# 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:** 1516
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2019, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30305 "2019-02-03T11:20:50Z")
Now I have a terrible earworm. Just a few lines, “_… The evening headlines read, Richard Cory went home last night …_”. I think it signifies something, just not sure what. ---
**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:** [February 3, 2019, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30306 "2019-02-03T14:21:26Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > I feel duly shamed and have amended my .sig. “Some or all”? That really helps. :dubious: ---
**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:** [February 3, 2019, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30307 "2019-02-03T18:19:03Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > … briefers themselves, describe futile attempts to keep his attention … Apparently the briefers find it necessary to use _exactly_ the same techniques commonly used with small children: > [@](#): > > …The officials, who include analysts who prepare Trump’s briefs and the briefers themselves, describe futile attempts to keep his attention by using visual aids, confining some briefing points to two or three sentences, and repeating his name and title as frequently as possible… ---
**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:** [February 3, 2019, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30308 "2019-02-03T18:27:07Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > Apparently the briefers find it necessary to use _exactly_ the same techniques commonly used with small children: Maybe they need to go farther down the food chain and use techniques designed to hold the attention of… I dunno… _goldfish_? ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2019, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30309 "2019-02-03T18:30:52Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > Apparently the briefers find it necessary to use _exactly_ the same techniques commonly used with small children: Including bribes of candy and ice cream. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2019, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30310 "2019-02-03T19:21:07Z")
FWIW I went berserk and started babbling about the Illuminati in response to our new Doper **viakix**. He’s posted twice, each time a brief question: _Who has more business smarts: Trump or Obama? If Donald Trump were a Democrat, would he be treated differently by the media?_ Sincere seeker of truth? Maybe, if there even is such a thing these days. I took him for a low-IQ Trumpist “just asking questions” and chose to play with him a bit. His contact info, BTW, leads to a same-named website: “Viakix is an American footwear company” > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > “Some or all”? That really helps. :dubious: This line, which I thought was the give-away, was serious … _“Just read the comments on the page I linked to. It will make you sick.”_ ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2019, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30311 "2019-02-03T19:28:25Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > This line, which I thought was the give-away, was serious … > _“Just read the comments on the page I linked to. It will make you sick.”_ That is a null statement. It is like saying “water is wet”. ---
**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:** [February 3, 2019, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30312 "2019-02-03T20:54:27Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > Including bribes of candy and ice cream. Don’t forget: Two scoops! ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2019, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30313 "2019-02-03T21:57:19Z")
What the ever-loving fuck does [this mean](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/transcript-president-trump-on-face-the-nation-february-3-2019/) _… When I took over Syria it was infested with ISIS. It was all over the place. And now you have very little ISIS and you have the caliphate almost knocked out. We will be announcing in the not too distant future 100 percent of the caliphate which is the area- the land- the area- 100. We’re at 99 percent right now, we’ll be at 100. When I took it over it was a disaster. …_ What is this “caliphate”? ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2019, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30314 "2019-02-03T22:12:19Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > What the ever-loving fuck does [this mean](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/transcript-president-trump-on-face-the-nation-february-3-2019/) > > _… When I took over Syria it was infested with ISIS. It was all over the place. And now you have very little ISIS and you have the caliphate almost knocked out. We will be announcing in the not too distant future 100 percent of the caliphate which is the area- the land- the area- 100. We’re at 99 percent right now, we’ll be at 100. When I took it over it was a disaster. …_ > > What is this “caliphate”? The real estate controlled by ISIS, which they claimed as the new caliphate. Trump actually kinda used the word correctly. ---
**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:** [February 3, 2019, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30315 "2019-02-03T22:27:21Z")
So now he’s openly identifying as Russian? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2019, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30316 "2019-02-03T22:58:53Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > So now he’s openly identifying as Russian? Russian-american. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2019, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30317 "2019-02-03T23:41:19Z")
Ok, how about this exchange, from the same link, _MARGARET BRENNAN: Cause you have an acting AG until you get Barr confirmed– (individual-1): [COLOR=“darkorange”] **Yes.** BRENNAN: An acting defense secretary. An acting chief of staff. An acting interior secretary. (Individual-1): **OK. It’s easier to make moves when they’re acting.** _[/COLOR] What does that mean? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2019, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30318 "2019-02-03T23:48:49Z")
It means they’re keeping the chairs warm and shutting up while he does whatever the fuck he wants. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2019, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30319 "2019-02-03T23:59:06Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > It means they’re keeping the chairs warm and shutting up while he does whatever the fuck he wants. And it means the Senate becomes even more irrelevant. (No need to confirm.) Any bets on the words Mitch McConnell will use to shrug off this latest power-grab? ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2019, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30320 "2019-02-04T00:01:51Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Where do bangers and mash with a pint of Smithwicks fit into these calculations? In my view, they fit in anywhere, any time. I’m a greaseball from NYC and I’m onboard with bangers and mash. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2019, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30321 "2019-02-04T00:02:54Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Bourbon or Canadian? Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2019, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30322 "2019-02-04T01:38:09Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > Yes. Neither. Jack Daniels Tennessee Rye. Yum. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2019, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30323 "2019-02-04T02:37:31Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > Neither. Jack Daniels Tennessee Rye. > > Yum. That works too. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2019, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/30324 "2019-02-04T02:45:00Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > And it means the Senate becomes even more irrelevant. (No need to confirm.) > > Any bets on the words Mitch McConnell will use to shrug off this latest power-grab? He can just call them “acting” and leave them there forever, bypassing Congress and confirmation. McConnell will go along because they are BOTH paid by Russia. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1515) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1517)