When I wrote about Bob Woodward’s book, Fear, all about the shambolic nature of the Trump White House, I was filled with a sort of unpleasant apathy. It was clear that Woodward spoke to many people inside the White House (and executive branch) off the record, or under the condition of anonymity. It was clear that Woodward spoke to many people who once worked for the Trump White House but who left months ago. Very few of them would go on the record with Woodward, but as I wrote in that story: “No one in the White House wants to be there. But they want to get credit for not wanting to be there, I guess, as they carry out Trump’s unhinged orders.” That’s what I’m apathetic about: is there any moral courage to be found amongst the kind of people who would choose to work for a nutjob fascist, choose to follow his unhinged orders, and then choose to snipe about it all to Woodward? I Really Don’t Care DO U? Womp womp.
So here’s the new thing… everyone around Trump is panicking about Woodward’s book. Trump is trying to say it’s full of lies, and his henchmen are denying that they ever spoke to Woodward. I don’t care about any of that either – water is wet, and Trump is a liar who is also bats–t crazy and dangerously stupid. But the new thing is that the New York Times published an op-ed from an “Anonymous” White House “senior official.” You can read the piece here:
Wow. From a senior Trump official:
"Given the instability many witnessed, there were early whispers within the cabinet of invoking the 25th Amendment … But no one wanted to precipitate a constitutional crisis." https://t.co/2IeV9p2nGo
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) September 5, 2018
What does this senior official have to say?
A senior administration official confessed in an anonymous New York Times op-ed Wednesday to working to thwart President Donald Trump’s agenda out of the conviction that the president is damaging the nation.
“[W]e believe our first duty is to this country, and the president continues to act in a manner that is detrimental to the health of our republic,” the official wrote. “That is why many Trump appointees have vowed to do what we can to preserve our democratic institutions while thwarting Mr. Trump’s more misguided impulses until he is out of office.”
n another remarkable admission, the official added that members of the president’s Cabinet briefly considered trying to push Trump out of office – but quickly dismissed the idea.
“Given the instability many witnessed, there were early whispers within the cabinet of invoking the 25th Amendment, which would start a complex process for removing the president,” the official said. “But no one wanted to precipitate a constitutional crisis. So we will do what we can to steer the administration in the right direction until — one way or another — it’s over.”
Blah, receipts or it never happened. Do you work for Trump and think he’s a deranged fascist who is destroying America from within? Then stop putting children in cages. Then stop covering up for his white supremacy and racism. Stop allowing him to sit in a room alone with his handler, Vladimir Putin. Stop making excuses for all of it. Either quit or actually show us some signs of conscientious objection within the administration.
Trump and his people were freaking out about the editorial – Trump went on camera and called it an “anonymous, meaning gutless, gutless editorial…So when you tell me about some anonymous source within the administration, probably who’s failing and probably here for all the wrong reasons, now, and The New York Times’ is failing. If I weren’t here, I believe The New York Times probably wouldn’t even exist.” No, really. Politico transcribed those words coming out of this moron’s mouth. He’s just babbling incoherently: “failing, disaster, gutless, anonymous, grab her by the…”
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Avalon Red.
Yeah without receipts it’s hard to take seriously.
But it’s driving the WH crazy, so I’ll take more please!
yeah, I support Anonymous sourcing but this really is not all that helpful without actual proof or evidence. I don’t see how they seem to be much of a resistance at all.
Bob Woodward’s book, this op ed from an insider. All we need now is for Omarosa to release another audio recording and 45 will go into full meltdown.
Yeah, someone throw a bucket of water over him already.
Implementing the 25th Amendment does not cause a constitutional crisis; its very purpose is to end one. Same with the impeachment and removal process. Get him the Hell out of there!
And no, Princess Nagini didn’t write it. She’s already being smugly defensive of orange Voldy on Twitter.
A lot of people think it was Pence based on the use of the word ‘Lodestar’ – he often uses it.
