Althouse: If there's news that makes Trump look normal — quick! — surround it with all the Trump's-off-the-rails news you've got.

June 7, 2017

If there's news that makes Trump look normal — quick! — surround it with all the Trump's-off-the-rails news you've got.

Encapsulating the Christopher Wray story at The Washington Post:

55 comments:

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: The WaPo is a joke.; 6/7/17, 8:08 AM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: Hey WaPo - fuck you. Hillary lost. hahahahaha.; 6/7/17, 8:09 AM
n.n said...: There are witch hunts and baby hunts. WaPo has left the mainstream and is progressing left.; 6/7/17, 8:17 AM
rehajm said...: I can't tell if the plan is to keep it up for 4 or 8 years or abandon it for something new by Fall.; 6/7/17, 8:18 AM
Bay Area Guy said...: The Left's never-ending campaign to de-normalize Trump.

If he seems normal, he likely wins in 2020.

Big block of normal voters in the US. They work, mow lawns, drive trucks, do a little fishing, coach some little league baseball, eat BBQ, drink beer. You know, normal things.

Waiting for the eventual wave of stories of how gracious and polite and self-effacing and "normal" the last GOP president (George W Bush) was....; 6/7/17, 8:20 AM
Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...: Maybe someone should mention to Trump that in politics there is such a thing as bad publicity. I mean someone besides every Republican politician and operative in the country, who Trump has already repeatedly ignored.; 6/7/17, 8:25 AM
traditionalguy said...: The Fake Media has launched a blitzkrieg of Re-Breaking News. All of the breaking big reveals are recycled fake news from months ago. It's like summer re-runs.; 6/7/17, 8:25 AM
Snark said...: This poor sociopath! We must work harder to pull "balance" out of our asses and make him seem normal for the right wingers and self-pleasuring contrarians, said nobody at the Washington Post, ever.; 6/7/17, 8:26 AM
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 6/7/17, 8:28 AM
Hagar said...: All of the breaking big reveals are recycled fake news from months ago. It's like summer re-runs.

True that!; 6/7/17, 8:29 AM
Michael K said...: every Republican politician and operative in the country, who Trump has already repeatedly ignored.

You mean that Congress that is still trying to figure out how they will do anything if the donors don't approve ?

That Congress ? The one that has been making promises if only they had a GOP president ?

That Congress ?; 6/7/17, 8:31 AM
traditionalguy said...: The only thing this Fake Breaking News does is give Congressmen, of both Parties, an excuse to refuse confirmations and to postpone votes on Trump's agenda.

Then suddenly the narrative ramps up that it has been 6 months and Failure Trump has not done what he promised he would do.

Revolution by ballot box is our only hope to Make America Great Again.; 6/7/17, 8:31 AM
Anonymous said...: So the nomination of Christopher Wray is a bigger story than Sessions being on his way out, Coates account of Trump asking him to dump the investigation and Comey's impending testimony? Nah, I don't think so. Should the WaPo be reporting these stories? Yes.; 6/7/17, 8:32 AM
Eric the Fruit Bat said...: I guess it all makes sense when understood in terms of Reality TV.; 6/7/17, 8:40 AM
Kevin said...: Flack and flak in one picture.; 6/7/17, 8:41 AM
Kevin said...: "So the nomination of Christopher Wray is a bigger story than Sessions being on his way out, Coates account of Trump asking him to dump the investigation and Comey's impending testimony? Nah, I don't think so. Should the WaPo be reporting these stories? Yes."

Sessions: is a story.
Coates: old news, reported weeks ago.
Comey: old news, nothing new to report.

Of the stories you mention, I count Sessions and Wray surrounded by two non-stories. Since you didn't mention the other items in the picture, including the poll and the opinion in bold parading as news, I guess you didn't see them as worthy of a paper like the Post either.; 6/7/17, 8:51 AM
Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...: Inga said...
So the nomination of Christopher Wray is a bigger story than Sessions being on his way out, Coates account of Trump asking him to dump the investigation and Comey's impending testimony?

