Althouse: Watching the Trump + Putin press conference.

July 16, 2018

Watching the Trump + Putin press conference.

Standing by.

261 comments:

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Matt Sablan said...: That may be so, but to just breeze past it and say it the way he did isn't how I'd do it.

If he wanted to twist the knife, he should have said: "I can't comment on on-going investigations."; 7/16/18, 3:05 PM
Drago said...: readering: "Always good to be reminded why I LOVE OBAMA."

Because he gave Syria, Crimea and the Ukraine to Vlad?

That does take a lot of flexibility.....

In readerings defense, the left requires we all pretend history began 15 minutes ago....; 7/16/18, 3:05 PM
Drago said...: MS: "That may be so, but to just breeze past it and say it the way he did isn't how I'd do it."

Yeah?

Well you aren't the one who is having every member of his family and all associates and business partners being attacked, investigated wrongly and threatened.

So, yeah, you can afford to be more "neutral" about it.

This is a war. An actual "civil war" being fought with the institutions against the "outsider". I'm not going to hold it against the outsider to refuse to give his enemies the ammo to hit him with.; 7/16/18, 3:07 PM
Drago said...: readering: "Always good to be reminded why I LOVE OBAMA."

So then, you loved this, right?

Obama on Putin meddling in our election: "He denies it. So the idea that somehow public shaming is gonna be effective, I think doesn't read the thought process in Russia very well.”; 7/16/18, 3:08 PM
bagoh20 said...: Appearantly the meeting was recorded, and they only sent copies to Trump haters, which seems like a waste since they already knew it was bad before Trump got there.; 7/16/18, 3:08 PM
Michael K said...: For anyone interested in where this is going, Wretchard's column with a 45 minute Bannon interview by Euronews is worth the time to watch the whole thing.

I usually don't watch videos but this is good.

Bannon is talking about the "Populist-Nationalist" movement in Italy and Hungary.; 7/16/18, 3:09 PM
Michael K said...: Good God, we dodged a bullet when this old warmonger and hot-head lost in 2008!

His brain tumor is talking now.

It may be smarter than Cindy, which is why I hope Ducey doesn't appoint her.; 7/16/18, 3:12 PM
readering said...: Drago, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!; 7/16/18, 3:13 PM
Original Mike said...: ”Hand picked analysts from 3 of 17 of our intelligence agencies relyied completely on DNC contractor Crowdstrike to come to the politically expedient contrary conclusion, without ever actually coming within several miles of the server itself.”

Trump needs to do what Trump does best. Make the media report this issue.; 7/16/18, 3:16 PM
Drago said...: readering: "Drago, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!"

Yes we know.; 7/16/18, 3:20 PM
Bay Area Guy said...: Senator McCain:

"Today’s press conference in Helsinki was one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory. The damage inflicted by President Trump’s naiveté, egotism, false equivalence, and sympathy for autocrats is difficult to calculate. But it is clear that the summit in Helsinki was a tragic mistake."

Please tell us why you believe this, Senator McCain. Arguments by assertions are not too persuasive. What was disgraceful about anything President Trump said or did, and what was the damage from it? Please speak in complete sentences without hyperbole or exaggeration or analogy and provide evidence to back up your assertions.; 7/16/18, 3:31 PM
Kevin said...: So Inga is now readering?; 7/16/18, 3:36 PM
Original Mike said...: None of our lefty friends want to address the whereabouts of the server(s) and who examined them. Guess they haven’t received the talking points yet.; 7/16/18, 3:37 PM
Drago said...: It is important to note that John McCain actively collaborated with those who actively colluded with Russians to create the hoax dossier which John McCain then had his staffer inject into our political and intelligence processes.

John McCain, himself, ordered his staff member to perform this action.

John McCain is using bluster, as is Brennan/Clapper/Comey/et al to deflect from their own already proven actions.; 7/16/18, 3:38 PM
Drago said...: Original Mike: "None of our lefty friends want to address the whereabouts of the server(s) and who examined them."

They are also unable to describe all of these "winnings" our competitors/opponents have "won" due to Trump.

The reason for that is very simply.

Those "winnings" don't exist.; 7/16/18, 3:39 PM
Francisco D said...: Chuckles said: "~ Why would it be so important to Trump, to meet in private? I presume that Trump was the one party most eager to make it a completely private meeting for the first part. If it was not Trump's insistence, but rather was Putin's insistence, then why would Trump agree to it?

