"... in which Trump is said to have pressured the Ukrainian president to investigate the son of former vice president Joe Biden, according to three senior administration officials. Officials at the Office of Management and Budget relayed Trump’s order to the State Department and the Pentagon during an interagency meeting in mid-July, according to officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. They explained that the president had 'concerns' and wanted to analyze whether the money needed to be spent.... Trump’s order to withhold aid to Ukraine a week before his July 25 call with Volodymyr Zelensky is likely to raise questions about the motivation for his decision and fuel suspicions on Capitol Hill that Trump sought to leverage congressionally approved aid to damage a political rival."
WaPo reports.
Three senior administration officials.
One reason I have difficulty taking the cue to feel suspicious that "Trump sought to leverage congressionally approved aid to damage a political rival" is that I think Joe Biden is Trump's weakest rival and that Trump should prefer that Biden get through and become the candidate, not help knock him out of contention and give more formidable rivals a better shot. My hypothesis has been that Democrats wanted to forefront the problem with Biden and Ukraine to push him out of the race, because they can see that he'll be a terrible nominee and his poll numbers have stubbornly held strong. But I see his numbers remain strong, even with all the damaging news about him and Ukraine.
ADDED: I wrote "My hypothesis has been that Democrats wanted to forefront the problem with Biden," so let me show you were I said that. On September 21, I wrote: "For me, this reinforces the suspicion I aired yesterday, that the real motivation for surfacing this story now is to push Biden out." That links what I said on the 20th: "Is there some idea that this is the issue that will be used in the future against Biden and that it ought to come out now?"
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140 comments:
Do they have names, or are they anonymous too??
so, an anonymous whistle blower started a hoopla, about a phone call he hadn't heard...
now, Three unnamed Administration officials tell us about things that they didn't see?
Remember, the Obama administration twisted the Ukrainians' arms to investigate Manafort when he was running the Trump campaign, and Biden threatened to yank military aid when Ukraine was being invaded, in order to protect his son's position. These attacks on Trump are damage control.
What are the State Department's documents related to Vice President Biden compelling the Ukrainian Government to fire the Ukrainian prosecutor? In particular, are there documents ....
* proving that the prosecutor was corrupt?
* describing US consultations with EU governments about the prosecutor?
* describing EU approval -- before and after -- for Biden's actions?
* providing guidance to Biden for the firing demands?
* reporting afterwards about Biden's actions?
* advising the Ukrainian government about an acceptable replacement prosecutor?
* describing Hunter Biden's situation with the Ukrainian gas company?
* advising Joe Biden about his son's position in Ukraine?
Let the public see the relevant US Government documents!
Here we go again. Anonymous senior administration officials and a whistleblower who did not hear anything directly. I would think that means he/she did hear things secondhand. Well...this sounds so utterly similar. It'll be breathless fact for another 10 days, and then the reality will come out and we'll be left with another empty bag of hot breath.
And...before we hear all of the bloviating from Dem congresscritters, remember Obama's action on Ukraine when Russia invaded. Remember? Right- you can't. Because he did nothing. When they needed arms, he sent none. When they needed funds for arms, he refused.
Trump did. Yes...to hold off Russians. Goes against the narratives.
By the way...didn't Hillary with the Obama administration's help work with other nations to put together fake info to use against a political opponent? Or did that already get shoved under the carpet?
Althouse said ...
One reason I have difficulty taking the cue to feel suspicious that "Trump sought to leverage congressionally approved aid to damage a political rival"
The argument would have a little more heft to it if Giuliani and Trump had not already admitted that this is what they did.
David Frum said ...
If Nixon had used Trump's methods, there would never have been a "smoking gun" tape. He would just have blurted the whole thing to Walter Cronkite 48 hours after the break-in and brazened it all out
They explained that the president had 'concerns' and wanted to analyze whether the money needed to be spent.
Tomorrow we learn the list wasn’t just Ukraine and part of Trump’s larger concerns about US money going to corrupt countries worldwide.
It will run on page A 29.
They managed to keep the Russia hoax alive for two years, if they can do the same here, they figure they are golden.
It’s the same thing, Russia they were defending Clinton, now they are defending Biden. As Bill Clinton once said: “It’s hard for your opponent to badmouth you when you have your fist in his mouth.”
"But I see his numbers remain strong, even with all the damaging news about him and Ukraine."
