There are several headlines out of President-Elect Donald Trump’s transition, all of which are coming post-Stalin-esque Purge. Mike Pence is now in charge of the transition after Chris Christie got pushed out by Jared Kushner, but Trump wants everyone to know that he’s making the final decision… now that he knows he actually has to appoint everyone himself and he won’t just inherit thousands of staffers from the Obama administration. Let’s go through some of the rumors and confirmations!
Michael Flynn for National Security Advisor. I’m a political junkie but I never paid much attention to Flynn, so it’s been interesting and terrifying to read some of the coverage of this appointment. Flynn was one of the few people with an intelligence/military background to support Trump, and Flynn once served as director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. Flynn has some pretty medieval ideas about Islam, and his son and chief of staff are both conspiracy theorists pushing some really disgusting information online, according to CNN. Flynn also has (you guessed it!) some creepy ties to Russia. Sounds about right.
Secretary of State. Trump hasn’t made a final decision on who he will appoint to be America’s top diplomat. Rudy Giuliani has been telling everybody that he’s up for the job, but it looks like Trump wants to check out all of his options. Trump has met with South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, possibly about State, although I think she’s probably up for a different cabinet department. Interestingly enough, Trump also met with Mitt Romney. Romney openly loathed Trump during the election, and now Trump is considering Romney for State. What a crazy world. Another potential candidate in the mix? David Petraeus, who left the Obama administration (when he was CIA Director) in scandal when he gave his mistress classified material.
Attorney General. The Hill says Ted Cruz has been floating the idea that if Trump asked him to be AG, he would take it. Cruz did prove his “loyalty” to Trump long-term, so I actually think Trump would consider Cruz. The thing is, Cruz is absolutely loathed in the Senate. I don’t see how Cruz would get confirmed by the Senate, even with a Republican majority. Hilariously, just as Cruz was telling media outlets that he would love AG, Trump’s people leaked it that Trump has offered AG to Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions. Sessions is a Neanderthal of course. He was once deemed too racist to be a federal judge. And now he’ll be America’s top lawyer.
In the midst of all of this transitioning and planning, you would think that Donald Trump has his hands full, right? That he realizes the seriousness of the office and he’s buckling down and being a grown-up? No. Trump is planning a “victory tour” of all of the states that voted for him. He isn’t interesting in speaking to the states who didn’t vote for him, mind you. Because he’s a divider, not a uniter.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Getty.
A victory tour? This really looks like the Hunger Games.
“Victory tour”…if it wasn’t so close to the truth, I’d laugh. Instead, I’m feeling a bit paranoid.
He also plans to hold rallies in addition to his victory tour. It is terrifying and the normalization by the media is infuriating me. He just lied about saving a Ford plant from going to Mexico and several of those fake news sites picked up on it like it was a fact.
He was talking about keeping up the rallies while President. I’ve never seen anything like this and I’m old as dirt. It’s almost entertaining if it weren’t so terrifying.
I wonder if he really will do a tv show from the Oval Office. That was suggested as a real proposal during the campaign but I thought it was too wild to be real. Maybe not.
My first thought!
The man is literally Lord Voldemort. He rewards loyalty among his death eaters. It’s Avada Kedavra for the rest of us.
Yep! I’ve started referring to him as President Snow. It’s easier to say & stomach than his real name and title.
Oh my god. Our country has turned into the Hunger Games. Happy Friday everyone!
This is a great resource.
http://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/174f0WBSVNSdcQ5_S6rWPGB3pNCsruyyM_ZRQ6QUhGmo/htmlview?usp=embed_facebook&sle=true
Thank you so much for posting this @SusanneToo!
Wow that’s great- thank you for posting that!
Truly sorry world. Massive Turd Jeff Sessions is a giant POS. Sorry that we couldn’t keep him confined to the backwaters of Alabama where he could do less harm.
My heart is breaking for John Lewis right now.
Mine too. This is getting worse by the day.
