk to people and see them outside of the White House and outside of their offices, and gained a lot of insight and documentation. And it’s — you know, it’s a tough look at the world and your administration and you.

Trump: Right. Well, I assume that means it’s going to be a negative book. But you know, I’m some — I’m sort of 50 percent used to that. [Laughter] That’s all right. Some are good and some are bad. Sounds like this is going to be a bad one.

BW: It was a chance missed, and I don’t know how things work over there in terms of . ..

Trump: Very well. We . ..

BW: . . . getting to you.

Trump: Well, if you would call Madeleine [Westerhout] in my office . . . Did you speak to Madeleine?

BW: No, I didn’t. But I . ..

Trump: Madeleine is the key. She’s the secret. Because she’s the person . ..

BW: Well, I talked to Raj [Shah] about it. I talked to . . . I talked to Kellyanne.

Trump: Well, a lot of them are afraid to come and talk, or — you know, they are busy. I’m busy. But I don’t mind talking to you. I would’ve spoken to you. I spoke to you 20 years [ago] and I spoke to you a year and a half or two years ago.

[Listen to Woodward and Trump's call on The Post's "Can He Do That?" podcast]

BW: A couple of years ago, I understand.

Trump: And I certainly don’t mind talking to you, and I wish I could’ve spoken to you. But nobody called my office. I mean, you went through, I guess, different people. ...

BW: Well, Mr. President, how can I spend all this time talking to people and — like Kellyanne and Raj and Republican senators?

Trump: Who were the senators? No, they never called me about it.

BW: Senator [Lindsey] Graham said he had talked to you about talking to me. Now, is that not true?

Trump: Senator Graham actually mentioned it quickly in one meeting.

BW: Yes. Well, see. And then nothing happened.

Trump: That is true. That is true. Well, that — no, but that is true. Mentioned it quickly, not like, you know, and I would certainly have thought that maybe you would’ve called the office. But that’s okay. I’ll speak to Kellyanne. I am a little surprised that she wouldn’t have told me. In fact, she just walked in. [to Kellyanne] I’m talking to Bob Woodward. He said that he told you.

Conway: Yes.

Trump: About speaking to me. But you never told me. Why didn’t you tell me?

Conway: [inaudible].

Trump: I would’ve been very happy to speak to him. All right, so what are you going to do?

BW: Well ...

Trump: So I have another bad book coming out. Big deal.

BW: . . . it goes on, and I . . . What you can count on is that I’ve been very careful. And Evelyn, are you on?

EMD: Yes.

BW: Evelyn Duffy, who’s my assistant, Mr. President.

Trump: Hello, Evelyn.

BW: She transcribed all the tapes because, with permission, I taped people for hundreds of hours.

Trump: Good.

BW: And I think there’s nothing in this book that doesn’t come from a firsthand source. Is that correct, Evelyn?

EMD: I believe that’s —

Trump: But are you naming names? Or do you just say sources?

BW: Yeah, well, it names real incidents, so . ..

Trump: No, but do you name sources? I mean, are you naming the people, or just say, people have said?

BW: I say, at 2:00 on this day, the following happened, and everyone who’s there, including yourself, is quoted. And I’m sorry I didn’t get to ask you about these . ..

Trump: I mean, you do know I’m doing a great job for the country. You do know that NATO now is going to pay billions and billions of dollars more, as an example, than anybody thought possible, that other presidents were unable to get more? And it was heading downward. You do know all of the things I’ve done and things that I’m doing? I’m in the process of making some of the greatest trade deals ever to be made. You do understand that stuff? I mean, I hope.

BW: Certainly, I understand and I would’ve loved to go through a discussion with you about NATO, because this goes back to early in your administration and your concern about it, and the agreement that the countries have that they would increase their defense contribution, what is it, by the year 2024? And you know . . . So anyway, we are . ..

Trump: Well, you know last year, if you see the secretary, [Jens] Stoltenberg, he said I believe $44 billion just last year, and that was from last year’s meeting. And this year it’s much more money they’ve agreed to put up. So it’s a tremendous amount of money. No other president has done it. It was heading down in the opposite direction. So I don’t know if you’re going to report it that way; probably not. But that’s too bad, but that’s all right, but you know, one of those things.

BW: Everything is going to be factual. And it is not a good thing for my business, if I may say this to you, Mr. President, to the presidency, or to the country, to not have real, full exchanges on these. And I broke my spear on it trying to get to you.

Trump: Well, other than Lindsey [Graham], who did quickly mention it, nobody mentioned it.

BW: You say Kellyanne’s there, ask her.

Trump: Nobody told me about it. Well, let me ask her. Why don’t you speak to Kellyanne. Ask her. She never told me about it.

[Conway takes the phone.]

BW: Kellyanne?

Conway: Bob, how are you? Hi.