I don't think much of America is seeing "all the damaging news."
We have had wall-to-wall coverage of Russia, and the various revolving-door 'reasons' for impeachment since before Trump took office.
Biden's actions have been mentioned, at best, grudgingly and in passing.
The time is long past due for Samson to push over the pillars.
I am Laslo.
"The argument would have a little more heft to it if Giuliani and Trump had not already admitted that this is what they did.”
I am not sure he admitted pressuring them by withholding aide, but Biden has certainly admitted pressuring them by withholding a billion dollars to get them to drop prosecution of the company his son worked for, but that’s not a problem, because he’s a Democrat!
Warren is weaker by far on the national stage.
And Biden is a garbage candidate.
I don’t believe WaPo. Why should I? Totally wrong about everything Trump the last five years.
This is just the appetizer for Biden.
The main course is how involved he will have been in the spying on Trump.
It’s the kind of thing he couldn’t have stayed away from.
The accusations of Juanita Broaddrick are far more credible than those of Deborah Ramirez. The accusations against Hunter Biden are far more credible than those against Trump. The media coverage of these events does much to subvert our trust in media coverage....The more outrage that Trump generates in the press, then the less I trust in the press.
Earlier this month, during a bipartisan meeting in Kiev, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) delivered a pointed message to Ukraine’s new president, Volodymyr Zelensky.
While choosing his words carefully, Murphy made clear — by his own account — that Ukraine currently enjoyed bipartisan support for its U.S. aid but that could be jeopardized if the new president acquiesced to requests by President Trump’s lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, to investigate past corruption allegations involving Americans, including former Vice President Joe Biden’s family.
Murphy boasted after the meeting that he told the new Ukrainian leader that U.S. aid was his country’s “most important asset” and it would be viewed as election-meddling and “disastrous for long-term U.S.-Ukraine relations” to bend to the wishes of Trump and Giuliani.. - The HIll
https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/462658-lets-get-real-democrats-were-first-to-enlist-ukraine-in-us-elections
Trump derangement syndrome can only be addressed by the corrections medical staff. Indict and convict these imbiciles for their own safety.
I think Trump was in the wrong to cheat on his wife with a porn star. If the press presented this as a case of marital infidelity and of a particularly crass type of infidelity, then I might determine that to be a factor in deciding Trump's fitness for continuing to hold the office of President. If, however, the press covers this as some type of impeachable offense, then I will rally to the President's side.
The Murphy anecdote is a powerful reminder that, since at least 2016, Democrats repeatedly have exerted pressure on Ukraine, a key U.S. ally for buffering Russia, to meddle in U.S. politics and elections.
And that activity long preceded Giuliani’s discussions with Ukrainian officials and Trump’s phone call to Zelensky in July, seeking to have Ukraine formally investigate whether then-Vice President Joe Biden used a threat of canceling foreign aid to shut down an investigation into $3 million routed to the U.S. firm run by Biden’s son.
As I have reported, the pressure began at least as early as January 2016, when the Obama White House unexpectedly invited Ukraine’s top prosecutors to Washington to discuss fighting corruption in the country.
The meeting, promised as training, turned out to be more of a pretext for the Obama administration to pressure Ukraine’s prosecutors to drop an investigation into the Burisma Holdings gas company that employed Hunter Biden and to look for new evidence in a then-dormant criminal case against eventual Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, a GOP lobbyist.. - The Hill
It’s not treason when Obama and Biden do it!
Let us not overthink this. The Biden Ukraine thing may just be something that came up and passed by in the course of events in the Trump administration.
The MSM and the Democrats (but I repeat myself) are trying to construct a narrative now by cherry-picking from long past events and making it all look connected and very suspicious, but that need not be how it happened.
You have to hand it to Democrats for balls. I think though that we might be approaching the ‘hubris’ phase of their domination of the US media. If they really think that they can keep this stuff out of political ads for Trump and that they can keep open minded voters from seeing those ads, well, that’s a little much.
I want to see more of that CFR talk in which Biden admitted using a billion dollars to leverage Ukrainian officials to fire a prosecutor investigating Hunter Biden.
Like the previous supposed Trump crimes; I'm failing to see the crime supposedly committed. Unless a law dictated that the Ukraine was to receive those funds, then it is entirely the President's decision. That's before we get into the conversation on motivation and the strength of the hearsay allegations.
