I've cued it up to the earmarks part. I recommend the video, because it allows you to watch for signs of dementia, but here's the transcript:
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Very well said. One of the reasons I’m here, Chuck, so importantly, is exactly that. I mean, normally you wouldn’t have a President coming to this meeting. Normally, frankly, you’d have Democrats, Republicans, and maybe nothing would get done.
Our system lends itself to not getting things done, and I hear so much about earmarks — the old earmark system — how there was a great friendliness when you had earmarks. But of course, they had other problems with earmarks. But maybe all of you should start thinking about going back to a form of earmarks. Because this system — (laughter) —
PARTICIPANT: Yes, yes, yes. (Laughter.)
THE PRESIDENT: This system — (laughter) — but you should do it, and I’m there with you, because this system really lends itself to not getting along. It lends itself to hostility and anger, and they hate the Republicans. And they hate the Democrats. And in the old days of earmarks, you can say what you want about certain Presidents and others, where they all talk about they went out to dinner at night and they all got along, and they passed bills. That was an earmark system, and maybe we should think about it.
And we have to put better controls because it got a little bit out of hand, but maybe that brings people together. Because our system right now, the way it’s set up, will never bring people together.
Now, I think we’re going to get this done — DACA. I think we’re going to get — I hope we’re going to get infrastructure done in the same way.
But I think you should look at a form of earmarks. I see Lindsey nodding very hard “yes.”
SENATOR GRAHAM: Starting with the Port of Charleston. Absolutely. (Laughter.)
THE PRESIDENT: A lot of the pros are saying that if you want to get along and if you want to get this country really rolling again, you have to look at a different form, because this is obviously out of control.
The levels of hatred — and I’m not talking about Trump. I’m talking you go back throughout the eight years of Obama and you go before that, the animosity and the hatred between Republicans and Democrats.
I remember when I used to go out in Washington, and I’d see Democrats having dinner with Republicans. And they were best friends, and everybody got along. You don’t see that too much anymore. In all due respect, you really don’t see that. When was the last time you took a Republican out? Why don’t you guys go and have dinner together? (Laughter.)
But you don’t see it. So maybe, and very importantly, totally different from this meeting, because we’re going to get DACA done — I hope we’re going to get DACA done, and we’re going to all try very hard — but maybe you should start bringing back a concept of earmarks. It’s going to bring you together. You’re going to do it honestly. You’re going to get rid of the problems that the other system had — and it did have some problems. But one thing it did is it brought everyone together. And this country has to be brought together. Okay? Thank you. Yes, Lindsey?
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59 comments:
Sort of makes his opponents look like unstable morons, does he not?
"[T]he media look stupid and crazy."
What do you say, Chuck?
Anyone sorry they bought Wolff's book?
Some days I don't like Trump.
This wasn't one of those day.
If the media were on fire, I wouldn't piss on them to put it out.
Perhaps if they asked nice. Maybe.
Funny how much progress is being made on all those unsolvable problems. For the worst businessman in the world and a non politician he making it look easy.
Remember when Pelosi called in Obama to run a meeting and use his magical power to oil the partisan waters? It didn’t go very well.
Wolff is so unappealing on TV, but he's got the money, so what does he care? He got away with his little trick. He struck fast and might just find the whole thing funny now.
He does need to survive whatever lawsuits may come, but he'll do fine. I think he gets away with his money.
What a gigantic prank!
Schumer and Pelosi boycotted, so it was bound to go better. If the Dems got rid of them, a lot of things would likely go better.
President Pumpkin Spice wants to bring back earmarks? Doesn't he know that the Mercers own him as well and fire their employees quickly?
Doesn't he know that the Mercers own him as well and fire their employees quickly?
Oooh. Somebody is upset about this whole “era of good feelings!”
There is always a flying spaghetti monster nobody else can see pulling all the strings!
What Trump looked like to me in that video is a normal business executive chairing a meeting.
I would not leave my daughter alone in a room with that guy.
What a fun Presidency.
President Pumpkin Spice wants to bring back earmarks? Doesn't he know that the Mercers own him as well and fire their employees quickly?
That was incoherent.
Got the quarterly report for one of my investments yesterday, life is good.
What a gigantic prank!