I agree – as an Alabamian (former but still), I’m terribly sorry we’ve possibly inflicted his racist, backwards ass on the rest of you 🙁
Sessions is a terrible pick for AG. I thought Giuliani was bad, but this guy is just as terrible. If people want to protest something, make it this appointment.
We should just accept the fact that every appointment is going to be awful. Really, would any competent lover of the Bill of Rights want to be associated with this mess? It’s pretty obvious that any idea of being a voice of reason in the belly of the beast won’t be feasible.
There were all those people that had said Trump wasn’t really a bigot, he was just using the whistles to get elected. And then he nominates Jeff Sessions, the guy whose “only problem” with the KKK is that they smoked pot.
What we are seeing from his appointments and nominations:
1. His racism and bigotry was sincere.
2. His loyalty to Russia was real (the Michael Flynn connection is terrifying, and he’s going to be working on national security.)
3. He cares more that people are loyal to HIM than to appoint competent people.
According to a social research study, Alabama is now 52nd, behind Guam and Puerto Rico, in quality of life. Alabama is a cancer and a dying cesspool. Governor Robert Bentley says Alabama’s education system “sucks” and loves to grab on his former aide’s bosoms. I hate the state I was born in and proud to say I am not inbred like many Alabamians truly are. Roll tide roll over on the losers of ‘Bama.
Mittens Romney for State because he has so much international experience because, you know, the Olympics! Way to prove your complete lack of integrity, Mittens!
Seriously, how novel would it be consider someone with actual diplomatic experience?
LOL I knew you’d be all over this.
You know, I was so terrified of a Trump presidency because I knew he’d be bringing all the nasty monsters into his cabinet, but this is actually WORSE than what I envisioned, which is saying a LOT.
Romney is not getting the secretary of state job. Trump has not hired a single person who was not 100% loyal and Romney had the audacity to criticize Trump. I think Romney is just trying to be the adult in the room. Maybe he’s trying to be a calming influence? I doubt he’ll have any influence at all, unfortunately.
One name floating around for the job is Jon Huntsman, who I would support in that position wholeheartedly. I know Mr. Huntsman, my dad use to work for/with him. He came and had dinner at our house a bunch of times when I lived in China. He’s a great guy and incredibly intelligent.
No way. Jon Huntsman is FAR too moderate and has championed rights for undocumented migrants. He supports environmental reform and same-sex marriage. He also has a reputation for telling it like it is – Trump would NEVER tolerate being challenged by a member of his staff. I’d love to be proven wrong because Huntsman is one of few conservatives I mostly respect, but I’m not holding my breath.
This doesn’t make sense though, Melly. Why would Trump’s people leak that Romney was up for the position right as Cruz was telling the press that he’d LOVE the opportunity to be AG?
I assume you’re aware of Mittens’ personal congratulatory call after Trump won the presidency? Presumably, there was some reaching-out (i.e. MAJOR ass-kissing) on Mitty’s part as far being the recipient of an active position in his administration.
Unless Trump is setting these two up for a Hunger Games-style battle, which….I mean, anything is possible with this administration.
Jon Huntsman seems like such a well rounded interesting individual who happens to be a conservative … a reasonable educated man and the type Republicans never vote for.
I think trump is punishing Guilliani for the moment for running his mouth but ultimately he will be offered the job. Whether he gets approved his another question, though. It is so crazy.
@Melly
I agree. We need some independent minded adults in the Drumo administration. If Romney is stepping up to the plate for that reason I salute him for his sacrifice. Because working for Drumpis going to give him heart burn and force him to throw up nightly. Remember even the Mormons think Drump is an a-hole.
You’re spot on Melly. The country needs Republicans like Romney and Huntsman to swallow their pride and step up. There has to be some adults in the room. You may not agree with everything they say or do politically, but they are miles ahead of the likes of Sessions and Guiliani. Peggy Noonan has a wonderful column this week about the people who fill out an administration: loyalists, opportunists and patriots. We need antiTrump Rs with knowledge and extensive government experience to step up and be patriots. The country needs them.
