# 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:** 678
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13545 "2017-11-14T20:12:46Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Question: if Thump were removed from office by some outside means/event/action that could be blamed on the Republicans (not health or an “Act of God”\*), would the Thump hardcore base transfer its loyalty to Pence? I think not. And in fact, if the Pubs deposed their Blessed Leader, I can imagine them fleeing the party in droves. I believe their loyalty is to Thump, not to the party. What do y’all think? Their loyalty was rather easily captured by Trump and would be easily transferred to someone else. The Republicans just need another charismatic populist; there’s apparently tens of millions of people who will follow one as long as they hate the right people. Trump is not entirely stupid, and he clearly understands how to appeal to the blackness in people’s hearts. I’m sure someone else can do the same. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13546 "2017-11-14T20:17:18Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Trump is not entirely stupid, and he clearly understands how to appeal to the blackness in people’s hearts. Doesn’t really take that much given how he shares the same blackness. His businesses keeping non-whites out of his sight is my cite. ---
**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 14, 2017, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13547 "2017-11-14T20:21:01Z")
I think the correct word is something like “klepopulist” ---
**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:** [November 14, 2017, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13548 "2017-11-14T20:21:24Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Trump is not entirely stupid, and he clearly understands how to appeal to the blackness in people’s hearts. I’m sure someone else can do the same. Pence is an evangelical. I’m sure he’s had _lots_ of practice. ---
**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 14, 2017, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13549 "2017-11-14T20:35:16Z")
The State Department has just hired a Russian company to run security _ **within the US Embassy in Moscow** _. The company was founded by Viktor Budanov, who was the head of the KGB in East Germany when Putin was an agent there. > **[U.S. Embassy Hires Security Firm of Former Putin Spy](https://www.thedailybeast.com/us-embassy-hires-security-firm-of-former-putin-spy)** > > The company’s founder has ties to both Putin and famous British double agent Kim Philby. ---
**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 14, 2017, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13550 "2017-11-14T21:07:59Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Their loyalty was rather easily captured by Trump and would be easily transferred to someone else. The Republicans just need another charismatic populist; there’s apparently tens of millions of people who will follow one as long as they hate the right people. > > Trump is not entirely stupid, and he clearly understands how to appeal to the blackness in people’s hearts. I’m sure someone else can do the same. “Someone else,” yes. Another iconoclastic, crude, demagogue, yes. But _Pence_? My specific question was if the deplorables felt the Republican Party had shafted Thump, would they transfer their loyalty to Pence and remain in the party? I don’t think they would. Pence is not the P.T. Barnum-esque, Reality Show buffoon that Trump is and that his followers love (because he is those things). Pence doesn’t grab women’s genitals (except, presumably, Mrs. Pence’s), he doesn’t call world leaders by playground nicknames. Pence is boring. He’s a grownup. I think Thump’s people would not be able to relate to him at all. Pence cannot fill Thump’s shoes (and that’s a compliment). I think they would be susceptible to another blowhard like Thump, but at the moment, since George Wallace is dead, I don’t think there is anyone in the wings. I think Pence would be worse for the country because he _isn’t_ a buffoon, but if Thump’s people fled the party, IMHO that \*would \*be good for the country. ---
**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 14, 2017, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13551 "2017-11-14T21:20:12Z")
It makes you want to weep… [‘Human Rights Are Largely Irrelevant to the Emerging Trump Doctrine’](https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2017/11/trump-human-rights-asia-trip/545843/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheAtlantic+%28The+Atlantic+-+Master+Feed%29) > [@](#): > > Donald Trump is the first president in modern history who barely pays lip service to the promotion of universal human rights. On his grand tour of Asia, he stopped in Vietnam, where he failed to press the regime on what Human Rights Watch calls a “dire” lack of individual freedoms. Senator John McCain tweeted: “@POTUS in #Danang & no mention of human rights - Sad.” Instead, Trump prioritized trade and lauded the Vietnamese president for doing “an outstanding job.” Then Trump was off to Manila, where Rodrigo Duterte, the president of the Philippines, is accused of fighting the drug trade through a campaign of extrajudicial killings. Trump claimed he had a “great relationship” with Duterte, and according to a Philippine spokesman, never mentioned human rights at all. > … > Trump has long been generous in his praise of autocrats, whether it’s commending Vladimir Putin for “doing a great job in rebuilding the image of Russia and also rebuilding Russia period,” or congratulating Saddam Hussein for his counter-terrorism policy: “They didn’t read them the rights. They didn’t talk. They were terrorists. Over.” Where Trump has mentioned human rights, he tends to focus narrowly on protecting co-nationals and co-religionists like Christians in the Middle East—echoing Putin’s vision of human rights that extends only to Russian speakers in neighboring countries. He also certainly doesn’t see the United States as a city on a hill. Pressed by Bill O’Reilly about Putin’s murderous policies, Trump shot back: “You think our country’s so innocent?” > … > But removing the thread of human rights from American diplomacy will leave a tattered and tawdry cloth. Inconsistent as it may be, the fight for human rights is an important part of American soft power, or the attraction of U.S. culture and ideals, which gets other countries to voluntarily back Washington’s policy preferences. In a world where the major challenges, from climate change to counter-terrorism, require multilateral solutions, other countries have to willingly buy-in to American initiatives. Trying to follow the better angels of America’s nature is an important part of leadership. > … [☹](https://tinyurl.com/y8l28ygf) [![](https://smalbanynewyork.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/weeping-liberty-1.jpg) ](https://smalbanynewyork.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/weeping-liberty-1.jpg) ---
