Trump's team in disarray, McCain tells Europe

My first instinct is to say, "Too little, too late, McCain." But we need all allies in this fight, so I welcome his criticism. Hopefully it penetrates the Trumpers' bubble.

Obama was a private citizen in 2012?

It seems as though in trumpys world reality is irrelevant unless it is from his own perspective and that when truths are exposed he can dismiss them as lies or "FAKE NEWS",now I understand is not the sharpest tool in the shed,at this point he makes George DUBYA look COMPETENT. Whats troubling are the people who know better than they are pretending to,who are in support of this guy %100 as if he is infallible. Its unbelievable that so many people allow such a complete dufus to LIE and spew completely boneheaded nonsensical theories and agree with all and anything he utters. America is in for some serious times if it continues down this path!

Name one "freedom" that Americans have that Russians don't...

The freedom, as a journalist or opposition politician, not to be murdered.

Who to believe? McCain says Trump's team is in disarray. Trump says' it is running like a finely tuned machine.

Hmmmm, tough call.

If you were truly objective, rational and unbiased you'd understand that it's impossible for you to definitely know for a fact whether Russia hacked or did not hack Clinton's emails.

But being objective, seeing your team's coach switch from 'it wasn't the Russians', to 'it probably was the Russians' after getting an intelligence briefing would indicate that there is a pretty darn good chance it was the Russians.

Burning BushFEB. 18, 2017 - 08:27AM JST Undermining his own government. Traitor

When you call someone a traitor for their speech, you prove to the rest of us your active support for authoritarian dictatorship.

The Trump gets fact checked: Donald Trump said 17 false things at press conference where he called media ‘dishonest’

Link: https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2017/02/17/donald-trump-said-17-false-things-at-press-conference-where-he-called-media-dishonest.html

The left and their masters fail to realize that the more they try to handicap and stunt Trump, the more support he gets from all areas.

Haven't looked at his approval rates lately have you.

But hey, keep it up with the alternative truths.

Name one "freedom" that Americans have that Russians don't...

The freedom to be gay.

Burning BushFEB. 18, 2017 - 12:10PM JST

As for McCain, in his own words, as a paid representative of the American government and American people, went on foreign soil, acting on behalf of his constituents and publicly slandered his own country and undermined trust in its institutions.

It's not slander if it's true, and Trump's doing such a good job of undermining trust in American institutions all by himself it doesn't make much difference what McCain says.

"His approval ratings... ya mean like the polls that said Hillary would win?"

They were a few percentage points out. Same with the Brexit. Clearly not 100% accurate but not miles out either.

How wrong do you think the polls relating to Trump are? Give us a number.

"His approval ratings... ya mean like the polls that said Hillary would win?"

You mean Hillary who won the popular vote by 3 million votes? The polls incorrectly determined the electoral vote, but they were entirely correct insofar as that she was way more popular than Trump.

And now the polls are showing Trump as having record low approval rating for a new president. He's being called out on multiple mistruths in a press conference. He's already had one of his choices quit, with the replacement turning him down, and a leading member of his own party saying that his team is in disarray.

I know you guys want to believe it was a good idea to choose this overlord, but literally everything is pointing to him being a failure. In less than a month.

Burning BushFEB. 18, 2017 - 12:10PM JST Sorry pal, in a free and just society, the onus is on the accuser to prove the accusation, not on the accused to prove their innocence.

I believe you mean "in a court of law in a free and just society."

If I'm charging you with a crime, the onus is on the accuser. If I'm a dude just saying what I think you did, I don't owe you squat.

I require proof, before making any judgements, especially before I accuse others.

Funny, I wonder if an examination of your record on Obama will reveal the same stringent rules.

He's free to his opinions as a private citizen, but while representing the United States overseas on taxpayer expense, he has a responsibility to defend and uphold the reputation of the government and people he purports to serve.

Yeah, no, that's a lie.

As a Senator his oath says nothing whatsoever about the "reputation" of the US and nothing whatsoever about defending "the government" of the United States. In fact, some very basic Googling will show:

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God."

Note that bit about defending "the Constitution of the United States" "against all enemies, foreign and domestic". If an enemy of the US constitution was even say, the President of the United States, and they demonstrated they were an enemy by say, undermining the co-equal branches of the government, then not only would McCain be allowed to impinge that person's reputation, it would be his sworn duty to explicitly fight against it.

You should stop trying to invent reasons to silence people who say things you don't like. It reveals your support for authoritarian totalitarianism and it's not like you're actually fooling anyone with these lies.

@fizz And WTF is John McCain doing running around Germany spewing negative fake news, when he SHOULD be supporting his own country.

