# The Trump Administration: A Clusterfuck in the Making **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 7, 2016, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070 "2016-12-07T00:25:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1257
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/25125 "2018-09-07T13:30:59Z")
> [@Defensive\_Indifference](#): > > My completely unsupported hunch is also that it’s a close aide to a Cabinet member, someone who can fairly be described as a “senior official” but whose name would provoke a decisive “Wait, who?” from 98% of us. Maybe not a Pence aide, but possibly an aide to Pompeo, Mattis, etc. Yeah. If 40 years ago, Deep Throat had been unveiled as Mark Felt, the response would’ve bee: “Who?” ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/25126 "2018-09-07T14:28:23Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Susan Collins is really the make-or-break figure in it all. If you actually care about blocking Kavanaugh, because you really believe (not faux-believe, on the basis of partisan politics) that he’ll kill Roe v Wade or rule in Trump’s favor should Mueller end up in the Supreme Court over something, then you need to tailor your questions to Susan Collins and her base, and win them over. That doesn’t happen by grandstanding, it happens by making a real case and giving good reason to believe it. This. And what a let-down she’s been, although I’m not immensely surprised. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/25127 "2018-09-07T15:25:01Z")
[Trump tells supporters it’ll be ‘your fault’ if he gets impeached](https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/06/politics/trump-impeach-your-fault/index.html) ---
**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:** [September 7, 2018, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/25128 "2018-09-07T16:46:04Z")
I hope it turns out to be Kelly-Anne Conway and that the piece was rewritten by her husband to throw off the detectives. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/25129 "2018-09-07T16:52:11Z")
…Obama laying down the gauntlet today. Holy fucking shit. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/25130 "2018-09-07T16:55:08Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Yeah. If 40 years ago, Deep Throat had been unveiled as Mark Felt, the response would’ve bee: “Who?” That’s the precedent I had in mind. I read something in the past day or so that quoted an anonymous White House source as saying he/she tried to mimic the speech of others in the administration to throw off leak-hunters. The use of “lodestar” would be a pretty good red herring, if indeed that’s what it is. The BBC story quoted upthread also pointed out that the piece wold have probably gone through NYT editing, so any linguistic analysis based on word choice, sentence structure, etc., would be iffy at best. I doubt the NYT editor would have dropped in a “lodestar” on their own initiative, but things like tightening up the sentences for length and clarity seem likely (at least to me, as a non-journalist). ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/25131 "2018-09-07T17:02:45Z")
[Failing Donnie supporter wipes her nose with the American flag](https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4748046/girl-wipes-nose-american-flag) ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/25132 "2018-09-07T17:13:08Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > …Obama laying down the gauntlet today. Holy fucking shit. 😕 I haven’t seen anything. What’s up? ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/25133 "2018-09-07T17:16:51Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > 😕 I haven’t seen anything. What’s up? … > **[Live: Obama gives 'State of our Democracy' speech](https://edition.cnn.com/politics/live-news/obama-state-of-our-democracy-09-07-2018/index.html)** > > President Barack Obama is stepping back into the political fray Friday with a speech on the "State of our Democracy." See highlights. ---
**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:** [September 7, 2018, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/25134 "2018-09-07T17:21:46Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > …Obama laying down the gauntlet today. Holy fucking shit. His speech is like a balm. I’m so fucking glad he’s jumped back into the fray. Perfect timing, as ever. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/25135 "2018-09-07T17:24:22Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > …Obama laying down the gauntlet today. Holy fucking shit. > [@enipla](#): > > 😕 I haven’t seen anything. What’s up? > [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > … > > [Live: Obama gives 'State of our Democracy' speech](https://edition.cnn.com/politics/live-news/obama-state-of-our-democracy-09-07-2018/index.html) Sorry, I don’t see the “gauntlet” here. He’s saying don’t wait for a savior, that our greatest enemy is indifference. Very sensible and indisputable What am I missing? ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/25136 "2018-09-07T17:24:37Z")
> [@you\_with\_the\_face](#): > > But what sense does it make to announce you’re doing (a)? Now, you’ve alerted Hitler to the subterfuge and have given his supporters extra reason to believe that a disloyal Deep State is the only enemy worth worrying about. I think whatever, it is entirely self serving. Maybe an attempt for those assholes running for re-election in November to cover their asses??? “Yeah we allowed all sorts of egregious shit to happen. We helped in formulating it. We lined our own pockets and advanced our own agendas in the process. We helped the effort to trash NATO, the effort to separate babies from their parents, we helped Putin to take over the country from the inside. We put Gorsuch in the Souprme Court and now we are putting in an even worse son of a bitch. But trust us. We are the adults.” While the “glimpse inside” might make for good news ratings, it’s the same old tired shit we already knew. There are NO “adults in the room”. Additionally, it did not come out until AFTER Woodard’s book. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/25137 "2018-09-07T17:24:43Z")
Unleash Michelle! ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/25138 "2018-09-07T17:26:15Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > Only works if the mayor was one of the Nazi invaders. How many Vichy collaborators did they hang??? ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/25139 "2018-09-07T17:27:16Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Cory Booker has released publicly a batch of Kavanaugh documents labeled “Committee Confidential”. > [Cory Booker just released confidential Brett Kavanaugh documents -- read them here - Raw Story](https://www.rawstory.com/2018/09/corey-booker-just-released-confidential-brett-kavanaugh-documents-read/) Good for Booker. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/25140 "2018-09-07T17:34:31Z")
> [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](#): > > I’m guessing this works for both sides. At this point, we don’t need any “both siderism”. We are way past that. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/25141 "2018-09-07T17:36:21Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > [Trump tells supporters it’ll be ‘your fault’ if he gets impeached](https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/06/politics/trump-impeach-your-fault/index.html) If he somehow, through some miracle gets impeached, indicted, arrested, and convicted, I don’t care WHOSE fault he says it is. He and his buddies and his kids need be financially broken and to rot in prison. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/25142 "2018-09-07T17:37:13Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Sorry, I don’t see the “gauntlet” here. He’s saying don’t wait for a savior, that our greatest enemy is indifference. Very sensible and indisputable > > What am I missing? …he broke all the norms of what a former President is supposed to do: retire gracefully, don’t mention politics, don’t mention Trump by name, and threw it all out the fucking window. He’s injected himself back into the political arena. He’s called out all of the bullshit gas-lighting thats been going on. He called out Trump directly and he called out the Republican Party. He’s sent out the rallying call. America is in fucking trouble and the only people who can fix it is the American people. Its a pretty fucking important speech. Even Fox news covered it. THERE IS SO MUCH FUCKING NEWS. TOO MUCH NOISE. TOO MUCH STUFF HAPPENING. Obama speech cuts through the bullshit. Gives people a path: a goal, a way out. Acknowledges that “no, we are not crazy, everything that is happening around you right now is BATSHIT INSANE, if you want to stop the insanity, you need to get out and vote.” ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/25143 "2018-09-07T17:49:14Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > … **he broke all the norms of what a former President is supposed to do: retire gracefully, don’t mention politics, don’t mention Trump by name, and threw it all out the fucking window**. He’s injected himself back into the political arena. **He’s called out all of the bullshit gas-lighting thats been going on. He called out Trump directly and he called out the Republican Party**. He’s sent out the rallying call. America is in fucking trouble and the only people who can fix it is the American people. > > **Its a pretty fucking important speech**. Even Fox news covered it. THERE IS SO MUCH FUCKING NEWS. TOO MUCH NOISE. TOO MUCH STUFF HAPPENING. **Obama speech cuts through the bullshit**. Gives people a path: a goal, a way out. Acknowledges that “no, we are not crazy, everything that is happening around you right now is BATSHIT INSANE, if you want to stop the insanity, you need to get out and vote.” He broke the norms that no longer existed. GOOD! We all need to drop the pretense. All the old norms are gone. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/25144 "2018-09-07T17:50:41Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > [Failing Donnie supporter wipes her nose with the American flag](https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4748046/girl-wipes-nose-american-flag) Man, I can’t _wait_ to see the Fox News segment on this! They will rip her a new asshole! How dare she disrespect our flag – and our troops! – like that!! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1256) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1258)