February 19, 2019

Calling Trump on telephone — "He just picks up."



WaPo article about how Trump actually answers the phone. It's so weird when people do that.
The chatterbox in chief has eschewed the traditional way that presidents communicate with members of Congress, calling lawmakers at all hours of the day without warning and sometimes with no real agenda. Congressional Republicans reciprocate in kind, increasingly dialing up the president directly to gauge his thinking after coming to terms with the fact that ultimately, no one speaks for Trump but Trump himself.

“I never called President Bush or President Obama,” said [Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.)], who has served in the Senate since 2007. “I just feel comfort in calling President Trump. He calls me regularly to talk about issues. He’s always helpful for both of us.”

Longtime senators who have served through multiple administrations say they have never seen a president so easily accessible to lawmakers. The calls are part of what occupies the wide swaths of “executive time” on Trump’s schedule — an unstructured stretch of the day he uses to call allies and hold meetings that are otherwise not publicly announced.
Oh, no. They were so hoping he was watching Fox News in the "executive time."
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” said one GOP senator who occasionally calls Trump, chuckling....

Trump regularly calls senators if he sees news about their states. Other times, he talks about what he just saw on television or asks about golf.....

Lawmakers rarely have to wait for Trump to return their calls — if they have to wait at all. “The vast majority, he just picks up,” said another GOP senator, who regularly calls Trump and spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. “If he doesn’t . . . he’ll return them within an hour.”
Under Obama, calls with lawmakers were usually planned in advance.... “I cannot recall Obama phone bombing people for anything substantive,” the senior official said.
ADDED: I looked up "phone bombing" and got this recommended definition at Urban Dictionary:
When you, along with a few of your best bros, get together and decide to multilaterally mass text spam the fuck out of someone's phone to the point where their phone can no longer take it and just freezes. Sometimes done out of hate, but more often than not simply out of sheer enjoyment.

79 comments:

Kevin said...

Executive time.

Sebastian said...

Most transparent administration ever.

Kevin said...

Under Obama, calls with lawmakers were usually planned in advance.... “I cannot recall Obama phone bombing people for anything substantive,” the senior official said.

The team needs time to set up the teleprompter.

Henry said...

Sounds crazy to me.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

The calls are part of what occupies the wide swaths of “executive time” on Trump’s schedule — an unstructured stretch of the day he uses to call allies and hold meetings that are otherwise not publicly announced.

Executive Time is code for on the toilet. Why not multi-task?

Big Mike said...

Under Obama, calls with lawmakers were usually planned in advance.... “I cannot recall Obama phone bombing people for anything substantive,”

Because Obama thought he should have the dictatorial powers over he United States that the mayor of Chicago has over Cook County.

FIDO said...

Obama assumed that nobody would dare vote against the First Canonized Black President, Hallowed Be His Name. At least no Democrat. And he wasn't wrong!

Kevin said...

“I cannot recall Obama phone bombing people for anything substantive,”

Apparently "the pen and the phone" was just the pen.

JPS said...

Interesting. I'm not surprised by this.

I think the criterion for incapacitation, for those dreaming of invoking the 25th Amendment, is "He doesn't accept that I am right on this crucial issue, and he doesn't do things the way I know he should."

Tommy Duncan said...

Did Obama use a teleprompter in the Oval Office?

Freder Frederson said...

Most transparent administration ever.

Then why haven't we seen his taxes and why have so many of his associates been convicted of lying?

mccullough said...

Trump has brought a casual approach to the presidency that’s refreshing. He gives a lot of press conferences and tweets daily himself.

He is a tough political opponent because those he runs against defer to The Handlers. They poll test and are cautious but know that they have to be quick. And when they are quick — when they tweet out “attempted lynchings” on B tv actors pulling an obvious hoax they look stupid.

“Cool Clock Ahmed.”

Trump just keeps going. He’s energetic.

WisRich said...

A favorable story on Trump from the WaPo? Wow. I'm sure it instigated by Trump's communication team but still, they ran with it.

Miracles will never cease.

stlcdr said...

What kind of sick, evil, deranged person just answers the phone?!

Nonapod said...