Jon Huntsman was the only Republican I ever would have considered voting for. So naturally, the party turfed him out. /rolls eyes/
I’d be very thankful if he went with more level headed conservatives like Romney and Huntsman…but so far, he is picking extremists, not moderates. I don’t have any hope either of these good choices would be appointed/nominated to a position in the Trump administration.
My theory is that there is NO way Trump is considering Romney. He wants him to come in, kiss his ring, grovel and then give him NOTHING. Romney (I disagree with many of his policies but I think he’s a decent person) of course goes because he’s trying to help his country.
I think Ted Cruz would be confirmed by the senate because they don’t want to deal with him as senator anymore. He’s so fricken punchable it’s crazy.
I must confess that I am looking forward to Lindsey Graham’s temper tantrums
I think you mean hissy fits or possibly the vapors!
I agree with this. The Senate wants him to go away, never to return. What would be ideal, for the senate at least, is to have Cruz nominated for the open Supreme Court seat. Then he’s gone for life!
if you’re too racist to be a federal judge (district too! Not even the Supreme Court or an appeals court) in what universe are you qualified to be AG?
A world in which Black Lives Don’t Matter.
This is all so pathetic.
A universe in which donald trump is allowed to be president. A world gone mad.
Seriously. This is selection is sending shivers down my spine. I fear for my loved ones.
The only thing good i can see about the victory tour is he wont be able to be as openly racist, nasty, threatening and hostile to the enevitable throngs of protesters as he was to those on his rallies. (I would hope) Hes president, he’ll have to keep that in check judging by the corrections to his twitter and that 60 minutes thing because he has to pretend hes all about unity..and that restraint will kill him.
😮
His rallies will consolidate his support and unleash more acts of violence.
He’ll be even worst – I’m envisioning the Nuremberg rallies 2.0, with his hate being spilled all over social media.
Trump is Hilter 2.0, the signs are there that he will be an incompetent leader with his favourites running the show for him while he fiddles in Trump Towers. He will play them against each other – as this is what he’s doing with these ‘leaks’, he’s seeing who has the most loyalty to him and who wants it the most. They have another thing in common – both are sexual abusers of women, esp young/teenage women.
Well, you know the old saying, “history repeats itself”.
Jeff Sessions as AG. so disgusting.
Kaiser, I don’t think Mitt Romney has met with Trump yet, that is slated for this weekend.
For real. I watched an interview with Christoph Waltz yesterday where he basically told the interviewer that, no, Trump does not deserve any ‘grace period’. The tone of his campaign should not be forgotten simply because he has been elected.
Once more for the kids in the back: when Austrians/Germans are concerned about your leader, you should probably start paying attention.
The holding of rallies and similar ex-parliamentary activities are tools of the fascist. This his plan: mob rule to prevent meaningful institutional opposition.
The victory tour is a very bad sign.
It is a bad sign. I think this so-called Victory Tour will just be going to the Swing States, not all the states that voted him in. Also, Trump needs to deal with his fraud/racketeering trial slated for Nov. 28. He tried to postpone that, saying he was too busy – I hope the judge holds Trump’s feet to the fire, but Trump is so sleezy, anything is possible.
We are truly watching an Unhinged Lunatic in action.
Leaks in his team say they’re settling the Trump U suit for $20-$25 million. Non-disclosure and non-admission of guilt will be part or the deal, so it won’t be able to be used against him at any potential impeachment hearings. The latter sentiment is my take, not the leakers. I’m sure Trump won’t be paying personally. He never does.
No, he doesn’t and no, he won’t. Stop normalizing him.
He won’t be more presidential, more aware of his twitter, less racist or any less of anything other that what you already have.
He is exactly what he has already shown us. Believe him.
I never said i thought he’d changed, i thought that was obvious but maybe not, just that there is an agenda by his team to do that. I hate the normalising and “give him a chance” rhetoric as much as you all.
These victory rallies are a horrible view into his mind set and more proof to me that he ran out of pure narcissism and ego than any love for his country.
Mitt Romney working for the Orange One is beyond pathetic.