DC swamp creatures really are living in a cocoon as to how this story is playing in the rest of the United States. I get that this story is also meant to get Biden, but overplaying your hand with frivolous talks of impeachment will hurt all Democrats.
Biden admitted that he threatened to withhold $1b. Can we retroactively impeach Biden?
Skylark,
Good point about press credibility. The most recent measurements show persuadable voters CANNOT be persuaded by the press. Trust is too low.
Trump wins 38+ states in 2020.
Sorry, that should have been directed at William.
I am tired of hearing about impeachment,impeachment, impeachment, ad nauseum.
If you want to “IMPEACH THE MOTHER#%&$ER!!!” then get on with it.
By all means, impeach Trump with this economy over... UKRAINE. There’s a high crime or misdemeanor for ya.
Please. Do it. It’ll be a hoot. I’m sure you can get two-thirds of the Senate to go along with it. By all means. Piece of cake.
This is all so silly, day-in and day-out. The Big Enemedia look like fools. No one will believe the coverage in 2020.
The Democrats keep playing with matches.
Eventually the Reichstag will catch fire?
I am Laslo.
We're still going through "impeachment" of Trump because he noticed Hillary committed crimes, and said so.
Yet, some are surprised the same people are calling for Trump to be impeached because Biden committed crimes, Trump noticed, and said so.
Waiting until the phone call or after to confirm giving the funds to Ukraine makes perfect negotiating sense. Why show your hole card before you have to? There are more issues on the table with the Ukraine than Hunter Biden. The US would look stupid if we gave them the money and a week later they told us to bugger off.
Commenters are whistleblowers.
I would love to hear ARM explain how it was different when Obama Biden admitted to what so far, Trump has only been accused of by a hearsay witness and weak circumstantial evidence.
In written answers to questions, Ambassador Valeriy Chaly's office says DNC contractor Alexandra Chalupa sought information from the Ukrainian government on Paul Manafort’s dealings inside the country in hopes of forcing the issue before Congress.
Chalupa later tried to arrange for Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to comment on Manafort’s Russian ties on a U.S. visit during the 2016 campaign, the ambassador said. - The Hill
https://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/441892-ukrainian-embassy-confirms-dnc-contractor-solicited-trump-dirt-in-2016
German for whistle blower is information giver.
If only Adam Schiff had seen the evidence and could give the public some sort of guarantee about its severity.
Believe it or not, I used to take the pro Global Warming side because I naively thought that that’s what the science said, but after a few bouts of being embarrassed in debate by commenters who were clearly better informed, I changed sides. What does ARM do when the evidence points away from his position? He digs in!
Ukraine was the first Soviet contact I made as a kid in the 50s, when the Russians started talking (= being allowed to talk). UB5 back then. They've changed their prefix so you never know what country you're talking to today.
German for whistle blower is information giver.
Clinton for whistleblower is White House intern.
Except the outgoing foreign and defense chiefs admits no weapons failed to arrive, a ukr inform piece takes account of all the weapons they did receive
$400 million in military aid for Ukraine
WTF, over. That should be withheld retroactively and permanently.
Trump should accuse the Democrats of “whataboutism” on this Ukraine thing.
Kevin above is correct. If Biden shows up in Council Bluffs again, that’s my question to him. What did you know about the FBI spying on the Trump campaign.
Who else was on the board of burisma, the ex president of poland who was with the hapsburg group, and the fmr head of company counter terror, cofer black.
Omb has nothing with money already appropriated.
I was thinking along the same lines this morning: Good reasons for the left to attack Trump over Ukraine.
1. It could hurt Trump*
2. It will reveal how corrupt and stupid former Sen, VP and front runner Biden is before it is too late.
*The broad public pretty much move-on after each false accusation ends up making Trump look like the victim, but there is a molten core of the left who just add together each debunked thing into their rage pile.
I think Joe Biden is Trump's weakest rival and that Trump should prefer that Biden get through and become the candidate.
I understand why a retired college professor would think Joe from Scranton is a weaker candidate than a faux-Indian Harvard professor, or some Jewish guy from Brooklyn, or a gay guy from South Bend, or some Indian-Jamaican chick from Oakland. But I'm pretty sure retired college professors are not part of the white working class who will actually decide the next election.
I predict the majority of voters are concluding that this continuous Democrat Chicken Little act is getting old. Further, I expect, the Trumpster has some high cards left in his hand.
