# 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:** 1932
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/38625 "2019-11-09T00:56:53Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Scapegoat Season! > > [https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/house-gop-looks-to-protect-trump-by-raising-doubts-about-motives-of-his-deputies/2019/11/07/aaa14efa-0173-11ea-8bab-0fc209e065a8\_story.html](https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/house-gop-looks-to-protect-trump-by-raising-doubts-about-motives-of-his-deputies/2019/11/07/aaa14efa-0173-11ea-8bab-0fc209e065a8_story.html) So, all these individuals conspired to do something that _only_ benefitted Donald Trump – and didn’t tell Donald Trump? Was it a surprise birthday present? ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/38626 "2019-11-09T00:59:12Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > The guy over at _fake-news-network_ provides us with [a list of two score statements](https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/08/politics/donald-trump-press-conference/index.html) from CFSG’s Friday press conferency thing. He tries to keep it together, but about halfway through, his head asplodes. Chris Cillizza does these often, when Trump has a particularly memorable string of nonsense at a rally or a press gaggle. I love 'em. They’re a small beacon of humor-laced reason in this sea of madness. ---
**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:** [November 9, 2019, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/38627 "2019-11-09T01:38:35Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Scapegoat Season! > [https://www.washingtonpost.com/power...5a8\_story.html](https://www.washingtonpost.com/power...5a8_story.html) > [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > OHHH, not just Sondland under the bus but also Giuliani and Mulvaney. > [@jsc1953](#): > > So, all these individuals conspired to do something that _only_ benefitted Donald Trump – and didn’t tell Donald Trump? The competition for “most deliriously-ridiculous defense of Trump’s attempted extortion of Ukraine” is fierce, even cutthroat. But we may have a winner: the idea that Sondland or Giuliani or Mulvaney would have had _anything_ whatsoever to gain from having the Ukrainian President announce a (specious) investigation into Joe and Hunter Biden. If even one Trump-defender ventures to try to come up with _any_ explanation of what that supposed benefit would have been, I’ll eat my computer monitor. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/38628 "2019-11-09T02:15:30Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > The competition for “most deliriously-ridiculous defense of Trump’s attempted extortion of Ukraine” is fierce, even cutthroat. > > But we may have a winner: the idea that Sondland or Giuliani or Mulvaney would have had _anything_ whatsoever to gain from having the Ukrainian President announce a (specious) investigation into Joe and Hunter Biden. > > If even one Trump-defender ventures to try to come up with _any_ explanation of what that supposed benefit would have been, I’ll eat my computer monitor. We also have the transcript that Trump released of his perfect phone call. If Sondland, Giuliani, and Mulvaney cooked up the whole quid pro quo without Trump’s knowledge, what was the favor that Trump wanted the President of Ukraine to do for him? ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/38629 "2019-11-09T03:05:55Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > I’m just waiting (sarcasm) for the flag wavin’ rootin’ tootin’ gun havin’ superpatriot MAGAts to start their rebellion / civil war if / when Trump is impeached and drummed out or loses. There may be a few dozen that use it as an excuse to riot and loot the stores in their town (not sarcasm). Just, of course, to teach them crooked socialists a lesson, and hey, they wanted a new TV anyway (not sarcasm either). ---
**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:** [November 9, 2019, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/38630 "2019-11-09T03:14:08Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > We also have the transcript … No, we have no such thing. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/38631 "2019-11-09T03:20:17Z")
> [@Originally Posted by The Stainless Steel Rat](#): > > Trump has a possible trip planned for 2020. Guess where: [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-u...Cd\_dTENfSI6lNU](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-u...Cd_dTENfSI6lNU) > > Well, Putin is going to throw a big military parade…and we all know how the Pres loves big military parades. > > _Sigh_–I guess I can see this–Russia probably has the most to remember as they suffered the most from WWII and it’s the 75th anniversary–but jeez, you’d kinda think we’d join in with our other allies…you know, the democratic ones? He planning on coming back? ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/38632 "2019-11-09T04:43:01Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > We also have the transcript that Trump released of his perfect phone call. If Sondland, Giuliani, and Mulvaney cooked up the whole quid pro quo without Trump’s knowledge, what was the favor that Trump wanted the President of Ukraine to do for him? No, we have a summary. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/38633 "2019-11-09T05:31:31Z")