Ted Cruz outside matches his inside. Most hideous person ever EXCEPT for the Orange One.
You don’t get to do a victory tour, you jackass.
What’s worse than being disgusted? I’m there.
I’m with you. This narcissistic needs and thrives on that immediate adulation from his deplorables. Sitting behind a desk working on his cabinet, etc., is already boring him.
We’ll be seeing a lot of this in the next 4 years.
He’s humiliating all of them. Cruz, Romney, … he won’t pick anyone that wasn’t loyal to the end. That is why we are getting all these looney toon appointments.
God help us all.
Ha ha…yeah that is very possible. I kind of hope that’s what he’s doing because I hate all of them.
THIS! I was thinking the exact same thing! He is vindictive to his core. He wants all his biggest critics to be humiliated by having to kiss his ring and then he’ll reject them.
Yes-100% agree with you.
Exactly what I have been saying for days. Loyalty is his number one. He’s making them all come in, grovel and then he will give them NOTHING.
I remember a professor of mine talking about his generation asking their parents: “What have you done back then? Where were you?” He belongs to the generation that was born during or shortly after WW2.
Future generations might have to ask those questions as well.
If Mitt Romney is there, perhaps he is thinking ahead of when they impeach Trump and he can vote for the impeachment and possibly step in himself. I would be okay with that.
Mitt Romney as Secretary of State would be a godsend. Not because he has any experience, and not because he would be particularly good at the job, but because he would be the sole rational, moderate person in Trump’s cabinet. (I live in MA, and when Romney was our governor, he was pro-choice and, of course, was responsible for MassHealth). And, as far as I know, Romney is not a racist or bigot, unlike pretty much everyone else Trump is considering.
However, I have a feeling we won’t be getting anyone who is even remotely competent to serve in Trump’s cabinet. If you all haven’t seen this already, you should check out Eliot Cohen’s op-ed in the WaPo. This guy is a hard core conservative who was a “never Trumper,” but he decided to give Trump a chance after the election (because it would behoove the conservative movement to have people who actually, you know, know how the gov’t works in the cabinet). He changed his mind after *one day* with the nut jobs on Trump’s staff and is now telling other conservatives to stay away: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/i-told-conservatives-to-work-for-trump-one-talk-with-his-team-changed-my-mind/2016/11/15/f02e1fac-ab7c-11e6-977a-1030f822fc35_story.html?utm_term=.2055fc5022c6
The executive branch is pretty much doomed. It’s going to be run by a bunch of racist, bigoted, hawkish loons who probably couldn’t even tell you what each branch of gov’t does.
Except Romney is a misogynist and the only part of the MA Health Care Reform Act that came from him was the individual mandate. The rest of it, including Commonwealth Care, came from the MA legislature with help from Kennedy’s staff. Mass health is just the state’s name for the Medicaid program and it got that name when it got an expansion waiver during the Weld administration (my sister works for MassHealth). Charlie Baker was actually more involved in developing RomneyCare than Romney. Romney just needed an accomplishment for his presidential run and had nothing else
Ugh you’re right, I had forgotten about the whole “binders full of women” debacle. I actually didn’t realize how little Romney had to do with MA Health (I was pretty young when he was governor here).
So I guess we really are well and truly fucked if these are the best candidates Trump can come up with.
And I’m livid with Baker for his silence on the ACA. He’s a health care policy wonk of the highest order. As the architect of the MassHealth waiver and a man who took the financially strapped Harvard Pilgrim to solvency while still maintaining the highest consumer satisfaction ratings nationally knows what is at stake and he knows that the Republican proposals are not viable. Without the ACA, MA hospitals, our biggest employers, lose critical funding. And how does MassHealth survive (and the people on it) if funding is cut? Why is Baker silent?
Mitt Romney may not be all that but he’s at least tolerable. This entire presidency is a joke. The president works for us not the other way around. We have the power here we just have to keep reminding ourselves of that.
Jeff Sessions is an unabashed racist. He once called a black attorney “boy” in court.