Or someone trying to “frame” Pence? Either way this op-ed is some next level trolling …
My bet is Kellyanne Conway. Her husband is a vocal, critic of Trump’s. Also, Conway used to work for Pence when he was in Indiana. She would be familiar with her terminology and the use of the word “Lodestar.”
Plus, in this administration, NO ONE would expect a woman to do this because, you know, we are just supposed to look pretty and not speak.
If Kellyanne did it, then she’s just covering her ass because she’s a political hired gun and wants to get another job after this one.
McCain has used it before, and Kissinger apparently used it when he spoke at McCain’s funeral.
plus, I think Pence is like, ENAMOURED of 45. when 45 is talking, Pence looks at him the way I look at Idris Elba.
Someone on twitter said that even if it wasn’t Pence, the kicker is that now Trump thinks it could be Pence because of the use of lodestar. He’s probably going crazy… I love it. And he knows that it isn’t a “made up” “fake” source, so he’s probably grilling everyone.
I feel like these unelected morons need to stop plying white saviour and gtfo. Keeping a petulant, hateful twat in office does not make you a hero. Whoever wrote this, if they actually work in the WH is not just self important, but stupid and complicit. They can F right off. Not a hero.
ABSOLUTELY THIS. The people who want the most credit for being the behind-the-scenes last-line-of-defense sanity-bringers are the ones doing the most to keep this lunatic in office through their lack of public action.
Said pretty much the same thing on a FB thread. They are patting themselves on the back because they are “saving” us. Well, if you really want to “save” us, stop going behind his back and step and do something to get him removed. They are using Trump to get their agenda through and when they are done getting what they want they will throw him away like a dirty, greasy old rag.
This was my reaction, too. Even as they “resist” Trump, his sh^&%y policies are being enacted and we’re still going down the drain. I think he/she meant to offer some comfort but realizing that amid the daily chaos unleashed by Trump that the staff in the WH have their own varying levels of secret agendas is much more frightening than comforting.
They’re doing their best to help save us. Republicans are in charge, they’re not doing a damn thing. I think this person is very brave. We all know how trump is and he’s going to be hell in the WH as he looks for the person. And we all know how vindictive trump can be, this person could literally be risking their life.
But if they are truly doing things like preventing Trump from assassinating Assad, or breaking agreements with South Korea, it IS a good thing they are there. They might not be heroes, but they have probably prevented tragedy a few times.
They could contact the FBI about any criminal behavior observed, get 24-hour protection, and speak out under oath. This isn’t trying to ‘save’ anything but their own racist agenda and the Times should stop patting itself on the back over this one. As Lightpurple said, the Constitutional crisis has been unfolding since Day 1.
This person is not protecting the country, he or she is protecting the Republican agenda. And the gall to suggest we need to do something about tribalism when this person is propping up a would-be dictator whose every action and every word is designed to further divide our nation. GTFO.
The person is almost certainly a Republican. They don’t really care about the Supreme Court pick, putting kids in cages etc. They probably agree with it. They more than likely care about Trump a) getting the US into a war b) putting national security in danger c) pissing off our allies d) sinking the chance of Republicans getting elected to Congress in the midterms e) embracing the alt right hate group types as part of the GOP (even though they kind of are now!)
So they were fine with Trump getting the stuff done they needed and wanted but are salty because he’s a complete moron and a maniac who they have to babysit. You reap what you sow!
I agree with you. Start the revolution openly with your republican brethren if you really want to save the country. No heroes here. And it’s definitely not a Trump who wrote this. As if. Any chance to stick it to him though – I’m in!
THANK YOU. The constitutional crisis is that we HAVE an unhinged, incapable, amoral President. The 25th is meant to REMEDY that.
Exactly! Thank you, Light Purple. We only have a Constitutional crisis if a situation arises that the Constitution does not address. Does it address a grifter? Yes. Does it address a crook? Yes. Does it address incompetence ? Yes.
The crisis we have is not constitutional. It is a crisis of leadership. Anonymous letters basically describing a coup within the White House may be describing illegal acts. The man was elected. I don’t like it, but he was elected. Elections have consequences. Trump is our consequence for not caring, not voting and demanding ideological purity in our candidates.