After Putin annexed Crimea, and virtually invaded western Ukraine, Congress approved sending Ukraine military aid.
Obama's State Dept. refused to send Ukraine any defensive weaponry. Eventually, Obama did send Ukraine "military aid" in the form of MRE's and blankets. It wasn't until Trump took office did they receive defensive weapons.
400 million in military aid is chump change, right?
The Chinese and the Ukrainians were bribing the Vice President's son.
Putting Trump on trial brings Biden amd Clinton and Obama in.
There won't be any impeachment, just talk of impeachment.
Oh whitey bulgers nephew was also in on this through rosemomt.
Skylark said...
Believe it or not, I used to take the pro Global Warming side
I'm Still Totally Pro Global Warming!
Winter is Coming! The Only thing that can stop resumption of this ice age is Man Made Global Warming!
We All NEED to work together, as much as we can; and Bring About Change
So Trump says "pull my finger" for the next 13 months.
CO2 warming is not going to stop the next ice age. Their mechanisms triggers and climate sensitivity are completely different.
While Earnest Prole was sticking with identity politics above, I think voters are much more likely to care about policies.
Also the anger of Democrats is off putting.
But Lefties want to see things in identity politics' terms.
Stupid.
Howard is here to learn us some science.
The impeachment shit is just to keep both party's bases excited. The real question is will it get Millenials to the polls?
Birkel: don't worry your pretty little head about such things
When do we get to the part where Trump did something he wasn't allowed to do?
If this is it, what's the law, rule, or norm that he violated that we're supposed to be upset about?
I think Trump was in the wrong to cheat on his wife with a porn star
Reviving an old slur based on zero evidence aside from a photo at a golf tournament is just giving a blackmailer credence.
There are serious issues being discussed.
Obama/Biden were allies of Putin. No missile defense for Poland. "Tell Vlad I'll be more flexible..."
Long story short-
Obama, Hillary, democrats, et.al., we're working with Russia.
Now they want Trump impeached for working with Russia.
Obama, democrats, et,al, we're screwing over Ukraine.
Now they want Trump impeached for screwing over Ukraine.
Speaking of Ukraine, wait until everyone finds out what Paul Manafort, Tony Podesta, and Robert Mueller have in common.
tim m: I don't think reality is part of Kabuki Theatre
Q.: “Saying things for Trump, not always being truthful about it — do you ever worry that this will be your legacy? Does that ever worry you in any way?”
A.: “Absolutely. I am afraid it will be on my gravestone. ‘Rudy Giuliani: He lied for Trump.’ Somehow, I don’t think that will be it. But, if it is, so what do I care? I’ll be dead.”
Giuliani and Trump are the family values candidates:
Rudy Giuliani attends White House dinner with the woman he denied he was having an affair with during divorce from third wife
It just gets more ridiculous, because they just print fusion press releases. Zylochevsky investigation was reinstated in june, so why would they suspend weapons shipments.
Well heres the thing podeata weber and manafort were tied to the polish ex president on the boatd of burisma. The fired prosecutor refuzed to frame tymochenko in 2001.
I think Biden got in the race because he had to. Its hard to accuse Trump of colluding with foreign governments to attack you because you are a political opponent unless you are actually a political opponent.
Bidens tax plan, abolishes the step up, so any appreciation of assets you're going to get soaked for.
What this tells me is that even Democrats know how bad their professed policies are, and to win, they can't just up their debate.
Does Donald Trump Want to Be Impeached?
The answer is yes. The interesting question is: Why does Donald Trump want to be impeached? Is it psychopathology or shrewd political instincts. Where's Chuck?
Another benefit of getting this Biden/Ukraine thing out there now: If it knocks Biden out of the race and hurts Trump in the process, great! That was the plan. If Biden survives, then later, when Republicans bring up his corruption, the pat response will be this is old news and thus irrelevant. It is win, win, win for the left.
"CO2 warming is not going to stop the next ice age. Their mechanisms triggers and climate sensitivity are completely different.”
No, the real reason it’s not going to stop the next ice age is because that would be a good thing, and the narrative would be confounded. You have to read science reporting like Pravda now. The literature is still good most of the time, and self correcting, but the reporting? Not so much.
My hypothesis has been that Democrats wanted to forefront the problem with Biden and Ukraine to push him out of the race, because they can see that he'll be a terrible nominee
I agree.