He also said his only problem with the KKK was that they used drugs. He is truly a garbage human being.
This is the resurrection of the Third Reich. Trump and his motley crew are future defendants for tribunals at the Hague.
Yup. That’s becoming more and more apparent every day as we learn that yet another racist or bigot is being considered for a position in his cabinet.
My biggest concern is that Trump knows he cannot restore the manufacturing industry in the U.S. He knows he can’t improve the lives of the people who voted for him (not that he’s even trying; the tax plan he unveiled will actually *raise* taxes on many poor and middle class people). But he has to give them something. And that “something” will be the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants and the internment of Muslims (and, eventually, anyone who spoke openly against him).
I am so scared. All of my friends are already telling me to get out now while I can.
Bearcat if you see this, you can get your papers in order. Isn’t there usually a window of time for using them? That way you have your insurance policy in place, and the timing is up to you. If you are a dual citizen you have good options.
Bearcat, make sure that your passport doesn’t expire.
He also met with the Japanese Prime Minister with no consultation with the state department, no one in the room was conversant with Japanese traditions, HIS DAUGHTER AND SON IN LAW WERE IN THE ROOM AND HAVE NO SECURITY CLEARANCE TO BE THERE, it was held in his penthouse in Trump Tower, and the traditional first PM the US President-Elect always meets with is the British PM, so now they’re irked.
It’s not just the lack of protocol, it’s downright dangerous that he has NO fucking clue what he’s doing. I don’t just worry about what will happen to our country, I worry a LOT about US foreign relations.
Sigh.
Cannot wait till he’s done and gone and foreign leaders can unleash their real opinions of this moron.
“he has NO fucking clue what he’s doing”
So very true. I am terrified.
Oh, and a victory tour? RALLIES? A registry for Muslims?
Anyone find this eerily familiar????
Yep. We are f@cked unless we push back. Not a time to be silent
Yes. I wish people would stop saying ‘give him a chance’. No. I’m taking him at his word because he’s already told us who he is. Having white supremacists in positions of power says all I need to know.
I gave him a chance. I gave him three outs. Bannon – pop fly out. Thinking White House West Wing staff would stay on and he could work from NYC – high fly out to left field. Stating he would protect pre-existing conditions but then reneging on that 2 days later through his campaign manager – fouled out. Inning and game over. The nation loses. Throw this scummy bum out.
I don’t like Mittens, but he would probably the most sane person in this cabinet…which is saying a lot. This whole thing is a mess! And who goes on a “victory tour”? You won, we get it! No need to remind us! We still don’t like you President Snow!
Yeah, it is a strange new world when I am hoping for Mitt to have a cabinet position cause everyone else is scary.
President Snow is perfect! Using that from now on.
At least one politician in Europe gets it:
http://m.independent.ie/videos/irish-news/must-watch-aodhn-oriordins-passionate-speech-regarding-the-governments-reaction-to-trumps-victory-35207187.html
Watched that last night. Proud to be Irish descent right now.
This is fantastic! Thanks for posting! I just put it on my Facebook page. He called Trump a monster – so right he is!
I saw that and loved it. The White Irish immigrants will probably be o.k. though, because they are Cheeto’s and Jeff Session’s favorite color.
In 1986, Ronald Reagan nominated him to become a U.S. District Court judge. That didn’t happen. As CNN noted yesterday, during his confirmation hearings the Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony about the outrageous shit a black colleague heard him say:
The Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony during hearings in March and May 1986, that Sessions had made racist remarks and called the NAACP and ACLU “un-American.”
Thomas Figures, a black assistant US attorney who worked for Sessions, testified that Sessions called him “boy” on multiple occasions and joked about the Ku Klux Klan, saying that he thought Klan members were “OK, until he learned that they smoked marijuana.”
On why he never spoke up against Sessions’ alleged use of the term, Figures testified: “I felt that if I had said anything or reacted in a manner in which I thought appropriate, I thought I would be fired.”
…
Figures also testified that Sessions was critical of the NAACP and other groups.