BW: Hi. Remember two and a half months ago you came over and I laid out, I wanted to talk to the president? And you said you would get back to me?

Conway: I do. And I put in the request. But you know, they — it was rejected. I can only take it so far. I guess I can bring it right to the president next time.

BW: Yeah.

Conway: But I try to follow all the protocols, or else I’m accused of being somebody who doesn’t follow protocol.

BW: President Trump, I just want you to know I made every effort.

Conway: But you had talked to [former White House communications director] Hope [Hicks], right, who said no?

BW: Listen, I talked to anyone I could. [Laughs]

Conway: You talked to a number of people and they all said no?

BW: I talked to Raj.

Conway: Raj.

BW: He was going to work it out.

Conway: Hope. [Me?].

[The president says something in the background that is inaudible.]

Conway: I said you tried talking to everybody? What about when you interviewed, like, other people? They all said yes? That they’d try?

BW: Yeah, well, about six or seven people. I tried. And I couldn’t have — you and I spent a whole lunch on it, Kellyanne. And I said, I want to cover the substantive issues in foreign policy and domestic policy. And you said you would get back to me. Nothing.

Conway: Yeah. So, I did. I presented it to the people here who make those decisions, but . ..

BW: Who are the people?

Conway: But anyway, I’ll give you back to the president. And I’m glad to hear that you tried through seven or eight different people. That’s good. You should tell him all the names. [Laughs] Thank you.

Trump: But you never called for me. It would’ve been nice, Bob, if you called for me, in my office. I mean, I have a secretary. I have two, three secretaries. If you would’ve called directly — a lot of people are afraid . . . Raj, I hardly have . . . I don’t speak to Raj.

BW: Kellyanne is a . ..

Trump: I do, I do, and Kellyanne went to somebody, but she didn’t come to me.

BW: Well, does she have access to you?

Trump: And she should’ve come to me. She does have access to me. Absolutely. She has direct access, but she didn’t come to me. And you know what? That’s okay. I’ll just end up with another bad book. What can I tell you?

BW: It’s surprising to me that these people — did Raj have access to you?

Trump: Not really, but he would’ve been able to do it. But I have an office. You have the office number. I have an office that’s directly into my office.

Conway: [inaudible in background]

Trump: It doesn’t matter. Let me tell you what matters: The economy is the best it’s been in many, many decades. And it’s going to get a lot better. And the country is doing very well. That’s what’s important.

BW: Yes, sir. I thought I would . ..

Trump: We’re doing a good job.

BW: . . . never kind of say, let’s not talk about this because the book is done to a president . ..

Trump: Yeah, I know.

BW: . . . and, but that’s the position we’re in. And it’s one I tried to avoid. You need to know I made maximum effort.

Trump: All right. It’s too bad.

BW: Yes, sir.

Trump: I’m just hearing about it. And I heard — I did hear from Lindsey, but I’m just hearing about it. So we’re going to have a very inaccurate book, and that’s too bad. But I don’t blame you entirely.

BW: No, it’s [?] — it’s going to be accurate, I promise.

Trump: Yeah, okay. Well, accurate is that nobody’s ever done a better job than I’m doing as president. That I can tell you. So that’s . . . And that’s the way a lot of people feel that know what’s going on, and you’ll see that over the years. But a lot of people feel that, Bob.

BW: I believe in our country, and because you’re our president, I wish you good luck.

Trump: Okay. Thank you very much, Bob. I appreciate it. Bye.

[Call ends]

[Recording ends]

theres vid for lazy.
Man, this Trump guy is one helluva nut job

Watch on YouTube

[ChilledAlex]

Imagine the onion, however crazy their sh** seemed to be, was nowhere close to the level of Trump administration. People in future will look at this and ask 'how did they allow that to happen?''

[j4remi]

https://www.scribd.com/document/387988906/Booker-Confidential-Kavanaugh-Hearing

Much appreciated fam, I only wish I had this stuff as I listened to the hearings this morning. Cory Booker is a dude I'm not a huge fan of but the speech and leak combo is a really strong play at a time when most Dems have felt incredibly weak and neutered (especially the implications of some of Schumer and Pelosi's actions).

[HarthorneWingo]

So some informed speculation leads to the conclusion that the Op-ed author might be Jon Huntsman

Not Huntsman. The anonymous author describes the group as "senior officials in [Trump's] own administration ... working diligently from within ..."

I don't believe Huntsman fits that description.

[GONYK]

So some informed speculation leads to the conclusion that the Op-ed author might be Jon Huntsman

Not Huntsman. The anonymous author describes the group as "senior officials in [Trump's] own administration ... working diligently from within ..."

I don't believe Huntsman fits that description.

How does he not fit the description? He's the Ambassador to Russia in this administration, which would give him access to a lot of the things he touched on.