Well. It could be that they were making plans (i.e., colluding) win the 2020 election and settle the family business Godfather style. Be careful Chuckles. You, Inga and the usual suspects have all the info that may put your lives at risk.

It's funny how the "Red Scare" was used against (mostly correct) conservatives and is now used by the Left.

IMHO, you people are fucking nuts!; 7/16/18, 3:45 PM
YoungHegelian said...: @Jon,

About 20 Russian mercs from Wagner Group were at the base and were killed.

No. The Russians & their Arab allies attacked the Americans/their Arab Allies at a base, & the Americans obliterated them with artillery & helicopter gunships. The sources I've seen, including interviews with Russian officials, say it was around 200 Russians dead.

I read a link about a month after the incident, which sadly I cannot find, that was an interview with a Russian mercenary involved in the fighting. It was a sobering read as the poor guy described the utter shit show that he & his comrades had blundered into. Basically, it was an "I'm in this firefight & everyone around me starts dying" kind of story.; 7/16/18, 3:47 PM
Chuck said...: Francisco D said...
Chuckles said: "~ Why would it be so important to Trump, to meet in private? I presume that Trump was the one party most eager to make it a completely private meeting for the first part. If it was not Trump's insistence, but rather was Putin's insistence, then why would Trump agree to it?

Well. It could be that they were making plans (i.e., colluding) win the 2020 election and settle the family business Godfather style. Be careful Chuckles. You, Inga and the usual suspects have all the info that may put your lives at risk.

It's funny how the "Red Scare" was used against (mostly correct) conservatives and is now used by the Left.

IMHO, you people are fucking nuts!

I didn't say anything about "collusion." I have never once floated any conspiracist notions of "collusion" here or anywhere else. I have no illusions about collusion, if that's okay with you.

I asked a straight question which was why meet with no one there but interpreters? There's nothing else to that question. Why keep absolutely everyone out?

If Trump were a figure from The Godfather, it would not be one of the Corleones. Putin is a Corleone. Trump isn't a Corleone.

No; Trump is Senator Geary.; 7/16/18, 3:51 PM
John Pickering said...: Here's where Ann and many of her readers stand now:

There are exactly two possible explanations for the shameful performance the world witnessed on Monday, from a serving American president.

Either Donald Trump is flat-out an agent of Russian interests—maybe witting, maybe unwitting, from fear of blackmail, in hope of future deals, out of manly respect for Vladimir Putin, out of gratitude for Russia’s help during the election, out of pathetic inability to see beyond his 306 electoral votes. Whatever the exact mixture of motives might be, it doesn’t really matter.

Or he is so profoundly ignorant, insecure, and narcissistic that he did not realize that, at every step, he was advancing the line that Putin hoped he would advance, and the line that the American intelligence, defense, and law-enforcement agencies most dreaded.

Conscious tool. Useful idiot. Those are the choices, though both are possibly true, so that the main question is the proportions.; 7/16/18, 3:52 PM
Matt Sablan said...: "Why keep absolutely everyone out?"

-- To prevent leaks, for one thing.; 7/16/18, 3:57 PM
Matt Sablan said...: "There are exactly two possible explanations for the shameful performance the world witnessed on Monday, from a serving American president."

-- Which one of those two explanations did you pick for Obama when he said basically the same thing?; 7/16/18, 3:58 PM
Drago said...: LLR Chuck: "No; Trump is Senator Geary"

LOL

Yes, Trump is just like Senator Geary who doesn't like working with those New York types........

Once again, LLR Chuck demonstrates that powerful cultural, social and political acumen that enables him to immediately and instinctively take the wrong position on every issue that matters as well as just happens to align with leftist talking points!

Well played again LLR Chuck.

As always, too funny...

How can it be that MI politicians aren't flocking to Chuck for electoral advice? What a lost opportunity.....; 7/16/18, 3:59 PM
Jim at said...: So Inga is now readering?

No. Readering - for all his/her faults - doesn't shit vile, partisan politics all over the bodies of gunshot victims before they've hit the ground.; 7/16/18, 3:59 PM
wwww said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 7/16/18, 4:01 PM
Original Mike said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 7/16/18, 4:01 PM
Original Mike said...: ”I asked a straight question which was why meet with no one there but interpreters? There's nothing else to that question.”