It's obvious to anyone who has watched one of his rallies or speeches that Trump loves talking. He'll talk to almost anyone about almost anything. It's also not terribly difficult to get an idea about what his real feelings are on any given topic. He's about as transparent a president as there has ever been, often to a fault.

Of course, the people who hate him will infer all sorts of sinister motives to everything he does and says, they imagine that he's not transparent at all. But they're often confused by him because their expectations of what he'll do might not align with what he actually ends up doing.

buwaya said...

I pick up, and I make everyone pick up.
You can sort more things out in five minutes on the phone than all day back and forth texts and emails.

tcrosse said...

Then why haven't we seen his taxes

Because they're none of your fucking business. The IRS has, so why should you?

MayBee said...

He is obviously quite insane. I mean, talking to people on the phone?

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

Impeachable offense? Proof of Poot's poodle?

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

btw - Where is Mueller's report?

We tax payers paid a lot of money for that thing. Where is it?

Carol said...

Everything I read about him, I think what's not to like?

WisRich said...

I'm curious how he answers the phone?

1. "Trump"
2. "This is Don"
3. "President Trump"
4. "Yeah"

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

You mean Trump is accessible? He's not out playing golf all the time like Obama?

tcrosse said...

I'm curious how he answers the phone?

Wayne Manor. Alfred speaking.

MayBee said...

Adam Carolla used to say Trump would call him or drop him notes when he noticed he'd had a public success. I think Trump has always had good interpersonal skills. (Carolla was on Celebrity Apprentice along with Clay Akin and Arsenio Hall because Trump is homophobic and racist)
It's one reason the "He's CRAZY!" or "He's senile" accusations don't really ring true.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Then why haven't we seen his taxes and why have so many of his associates been convicted of lying?

Shorter Freder: "Squirrel!"

MayBee said...

If you want to make revealing tax returns a qualification for the US Presidency, make it a qualification. Otherwise, it's just something you want.

traditionalguy said...

Amazing man. These days I get flustered when a human answers my phone call. Receptionists have turned into computers demanding the ext. number of the person you are calling, or you can hold 10+ minutes for a human who refuses to answer questions.

GDI said...

"Then why haven't we seen his taxes ..."

Because Trump knows it drives liberals batshit crazy.

Limited blogger said...

The vast wasteland that was Obama's presidency, just gets vaster and vaster.

Limited blogger said...

"You have reached the desk of god emperor Trump...."

Ha ha, Rand, just fucking with you...

It's me Don

Fernandinande said...

Sometimes done out of hate, but more often than not simply out of sheer enjoyment... of expressing hatred and harming people.

readering said...

Funny how this post brings out ODS.

Seeing Red said...

I want to see Congress’s Tax returns, And those who are running for Congress. Let’s level the playing field.

rehajm said...

Then why haven't we seen his taxes

You wouldn’t understand his returns if you saw them anyways. Some people would go so far as invent crimes and misdemeanors hidden wihin them as they did with Romney. Swiss bank account!!!

Tom T. said...

The Democrats missed a huge, huge opportunity when they decided to treat Trump like a demon. He would just as readily have been on the phone with Democratic legislators too, hearing them out and exploring deals.

Dave Begley said...

I thought Trump was a dictator out to destroy our democracy.

stlcdr said...

Blogger Dave Begley said...
I thought Trump was a dictator out to destroy our democracy.

2/19/19, 10:21 AM


One phone call at a time. Apparently.

Drago said...

Freder can't even get the facts of the Bundy trial results straight, with the results and court findings right in front of him, and now he wants to see Trump's taxes?

Apparently, Freder intends to find things the IRS missed.

Thanks Freder!

Drago said...

Can you imagine how much legislatin' Trump will do, like obama, once he finds a pen to go along with his phone?

John Ray said...

Most executives I know have an absolute fear of answering the phone -- hence all of the automated roadblocks. One even told me "I call it multi-layered insulation".

I've always answered the phone -- whether it's good news or bad news, I want to be the first to hear it.

Birches said...

What Tom T said. But also I think Ryan and McConnell could have gotten a lot more done if they picked up on this early on. Everyone expected things to go through Reince Preibus. That was a mistake.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“Most transparent administration ever.”

Yes, that’s why Trump’s meetings with Putin are not being released to even his own administration.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“Funny how this post brings out ODS.”