All valid questions.; 6/7/17, 8:52 AM
Michael K said...: Inga prefers fake news.; 6/7/17, 9:00 AM
Hagar said...: The atmosphere around these Congressional hearings has similarities to the bad old days of "Tailgunner Joe."; 6/7/17, 9:05 AM
Anonymous said...: You know, you folks wouldn't know real news if it hit you upside the head. You're so desperate to downplay the very serious shit going on with Trump. Keep your heads buried in the sand, or up Trump's butt.; 6/7/17, 9:09 AM
Larry J said...: n.n said...
There are witch hunts and baby hunts. WaPo has left the mainstream and is progressing left.

The Post was known as "Pravda on the Potomac" decades ago. It's always been left and is accelerating in that direction. It's hardly surprising. In company towns, the local paper seldom criticizes the company that keeps the town afloat. In DC, the company is the federal government. It's hard for the Post to get excited from promises to "drain the swamp" when they love living in the swamp and want to make it even larger. Things that the rest of the country sees as corruption is just how business is done in the Beltway.; 6/7/17, 9:20 AM
Anonymous said...: "It's hard for the Post to get excited from promises to "drain the swamp" when they love living in the swamp and want to make it even larger."

That is ridiculous. Who has Trump been appointing as Cabinet members? Swamp creatures. Billionaires. Oligarchs. The WaPo probably thinks it's as laughable as so may of us non Trumpists do.; 6/7/17, 9:52 AM
Michael K said...: "Swamp creatures. Billionaires. "

I don't think many billionaires are federal bureaucrats but they are trying.; 6/7/17, 9:55 AM
Anonymous said...: "Things that the rest of the country sees as corruption is just how business is done in the Beltway."

That you don't recognize the corruption of your President and his Administration is truly amazing.; 6/7/17, 9:57 AM
Earnest Prole said...: We can loathe what the Post has become and still appreciate the astounding ratio of Trump's normal actions to his off-the-rails actions. It's not either-or, it's both-and. To say otherwise is to miss what's remarkable about our times.; 6/7/17, 10:02 AM
Birkel said...: @ Inga

Would you like to comment on the behavior of the Obama Administration that was criticized by a US court? The court said the Obama Administration lied to the court about its domestic spying, most likely violating the 4th Amendment.

I'm interested to read your non-answer.; 6/7/17, 10:05 AM
Marty Keller said...: Nobody does projection like Inga. It's why we love you, sis.; 6/7/17, 10:06 AM
Birkel said...: @ Earnest Prole

People who read your comments will take you more seriously if you write *as perceived by Leftists* where appropriate. For example:

We can loathe what the Post has become and still appreciate the astounding ratio of Trump's normal actions (as perceived by Leftists) to his off-the-rails actions (as perceived by Leftists).

If you wanted to add *who follow politics closely and treat it as a blood sport* nobody would object.; 6/7/17, 10:22 AM
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Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: the deal with the pro-democrat "news" - Most people do not trust it. At all.; 6/7/17, 10:41 AM
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Earnest Prole said...: People who read your comments will take you more seriously if . . .

Doesn't mean that much to me to mean that much to you.; 6/7/17, 11:03 AM
Larry J said...: Inga said...
"Things that the rest of the country sees as corruption is just how business is done in the Beltway."

That you don't recognize the corruption of your President and his Administration is truly amazing.

Name his corrupt acts. Be specific and provide links to back up your assertions. Just because he says something you disagree with, it doesn't mean he's corrupt or evil. Face it, your side lost an election. You can get all butt hurt over it or you can grow up and look at why you lost. No, it wasn't the Russians, either. The fact is that since the election of 1952, the party that controls the White House had changed sides every 8 years with only 2 exceptions (1980 and 1988). If history is any guide, Republicans will retain control in 2020 and the Democrats will win in 2024. Perhaps you need to grow the hell up and accept that you don't always get what you want.; 6/7/17, 11:13 AM
grackle said...: the deal with the pro-democrat "news" - Most people do not trust it. At all.

and

I guess it all makes sense when understood in terms of Reality TV.

I think part of what may be going on is that the public is unconsciously viewing the MSM as they would a reality TV show – no one takes it seriously and everyone knows it’s staged but it IS entertaining and each reality star has a following.