He correctly identified his market. He knew there was no money (or at least not nearly as much money) in writing a book about the Trump presidency that presented him in a positive manner. Those books have already been written. Nope, the money was in a book that catered to Trump haters conceptions of him. They buy the book and read it and tell each other, "see, see he's just what we thought he was, only worse." And start dreaming of the glorious day when he is removed from office via the 25th amendment which is necessary because he is unfit for office and is totally not a coup!
And then he shows up on TV acting all normal and in control and walking up and down stairs without assistance and not collapsing and having to be thrown into a van like a sack of potatoes or something.
There is a god.
President Trump deserves “big credit” for kicking off the first talks between Pyongyang and Seoul in more than two years, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Wednesday. North Korea agreed Tuesday to send a delegation to next month’s Winter Olympics, which are set to begin next month in Pyeongchang, South Korea. . - Fox News
Schumer and Pelosi have a strategy of partisan rancor and political polarization that insinuates its way into even the family life of Americans, dividing friends and families, and of course blaming Republicans for it because, well, you know, by winning elections the Republicans are standing in the way of Chuck and Nancy exercising power, and that is unforgivable.
"That was incoherent."
No kidding. I really wish the lefty commenters here would up their game. Don't comment more, comment better.
as he's clearly in command, speaking coherently, behaving competently
Really?! Is that what you saw? You must have some kind of super Trump Competency Filter on your teevee!
If this is true, please deconstruct the discussion with Nancy Pelosi about whether the DACA fix is going to be a stand alone piece of legislation. I can't make heads nor tails of what the hell he was talking about.
What a gigantic prank!
Wow, I totally misread that sentence. I read it as "prick" not "prank" and I was shocked Althouse went that strong.
and not collapsing and having to be thrown into a van like a sack of potatoes
Heh.
Sorry, that was Feinstein, not Pelosi.
He agreed to every proposal put in front of him, contradicting himself several times.
What exactly did the meeting produce?
The final verdict seems to have been "You guys figure this out, I will sign anything you put in front of me/"
He not only correctly identified the market he also knew the marketing would be done for free by the media if he wrote an anti-Trump screed.
Or helped up four stairs at the Golden Globes.
The book is fiction. Like Obama's auto-biography. The narrative in the leftist media is the books assertion that 100% of the white house worker bees and high level appointees know that the President is both stupid and mentally damaged. Do you know who has never made that claim? Any sane Democrat. (Nutty Maxine does not count, but I dont think even she has made the claim that President Trump is mentaly challenged) The media could fill the air waves with elected representatives and Senators, that agree with Wolffs book, but for some reason they don't. Because the leftist media won't ask, and the conservative media could lead off each segment with the statement that they continue to ask Democrats to validate the Wolff fiction, but refuse.
Monday, FOX ran President Trump's speech to the Farm Bureau annual meeting live, and MSNBC spent an hour doing 'what if'. Not an ounce of factual reporting, just an hour of JR High gossip.
Speaking of crappy commenters... Freder, ever plan on answering the questions asked after your childish drive-by commentary on the Damore post yesterday?
Every time they underestimate him. It would help them if they just started thinking he is a genius. Maybe he's not but they need to overestimate and see how that works out for them
It might be the makeup, but Wolff looks likes he's had his lips plumbed.
I doesn't matter what President Trump tells Senator Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein in the televised meeting. Trump has the House as a back stop. Besides the point of the meeting wasn't immigration, it was to Rat Fuck the Media's "Trump is crazy" meme. That is the only reason for the cameras in the room.
WHITE HOUSE Jan 2021
With members of Congress arrayed around her at that table.
Journalist: "President Winfrey, ever since you cancelled the tax cuts, the middle class workers are complaining. What to you have to say to them?"
POTUS Winfrey: "Dr. Phil would you like to answer that question?"
Wolff looks like Al Franken, responding well to chemotherapy.
- james james
I meant plumped, but plumbed might be more accurate.
Trump is lucky to have the enemies he does. Or maybe his stable genius is to make his enemies seem just a little crazier than he is.
He is also lucky to have the base he does. They'll let him get away with amnesty and half a wall.
Freder, ever plan on answering the questions asked after your childish drive-by commentary on the Damore post yesterday?
