October 14, 2019

It's like Trump's "perfect" phone call.

"Why Democrats are sure Adam Schiff is the perfect person to take on Trump" (NBC).

Apparently, "perfect" has become a perfectly silly word.

From the silly puff piece:
Schiff's style — so measured in tone that his partisan edges can be missed as easily as his dry humor — provides the kind of contrast fellow Democrats hope make the 59-year-old father of two [a] tough... match for Trump...

"He's a methodical, boring guy, but that's what you need," said one House colleague who spoke on the condition of anonymity to give a candid assessment of Schiff without fear of harming their relationship....
So Schiff is scary enough to intimidate a colleague who only wants to compliment him, where the compliment includes the iffy item "boring."
"He will be regarded as a generational leader when our national security and nothing less than the republic was on the line," [Eric Swalwell, D-Calif.] told NBC news....

"Schiff has become part celebrity and part political powerhouse — holding the keys to unlock the vindication box that Democrats and everyday Americans have been salivating for," said Dave Jacobson, a Democratic strategist in Southern California. "Given that California is a bastion of deep-blue progressivism, there is only an upside to this impeachment effort for Schiff."
Are you salivating for the vindication box? Here's Schiff! He's holding the keys!

Since taking the reins of the impeachment investigation, Schiff has moved most of the proceedings behind closed doors.... Last week, White House counsel Pat Cipollone wrote a scathing letter to House leaders in which he said the administration would not participate in the impeachment inquiry if Pelosi and the chairmen of House committees did not alter their process.

After Marie Yovanovitch, the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, defied the White House's decree and testified Friday in a secure room in the Capitol, GOP lawmakers criticized Schiff for not letting them ask questions in public.

"Not one single thing said in there was classified, not one single thing said in either their transcribed interview last week or the deposition this week is something that the American people should not be able to see and hear," said Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio. "And the real question is, why the secrecy? Why is Adam Schiff — why is Adam Schiff — we're talking about the impeachment of the president of the United States, why the secrecy?"

Schiff said he is most concerned with conducting the inquiry in a way that doesn't allow the president or witnesses to alter their stories to fit the facts.

"I have no doubt that the president and those around him would like to be able to tailor their stories to the witness testimony," he said.
Perfection?
Some Democrats privately acknowledge that he had went too far in the past in pointing to evidence of collusion between Trump's team and Russia, and Schiff provided new fodder for his adversaries at the outset of the Ukraine scandal when he read at an Intelligence Committee hearing a mock summary of the White House's partial transcript of the president's July call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

“I hear what you want. I have a favor I want from you, though, and I'm gonna say this only seven times, so you better listen good," Schiff said, attempting to deliver a caricature of the conversation. “I want you to make up dirt on my political opponent, understand? Lots of it.”

A furious Trump claimed Schiff was trying to pass that off as the real phone call, demanded that he resign and suggested that the lawmaker might be detained on charges of treason — a crime that involves waging war against the United States or abetting its enemies, and which is punishable by death.
But Democrats are "sure" he's the "perfect person" to take on Trump, so the NBC theory has to be that Schiff's devious trick — which Trump is using against him — was just the right thing to do (according to Democrats).
In a Sept. 17 interview on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," Schiff said, "We have not spoken directly with the whistleblower."

His staff later acknowledged that the whistleblower, who remains anonymous, had contacted an Intelligence Committee aide before filing the complaint with the inspector general for the intelligence community, a revelation that led the Washington Post's fact-checker to give Schiff a full "four Pinocchios" for his original statement.

On CBS’s "Face the Nation" on Sunday, Schiff said that he should have been "much more clear" about contact with the whistleblower. What he meant to indicate, he said, was that the committee had not had a chance to discuss the complaint with the whistleblower once it was filed.
4 Pinocchios? Perfect! Maybe a big shameless liar is just what Democrats think is perfect for taking on Trump.

45 comments:

rhhardin said...

