Two Plus Two Equals Four
You'll have to forgive me, but during this morning's testimony before the House Intelligence Committee by Gordon Sondland, I kept thinking of a few key passages from George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four. If you watched the hearing, you'll understand what I'm referring to. Here are the quotes that sprang to my mind during this extended math lesson:
Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.
. . .
"How can I help it? How can I help but see what is in front of my eyes? Two and two are four."
"Sometimes, Winston. Sometimes they are five. Sometimes they are three. Sometimes they are all of them at once. You must try harder. It is not easy to become sane.”
If you watched this morning, you'll immediately understand why these quotes sprang to mind.
Gordon Sondland exhibited an astonishing degree of doublethink today, in keeping with the Orwellian theme. He averred in his opening statement that there were indeed multiple quid pro quos between Donald Trump and the new Ukrainian leader. The proposed meeting at the White House between the two and the military aid were both, in his opinion, absolutely conditioned upon the Ukrainian president making a very public statement that he was opening investigations into both possible Ukrainian interference in the 2016 election and Hunter Biden, Joe Biden's son, who was on the board of Burisma. Over and over again, Sondland stated that neither the meeting nor the aid would be forthcoming unless and until the public statement of the new investigations was made. Or, in his own words, quid pro quo.
However, Sondland seems to also be mightily trying not to point the finger at any of his fellow Republicans. He swore that Donald Trump never explicitly laid this quid pro quo out to him, and that neither Mick Mulvaney nor Mike Pompeo made this explicit case either. Throughout today's hearing, Sondland looked exactly like what he has been proven to be: a man desperately trying not to get charged with perjury for his earlier testimony, which has been contradicted numerous times by multiple witnesses. He has amended his original testimony, and added to it again (complete with some documentation) this morning. So he really wants to appear to be cooperative, while at the same time covering his own behind and protecting his superiors from any possible direct accusation. He also sounded exactly like someone afraid that Donald Trump was never going to take his phone calls ever again, to put it bluntly.
Sondland explained the disconnect between his absolute belief in the quid pro quos on the two investigations versus the White House meeting and the military aid and the apparent fact that nobody ever informed him directly of this by stating during his initial questioning with the Democratic counsel that "two plus two equals four," or that he inferred the existence of the quid pro quos from pretty much everything everyone else was saying about the holdup of both the meeting and the aid ("Everyone was in the loop"). In other words, there was no other realistic way to look at it. Two and two always make four, don't they?
This metaphor came up over and over again throughout the day, until I began to wonder when the Republicans would start insisting that two plus two equalled five, but the closest they got was to call it a "funny little math problem." It's hard to see anything funny -- either funny/odd or funny/ha ha -- about two plus two equals four, but whatever.
What we got instead was plenty of Orwellian doublethink from the Republican questions. We were told explicitly that: "Talk to Rudy" did not actually mean: "Talk to Rudy." We had discussions of "Watergate fantasies" and "magical minutes." We had plenty of talk about the big, bad Democrats and the big, bad media. We also had plenty of recycling of Republican conspiracy theories, as usual.
Gordon Sondland seems to have a very selective memory, although he did repeatedly point out that if the State Department would allow him access to official notes and phone records, he would likely remember more. He explained his newly-remembered memories as being spurred by other witnesses' testimony, while also explaining that he wasn't "a note-taker" and was pretty foggy on all the details of what he's done over the past six months or so in his job. All around, he seemed like a walking, talking poster boy for why wealthy donors should not be made ambassadors, at least to me.
In a phrase, he wasn't an ideal witness for either side. He was visibly twitchy the entire day, and he almost sounded punch-drunk during the final 5-minute question period. Perhaps he had just been saving up a snappy rejoinder to a question he hadn't been asked previously, when the term "the Gordon Problem" came up. "That's what my wife calls me," Sondland replied, to laughter (both from the crowd and from himself). He seemed, in contrast to all the other witnesses presented so far, unserious.
The Democrats' job today was to dig into what Adam Schiff called the "continuum of insidiousness" described by Sondland. Over and over again, Democrats got Sondland to admit that the buck always stops with Donald Trump. It is inconceivable that anyone else would have "gone rogue" and started setting foreign policy without Trump's express approval. Trump dictated the policy, and people like Sondland had to cope with it as best they could, even if Trump wouldn't actually tell them what was going on or why. This became clearer and clearer throughout the morning.
Sondland was quick to back up just about every other statement made by all the other witnesses, even those that contradicted his earlier testimony. He repeatedly blamed his memory and his lack of note-taking ability for these lapses. The only thing he disagreed with was what happened immediately after the phone call he made with Trump from an open-air restaurant in Kiev. Staffers present for this event have already testified that they could overhear Trump's words because he was talking so loud, and that afterwards Sondland stated that Trump "didn't give a shit about Ukraine" because all he cared about was "the big stuff" like the investigations into the 2016 election and the Bidens. While several questioners pressed him on the veracity of these comments (although nobody actually went so far as to use the offensive word), Sondland never really did admit that he had said such a thing. He did strenuously disagree that he had mentioned the Bidens, though, and swore he had only spoken of Burisma instead.
Sondland, like witnesses before him, would have us all believe that he was in the midst of a foreign policy initiative driven entirely by Rudy Giuliani at Trump's direction, and yet they were completely unaware of what Rudy was saying in television news interviews during the same period. For all of these officials, we are to believe that Rudy's television interviews were simply ignored by people who were struggling to satisfy his demands to make the White House meeting happen and to unfreeze the military aid. No staffer brought such a thing to their attention, in other words, which simply strains credulity.