If you don't recognize hyperbole when you see it, I feel sorry for you. Whether or not he was a sexist asshole was not the point of my post, but to point out that he was not fired for being a member of a class protected by Federal law (ie, race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, religion).
Now that I have explained that to you, how about getting back on topic and answering my question on the subject at hand.
What concrete agreements came out of the meeting? As far as I can tell, it was exactly zero, which means everyone in that room wasted an hour of their lives.
But Joe and Mika say he said something bad and it was deleted from the transcript! Or something.
I do hope he doesn't have on DACA.
Trump the patriarch. Once a man embraces his fatherly side... A sure sign of dementia. However, there was no spanking, and no one was Planned.
I think this is the missing post, found at last!
I think the meeting meant nothing in terms of immigration; it was all a show to destroy the "Trump is a lunatic" meme that the Democrat party was pushing.
--Vance
"Wolff is so unappealing on TV, but he's got the money, so what does he care? He got away with his little trick. He struck fast and might just find the whole thing funny now.
He does need to survive whatever lawsuits may come, but he'll do fine. I think he gets away with his money.
What a gigantic prank!"
Wolff has his own truth. The very trendy Wolff.
I hate earmarks and I'm glad they're gone, but he's right: Congressmen no longer have anything they want. It's almost impossible these days to get a majority of them to do anything together, because there's nothing to bargain with.
Vance said: “I think the meeting meant nothing in terms of immigration; it was all a show to destroy the "Trump is a lunatic" meme that the Democrat party was pushing.”
Not only that, but it makes Trump look like the reasonable, bipartisan party, listening to his opponents. And look, he invited the media in to record talks that are usually conducted behind closed doors. That makes the claim that Trump is a dictator out to silence his opposition look even more ridiculous.
I don’t think Trump is a genius, but that truly was an inspired move – and it caught the Dems completely off guard, so they had no choice but to sit there and treat the President with deference in front of the cameras.
Trump is no intellectual, but he has much more saavy than those who call him stupid.
Trump’s point that the Congress critters work better when the pot is sweetened with earmarks is very astute and not at all demented. He makes a valid point, however going back to the days of earmarks, sounds sort of crazy.
He agreed to every proposal put in front of him, contradicting himself several times.
Obviously you’ve never negotiated with non-western people, such as Chinese, who often express what appears to be agreement (“yes.”) but is really just a version of “I understand” or “I hear you” to acknowledge the one speaking at the time. If you watch JT all and heard the recap Trump stuck to his “gimme a wall and I’ll sign DACA baseline offer.” Your interpretation is pretty lame. But I encourage you to keep underestimating him and rely on your feelings instead of thinking it through. That works for me. And Trump.
Ack: “watch JT all” should read “watch it all” above.
Earmarks are not so good, though IIRC George Will actually wrote a piece defending the practice 20 years back. Pork Greases the Skids.
Which kind of brings us back to Obama. As a Conservative, I hated Obamacare. However, there were certainly things I would have traded an Obamacare Light for. Entitlement Reform for one.
But no. A good part of my hatred for Obama is all he COULD have been...and refused to be.
He could have helped racial healing. He didn't.
He could have had a Reaganesque 'Iran, tear down that Wall' Speech. He refused to, turning his back on democracy.
He could have horse traded a catastrophic coverage Medicaid bill into a bipartisan entitlement reform package. He had the juice, the votes and the charisma to get something significant done.
No. He stayed a community organizer, ruling by threat of riot and buoyed by uncritical media coverage.
"Freder Frederson said...
as he's clearly in command, speaking coherently, behaving competently
Really?! Is that what you saw? You must have some kind of super Trump Competency Filter on your teevee!
If this is true, please deconstruct the discussion with Nancy Pelosi (corrected to Feinstein) about whether the DACA fix is going to be a stand alone piece of legislation. I can't make heads nor tails of what the hell he was talking about.
1/10/18, 7:10 AM"
Freder, this is an illustration of just how adroit Trump is. He has studied the masters.
"'Don't worry Jim, if that question comes up, I'll just confuse them.'
To Press Secretary Jim Hagerty who pleaded with Eisenhower not to answer any press conference questions about the delicate Formosan Strait crisis, March 23, 1955. (Eisenhower was, indeed, asked if using atomic weapons on China was an option. He delivered a long, confusing reply which was effectively indecipherable.)"
