# 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:** 1584
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2019, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31665 "2019-04-04T22:28:35Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Hah ! I just realized - that threat implicitly assumes he gets re-elected. Or it presumes he won’t, and then he won’t have to make good on his threat. How do you figure? Twelve months from now, it’ll be April of 2020: the election would still be more than half a year away; and if someone else is elected, then a lame-duck effect kicks in for months, right? ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2019, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31666 "2019-04-04T22:34:03Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > It is like you left your fly open. “_You were flashing your dick!_” ‘No, you just saw my fly open, nothing was ever actually exposed.’ She should not have used that language. At all. It tinted her with arrogance, established her as divisive. The fact that they used that phrase out of context is her own fault, for laying the phrase out in the open. Cuss the cusses out all you want, she gave them low-hanging fruit. How would you describe “racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic” people? Are you saying she should have just ignored those people and focused on the people who just want a good job? That I might agree with. But at some point you also have to call out the deplorables ---
**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:** [April 5, 2019, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31667 "2019-04-05T01:22:06Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Oh, you mean she won the election by 3 million votes but was prevented from taking office due to a technicality? That technicality has a name. It’s called the Constitution. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31668 "2019-04-05T01:46:11Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > The fact that they used that phrase out of context is her own fault, for laying the phrase out in the open. Cuss the cusses out all you want, she gave them low-hanging fruit. Bullshit. Donald Trump bragged about how he assaulted women. It was in context and recorded on camera. And he went on to get elected. The difference between Clinton and Trump wasn’t that she said stupid things. It was that there was a right wing push to look for and put a negative spin on things she said while the same right wing was helping to cover up the things Trump said. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31669 "2019-04-05T02:03:02Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Bullshit. Donald Trump bragged about how he assaulted women. It was in context and recorded on camera. And he went on to get elected. > > The difference between Clinton and Trump wasn’t that she said stupid things. It was that there was a right wing push to look for and put a negative spin on things she said while the same right wing was helping to cover up the things Trump said. Ehhh… Trump supporters LIKE what he said. They WANT to be able to assault women and tread on minorities. There was no need to cover it up. Trump supporters know just what they got, and they love it. Someone that needs help with three syllable words, and is a racist shit that takes advantage of anyone when ever they can. They look up to him and want to be like him. A moron, that managed to avoid all repercussions of his deplorable illegal actions. In their mind, this is how you get ahead. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31670 "2019-04-05T02:07:26Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Bullshit. Donald Trump bragged about how he assaulted women. It was in context and recorded on camera. And he went on to get elected. > > The difference between Clinton and Trump wasn’t that she said stupid things. It was that there was a right wing push to look for and put a negative spin on things she said while the same right wing was helping to cover up the things Trump said. Cover up? It seemed to me more like: 1. Clinton says something a tad questionable, Republicans act all shocked. 2. Trump says something flatly shocking and repulsive, Republicans ignore or downplay it. 3. Someone points out the inconsistency of the Republican response; Republicans stare blankly, like a dog confronted with a calculus problem. ---
**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:** [April 5, 2019, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31671 "2019-04-05T02:10:32Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > …like a dog confronted with a calculus problem. “Like a dog being shown a card trick.” Heard on an episode of \*Inspector Lewis. \* ---
**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:** [April 5, 2019, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31672 "2019-04-05T02:10:52Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Cover up? It seemed to me more like: > > 1. Clinton says something a tad questionable, Republicans act all shocked. > 2. Trump says something flatly shocking and repulsive, Republicans ignore or downplay it. > 3. Someone points out the inconsistency of the Republican response; Republicans stare blankly, like a dog confronted with a calculus problem. Perfect. 🙂 Who was it here who said that Republicans couldn’t find moral authority with Google Earth and a Sherpa? I could kiss that person. I’ve laughed over that a hundred times! ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31673 "2019-04-05T02:22:42Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Cover up? It seemed to me more like: > > 1. Clinton says something a tad questionable, Republicans act all shocked. > 2. Trump says something flatly shocking and repulsive, Republicans ignore or downplay it. > 3. Someone points out the inconsistency of the Republican response; Republicans stare blankly, like a dog confronted with a calculus problem. Jeez, **Bryan** , you sound like you’ve got blood coming out of your wherever, or something. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31674 "2019-04-05T05:12:23Z")
The Democrats are subpeonaing Chump’s tax returns for the past six years. This should be good. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31675 "2019-04-05T12:17:07Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > The Democrats are subpeonaing Chump’s tax returns for the past six years. This should be good. To be specific (according to my reading/listening), the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee has formally requested the tax filings for Trump and several of his business entities, from the IRS. The IRS apparently is legally required to comply, and has never turned down a previous such request. It’s hard to see how Trump could stop this from happening. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31676 "2019-04-05T12:33:09Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > In a development that comes as a surprise to no one, Trump sends out the punt team, and [gives Mexico a one-year warning](https://www.npr.org/2019/04/04/709933534/trump-walks-back-threat-to-close-u-s-border-giving-mexico-a-1-year-warning?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=news) before he closes the border. > > I like how part of the threat involves Mexico shutting down the flow of drugs. This is the first time I’ve ever heard of a country being responsible for inspecting its exports at the border. It was simultaneously amusing, maddening and nauseating to hear one of Trump’s junior propaganda ministers being interviewed on NPR, and insisting that the complete reversal was not a reversal— it was a result of Mexico taking new steps (that are actually things they’ve been doing for quite some time). Announcing major policy changes via Twitter that are reversed days later does not hurt the president’s credibility; it affirms his commitment to protecting the American people. I listened and thought— does it feel _sticky_, when that much bullshit comes out of your mouth? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31677 "2019-04-05T13:16:03Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > To be specific (according to my reading/listening), the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee has formally requested the tax filings for Trump and several of his business entities, from the IRS. The IRS apparently is legally required to comply, and has never turned down a previous such request. It’s hard to see how Trump could stop this from happening. Trump is legally compelled to pay his contractors, too, but that hasn’t stopped his stiffing them. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31678 "2019-04-05T13:23:37Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Trump is legally compelled to pay his contractors, too, but that hasn’t stopped his stiffing them. Again, it’s not a matter of Trump choosing to provide the returns; they are being directly requested from the IRS. The White House is likely to try to delay their release by some means, but the law appears to be clear on this. There is an ongoing thread in Elections on this topic: [https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=873528](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=873528) ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31679 "2019-04-05T13:35:28Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > I listened and thought— does it feel _sticky_, when that much bullshit comes out of your mouth? [Kellyanne has a tell:](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_zZY7lgfzo) [Trevor Noah: Here’s how you know Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway is lying](https://www.businessinsider.com/trevor-noah-kellyanne-conway-lying-alternative-facts-2017-1) > [@](#): > > Kellyanne Conway created a media frenzy after using the phrase “alternative facts,” but Trevor Noah said it isn’t hard to tell when President Donald Trump’s counselor is spinning the truth. > > … > > Ridership numbers furnished by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and photographic evidence show Spicer’s statement is false. But Conway appeared on “Meet the Press” on Sunday and said Spicer wasn’t lying, but instead presenting “alternative facts.” > > “I like that she can taste the bulls— in her mouth,” Noah said of Conway’s gulp before her “alternative facts” argument during the interview. > > Noah launched into discussing what he believes are the other telltale signs that Conway is presenting “alternative facts.” > > “My favorite part is that you can tell she’s lying,” he said, "because after she says it, she tries to casually flip her hair afterward like she’s all chill. > > “It’s the choke, the laugh, the hair. I honestly wish my girl had a tell that big. I would win every argument.” ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31680 "2019-04-05T13:41:16Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Again, it’s not a matter of Trump choosing to provide the returns; they are being directly requested from the IRS. The White House is likely to try to delay their release by some means, but the law appears to be clear on this. > > [https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=873528](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=873528) I know, but it’s Mnuchin who has to release them, and he’s going to be as tight as Trump. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31681 "2019-04-05T14:51:35Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Perfect. 🙂 > > Who was it here who said that Republicans couldn’t find moral authority with Google Earth and a Sherpa? I could kiss that person. I’ve laughed over that a hundred times! You’re welcome. Don’t worry about the kiss; nothing says thanks and love like pepperoni pizza. ---
**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:** [April 5, 2019, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31682 "2019-04-05T15:06:25Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I know, but it’s Mnuchin who has to release them, and he’s going to be as tight as Trump. If he’s bound by law and he refuses, I welcome the sight of him in handcuffs with the police carefully minding his head so he doesn’t smack it on the car as he gets in. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31683 "2019-04-05T15:13:13Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > If he’s bound by law and he refuses, I welcome the sight of him in handcuffs with the police carefully minding his head so he doesn’t smack it on the car as he gets in. Sort of funny if the whole fucking house of cards collapses not because definitive crimes are found in his tax returns, but because they show that he is not nearly as wealthy as he claims. THAT is what Trump is worried about. It’s clear he doesn’t care about crimes. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31684 "2019-04-05T15:26:01Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Sort of funny if the whole fucking house of cards collapses not because definitive crimes are found in his tax returns, but because they show that he is not nearly as wealthy as he claims. THAT is what Trump is worried about. It’s clear he doesn’t care about crimes. Well, Congress seeing his tax returns doesn’t automatically lead to everyone else seeing them as far as I know. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1583) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1585)