Some Democrats privately acknowledge that he had went too far in the past

Imperfect past perfect.

rhhardin said...

It's the Schiff of state. The perfect name.

Seeing Red said...

Hooey. BTW, it seems Hunter Biden will be on GMA tomorrow and anything can be asked.

Via Lucianne and I hope the process server gets Hunter: Hunter Biden was paid an undisclosed amount of money as a consultant by MBNA as his father pushed legislation to help the credit card industry.Hunter Biden was 31 in 2001 when MBNA started paying the US Senator’s son as a consultant. Hunter Biden at 21 was well on his way making a career for himself as a top Democrat Senator’s son. (Tweet) CBS News reported: A son of Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden was paid an undisclosed amount of money as a consultant by MBNA, the largest employer in Delaware,...

Michael K said...

Schiff is the personification of the California Democrats. The governor vetoed a bill that would,likely have prevented the Paradise fir. The state is burning up because of refusal to thin brush and trees that are dry tinder. CALPERS is heavily invested in China. The state employee pensions are grossly underfunded. The state budget is heavily dependent on income tax.

It's a house of cards. Everybody who can is thinking of leaving.

Limited blogger said...

It's sad that the 'impeachable offense' has not been committed yet.

All these traps have been laid, and they await Trump stepping in one.

Temujin said...

He is apparently perfect because he, like Trump, has no shame. However, at some point, the accuser is going to have to have some actual and real evidence of a crime. Not hearsay. Not fictional creative dossiers. Not anonymous sources, or media 'leaks'. Real, actual evidence of a crime.

Or he should be tarred and feathered along with the rest of them.

David Begley said...

Since Trump comes from the WFF in order to beat him the Dems need a Face. Someone like Stone Cold Steve Austin. Or Hulk Hogan. Or Barron Von Raschke.

Susan said...

Regular Americans are salivating for impeachment? But not deplorables, eh?

Deplorables think bug-eyed Shiff has the opposite of a calm measured demeanor. But what do they know?

Only that, so far, they can feel free to think what they want about representatives from California without being worried about calm and measured retaliation because Trump is between them and us.

William said...

"His partisan edges can be missed as easily as his dry humor". Holy shit. How deep in the hole do you have to be to make an observation like that. Many of Dahmer's ex lovers could not appreciate the subtlety of his seduction techniques and his deadpan humor.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

It's the Schiff of state. The perfect name.

I was just thinking of the weight shift formula you probably know something about.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

The corrupt democrat party press is pimping their liar Schitt. What a shock.

stevew said...

Schiff is the (national) fall guy for this pathetic attempt to remove Trump from office. They're buttering him up so he doesn't catch on. He's buying it because there were no consequences for his years long lying about Russia and Trump. In the past, Schiff would have been subjected to censure for his behaviors.

There won't be any negative consequences for Schiff this time either. He's in a safe district and actually doing what his constituents want done. Failure will not be blamed on Adam by the local voters, and Nancy and the crew can blame him to protect themselves. Win-Win!

chickelit said...

Choosy mothers choose Schiff.

Get a whiff of Schiff

WhoKnew said...

"On CBS’s "Face the Nation" on Sunday, Schiff said that he should have been "much more clear" about contact with the whistleblower. What he meant to indicate, he said, was that the committee had not had a chance to discuss the complaint with the whistleblower once it was filed."
There was no need for the committee to discuss the complaint once it was filed since they had told him exactly what to say, they likely even hired the lawyer he used to draft the complaint. This entire shit show is a set up, the only real question is whether we will ever learn the details of how it was orchestrated. We know enough to know it's a coup being run by the CIA and the FBI. Matt Taibbi's column is a must read https://taibbi.substack.com/p/were-in-a-permanent-coup?fbclid=IwAR0jsXsiS4K-64AHDFM3EWMUlmi87jHV8JGKt8q0NVv4r_kqC-fpa4KWUMw

JAORE said...