For Clinton, whistle-blower meant getting the attention of the fellater
"Why does Donald Trump want to be impeached?”
You are the one who can read his mind.
And you know what a good way to get Althouse over to your side would be? To answer points made against you instead of just flinging fresh half baked context omitted accusations.
The Democrats have been four flushing since the Iran deal, at least, and on climate change, of course, and on the Russia hoax, and the Charlottesville hoax, and when you ask them to show that fifth card.... Change the subject.
It seems obvious to me that pressuring a country not to investigate gross corruption is a bad thing, even when it helps one's friends, allies, or relatives, and that pressuring a country to investigate gross corruption is a good thing, even when it damages one's political enemies. Equating the two is deeply dishonest, or irretrievably stupid.
Clinton for whistleblower is White House intern.
I thought it was corpse.
"I thought it was corpse.”
Suicidee.
Why are we giving all our money to these foreign governments?
Media still not curious about how Hunter Biden managed to make 50,000 a month in a business he knows nothing about, after some guy in the Ukraine was fired after Joe pressed him to be fired.
If DJT wants to be impeached, it's to guarantee a rope-a-dope fight
Help me understand this, because I'm truly not following this very closely:
1. Biden leverages a foreign aid payment to Ukraine with an express ultimatum requiring Ukraine to fire the prosecutor who is investigating Hunter Biden. And he admits to this on camera.
2. It works; Ukraine fires the prosecutor.
3. Trump becomes POTUS and reportedly encourages Ukraine to investigate Hunter Biden and -- is this right? -- other Americans who may be involved in corruption in Ukraine.
4. At the same time as "3,", Trump holds up a foreign aid payment to Ukraine "for at least a week" without ever imposing any ultimatum as Biden did in "1," or even expressly linking the aid payment to Ukraine's investigation of HB et al.
What am I missing? As I see it, even if "3" and "4" are true, Trump's object in the affair is not corrupt, unless we take it as a given that Hunter Biden, simply by virtue of being the son of a 2020 rival of Trump's, enjoys absolute immunity from any inquiry into his overseas activities. Obviously, Ukraine was already investigating HB before Trump became president and Ukraine only pulled the plug on the investigation because of JB's seemingly corrupt ultimatum. Is Trump really obliged to sit back and do nothing about the situation merely out of deference to the fact that Joe Biden is a political rival? Seems like a tough argument to make to the American people.
Note that, by the same principle that supposedly protects JB/HB from scrutiny for their activities in Ukraine, Trump's administration can't reopen the investigation concerning HRC's emails, or investigate spying/FISA misconduct, or any past allegations that could be construed as embarrassing to the Dems. Pretty good deal for the Dems! If they win in 2016, those thing WON'T be investigated by them. If they lose, then Trump CAN'T investigate them. They operate with complete impunity.
I think it's obvious the media(D) are attempting to knee-cap Biden all while they continue their non-stop 'Trump is a criminal for...' talking to someone... BS.
Whose pair of titties should you see to become a wolf-whistleblower?
@Conread...
Help me understand this, because I'm truly not following this very closely:
1. Biden leverages a foreign aid payment to Ukraine with an express ultimatum requiring Ukraine to fire the prosecutor who is investigating Hunter Biden. And he admits to this on camera.
2. It works; Ukraine fires the prosecutor.
3. Trump becomes POTUS and reportedly encourages Ukraine to investigate Hunter Biden and -- is this right? -- other Americans who may be involved in corruption in Ukraine.
4. At the same time as "3,", Trump holds up a foreign aid payment to Ukraine "for at least a week" without ever imposing any ultimatum as Biden did in "1," or even expressly linking the aid payment to Ukraine's investigation of HB et al.
I think you got it.
Corruption is a built-in feature on the left. NO ONE is to question it. EVER.
I think it's too clever to think Democrats are using this issue to get Biden out of the race but I'm not close enough to leftie inside baseball. I could see if it was a Camp Obama/Camp Clinton turf war but then I don't see how Hillary gets to be President. If she is using Biden as a battering ram she still needs him. Winging him now does her no good...
oops @ Conrad.
Why do you people study what you refer to as fake news? It's poisoning your mind and stealing your life.
When do we begin impeachment proceedings of almost every democrat in congress and the senate?
gilbar said...
so, an anonymous whistle blower started a hoopla, about a phone call he hadn't heard...
now, Three unnamed Administration officials tell us about things that they didn't see?
