There are no words.
Looks like we’re inching towards the next phase of “it happened, but it was for the greater good.”
Seriously, the defense is that Trump can’t be owned by the Russians, because he is too obviously owned by the Russians.
You sound suspiciously defensive about what you just called “indefensible”. Trump has denied and conflated meddling and collusion all along. Those are facts that you attempted to refute under the rubric of “getting the specifics right”. You should have quit while you were ahead-ish.
“Republican” and “Trump supporter” are synonymous. It’s unfettered and shameless tribalism. Brows will furrow and concerns will be raised, but in the end, the GOP is a party without any principles beyond keeping itself in power at the expense of this country and its people.
-Tom
Yup, like that woman who called C-SPAN and said she was glad Russia meddled in our elections.
Flat out denying something is saying “meddling did not happen.” What trump did was equivocate and obfuscate and say maybe it did but I have no reason to think it did. That is silly and wrong and indefensible. That does not mean we can misrepresent facts and claim it was an all-out denial.
There are good principled republicans, and many of them spoke out today against Trump’s actions. I don’t know that they need to immediately vote to impeach anyone, or what more you want them to do.
It’s circumstantial evidence. You offered one theory and I offered another. Neither is a good look for the president, but neither of us has the facts to say more than that his press conference was not defensible
Wow. So now you are trying to redefine the term “denial”. How far will you go round and round with this? Forever?
Don’t you see what a supreme loser and embarrassment he is, at least? I’m trying to figure out why you are defending this scumbag.
If only those good, principled republicans had some form of political power, some force they could use to stop Trump from giving the farm to Russia. Maybe if they ran for office, and got elected to the House or the Senate, they could do stuff. Refuse to vote for his judges. Subpoena his tax returns. Filibuster all of his appointments. Join with Democrats to end his tariffs. Oh, if only they were in office and could do something besides criticize him on Twitter.
No one cares whether the denial was “all out” or “flat out”. No one. You’re clinging to incidentals, which is why you alienate people who might otherwise be interested in having a discussion with you. We aren’t on a witness stand here. We’re having a conversation.
I would honestly like to know who you think they are. Specifically Republican politicians who aren’t named Kasich, Flake, or McCain.
-Tom
Those three are certainly on the list, but I also like a Rand Paul, Ryan, Collins, Murkowski, etc. Anyway, I haven’t checked on all their reactions to this press conference, but I know that their staff is apoplectic about the press conference and not just because of its political ramifications.
Don’t be a damned fool. McCain, Flake, Paul, Ryan, Collins, Murkowski - these people have political power, and could actually do something. If they aren’t doing something, it is because they don’t fucking want to.
Rand Paul went on a CNN about an hour ago, attacking the US intel agencies and defending Russia.
He’s a traitor too.
Rand Paul and Paul Ryan. Egad. Yeah, those guys haven’t shown any principles beyond party over country. I’m not sure why you would name them.
Otherwise, your idea of principled Republicans seems to the ones who have broken with the party to oppose Trump. Why do you think that is? Could they be on to something?
-Tom
What did Rand say? That would surprise me.
Trump is a pretty big foreign policy disaster, and I believe you will see republicans limiting his ability to pursue Russia friendly arms treaties and limit sanctions to the extent he’s even able to until the August 2017 law.
Consider how this looks after he trashed NATO so thoroughly. Not comprehensible unless he literally relishes in bad optics to the point that he is willing to risk national security over it (or is bought, which I see less evidence of).
And for how long do you suppose these principled republicans will speak out? Until the next time Trump says/does something stupid or until the news cycle gives them something to hide behind.
Fact is they not republicans anymore, they are Trumpsters, doing whatever it takes to support there guy so that they can get whatever they want out of it.
Maybe at some point they will turn on him, but I am not holding my breath for that.
They will all be like Cruz, who seemed fine with Trump insulting his wife once he realized Trump could effect his place in the world.
Well Collins and Murkowski have strong political incentive to oppose trump, so I can’t be sure they are opposing him on principle. But anyway, no one who isn’t an insane trump zealot would defend this press conference, and I’m convinced that has less to do with politics and more to do with some latent principles.
Should I make a list of other things that only an insane Trump zealot would support? It’s pretty long!
-Tom
Here’s Saint Jeff Flake, telling us what really matters - nonbinding resolutions on tariffs.