Rudy was right out there in the open (as is his style) stating for anyone who would listen that he was eager for the Ukraine to open two very specific investigations -- one into the CrowdStrike conspiracy theory, and one into Hunter Biden and Joe Biden. Rudy wasn't shy about making this known -- far from it, in fact. And yet the people who were working with him to effect exactly what Rudy wanted had never even heard any of these very public comments from him. Maybe that's what was meant when we were told that: "Talk to Rudy" didn't always mean: "Talk to Rudy"? Maybe it also meant: "Don't listen to Rudy, either"?
To me, the most damning thing Sondland said today was to point out that Donald Trump really didn't care whether the investigations were actually opened or not, because what he really was looking for -- the only "deliverable," in other words -- was that there was a public announcement from the Ukrainian leader that the investigations had been opened. This proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Trump does not, as was euphemistically edited today, "give a fig" about fighting corruption in Ukraine. Trump knows full well that serious investigations take a long time, and that even if the Ukrainians had begun one, there would be no guarantee they'd be done with it in time for him to benefit from any dirt that was uncovered. Instead, he just wanted the announcement to endlessly point to out on the campaign trail. The entire thing was a political hit job, in other words.
As Representative Jackie Speier put it, at one point in her questioning: "We've stepped into Bizzaroland." That's a polite way of putting it, actually. Orwell put it better. In fact, this final passage from Nineteen Eighty-Four could equally apply to all sorts of mental gymnastics that Republicans in Congress and elsewhere have had to perform on a regular basis to fit Trump's proclamations into the reality everyone else lives in:
In the end the Party would announce that two and two made five, and you would have to believe it. It was inevitable that they should make that claim sooner or later: the logic of their position demanded it. Not merely the validity of experience, but the very existence of external reality, was tacitly denied by their philosophy. The heresy of heresies was common sense. And what was terrifying was not that they would kill you for thinking otherwise, but that they might be right. For, after all, how do we know that two and two make four? Or that the force of gravity works? Or that the past is unchangeable? If both the past and the external world exist only in the mind, and if the mind itself is controllable -- what then?
-- Chris Weigant
Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant
Program Note:
OK, one down, one to go.
I can't promise I'll have a post-debate column, but I am going to try. It'll either appear tonight (an hour or so after the debate ends) or tomorrow (if I fall asleep instead).
-CW
CW,
I managed to watch most of Sondland before needing a break. Great recap!
He did strenuously disagree that he had mentioned the Bidens, though, and swore he had only spoken of Burisma instead.
Why do Republicans think that this is ANY different than mentioning the Biden’s by name? Why else would any of them care about Burisma if Hunter Biden weren’t on their board?
I second that: Great recap!
Sondland is Trump's handpicked ambassador to the European Union, and in his third attempt at testifying and multiple amendments to his testimony, he has finally confirmed under oath and penalty of perjury that there was definitely a quid pro quo despite all protestations to the contrary. Sondland implicated them all and confirmed repeatedly that there would be no White House meeting until Ukrainian President Zelensky announced to the public that there was an investigation into the Bidens. Trump couldn't have cared less if there was any investigation conducted, he just wanted an announcement that would kneecap the opponent he feared most.
According to Sondland, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo played a major role in the shakedown and also in the current obstruction of Congress in their role as oversight of the Executive Branch. So congratulations goes out to Mike Pompeo and all those named in the conspiracy in the shakedown of Ukraine for the personal interests of Donald Trump and against the national security interests of the United States and our citizens. Mike Pompeo and all those named by Trump's handpicked Ambassador to the EU needs to now appear as a witness or face impeachment themselves.
Donald Trump is not above the law, yet the GOP dipshits sit idly by with their heads up their asses as Trump enlists a foreign government to investigate private citizens of the United States while the Republicants invent conspiracy theory bullshit, lies, propaganda, and proffer the laughable claim that Donald Trump, one of the biggest cons in the history of our country, is simply fighting corruption... when Trump has already admitted on national television from coast to coast that he wanted "a major investigation into the Bidens" from Ukraine and also said that China should start an investigation into the Bidens:
https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2019/10/03/china-should-investigate-biden-trump-sot-nr-vpx.cnn
I wasn't kidding around when I defined Trump all those years ago:
Now do you believe me?
OK, folks, I can't do it.
I'm officially punting the post-debate column until tomorrow. I've been either watching TV or writing furiously for 14.5 hours straight now, and I just can't put in two more. If I tried, it would be the most unreadable column ever, so I think it's best for all concerned that I just go get some needed sleep instead. After all, the show starts once again tomorrow at 6:00 AM.
Good thing we've all got a long holiday weekend coming up next week. I for one am going to need it.
:-)
-CW
Kick [prev. article]
What with all the emails and testimony to the contrary and Trump's own admission on the South lawn of the White House, it's ludicrous for the dipshit Trump cultists and Trump himself to now try to claim that he wanted nothing from President Zelensky and Ukraine. Trump quite obviously wanted a foreign government to smear his political opponent in order to help him win reelection in 2020 and clear Russia for their involvement in the 2016 election. Trump isn't fighting corruption by any stretch of the imagination; Trump is promoting corruption.
