WaPo:
NYT:
Click image to clarify and enlarge.
I'm interested in the similarities and differences between these presentations, but the headlines I put in the post title are especially similar and sum up yesterday's drama in a way that appeals to me, as one of the Americans who have distanced ourselves from the day-to-day agonies of the Trump administration.
Let's click into the 2 columns. "Democrats, GOP find rare unity on Cohen: They see a liar who proves their point" was on the WaPo front page (but isn't anymore). Clicked on, it becomes, "As a Trump insider describes a ‘con man’ president, both sides see a liar — who proves their point." I guess unity is so rare that it evanesced out of the headline. "Rare unity" couldn't survive even as a wisp of humor within the rancor.
The NYT front-page headline is gone now too. "Mr. Cohen’s testimony may push each party further into its corner" was a link that led to "Cohen’s Testimony Is a Test for Both Parties in the Year Ahead." The active role for "Mr. Cohen" is neutralized. On the front page I saw an hour ago, he was pushing — pushing both parties. Now, he's not there at all. His testimony remains and it's just sitting there, not pushing, just a test that the parties might need to take sometime maybe next year.
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195 comments:
This is gonna be big. I can feel it. Somethings coming. Straight to the top. Oh yeah. That’s the stuff. This is it.
Fascinating. We know he's a liar, but you know this part is true...
Bahahahahahaa!!!
Their soap opera for the moment is two warring parties. So they don't believe Cohen.
Could it be? Yes it could. Something's coming, something good. It'll be there.
Trump has been called worse things by better people.
Tank’s take: Trump does not always hire the best people. But we knew that already.
Yeah, pretty sure this time Trump's in serious trouble.
What's for breakfast?
It’s anecdotal, but among the portsiders on my various social media feeds, I didn’t see a lot of triumphalism about Cohen. In fact, I saw even more cat photos than usual, which is a reliable indicator that the news cycle is not working in their favor.
A lying crook lying to a bunch of lying crooks about a guy who, at worst, is just like them except for one difference, he's doing a pretty good job and they aren't.
"This is not a monkey court." Best clarifying quote heard.
The Washington Post and The New York Times have the same takeaway.
Wow! I'm shocked. Shocked!
Expectation management. Get 'em used to there being nothing there so there's no freakout after the Mueller report is published.
The desperate Dems have flipped the script looking for usable oppo research on the Trumpster. After years of trying to prove DJT must be a dirty politician like them because he won, they have realized he never had time to become a dirty politician. Therefore what DJT must be is a dirty businessman.
They are slow, but they have finally found where the Trump dirt has to be hiding. Now if they can only accuse him of "suspiciousness for winning" hard enough, like they did and failed on the Russian Hoax, maybe they win the next one.
Another attempt to rerun Watergate.
Boring.
Boy, they are desperate for anything, anything, to prove their beliefs about Trump. I'm reminded of the Dionne Warwick song:
Wishin' and hopin' and thinkin' and prayin'
Plannin' and dreamin' each night...
Even some of the folks that believe all of what Cohen said is true admit he lacks even a thread of credibility.
This won't make it into next week's news cycle, and once Mr. Cohen is in jail he'll never be heard from or about again.
When the DNC-Media complex says "both sides got something" it means they just got skunked. Cohen can't give any support to Democrats because he has no supporting evidence other than his recollection, which is suspect since he was prosecuted for lying to the same body in question. In fact, never before has a Congress even asked for testimony from a convicted perjurer before. As a "first time" it isn't likely to bring much succor to the Witch Hunt party. And both sides claim he lied again during his testimony, prompting Rep. Meadows to refer Cohen to the DOJ for criminal prosecution based on "untruthful" answers he gave yesterday.
So I'm not buying the premise Cohen helped Democrats in any way at all. He reinforced their perceptions of Trump ("liar, conman, bigot") but is a poor witness, given his pending jail stint. And he could not corroborate any of the real dirt they wanted to hear. To the contrary, he put the final nail in The Dossier! And he admitted prepping his testimony with the execrable Adam Schiff, which is a lot like witness tampering. So it was a train wreck/clown show combo. Let's call it clown wreck.
On the other hand, one delectable moment was when Cohen was dribbling out the tall tale of Roger Stone's "advance notice" about an upcoming Wikileaks dump that Cohen overheard in July 2016. Rep. Meadows then held up a copy of the June 12 2016 Guardian newspaper which had printed the exact same story about Wikileaks a month before the meeting Cohen was at. Oops! Guess it was not a secret, then!
So if the DNC-Media complex is flogging the "both sides claim victory" canard it is because one side actually was victorious and they don't want to admit it. Winning!
The problem with a drumbeat of hysteria is that you can't tell one drumbeat from another. And neither can anyone else. And for Democrat politicians and media, looking to raise money, votes, and pageviews, that's exactly the point.
"Democrats, GOP find rare unity on Cohen: They see a liar who proves their point"
Well, it'd be nice if the esteemed WaPo would report the specific lies by Cohen and specific points by the two parties, but I guess that's asking too much. Here's a specific point by one humble reader (me).
1. Mueller was appointed to investigate the claims of Russian interference with the 2016 election, including any connections to the Trump campaign.
2. Michael Cohen testified under Oath on this point as follows:
"Questions have been raised about whether I know of direct evidence that Mr. Trump or his campaign colluded with Russia. I do not. I want to be clear. But, I have my suspicions."
Call me crazy, but that seems kinda newsworthy, No? It help explain why Mueller shunted Cohen off to the US Attorneys in New York, rather than charge Cohen himself.
So, where are we on the Russian-Collusion claims? Neither Manafort, nor Flynn, nor Stone, nor Papadopoulos, nor the 13 Russian trolls have been indicted for collusion.
To paraphrase a true lying, corrupt, reprehensible politician - "What at this point does it matter?"
Oh. Oh, The Wells Fargo Wagon is a comin' down the street.
Oh please let it be for me!
You can certainly see why Trump wanted this weasel nowhere near the White House.