“On the day in question, Mr. Sessions came into my office just as I was reading a newspaper account of some the recent action of the NAACP. I casually mentioned that development to Mr. Sessions. Mr. Sessions in response stated that he believed the NAACP, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Operation PUSH and the National Conference of Churches were all un-American organizations teaching anti-American values. This statement clearly was not intended as a joke,” Figures said.
http://theslot.jezebel.com/sen-jeff-sessions-once-deemed-too-racist-to-become-a-1789132421
The Figures family has been prominent in Mobile politics and civil rights for decades. Believe him.
Sadly, the more moderate Republican senators of that day are gone.
The worst part of the so-called victory tours and mass Nurembergian rallies will be that cable news will cover it non stop and continue to give him massive publicity. I blame a lot of people and things for giving us Trump, but cable news is right up there with Comey and Wikileaks.
And I have to say that I hate that I now live in a world where I would be happy with Romney as Secretary of State. I know all about his failings,but at least he’s sane and when you compare him to Giuliani, he’s a vast improvement. At this point just want us all to survive the next 4 years.
Yes. The news coverage should be:
“The President Elect held a fascist rally in XTown today. And now, the weather.”
What President- Elect Trump may likely be doing is balancing his administration with moderate and far right Republicans in order to bring the party together. And per Leslie’s Stahl’s interview with Charlie Rose, Trump’s management style has been to place “polar” opposites on his team as a strategy. I frankly think this notion is interesting.
Who are the moderates?
DM has Jeff Sessions appointed to AG and Mike Pompeo as CIA director. Sessions appointment is also being carried by my local newspaper.
This is another very helpful site.
http://www.attn.com/stories/12768/former-congressional-staffer-explains-how-to-make-congressman-listen?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=direct-share&utm_campaign=shares
president rump already needs deflection in the media via rallies? not even in office and already having a meltdown. he ain’t going to make it 4 years.
I agree, Poppy. I don’t think he’s got 4 years in him. In fact, I give him about 2 at the most.
If word on the street is true, he knows the Republicans plan to & will impeach him. That’s why he’s flying high now because he knows it is not going to last. Look at the man. He has aged a thousand months since he spoke with Obama. He’s barely holding it together and still can’t.
Jeff Sessions as AG. This appointment requires Senate confirmation. I hope the Democrats and Republicans with a spine curb stomp him in the hearings. Figuratively.
I’m fine with literally.
I read in the New York Times that it was a mostly-Republican Senate panel that rejected Sessions’ appointment to the federal court bench.
I’d love to believe it could happen again, but Republicans are far more interested in point-scoring against the Democrats than doing their damn job.
I still can’t believe this is reality.
Those guys are gone.
I made the mistake of thinking I could use my Battlestar Galactica box sets to distract myself from the looming real-life apocalypose.
And it was a HUGE mistake, considering literally the first episode had a woman being sworn in as President. And an even huger mistake, considering she’s later defeated in an election by a venal, inexperienced, opportunistic moron who preys on fear and sells their people out to an invading force faster than anyone can say Rump. It just felt way too close to my heartbreak and fear over what just happened, and what we’re facing as a result. I ended up ugly crying, and I’m not sure I’m done yet.
I’m getting out the voodoo doll I bought in NO decades ago and never used. It’s going to get a workout now.
Word is the Republicans will impeach Trump and ride on top of Pence with a bloodied whip. Bring it, Republicans.
I have suspected that was Paul Ryan’s plan since he gave up his plan to change the convention rules because he feared riots.
I suspect there will be a thread tomorrow about Pence’s attendance at Hamilton, the ethical question of how he obtained tickets and whether doing so violated ethics laws in Indiana or federal ethics laws, the audience’s reaction to Pence, the cast’s reaction to Pence and the Moldy Orange’s ridiculous reaction, which he seemed to have time for, along with a game of golf that tied up the Lincoln Tunnel, but he had no time to respond to the swastikas painted all over the park named in honor of Adam Yauch or any of the hundreds of hate crimes committed in his name in the past week.