I’m so angry about this, because you’re totally correct – the 25th amendment allows us to avoid a crisis. So basically, there’s someone in the WH, apparently, that wants a cookie and gold star for anonymously confirming what any sane person already knows AND admits to caring more about the agenda than the actual fate of the country. Nope, this writer can suck it. They get no cookies or stickers….grow a backbone, re-evaluate your love for the country and then publicly declare this is an epic, dangerous sh!tshow.
I’m thinking that this is the start of the Republicans throwing him under the bus to get rid of him, he’s served his purpose in creating a distraction while they flood the courts with uber conservative judges that they can use to change ay laws they don’t like and stop all the lawsuits about ACA, reproductive rights. They know they are going to lose control of Congress and the Senate at the mid terms and is why they are desperate to get Kavanaugh confirmed before the break. BK’s confirmation to the SC is the icing on the cake for GOP. They might lose control of both houses but they control the courts and can inflict a helluva lot more damage there.
Saying that GOP underestimate Trump. A) Their base LOVE him and B) EZ won’t leave the WH willingly or quietly and he will take the whole party with him – he’s unhinged and petty enough do to so.
GOP will lose so many people if they turn on Trump . If the source is Pence he will get eaten alive and no Trumpster will vote for him. He will be their enemy number one. Even more so than Hillary or Obama. And that’s saying something.
I heard Lindsey Graham last night on CNN talk about how the constituents of South Carolina care nothing about the left leaning New York Times.This party isn’t going to do anything about this man even if he is streaking across the White House Lawn nude in broad daylight.We have to get the vote out and change this Congress and change several local governments like in Florida to see any positive change.
Trump’s got something on Graham for them to be besties all of the sudden (something about a closet maybe?)
This is plausible. His antics got Semion Mogilevich in the news and in the movie Active Measures. Time for him to go before he completely blows the op.
The person who wrote the op-ed agrees with all of the horrible political, legal, healthcare, etc. decisions Drumpf has made. Their only disagreements appear to be trade and national security. As long as the Republicans get what they want, which is everything, they keep him in.
They love that Trump has helped them accomplished what they wanted, a stacked Supreme Court. That was a HUGE talking point for the GOP during the 2016 election. As in, Trump may not be your cup of tea but think of the Supreme Court. I think Ted Cruz said something along those lines. They are fine with his domestic policies because he’s doing exactly what they wanted him to, it’s just his foreign “policies” that are putting them on edge. They are babysitting a volatile orange baby so they can pass through the legislation they want. This isn’t about morals with the GOP at all. They got the Supreme court they have dreamed of and are about to appoint a justice who thinks the president is above the law.
It doesn’t matter if the GOP succeeds with Kavanaugh because when the dems come back in power, they will just add 2 more seats to supreme court.
This is like a Alfred Hitchcock movie. Make an already paranoid, unstable man more paranoid by convincing him there are people in his inner circle working to bring him down. I can’t imagine what working in the White House will be like after this latest bombshell.
My money is on someone connected with the Vice President who wrote this op ed. There have been rumours Pence has been quietly working the background, gathering support for a run to become president. That man is one to watch out for, he is worse than 45
I don’t know that he’s worse than trump, but I don’t believe he’s any better than trump. And I agree with everything else you wrote here 100%.
He’s worse because be genuinely believes god has led him to his position. He’s worse because he understands politics and knows how to utilize the power bestowed upon him should he become 46. He’s worse because, unlike Trump who doesn’t give a damn about democracy, Pence does and is complicit in the degradation of our standing in the world and the erosion of our rights as it helps him further his nonsensical religious beliefs.
Under his tenor, an AIDS epidemic rose in the state he governed, but he didn’t care because of religion.
He has the knowledge, understanding, and desire to force his religion on others — you should be VERY afraid of what he can do.
Trump is a volatile, amoral child, but Pence’s brand of evil is actually focused and thorough and will absolutely hurt people. Where Trump is a tornado – devastating, but there’s a chance it’ll only graze you or miss you entirely, Pence to me at least seems to be way more akin to a laser-guided missile.