The story is similar to the one about Trump giving the girlfriend of a labor union/mob boss a free apartment in Trump Tower. When her boyfriend went to prison, she got evicted.
In the sewer that is New York City, you need a sewer guy. You don't invite him to your home, or to the White House.
The point of Cohen's testimony was not an attempt to find the truth, which makes the debate over whether or not he's lying laughable.
-Congressional testimony will be cited in Articles of Impeachment
-Congressional testimony will be used as probable cause to open a slew of new investigations into Donald Trump, as Adam Schitt already stated on twitter.
According to Schiff, Papadopoulos was the "lynch pin" in the conspiracy. Yet here he is a free man, walking among us, unindicted and not even alleged now to be part of any conspiracy. Why is that? The other "Russian" connection, Carter Page, has not been charged with anything either. Weird. Maybe the whole Schiff-storm was just blowing smoke created by Simpson et all at Fusion GPS.
As was repeatedly posted yesterday, Cohen has no knowledge of any Russian collaboration, but he has suspicions. Also, that Trump discovered things about the Wikileaks dump that were already public knowledge.
Anyone can make an accusation. If there was any evidence much less an actual crime behind the accusations, the Post and Times would be headlining those. Instead they repeat the accusations.
With Trump you get shenanigans. (Shrugs)
MAGA.
Cohen can't give any support to Democrats because he has no supporting evidence other than his recollection,
Well this just isn't true. He has cancelled checks.
To the contrary, he put the final nail in The Dossier!
Wrong again, he claimed he didn't know either way.
and he admitted prepping his testimony with the execrable Adam Schiff, which is a lot like witness tampering.
Well that's just silly. Just like the Republicans making a fuss out of the boxes of evidence (which he clearly stated were seized by the FBI and returned to him), this meme does hold water. Schiff of course will want to talk to him to ensure that he didn't reveal anything that was part of the Intelligence Committee hearing. Hardly witness tampering.
And now Trump is lying again, saying that the only true thing Cohen said was that there was no collusion. Cohen didn't say that at all.
A liar that proves the point
Very careful not to define the point.
Still looking for the point. The left studiously avoids defining the point
You can certainly see why Trump wanted this weasel nowhere near the White House.
Yet Trump hired Cohen and gave him a title of Vice President; and Cohen worked for him for ten years. Either Trump is a terrible judge of character or he likes working with weasels.
"So I'm not buying the premise Cohen helped Democrats in any way at all."
That's not what Norah O'Donnell was peddling on CBS yesterday. She had the Trumps moving out of the White House because Trump submitted to blackmail from Stormy Daniels and others going way back before Trump was running for anything.
Isn't the blackmailer supposed to go to jail?
I'm so bored as well, ST.
Democrats did get something they needed yesterday. Further witnesses to call, or attempt to call.
Impeachment hearings will happen, they just need the hook to do it. There is too much demand from the base. I've been suspecting that Trump will be impeached, in fact. But the trial in the Senate will be short, with probably at most a motion of censure.
And Trump will "trumpet" his innocence. Acquitted!
I think the democrats are overplaying their hand. They think he will resign if he's impeached. There is no way that Trump would do that. It's not his character. And Bill Clinton taught everyone to hang in there and all will be forgiven.
There is too much demand from the base.
once again, I must ask, what is "the base"? ISTM the meaning has shifted to mean "the loudest most extreme voices on Twitter".
"Waiting for GaMueller" is a horrible play.
Derivative.
"Either Trump is a terrible judge of character or he likes working with weasels."
Freder--embrace the power of "and". And add a dash of "So what?"
At least Trump was willing to draw the weasel line at Comey. There are some weasels that are just too weaselly.
Well this just isn't true. He has cancelled checks.
For invoices Cohen generated. I'm sure those invoices didn't say "campaign finance irregularities". All those canceled checks show is that Trump pays his bills to his lawyer.
Try again.
Wrong again, he claimed he didn't know either way.
He said he wasn't in Prague. Never has been.
I note that Kim Jong Un was sufficiently emboldened by the drama in Washington to push forward unacceptable proposals, probably assuming that Trump would be desperate for something — anything — to bring back from Hanoi. He was wrong, and so are the Dumbocrats. So desperate to to take down Donald Trump that they’d undercut international denuclearization negotiations.
The swamp in vitro:
https://mobile.twitter.com/DawsonSField/status/1101102661959647232
He has cancelled checks.
Revealingly these cancelled checks prove there was no crime. The entire mantra of a "crime" related to Daniels payments is that the payments constitute a campaign contribution. This is clearly not true but even accepting the left's position arguendo the fact that Trump paid them eliminates any possibility of a crime as there are no limits to donating your own money to your campaign. In order for a crime to occur it had to be an illegal donation, i.e. from Cohen.
The more the witnesses lay on the table the more we discover leftist fantasies just aren't supportable.
Evidence, Freder? The cancelled check is only relevant if you believe his supporting story. Even then, I’d like to see the list of other presidential candidates who have been investigated and prosecuted for paying hush money. Even Edwards trial centered on the fact he paid his mistress for work she didn’t do from his campaign sources. Trump didn’t use campaign money. So show me ANY other politician who has been charged with a “campaign violation” for using their own money (or American Media Inc’s money) to pay hush money. Just one other example would suffice.
Cohen was very clear on collusion: he didn’t see it or evidence of it but he has suspicions. Big whoop. That’s another nothingburger, Freder.
As Scott JOHNSON at Powerline Blog asks, if Trump was colluding with Russia, which is allegedly behind Wikileaks, why would Trump need any “inside info” from Stone or Manafort? Couldn’t he just ask Putin?
Lying weasels got to weasel. Michael Cohen was the Ed Norton of NYC sewer politics. Of course weasels hang together-and Cohen coordinated with Adam Schiff--and allegedly had his opening statement written by Lanny Davis---long time fixer and apparatchik for the Clinton Crime Combine. There's a trio of weasels if ever there was one.
Yet Trump hired Cohen and gave him a title of Vice President; and Cohen worked for him for ten years. Either Trump is a terrible judge of character or he likes working with weasels.