As posters have written many times, 'fake news' is in the eye of the beholder. From my perspective I think anyone still saying the Russians did NOT hack emails is spreading fake news. Or perhaps they're so blinded by what they want to believe that they're incapable of accepting something that is true and contradicts their beliefs.

but notice all of the qualifying words:

Excellent point. But don't you think qualifying words make a report more objective? And thank you for pointing out how individuals can interpret reports through their own lenses. Instead of constantly berating a free press, perhaps?

when he SHOULD be supporting his own country

Were the US an autocracy or full-on oligarchy (which it hasn't reached quite yet) I'd agree with you. Whatever you want to call the current US system of government, I hope people, including members of Trump's own party, are allowed the right to continue to express dissenting opinions. Anywhere, any time. And I'll resort to backataya: Trump has said more anti-American things than any politician I can ever remember.

@brbush Traitor

In the US, disagreements aren't considered to be traitorous. I understand Russians use that word differently.

@bass Obama did

So did Benjamin Harrison. I agree the past was wonderful in many ways, but it's 2017.

@brbush From "your perspective" in Japan, you can't verify anything either way.

I'm in 100% agreement that I can't prove - in some mathematical or legal sense of the word - that Russians hacked email. I have to find and believe sources I trust and then rely on my judgment. Thus I believe Russians hacked the emails. And until there's evidence showing otherwise, I'll continue to believe they did.

I'll say the same thing back at you; you can't prove Russians did NOT hack the email. Or it could be you can prove you did, that you were close enough that you can actually prove the emails WERE hacked.

A free press where individuals are allowed to express personal opinions and disagree with others in public forums is critically important. But it might be those living in totalitarian states can't really understand that. Am I right? Still, why would they want to undermine a free press for others?

Why do some people constantly attack a free press? Do they really expect the media at large to only report things that reflect their personal perspectives? If you don't like the way things are reported, find another source. That's one of the beauties of a free press.

All it will take is a few more Executive Orders and Europe along with others will start imposing sanctions on both Russia and Trump's USA

"Ahhh, gotta love the Washington elite"

You certainly defended the Romney/Ryan ticket with some force.

BurningBush: "He's free to his opinions as a private citizen, but while representing the United States overseas on taxpayer expense, he has a responsibility to defend and uphold the reputation of the government and people he purports to serve."

Not when the government does none of those things, and as McCain points out, is in complete disarray and more of a danger to the people it is SUPPOSED TO represent than anyone in history that has been in the same position. Sorry, but you don't just button your lip and stay silent towards a person in a position of power when not only are they not deserving of the slightest modicum of respect, but they spit on the things they purport to represent.

It's not just Trump's team; it's the whole GOP. Chait has an excellent article on the exquisite timing needed to both eliminate the ACA and pass tax reform (i.e., cut taxes on the 1%) - exquisite because of the delicate timing needed to leap through the hoops required to avoid representative democracy. Eye-opening read, and also check out the link Chait gives to a related Forbes article. http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/02/paul-ryans-dream-of-tax-cuts-for-rich-will-not-be-denied.html

What Chait didn't mention is other factors that could slow-walk the GOP Congress. For example, every judicial nominee is subject to a maximum 30 hours of floor debate; the Dems could certainly use this to gum up the works or have Trump forgo filling these seats. The GOP still has not reached a consensus on ACA replacement, and trends indicate the growing unpopularity of "repeal and replace" - something GOP Reps. will be quite more aware of after visiting their districts this weekend. (More detailed points about the tax legislation rules at Chait's article.) Then there's Trump and tremendous - and growing - amount of the needless scandal he's unleashed; resolving this will either take a lot of time or all of it.

McCain is correct: The disarray on both sides of Pennsylvania Ave. is such that the GOP looks likely to blow their control of Washington on needless squabbling and scandal, ending with nothing to show. McCain is an old man now; no doubt he finds it all hilarious (as long as he gets his Pentagon budget increase).

If anything, seeing what idiotic thing Trump will do next is quite entertaining. He obviously lives in a fantasy world, as he will first say that he entered office inheriting 'a mess', and yet, sings his own praises for miraculously turning around the economy in a matter of days. Sorry, Trumpie, but the economy doesn't work that way. It doesn't take an economist to tell you that it takes months, or even years to see the full effect of any bill you pass.

Also, no matter what the orange monkey says, his wall will never be built. In addition to the time and enormous costs, he forgets that he needs the land; much of which doesn't belong to the government. He forgets that there is a little thing called the Fifth Amendment which protects citizens from the government forcefully seizing one's land from them. He needs to deal with each individual landowner to buy it from them for a significant amount. This wheeling and dealing can take time, and money.