Ohhhhh, he was wanting more than that... I, honestly, am starting to believe that Trump actually thinks the Ukrainians were working against his campaign in the 2016 election... his hatred for Ukraine is the only thing about Trump that seems genuine. I’m sure that is what Putin wants Trump to think.
From the very start of his bid for the presidency, Trump has been negative about Ukraine. After winning the Republican nomination, Trump’s only input into what he wanted as part of the GOP’s platform was changing the party’s longstanding position on defending the Ukrainians against Russian aggression. Manafort, Trump’s campaign manager, had just been run out of the country when the Putin-backed Ukraine President was run out of office and had to flee to Russia.
When Trump decided to pull money meant for military projects to pay for his wall, a large portion of that money came from projects meant to deter Russia from attacking Ukraine.
If Trump had gotten Zelensky to say he was investigating his own country for possibly interfering in our 2016 election, it wouldn’t be hard to imagine that Trump’s AG would suddenly announce he’d discovered evidence supporting that conspiracy.
And just like that, Ukraine is deemed guilty for election interference and they are no longer an ally that we can trust — so military aid from the U.S. gets cut.
We will sanction Ukraine just like we did Russia when they interfered with our election, putting their country into an economic tailspin. Zelensky is viewed by most Ukrainians as being just as corrupt as the last guy for giving into Trump’s demands; destabilizing his government terribly.
Trump will never be able to clear the Russian interference with the 2016 election from existence, even if Ukraine had interfered, it would not mean that Russia did not — it is not like only ONE foreign country can interfere per election!
Two weeks later, Russia invades and takes over the entire country — wiping completely out what little resistance they encounter. Now Putin can ship Russia’s oil to the sea without having to pay Ukraine, because it’s now all Russia’s!
Trump is a compromised Russian asset, one that has been in acting in plain sight from the beginning. The Republicans sold their souls to the Russians in exchange for remaining in power. Our country has a lot of cleaning up it will be forced to address once we get them out of power.
Sonderland comes across as someone who has realised that someone is going to jail over this and decided it's not going to be him.
Trump is a compromised Russian asset, one that has been in acting in plain sight from the beginning. The Republicans sold their souls to the Russians in exchange for remaining in power. Our country has a lot of cleaning up it will be forced to address once we get them out of power.
BBBBWWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Two things, Russ...
1- You have absolutely NO FACTS that prove this fevered fantasy of yours..
2- There are a PLETHORA of facts that PROVE you are full of shit, not the LEAST of which is a 2yr 35 MILLION dollar investigation that PROVES you are full of shit..
But I understand.. Yer in the throes of HHPTDS.. You are hysterical and no not what you spew...
It'll all be over soon..
President Trump will win re-election and Democrats will lose the house and then your hysterical rants will have no where to go..
I predict you'll be catatonic, retreating into your own mind's fantasy of a Hillary Clinton presidency...
A blubbering idjut who's sanity had fled...
I'll send you a GET WELL SOON card.. :D
@m,
sorry i didn't read for context yesterday. you wrote "palatable" but meant "palpable." my bias is palpable. then again, of course i think democrats tend to be right about things more often than not. if i didn't, i wouldn't have become a democrat. if republicans start speaking and acting in more ways i agree with, maybe i'll join them instead.
anyhow, common error, no big deal.
JL
And, once again, the SCOTUS sides with President Trump..
:D
Chief justice orders delay in House fight for Trump records
WASHINGTON (AP) — Chief Justice John Roberts is ordering an indefinite delay in the House of Representatives’ demand for President Donald Trump’s financial records to give the Supreme Court time to figure out how to handle the high-stakes dispute.
apnews.com/f9020ad1d9d645a991b199fd8ce84793
"INDEFINITE DELAY" :D
In other words.. :D
"OOOOOoooo ACCESS DENIED!!!!"
-Paul, SPIN CITY
https://thumbs.gfycat.com/AgitatedAptGoldenmantledgroundsquirrel-size_restricted.gif?fbclid=IwAR2o6FNe1pLq9nUX2CUtx-ZBmh8cVmUXcd_uvPLk1WOlAzBAu_IGkHs5chY
Boy, I bet that just chaps ya'all's asses, don't it..
I mean, how humiliating it must be for ya'all.. Ya'all have been going on and on about how ya'all finally get to see President Trump's tax records and the SCOTUS just slaps ya'all down... :D
Who could have POSSIBLY predicted this!!!???
Oh.. Wait.. :D
of course i think democrats tend to be right about things more often than not.
Of course you think that.. Hence the bias.. :D
if republicans start speaking and acting in more ways i agree with, maybe i'll join them instead.
If they did, then they wouldn't be Republicans, they would be democrats, eh??
Ya'all remind me of the religious wars between the protestants and the catholics..
Each so fanatically convinced that god is on their side and that the other side are nothing but sub-human barbarians..
It's funny because the fact is, they are both all frak'ed to hell and back.. :D
I just find that funny as hell.. :D
DNC Drops Putrid Fundraising Numbers In Middle Of Debate
https://dailycaller.com/2019/11/20/dnc-fundraising-numbers-debate/
Democrats are losing in every sense of the word.. :D
Basically, I find the attitude that Democrats are better than Republicans the same attitude as those who believe white people are better than black people.
It's all nothing but complete and utter bigotry...
