# Russia probe reaches White House **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 19, 2017, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-probe-reaches-white-house/787025 "2017-05-19T19:18:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![nate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nate/32/13085_2.png) [@nate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nate)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-probe-reaches-white-house/787025/61 "2017-05-19T23:45:40Z")
I know this entirely selfish and short-sighted but can we please slow this down a little? I mean, if Pence is also compliant we may end up with Paul Ryan as our president. I think what we have now, the shitstorm that it is, is preferable to a Ryan presidency with Rs controlling congress. Trump is a buffoon, but IMHO Ryan is evil. I wish this would stretch out to the 18 elections but it’s happening so fast it might be a matter of weeks before a big shakeup. ---
**Author:** ![ganthet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de0a6/32.png) [@ganthet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ganthet)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-probe-reaches-white-house/787025/62 "2017-05-19T23:51:15Z")
[QUOTE=Daily Beast] (Senior staffers who escaped aboard Air Force One included Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, Chief Strategist Steve Bannon, Senior Advisor Jared Kushner, Director of Strategic Communications Hope Hicks, Press Secretary Sean Spicer, and National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster.) “I’m glad I’m not on the plane so I could be here to answer your Russia questions,” a senior Trump administration official said, sarcastically, before abruptly hanging up. Trump’s remarks quickly elicited groans, and some harsh words, from senior officials who did speak with The Daily Beast. **“If Donald Trump gets impeached, he will have one person to blame: Donald Trump,” one of those administration officials said.** [/quote] [WOW.](http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/05/19/trump-officials-he-looks-more-and-more-like-a-complete-moron) That’s something a pundit says, not someone who calls Trump their boss. I wonder why we haven’t seen even a minor exodus of resignations. I suppose, like Trump, they are just heavily in denial that things will blow over and start to get better/easier. ---
**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:** [May 19, 2017, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-probe-reaches-white-house/787025/63 "2017-05-19T23:51:56Z")
> [@nate](#): > > I know this entirely selfish and short-sighted but can we please slow this down a little? I mean, if Pence is also compliant we may end up with Paul Ryan as our president. I think what we have now, the shitstorm that it is, is preferable to a Ryan presidency with Rs controlling congress. Trump is a buffoon, but IMHO Ryan is evil. I wish this would stretch out to the 18 elections but it’s happening so fast it might be a matter of weeks before a big shakeup. Agree completely with **Sunny Daze** ’s assessment above. I don’t see how Ryan can garner the votes to get it. He soiled his drawers by throwing his lot in with Trump, and that stank will stay with him. It makes him unacceptable to moderate Republicans and all the Dems. Plus he has that heartless healthcare bill rubbed all over him, too. We may not end until we have President Hatch. A nasty old bugger from Utah to be sure, but at least he’s a recognizable sane-ish Republican. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-probe-reaches-white-house/787025/64 "2017-05-20T00:09:40Z")
> [@nate](#): > > I know this entirely selfish and short-sighted but can we please slow this down a little? I mean, if Pence is also compliant we may end up with Paul Ryan as our president. I think what we have now, the shitstorm that it is, is preferable to a Ryan presidency with Rs controlling congress. Trump is a buffoon, but IMHO Ryan is evil. I wish this would stretch out to the 18 elections but it’s happening so fast it might be a matter of weeks before a big shakeup. There’s no reasonable reason to worry about Pence being dragged down with any of this atm. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-probe-reaches-white-house/787025/65 "2017-05-20T00:24:03Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I agree. > > dammit Yep, we wonder about it (and that is a good thing). But yeah, the right has an advantage when many of the owners of right wing media are so gullible when they distribute incredible, unlikely or fake bit of news that benefits their side. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-probe-reaches-white-house/787025/66 "2017-05-20T00:24:53Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > There’s no reasonable reason to worry about Pence being dragged down with any of this atm. Who was the head of the transition team from mid-November onwards, I wonder? Hard to see how that individual gets out of this with clean hands! ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-probe-reaches-white-house/787025/67 "2017-05-20T00:32:56Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > There’s no reasonable reason to worry about Pence being dragged down with any of this atm. Who’s talking about worry? This is all hope. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-probe-reaches-white-house/787025/68 "2017-05-20T00:34:20Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Who was the head of the transition team from mid-November onwards, I wonder? Hard to see how that individual gets out of this with clean hands! I can see it. Depends on how much vetting authority Mr Trump lent to the transition chief as well as how much veto authority was given to Pence. Trumps history suggests “not much” to both questions. Team Pence has clearly been working on building a firewall against culpability in the Trump goofiness. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-probe-reaches-white-house/787025/69 "2017-05-20T00:36:45Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Who’s talking about worry? This is all hope. The post I responded to was talking about the worry of a Ryan Presidency. ---