It's just a theory though.

[j4remi]

So some informed speculation leads to the conclusion that the Op-ed author might be Jon Huntsman

Not Huntsman. The anonymous author describes the group as "senior officials in [Trump's] own administration ... working diligently from within ..."

I don't believe Huntsman fits that description.

How does he not fit the description? He's the Ambassador to Russia in this administration, which would give him access to a lot of the things he touched on.

It's just a theory though.

One thing I've learned from the search for that anonymous voice is what a lodestar is and that Mike Pence loves the word.

[HarthorneWingo]

So some informed speculation leads to the conclusion that the Op-ed author might be Jon Huntsman

Not Huntsman. The anonymous author describes the group as "senior officials in [Trump's] own administration ... working diligently from within ..."

I don't believe Huntsman fits that description.

How does he not fit the description? He's the Ambassador to Russia in this administration, which would give him access to a lot of the things he touched on.

It's just a theory though.

Maybe it is. But I get the sense that these are people in D.C. Huntsman is too removed from the day-to-day operations of the administration.

Huntsman is too busy making sure his food hasn't been poisoned.

p.s. Vegas is taking odds on who is the author. Put your money where your mouth is.

[thebuzzardman]

Imagine the onion, however crazy their sh** seemed to be, was nowhere close to the level of Trump administration. People in future will look at this and ask 'how did they allow that to happen?''

So often I read stuff about Trump and I swear it's a satire. And I realize it's not. It's crazy.

[HarthorneWingo]

Join me

Watch on YouTube

[Clyde_Style]

They speculated it could be Pence based on the use of the word "loadstar" which he, apparently, likes to use often. But the writer of the op-ed could've fomented Pence knowing that he likes that word.

Thus far, I think the letter was written by more than one person. There is going to be a cluster of these people in the WH. It is not necessarily a lone wolf. One person may have spearheaded it though and written it with the blessings of several others.

I'd still put the highest odds on Coats who has deftly managed to avoid much of Trump's scrutiny while being a career IC guy. In other words, he both knows his boss is a traitor and has the background to believe he is in a position to monitor him and intercept things that could cause further harm.

But, in general, the idea that one person steals papers from his desk or stuff like that is highly implausible. So whether or not one person wrote this, there are definitely multiple people who feel and behave exactly as the letter states.

I don't believe it is Pence. I do think it might be an attempt to trigger Trump into melting down into a paranoid mania to make it easier to depose him with the 25th Amendment, but I think the writer knows how to insert enough misdirection like planting key words that throws people off their scent and makes them think it is someone else.

Think about why they would use a word Pence would use. I'll tell you why most probably. It is because Cabinet members can be fired, but Pence cannot. Make people think it is Pence and you take the heat off the actual writer while simultaneously infecting Trump with a fear of his VP deposing him. That's pretty clever.

Pence is not a bright guy. Conway is a weird little girl and she worked with Pence before the WH so that's another rabbit hole ........ whatever

There's another way to look at this, a somewhat more cynical way.

I'm not denying that there are people who see themselves as the "adults" in the room and feel they are looking out for the interests of the country. The op-Ed made it clear that while they are republicans and they got in the administration to push a Republican agenda (which they said was going swimmingly well - good job to us!), Trump himself is an issue.

Let's back up for a minute. These people are politicians. They also have access to some of the highest levels of information, based on classified access but also particularly through personal relationships and contacts.

This feels like an attempt by some of those individuals to refurbish their reputation for when after Trump is removed.

I'm repeating myself, but a lot of this sounds, nearly exactly in overall content, to address some of the criticisms leveled by Rick Wilson, about how current conservatives reputations shouldn't survive this administration, that they'll have a hard time getting work, or certain kinds of work. An overall call to DC conservatives - in government, lobbyists etc, who HATE Trump but have been silent, selling out principle for short term gain, to stop being cowardly.

The quote is so close to the tone and content of some of the passages, how they admit to doing it for "republican agenda" but then counter them with "we are heroes here, we were safeguarding the country from the impetuous nut job."

I'm not claiming a conspiracy. Or even that Wilson provided the narrative. It's that Wilson is a connected DC power player, and that some of the opinions in his book are clearly, well,his, but also that I'm sure they represent a certain consensus of DC republican's outside of the true believer Trumpsters. So either Wilson has provided the intellectual outline of the steps himself, or he's echoing a prevailing view.

To me it reads like statement from people who are connected enough and politically astute enough to REALLY know Trump's time is almost up, and are engaging in reputation refurbishing for their next gigs.

Wilson's book and the statement could be read as part of a wider strategy to begin to try and take back the party and do things to provoke Trump to make it happen faster. Or this and all of the above.

The way you're describing it there will be a moment post-Trump where somebody will raise their hand and go ooo ooo it was me!