Trump Campaign, RNC Raise More Than $100 Million In Second Quarter
https://dailycaller.com/2019/07/15/trump-campaign-rnc-2nd-quarter-fundraising-numbers/
Excitement and enthusiasm is clearly on the side of President Trump..
The DNC’s poor fundraising numbers come less than a year out from the 2020 presidential election, and at a time when the Republican National Committee (RNC) and the re-election campaign of President Donald Trump continue to blow past fundraising numbers.
The RNC raised nearly three times as much money as the DNC last month, pulling in over $25 million in October, while reporting over $60 million cash on hand. Additionally, the joint fundraising effort between the Trump campaign and the RNC has raised over $300 million in 2019 so far, and reported over $156 million cash on hand last month.
President Trump is going to win re-election...
That much is certain...
What's that, ya'all say?? "Impeachment"???
Well, not so much..
Poll: Trump Soars In Wisconsin As Support For Impeachment Declines
President Donald Trump received some good news Wednesday in the midst of impeachment drama taking place on Capitol Hill.
A new poll showed Trump leading all major Democratic presidential candidates in the crucial swing state of Wisconsin. The poll published by Marquette University Law School showed Trump leading Vice President Joe Biden by 47-44%, Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders 48%-45%, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren 48%-43%, and South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg 47%-39%.
The new poll also suggested that Wisconsin voters are tired of the impeachment inquiry into Trump, with 40% of registered voters saying they support impeachment, and 53% saying they are opposed. These numbers are down from the 44% of registered Wisconsin voters that supported the inquiry before public hearings began. The poll was conducted Nov. 13-17, and surveyed 801 registered voters in Wisconsin with a margin of error of roughly 4.1%.
https://dailycaller.com/2019/11/20/poll-trump-soars-in-wisconsin-beating-democrats/
This is being repeated in other battleground states..
Well, at least you Democrats have hope and prayers..
Cuz ya shirley don't have any money!!! :D
Rough end of debate for Biden
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/live-blog/nov-20-democratic-debate-live-updates-n1087226/ncrd1088101#liveBlogHeader
Poor ol' Joe...
Did NOT have a good debate...
Media's Sondland Spin Was a Dead Duck by 10:20 am
Democrats should eat a big serving of humble pie
On Wednesday, for example, Sondland was supposed to be Schiff’s smoking gun. But he was a dead duck by 10:20 a.m.
Schiff had promised that Sondland would confirm Trump had demanded military aid be withheld from Ukraine until President Volodymyr Zelensky committed to investigating Ukrainian meddling in our 2016 election and corruption at Ukrainian company Burisma, including dodgy dealings of the Biden family.
But when Schiff asserted that Trump wanted Ukraine to perform investigations “that would help his re-election campaign,” Sondland replied, “I can’t characterize why he wanted them.”
Gordon Sondland says Trump wanted 'nothing' from Ukraine president
Over and over, Sondland disappointed: “I never heard from President Trump that aid was conditioned on an announcement of an investigation.”
“Trump never told me directly … He did not ever have a conversation with me about the aid.”
“When I asked him, ‘What do you want from Ukraine,’ he said, ‘I want nothing. I want no quid pro quo. Tell Zelinsky to do the right thing.’ ”
It was before noon and Trump knew he had won. On the South Lawn, before he jumped on Marine One, the president repeated Sondland’s words at a mocking press conference.
He knew Sondland’s testimony was a disaster for the Democratic project, not that you’d know it from Schiff’s triumphal bathroom break press conference, or the online headlines.
https://nypost.com/2019/11/20/devine-democrats-should-eat-a-big-serving-of-humble-pie/
Once again.. President Trump rulez...
Dumbocrats drool.... :smirk: :D
And again.. NO FACTS prove bribery..
Not a SINGLE WITNESS has alleged ANYTHING that could be termed "bribery"..
Now, of course most of ya'all think differently.
But then again, most of ya'all thought that the "facts" proved Russia collusion..
And ya'all were wrong then..
So why do you think ya'all are factually accurate now??
Wishful thinking???
I mean, when ya get to the facts, that is what it all boils down to..
Ya'all have believed EVERY bullshit accusation about President Trump that has come out and ya'all have swore up and down that THIS time!! THIS TIME it was all come out and Trump will be crushed..
And ya'all have ***ALWAYS*** been wrong..
That's the one overriding fact that NONE of ya'all can escape..
Ya'all have ***ALWAYS*** been wrong...
Period... Fini... End of story...
Trump overrules Navy on Edward Gallagher case
'The Navy will NOT be taking away' Gallagher's Trident pin, Trump says
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/nov/21/donald-trump-overrules-navy-edward-gallagher-case/
Once again.. This shows why the military overwhelmingly loves their Commander In Chief..
Any coup the Democrats try is doomed to failure because the military will back the rightful and elected commander in chief..
It's really THAT simple..
This morning Fiona Hill and David Holmes are poking big holes in Sondland's protestations of "I didn't knoooooowww!" that Burisma meant Biden, etc.
Yesterday's best moment was when Cong. Maloney lead Sondland to admit the scheme would benefit Blotus - and then, after Sondland tried to claim he'd been forthcoming all day - Maloney said (paraphrasing)- "yeah, after your third try at amending your testimony. Let's not forget how you got here."
You had to hear it live - it was terrific.
Yesterday's best moment was when Cong. Maloney lead Sondland to admit the scheme would benefit Blotus -
Even if factually accurate... So??