This is the most coherent analysis of the situation I've seen. WaPo and NYT seem to be muddying the waters as a Clinton would say...
Very nice synopsis, ConradBibby - thanks!
I haven’t been paying any attention to this scandal, so forgive me in advance that I know none of the details. I am inclined to believe as our host does that this was a Dem hit job to get Biden out of the race. There is little chance that I would ever vote for Biden, but I’ve been lately coming around to the possibility of voting for him. Whatever this scandal might entail, I doubt it will do much to change my opinion of him. In fact, it might make me like him more.
Perhaps Hunter Biden, Chelsea Clinton and John Kerry's stepson, can get together and write a book about grrrrl power?
And how to live large off of geo-political family connections-for-cash.
lol...
John Kerry’s stepson rushed to play damage control at the State Department after his business partner Hunter Biden cut a deal with an oligarch-owned Ukrainian gas company in 2014, according to internal State Department correspondence obtained by the Washington Examiner.
but damn that Trump family for building hotels and shit.
Via Lucianne:
Earlier this month, during a bipartisan meeting in Kiev, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) delivered a pointed message to Ukraine’s new president, Volodymyr Zelensky. While choosing his words carefully, Murphy made clear — by his own account — that Ukraine currently enjoyed bipartisan support for its U.S. aid but that could be jeopardized if the new president acquiesced to requests by President Trump’s lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, to investigate past corruption allegations involving Americans, including former Vice President Joe Biden’s family.
The Washington Post has a list of 205 names ...
The time is long past due for Samson to push over the pillars.
I am Laslo.
9/24/19, 6:50 AM
-----------
Firstly off you want to get them all into the temple. Picture, if you will, US Marshals serving papers on the floor of the Democratic convention. What a hoot. I'd even turn on the TV for that.
but Trump said something... and that is illegal.
It's illegal for Trump to suck in air. It's illegal for him to speak about leftwing corruption. Nazi deep-state Whistleblower to the rescue. Rachel waves her arms hysterically and proclaims -- "We've got him now!"
Why do you people study what you refer to as fake news?
The answer is in your question.
Thou shalt not upset the order of things.
The order of things is as follows: The D-hack press is an ARM to the D-hack party. Any corruption will be swept under the Clinton rug. SNL will cement with a joke mocking Rudy. The loyal hive-mind will remain satisfied.
Skylark
Google kept Tulsi Gabbard ads off the web during the debates.
Google has banned the company that streamed Trump rallies from YouTube.
Facebook patented shadow banning just last month.
NBC has refused GOP ads.
"Why do you people study what you refer to as fake news?”
Oh, the news is in there, it’s just protected by a bodyguard of lies. One could ask why you read this blog, and I am sure you would answer entertainment, and it’s just possible that we have the same motivation.
Tulsi Gabbard is a Mussolini grade fascist. I mean a corporatist (which doesn’t mean what the left tells you it means) just going by her ads. I don’t know why you guys are so enamored of her. Is she hot or something?
Earnest Prole,
Why do Ann and I and others think biden is a weak candidate?
Speaking only for myself, I suggest you look at how many vps have run for president over the past 200 years.
How many have succeeded?
Then look at the track record of all those who got in by election or death or resignation.
Any successful presidencies in the lot?
Coolidge. TR perhaps.
Any others whose presidencies you'd like to repeat?
And Biden is even worse than most.
John Henry
How's that FISA investigation going?
Sigh...
@Althouse, “WaPo reports” has been very different from “true” for some time now, has it not?
Trump will lead them to the impeachment proceedings. At this point the country is so divided, it's time to throw down.
Impeachment proceedings would probably unveil a lot of information the Democrats and Deep State do not want released publicly.
There is also a defense, and Trumps will be an offense.
DO IT!! I TRIPLE DOG DARE YOU!!
John, I read you had a 6.0 earthquake. Stay safe.
I've been thinking how little I would care even if Trump had done exactly what the whistleblower is said to have said, even if we set aside what Biden has bragged about doing (which I find it hilarious to think I should).
If Trump had done what the impeach-the-MFer crowd prays he has done, I would say it was improper. An abuse of power. He shouldn't pull that crap.