The sanctimonious tone of the op-ed does reek of Pence or Kelly.
Yes, he is worse in many ways. I suggest reading The Shadow President The Truth About Mike Pence
“Where Trump is a tornado – devastating, but there’s a chance it’ll only graze you or miss you entirely,”
Only graze you? Muslims, Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Kids currently locked in cages, immigrants, our allies and democracy would beg to differ. The only population that has been spared from *deep* injury by Trump is the White Anglo-Saxon population. If you are part of that segment of society I can see how you view him as benign compared to Pence. As Pence’s issues are specific to Whites (White Women, White LGBTQ, White non-religious). But for the rest of us with Trump’s feet are securely planted on our necks.
I for one will like to go to work or be in the public space without fearing for Trump’s White Supremacists armed with a guns who think we are in the middle of a race war.
I grew up with fundamentalists Christians, I don’t consider them a threat to my life, or the planet. I think liberals really need to spend more time with Christians to see how much BS they are filled with. Each time, we worry about the wrong thing.HRC instead of Trump. Pence instead of Trump…
I agree that it sounds like Pence. The VP certainly has no qualms about how ICE operates and the “amoral” part sounds like him.
I feel that this letter was actually a desperate act to put NAFTA negotiations back on a better footing. Since the bumbling president tossed a grenade into the matter, the administration is desperate to show that the orange menace can be prevented from ruining any further trade deals. The letter comes across as if it is supposed to be reassuring somehow. You know, “Don’t worry, world trading partners! We won’t let the president double cross you! We will publicly contemplate using the 25th on our own president to make you feel better.” *wink.
Pence has motive since trade with Canada is a large part of Indiana’s economy. But, to be fair, any state that relies on trade with Canada has a motive to threaten the president with removal if he continues to negotiate in bad faith and then brag about it to members of the press.
I have lots of rational thoughts about this, I do. But I also have terrible anxiety pains in my stomach since I read it.
So, rational thoughts. The R’s are going to try and detrump themselves before 2020, and make Mike Pence into “The Hero of the republic, Mike Pence”. Wait until you see the bs that will be written about him, and our msm, chuck todd, the ny times etc, will be doling it out with smiles on their faces while tapdancing.
They stole the supreme court for a generation or more, and now they want to hop in Mike Pence and speed off in a clean getaway.
I say isht on that! You built this, you are going down with SS trump.
I like your theory and I do find it sickening. Pence is just as bad as Trump, imo, he’s just packaged a bit more neatly. I’m not sure if he’d win in 2020 but he shouldn’t be given the chance. Like you said he deserves to go down along with the rest of the goons in the WH.
I do think the MSM may try to make Pence seem like a hero at the end of this, but I don’t think the now more vocal and passionate and larger group of Dems will let him get off. More than that, if trump goes down, he’s taking everyone with him.
Pence is a dud. He has zero charisma and will do little to excite anyone in the Republican base. I can’t see them rallying around him. If they have to, they will. But then they’ll ditch him the first chance they get.
And mark my words, whoever the next star of the Republican party is, they will blame the Dems for Donald Trump.
@Jenns,
+10000000
I really wish those with the Pence is worse than Trump spend some time on Right wing sites or read messages of Trump followers. Additionally, get to know how Christians and learn how they live vs.what they say. Liberals have lost ground to Christians only because they don’t directly challenge them on their BS. We can beat the Christian Right we can’t beat Crazy or Trump fans armed with guns.
Is it just me or are the Democrats, the media and other non supporters coordinating to take Trump & The Republicans down right when we enter the last 2 months of the midterm elections?
Democrats are finally growing a spine and doing everything they can to rattle the Senate and trying to not get that vile man confirmed as Supreme Court Justice. They are joining hand with progressive candidates in elections they have a chance in winning.
The media, just dropped the bomb with a book from a well respected journalist. They are publishing articles from insiders and showing a picture of Trump that even his supports cannot defend. They released the correct statement from Trump where he attacks Session & calls Southern people names (his biggest support group).
