I’m sure that’s merely a coincidence. I mean, they wouldn’t try to use this as a distraction from Ford’s testimony or anything, right?
“THE STRATEGY WAS TO TRY AND DO SOMETHING REALLY BIG”: TRUMP WANTED TO NUKE ROSENSTEIN TO SAVE KAVANAUGH’S BACON: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/09/trump-wanted-to-nuke-rosenstein-to-save-kavanaughs-bacon
Apparently when Rosenstein left the White House today, John Kelly walked him to his car and shook his hand. There’s some minor commentary on how weird that is, but no one seems to know what to make of it.
I think that Trump will leave him in, and then Rosenstein will recuse himself.
I think Trump is being advised again and again not to do anything that would tip the midterms against him and his party, but I could also see his firing being used as a way to distract from his Kavanaugh troubles. Rosenstein and Sessions are gone by December though.
My prediction is he will either be fired this thursday, or last through the midterms.
I lean towards last through the mid-terms. Rosenstein apparently offered a verbal resignation and Trump would have been stupid not to take it if he really wanted to do that now. And he could have done it right then, not wait til Thursday.
My guess is they’re convinced that Rosenstein said this sarcastically, and are still trying to figure out the optics of firing him or not. I think at this point they know firing Rosenstein and Sessions isn’t going to affect the Mueller investigation much or at all, and will do nothing but look bad.
That said, I don’t think either of them is going to make it to 2020. They’ll be gone soonish.
Trump hinted today he might not meet with Rosenstein tomorrow. Because of the Kavanaugh hearing.
I’m betting that Rosenstein won’t resign.
He should wear a wire.
I can totally see Trump patting him down, looking for a wire, or maybe having a couple of goons do it for him.
In any case, it is now clear that Democrats have to win both the house and senate or this country is finished.
The country has survived a couple,of invasions, a civil war over the issue of slavery, periodic financial meltdowns, the Viet Nam conflict, Richard Nixon, and The Hottie and the Nottie. Rosenstein being fired wouldn’t be a great day, but it’s not going to end the country. And whiel the Democrats will probably retake the House with a healthy majority, they’re unlikely to retake the Senate in the midterm election, though their chances keep improving every time Trump tweets some new misogyny.
Stranger
I’m not sure that we have actually survived the Civil War yet.
While there are some people who don’t want to give up and accept that the CSA lost, they’re in a minority. We’re still living with the artifacts of slavery—some built directly into the Constitution and structure of the federal government—but it has been illegal to buy and sell human beings for over a century and a half. The Democrats winning the Senate won’t change history and suddenly make everything smell like roses and honey, and losing it won’t destroy the nation.
Stranger
Donald cancelled their meeting today. FWIW.
John Kelly probably wasn’t available to protect Twumpy from having to actually to nut up and actually follow through on his threats.
Stranger
Of course he did; he’s a coward.
Updating this thread:
https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/09/politics/rosenstein-out-justice-department/index.html
To anybody in a position to do so who may be reading these words. Don’t count on trump to release the report, in whole or in part. Send a copy to the media. The American people paid for that report and have a right to see it.
Now that Rosenstein has said he will resign soon, Trump will find it necessary to fire him even sooner, just to show who’s boss. It’s not like he’s going to be any nicer to Rosenstein than he was to Mattis.