Would you wear your best suit to clean toilets ?
NYC is a sewer. He hired a sewer cleaner, or at least a sewer denizen. It's easy to see you have never done any business in a sketchy setting. What's interesting is that they have NO evidence that Trump broke any law.
Notice Cohen never got near the White House.
Where is the evidence of collusion between Russians and Trump campaign, one asks?
Cohen Schiff Davis... That’s a lot of weasels!
The Washington Post and The New York Times have the same takeaway.
it's Almost as if they're reading off of the same script; put out by the same organization!!
In the immortal words of Theodoric of York: Nah!!!!
Acrizd the pond:
https://mobile.twitter.com/skaye/status/1101086394087235585
More than one year into his Presidency, Trump regarded Cohen as "my lawyer" and "a good man."
He was his lawyer!
And maybe Trump was just being nice? How dare he. Liar, Liar, pants on fire.
I’d like to see the list of other presidential candidates who have been investigated and prosecuted for paying hush money.<
I'd just like to see the Congressional slush fund that pays off sexual harassment claims. Including the 19 year old boy who accused Schiff.
I understand it is over a quarter million.
“[Democrats] see a liar who proves their point.” Dog bites man.
NOTHINGBURGER
Rizzotto tray what is that?
I didn't read past the headline, but if the Democrats gave Cohen his moment in the spotlight and the best they could get from him were "hints that Trump has possible legal peril" -- they totally missed.
Freder, where's the beef?
I believe Cohen's perfermance yesterday may have hurt the Dems far more than it helped them. First of all, there was really nothing new (no, a canceled check isn't evidence of anything that wasn't already known, or even criminal). And the whole charade really demonstrated a level of pettiness and desperation on the part of the Congressional Dems, that they would put a convicted perjurist up in a feeble attempt to distract and sway public opinion against Trump.
After yesterday obviously people who despise Trump will continue to despise him. And people who support him will continue to support him. But I can't imagine how any hypothetical fence sitting independent type could look at yesterday's little show and not conclude that the whole thing was revolting, that Cohen was in any way a believable person, and that there was anything new that was revealed that raised to the level of impeachment.
"Neither Manafort, nor Flynn, nor Stone, nor Papadopoulos, nor the 13 Russian trolls have been indicted for collusion"
Nor could they be, since "collusion" is not a crime to begin with.
This will be gone in a week. It's my mantra for the modern age.
"This, of course, raises the question: why would the Trump campaign actively work with Russia for an election that Trump wasn’t planning on winning in the first place?"
At the Law & Crime blog, they lay out the case that Cohen exonerated Trump "inadvertently" yesterday.
Cohen did most of the singing to Woodward for Fear.
So how does his testimony compare to that? Must re-read now.
@Michael K. how is the daughter who is unafraid of becoming grizzly bear chow doing? Did she get a couple big dogs to chase off predators?
CORRECT HEADLINE: The WAPO and NYTimes find their usual unity on Cohen, they both use rhetorical lies to prove their political point.
The House is gonna impeach him for Stormy.
They are assisted by SDNY
all will dig for tax/campaign stuff along the way
This is how they Resist...
Trump's base tuned out the allegations as partisan opinion
He will stay between 40% and 50% approval
Did she get a couple big dogs to chase off predators?
She is now pregnant and due in July. I told her not much was going to happen in Idaho this summer. She has no idea how busy she will be with a newborn.
Evidence? He got evidence?
The big news was his Stone-Wikileaks collaboration charge. Wikileaks called it a lie. I have never known Wikileaks to lie, have you? They might be sleazy but if so they are sincere and honestly sleazy. Glenn has the link. Stone denies it too, but I do not rely on his word.
Cohen is a sleazy fixer Trump hired to do his sleazy fixing. This isn’t new. Trump told us himself! Trump called the way politics is done with under the table stuff and back scratching a rotten system. He was asked how he knew it was a rotten system. “ I was part of it” he replied.
More from Law & Crime blog analyzing Cohens testimony yesterday:
"The payments to Daniels and McDougal were made soon before the 2016 election. The timing has been used to argue that the payments were clearly meant to help the campaign, but then why weren’t they made sooner? Because Trump didn’t plan on winning the presidency until he realized at the very end that it could actually happen. That’s why he didn’t have Cohen arrange deals with Daniels and McDougal months earlier, and it’s why it’s hard to believe he was orchestrating anything with Russia beyond a real estate deal aimed at making him richer."
The timing makes sense in this scenario. One of the big problems with much of the Russia hysteria is that it doesn't make sense. THIS seems reasonable.
She has no idea how busy she will be with a newborn.
No, she doesn’t. Congratulations grandfather-to-be!
Either Trump is a terrible judge of character or he likes working with weasels.
Obama hired Hillary to be his SECSTATE, why don't her shenanigans reflect on him?
More than one year into his Presidency, Trump regarded Cohen as "my lawyer" and "a good man."
Do we need to post links to all the good things Obama said about Hillary?
Why aren't her issues a reflection of her boss' character?
Wikileaks & Roger Stone Each Call Bullsh*t On Michael Cohen’s Phone Call Testimony
NYC is a sewer. I feel like I’m sitting in “Back to School” where RD is schooling the professor on how it works in the real world.
Let’s investigate Congress, I’m sure something will pop up.
What we learned from the Clinton Presidency: one-time success trading cattle futures by a novice isn't evidence of wrongdoing.
What we're learning from the Trump Presidency: successfully putting up buildings around the world is certainly evidence of wrongdoing.
The swamp is sometimes cut down, up in Alaska the independent governor Walker had appointed one of the huntress's pursuers hollis French to the petroleum commission, where he proceeded to make a hash of things. The new guy dunleavey promptly released him.
It's a bitch when the nothing burger is on the other foot.
As for the compare and contrast assignment from Althouse, both papers look unserious about the whole affair, like they are just going through the "resistance" motions, but their heart is no longer in it. Perhaps the realization that their hopes had relied on a deux ex machina to take the collusion story to new heights, and Cohen looked like their next-to-last chance to witness one yet failed to deliver, accounts for their lackluster headlines and "teasers." Only one shot left, with the Mueller report, which they now realize they might not ever even see, has taken the wind out of them.