The ratings are good but there is pent up frustration that Trump refuses act like a loser like the rest of their targets have in the past – to the point of scatological and other insults flung at Trump by various members of the MSM. Kathy Griffin’s beheading image was emblematic of this deep disappointment. Trump just keeps rolling along, tweeting his merry way.

I smile when I see anti-Trumpers “concerned” that Trump is “hurting himself” with the tweets. The tweets are Trump’s kryptonite against them – he would be foolish to stop the tweets.

About the Sessions story:

Sessions doesn’t have the grit to oppose the anti-Trumpers. He’s intimidated too easily. A Trump AG has to be able to handle the anti-Trumpers in the Justice Department and Congress. And he violated employee rule #1 – NEVER do anything drastic without first getting the boss’s approval.

He’ll have to go. I assumed that he would eventually resign back when he lost his nerve and recused himself. I doubt if he’ll last through Trump’s first term. I’m sure Sessions himself knows that he’s serving now on borrowed time. His replacement is awaiting a convenient moment.; 6/7/17, 11:36 AM
Michael K said...: That you don't recognize the corruption of your President and his Administration is truly amazing.

Black is white. Freedom is slavery.

Up is down. Left is right.

I think I have it now.; 6/7/17, 11:51 AM
Michael K said...: I’m sure Sessions himself knows that he’s serving now on borrowed time.

You could be right but he has been through this before with the judge thing,

He might have gotten rattled but I would be surprised to see him quit. The Trump tweet about the Muslim "ban" was just to give him a push to toughen up.; 6/7/17, 11:54 AM
grackle said...: He might have gotten rattled but I would be surprised to see him quit.

Then I think you may be surprised, Michael. He’ll be asked to resign and he’ll resign but he will have been fired. I do not believe that Trump will ever trust him after that abrupt recusal without getting prior approval, without even discussing it with Trump. I certainly wouldn’t. Who the hell knows what he’ll do the next time he gets nervous?; 6/7/17, 12:25 PM
johns said...: The Coats story has bombed, because a short time ago Coats testified and refused to comment on the Post story. Mike Rogers was also rumored to have been asked to shut down the investigation, and he just testified: “I have never been directed to do anything I believe to be illegal, immoral, unethical or inappropriate” and wouldn't comment on the rumors.

The media has no evidence of collusion or illegal acts, so the entire narrative now is that Trump is asking everyone to shut down the investigation. So there MUST be a conspiracy, right Inga?; 6/7/17, 12:33 PM
Anonymous said...: Try to get the quote correct. Also there will be more questions and discussion about it in a closed session this afternoon. These people spoke as if they were under some Executive Authority or directive to not speak about what the conversations between them and the president were. What are they trying to hide? Even Burr chastised them at the end of the Hearing that they cannot come to a hearing and decide they just don't want to answer " because it's not appropriate". Someone got to these men and it will come out eventually.

"Coats, appointed by Trump to oversee the nation’s intelligence apparatus, echoed the comments. "I have never felt pressured to interfere or intervene in shaping intelligence in any way," he said.

But both men danced around questions of whether they had ever been asked by Trump to intrude or downplay the matter to the press, as has been reported.

“I don’t believe it’s appropriate for me to address that in a public session,” Coats said.

Rogers also refused to comment. “I’m not going to discuss the specifics of discussions with the president of the United States,” he said."

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/06/07/mike-rogers-dan-coats-senate-intelligence-hearing-russia-239244
---------------------------
The Republican chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday delivered an unsparing scolding to four senior intelligence and law enforcement officials who repeatedly refused to answer lawmakers' questions.

“At no time should you be in a position where you come to Congress without an answer,” Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) told the officials before gaveling out the nearly three-hour hearing.

“It may be in a different format but the requirements of our oversight duties and your agencies demand it," he added.

“Why are you not answering these questions? Is there an invocation of executive privilege?” demanded Sen. Angus King (Maine), an independent who caucuses with the Democrats. “I’m not satisfied with, ‘I do not believe it’s appropriate’ or ‘I do not believe I should answer.’”