But, see, I was a young man in the Clinton administration, when the pervasive defense of whatever old Bill had done was, "Oh, they all do it [lie, cheat on their wives, etc.]" And I tend to guess that when it comes to offering other countries great big bags of money, Trump wouldn't be the first president to attach inappropriate strings and he won't be the last.
Doesn't make it OK. But it does mean I'm not immediately sold that this is a unique outrage, a new low even for this president, who has told 37,524 certified lies since riding the escalator, probably dozens more by the time I hit Publish, and may well be in violation of the Emoluments Clause to boot.
Here's Kevin McCarthy at National Review:
"In our system, the conduct of foreign policy is a nigh plenary authority of the chief executive. The only exceptions are explicitly stated in the Constitution (Congress regulates foreign commerce, the Senate must approve treaties, etc.). Congress may not enact statutes that limit the president’s constitutional power to conduct foreign policy; the Constitution may not be amended by statute.
Consistent with this principle, the Justice Department has long adhered to the so-called “clear statement” rule: If the express terms of a statute do not apply its provisions to the president, then the statute is deemed not to apply to the president if its application would conflict with the president’s constitutional powers."
Replying to Laslo Spatula Daily Presidential Tracking Poll (53%)
Rasmussenreports.com ^
Posted on 9/24/2019, 9:41:14 AM by DadOfFive
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Tuesday shows that 53% of Likely U.S. Voters approve of President Trump’s job performance. Forty-five percent (45%) disapprove.
(Excerpt) Read more at rasmussenreports.com …
What exactly does a Ukrainian natural gas company stand to gain by hiring Hunter Biden anyways?
’What exactly does a Ukrainian natural gas company stand to gain by hiring Hunter Biden anyways?’
Maybe David Begley could add that to his list of questions for Joe.
"What exactly does a Ukrainian natural gas company stand to gain by hiring Hunter Biden anyways?”
Why did Gazprom give John Podesta all of that stock in a subsidiary? His sage advice? Certainly they were not paying for access! This is Hillary we are talking about!
July general election matchup polls showed Biden doing the best against Trump.
I have to agree with Ann that this is a strike at Biden by his own cronies. I am not sure it is wise on their part because if we thought Hillary was unlikeable Warren has got her beat hands down .... and she wants to tax anyone and everything that moves. I do not want to underestimate the Dem chances just because of demographics, but their primary campaign is the damndest thing I have seen watching American politics for over 50 years. Just who are they trying to appeal to?
I like how it's ILLEGAL to ask for Dirt on a Democrat.
Are democrats above the the dirt?
If so - why?
"who has told 37,524 certified lies”
I guess every time he expresses an incorrect opinion or contradicts a Democrat, that’s a lie.
Blogger rehajm said...
What exactly does a Ukrainian natural gas company stand to gain by hiring Hunter Biden anyways?
Influence.
Does HB have some sort of special knowledge of Ukraine, Russia, Crimea? No.
Does he have expertise in natural gas? No.
He's a well-connected lawyer and lobbyist. That's it. There is absolutely no other reason for this or any other private firm to hire Hunter Biden.
" like how it's ILLEGAL to ask for Dirt on a Democrat”
Valeriy Chaly, the Ukrainian ambassador to the United States at the time, confirmed to me in a statement issued by his office that, in March 2016, a contractor for the Democratic National Committee (DNC) pressed his embassy to try to find any Russian dirt on Trump and Manafort that might reside in Ukraine’s intelligence files.. - The Hill
It’s the ‘R’ after his name honey.
Anybody who had an eye on getting rich off of corruption and influence peddling would be a fool not to become a Democrat just for the press protection. Ask John Menendez - D NJ.
Along with I think John Kerry’s son.
Howard,
So you're saying my time employed as a research chemist was wasted?
I believe you.
Biden's poll numbers remain strong because Sanders is absurd, Warren is terrifying, everyone else has failed to launch, and Biden could make a respectable sacrificial goat.
Major Democratic figures are basically immune to scandals / corruption.
Examples:
Aswan Brothers
Clinton emails
Fisagate
Attempted coup by FBI / Justice Department
IRS tea party targeting
Fast and Furious
Nobody Democratic has gone to jail for the above.
With this history, I doubt the Democrats thought bringing up Ukraine would hurt Biden.
With the msm silencing wrong think, it was a very low risk bring up the Ukraine scandal to use it against Trump.
Obama, chief executive, commander in chief, appears to be golden. As if he always voted present.
Red,
Didn't feel a thing
I'm in La Vegas this week.