Indeed.

Mike Sylwester said...

Chaos in the White House!

Gretchen said...

It is almost as if they are saying he really understands and wants to discuss issues, and makes connections with people.

Obama's executive time was for plotting against Republican campaigns with the deep state.

Bay Area Guy said...

Trump is a character. He's already made millions, so he doesn't need any more money. He's already bedded thousands of women, so he doesn't need a Lewinksy in the Oval Office. He's already been a TV star, so he's had a ton of fame.

And, now he has the US Marine Corps, a nuclear arsenal, and a brigade of Federal prosecutors at his disposal.

So, he answers the phone -- who cares?

Hagar said...

He calls - and answers - his phone, though presumably with Caller ID.

Which is why he is surprisingly well informed as to what is going on in Washington, D.C. and elsewhere and seems to be getting some good advice as to what he might try to make some progress on whatever he is trying to get done.

traditionalguy said...

The FBI Coup plotters did not need to wear a wire after all . They could have just recorded the all of calls they made to their friend Donald.

Drago said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Achilles said...

Inga...Allie Oop said...
“Most transparent administration ever.”

Yes, that’s why Trump’s meetings with Putin are not being released to even his own administration.

This is how stupid you have to be to believe trump is colluding with Russia.

Meanwhile the US is on track for a 3rd record year of crude production and is soon to be the largest oil producer as Russia and Saudi Arabia cut production to keep prices up.

It is plainly obvious to anyone who is not as stupid as Inga that Obama was helping the Russians far more than trump. Obama was caught on video colluding with the Russians. Obama delivered for the Russians.

But Inga thinks trump is colluding with Russia.

Be a she is a fucking idiot and so is anyone still pushing Russia collusion. That is except for the traitors who know what they are doing.

Drago said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Darrell said...

Trump is a President that George Washinton would understand and like. Trump would keep the front door unlocked, like GW did--if Lefties weren't insane.

Jim at said...

Compare this with the relationship Obama had with Congress. The White House was a ghost town.

Unknown said...

Good for Trump. He's used to the phone, and likely the Congress critters are not... advantage Trump.

As for our resident leftists carping, I'm surprised. Why haven't they gone to the Lara Logan thread to complain about how that traitor to the left wasn't raped some more--because you know that as a heretic to the left, all good leftists will wish the most vile things on her.

Right, Inga/Readering/Freder? Why aren't you calling for her beheading after multiple gang rapes, like any good leftist would? That's your party platform after all: non leftists aren't human.

--Vance

Wince said...

WaPo article about how Trump actually answers the phone.

To paraphrase George Carlin...

"Fuck Mueller, Hello."

Tommy Duncan said...

Management by walking around, presidential style.

Ralph L said...

and a brigade of Federal prosecutors at his disposal.
If only he would dispose of some.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“Inga: "Not Sure said...
It makes sense that BS would love socialism. After all, he's done quite well subsisting on checks from the government for his entire adult life."

You’re quoting someone named “Not Sure”? Why are you attaching my name to this quote? Are you confused, or have you become as deranged as Vance?

mccullough said...

Trump likes to talk. He’s good at it. The GOP Senators who he talks to like the access and have persuaded Trump that open borders work. Just sign the bill that encourages more children st the border and illegal immigration and just declare an emergency and build a few feet of fencing if the courts let you.

If they don’t, just blame Pelosi for the GOP-controlled Congress and Trump for not going anything g for two years. Maybe blame Paul Ryan.
Don’t worry, Trump fans will fall for it. They are fools. Easy to mislead.

Quaestor said...

The chatterbox in chief...

Why, that's almost affectionate in comparison to the spittal-laden epithets typically hurled by those soi-disant journalists employed by the likes of WaPo and NYT. Could it be the outrage of Lara Logan or the shame of having so thickly tarred the "deplorables" with the brush handed to them by the kalumnitor known as Jussie Smollet that has moved the editors to treat Donald Trump more like a President of the United States than as a scurrying pariah dog?

Or could it be they know the immanent trajectory of the Mueller investigation and wish to bail out of that plane before the fiery crash?

Drago said...

Inga: "Yes, that’s why Trump’s meetings with Putin are not being released to even his own administration."

