# Goodbye, H.R. McMaster **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 16, 2018, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-h-r-mcmaster/810638 "2018-03-16T02:46:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-h-r-mcmaster/810638/1 "2018-03-16T02:46:03Z")
[Trump ready to replace McMaster.](https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/15/politics/hr-mcmaster-trump-replacement/index.html) That makes _two_ National Security advisors out. In the space of a year. Isn’t this administration awesome? I’ll miss seeing the guy’s name and thinking of H.R. Geiger every single time. I wonder who will take his place? Joe Arpaio? Dennis Rodman? Kid Rock? Charlie Sheen? There are so many great possibilities. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-h-r-mcmaster/810638/2 "2018-03-16T02:51:07Z")
I always thought about HR Pufnstuf, myself. Is Trump just panicking? I can’t find rhyme nor reason in his recent actions. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-h-r-mcmaster/810638/3 "2018-03-16T03:00:42Z")
Lifeboat rules: When the boat takes on water, you toss somebody overboard. ---
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-h-r-mcmaster/810638/4 "2018-03-16T03:01:44Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > I always thought about HR Pufnstuf, myself. > > Is Trump just panicking? I can’t find rhyme nor reason in his recent actions. He finally realizes that he can’t convince these people that he’s right, and that he just needs to replace whoever disagrees with him. The fact that he might be wrong about something just isn’t within the scope of his cognizance. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-h-r-mcmaster/810638/5 "2018-03-16T03:19:56Z")
He’s looking for an award in terrible optics or he’s actually compromised. The rule seems to be criticize Russia, get fired. Let’s see if Nikki Haley lasts the week. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-h-r-mcmaster/810638/6 "2018-03-16T03:23:12Z")
I think he might actually be scared of Nikki. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-h-r-mcmaster/810638/7 "2018-03-16T03:24:57Z")
He’s scared of all strong women. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-h-r-mcmaster/810638/8 "2018-03-16T03:31:02Z")
> [@Jacquernagy](#): > > I’ll miss seeing the guy’s name and thinking of H.R. Geiger every single time. Same, but for Staff Sgt. Max Fightmaster. ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-h-r-mcmaster/810638/9 "2018-03-16T03:45:50Z")
So. Much. Winning. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-h-r-mcmaster/810638/10 "2018-03-16T03:48:02Z")
> [@BeepKillBeep](#): > > So. Much. Winning. Well, I for one am sick of it. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-h-r-mcmaster/810638/11 "2018-03-16T04:44:56Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Is Trump just panicking? I can’t find rhyme nor reason in his recent actions. The New York Times floated a [terrifying](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/15/us/politics/trump-white-house-turnover.html) possibility: > [@](#): > > Recently, people close to Mr. Trump say that he has begun to feel more confident that he understands the job of president. He is relying more on his own instincts, putting a premium on his personal chemistry with people and their willingness to acknowledge that his positions are ultimately administration policy, rather than on their résumé or qualifications for the job. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-h-r-mcmaster/810638/12 "2018-03-16T06:48:47Z")
That’s H.R. Giger, btw. [Geiger](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geiger%E2%80%93M%C3%BCller_tube) is one of the inventors of the sensing element of the Geiger counter. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-h-r-mcmaster/810638/13 "2018-03-16T07:00:08Z")
> [@Johnny\_Ace](#): > > That’s H.R. Giger, btw. [Geiger](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geiger%E2%80%93M%C3%BCller_tube) is one of the inventors of the sensing element of the Geiger counter. Wait, You’re telling me that the inventor of the machine that counts Geigers is actually _named_ Geiger? Mind. Blown. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-h-r-mcmaster/810638/14 "2018-03-16T07:04:06Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > Wait, You’re telling me that the inventor of the machine that counts Geigers is actually _named_ Geiger? > > Mind. Blown. 🙂 One of them. It’s actually called a Geiger-Muller tube after both inventors, but Muller was shortsheeted by history. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-h-r-mcmaster/810638/15 "2018-03-16T08:02:03Z")
John Bolton is one of the scariest headbanging nutcases you could ever not want to see in any kind of power. So we know what that means in this administration. FFS, he makes the NeoCons look like Neville Chamberlain. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-h-r-mcmaster/810638/16 "2018-03-16T11:06:50Z")