I'll get a report from my wife tonight.
Doesn't seem like it hurt anything though
John Henry
Eventually the Reichstag will catch fire?
It already has under a layer of privacy. The question is if "good" Americans will persist. The historical precedent is that they will, and reform from within will be attempted and fail with progress. Trump is either a perturbation in the status quo or will effect a conservation of principles. We live in interesting times.
Maybe PR should turn themselves into a mini Macau?
Mini Monaco?
Red
First I'd heard Macau.
Lots of talk by govt for the past 30 years or so about becoming Singapore.
No actual effort to make it happen. Just lots of talk for the punters.
John Henry
While Earnest Prole was sticking with identity politics above, I think voters are much more likely to care about policies.
It apparently didn’t occur to you I was taking Trump’s side over Althouse’s — or in terms you can understand, taking Dad’s side over Mom’s.
Why do Ann and I and others think biden is a weak candidate? Speaking only for myself, I suggest you look at how many vps have run for president over the past 200 years.
Look, the task here isn’t to think like a political scientist or historian, it's to think like Trump -- otherwise I would have repeated my comment of a month or so ago that in my lifetime no Democrat over 55 has had success running for President. I guarantee you Trump hasn’t the slightest idea of the history of VPs running for President, and if someone told him he wouldn’t care. Trump is entirely intuitive: He knows in his heart the kind of person who would support him, and he knows how to appeal to him. Biden is the only Democratic candidate who has any chance whatsoever of appealing to that same person, so Trump intuitively understands Biden is the guy to beat.
THEY'RE CLOSING IN ON HIM!.
"Reviving an old slur based on zero evidence aside from a photo at a golf tournament is just giving a blackmailer credence."
True. I myself have been known to give 130,000 dollars to random women I'm not sleeping with for their silence.
True. I myself have been known to give 130,000 dollars to random women I'm not sleeping with for their silence.
I would too, if I could hit them for $300K later in court.
This is "Anonymous sourced Attack Trump story No. 143 and will endsup being false or a big nothing burger. Just like they all have. Evidently, the Liberals and Never trumpers never get their fill of Fake News.
Are the walls closing in yet?
I more or less agree with Earnest Prole except for one thing- I don't think Biden is physically up for another 14 months of campaigning. Were Biden even 6 years younger, he definitely would have the political profile to be a formidable opponent for Trump.
All in all, I still think Harris is the most dangerous of the candidates for Trump even with her inept primary campaign to date. A healthy, scandal free Biden could definitely cut into Trumps support in the upper midwest in a fatal way, though. Biden's real problem isn't that the Democrats think he is weak, but rather that he is a white male. If this is an attempt to bring Biden down by the Democrats, then it isn't based on them really knowing he is the weakest opponent for Trump, but rather he isn't the sort of candidate they even want to have to support in 2020.
Earnest Prole:
Who cares what side you believe you're taking?
When your premises are wrong, I'm here to help.
Who cares what side you believe you're taking?
When the grown-up talk goes over your head remember there will always be juice in your sippy cup at the kids' table.
We discussed the timing for the impeachment, sooner rather than later, the other day. The Democrats needed to find an excuse and this Ukraine story is the best they could muster. I vote this disclosure certainly does not benefit Biden.
The only reason Biden had a lead in the Dem race was because he represented the safe and familiar and a way to unify and avoid a nast,y messy campaign. I don't think mainstream Americans will like the messiness of this politically motivated impeachment at all. Plus, the more we look into Hunter Biden and his professional career(s), the less likely we would ever want Joe Biden in the White House. He'll be the biggest loser.
See NY Post excerpt of “Secret Empires: How the American Political Class Hides Corruption and Enriches Family and Friends,” by Peter Schweizer, Inside the shady private equity firm run by Kerry and Biden’s kids Reading about Hunter Biden's connections and career is like watching a tv series about the corruption of big money/big politics. Except that for him it's the real deal. We want that in the White House? No.
Meanwhile Trump keeps truckin' along discussing the economy, his great unemployment records for African Americans, Hispanic Americans, etc. The way the Dem's are going, Trump is going to look like the sane one.
Yes, I can tell how very adult you are.
Meanwhile identity politics got Hillary elected.
Remember?
Because women vote with their vaginas and are the majority.
So your argument about identity politics is correct.
P.S. You're not fooling anybody.
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