**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:** [May 20, 2017, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-probe-reaches-white-house/787025/70 "2017-05-20T00:40:30Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > I can see it. Depends on how much vetting authority Mr Trump lent to the transition chief as well as how much veto authority was given to Pence. Trumps history suggests “not much” to both questions. Team Pence has clearly been working on building a firewall against culpability in the Trump goofiness. I’m at the point where I’m **very cautiously** on the “he’s not gonna make it four years” bandwagon. Pence? I’m **very reluctantly** on the “he’s probably gonna last until 2020” bandwagon. Part of the reason is that Trump is a goddamned idiot. So many of his wounds are self-inflicted. If he’d just stay the fuck off Twitter and not mouth off **TO THE NATION’S TOP LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY** (hi Comey!), he might survive this. But that fucker can’t keep his mouth shut. Pence? Pence is a weasel. He may be just as culpable, but he’s smart enough to keep out of harm’s way. I’d love to see him and Ryan both go down in a giant flush, but I’m not expecting it. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-probe-reaches-white-house/787025/71 "2017-05-20T00:43:07Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > The post I responded to was talking about the worry of a Ryan Presidency. Oh. I missed that. On a lighter note, Comey is ready to publicly testify. Where’s my popcorn? [http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/334340-comey-agrees-to-testify-publicly](http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/334340-comey-agrees-to-testify-publicly) ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-probe-reaches-white-house/787025/72 "2017-05-20T00:50:08Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Pence is a weasel. He may be just as culpable, but he’s smart enough to keep out of harm’s way. It’ll be pretty amusing to watch him argue that he had no clue Russia was involved, though. His only possible defense is that he was completely incompetent. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-probe-reaches-white-house/787025/73 "2017-05-20T00:53:25Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > There’s no reasonable reason to worry about Pence being dragged down with any of this atm. Pence was warned about Flynn during the transition; there is documentation. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-probe-reaches-white-house/787025/74 "2017-05-20T01:07:58Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Team Pence has clearly been working on building a firewall against culpability in the Trump goofiness. True, true. Pence has also established a PAC in recent days, so he’s thinking ahead, but if the whole thing does go tits-up he’s very vulnerable too. “So, about Mr Flynn, when did you first become aware…?” etc ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-probe-reaches-white-house/787025/75 "2017-05-20T01:16:51Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > True, true. Pence has also established a PAC in recent days, so he’s thinking ahead, but if the whole thing does go tits-up he’s very vulnerable too. “So, about Mr Flynn, when did you first become aware…?” etc I don’t know if you realise it, but impeaching Pence would have to be an entirely different process than impeaching Trump. A pile of maybes is not going to be brought forward by a Republican House and Senate to impeach the VP directly before or after impeaching Trump. That’s simply fantasy land. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-probe-reaches-white-house/787025/76 "2017-05-20T02:24:18Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > The post I responded to was talking about the worry of a Ryan Presidency. Oh shit. Shit, shit, shit. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-probe-reaches-white-house/787025/77 "2017-05-20T02:31:01Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > The Russian operation to compromise the Trump administration and destabilize America’s political system has to go down as one of the greatest intelligence operations in history. How do you say “Revenge for Yeltsin, Comrade” in Russian? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-probe-reaches-white-house/787025/78 "2017-05-20T02:42:17Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > How do you say “Revenge for Yeltsin, Comrade” in Russian? “Fucksi yousi.” ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-probe-reaches-white-house/787025/79 "2017-05-20T03:06:10Z")
> [@lazybratsche](#): > > Palmer Report dances on the border between wild-assed speculation and straight out conspiracy theory. This. And who can imagine an FBI employee letting anyone close to the Director’s PC? Not to mention the login credential issues, network access and encryption. Copying a PC to a thumb drive is a Hollywood concept with little basis in reality. ---
**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:** [May 20, 2017, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-probe-reaches-white-house/787025/80 "2017-05-20T03:12:30Z")
So here’s my prediction: at some point while in the Middle East, Trump is gonna joke about how his hosts knows how to treat journalists, and mime a lash or something. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-probe-reaches-white-house/787025.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-probe-reaches-white-house/787025.md?page=5)