Perfect example of MSM fake news. Flynn was asked to resign NOT over his contacts with Russia, but how Flynn had handled the matter while speaking with Vice President Pence after the fact.

Well that's the White House and MSM's spin on it, are you believing the MSM this time?

There was nothing illegally wrong with Flynn talking to the Russians

Yes there was. He was negotiating with a foreign government as a private citizen, in contrast to the policy of the government at the time. That's called treason.

As posters have written many times, 'fake news' is in the eye of the beholder. From my perspective I think anyone still saying the Russians did NOT hack emails is spreading fake news. Or perhaps they're so blinded by what they want to believe that they're incapable of accepting something that is true and contradicts their beliefs.

Even Trump admitted it was the Russians after receiving the briefings. Seems these guy's haven't been properly reading the game notes from their coach.

No, during his campaign

You mean when he was president? You think the president doesn't have the right to discuss foreign policy with foreign governments? Absolutely ridiculous.

Zing on Obama in 2012.

Even if the poster meant 2008 when Obama was a US senator, but that still wouldn't be illegal.

Providing a definition of "private citizen" would help the poor Neanderthals pecking out "words" on their "keyboards."

Ouch, now Trump's pick for Flynn's replacement has turned him down: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-harward-idUSKBN15V2Z7

McCain is on the money with this one.

McCain's comments seem quite down to earth, and the man-baby will no doubt retort with outrageous claims and insults, proving who is more presidential. I disagree with a lot of what McCain says and does, but he's correct here.

Mccain is decorated war hero who has severed in Vietnam war. He was a POW too. Trump who was young and fit as Ox still got the excuse for not serving the compulsory service back in 1960s. There was something wrong with Draft of USA.

Mccain who is wise, matured and thoughtful and having many years of public service.. Trump who has never worked for single day for someone else can not handle the heat of media .He loves compliments and hates the critics. He is just a spoiled child of rich Daddy who loves to be pampered.

President who is complaining about media and critics is nothing different from Sailor who is complaining about rough Sea and bad weather.

If Trump hates criticism, he should find another job for escaping from bad publicity. . POTUS should be touch and strong like millions years old rocks in the Ocean.

Trump is so soft and weak as Jelly. He is unfit for this job and should be impeached sooner than later.

Either you see McPain as an insider or an outsider. But he's not an outsider. The rubs.seem o have no problem letting Don's wolves into the he house...or do they realize that some of Trump's choices like Bannon foretell a strategy that ultimately excludes mainstream conservatism for total command of the media and the economy?

Hey if McCain wants to trash his own country, let him.

McCain is trashing his president, not the country.

The president is the one that trashes the country.

No, during his campaign

Where is the scandal (other than his haters thinking a non-American was president)?

Trump is the most narcissistic person there is. His ego knows no bounds and he continues to rant, rave, lie, and pat himself on the back every chance he gets. He continues to exhibit every action that we try to teach our kids not to do and yet his Trumptards keep singing his praises. It's no wonder his team is in disarray. The man is an utter disgrace to the presidency and continues to treat it like a vacation and abuses the American taxpayers' money to fund his exclusive weekend trips (he is on pace to spend more money on his weekend trips than all other former presidents combined).

Also, Trump is so backward that he claims he inherited 'a mess', but fails to realize that Obama inherited a way bigger mess. Obama inherited a 7 percent unemployment rate, Trump inherited a 4 percent rate. Obama inherited TWO wars, Trump inherited a much more peaceful situation where ISIS's power was falling (under Trump, they now have the necessary propaganda to rise back up). Obama had to steer the country out of the Lehman shock debacle, whereas Trump has no such problem.

I also love how many times Trump contradicted himself in a single sentence, like:

“I mean, I watch CNN, it’s so much anger and hatred and just the hatred. I don’t watch it any more because it’s very good."

The guy gives people on crack a good name!

Hey if McCain wants to trash his own country, let him.

Coincidentally, there were articles on epileptic drivers and drunk pilots on this very page today. One need not impinge the importance of the role the man behind the wheel nor the value of the vehicle itself or its occupants to understand that you do not want to be a passenger on a bus driven by an epileptic or on a plane flown by a drunk - pointing out these deficiencies would be a responsibility for any aboard, wouldn't you agree? Or would you rather that the potential passenger simply slink off with a muttered excuse, as Trump's erstwhile NSA nominee did, leaving other passengers to their fate?