I look at the screenshots and see defeat in their quest: "ominous hint?" And the photo with text about why Cohen is a key has the answer in visual form: because that lying sack of Clinton corruption Lanny Davis is his fixer, and both their mugs are centered... and boy do they look grim. Defeat. It's what's for breakfast.
Here's what I saw yesterday:
Democrat Congressman: So in the course of Trump committing various illegal acts which violated numerous statutes and most certainly are grounds for impeachment based on the highest of crimes and the debasing of the Presidency, you spoke to President Trump in the White House?
Cohen: I spoke to Trump since he moved into the White House several times.
Democrat Congressman: Thank you. I reserve the balance of my time.
Poor Cohen. They've already moved on.
Today the theme is, "If Trump loses, he won't leave the White House."
> The House is gonna impeach him for Stormy.
> They are assisted by SDNY
> all will dig for tax/campaign stuff along the way
That is why SDNY had Cohen plead guilty to a campaign finance crime that is not a crime
in addition to tax and loan fraud - paperwork
https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/michael-cohen-pleads-guilty-manhattan-federal-court-eight-counts-including-criminal-tax
How good are Trump's tax guys?
Just saw the NYT paper front page and noticed how different it is from the online page. He's a racist! is all the narrative has left. They'll desperately cling to it. But yet Northam remains. Tricky business.
Trump didn’t use campaign money. So show me ANY other politician who has been charged with a “campaign violation” for using their own money (or American Media Inc’s money) to pay hush money. Just one other example would suffice.
Cohen pled guilty to making an illegal campaign contribution (and AMI has admitted to as much also). The government considered the payment a campaign contribution, whether or not you believe it was or not. If paying hush money isn't a crime, why was Cohen convicted of it? Trump has variously claimed he knew nothing about the payment, and when that story fell apart, that he only knew about it after the fact. He could claim that he would have paid Daniels regardless to prevent personal embarrassment, and that is a valid affirmative defense. But so far he hasn't gone there.
We have Cohen losing his law license and going to prison for three years and Lanny Davis looking to get paid for his work. Considering Cohen has been contacted by several people regarding book and movie deals based on his life:
Do you think those offers become more lucrative and likely to come to fruition if he testifies or shuts up?
Do you think they become more lucrative and likely to come to fruition if he defends Trump or attacks him?
Do you think Lanny Davis gets paid more if those deals are closed or if they fail to close?
Do you think yesterday was about Trump, or Cohen and Davis?
Heck he doesn't even have a lighter
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.dw.com/en/canadas-justin-trudeau-refuses-to-resign-over-claims-of-interference-in-bribery-trial/a-47720837
We dodged a bullet withrge backroom that would have otherwise brought a Soviet tool in wallace.
A guess, but the name calling was why Michael K. And Buwaya stopped commenting here for a while around the midterms.
It was a huge loss for the level of good information / discussion presented in Althouse Blog.
Name calling to me makes a very negative impression with me, and they lose a lot of credibility.
I find the Cohen theater just too tiring to follow. The quota for outrage that I have allotted has been exceeded many times. I wonder at those who maintain their levels of outrage - what, exactly, is driving them?
A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest. So true for this.
As has been pointed out, the IRS has ALREADY performed a "very close examination" of Trump's tax records
Lack of evidence of a crime is all the Democrats need to convict.
Everyone knows he's guilty, so if the records don't provide evidence they've obviously been falsified.
The government considered the payment a campaign contribution
And I consider Adam Schiff a reptile, but PROVING IT is another issue altogether. They had Edwards dead to rights and he still was acquitted. He used campaign funds. Trump wrote Cohen a check, from his personal account, not the campaign. Cohen pled guilty as part of an agreement to reduce his sentences for other real crimes. I could plead guilty to doing Trump's bidding but it wouldn't touch Trump unless you can prove it beyond a reasonable doubt.
I find the Cohen theater just too tiring to follow.
Particularly after the Avenatti theater.
Which followed the Micheal Wolff theater.
Which was interrupted by the Comey theater.
The left of all political stripes is tilting at windmills and hoping, dreaming that they can abort the baby and have her too. Here's to [unqualified] progress.
but the name calling was why Michael K. And Buwaya stopped commenting here for a while around the midterms.
Oh, cry me a river. Michael K. has gone over the line so many times. Like I said, I had to email Ann to get some of his (and others') despicable posts removed.
I never received an apology from anyone.
Cohen pled guilty to making an illegal campaign contribution (and AMI has admitted to as much also). The government considered the payment a campaign contribution, whether or not you believe it was or not. If paying hush money isn't a crime, why was Cohen convicted of it?
Paying hush money isn't a crime. You yourself just pointed out that Cohen was convicted for making an illegal campaign contribution, not for "paying hush money".
Freder do you honestly believe the evidence Trump violated campaign finance laws (which are usually handled as civil issues not criminal) is stronger than the DOJ's case against Edwards was?
I'd like to see you explain that. Since you can't and won't this is probably my last attempt at asking the obvious.
'Theres no there' but there are many interests willing to feign outrage, now all told Qaddafi was a corrupt sob but he had left the 'legion of doom', and this is how he was repaid, and there has been a proxy war between al queda in belhadj's brigade and regime remnants represented by haftat.
Amazing that submitting to a bribery scheme can be construed as a campaign contribution when Michael Cohen testified he had made many such payments for private citizen Trump.
The Left believes so much that is obviously wrong.
We need a better class of trolls.
It's taken eight years, where Benghazi perpetrated by a released detainee and Manchester were sideshows
Freder
You didn’t receive an apology for having to get help censoring Michael K? Sad.
FF -
If paying hush money isn't a crime, why was Cohen convicted of it?
Because he pled guilty to it? Why would he plead guilty to a crime he didn't commit? Besides the prosecutor wanting him to? Because he was also pleading guilty to other crimes with heavy jail sentences (>70 years). It's like pleading guilty to a "noisy muffler" to avoid a speeding charge. In this case Cohen got 3 years, not 70.