“I’m not sure I have a legal basis,” Coats said. He added that he would provide as much information as he was able behind closed doors.

Rogers indicated that while he and Coats have had conversations with the White House about a potential claim of executive privilege, he said that they had not gotten a definitive answer."

http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/336748-gop-chairman-admonishes-intel-chiefs; 6/7/17, 12:54 PM
Lewis Wetzel said...: I believe that future journalists will be appalled at the way the WaPo has covered Trump. They aren't even trying to hide their malfeasance. Look at the top left headline: "Coats Told Associates Trump asked Him if He Could Intervene With Comey on Russia Probe."
The headline is too long because they have to cram warning phrases and background info into a headline to make it both appear important and cover their asses.
"Coats' associates"? Coats is around. They didn't ask him because he has denied this. The "associates" are, of course, anonymous.
Why does the Post hire journalism grads? You don't need a J school degree to write unsourced, random attack pieces on Trump. The difference between the MSM and a blog is professionalism and a claim of non-partsianship. The WaPo has flushed those, meaning they won't get them back again.
It is obvious that the WaPo has come to realize that there will not be found evidence that connects the Trump campaign to Russian "meddling" (interesting word) in the election, so they are trying to gin up outrage that Trump handled the investigation clumsily.
The WaPo will end with its reputation in tatters with the public, but enhanced with the 20% or so of the public that has Trump Derangement Syndrome. Since the TDS sufferers tend be cultural elites, this will worsen the us-vs-them political divisions in the US, which, of course, the WaPo thinks is a terrible thing.; 6/7/17, 1:10 PM
Birkel said...: @ Inga

Can you post a link that doesn't contain conjecture and wishcasting?
Thanks in advance.; 6/7/17, 1:34 PM
Anonymous said...: Birkel, can you post a comment that's not bullshit? Thanks in advance. My comment had actual testimony, yours? What do you base your opinions on?; 6/7/17, 1:37 PM
Birkel said...: @ Inga
"But both men danced around questions..."

That is wishcasting and conjecture.
Do you imagine needing further help?; 6/7/17, 1:42 PM
Anonymous said...: Birkel, it's obvious you didn't watch the hearing. I did.; 6/7/17, 1:51 PM
Michael K said...: "Then I think you may be surprised, Michael."

I think not so let's see who is right.

Personally, I think all this Russian nonsense is going to end with a few Democrats going to prison.; 6/7/17, 1:55 PM
Birkel said...: @ Inga

I understand that your opinions are reflected in Leftist opinion pieces disguised as news items. That you share an opinion with another does not make it fact.

Grab your carry on.; 6/7/17, 2:05 PM
Kevin said...: Well this thread's about run its course...; 6/7/17, 2:22 PM
Anonymous said...: Birkel, I know your opinions are based on right wing bullshit, so blah blah blah is all I hear from you.; 6/7/17, 4:15 PM
chuck said...: The lamps are going out all over Washington Post newsroom, we shall not see them lit again in our life-time; 6/7/17, 4:34 PM
Birkel said...: @ Inga
I based my opinions on reading the questions and answers. You will find that I do not possess the ability to read minds that so many Leftists maintain. It's fascinating that so many of you are so skilled in the Dark Arts.

The questions are almost never phrased well and allow too much wiggle room. But that probably plays to the hope that the MSM can spin any of it as interesting and useful. Wiggle room for wishcasting is a feature, not a bug.; 6/7/17, 4:52 PM
Earnest Prole said...: Birkel, Inga: Your ad hominem tale grows tiresome.; 6/7/17, 6:07 PM
Anonymous said...: Earnest honey, we were done hours ago, relax.; 6/7/17, 7:03 PM
Michael K said...: I know your opinions are based on right wing bullshit, so blah blah blah is all I hear from you.

Projection occurs not just in movie theaters.

The winning is just getting too much .; 6/7/17, 7:14 PM
Birkel said...: @ Earnest Prole

Do you understand what "ad hominem" (sic) is? Perhaps you can quote mine above.

You can find mockery. But words mean things, not whatever one might wish at precisely the moment one uses them.; 6/7/17, 9:44 PM