Nike and other businesses are showing the finger at him & his supporters. Google, Facebook & Twitter now forced to get rid of Russian influence and only show real news.
Women and people of colour winning in elections that they wouldn’t normally do. They are sending positive messages while at the same time showing how corrupt Trump is.
The next 2 months should be interesting and hopefully good. Best wishes from UK.
Maya, I wish I agreed with you, but sadly I feel like this is a lot of wishful thinking.
The media are giving Bannon a platform and legitimising him under the guise of ‘both sides’, for example. I don’t believe they give a shit as long as the $$ keep coming in. If they did they would never have legitimised Trump during the primaries – when he was given more airtime than anyone else. They put him front and centre because he brought in viewers and clicks.
Again, hope you’re right, but I’m not hopefully.
No one is going to take down Trump. Not the media and certainly not the Republicans.
And the Democrats are still as spineless as ever. Women of color are winning, which is great, but the leadership of the democratic party sucks. Please don’t underestimate their ability to blow the mid-terms.
Nazis are still all over Twitter. And Jack isn’t doing shi*t about it. Facebook is just a cesspool.
Sorry to be such a downer, but nothing will change. All of this has exposed how money and corporations rule this country.
I’ve been down too. What kind of a system has allowed this filth to rise to the top? It’s hard not to feel that even worse – more catastrophic – is headed our way.
The American political system allowed it.
And something catastrophic is absolutely heading our way and that is climate change. Because Republicans fought against everything to stop it and even convinced their stupid voters that science was fake. So the world will change, wars will be fought for resources and people will die.
But all these rich politicians and the Trump family? They’ll be just fine.
I don’t ever see Trump getting any comeuppance. There’s just too much corruption at play.
Some truths:
This anonymous source is just complicit.
Bigly is just an old man screaming into the wind about the deep state.
Whoever the source is will likely be exposed at some point.
The source is probably Pence trying to set himself up for a presidency.
He will be exposed and the Trumpsters will turn on him.
It’s 430 in the morning and I want a stiff drink.
He is so exhausting
So you are a member of the resistance….who writes an article about it. Which drives Trump so crazy he takes away more civil liberties, which he gets away with because at this point he seems to get away with nearly everything. But then again, none of the white house staffers seem terribly bright.
Maybe the long game is a coordinated effort to induce a blood pressure-related medical emergency?
Latest trump tweet: “Kim Jong Un of North Korea proclaims “unwavering faith in President Trump.” Thank you to Chairman Kim. We will get it done together!”
The President of the United States is literally bragging that a dictator likes him. Because no one else does.
I now officially declare DT to be President Gwen Stefani. Because the sh*t is bananas. B A N A N A S.
(Apologies to Gwen Stefani)
Omg, he is pathetic. So utterly, transparently needy. I work with 4 year olds who have a better grasp on reality and stronger self esteem. It would be comical if it wasn’t so utterly frightening that he sits in the WH.
“Apologies to Gwen Stefani”!😂
The new #NODISRESPECTTOBENAFFLECK
Truly, this entire presidency is so horrifying. Thanks for making me laugh.
I read that tweet and literally and could not believe it. Locking arms with an enemy. As long as he is being praised, it doesn’t matter who the author is. He is drowning in his own insanity. Can you imagine any other president before him, no matter whether you liked/agreed with him could be causing such havoc and fear and loathing and…..ugh. Thanks for putting Bananas in my head. I will be singing it for hours and my toddler will hear and she will starting singing. Going to be a fruity day!! 🍌
“Donald Trump is not a Republican…except when he passes Republican legislation that I totally agree with and then he’s fine.”
This proves how little the presidency matters. We are being governed by the entire GOP branch, who are going to jump ship and save their own asses when this is through, and all of the “sane” republicans will gleefully follow. Nothing will change.
Oh, Trump may be a nut job, but he still got to pick two Supreme Court justices. Because
Kavanaugh will be confirmed.
So, how are all those protest working out?