I think the strategy for GOP may be, “It was Sondland, Mulvaney, and Gulliani, not he!”, trying their best to exonerate Trump. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/38634 "2019-11-09T05:55:00Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > I think the strategy for GOP may be, “It was Sondland, Mulvaney, and Gulliani, not he!”, trying their best to exonerate Trump. \*Gordy and Mickey and Rudy, oh my! \* ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/38635 "2019-11-09T05:56:03Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > I think the strategy for GOP may be, “It was Sondland, Mulvaney, and Gulliani, not he!”, trying their best to exonerate Trump. They do believe in Trump. They do believe in Trump. They do! They do! They do! They do believe in Trump. ---
**Author:** ![Skypist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skypist/32/169_2.png) [@Skypist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skypist)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/38636 "2019-11-09T07:03:32Z")
Well, **Robot Arm** ’s question is still good. Of course Repubs will hand wave it away and claim Hillary and Obama sneaked into trump’s bedroom the night before and hypnotized him into making that phone call, but the question remains. If Sondland et al cooked up this plan for Zelensky to announce an investigation of the Bidens (for what benefit to them? never mind!), then what was trump talking about on the phone call? He himself released the rough summary of the call, so apparently he endorses that he made it and spoke a rough approximation of those words. So either trump was involved in the scheme or he was manipulated into pursuing it. Either way not good. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/38637 "2019-11-09T13:52:39Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > The guy over at _fake-news-network_ provides us with [a list of two score statements](https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/08/politics/donald-trump-press-conference/index.html) from CFSG’s Friday press conferency thing. He tries to keep it together, but about halfway through, his head asplodes. It’s like a stream of consciousness of lies. ---
**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:** [November 9, 2019, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/38638 "2019-11-09T14:26:47Z")
> [@Red\_Wiggler](#): > > It’s like a stream of consciousness of lies. Except for the “consciousness” part. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/38639 "2019-11-09T14:44:44Z")
Still a “stream”! Turd-clotted sewer soup is still a “stream”! ---
**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:** [November 9, 2019, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/38640 "2019-11-09T14:52:59Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > The guy over at _fake-news-network_ provides us with [a list of two score statements](https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/08/politics/donald-trump-press-conference/index.html) from CFSG’s Friday press conferency thing. He tries to keep it together, but about halfway through, his head asplodes. “Press conference?” More like a “Hot Mess conference.” ---
**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:** [November 9, 2019, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/38641 "2019-11-09T14:55:02Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > We also have the transcript that Trump released of his perfect phone call. If Sondland, Giuliani, and Mulvaney cooked up the whole quid pro quo without Trump’s knowledge, what was the favor that Trump wanted the President of Ukraine to do for him? He wanted to borrow Z’s power saw. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/38642 "2019-11-09T15:01:02Z")
To cut through the wall? ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_McQwark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@Steve\_McQwark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_McQwark)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/38643 "2019-11-09T15:11:32Z")
> [@Skypist](#): > > Well, **Robot Arm** ’s question is still good. Of course Repubs will hand wave it away and claim Hillary and Obama sneaked into trump’s bedroom the night before and hypnotized him into making that phone call, but the question remains. If Sondland et al cooked up this plan for Zelensky to announce an investigation of the Bidens (for what benefit to them? never mind!), then what was trump talking about on the phone call? > > He himself released the rough summary of the call, so apparently he endorses that he made it and spoke a rough approximation of those words. > > So either trump was involved in the scheme or he was manipulated into pursuing it. Either way not good. Hasn’t this concept been a running joke for the last couple of years? Tell Trump that something was someone else’s idea and he will start insisting that he is responsible for everything. Isn’t that basically where this defense is headed? Trump wasn’t behind the quid pro quo that didn’t exist, the three amigos were. Trump didn’t initiate the perfect phone call, he was manipulated into it. If Fox and Friends even hint at this defense, Trump will start tweeting like a mofo about how he is completely in charge and no one could ever manipulate him. This has such potential to backfire that it makes me wonder if the deep state is behind it. Or ThelmaLou. ---
**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:** [November 9, 2019, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/38644 "2019-11-09T17:21:41Z")
What is this shit I am hearing now? He says the Democrats [should not be having public hearings](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-rails-against-impeachment-they-shouldnt-be-having-public-hearings/ar-BBWtqRU)? What script is he reading from? Someone needs to fire the director. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1931) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1933)