McCain is/always has been spineless, an enabler of profoundly stupid right-wing presidents going back to W. Spread malicious rumors about his fathering of a black child, he'll be your best partner in the senate. Call him a loser for getting captured in Nam, he'll vote nearly your entire deranged cabinet into office. He gives good quote to a fawning media but he's just another mainstream Vichy republican.

And I almost forgot about how we have him to thank for mainstreaming ignorance at the highest level of government (i.e. Palin).

I guess you're happy with "believing" someone is guilty without proof.

So you think your coach is wrong when he says it was probably the Russians after receiving the intelligence briefings?

@rbbush I guess you're happy with "believing" someone is guilty without proof.

I'm actually 'happy' to read you say that because it shows you have a recognition that what the czars, Stalin and every Russian leader since him has done, which is finding someone guilty without proof (and then perhaps shooting them and charging the family for the bullet), was wrong.

I had wondered if those living under a totalitarian state could understand evidence is required to convict in systems based on English common law (to me the greatest contribution the English have made to the world) or other legal systems found in free countries.

But I think people living under a totalitarian system probably don’t understand that the evidence to convict someone doesn’t have to be of the ‘prove beyond the shadow of a doubt’ type.

Again I think it’s hard for people living under a totalitarian system to understand that exchanges of ideas and opinions on a board like this don’t, or at least in my opinion shouldn’t, be viewed as requiring hard legal (or mathematical) proof. Posters are free to express their opinions and readers are free to do what they want with other’s opinions, including ignoring them.

Freedom’s pretty important to me; that’s one reason why I don’t like to see people assail a free press, which I think is fundamental. If people attack a free press, I will attempt to defend it.

Re McCain, once again I understand you’re expressing your opinion based on your culture’s understanding of the roles of a state’s representative. You say it was scandalous and treasonous; that may be true in your country. In the US he’s still free to express his opinions without having to fear being dioxin-ated ala Viktor Yushchenko from neighboring Ukraine. Big difference.

@BurningBush

"... where goats roam the streets and people can't afford colour TVs."

Burnley?

@brbush Typical American arrogance and ignorance. You believe you're all "free" and the rest of the world is

Over the last 30 years I’ve lived in 6 different countries and traveled to 40 or so others. In a couple of them I didn't feel ‘free’ because of their restricted media plus their aggressive and ever-present police controls, but in others I felt completely at ease. I have to admit that passing through immigration in the US did not make me feel like I was entering a ‘free’ country.

If you’re able to get out in the world you’ll find it’s pretty hard to see it in some binary, black or white, free or not form; you’ll actually see great complexity. Assuming you’re able and willing to open your eyes and overcome your jingoism.

In truth I’d say the US is losing many freedoms it had; the state’s surveillance of private citizens is getting even scarier. With Trump and his rightist followers I can only imagine that will increase. And if Trump and the rightists want to clamp down on the media, the state will get even more powerful and may try to take away even more rights. The US could become a ‘despotic government’, like several others I won’t mention for risk of offending.

Out of curiosity, are color TVs expensive in Russia?

Wikipedia lists assessments of freedom measured by three well-known indices and summarized at page bottom. Please note the relative freedom rankings of the US, Japan, and Russia. Like Townsend, I've been around the block a few times and have noted that lack of freedom is often most evident by lack of complaints and apparent satisfaction. There is a reason for this. A look under the hood, though, reveals roiling discontent. That is why most Americans expressed their dissatisfaction with the status quo (and don't pretend that what Trump intends to deliver is anything different than standard GOP boilerplate) by simply not voting; revolution is mostly unthinkable. In Russia, it is.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_freedom_indices

Yeah it's like if the Iraqis had worried about Bush becoming president. Internal US politics had nothing to do with them, right?

SerranoFEB. 19, 2017 - 04:46AM JST

Americans needed a leader with a different attitude and a new voice. President Donald Trump is that man.

Nothing in the rest of this comment convinces me that John McCain doesn't have a point. I think you'll have to do a bit better than regurgitating campaign rhetoric and slogans.

It’s time to drain the swamp. No more career politicians and sons of ex-presidents,congressmen and senators.

And refill the swamp with the people bankrolling them.

President Trump financed his own campaign to remain truly independent.

Who said he financed his own campaign? President Trump, by any chance? And you believe him?

Overall, Trump’s official campaign has reported $83.1 million in receipts from June to August ― the latter month being the most recently disclosed to the Federal Election Commission. His own contributions account for just 7 percent of the total.

Trump did largely self-finance his primary campaign through large loans that were later converted to contributions. He gave a total of $47.9 million from his June 2015 presidential announcement through the end of May 2016. Those contributions significantly scaled back after he secured the party’s nomination.