Yeah, this is how I read it too. If anything, it sounds almost more like a reassurance to GOP voters who are unnerved by Trump’s antics that there is someone fighting on the inside – it’s okay! Re-elect us! We’re keeping his worst impulses at bay! But they are all complicit. I am not here for anyone seeking to support any aspect of his presidency at all.
That’s exactly what it is. Don’t worry we are keeping an eye on him but we will definitely pass all the horrible legislation he campaigned on!
I wanted to punch the TV yesterday when he called this all fake, and bragged about how him and his team have the most successful, quickest accomplishments in history. What?!! I can’t wait to find out who the senior staffer is. Kellyann? Suckabee? We rarely hear much from Pence, so maybe its him
Sarah. The stress of being a double agent is the reason her face looks like that.
This infuriated me. Whats the expression – “say it with your chest?”
If you feel so strongly that this president is incapable, amoral, incompetent, and just generally BSC – then you need to tell us. And that is EXACTLY what the 25th amendment is for.
But really what this person is saying is that Trump is crazy, but its okay because they passed tax cuts, so whatever.
And that’s the part that makes me think this is Pence – hes saying “we did what Republicans wanted, but we had to put up with this crazy person. Get rid of the crazy person and we’ll keep pushing the R agenda.”
So does this person want a cookie or something?
MTE. While I love that this will rattle trump, this person pissed me off.
Honestly, unimpressed and underwhelmed.
There are two scenarios-
Anonymous IS an insider, but at the end of the day someone who willfully went to work for a man who has been an unhinged monster since well before the election and only now cares about bringing him down because he can’t be easily controlled anymore.
OR
As was stated above – Anonymous is a carefully placed plant by the GOP, designed to help push 45 over the edge and out of office now that he has served his purpose.
Either way it’s hard for me to get excited. Someone on the inside needs to grow a conscience and go on record and spill some tea. Someone who isn’t trying to get a book deal or reality show. Someone willing to say “I was blind and complicit in bringing this monster to power and I accept responsibility”.
When Emperor Zero takes Air Force One, it’s like “Snakes on a MotherF&@#ing Plane.”
I’m gonna stand outside tonight waving my arms at the sky to the aliens so they can land now & take over. It can’t be worse 👽
I’m going to look at pictures of the men from the GQ event in London last night. So lovely. So not orange.
Once you get picked up, swing by and get me please!
Hahaha I love this! SUMMON THE MOTHER SHIP! What do we need, strobe lights? I hope they have good booze up there.
Well I dreamed I saw a silver spaceship flying in the yellow haze of the sun…
Probably Dan Coats, or one of his staff..he’s been fed up for a while, and in his 70s – doesn’t care about his future jobs. Or maybe it’s a ‘murder on the orient express’ scenario–everybody did it. As far as his moronic NYT statement, grand wizard trump believes if he didn’t exist, nothing would.
Yes, Lawrence O’Donnell gave a very compelling argument last night for it being Dan Coates. That’s who my money is on. But still, he’s a coward for this. If you know the president is not capable of doing the job then you have a duty to the country to do all you can to remove him.
I’m not sure what the point of this op-ed was.
I don’t think it’s Dan Coats, for exactly this reason. This op-ed is just stirring the sh*t for palace intrigue reasons, and trying to lull independent voters into staying home instead of throwing the R enablers out. NOTHING about it will improve the functioning of the administration. If Coats believed the world needed to know more about 45’s daily functioning, I’m fairly confident he would quit and tell Americans this stuff on TV under his own name. It’s pretty clear he’s not afraid of 45, and I actually think he wants the government to function as well as it can (even if I disagree with him on many or most most policy objectives).
Pretty sure it’s Mattis (I work in DC) but I will go read the article now.
We all have to 🙏🙏🙏 that we survive this mad man. When his senior staff is scared and went to the NYT to sound the alarm you know we are in danger. And all this madness is just to keep his crimes from coming out for all to see. He and Rudy wants to keep Mr Mueller’s report in a safe and never to be made public. That’s what they want to keep us in the dark and turn this country into a banana republic. Heaven help us.