You had to hear it live - it was terrific.
It WAS terrific..
Still no facts that prove bribery.. or extortion... or quid pro quo..
Whatever Dumbocrats focus group'ed "facts" are calling it now..
Republicans in today's hearings continue to demonstrate they are traitorous monsters who don't care at all about attacks on our country by Putin; who's goals are to advance FOX News/Q-anon bullshit conspiracy theories into the record AND to cover for Blotus' giant criminal ass.
They are consistently dishonest and disgraceful.
Fiona Hill is absolutely smashing it. Her response to Wenstrup was brilliant.
Fiona Hill is absolutely smashing it. Her response to Wenstrup was brilliant.
She opposed military aid to Ukraine.
What about the "Poor Ukrainians"???
Isn't it funny how ya'all's Trump/America hatred supersedes all else.. :smirk: :D
Still no facts that prove bribery.. or extortion... or quid pro quo..
Other than multiple members of this administration testifying to that fact...and Trump’s own public admission to that fact as well as the transcript showing it occurred.
Trump’s press conference yesterday — where he announced he had finally gathered the proof he needed to show his innocence and to end this entire investigation — was Trump providing a witness who could testify to Trump claiming that he did nothing wrong!!!
That sort of brilliant legal/mental gymnastics is so good that his supporters should tell Trump that he should fire his lawyers and handle this all on his own. He is a Jedi master when it comes to understanding the law. Heck, Trump has no legal background at all, but he seems to be just as sharp as someone who claims to have over 25 years in law enforcement!
“Was there a quid pro quo? ... With regard to the requested White House call and the White House meeting, the answer is yes,” Sondland said.
Remind us again how Sondland had hurt the charges being made against Trump...
Other than multiple members of this administration testifying to that fact...and Trump’s own public admission to that fact as well as the transcript showing it occurred.
Not factually accurate..
They gave their opinions and, in the cases were they had actual first hand knowledge, there was no firm fact to prove "bribery"..
None of them even SAID the word bribery.. That is the Dumbocrats "focus group" word..
The fact is, ya'all have LESS than you had with yer Russia Collusion delusion...
You have been wrong **EVERY** time, Russ..
What makes you think you are going to be right this time??
The fact that you try to bait me with your fact-less YOU WERE NOT A COP bullshit proves how utterly desperate and hysterical you are.
You have absolutely NO FACTS...
No matter what bullshit you spew..
JL
8
sorry i didn't read for context yesterday. you wrote "palatable" but meant "palpable." my bias is palpable.
Mike informed us all yesterday on multiple occasions that CW's bias is "palatable"... and it's that demonstrable repetitive incomprehension that proves a special kind of stupid that goes all the way down to the bone... among the many other displays of his gullibility and infinite inability to connect a series of dots... or even one dot to another. We're talking mind-boggling stupidity on full permanent display. *laughs*
@kick [30],
https://youtu.be/ubUBiNldIWM
JL
Michael,
Ya'all have believed EVERY bullshit accusation about President Trump that has come out and ya'all have swore up and down that THIS time!! THIS TIME it was all come out and Trump will be crushed..
And ya'all have ***ALWAYS*** been wrong..
I hate to admit this, but you are partially correct that I have been wrong about something when it comes to Trump’s long list of illegal, immoral, and highly unethical acts since taking office. Every time these things occur, I tell myself that this will be the line in the sand that Trump supporters will not cross in allowing Trump to destroy our nation’s government and our standing as leader of the free world...and each time you have proven me wrong!
Trump lies about paying off a porn star to keep her silent before the election — you argued that there was no proof that it ever happened, until there was proof... and still you thought he’d done nothing wrong. Bill gets a BJ and lies about it and you were screaming like a raving lunatic that had to be impeached!
I honestly did not think you and the other Trumpkins would be such hypocritical partisans, and I was wrong.
Trump’s sons admitted years ago that Russia was where they were getting the majority of their funding for investments, yet you do not think Trump should release his tax returns so we can all see just how indebted to them he might be.
Trump lied about Russian interference in our 2016 election, and I thought that people who always claim to be so patriotic would never accept that from anyone in the White House, but you sided with Putin over our own intelligence agencies and proved me wrong!
And yes, I was wrong when I believed that there was no way that anyone who claimed to love our country and to support those who defend it would ever support a president who confessed to the world that he was trying to get foreign governments to dig up dirt on his political rivals to help him get re-elected...but here we are.
So, yes, I am sick and tired of being proven wrong by you. Every time that I think you are going to finally say that enough is enough and choose to fight to remove this traitorous idiot before he can do anymore damage to our country, you surprise me by wanting him to do more — and once again prove me wrong!
Russ
5
Ohhhhh, he was wanting more than that... I, honestly, am starting to believe that Trump actually thinks the Ukrainians were working against his campaign in the 2016 election... his hatred for Ukraine is the only thing about Trump that seems genuine. I’m sure that is what Putin wants Trump to think.
Well, it is undeniably Putin's propaganda, and he did discuss it with Trump in Helsinki. One needs only to review the verbatim transcript of the press conference to confirm this; however, find a transcript that hasn't been altered, as the transcript posted by the White House has been altered.
Trump will never be able to clear the Russian interference with the 2016 election from existence, even if Ukraine had interfered, it would not mean that Russia did not — it is not like only ONE foreign country can interfere per election!