William at 9:31 made my comment (but stated it far better than I ever could have done.)

TrespassersW said...

Schiff said he is most concerned with conducting the inquiry in a way that doesn't allow the president or witnesses to alter their stories to fit the facts.

Meanwhile, keeping it all in a Cone of Silence allows Team D and the Lickspittle Media(TM)--but I repeat myself--to alter the stories to fit the Orange Man Bad narrative.

Scott said...

Schiff's style — so measured in tone that his partisan edges can be missed as easily as his dry humor — provides the kind of contrast fellow Democrats hope make the 59-year-old father of two [emph added] [a] tough... match for Trump...

Why did NBC insert "father of two" here? After describing his "measured tone" and "dry humor," I think this otherwise irrelevant fact is NBC's way of saying "Adam Schiff is not gay."

It's sad how reporters for progressive-biased news outlets feel it clever, or even necessary, to traffick in homophobic stereotypes.

And yeah, I'm gay, and Schiff's prissy demeanor had me fooled. But so what? His eagerness to trash the institutions he serves is a far more important issue.

traditionalguy said...

At this point Ed Bucks running buddy from the Standard Hotel Fun and Games Nights has the freedom of nothing left to lose. He is a dead man walking.

JAORE said...

In a sane world no one would listen to a word Schiff has to say until he unveils the PROOF (!) he has that Trump colluded with Russia and the Mueller report would reveal it.

But, nope, two or three years of lying, no harm, no foul.

In a sane world that "parody" of the transcript delivered as fact in a formal hearing as if fact would disqualify Schiff for any further role in the inquiry.

But, nope,just a joke, just a joke.

Nadler is the usual committee chair for this stuff. But he's dull and MIGHT not outright lie.

So, yeah, Schiff is perfect.

William said...

Look it up in Webster's under ... pap !

Sebastian said...

"He's a methodical, boring guy"

This is said about the guy who lied for almost three years as he peddled the Russia collusion hoax.

The compliments for Schiff just confirm what we deplorables have known for years: that the Dems have no values but power and more power. None has expressed any contrition about peddling lies. None has taken Schiff to task for his methodical lying. They are fine with the coup: they just want to finish the job.

So, Althouse, are you still neutral between the coup plotters and the coup target?

Kevin said...

If all this were true, the media wouldn’t need to point it out to you.

If Schiff we’re doing well, the news would be on what he found rather than on his personality.

rcocean said...

Schiff is a liar and he gets away with it because the D's and media (one and the same) are on his side. He lied throughout Trump-Russia and he's lying now. Notice that the D's will only criticize him "privately", whereas the R's in Congress are full of "Mavericks" who just can't wait to criticize Trump and win plaudits from the Left.

Where are the "Moderate" Democrats in all this? They're AWOL - just like they were during the Kavanaugh confirmation. Why voters keep following for the D who talks moderate at home, and votes with Pelosi/Shcumer in DC is beyond me.

Michael said...

Why is it every time I see Schiff, I think of South Park's Mr Garrison?

Kevin said...

In other news, Mueller is a straight-shooting Republican lawman, perfect for the job of uncovering all the links between Trump and Russia.

JAORE said...

Hunter Biden will be on GMA tomorrow and anything can be asked.

Can? Sure. Will? Not likely with a near certainty that tough follow up questions will remain unasked.

Kevin said...

Trumps use of the word perfect is so successful, the media is picking it up and repeating it.

They’re now trying to bring Schiff UP to the level of the call that’s supposedly illegal, unconstitutional, and ending democracy.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Media happy to shovel Soviet Schitt. Perfect.

Ken B said...

So the Democrat's new Platonic Ideal Of a trial is the Star Chamber?

Closed doors, secret witnessses, no questions, subpoenas without a vote, lies about the evidence.

gilbar said...

JAORE said...
In a sane world no one would listen to a word Schiff has to say until he unveils the PROOF (!) he has that Trump colluded with Russia and the Mueller report would reveal it.