> [@up\_the\_junction](#): > > John Bolton is one of the scariest headbanging nutcases you could ever not want to see in any kind of power. So we know what that means in this administration. > > FFS, he makes the NeoCons look like Neville Chamberlain. Bolton wasn’t the reason we invaded Iraq, but he was certainly one of the louder drummer boys in the Bush administration’s march on Baghdad. Putting him in a position to influence policy on North Korea and Iran would have potentially catastrophic consequences. As I’ve been saying for a while, Trump himself may have a taste for shit talk on twitter, but in fact, it’s quite possible that he has no real appetite for war. But deep within the bowels of the so-called administrative state there are undoubtedly plenty of deep state bureaucrats (not to mention former advisers who are now working for influential think tanks) who are committed to the idea of America’s absolute military and political supremacy and are willing to go to great lengths to ensure it. If people like George Tenet can manipulate “evidence” to help the Neo-Cons sell a war to not only the public but to a naive and uninformed cheerleader President in the early 2000s then it shows that something much worse could be in store in 2018 and beyond. Say what you want about McMaster, but it’s people like him who have been able to push back against Trump’s tendency to buy into conspiracy theories and right wing ideological fantasy. Bolton would be a dramatic about face, and a lethal one. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-h-r-mcmaster/810638/17 "2018-03-16T12:03:41Z")
Yeah, Bolton as National Security Adviser would be scary as shit. And it’s not a position that needs Senate confirmation either - if Trump picks him, then that’s that. First off, Bolton hates the Iran nuclear deal. Kiss it goodbye if Trump chooses Bolton, because Trump wants it gone too. Not that Trump has any clue about it, but because it’s an Obama thing, and it’s an article of faith on the right in general, and at Fox News in particular, that it’s a Bad Thing. And this deal is what keeps Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Why do the wingnuts want Iran to have nuclear weapons? I mean, I understand that they’d prefer it if we kept Iran nuke-free by scaring the shit out of the mullahs and that making it happen by a negotiated deal instead just isn’t macho enough for them, but even taking all that into account, WT everliving F? ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-h-r-mcmaster/810638/18 "2018-03-16T12:46:25Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Yeah, Bolton as National Security Adviser would be scary as shit. And it’s not a position that needs Senate confirmation either - if Trump picks him, then that’s that. > > First off, Bolton hates the Iran nuclear deal. Kiss it goodbye if Trump chooses Bolton, because Trump wants it gone too. Not that Trump has any clue about it, but because it’s an Obama thing, and it’s an article of faith on the right in general, and at Fox News in particular, that it’s a Bad Thing. > > **And this deal is what keeps Iran from developing nuclear weapons.** Why do the wingnuts want Iran to have nuclear weapons? I mean, I understand that they’d prefer it if we kept Iran nuke-free by scaring the shit out of the mullahs and that making it happen by a negotiated deal instead just isn’t macho enough for them, but even taking all that into account, WT everliving F? More importantly, in turn, this is what keeps Saudi Arabia and its Gulf Allies from seeking nuclear weapons of their own - and God help us all if that becomes a reality. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-h-r-mcmaster/810638/19 "2018-03-16T12:49:48Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Yeah, Bolton as National Security Adviser would be scary as shit. And it’s not a position that needs Senate confirmation either - if Trump picks him, then that’s that. > > First off, Bolton hates the Iran nuclear deal. Kiss it goodbye if Trump chooses Bolton, because Trump wants it gone too. Not that Trump has any clue about it, but because it’s an Obama thing, and it’s an article of faith on the right in general, and at Fox News in particular, that it’s a Bad Thing. > > And this deal is what keeps Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Why do the wingnuts want Iran to have nuclear weapons? I mean, I understand that they’d prefer it if we kept Iran nuke-free by scaring the shit out of the mullahs and that making it happen by a negotiated deal instead just isn’t macho enough for them, but even taking all that into account, WT everliving F? The irony that is perfectly obvious to everyone in the foreign policy world is that Obama talks to Iran, and Trump flips his wig. Trump talks to North Korea, and Trump thinks it is amazing. The entire point of diplomacy is talking with countries that disagree with yours. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-h-r-mcmaster/810638/20 "2018-03-16T12:56:44Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > The irony that is perfectly obvious to everyone in the foreign policy world is that Obama talks to Iran, and Trump flips his wig. Trump talks to North Korea, and Trump thinks it is amazing. The entire point of diplomacy is talking with countries that disagree with yours. And, of course, Kim isn’t going to give up his nukes just to talk with the dotard. It’s like Mexico paying for the wall. Just more bullshit, in other words, by the greatest deal maker the world has ever seen. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-h-r-mcmaster/810638.md?page=2)