Correct... witness China.
Trump is a compromised Russian asset, one that has been in acting in plain sight from the beginning.
FACT: One can be a witting as well as unwitting asset to Russia, and Trump is undeniably compromised because of his decades of illegal money laundering for multiple oligarchs of the Soviet Union and Russia... not at all unlike Manafort's monetary dealings for which he either was found guilty or pleaded guilty to every single charge leveled against him to date.
Our country has a lot of cleaning up it will be forced to address once we get them out of power.
I said it before many years ago, and I'll say it again now: Some of them are going to prison unless they make a deal with prosecutors.
Isn't it ironic that those who are now in prison or heading there soon are the exact same people who working for the campaign who were regularly leading their base of gullible followers in cult-like chants of "lock her up"... their palpable hatred on full display for many, many years now and still counting.
Here's wishing for a long life to each and every one of these GOP criminals; bless their hateful hearts, and here's hoping they can work out their anger issues in Fed Pen. :)
I hate to admit this, but you are partially correct that I have been wrong about something when it comes to Trump’s long list of illegal, immoral, and highly unethical acts since taking office. Every time these things occur, I tell myself that this will be the line in the sand that Trump supporters will not cross in allowing Trump to destroy our nation’s government and our standing as leader of the free world...and each time you have proven me wrong!
Yea.. That's what I said..
You deserve credit for conceding this fact..
Kudos to you..
So, yes, I am sick and tired of being proven wrong by you. Every time that I think you are going to finally say that enough is enough and choose to fight to remove this traitorous idiot before he can do anymore damage to our country, you surprise me by wanting him to do more — and once again prove me wrong!
And there you go with your delusions again..
Shall we ask black Americans how they are enjoying their LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT EVER??
Maybe we should ask hispanic Americans how THEY are enjoying their LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT EVER...
You see, this is exactly your problem..
President Trump has been awesome for this country, DESPITE having to fight you Trump/America haters at EVERY juncture..
Imagine how great this country would be if Democrats actually cared about this country and worked WITH President Trump, the legally, fairly, freely, democratically and Constitutionally elected President Of The United States.
EVERY Trump/America hating prediction you have EVER made has been WRONG..
YOU... Personally.. have been WRONG about EVERYTHING to do with President Trump..
You, being the America hating scumbag you are, has predicted all sorts of catastrophes befalling this country..
You have HOPED for all those catastrophes to befall this country.
And you have... **ALWAYS BEEN WRONG**
Just as you will be WRONG with yer latest delusion..
The *ONLY* way this current faux impeachment coup ends is with President Trump STILL in office..
You will FAIL.. Just like you have ALWAYS failed.
And I will be here to laugh my ass off at you.. :D
At least til next Weds... :D
Mike
9
And, once again, the SCOTUS sides with President Trump..
This is from November 18 and is the exact same shit you already reported from three days ago and isn't remotely new and still isn't out of the ordinary either.
As I said then, the order would have taken effect on Wednesday, November 20, if Chief Justice Roberts hadn't placed a temporary stay on it, and that was yesterday. Quite routine and not new... same shit, different day.
So how many times are you going to report the same temporary stay and pretend like you "predicted" a routine knee-jerk court procedure?
Your permanent pathetic neediness and your continued ignorance are genuinely bone deep and also palatable... almost yummier than chocolate pie... almost! *laughs*
Paula
21
You had to hear it live - it was terrific.
I did - it was! :)
How about poor Ignorant Tool Devin Nunes finally being recently publicly outed for his association with Trump and Giuliani's pal Lev Parnas? About time too!
https://www.thedailybeast.com/lev-parnas-helped-rep-devin-nunes-investigations
Devin really is and always has been an ignorant tool of Trump... exactly how he got that nickname "Ignorant Tool" from me. *laughs*
Paula
23
Republicans in today's hearings continue to demonstrate they are traitorous monsters who don't care at all about attacks on our country by Putin; who's goals are to advance FOX News/Q-anon bullshit conspiracy theories into the record AND to cover for Blotus' giant criminal ass.
The wheels of justice turn slow, but turn they must, turn they will, and turn they are. And who is sitting in prison and who isn't? :)
This is from November 18 and is the exact same shit you already reported from three days ago and isn't remotely new and still isn't out of the ordinary either.
Once again, Victoria is not factually accurate..
What I reported last time is that a 10-day suspension was wanted by the Dumbocrats in the House..
Justice Roberts ordered an INDEFINITE stay, against the wishes of said Dumbocrats in the House..
Once again..
I am factually accurate...
Victoria is full of bullshit.. :D
When all is said and done with this faux impeachment coup, the ONLY outcome is one universally agreed upon...
President Trump is STILL President Of The United States..
:D
And THAT just chaps ya'all's ass to hell and back.. :D
Charles Brown, Esq.
24
Fiona Hill is absolutely smashing it. Her response to Wenstrup was brilliant.
Yes, sir!
My crew and I found it particularly humorous how many of the GOP dipshits spent a large portion of their five minutes to ask questions whining about not being given time to ask questions... without asking a single question.
It doesn't get much stupider that that! :)
Oh!! What have we here!!!???
California can’t force Donald Trump to release tax returns, state Supreme Court rules
https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article237248624.html
BBBWWAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA
Even in Dumbocrat heaven Cali-zuela, Democrats get their asses handed to them!!!