I think the op-ed was written by more than one person. My guess based on the phrases and wording used is Mattis AND Pence working together.
I have such mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, it’s a nice punch in the gut to Trump and his supporters.
But on the other hand, this is cowardice. If they truly believe what they said in the op-ed, why AREN’T they enacting the 25th? COWARDS.
I think that the press is reading this all wrong. I don’t think that the anonymous source leaked to warn us about the Dotard’s bad behavior. I think the source leaked because he is trying to protect himself from whatever fallout is about to come from Mueller’s Russian Trump investigation. Look at the tone. The person tries hard to convince us that he is the adult in the WH and that he wasn’t responsible for any of the crazy and bad decisions that the Dotard has been making. We have heard this all before, but the names attached to those “adult in the WH/I didn’t have a hand in any of this” stories were John Kelly, Mattis, and McMaster. McMaster is gone, so that leaves Mattis and John Kelly. In July we heard that Mueller was trying to get an interview with John Kelly and Guliani said that the WH refused to let Mueller interview John Kelly. Based on the leaker’s op-ed, Mueller may have finally gotten his interview with John Kelly.
The person talks about McCain. How many stories did Kelly leak about how offended he was by the Dotard’s disrespect of McCain regarding the flags debacle?
Lawrence said that he thought that the op-ed came from Dan Coats, but what he keeps forgetting is that Dan Coats met with a Russian who was on the sanctions list earlier this year. Even though he pretends to be offended by the interference from the Russians, he is in the background helping them.
The “CYA” aspect crossed my mind as well. The remaining staff will likely need significant legal assistance in the near future, if this plays out anything like Watergate.
How convenient to do this “have your cake and eat it, too,” anonymous op-ed to claim later.
Or even just the GOP in general. “Really, there are still good Republicans!”
Complicit is as complicit does. If you’re a real adult with a sense of ethics, you’re not contributing to the problem.
I would call Trump and the GOP pieces of sh*t. But that would be an insult to sh*t.
One of my colleagues was ranting about “that Jabba the Hutt looking thing in the White House” and I had to correct her: Trump isn’t good enough to be compared to Jabba the Hutt. He’s more like Pizza Hut from Spaceballs. Jabba’s older, slower, fatter, greasier, blotchier, oozier, grosser, creepier, stupider doppelgänger. That is so dumb he eats himself to death.
Jabba was gansta. He had Princess Leia and the golden bikini. Pizza the Hutt had Daphne Zuniga. Which now that I think about it is actually not that bad either. Maybe Trump isn’t even good enough to be Pizza Hutt ? Yes, that’s where were at now. The United States is run by a man that it isn’t even good enough to be a caricature of a gross alien gangster. Trump is lower than Pizza the Hutt. Even satire cannot capture how profoundly idiotic this man is.
I think it was Kellyanne in the West Wing with a 2002 Dell desktop.
I think Rev. Pence. He mentioned “loadstar” (sic), a go to phrase for years, no moral center, and sounds like a Jesus saviour, which Rev. Pence truly believes he is. He also recently has brought on board dozens of staff for his election campaign. And Pence is dumb enough to think this op ed will ease people’s minds. I can imagine his doing this after meeting with Evangelicals.
And every one of his awful speeches is a sermon.
What’s even more frightening: if a senior official is making these statements while Annoying Orange is still in office, what we find out after he leaves office? What we know is bad enough, what don’t we know? Wonder what laws are being broken daily FWIW, I personally don’t think that the VP did this. The word “lodestar” was used intentionally to make it look like he did.
It’s possible the Op Ed author could be setting up Pence, this WH administration is so evil.
Woodward’s book coupled with the new NYT Op-Ed piece are another turning point in this whole journey (like firing Comey/hiring Mueller, the raid in Cohen’s office, Manafort’s guilty verdict and Cohen’s guilty plea). I think what we’re seeing is more people from within are willing to speak out, which is – I think – a sign that the republican establishment will be willing to turn on him. AFTER they are thoroughly rebuked in the midterms.