I would like to be the first to apologize to Freder Frederson.
I am sorry you have never posted anything worth reading.
We good?
Freder Frederson said...
The government considered the payment a campaign contribution, whether or not you believe it was or not.
It's interesting to see the far left admit their theories now require acceptance that prosecution assertions are unchallengeable. Meanwhile Cohen just asserted he was reimbursed which means there was no contribution to be illegal. There was a loan, since repaid.
If paying hush money isn't a crime, why was Cohen convicted of it?
People pay hush money all the time and it is never a crime when the underlying activity is not a crime. Are we to believe the left thinks adultery is illegal? This is not how you establish something is a crime. Instead you cite the law. This is just terrible thinking which amounts to nothing more than 'anything I don't like must be a crime'.
It reminds me of NPR's Smollett Defense: why would someone make it up? They appear to believe facts are no longer facts if the good leftists of the words wish they were not. They actually believed this was a compelling argument despite the fact that we see hoaxes for political reasons all the time. It doesn't matter whether anyone understands why or thinks it's a good idea.
In Michael K's defense I read the same thing concerning Shiff's wife. I read it on his Wiki page years ago. Evidently it's gone now, edited out now because it was false.
Meanwhile - the left are going full Mussolini with big plans to end private health insurance and force everyone into a government run system. They are also gutting The Constitution with their big plans to END the Electoral College which gives smaller populated states a voice of their own. JFK was 100% FOR the Electoral Collage.
Taking away states voting rights (Electoral College) = moving to the Russian voter system.
If Polis(D-money grubbing money whore) signs ending the Electoral College in CO - he might be facing a recall.
The government considered the payment a campaign contribution, whether or not you believe it was or not.
Three questions with your line of reasoning, Freder.
1. What "government" determines what a campaign contribution is? Has that "decision" been finalized?
2. If paying off a mistress is a campaign contribution, what do you make of the fund that the Congress uses to pay off sexual assault accusers?
3. If Trump paid off mistresses in the past (before he ran for POTUS), doesn't that establish a pattern of behavior that has nothing to do with running for office?
Qaddafi was a corrupt sob but he had left the 'legion of doom'
He repented... repaid for past sins, got along with his neighbors, cooperated with the West, and worked to improve the state of the State for his people. Unfortunately, he made amends with the wrong administration, and the contemporary administration had other plans for him. He was repaid with a summary sentence of sodomy and abortion in the streets, which progressed as a full blown refugee crises on land, and the Mediterranean is still processing those who were less fortunate.
I am very happy with the hearing and the results: more distrust of governmen and more distrust of elite institutions. If I wanted to do those 2 things, I couldn’t do better at such a cheap cost. Keep it up!
Man. Asking serious direct questions seems to act like a troll repellent around here. Guess they don't want to think too hard on how lousy Cohen's testimony went, and how every male democrat pays off their mistresses with few ever being accused of crimes for it. It's illuminating in its silence.
Why is Cohen always called a fixer? That implies that he was doing shady, dishonest, and probably illegal things for Trump, but isn't every lawyer a fixer, in the sense that his job is to fix, or solve, legal problems? Should we call any lawyer who works for, let's say, a Democrat presidential candidate, a fixer?
Every MSM news agency has been calling Cohen a fixer for the past three weeks, or so, implying that Trump was up to no good. The obvious and necessary inference that Cohen The President's Fixer must also have been up to no good doesn't seem affect his credibility any more than his proven and admitted lies before Congress have. He "took a bullet" for Trump, but now he's taking a bullet for the Dems. Nobody seems to care how many bullets he takes.
Cohen says that Trump is a racist, but without any any evidence, or even an example, so that doesn't even qualify as a claim, only a smear, like his "con man" claim. Cohen says Trump tried hard to avoid military service in Vietnam, putting him in the same category as most men of draft age at that time.
It is my understanding that Cohen was convicted of his own personal tax fraud over several years and not of anything having anything whatsoever to do with Donald Trump.
I am not convinced Cohen has "turned on" Trump. It is hard to believe that these people are that smart and devious, but it is just possible that this show is a sham. Cohen has been sentenced and has nothing much to lose from the Democrats, but may still save something from Trump.
I think it is telling that as "the panel" on Bret Baier, Marc Thiessen and Charles Hurt were almost falling out of their chairs laughing about Cohen's "testimony" before the House committee, while Marie Harf had very little to say about it, and even that with no heart in it.
Cohen was SECRETLY taping Trump and his other clients.
What a snake!
And the goofy charge of "Racism". Maybe the true "Racist" is Cohen. Or maybe he's a Commie - that would explain some things.
Because it's about narrative they are doing the same to bibi now over two years your eyes would glaze over.
But consider skadden arps paid 4 million no jail, and they were up to the ouvno in Ukraine but its rendition master Greg craig.
end private health insurance and force everyone into a government run system
That, overt monopoly, is one solution to address available and affordable, which in theory should be less than optimal than its free market counterpart. There are some real-world outcomes (e.g. Montana, Surgery Center of Oklahoma, smaller practices, foreign services) that suggest the problem is price, not cost; inflation, not demand; and related domestic/foreign policies.
Cohen says that Trump is a racist, but without any any evidence, or even an example
Apparently, you weren't paying attention to the testimony. He gave a couple of examples including the fact that there are no African Americans in senior management at the Trump Organization.
Meanwhile back home at the ranch: India and Pakistan are confronting changing times. Korea and the USA's 60 year conflict is in changing times. Merkle's entire 60 year old EU State is in chaos and the exiting English are in crisis. Venezuela/Cuba is suddenly in Changing times. Iran is in changing times. And the Deep State that has run the USA for 60 years is collapsing as we speak.
Interesting times. And all because Trump beat Hillary.
I think Freder's comments should be deleted to help him heal. The trauma he suffered here is palpable. Time will wound all heels.
No African Americans at senior positions in a company run by Trump and his kids?