How awesome is it that President Trump continues to bitch slap Dumbocrats from coast to coast.. :D
The fact that you try to bait me with your fact-less YOU WERE NOT A COP bullshit proves how utterly desperate and hysterical you are.
You have absolutely NO FACTS...
No matter what bullshit you spew..
All I have are your own words, Michale.
I have you telling everyone here that you were in law enforcement for over two and a half decades.
I also have you saying that you were only law enforcement while you were in the service.
I am fairly certain that you were not in the military for over two decades based on your comments on here as well.
I have your criminal record that also makes it highly unlikely you were in law enforcement for over 25 years.
You told me that you had shot and killed a woman who charged at you with a butcher’s knife when you ignored SOP and entered a house on a DV call without waiting for any backup.
When you later tried to make it sound like you had worked for a local police department, I reminded you that you had pointed out that outside of your time in the military, you had never actually worked as a LEO. You responded by claiming that you had graduated from a POST police academy...but that is not the same as actually working in law enforcement.
When I asked you if I was lying when I said you had told me about shooting that woman as an MP, you said that I was lying. So at this point, I am not sure that you were even an MP based on your own statements.
Would you like me to post your own words for each of these? I know how you have claimed over and over that I am lying about this, and, trust me, I would be happy to crush your lies once and for all with your own words — but I will give you the opportunity to finally tell the truth and maybe save some sense of self-respect in the process.
I hope you don’t run and hide like you’ve done in the past when you got shut down by other CW posters, which is why I didn’t do this sooner. But I am hoping that this will maybe get you to end your ridiculous claims that you are the only person here whose word means anything. That you will treat people a little nicer knowing that they have proof that you have lied to everyone here, and yet they still will talk to you.
But as you stated earlier, I have been wrong about these things in the past, so it’s up to you.
Kick,
My crew and I found it particularly humorous how many of the GOP dipshits spent a large portion of their five minutes to ask questions whining about not being given time to ask questions... without asking a single question.
It is things like this that make me question if the Republicans are truly trying to defend Trump, or if they aren’t just putting on a show to keep him happy and believing that they are still behind him. Can you imagine the amount of damage an angry, out of control Trump could do to this country in the time it would take to impeach him if he knew that the Republicans were turning against him?
While I believe Nunes is and will forever be a loyal Trump supporter — face it, he’s not smart enough to realize that Trump will toss him aside like a used Kleenex once he has served his purpose — I have no doubt that most Republicans are sick of having to constantly defend this idiot and his constant bullshat.
None of them even SAID the word bribery.. That is the Dumbocrats "focus group" word..
Mike and the GOP's basic argument is that the fact witnesses won't decide the merits of the case and declare that Trump committed bribery so it can't be bribery. *laughs*
I call this ignorant posturing the "words have no meaning" defense, and it's about the dumbest shit I have ever heard uttered by so-called lawmakers and so-called law enforcement officers.
I can easily demonstrate how stupid this defense is by pointing out the fact that several witnesses have used the word "drug deal" to describe the events in question. So the witnesses said "drug deal"... lock them all up for dealing drugs. *laughs*
Frozen water is ice, and frozen water in the ocean is an iceberg. While it's true one can refer to an iceberg as frozen water or whatever terms float their boat, if that boat happens to strike that frozen water, that boat and those passengers just might be in for a really fast ride down to the ocean floor. Words have meaning:
I don't care how many GOP dipshits claim that this isn't bribery because no witnesses are calling it that, but I will tell you this:
* It sure as hell isn't a "drug deal," and lots and lots of witnesses have called it that.
* If I was a passenger on the Trumptanic, I'd sure as hell be looking for a way off that sinker. :)
Mike
29
You have absolutely NO FACTS...
No matter what bullshit you spew..
I think you just inadvertently made Russ's very factual point quite nicely as you are hands down the biggest spewer of fiction on this forum... without question... all those lies of yours archived for all posterity too! *laughs*
[37] Kick: I hope so. We'll see - we'll literally see our democracy implode/collapse under the weight of Republican/Blotus treachery or we'll see it survive. We are always witnessing history but we're in one of those BIG moments.
https://www.rawstory.com/2019/11/trumps-personal-interests-have-directly-undermined-national-security-and-election-integrity-cnn-correspondent/
JL
31
While you might be fooling yourself and the forum fool, it was definitely you who made the choice to reintroduce the subject and no one else. Very nice attempt, though! :)
Michale [34]
Strange how you completely ignored every instance where I pointed out Trump’s betrayal of our country’s laws and when Trump clearly lied to the public... does your brainwashing require you to simply not address anything that Trump has been caught doing that you cannot defend logically?
Shall we ask black Americans how they are enjoying their LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT EVER??
Maybe we should ask hispanic Americans how THEY are enjoying their LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT EVER...
Shall we ask what the hell this has to do with calling out Trump for his criminal actions?
Oh wait, it has NOTHING to do with what we were discussing — this was merely a poor attempt at changing the subject!
And it is comical that a white nationalist would use this as an argument point in defense of Trump! But I will ask you to show that both of these factors are an intended result of a program Trump implemented and did not just occur naturally based on the economy Trump inherited. Can ya do that? Nope.
You are arguing that Trump breaking the law does not matter if some positive things occur during his presidency, plain and simple!