**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 14, 2017, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13552 "2017-11-14T21:28:48Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > The State Department has just hired a Russian company to run security _ **within the US Embassy in Moscow** _. The company was founded by Viktor Budanov, who was the head of the KGB in East Germany when Putin was an agent there. > [U.S. Embassy Hires Security Firm of Former Putin Spy](https://www.thedailybeast.com/us-embassy-hires-security-firm-of-former-putin-spy) It always seemed likely to me that Trump appointed Tillerson to State on Putin’s instructions. This would seem to support that theory. How Congressional Republicans can live with this sort of thing is a marvel of abnormal psychology. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13553 "2017-11-14T21:30:23Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Pence is not the P.T. Barnum-esque, Reality Show buffoon that Trump is and that his followers love (because he is those things). Pence doesn’t grab women’s genitals (except, presumably, Mrs. Pence’s), he doesn’t call world leaders by playground nicknames. Pence is boring. He’s a grownup. I think Thump’s people would not be able to relate to him at all. Pence cannot fill Thump’s shoes (and that’s a compliment). > > I think they would be susceptible to another blowhard like Thump, but at the moment, since George Wallace is dead, I don’t think there is anyone in the wings. Milo Yannopolis. Oh no, wait - born in the UK. Dodged a bullet there… ---
**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:** [November 14, 2017, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13554 "2017-11-14T21:33:09Z")
Al Franken kicks Sessions in the NUTSACK! on the Senate floor. (20 mins. long) [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8PYIsPniko) ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13555 "2017-11-14T21:39:29Z")
[This guy can launch missiles that will kill people whenever he wants to:](https://apnews.com/cc41ae65537b479d9142b7edb8f4024c/AP-FACT-CHECK:-Trump-tells-a-tale-about-Air-Force-One) > [@](#): > > Before boarding the plane in Manila to come home, Trump bragged to the press that he’s pushed relations with the Philippines to new heights. > > “And as you know, we were having a lot of problems with the Philippines,” he said. “The relationship with the past administration was horrible, to use a nice word. I would say horrible is putting it mildly. You know what happened. Many of you were there, and you never got to land. The plane came close but it didn’t land.” > > That prompted a lot of head-scratching. It prompted a lot of head-scratching because it didn’t happen. It’s completely fictional. ---
**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 14, 2017, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13556 "2017-11-14T21:45:11Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > Milo Yannopolis. > > Oh no, wait - born in the UK. > > Dodged a bullet there… I really, really, really wonder if the Deplorables would vote for a guy who’s married to a black man. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13557 "2017-11-14T22:01:08Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > I really, really, really wonder if the Deplorables would vote for a guy who’s married to a black man. Sure, if they thought it would piss off liberals in some way. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13558 "2017-11-14T22:05:07Z")
JBS: [I wasn’t lying! The brilliant chaotic campaign simply made me too tired to remember!](http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-jeff-sessions-russia-probe-20171114-story.html) ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13559 "2017-11-14T22:32:21Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > JBS: [I wasn’t lying! The brilliant chaotic campaign simply made me too tired to remember!](http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-jeff-sessions-russia-probe-20171114-story.html) “Plus, even tho it didn’t happen and I totally don’t remember it if it did happen, if it happened I was the good guy who shut down the bad thing that I totally don’t know about and which I don’t believe really ever happened at all, because I don’t remember it, but I do remember that I was The Guy Who Did The Right Thing, no matter what.” ---
**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:** [November 14, 2017, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13560 "2017-11-14T22:38:32Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > “Plus, even tho it didn’t happen and I totally don’t remember it if it did happen, if it happened I was the good guy who shut down the bad thing that I totally don’t know about and which I don’t believe really ever happened at all, because I don’t remember it, but I do remember that I was The Guy Who Did The Right Thing, no matter what.” Perfection. 😃 ---
**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 15, 2017, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13561 "2017-11-15T04:18:16Z")
[some disturbing Gibbon-shit](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/trump-putin-release-joint-statement-syria-kremlin-says-n819916): \*I think that [Putin] is very, very strong in the fact that he didn’t do it. And then you look at what’s going on with [Tony] Podesta, and you look at what’s going on with the server from the DNC and why didn’t the FBI take it? Why did they leave it? Why did a third party look at the server and not the FBI? You look at all of this stuff, and you say, what’s going on here? (This artificial Democratic hit job) gets in the way and that’s a shame. Because [COLOR=“Red”]people will die because of it, and it’s a pure hit job, and it’s artificially induced and that’s a shame.\*[/COLOR] (emphasis mine) so now he is directly threatening us ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13562 "2017-11-15T05:28:01Z")
Nah. Setting the stage for a false flag that will be blamed on the DNC. ---
**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 15, 2017, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13563 "2017-11-15T06:50:27Z")
Shep Smith of Fox News explains why the uranium thing is no story. And Neil Cavuto says he sees not point in interviewing Trump. > **[As Shep Smith Shoots Down Uranium One Scandal, Neil Cavuto Says He Won’t...](https://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/as-shep-smith-shoots-down-the-uranium-one-scandal-neil-cavuto-says-he-wont-have-trump-on-his-show/348660/)** > > "I have not asked for a sit down with the president. I don’t want a sit down with the president." ---
**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:** [November 15, 2017, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13564 "2017-11-15T08:14:03Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Shep Smith of Fox News explains why the uranium thing is no story. And Neil Cavuto says he sees not point in interviewing Trump. > [http://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/as-shep-smith-shoots-down-the-uranium-one-scandal-neil-cavuto-says-he-wont-have-trump-on-his-show/348660](http://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/as-shep-smith-shoots-down-the-uranium-one-scandal-neil-cavuto-says-he-wont-have-trump-on-his-show/348660) Holy shit. I’m still looking for an Onion tag. I wonder what it means. I did hear some commentator today refer to “President Hannity,” and I had to giggle when I thought about how Dear Leader will hate hearing that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=677) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=679)