Freder Frederson is breaking news that no black Trump love baby exists.
"there are no African Americans in senior management at the Trump Organization."
Is that necessarily true of all 500 of his business entities? Did you check? What if it is true? Is that proof of discrimination? He has and has had several high-profile Blacks in his administration, including Ben Carson.
Trump also supposedly called African countries shitholes. There's no proof that he said that, but there's plenty of proof that they are.
Dems always use Scandinavian countries of examples of good government.
Democrats are fucking racists, just like in the old South.
"the day to day agonies of the Trump administration"
And what agonies would they be? The only agonies and chaos are the screams and flailing of the democrat party members of the media and the dangerous, stupid traitors who support them. Donald Trump has been a great president, fighting hard for America and all Americans. I am proud to have a president who loves his country and shows it.
Agonies, that would be the grotesque display of the democrat party members during the Kav-brah hearings. Agonies would be the drumbeat of the democrat party members cheering on the"migrant caravan" of convicted murderers, gang bangers and diseases bumrushing our border.
Agonies would be Democrat party members defending racists, rapists and baby killers they choose as their leaders.
Agonies would be the contortions democrat party members must turn in their minds to convinc themselves that they are the "good guys".
He gave a couple of examples including the fact that there are no African Americans in senior management at the Trump Organization.
Since on a 100 point proof scale this is a zero we all agree there is no evidence?
Again, I ask, where is the evidence of Russian "coordination" with Trump campaign?
Russian Collusion:Trump::Foreign Birth:Obama
"there are no African[-]Americans in senior management at the Trump Organization."
No white, black, brown, yellow, orange half-breeds (i.e. 1/2 Americans)?
No white, black, brown, yellow, orange immigrants from Africa?
Diversity? Perhaps.
Cohen exudes sleaze. That's his area of expertise. When you have to negotiate with people like Avenatti, Stormy Daniels, Al Sharpton, he's got the skills. A far better choice of a lawyer than RBG or David Souter. That said, Cohen is an overachiever when it comes to sleaze. I don't think even Avenatti tapes his clients. Well, who knows. Cohen has now put that doubt in the mind of every person seeking legal advice.
Someone, I assume Meade, removed my post.
So is there ever going to be any real charge or evidence of a crime by Trump? Then, it needs to be impeachable, or it means nothing to the rest of us. Two years of bullshit claims, innuendo, and fever on the left, but nothing real yet. You know the desire and motivation is overwhelming, but nothing to show for it? WTF? It's like a Smollett: you want something terrible, but it just isn't there, so you need to make it up. In both cases, people should ask: why do you want so bad for this terrible thing to be true?
Bye, Felicia.
Russian Collusion:Trump::Foreign Birth:Obama
The best we got from Obama was a "certificate of live birth". Trump could provide the analogous tea set.
@ bay area guy
"Again, I ask, where is the evidence of Russian "coordination" with Trump campaign?"
Coordination is one possibility. How about Trump's admission of obstructing Justice?
Trump: I fired Comey because of 'this Russia thing' -
It's obvious why they want his tax returns. They will investigate anyone who's ever done business with Trump. If they find something even slightly amiss, they will prosecute vigorously. If the defendant flips and brings forth damaging info on Trump or his children, the penalties will be far less severe.
Good point, bagoh20.
Tell some millennials that their world is dramatically better than the world their grandparents faced. Be prepared to provide all sorts of widely and easily available info from reputable sources.
Tell me if their reactions are different than those of Freder Frederson or Royal ass Inga.
Seriously, try telling people how well they have it some time. Deliver that very positive, verified news. And watch the reactions!
I watched Cohen's opening statement in which he declared Trump a racist and a con man (or sleaze, or something; don't remember iis exact term). For the sake of argument, let's say it's true. How is that even an appropriate topic for a Congressional hearing? I don't get it.
jack thinks firing a guy who is pursuing a false story for the purposes of getting the boss fired is wrong.
NOTE: Never hire jack.
AOC claimed that Trump got $127 million in subsidies to build a golf course in the Bronx. If true, this is a scandal, but it reflects badly on the city pols who granted him this subsidy than on Donald Trump. I wonder how outraged she is at them and whether she will name them?
As was true yesterday, I will sell myself for a tenth of what Donald Trump (allegedly) got from NYC.
12.7 million and I am yours, New York.
I read all comments. I find the conversations between two of them regarding bears and an upcoming baby most interesting.
I'm not surprised that Cohen is a sleazy lawyer or that Trump is a horndog. I was saddened, however, to discover how greedy Stormy Daniels has turned out to be. I expected better from an established pornstar emeritus........I have a useful suggestion for Stormy. She should schedule a pay per view, one night only event with Weiner, Cohen, and Avenatti.
Great suggestion, William.
They all need the money.
AOC claimed that Trump got $127 million in subsidies to build a golf course in the Bronx. If true, this is a scandal, but it reflects badly on the city pols who granted him this subsidy
Ferry Point had long been plagued with problems not the least of which was the city mismanaging the project long before Trump arrived. Ferry Point was a former landfill and there were high costs associated with cleanup of toxins and gases. The Trump organization stepped in when the original developer backed out and the city couldn't find another partner.
I'm interested in the similarities and differences between these presentations, but the headlines I put in the post title are especially similar and sum up yesterday's drama in a way that appeals to me, as one of the Americans who have distanced ourselves from the day-to-day agonies of the Trump administration.
This is of course the goal.
Get women with no critical thinking skills to think Trump is causing the problems and blame him.
Meanwhile the country has record low unemployment and solid foreign policies that benefit Americans for the first time in decades.
But soap opera women just want the news to be happy and the people who own the news will only give you that if you elect one of their pawns like Obama.
Is it really too much to ask of seemingly intelligent women like Ann not to destroy our country by falling for this shit?
Blogger jack said..."How about Trump's admission of obstructing Justice?
Trump: I fired Comey because of 'this Russia thing' -"
You mean that thing where the FBI and DOJ attempted to frame Trump with colluding with the Russians? That "Russian thing"?
