Merged Trump Fires Comey....

[varwoche]

No there is no distinction because "Hillary's handling of the email scandal" directly substantively caused the public's reaction to the scandal.

Let me know if you need me to break this down into smaller chunks for ya.

Post after post, evasion after evasion.

You wrote that you were all about facts. I know a Big Dog that got a kick out of that whimsical concept.

 

[BobTheCoward]

You are being deliberately obtuse.

1. Hacking into databases is still a criminal activity regardless of the motive.
2. Securing voting machines is part of the process to ensure fair elections. When they are not, the security of our nation is at risk.
3.laws against voter suppression are wrong? You can't be serious?

3. I meant laws that suppress voters are wrong.

1. It is a criminal activity, but not necessarily election misconduct which this was brought up about.
2. Yes, but doesn't mean election shenanigans have occurred.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

There are a couple of differences:

- Republican congresscritters seem to be more scummy these days and more protective of their turf, so they'll be willing to look the other way when it comes to Trump's corruption

- Republican voters are currently idiots (they voted for Trump after all), so those same corrupt republican congresscritters have less backlash to fear frm the electorate if they don't act

Yes and yes, but I don't think said scummy Republican legislators are all fans of Trump. Bet you 10 to 1 they are eyeing POTUS Pence and will go there as soon as it looks like a safe bet. It is not a safe bet at the moment. And few if any of them want to be the first to jump ship.

But the closer we get to the 2018 election, Trump's little core of nutters are not going to be enough to keep all the GOP legislators in office in all those diverse districts.

 

[Belz...]

Whiplash candidate:

[qimg]https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4162/33732920594_f849a9295e_z.jpg[/qimg]

The issue isn't Comey, but the lie about the reason for the firing, and the actual reason for the firing.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

Evidence ?

For whatever reasons (mostly confirmation bias) the hard core right wing can't hear the concept 'these two things are not mutually exclusive.' Instead, Trump's little Comey-Clinton distraction is as good of an excuse as any to ignore the bigger Trump-Russia problem.

 

[Fast Eddie B]

The issue isn't Comey, but the lie about the reason for the firing, and the actual reason for the firing.

The whole thing is sordid and amateurish.

 

[The Big Dog]

Post after post, evasion after evasion.

"No there is no distinction because "Hillary's handling of the email scandal" directly substantively caused the public's reaction to the scandal."

tell me what part of that crystal clear, unmistakably definitive answer you are having trouble with.

Unbelievable.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

Dumb....

It only distracts the right wing.

No one believes that Trump fired Comey because he was pissed that Comey helped Trump win the election.

Except his core right wingers who are in denial that there is any Russia interference issue.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

Maybe.

But the most clever memes often contain an element of truthiness!

And sometimes that element is so seriously distorted so as to be dishonest.

 

[Mojo]

No longer useful.

More like, getting to close.

Too tall.

 

[Segnosaur]

Re: Differences between Trump's situation and Nixon's...

There are a couple of differences:

- Republican congresscritters seem to be more scummy these days and more protective of their turf, so they'll be willing to look the other way when it comes to Trump's corruption

- Republican voters are currently idiots (they voted for Trump after all), so those same corrupt republican congresscritters have less backlash to fear frm the electorate if they don't act

Yes and yes, but I don't think said scummy Republican legislators are all fans of Trump. Bet you 10 to 1 they are eyeing POTUS Pence and will go there as soon as it looks like a safe bet. It is not a safe bet at the moment. And few if any of them want to be the first to jump ship.

They may be eyeing pence as someone who would be more favorable to "getting things done", but Pence lacks the populist appeal of Trump. I doubt he would be as successful in attracting the idiot base that Trump did. So, get rid of Trump, have more success getting things through congress and loose the Trump minions (and probably the election) in 2020, or keep trump around, and maybe win the 2020 election thanks to Trump supporters who still don't realize they're being conned.

But the closer we get to the 2018 election, Trump's little core of nutters are not going to be enough to keep all the GOP legislators in office in all those diverse districts.

I wish it were the case, but sadly Trump's supporters seem to be quite happy having wilful blinders on.

 

[varwoche]

I take a small degree of solace knowing how miserable President Big Baby Send People to the Cornfield is.

He had grown enraged by the Russia investigation, two advisers said, frustrated by his inability to control the mushrooming narrative around Russia. He repeatedly asked aides why the Russia investigation wouldn’t disappear and demanded they speak out for him. He would sometimes scream at television clips about the probe, one adviser said.
...
Trump had grown angry with the Russia investigation — particularly Comey admitting in front of the Senate that the FBI was investigating his campaign — and that the FBI director wouldn't support his claims that President Barack Obama had tapped his phones in Trump Tower.
link

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

The Russian Foreign Minister and U.S. Secretary of State (holder of the Russian Order of Friendship) both gestured dismissively at the American press - as they walked past the Russian flag into a White House office, right after the former joked about the head of the FBI investigation into collusion with Russia by the Trump campaign being fired by Trump.