Bullshit. Your implication is that something nefarious was going on.; 7/16/18, 4:02 PM
Drago said...: wwww: ""We can no longer fully rely on the White House" Foreign Minister @HeikoMaas"

Heiko Maas, who as Foreign Minister to Angela Merkel has just now, JUST NOW, helped deliver 70% of German energy control to Vladimir Putin.

And is a member of the German state which refuses to meet its minimal NATO commitment.

And is a member of the German state which refuses to deal with the massive increases in violent crime due to its open borders policies which is leading to a fundamental shift in the German populace and opens up Germany as a terrorist haven.

That Heiko Maas says the US can't be trusted!

If ever an "LOL" were justified, this is that....; 7/16/18, 4:05 PM
Chuck said...: Matthew Sablan said...
"Why keep absolutely everyone out?"

-- To prevent leaks, for one thing.

If that is true -- that there is not one single member of his senior staff and administration whom Trump can now trust the confidences of such a meeting -- it seems to me that Donald Trump is still the mostly-friendless, paranoid, NYC operator who was calling up reporters and telling them that he was "John Miller" or "John Baron."; 7/16/18, 4:05 PM
narciso said...: Heiko maas, the fmr interior minister who had let the real threat, islamists get out of hand, that guy?; 7/16/18, 4:07 PM
Matt Sablan said...: It doesn't matter if Trump trusts them if Putin doesn't.

One-on-one meetings are fairly common in business, and this seems more Trump's style anyway. He puts a lot of value in one-on-one meets, maybe more than he should. A combination of style, legitimate trust issues on both sides, and just... it's easier to schedule, all are valid reasons without inferring anything good or bad from it.; 7/16/18, 4:08 PM
Anonymous said...: Let's look at the world the way it is today. There are essentially three military powers in the world: US, Russia, China. Which two military powers border each other? Russia and China? Are the Russians and Chinese the best of friends? No. Which of these countries is the most threatening economically to the US? China by a long shot. Russia is hardly an economic threat at all. Now, think balance of power and all that British stuff: will it be easier to get Russia to play nicely and, perhaps, recognize some mutual interest than to get China to do the same? The answer, of course, is yes. Putin views himself as a European ( as did the Tsars) and certainly not an Asian. And what did the Tsars dislike about the Europeans? They especially disliked being looked down upon by the more "sophisticated "Europeans.

Given the above isn't it reasonable to conclude that Trump is playing the game of balance of power politics by at least recognizing Putin's importance and trying to have Russia be treated as a fully western power, whose interests are in peaceful, though competitive, co-existence with the US rather than have Putin decide he would rather be friends with the Chinese?

As far as Russian meddling her's what I said at the WSJ: "When Mueller's group has the DNC and related servers and examines them then convicts a Russian in court I will firmly believe that the Russians were effective in their efforts to interfere with the 2016 election. Until then I will remain suspicious that the Russians made effective attempts to meddle, but I will remain absolutely certain that the DNC, FusionGPS., the DOJ/FBI and the so-called intelligence community were much more effective in THEIR efforts to affect the election by illegal and unethical means."; 7/16/18, 4:09 PM
steve uhr said...: To all the "I'd love trump even if he raped my mother" members of this blog community. Don't be the last frogs left in the boiling water.; 7/16/18, 4:13 PM
Original Mike said...: steve uhr - I really do want to hear your thoughts on the withheld server.; 7/16/18, 4:18 PM
traditionalguy said...: My theory so far is that Trump needed to meet Putin in private to discuss their next moves to make against the CIA shadow government that is trying every way to start another Russian War. Those guys need to cause the chaos for a cover when they announce a Coup ending our popularly elected Nation State governments for good. The World Government Administrators, like our recent President, want to see that come to pass for their next act.

But their Global Warming Taxation scheme is defeated, and the USA has rearmed itself, and the mountains carefully gathered pedophile blackmail glue the CIA held over most of world leader's head is losing its power. Trump and Sessions have them resigning or being arrested under that 12-21-2017 Emergency Order that confiscates their fortunes.

That is why Trump and Putin cooperating is the death blow to the Globalist Cabal and all hell is breaking lose as we speak .; 7/16/18, 4:18 PM
GRW3 said...: O and HRC used to give Putin everything he wanted, but they treated him like a punk. He's short and Russian so he has a double short fuse for insult. I think Trump is reprising Teddy Roosevelt - Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick. Trump knows a thing or two about people from that part of the world.; 7/16/18, 4:21 PM
Anonymous said...: Regardless of all the whining and crying Trump has had a hell of a week: he supported NATO showing that he was paying attention to what goes on there, but, in particular, putting Germany on long-delayed notice that its irresponsible days are over and it had better start doing its part or there will be consequences; reaffirms the relationship of the US and Britain underscoring his sympathy with the British who want to be British not European; opens the door to Russia without, apparently, committing to anything other than telling Putin that he believes him when he gives his word (but I am sure made clear that he did not want to be disappointed).