The obama admin completely hid all details of the Iran deal from the US congress and the Senate.

In fact, obama and his minions had given so much away to Iran, in complete secrecy, that they never even submitted it to the Senate for review and approval.

Which is why Trump was able to get rid of it with a pen stroke.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-nuclear-exemptions-exclusive/u-s-others-agreed-secret-exemptions-for-iran-after-nuclear-deal-think-tank-idUSKCN1173LAwait, it gets even worse. Obama colluded with the EU to literally hide additional details and giveaways from the Americans.

snip: "The United States and its negotiating partners agreed “in secret” to allow Iran to evade some restrictions in last year’s landmark nuclear agreement in order to meet the deadline for it to start getting relief from economic sanctions, according to a think tank report published on Thursday."

Number of lefty complaints about obama giving away the store to the largest state sponsor of terror in the world: ZERO

Quaestor said...

You’re quoting someone named “Not Sure”? Why are you attaching my name to this quote? Are you confused, or have you become as deranged as Vance?

Inga pukes in the face of even those who inadvertently hand her a compliment.

Sad.

Drago said...

Still waiting for Inga to explain how obama keeping the Giveaway Deal to the Terrorists of Iran completely secret from the US Senate and the American people was a good thing.

LOL

We'll be waiting a long time for that, won't we?

GDI said...

"Yes, that’s why Trump’s meetings with Putin are not being released to even his own administration."

Trust no one, given all of the deep staters and Obama holdovers embedded like ticks.

Drago said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Drago said...

Inga: "Yes, that’s why Trump’s meetings with Putin are not being released to even his own administration."

Just as a matter of fact, this is a lie, of course.

Trump is limiting the information to key and close members of his admin only since all the obama/clinton embedded Resisters in the Federal Bureaucracy have leaked Trumps conversations, plans, etc.

Trump can't trust them, nor should he.

Pompeo has already thoroughly debunked this Inga/lefty/LLR talking point.

What the lefties/LLR's REALLY mean is that they are upset that Trump won't share all the details of his plans/conversatons broadly across the govt which would make it easy for the holdover lefties to leak and undermine Trump Admin policies.

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

what about Obama's meetings with Poot? Where are they!

William said...

I'm thinking that this story correlates with the more recent post, "How small a hole can a mouse get through?", but I'm not quite sure how.

bagoh20 said...

It's disappointing that if Obama did something anywhere from bad to neutral to good the media and the Lefties would praise it, but when Trump does something, even widely approved of under anyone else, the same people always find it to be a negative, or a heard of squirrels runs in front of their walkers. So boringly predictable, and pathetic.

BUMBLE BEE said...

As you may have noticed, Inga has stupid she hasn't even used yet!

Rabel said...

Maybe he's just expecting a particular call.

I'm Full of Soup said...

As one of my favorite talk radio hosts, Rich Zeoli, might ask "Is this just bad or is it 25th Amendment bad"?

Pj said...

just had to chime in......reading the first part of this I thought of LBJ. Wouldn't this have been the type of thing he did? Is there some reference to past presidents' behavior in this regard? if not there should be, how better to gauge otherwise?

narciso said...

much a do about nothing:

https://m.theepochtimes.com/exclusive-testimony-by-fbi-lawyer-trisha-anderson-reveals-extensive-role-in-trump-clinton-investigations_2806982.html

Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...

(rrrrrrinnnnggg!)

"Hello? Is This Lindsay? Lindsay Graham??
Yes, how may I help you?"
"May I speak to Amanda--? Amanda Huggenkiss??"
Just a minute-- I'll check-- Amanda?! Amanda Huggenkiss?!?!
I'M LOOKING FOR AMANDA HUGGENKISS !"


(raucous laughter, then click)

DavidUW said...

As I tell my employees, the phone is a printing press for money. Use it.

Odd that people who are even moderately successful in business understand the utility of a voice conversation at a minimum, face to face being preferred when expecting to close the deal.

narciso said...

Just make the normal bizarre:

https://mobile.twitter.com/Techno_Fog/status/1097994222354001921

Roy Lofquist said...

I'd be far more interested in the tax returns of people who get elected and then become millionaires than a person who becomes a billionaire and then gets elected.