AOC wants to be the Maduro of NYC. Stop all investment by evil capitalists so we can prosper. All Venezuela needs is a few windmills and some big fat taxes.
"jack thinks firing a guy who is pursuing a false story ..." - birkel
Oh,that's right. Trump has declared the investigation to be a witch hunt, and because Trump never tells a lie* we should believe him.
* Approaching 9000 documented lies
jack will now regale us with the evidence of Trump/Russian collusion. Please tell us you've got more than "Nobody knows what Mueller knows."
Keeping Comey in place would have been obstruction of justice.
That's right, jack.
The mountain of evidence you have to support Comey's corrupt (and fired or retired) FBI pursuing Hillary Clinton's laundered oppo research nonsense is just over the horizon.
And it always will be.
Looking forward: Democrat President and cronies spying on the Republican party, nonconforming journalists, etc.
“The government considered the payment a campaign contribution, whether or not you believe it was or not.”
Technically, maybe. Yes, the complaint was styled as the United States versus Michael Cohen. That is how it is done. But I think that most here know better. The case was thrown by the rabid Dem prosecutors on the Mueller team to the reliably left wing SDNY because it is reliable. And it is reliable because it was run for the eight years before Trump was elected by Loretta Lynch, who ultimately gave the orders not to prosecute Crooked Hillary, followed by the execrable Preet Baharra, who sent Dinesh D’Sousa to prison for half a year for making an anti-Obama movie. And was the only USA whom Trump had to fire. During those eight years, you can be sure that litmus test hiring was done in their offices guaranteeing that only hard left career prosecutors were hired.
And, as noted by others, there is zero precedential value to Cohen including that stipulation in his plea deal against anyone except for Cohen. It was never litigated, so isn’t even binding in the SDNY, even if you could cite unpublished District Court opinions there. No Stare Decisis whatsoever. And there is no collateral estoppel against anyone except for Cohen. Not even Lanny Davis, his attorney supplied by the Clintons.
Cohen is a distraction for the Democrat audience due to the narrative building last week that the Mueller investigation has nothing. Cohen is the new hope to convince the voters there is a reason to even vote in 2020.
On a related note, how do leftists of the diversitist kind determine the proper distribution of colorful clumps of cells? They have the planned parenthood protocol with variable effectiveness. Sometimes they outright open mass abortion fields to decimate the population in progressive leaps. Do color/race quotas determine their selection of friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, etc.?
Who put on that dog-and-pony show yesterday?
That's right, Democrats.
You'd think they would know what was in the show BEFORE it opened. WaPo and the NYT lets them pretend it all happened at arm's length.
Birkel said...
Dems always use Scandinavian countries of examples of good government.
Democrats are fucking racists, just like in the old South.
What do you mean “just like?”
They are the old south.
I trust neither the NYT of the WaPoo, and believe they are colluding against Trump.
It's all one big conspiracy. And if you don't believe me, just ask Alex Jones.
Freder Frederson said...
Someone, I assume Meade, removed my post.
2/28/19, 11:37 AM
Mine was memory-holed as well, although one line of it was quoted in another post. I hope we're not going to have to start using the locution "He Who Must Not Be Named" when referring to Chuck.
Let's ask all those fired FBI agents about the 85% of NSA searches that were illegal according to that FISC judge.
How about that, jack?
Republicans at the Hearing yesterday did themselves no favors. They came off looking hysterical, angry and couldn’t come up with anything new to smear Cohen with. They instead repeated the crimes he’s already pleaded guilty to. They actually invited the instances when Cohen got his little digs in and that was entertaining, even though it didn’t make Cohen look any better
The government considered the payment a campaign contribution, whether or not you believe it was or not.
Frédérique Isn’t a hypocrite. He is a Stalinist.
The difference is the hypocrite knows something is wrong and sufferers from cognitive dissonance.
The Stalinist believes their will to power is righteous and the law serves that will.
In this case Edwards was innocent and Trump is guilty because power for Democrats and by extension their globalist masters.
They are enemies of freedom.
I left what auto correct thinks freder’s name should be on purpose.
CNN said Cohen lied.
Cohen gave no documentary evidence.
Inga claims victory.
I guess jack is still typing up all that evidence. There's a lot to go through...
jack... Please tell us all about the impact to your left frontal lobe.
Inga...Allie Oop said...
Republicans at the Hearing yesterday did themselves no favors.
Remember everything is a distraction until these pieces of shit pull off their coup.
India and Pakistan on the brink of war.
Trump in negotiations with North Korea to end a 6 decade old war.
Nope we have to have some theater hearings.
How about that collusion hoax? Got any more pee stories Inga? Any more Republicans out there who should rethink their support of gun control after getting shot by a loony leftist?
Terrible people.
Per Annie C: Oh. Oh, The Wells Fargo Wagon is a comin' down the street.
Oh please let it be for me!
And let's recall that Professor Harold Hill came out smelling like a rose.
Mine was memory-holed as well, although one line of it was quoted in another post. I hope we're not going to have to start using the locution "He Who Must Not Be Named" when referring to Chuck.
Insulting Chuck is apparently fine. Meade apparently only gets bent out of shape when you call Michael K. bad names.
Looks like Meade acquiesced to you know who's demand that he be told the rules. Specifically.
Forgetful Inga: "They came off looking hysterical, angry and couldn’t come up with anything new to smear Cohen with."
LOL
Things democrats brought up:
Trump paid for abortions smear.
Trump beat Melania in an elevator smear.
Trump has a love child smear.
The hoax Dossier-Pee Pee tape is real.
The Russians are blackmailing Trump smear.
Things mentioned that Inga believes was out of line:
The fact that the "witness" before congress was just convicted of lying to congress.
LOL
Discuss.
Can someone do me a big favor and translate for narcisco? Or would several people have to do it. I gather he writes as he does to avoid discovery of his identity but what is the point of it if people don't know what he's saying.
@Pokerone - Several of us at different times have attempted an intervention, but to no avail. I usually just skip him now. Too bad, really.
