# Leaked report of Russian blackmail of Trump **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 10, 2017, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846 "2017-01-10T23:59:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/61 "2017-01-11T03:23:21Z")
> [@skdo23](#): > > Right, how could the Russian government possibly have even known which hotel the Obamas stayed at during their last official visit, let alone which room. Not only that, but they were able to ensure that Trump got the _exact same room_! When I went to Vegas last spring I had to slip the desk clerk a twenty to get a room overlooking the strip. No way Putin has that kind of cash to throw around. No, I think the claim is not that it’s too much of a coincidence that Trump was given the same suite that the Obamas had occupied, but rather that it’s too much of a coincidence that the “leaked report” and the alleged anonymous “fanfiction” both described Trump requiring people to urinate on a bed that Obama had slept in. Of course, AFAICT we have no evidence, as **Fubaya** that this alleged “fanfiction” pre-dated its author’s awareness of the “report”, or even that the “fanfiction” exists at all. Even if both are true, though, as I said, I don’t think the notion of Trump making people piss on Obama’s bed is too bizarre for more than one person to come up with independently. ---
**Author:** ![Lobot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce7236/32.png) [@Lobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobot)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/62 "2017-01-11T03:27:00Z")
Can someone on the anti-Trump side explain why you think this is a hoax? These memos, commissioned initially by the GOP, have been written by a former MI6 operative who has been deemed credible by U.S. intelligence and whose sources have also been deemed credible by U.S. intelligence. Broad strokes were compiled into a two-page synopsis by officials who obviously believed their overview of the material was credible. CNN then published their report with an apparent confidence that the story had legs. Bernstein is, notably, attached to the CNN report. None of this guarantees the truth of the allegations within the memos. But doesn’t it seem like there’s too much smoke for there to not be fire of some sort? ---
**Author:** ![skdo23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@skdo23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skdo23)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/63 "2017-01-11T03:27:32Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > No, I think the claim is not that it’s too much of a coincidence that Trump was given the same suite that the Obamas had occupied, but rather that it’s too much of a coincidence that the “leaked report” and the alleged anonymous “fanfiction” both described Trump requiring people to urinate on a bed that Obama had slept in. > > Of course, AFAICT we have no evidence, as **Fubaya** that this alleged “fanfiction” pre-dated its author’s awareness of the “report”, or even that the “fanfiction” exists at all. Even if both are true, though, as I said, I don’t think the notion of Trump making people piss on Obama’s bed is too bizarre for more than one person to come up with independently. My apologies to Okrahoma.:smack::smack::smack::smack::smack::smack: ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/64 "2017-01-11T03:29:45Z")
Guessing we’re not gonna have that press conference tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/65 "2017-01-11T03:29:47Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > … on a bed Obama slept in. > > Quite a coincidence wouldn’t you say? So, you read the fanfic? Could you post a link to it. And where exactly in these news stories is the detail about Obama’s bed mentioned? ---
**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:** [January 11, 2017, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/66 "2017-01-11T03:31:59Z")
> [@AnalogSignal](#): > > The Buzzfeed document and the Wall Street Journal are talking about Trump’s lawyer Cohen paying Russian hackers!! Amazing if it’s true. > > Here is the relevant bit from the WSJ article: > > [http://www.wsj.com/articles/spy-agencies-investigating-claims-trump-advisers-worked-with-russian-agents-1484101731](http://www.wsj.com/articles/spy-agencies-investigating-claims-trump-advisers-worked-with-russian-agents-1484101731) You left out the most important quote: “The story as presented by CNN **lacks any accuracy** and is yet another attempt to discredit Mr. **Trump’s landslide victory** in this election,” said Mr. Cohen, executive vice president of the Trump Organization…” Yeah, why can’t the media be more accurate and talk about how yuuuuuuge Trump’s landslide bigly victory was? I heard the electoral count was done the other day. Weren’t the results like 52 billion to one? Lame stream media won’t report on that!! Fake news! ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/67 "2017-01-11T03:38:09Z")
> [@Lobot](#): > > Can someone on the anti-Trump side explain why you think this is a hoax? Because, from an anti-Trump perspective, it’s too good to be true. And things that are too good to be true invariable turn out, on examination, not to be true. ---