The largest source of Trump funds is small donors giving under $200. In total, these small donors have given $45.2 million when including all contributions under $200 listed as transfers from the joint fundraising committees linking his campaign to the Republican National Committee. That’s more than 50 percent of all contributions to Trump’s campaign.

Donors giving more than $200 gave $31.8 million in the summer months. Of that amount, $10.4 million came from donors giving $2,700 or more. (Donors are limited to giving $2,700 for each a primary and general election, making the official limit one could give prior to the Republican National Convention $5,400.)

PTownsend wrote in response to rbbush: "I'll say the same thing back at you; you can't prove Russians did NOT hack the email." ............................................................................................................ If I'm ever up on a murder charge I hope it's not in your country.

I wonder why non-American posters get obsessed about internal US politics.

International relations and actions are different, but if it doesn't affect you, why would you constantly obsess about the family relations of people in a house in another city?

Weird . . .

In the USA, everyone who isn't in the military has the right to free speech. That includes John McCain.

President Trump is learning that when the pay scales are set, people will say no. They couldn't pay me enough to accept any position in the administration.

Can we please be clear on something? No all republicans "supported" President Trump. He was just the lesser evil choice. In my family, we discussed hoping for "something to happen" to either of the presidential choices, implying that either VP was a better choice. Voting for then Mr. Trump was a vote for an outsider. We are tired of insider politics. We were so fed up with that stuff that anyone outside Washington was better, even a complete boob like President Trump.

OTOH, my stocks have never been higher, up 10% in the last month! Businesses seem to be very happy about the new President. Disarray seems to be good for business.

Americans needed a leader with a different attitude and a new voice. President Donald Trump is that man.

It’s time to drain the swamp. No more career politicians and sons of ex-presidents,congressmen and senators. With Trump, we have a leader who's not afraid to publicly state his beliefs and act upon them.

The middle class shrank in Obama-America because Obama taxed them to oblivion and took away their healthcare. To be middle class in today’s America is to be poor.

A large percentage of us are on public welfare programs like food stamps because of low wages. Health insurance is unaffordable. Two thirds of young adults have student loans to which they cannot pay back due to lack of good jobs in the community.

It is a shame what the government of the greatest country in the world has become.

President Trump financed his own campaign to remain truly independent. And now it is time to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

Obama was a private citizen in 2012?

No, during his campaign

The left and their masters fail to realize that the more they try to handicap and stunt Trump, the more support he gets from all areas. People are not stupid, least if you're not a progressive liberal. Once the left pushes too far, the pushback will knock these people out.

Oh my...

Liberal press melts down after getting disciplined

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRlow7bxFMM

"Haven't looked at his approval rates lately have you. "

His approval ratings... ya mean like the polls that said Hillary would win?

I think it's McCain who is in complete disarray. Nice conversation between McCain and a Russian telephone prankster who pretended to be Ukrainian prime minister:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snDpp9DxcEE

At least Flynn talked to ambassador. McCain blabbed about sanctions etc to a prankster.

Perfect example of MSM fake news. Flynn was asked to resign NOT over his contacts with Russia, but how Flynn had handled the matter while speaking with Vice President Pence after the fact.

There was nothing illegally wrong with Flynn talking to the Russians, Obama did the same during the 2012 election telling Medvedev, he'll have more flexibility to deal with the missile defense system once he's out of office, outrage: None. Hypocrisy, the left will protect their own, circle the wagon, go down in flames for them. The right, flee and hide, put them in front of a firing squad and fight as if someone will get a chance to sit on the "Iron throne." Ahhh, gotta love the Washington elite

McCain, a known Trump critic, told the Munich Security Conference that the resignation of the new president’s security adviser Michael Flynn over his contacts with Russia reflected deep problems in Washington.

Perfect example of MSM fake news. Flynn was asked to resign NOT over his contacts with Russia, but how Flynn had handled the matter while speaking with Vice President Pence after the fact.

U.S. intelligence agencies concluded last year that Russia hacked and leaked Democratic emails during the election campaign as part of an effort to tilt the vote in Trump’s favor.

More fake news.

"But look more closely at the above and you can’t help but notice all of the qualifying words: Possibly, appears, connects, indicates. It’s impossible (or at least dishonest) to present the evidence for Russian responsibility for hacking the Democrats without using language like this. The question, then, is this: Do we want to make major foreign policy decisions with a belligerent nuclear power based on suggestions alone, no matter how strong?"

https://theintercept.com/2016/12/14/heres-the-public-evidence-russia-hacked-the-dnc-its-not-enough/

And WTF is John McCain doing running around Germany spewing negative fake news, when he SHOULD be supporting his own country. What a joke he is.