I don't see any cognitive impairment other than not recognizing his huge contribution to the divisiveness in this country.
roesch/voltaire said...
I don't see any cognitive impairment other than not recognizing his huge contribution to the divisiveness in this country.
To liberals any disagreement with their policies means you are “divisive.”
You useless crybabies were out screaming in the streets before Trump even gave his acceptance speech and he’s the one creating divisiveness?
Yeah, right. You'd be saying the same thing about a President Romney or a President Kasich, just as you said it about the Bushes and Reagan.
You want everything your way or else.
Trump’s point that the Congress critters work better when the pot is sweetened with earmarks is very astute and not at all demented. He makes a valid point, however going back to the days of earmarks, sounds sort of crazy.
I agree with Inga! Haha!
I'm not a Trumper, or an indiscriminate hater of the media, but it did occur to me a few days ago that Michael Wolf looks like Klaus Kinski's Nosferatu. Google the image.
After seeing Trump's spontaneous remarks for 45 minutes, the claim that Trump is suffering from pre-senile dementia looks pretty dubious. It remains true that he's missed a beat compared with a couple decades ago, but that's what aging does to us. I wish he would get more sleep; insufficient sleep may be what caused recent scary episodes such as the one in which he slurred his words.
In a responsible government, earmarks make sense. "We need to do X no matter what, so $Y out of $Z funds must go to that first."
Unfortunately, our Congress sucks, so we can't have nice things.
Scott Adams has a point in saying Trump has had a successful first year--the kind of first year many presidents would have killed for. Everything good is due to long-suffering staff, everything bad is Trump personally? That's what some of the long-suffering staff say when they get a chance to spill their guts. Not gospel.
Year One has had different priorities than the Trump campaign. Are we shocked by this? Shocked, shocked? A politician not keeping promises, or deviating from what was said in his campaign? From about the first month of Year One, no one should be surprised that Trump has signed a very Republican tax bill, and he now wants to include Democrats in an immigration bill. To me he has been pretty clear that he thinks successful presidents sign legislation, as opposed to using "a pen and a phone" to issue executive orders that affect many aspects of the lives of Americans. Congress is important. He has come pretty close to telling people he meets with: you present a bill that can actually pass, and I'll sign it. He said this to Republicans on an Obamacare bill, and he failed mainly because of no support from Dems. He said recently he has made changes that will put financial pressure on Obamacare, and this should put pressure on Dems to come to the table. Now immigration and infrastructure. Some purists may detect a lack of guiding principle from mid-2016 until now, but these are not the actions of an unintelligent person--nor of one who is somehow completely lacking in sanity or public-spiritedness.
" his huge contribution to the divisiveness in this country."
I suggest he is much more like the boy in "The Emperors New Clothes".
Not a new analogy, but very accurate I think.
There was a very widespread and deep "division" already present, but not-fully expressed.
One side finds this revelation to be "new", perhaps, but that is simply because they had not been sufficiently motivated to look at what was already plain. This was shocking, but the fault for that shock lies entirely on them. They should not have been shocked.
Heck, you could look at totally technocratic stuff like labor force statistics and predict some reaction like Trump, and this from years before.
I bet you Ben Bernanke, for instance, was not a bit surprised.
Some purists may detect a lack of guiding principle from mid-2016 until now
What I see: If you believe he ran on helping long neglected people get good jobs and a higher standard of living then everything he did last year and is trying to accomplish this year works toward that goal.
President Trump deserves “big credit” for kicking off the first talks between Pyongyang and Seoul in more than two years, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Wednesday.
MSNBC gives all the credit to Kim, not Trump.
Regional interests have always traded favor for their respective areas of the 7 region USA. It was called Congress.
The old ways crashed and burned when the favors were sold to international interests instead. Of other American interests. Petrodollars from Saudi Arabia got all the favors because the paid off Congress Crooks with highest bids. Add to that the blackmail system of CIA deep state for sexual traps run on the idiots, and the old Congress was history.
Now a independent wants to restore Congress. Good hunting.Gitmo will need to expand to hold corruption charged crooks for a season, but we have a shot at it under Trump.
Trump contradicted himself te whether he supports a stand alone bill re DACA. It was confusing. I don't think he deserves high marks though his mind appeared to be functioning at a stable level.
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