You are wrong! Your hatred for those of us who aren’t willing to have a person as comprised as Trump running our country is clearest when you cheer at Trump’s attempts to prevent the truth from coming out. If Trump is not guilty, then allowing those who worked with him when the events in question occurred would seem the logical way for Trump to defend himself. Releasing the documents in question should prove his innocence and put this all to rest. But Trump cannot do that; and you and I both know why that it is — he is not innocent!
Trump’s an ignorant man-baby who only ran for president to increase the value of his brand — not because he actually wanted the job or even thought he would be elected. He is in way over his head, but because his narcissism is the only thing more powerful than his stupidity, he cannot see any way out that is based in reality.
But you go on cheering this walking human dumpster fire like he’s great for this country.
You, being the America hating scumbag you are, has predicted all sorts of catastrophes befalling this country..
You have HOPED for all those catastrophes to befall this country.
And you are once again a proven liar! Talk about hate filled accusations that seem to be more about yourself than anyone else! Geez....
You will FAIL.. Just like you have ALWAYS failed.
I will NOT FAIL; mainly because I have NOTHING to do with this!
You try to make this personal with your attacks, but that’s all you are left with when you try to defend someone like Trump.
And I will be here to laugh my ass off at you.. :D
At least til next Weds... :D
I would think someone as scared about their upcoming surgical procedure as you are might be worried about karma and how they treat others. If the worst occurs, do you really want your nastiness to be your legacy on this site?
I’ve said it before, I really enjoyed those rare opportunities when I got to talk to Michael... Michale has never shown anything to suggest he has a heart, so not sure what they can do for that.
Mike
38
Once again, Victoria is not factually accurate..
What I reported last time is that a 10-day suspension was wanted by the Dumbocrats in the House..
Justice Roberts ordered an INDEFINITE stay, against the wishes of said Dumbocrats in the House..
You also reported the stay from Roberts on the same day; see blockquote above. You weren't able to connect the dots that day that these issues are the same issue, and now you're again presenting the same knee-jerk temporary stay as if it's a new issue. It isn't. Same temporary stay you already reported when you reported these related issues on the same day and were clueless that it's the same issue.
Once again..
Don't you think three times is enough to celebrate the same knee-jerk stay that goes on every day in courts all over America?
I am factually accurate...
You're repeating the same shit over and over and sounding stupid in the process. All you had to do was connect the dots that this was the same issue, and the date from 11/18 was the dead giveaway... unless you're a demonstrable moron and stuck on stupid like you.
It's the same issue, dipshit! :D
Mike
You have now reported the exact same stay three times as if it's something different every time. I blame your demonstrable inability to connect the dots.
The first time you reported it:
continued...
... continued
The second time you reported it:
The third time you reported it is in [9] above.
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT:
It's all the same temporary stay you keep linking to, dipshit! :)
Russ
42
Would you like me to post your own words for each of these? I know how you have claimed over and over that I am lying about this, and, trust me, I would be happy to crush your lies once and for all with your own words — but I will give you the opportunity to finally tell the truth and maybe save some sense of self-respect in the process.
I have links too, Russ! Mugshots and public records.
Anyway... y'all two work it out, and please remember to let me know. :)
IN OTHER NEWS
Oh, shocker! Yet another right-wing Party leader who sold out his country with bribery, fraud, and breach of the public's trust. #SSDD
On the day in which HPSCI wraps the inquiry, Bibi finally gets indicted for bribery, fraud and breach of trust.
Could be put forth as another demonstration that there is a God who loves ironic humor and cautionary tales.
Could be put forth as another demonstration that a Jewish Globalist Cabal is manipulating everything down to the minute, so powerful that even Soros is a puppet. Would be the Deep State, but that's run by the wasps, so no.
Or it could be a Scrodinger's Coincidence. While we'll never know the truth or if there even is such a thing as truth, like Maddow said tonight, it's an interesting time to be alive.
Kick [53]
Trust me, I’ve had these for a while, but I didn’t start out looking for those statements to prove that he’s been lying...I found them as I have been rereading the archives. I started reading CW’s archives after Michale kept saying how well he used to get along with people posting opinions that differed from his...and honestly I wanted to see what that would look like.
Sadly, I have gone back ten years and I am still looking for what Michale was pining about without any success.
But what I have found in going through the comments everyone posted are some real gems of quotes and links to articles that I wanted to save for my own use. And it’s been fun to see how at different times over the years, it seemed like each and every one of us have had those “moments” where we seemed to truly grasp what was occurring at that time with such clarity and spoke with such wisdom that I was really glad that I took the time to read the old articles.
I admit that I had thought of goading Michale into making more stupid claims about his work in law enforcement, and then slam him down with his own words — but then I reminded him that he and I had had conversations on Disqus, and asked him if he remembered those conversations, because I sure did.
I chose not to put the smack down on him but laid out what his own words were in the hope that he might actually choose to stop his stupid attacks of people in lieu of getting humiliated by his own words. I am pretty sure he’s got some big medical problems that have him scared right now (he hasn’t said so directly, as far as I know, but he’s dropped some hints) and figured he might want to let go of that anger and hatred that he drags in here daily before he has to go under the knife.
He disappeared after I gave notice to him, so we will see if he bothers to respond at all.
yeah i saw that too about bibi. i just hope that all of israel doesn't yet again get painted with a broad brush as responsible for all he has done, just as i hope the USA doesn't all get painted as responsible for everything donald has done, is doing, and may do in the future.