“Can someone do me a big favor and translate for narcisco? Or would several people have to do it. I gather he writes as he does to avoid discovery of his identity but what is the point of it if people don't know what he's saying.”
He told me his keyboard doesn’t work properly.
I've got a bridge to sell you, Inga.
“He told me his keyboard doesn’t work properly.- me
“I've got a bridge to sell you, Inga.”- OM
I didn’t say I believed him, that was his excuse. I was trying to be fair.
I suggest people spend time deciphering narciso.
Some of his posts lead down forgotten historical paths that you cannot find elsewhere.
Not kidding.
He is buwaya if buwaya wanted to write allegorically.
Worth the hassle.
Freder Frederson said...
Cohen says that Trump is a racist, but without any any evidence, or even an example
Apparently, you weren't paying attention to the testimony. He gave a couple of examples including the fact that there are no African Americans in senior management at the Trump Organization.
When The Notorious RBG was asked in her confirmation hearing, if the fact that she had never hired a minority or woman as a clerk,meant she discriminated, the left determined that not hiring blacks was no indicator of racism.
(feder did I miss your legal analysis of campaign finance violations, Edwards v Trump?)
This is a classic case of no humans involved. Move along
Pokerone asks: Can someone do me a big favor and translate for narcisco? Or would several people have to do it. I gather he writes as he does to avoid discovery of his identity but what is the point of it if people don't know what he's saying.
Good question. I've asked the same thing. While obscure, his posts are often enlightening if you follow the associated link. IIRC, buwaya translates narciso pretty well.
Howard, didn't you say earlier at some point that you were in Orange County?
I might be traveling to Manhatten Beach in the coming months.
Blogger Birkel said...
I suggest people spend time deciphering narciso.
I have gone back to skimming comments looking for narciso or buwaya, plus a couple of others,
No more comments after this.
Well I was pointing out how they are going after bibi for similar nebulous grounds, because they haven't defeated him in 10 years time.
Skadden is the firm deeply involved In Ukrainian matters they want after the Dutch son in law of an oligarch who was a lowly associate, then the trail stopped.
The firms whose partners included pat Fitzgerald (who that) Greg Craig, Obama's first chief counsel lobbyist for thr Haitian mevs clan negotiator of the Elian rendition. Well they aren't touched except some minor fee.
Same with the podestas they outright stiffed the Russians, pocketed the money were allowed to post date their registration, were redacted from the prosecution memo, it makes one think that this isnt a serious prosecutorial exercise, naw.
Was he live or memorex:
https://mobile.twitter.com/JerryDunleavy/status/1101159821322133504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
When the Republicans control Congress we get these NYT Headlines:
"Republicans attempt to make partisan points with XYZ Hearing"
But when the Democrats are in charge, the NYT Headline is:
"Congress holds XYZ hearing to determine truth"
LOL!
You forgot pounce, I'm a fan of political thrillers tales of intrigue but these are as half baked as Zak snyder's scripts.
They leave out much of the context I referred to:
https://www.adn.com/politics/2019/02/27/governor-fires-chair-of-alaska-oil-and-gas-commission/
Wow! And just when my narciso to English translation was getting pretty good, too.
I feel gypped.
In that last link petumenos is like zelig again.
“Can someone do me a big favor and translate for narcisco?"
I say his posts out loud which eliminates confusion caused by missing capitals and punctuation. Usually I feel I've missed reading some book which has a back story. I think that he usually is bringing forward the points that the locals would know about some story such as Gadaffi's death. These points generally get wiped out when the story is written up for Americans but narciso likes to bring them out. There's book called Cocktails From Hell by Colonel Austin Bay which tries to show oncoming wars as locals will see them as well how we see them. I struggle to understand it page by page and the same with narciso. There's a there there but mostly I'm not up to it. Miss American Memester, that's me.
skimming comments looking for narciso or buwaya
Breadth and depth of knowledge and insight, which can at times be confounding, and provoke a discerning, perhaps skeptical, thought.
Drago. We sold our house in NorCal and are moving to Boston to be near the grandkids
Howard: "Drago. We sold our house in NorCal and are moving to Boston to be near the grandkids
Egads man!
Southies!
Patriots fans!
At least you have easy access to chowder.
Comey admitted to lying to Trump and to stealing government documents to illegally leak to the press. Trump had many reasons to fire him.
Schiff helped Cohen prep as did Davis. This is the most helpful version of the testimony they could get from him.
why cohen wasn't really likely to flip:
https://www.eurozine.com/the-firtash-octopus/
yes the byline is from a Ukrainian provocateur,
"Blogger Freder Frederson said...
Mine was memory-holed as well, although one line of it was quoted in another post. I hope we're not going to have to start using the locution "He Who Must Not Be Named" when referring to Chuck.
Insulting Chuck is apparently fine. Meade apparently only gets bent out of shape when you call Michael K. bad names."
While you're basking in the glow of self indignation at being a victim. The blogging software sometimes drops comments when the traffic gets backed up. As cold and as heartless as this may sound,; you are not special. And the Althouse commentariat are richer thereby. Why? Because you don't post much, but when you do you don't post much.
Bob Kraft is my new tragic hero
Howard: "Bob Kraft is my new tragic hero"
LOL!
Howard, you are a perfect New England fit!
And Damn Those Yankees!!
I made this comment to Peggy Nonan's WSL op-ed.
"I draw your attention to pages 194 to 197 in Joseph Ellis’ book American Dialogue. In those pages Ellis points out that during the battle over the ratification of the Jay Treaty ( perhaps one of the most favorable treaties in US history) George Washington(!) was: accused of being a British spy; accused of sending Jay on the treaty mission so that Jay would be unable to preside over Washington’s impeachment; among other things. Many of the false accusations were prompted by Thomas Jefferson, that most righteous slave owner and “miscegenator”. This took place in 1794-5 less than 7 years after the Constitution was ratified.
The party of Jefferson and Jackson has had few scruples since its birth."
...The party of Jefferson and Jackson has had few scruples since its birth."
And what are those few scruples? Can anyone here name just one scruple???
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