He made it clear that the US is a sovereign power with its own interests to look after not an adjunct to Europe.This may not be as pretty a performance as W, or Obama would have given, but was much more effective.; 7/16/18, 4:22 PM
Drago said...: steve uhr: "To all the "I'd love trump even if he raped my mother" members of this blog community."

Wow!

That's an even better fake quote than LLR Chuck can generate!

And I do note that this feeble fake quote attempt represents your official surrender on the List all "winnings" Trump has given our opponents.

Your hasty retreat is understood.; 7/16/18, 4:23 PM
wwww said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 7/16/18, 4:24 PM
Original Mike said...: I mean, if you’re not comfortable addressing it in public steve, at least ask yourself the question privately; Doesn’t this stink?; 7/16/18, 4:29 PM
rcocean said...: To all the "I'd hate trump even if he saved the World from disaster" members of this blog community. Don't be the last frogs left in the boiling water.; 7/16/18, 4:30 PM
Big Mike said...: The Trump-Putin summit must have been a tremendous success for Donald Trump, or dolts like Chuck, steve uhr, wwww, readering, McCain, Brennan, etc., wouldn’t be expending so much effort to tell us otherwise.

And steve uhr, you can’t be a regular reader of the Althouse blog if you’re going to be dragging out that thoroughly debunked frog in a pot of boiling water metaphor. Just sayin’; 7/16/18, 4:31 PM
rcocean said...: To all those "ashamed of President for abasing himself to a Foreign Leader"

Remember Obama and Castro?

Remember Congressmen weeping and applauding hysterically for the Israeli PM made a speech?

Remember Clinton and Saudis? Or what about Nixon Mao or FDR Stalin?; 7/16/18, 4:33 PM
rcocean said...: Carter Arafat anyone?; 7/16/18, 4:33 PM
Original Mike said...: Blogger wwww said...”Germany is a valuable ally.”

They’d be more “valuable” if they started pulling their weight in NATO.; 7/16/18, 4:43 PM
wwww said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 7/16/18, 4:50 PM
buwaya said...: "Germany is a valuable ally."

At the moment, not all that valuable to, say, the Poles, Latvians and Estonians.
Nor to the Ukrainians for that matter, much as they could use Euro help.; 7/16/18, 4:53 PM
Big Mike said...: @wwww, how long steve uhr has been around does nothing to change his dolt-hood. Nor yours either.; 7/16/18, 5:02 PM
Drago said...: wwww: "Germany is a democracy. Germany builds cars in South Carolina and Alabama"

And those cars, built in the US, are so competitive in terms of cost to build that we export them to Germany, where our "good ally" Germany charges us a 10% tariff.

Meanwhile, cars built in Germany and shipped to the US are only charged a 2.5% tariff.

Plus, we get to foot Germany's entire defense budget (since the Germans are quite sneaky and put in road construction and other commercial items in their "defense budget").

So much so that our "good ally" Germany can not, at this moment, field more than 1 to 1.5 battalions of actual combat strength for any period of time.

What a fantastically good ally! Nothing can stop us with "allies" like this.

In Germany's defense, they are busy sending billions of Euro's to Vladimir each year now so there really isn't much in the way of cash left over for funding any yucky military stuff.; 7/16/18, 5:12 PM
Drago said...: Did I happen to mention how our good ally Germany intends to bypass sanctions on Iran as well?

What a great ally!!!; 7/16/18, 5:13 PM
exhelodrvr1 said...: Steve,
None of us want Trump to rape your mother.; 7/16/18, 5:32 PM
Francisco D said...: Chuckles,

You completely weaseled out of your implied criticism that there was a nefarious reason for Trump and Putin meeting alone, with no one else in the room. What are we to infer from that slanderous bullshit?

I think of you as a law school dropout who REALLY wanted to be a lawyer. The supercilious attitude and insulting manner is a primitive, but effective defense against being discovered. Your lawyerly evasions suggest that you have been living a fantasy life, particularly on these threads.; 7/16/18, 5:56 PM
CStanley said...: All of the pro and anti Trump reactions seem to overlook a substantive point that Putin elaborated, which baffles me.

