The second quote, in particular (“She said the White House had heard from ‘countless’ members of the FBI to that effect.”) is a variation on one of Trump’s overused phrases, “Many people are saying…” Any time I hear Trump say this, my automatic mental translation of it is to assume that Trump is actually saying, “I read this on Breitbart, and it fits with what I want to think, so…”
I’m interested to know what you think this encompasses. Which facts do you think have been established with certitude?
Occam’s Razor means choosing the hypothesis that involves the fewest unproven assumptions.
One possibility is that Trump is lying, and covering up any connection between his campaign and Russia. Which implies Trump is a liar. Which isn’t an unproven assumption, it’s a known fact.
The other possibility is that FBI is investigating something purely for political gain, without any signs of wrongdoing. That is a completely unproven assumption.
Occam’s Razor should point you to the first possibility.
Impeach and convict.
Now Trump is contradicting the White House by saying that he had already decided to fire Comey regardless of what anyone else said.
Keeping in mind that any collusion between Trump or his people and Russia is an “unproven assumption”…
I suppose it’s possible this was all the Republican party’s doing, that it happened around Trump without him noticing. As in “doesn’t contradict the laws of physics” possible.
I don’t know if “Oh, it was only all the other Republicans involved in Trump’s presidency” will make anyone feel better or not.
Simple - Congress needs to put country over party and investigate the hell out of this, including a special prosecutor.
Amazing, the GOP will bend head over heels about a blowjob but when it comes to possible treason, just because its one of their own, they let it slide…
Always amazed at the power of the right wing media machine to brainwash and influence on things that should be obvious (i.e. possible Russia interference, the incoming calamity of climate change, ridiculous conflict of interest to have a president have a hotel named after him down the street from the white house…)
If he’s not concerned about how it “looks,” why did he lie about his reasons for doing it, in your scenario?
Viewing the Russia investigation as a witch hunt is absurd. We know that Russia interfered in the election; we know that they did so in a way that helped Trump; we know that many people in Trump’s campaign have deep connections to Russia; we know that people in Trump’s campaign have misstated, sometimes under oath, their connections to Russian officials.
We have no smoking gun, but there’s certainly enough stuff there to investigate.
Yes. Attempting to shut down an investigation is not the way to convince anyone that the investigation is a ‘witch hunt.’
Even the most determinedly-blind Trump apologists know this–which is why they are desperately trying to change the conversation to the absurd non-sequitur ‘Democrats are hypocrites because they say they hate Comey one minute then say they love him the next!’
Of course no Democrats are saying such a thing; it’s logical and consistent to dislike an FBI director yet deplore his being fired by a President for doing his job of investigating that President.
But this is all the Republicans have. So we may expect to hear it non-stop—unless, and this is the true danger the world finds itself in at this moment—unless Trump decides to change the conversation by committing violence.
That violence could take the form of a false-flag operation designed to put him in the driver’s seat of an emergency-powers takeover, or the form of missiles flying against some overseas foe, or merely an announcement of a new “surge” of US military personnel being sent into some hot spot.
If this were to happen, the only hope would be that enough Americans would start putting country before party to the extent of at least recognizing what is going on, that Trump’s ability to commit murderous mischief could be curtailed.
(Increasing the danger: the private audience Trump just had with Russians powerful enough to make things happen; they want their puppet kept in place and are greatly motivated to help him out with a nice juicy distraction.)
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/the-continuing-triumph-trump
From Talking Points Memo, without which no citizen can hope to be well-informed…
**
The Continuing Triumph of Trump’s Razor**
TL:DR The best approach for Trump statements is akin to Occam’s Razor, in that one is best advised to assume the stupidest.
I’ve been on record a long time: Trump is an asshole, a repulsive human being, and hopelessly unqualified to be President.
But he won anyway. Fairly. Cleanly. Sometimes the people are stupid and make the wrong choices. Trump is one such wrong choice.
He didn’t win because Russia hacked the election. He won because enough Americans liked what he was saying. Trump won and he isn’t going anywhere. Comey had nothing on him, and Trump will finish out at least one term.
There won’t be any impeachments. Deal with reality. Fight Trump as hard as you like. Just don’t delude yourself he won’t serve at least a full 4 years.
astorian, shhhhh! You’re going to ruin the show!
There are like 4 or 5 threads right now about Trump’s impending impeachment.
Trump is wonderful and there’s no chance that he’s incompetent or corrupt enough to not serve a full term. That can be predicted with perfect accuracy, and anyone who isn’t perfectly confident this is definitely the case is delusional.
The future is known. Hail Trump!
I suspect the SDMB has about as much collective insight into the fate of Trump’s presidency as they did the outcome of the 2016 election.
A single election has shown our delusion. Hail Trump! All past reasonable predictions are forgotten. Hail Trump! We can never get things right again. Hail Trump! Nothing can possibly happen unless Trump wills it.
Hail Trump!
iiandyiiii, I like the new you. Glad to see you’ve come around to the winning side.
All is winning! Good things are winning! Bad things are winning! Lies are winning! Especially the lies! Hail Trump!
Trumpus Vult
I already have a bet going with Sage Rat where I win if Trump does not resign by 2020.
I am willing to entertain bets for impeachment (and I mean removal from office, not just the vote in the House). I say it won’t happen. Same terms. Anyone?