**Author:** ![Lobot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce7236/32.png) [@Lobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobot)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/68 "2017-01-11T03:43:51Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > Because, from an anti-Trump perspective, it’s too good to be true. And things that are too good to be true invariable turn out, on examination, not to be true. But it’s not like it’s just idle gossip. The Mother Jones article was presented a bit in that manner, but now we have a verified, credible source attached. Surely this should tip the scales a bit? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/69 "2017-01-11T03:45:05Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > Because, from an anti-Trump perspective, it’s too good to be true. And things that are too good to be true invariable turn out, on examination, not to be true. If only things that were too terrible to be true followed the same rule. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/70 "2017-01-11T03:48:16Z")
Gotta say that I don’t even understand why having prostitutes pee on each other on a bed that someone you hate once slept on would be considered retribution. Whether the story is true or not, this just doesn’t actually make any sense. I mean, if they peed on it before Obama slept on it, that might make some sense. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/71 "2017-01-11T03:48:34Z")
Eh eh eh He said leaked. Trump is pissed at this. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/72 "2017-01-11T03:57:02Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > That’s the thing. While I’m from the left side of the political spectrum, I don’t get why many liberals are wetting themselves repeating this story. It doesn’t do our side any good to repeat the story as truth or probable truth without any verification. If it turns out to be a hoax, that’s another nail in the coffin of journalistic credibility and trust. I feel like we’re in danger of a media "boy cries wolf’ effect, so when/if Trump is caught red-handed doing something naughty, nobody in the middle will be left to believe it. If I were the cynical conspiratorial type, I’d think this is an effort to continue eroding the media’s credibility. Have we still not learned anything from the Republicans? Run with this story as hard as you can. If evidence comes out later demonstrating it’s conclusively false, _keep running with it._ Bring it up constantly. Use it as a rebuttal to everything, regardless of how absurdly out of context. Hold hearings on it. Lots of hearings, over and over and over. Doesn’t matter if they all reach exactly the same conclusion. It’s not the answer that matters, it’s the show. That’s how you win elections in this country. Truth? Truth is for losers. Literally. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/73 "2017-01-11T04:00:41Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Have we still not learned anything from the Republicans? > > Run with this story as hard as you can. If evidence comes out later demonstrating it’s conclusively false, _keep running with it._ Bring it up constantly. Use it as a rebuttal to everything, regardless of how absurdly out of context. Hold hearings on it. Lots of hearings, over and over and over. Doesn’t matter if they all reach exactly the same conclusion. It’s not the answer that matters, it’s the show. > > That’s how you win elections in this country. Truth? Truth is for losers. Literally. Sadly, I don’t think that strategy will work from the “mainstream media” side. Perhaps I’m wrong, but I also want nothing to do with it. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/74 "2017-01-11T04:00:43Z")
> [@Lobot](#): > > These memos, commissioned initially by the GOP, have been written by a former MI6 operative who has been deemed credible by U.S. intelligence and whose sources have also been deemed credible by U.S. intelligence. Says who? I may be missing something, but AFAICT there’s been no evidence presented for the provenance of the report. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/75 "2017-01-11T04:01:25Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > This may be the just break the Clinton campaign has been waiting for. Even if Trump stepped down from the Presidency today, I believe that it would still just go to Pence. And, realistically, it’s more likely that Trump would continue to push forward with the Presidency in the hope that it all went away on its own (or via FSB magic), until full impeachment proceedings had completed, so we wouldn’t see any results until after the weeks or months after the inauguration. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/76 "2017-01-11T04:06:18Z")
> [@AnalogSignal](#): > > Trump is tweeting about the Buzzfeed document: [x.com](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/819000924207251456) > > It’s certainly got his attention. 🙂 It’s typical of Trumpelthinskin to get pissed off at every piddling little thing. He should learn to go with the flow. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/77 "2017-01-11T04:08:34Z")
> [@Lobot](#): > > But doesn’t it seem like there’s too much smoke for there to not be fire of some sort? I’m reasonable confident that Trump is in bed with the Russians, but given the various posts that have been put on this site trying to paint the Clintons as being clean, I think it’s reasonable to say that for a party-faithful, there’s no amount of smoke that indicates fire. ---
**Author:** ![OwnRules](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ea666f/32.png) [@OwnRules](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OwnRules)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/78 "2017-01-11T04:15:17Z")
Someone needs to call Sean Hannity ASAP. …also noticed The Cheeto tweeted in ALL CAPS. That’s yuuuuuge! ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/79 "2017-01-11T04:18:32Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > Gotta say that I don’t even understand why having prostitutes pee on each other on a bed that someone you hate once slept on would be considered retribution. Whether the story is true or not, this just doesn’t actually make any sense. I mean, if they peed on it before Obama slept on it, that might make some sense. I think it’s some kind of black magic thing. (No Obama pun intended. It really IS a black magic thing.) ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/80 "2017-01-11T04:18:36Z")
I’ll never think of “trickle down economics” in quite the same way. I think a lot of us _peons_ think of it the same way, [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846.md?page=5)