Yes, I'll remember that.

ETA: the GIF loop at the head of this article really captures this nicely.

Damn that was arrogant.

 

[Minoosh]

At every step of the way I find the content of Comey's messages defensible. What's indefensible is holding a press conference to provide an "update" (on an investigation. (July 5). If he had been testifying to Congress I don't think his embellishments (extremely careless, no reasonable prosecutor etc.) would have been particularly inappropriate.

What prompted him to hold a press conference? That is my main question. Having done so, he may actually have felt obligated to update Congress about what was found on Weiner's computer. Then, facing a s--- storm in response, he updated Congress again trying to minimize the impact - contrition?

Since he had never publicly taken a stand on Trump, maybe he didn't feel the need to provide continuous updates. IMO the fatal mistake was holding that press conference. Did someone encourage him to do it? I think this is more likely than him just going rogue.

He did make himself the story. The firing is justified. But it looks bad for Trump, which is OK by me.

 

[uke2se]

They may be eyeing pence as someone who would be more favorable to "getting things done", but Pence lacks the populist appeal of Trump. I doubt he would be as successful in attracting the idiot base that Trump did. So, get rid of Trump, have more success getting things through congress and loose the Trump minions (and probably the election) in 2020, or keep trump around, and maybe win the 2020 election thanks to Trump supporters who still don't realize they're being conned.


I wish it were the case, but sadly Trump's supporters seem to be quite happy having wilful blinders on.

At some point, even the most corrupt GOP congressman must realize that the democratic institutions of the US are necessary for him to ply his trade and secure a future for his children, and step up to the plate to stop the dictator. The question is, will it be too late by then.

 

[TraneWreck]

Except his core right wingers who are in denial that there is any Russia interference issue.

I think even a good number of the true believers are flat out lying about this one. They may not think Russia is a thing, but surely even most of them realize how unconvincing Trump's concern for Hillary's treatment is.

Of course, there are always some...

 

[Belz...]

I take a small degree of solace knowing how miserable President Big Baby Send People to the Cornfield is.

Quick, somebody give him a pacifier.

 

[The Big Dog]

The Russian Foreign Minister and U.S. Secretary of State (holder of the Russian Order of Friendship) both gestured dismissively at the American press - as they walked past the Russian flag into a White House office, right after the former joked about the head of the FBI investigation into collusion with Russia by the Trump campaign being fired by Trump.

Yes, I'll remember that.

ETA: the GIF loop at the head of this article really captures this nicely.

My favorite was when you said that they walked by a Russian flag into a White House office. Scary!

 

[uke2se]

At every step of the way I find the content of Comey's messages defensible. What's indefensible is holding a press conference to provide an "update" (on an investigation. (July 5). If he had been testifying to Congress I don't think his embellishments (extremely careless, no reasonable prosecutor etc.) would have been particularly inappropriate.

What prompted him to hold a press conference? That is my main question. Having done so, he may actually have felt obligated to update Congress about what was found on Weiner's computer. Then, facing a s--- storm in response, he updated Congress again trying to minimize the impact - contrition?

Since he had never publicly taken a stand on Trump, maybe he didn't feel the need to provide continuous updates. IMO the fatal mistake was holding that press conference. Did someone encourage him to do it? I think this is more likely than him just going rogue.

He did make himself the story. The firing is justified. But it looks bad for Trump, which is OK by me.

It's not justified in the context in which it happened. Trump applauded Comey's actions. Also, that was almost a year ago. Firing Comey now is almost certainly not about his handling of the Clinton affair. Therefore, this does more than make Trump look bad. It makes it look like the safeguards of democracy in the US are under attack, and Congress is doing nothing about it.

 

[Biscuit]

Comey asked for more funds and resources for Russia investigation.

Comey allegedly wanted to ramp up the inquiry,

FBI Director James Comey requested additional money and manpower from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein for the investigation into Russian interference in the presidential election just days prior to his firing, according to a U.S. official with knowledge of the situation.

I am still confused about why he is being fired in relation to the Clinton email investigation.

1. Because the FBI did not recommend prosecution?
2. Because he held the July 5th press conference to explain why the FBI didn't recommend prosecution?
3. Because of the October letter to congress that was leaked to the press?
4. Because nothing came of the October letter?

From the same article,

The letter from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein credited Comey with being "an articulate and persuasive public speaker about leadership" but went on to note that he "cannot defend the Director's handling of the conclusion of the investigation of Secretary Clinton's emails, and I do not understand his refusal to accept the nearly universal judgment that he was mistaken."

"Almost everyone agrees that the Director made serious mistakes; it is one the few issues that unites people of diverse perspectives," Rosenstein wrote.

The letter goes on to allege that Comey was wrong to later "hold press conferences to release derogatory information about the subject of a declined criminal investigation."

This would make it seem the trump fired Comey because of the July 5th press conference but the timeline is so ridiculous.