He voiced no concern
Trump yesterday found time to make survivors of the Florida massacre smile in his photo op, but not to say anything about stopping Putin and gang trashing what there is of our democracy.
After more than a dozen Russians and three companies were indicted on Friday for interfering in the 2016 elections, President Trump’s first reaction was to claim personal vindication: “The Trump campaign did nothing wrong — no collusion!” he wrote on Twitter.
He voiced no concern that a foreign power had been trying for nearly four years to upend American democracy, much less resolve to stop it from continuing to do so this year.
None, zip, zero. His first concern was for himself, and his second concern was for himself, and then he had a plane to catch.
Rather than condemn Russia for its actions, Mr. Trump in the past has said he accepts the denial offered by President Vladimir V. Putin. Mr. Trump has not imposed new sanctions called for in a law passed by Congress last year to retaliate for the attack on America’s political system, or teamed up with European leaders to counter a common threat. He has not led a concerted effort to harden election systems in the United States with midterm congressional elections on the horizon, or pressed lawmakers to pass legislation addressing the situation.
Instead he’s done
- nothing
- nothing
- nothing
We have plenty of photos of him grinning and poking his thumb up in front of his gut though.
Michael A. McFaul, an ambassador to Moscow under President Barack Obama, called Mr. Trump’s reaction to the indictments “shockingly weak” and said he should instead have criticized Mr. Putin for violating American sovereignty or even announced plans to punish Moscow.
“Instead, he just focused on his own campaign,” Mr. McFaul said. “America was attacked, and our commander in chief said nothing in response. He looks weak, not only in Moscow but throughout the world.”
And not just weak; also indifferent, also self-absorbed and self-serving, also incompetent, also clueless, also reckless and irresponsible, also profoundly stupid.
Mr. Trump’s own aides readily acknowledge the reality that he does not. Besides describing Russian interference as undeniable on Saturday, Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, his national security adviser, speaking at the Munich Security Conference, said Mr. Mueller’s charges made clear that Russia had been engaged in a “sophisticated form of espionage” against the United States.
“With the F.B.I. indictment, the evidence is now really incontrovertible and available in the public domain,” he said.
But the stuffed dummy at the top just keeps watching tv and paying sadistic hospital visits.
What an evil Mr Mashed Putintato.
As Ms Maddow reports, however, it is now established fact that there was a confession of Criminal Conspiracy, involving persons both known and unknown to the Court, and that Paul Moneyfold is now sufficiently suspect of shady bizniz to maybe remove his house arrest privilege, thus inciting more and more revelations up the ladder. Amazingly, the investigation can quote specific internal memos, monthly budgets etc of the Russian conspiration corporation and hints at specific persons; not all yet named.
As I understand it, the establishment of the existence of such an actual criminal conspiracy lowers the bar to bring more people to justice for participation in it.
WH CoS Kelly has announced that persons lacking a permanent security clearance will over next week be denied protected access. Do I even need to remove my socks to count White House staff in possession of such clearance? SIL Jared, Principessa Ivanka — nah, why don’t I just keep my mitts on. And buy popcorn futures.
Fake only gets you so far into fired, Don.