He seems to suggest that the two leaders discussed a deal whereby Russia helps prosecute the hackers if the US helps him prosecute Bill Browder. I've been inclined to believe Browder's version of events regarding Putin's corrupt regime, so if Trump really considers making this deal it's pretty disturbing. All of that is aside from any other geopolitical maneuvering- I take no issue with Trump realigning our interests and with the idea of finding common ground even with foes. But unless I've been mistaken about the Browder/Magnitsky affair (and I'm perfectly willing to look at credible evidence of the opposing view) I would be highly disappointed if Trump becomes a willing participant in Putin's filthy and murderous oligarch shakedown scheme.; 7/16/18, 6:10 PM
Michael K said...: BMW can shift more car production to China, as it has started to do.

OK with me. My BMW was a piece of shit.

Germany has had a good thing with us since WWII.

Time to pay the tab.; 7/16/18, 6:41 PM
n.n said...: BMW wants to exploit labor and environmental arbitrage in China?

Another reason for us to address human and ecological abuses through diplomacy and tariffs.; 7/16/18, 6:49 PM
Bad Lieutenant said...: Tyrone Slothrop said...
I don't know why this didn't occur to me earlier. I must be dense. Then again, I haven't heard anyone else make this point

Ooh, ooh, me, Tyrone, I said that right off, that this was blatantly timed to impede the meeting. And that it was insubordination pure and simple, unless Machiavellian PDJT arranged it so, which any request for same probably constitutes grounds for impeachment in some minds.

CStanley, you would have to search for and wide to find bigger commies than the Browders. If Putin's info is wrong or false, surely our FBI johnnies will figure it out double quick, no? The allegations are severe as are their ramifications, and what could be easier to believe than that the D scum, especially the Arkie grifters, had their hands out for a bite?

Wwww: "We can no longer fully rely on the White House" Foreign Minister @HeikoMaas.

Now you're getting it, Heinie! (is that the correct slur?) Better buy some actual stuff that goes boom before it's too late. What kind of relying on you have we been able to do lately? Helping bring Iran to heel maybe? Oh, right.; 7/16/18, 7:02 PM
chickelit said...: CStanley wrote: I've been inclined to believe Browder's version of events regarding Putin's corrupt regime, so if Trump really considers making this deal it's pretty disturbing.

Interesting, Where can I find the correct version of events?; 7/16/18, 7:44 PM
HT said...: Remember Obama and Castro?

So, you admit that Trump is debasing himself with Putin, but it’s ok because other leaders have done it?; 7/16/18, 8:06 PM
heyboom said...: So, you admit that Trump is debasing himself with Putin, but it’s ok because other leaders have done it?

No, the point being made is that your criticism of Trump is rank hypocrisy because you never did the same of Obama. And whether or not the president "debased" himself is a matter of personal opinion.; 7/16/18, 8:44 PM
heyboom said...: Joel Pollack has an excellent analysis about the summit which includes specific details that are lacking in the general hysteria surrounding all of the Trump haters:

https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/07/16/pollak-trumps-summit-with-putin-was-a-success-the-media-cant-admit/; 7/16/18, 8:44 PM
Anon said...: Per rcocean, "Its fun to talk about the Trump-Putin press conference. But its just a dog and pony show. All the real work is done behind closed doors.

And we don't know what was said.

But that didn't stop McCain from knowing it was a DISASTER!!!"

There were no "grownups behind closed doors" to find solace in. There was one grownup, and Trump was also there. This was a photo op, between a world leader, and a bankrupt steak salesman. There weren't back-channels, unless you count the subservience of the U.S. delegation to Moscow during Independence Day, the ones who eschew kneeling before the National Anthem but kneel before Vlad.; 7/17/18, 2:59 AM
pacwest said...: "Why would it be so important to Trump, to meet in private? I presume that Trump was the one party most eager to make it a completely private meeting for the first part. If it was not Trump's insistence, but rather was Putin's insistence, then why would Trump agree to it?"

Chuck, until you asked this question I thought you had legitimate concerns about the Trump Presidency (at least within the confines of your own worldview). This question places you squarely in the dishonest or stupid category. You know damn well why Trump would prefer not to have what would obviously be a contentious meeting leaked. Your TDS is clouding your judgement. It's not a pretty picture.; 7/17/18, 3:57 AM