It's not Like we are watching two movies... We are LITERALLY watching two movies
I talked to my 87 year old knee jerk liberal mom last night; and she Told me that:
*It was Conclusively PROVEN that Trump had colluded with the Russians
*It was Conclusively PROVEN that Trump had colluded with the Russians' enemy, the Ukrainians
*It was Conclusively PROVEN that Jo Biden had, IN NO WAY, pressured the Ukrainians
*It was Conclusively PROVEN that Trump told the Ukrainians SEVEN TIMES to obey him

Now, my mom is (like i said,) 87 years old; and NOT the sharpest Hoe in the tool shed.
But, she's not Ignorant;
"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." Samuel Clemens

Lance said...

They said the same things about Waxman back in 2009-10 in the run-up to Obamacare. Where is he now?

Ken B said...

Gilbar
Inga is your mother??

Hubert the Infant said...

This is a serious question: Is it a violation of the code of professional responsibility for a lawyer to lie outside of court? Doesn't Elizabeth Warren's saying that Michael Brown was murdered or Adam Schiff's claiming that he had incontrovertible evidence that Trump conspired with Russia to get elected place the legal system in disrepute?

Infinite Monkeys said...

Imperfect past perfect.

10/14/19, 9:21 AM


How can I trust anything reported by someone who says, "had went"?

Hubert the Infant said...

This is a serious question: Is it a violation of the code of professional responsibility for a lawyer to lie outside of court? Doesn't Elizabeth Warren's saying that Michael Brown was murdered or Adam Schiff's claiming that he had incontrovertible evidence that Trump conspired with Russia to get elected place the legal system in disrepute?

Infinite Monkeys said...

BTW, it seems Hunter Biden will be on GMA tomorrow and anything can be asked.

It's pre-taped. The interview was at his home in CA, so no luck for the process server. Lots of work for the editing team, though. At least they got a full day or two to make Hunter sound like someone who deserves $50k a month.

Clyde said...

Aaron Burr was a generational leader, too.

wildswan said...

The Skiff of State skims on, its shallow draft perfect for the swamp.

wildswan said...

The Dems have bet the Congress on a horse named Silly Impeachment out of Shifty Loser.

MayBee said...

JAORE said...
William at 9:31 made my comment (but stated it far better than I ever could have done.)


I second this.

MayBee said...

Schiff shows us the kind of fawning press you can get when you *are* the source they need for their ratings.

Linc said...

I am (barely) old enough to be reminded of Joseph Welch's question of Joe McCarthy--whom Schiff, in my mind resembles strongly--in the Army-McCarthy hearings in 1954: "Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last?" This, after many years of the Senator holding in his hand, but not revealing, the evidence of Communists in the government.

Secrecy. Publicity. Showing off.

walter said...

Yeah..his dry sense of humor sure was on display while he was getting conned by Russian comics.
I wonder if he creates unspoken dialog for his two kids.
"Da-ad! That's not what I said!"

gilbar said...

Ken B said...
Gilbar
Inga is your mother??


NO! Thank GOD!
My mom is a nice lady, that wouldn't know HOW to post here, and wouldn't if she did know
But, she's a former League of Women Voters President, and WIC regional (eastern iowa) director.
She grew up thinking that FDR was god, and that JFK was his anointed son .
She hated the vietnam conflict; and during the '80's talked herself into believing that "it was ALL Nixon's fault"
She quit giving rational thought to politics about 2010, and now is opposed to virtually EVERYTHING the democrats are for (gay marriage, open borders, etc); but doesn't notice that those are democrat things.

Basically, she's clueless; but that doesn't stop her from voting in EVERY election

narciso said...

quelle surprise:

https://dailycaller.com/2019/10/14/hunter-biden-still-holds-stake-in-chinese-private-equity-firm-his-business-partner-retains-supervisor-role/