Woodward’s book is journalism, not the offering of a Republican party. The op-ed was published in the Times, but it’s not a NY Times Editorial (IE not the opinion of its editorial board). All the other stuff is part of what remains of an operational system of Justice (Mueller, Justice dept./FBI, federal prosecutors, state attorneys general…). Anyone who works for Trump is not part of “the republican establishment” but rather a right-wing ideologue. There is no “normal” Republican establishment any more and hasn’t been roughly since Newt Gingrich’s “contract” (on) America.
Get out the vote. It’s the only way.
I think it is a turning point, too. His poll numbers have been pretty steady for a long time now, but they have gotten even worse over the past week and a half. I think citizens/GOP elected officials are starting to see the writing on the wall. They are going to get thrashed in November, and then they will all run for the hills.
Even with Nixon, his party was with him up until it was too much, then it was a flood of peopel distancing themselves. I think the wave is starting to crest.
But yes, Who ARE These, voting is sooooo important. No one should assume their neighbors will vote and make up the slack if they skip on voting. We ALL must do everything we can. Volunteer if you can, vote if you can.
At this point the Dotard reminds me of a huge untrained cur* who we suspect has rabies. He pees and sh*ts all over the house, can’t be taught, and bites those who try. He starts barking at 4 am and keeps us from getting rest. I’m exhausted, but am still hopeful that dog catcher Mueller nabs him.
*no disrespect to dogs
“[A]nonymous, meaning gutless”.
That says it all about what he thinks of voters’ right to a secret ballot on election day. Deep down, he believes in public voting so he can intimidate people into voting for him.
I wonder if the author of the OpEd decided to release the article due to McCain’s eulogies given by our former presidents. I know hearing Obama’s speech made me long for him and his ability to communicate with the public. Watching the blathering idiot Trump and his reaction to th OpEd was a yuuuge contrast to the sanity and complete sentences of 44. Don the Con can’t take criticism on any level. How has this 71 year old fool survived this long without being told the truth about himself? Sorry but just needed to vent and now back to the game of Clue…
GOP desperately trying to save institutional face when the sh*t finally hits the fan is what I get out of it. I’m not impressed, and I won’t forget.
Not impressed by this Op-Ed. I was also turned off by how desperately they want to be seen as “heroes” in this whole deal, but no. Cowards one and all. I noticed how more military spending and tax cuts were called out as their achievements–so yeah, I feel they are signalling to big money donors that they are there doing their bidding “behind” the bosses back. Pffft! And they want a gold medal for that. GTFO with that BS.
And Mike Pence, I feel if he does get the presidency it won’t be past 2020, because if there is a thing as anti-charisma he’s got that in spades.
I think it’s a career government worker, not a political appointee.
So they want credit for being “the adult in the room” when the whole world is burning around them (but hey, as long as it’s not on them who cares right?), when this whole thing comes crashing down. This person is not the hero they want us to believe they are. They’re just hedging their bets post-WH.
Look at all these comments! Look at the number of people who are suspected of being the author!
This is FANTASTIC! Can you imagine what a paranoid mess the President is right now? There are so many good candidates for the author, but nothing conclusive, so he can’t take any action. I’m feeling the schadenfreude today, folks!
I do think that the more he is weakened, the more dangerous he becomes. But I also think that the more he reacts in an unhinged manner, the more incentive people will have to do what it takes to get him out of office. GOP congressional members in purple areas, citizens getting out to vote, etc.
There are over 12000 comments in the NYT attached to the editorial.
One good thing this Op-Ed has done is given Democrats some spine. Much more aggressive and bold questioning during the confirmation hearings today! And Mr. K looks less smug (probably worried the Trump administration will end before his confirmation). He is working overtime to quote liberal Justices today.
He doesn’t even make sense!
Seriously, what will it take to get him out?
He’s a heart attack waiting to happen. With his lifestyle and the amount of stress he carries around it could actually be any day now.
Fingers crossed 😉
Honestly, I hope this mass desertion causes something of the sort. I hate to wish that upon someone, but it seems like the only way he’ll be ousted is if nature takes its course.