Giuliani joining Trump's legal team

Alpha Echo · May 7, 2018

Kaiser-Kun said:
And his legacy will haunt the US for many years to come. Trump has exposed the nastiest, weakest parts of the United States. It'll take a lot of effort and good, constant leadership to restore its reputation.

So true.

We have friends in Canada, and their son spent some time in Australia. He told us that people would of course ask where he's from, but they'd just assume the States. When corrected, the response was an automatic apology. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry for assuming you were from the States!" They say they get the same reaction when they take a vacation anywhere - they are most often assumed to be from the States, and when discovered they were nice, friendly Canadians instead, their accusers sincerely apologize for making that mistake.

How embarrassing is that?

CWatts · May 7, 2018

LittlePinto said:
Trump will be left with a small portion of real nutjobs among the alt-right and Sovereign Citizen types. Some of them will go off half-cocked and try to start a war, but they were probably going to do that anyway. I doubt enough of the military would stick with him for a coup. That doesn't mean he won't scream and cry, but I'm not sure how much he'll be able to do with it.

You're probably right, but I'm sure people once thought the same thing about a bunch of hotheads in South Carolina...

Tazlima · May 7, 2018

CWatts said:
You're probably right, but I'm sure people once thought the same thing about a bunch of hotheads in South Carolina...

A small number of people can do a lot of damage, and Trump's supporters are far too numerous for comfort. Those crowds at his rallies legitimately love him.

I don't understand them - how anybody could look at a man who, to my eye, embodies basically all the worst elements of human nature and see something laudible is truly beyond my comprehension - but I also wouldn't underestimate them.

LittlePinto · May 7, 2018

Tazlima said:
A small number of people can do a lot of damage, and Trump's supporters are far too numerous for comfort. Those crowds at his rallies legitimately love him.

I don't understand them - how anybody could look at a man who, to my eye, embodies basically all the worst elements of human nature and see something laudible is truly beyond my comprehension - but I also wouldn't underestimate them.

He's what they want to be. He's living the life they want to live.

MaeZe · May 7, 2018

LittlePinto said:
He's what they want to be. He's living the life they want to live.

I think that's part of it. I think the guy is creepy as hell but some of those characters hanging around him seem totally star struck. Giuliani acts like he's having a wet dream at having been invited into the inner circle.

blacbird · May 7, 2018

LittlePinto said:
He's what they want to be. He's living the life they want to live.

Which, if you really think about it, is pretty weird. Trump has a crapload of money, to be sure (although probably not as much as he boasts of having). But his life? Before being elected POTUS, he spent most of his time in a penthouse in Manhattan, or traveling to some golf resort like Mar-a-Lago, and hosting his idiotic "reality" TV Show. He never goes to a movie, or a baseball game, or reads a book, or even watches TV, except for Faux News. His diet is a cardiologist's nightmare.

Frankly, Bone Spurs's life, to me, seems to be one of a very unhappy man desperate for attention he can't get on the merit of what he does, so has to coerce and demand and even self-provide. He's a disaster of a human being, and I wouldn't trade my far less affluent life for his in any length of geologic time.

caw

shakeysix · May 7, 2018

I am tutoring an ESOL student these days, translating notes for her from a World History textbook. Today I came cross this line: "Although the intelligentsia of the party despised him, they thought they could use him. When he turned against them it was too late because the common people loved him" The book, of course, was talking about Hitler. --s6

blacbird · May 7, 2018

Stories are already emerging that Trump is agitated about Giuliani and his not-ready-for-prime-time performances. Don't be surprised if he follows Ronny Jackson out the White House door.

caw

cbenoi1 · May 7, 2018

blacbird said:
Stories are already emerging that Trump is agitated about Giuliani and his not-ready-for-prime-time performances. Don't be surprised if he follows Ronny Jackson out the White House door.

What did he expect in exchange? Secretary of State? AG? Ambassador to Rome?

Geez.

-cb

ShaunHorton · May 8, 2018

I do think that Trump never expected to win, and considering how much of his time now is actually work of some kind, he would love to be impeached if it meant going back to the life he had before. In truth though, his skeletons are pouring out of the closet, and he knows it. He has to hold onto power, or he's losing everything. Though I wouldn't be too surprised to see Russia or China take advantage of our momentary weakness militarily, maybe invade some of our overseas territories, but the mainland should be safe.

I don't know if it was here that it was said, but I remember seeing it posted somewhere that Trump's patience with Giuliani wouldn't last because Giuliani has his own thirst for publicity and Trump won't stand sharing the spotlight. At this rate, I give Giuliani another week.

LittlePinto · May 8, 2018

shakeysix said:
I am tutoring an ESOL student these days, translating notes for her from a World History textbook. Today I came cross this line: "Although the intelligentsia of the party despised him, they thought they could use him. When he turned against them it was too late because the common people loved him" The book, of course, was talking about Hitler. --s6

I read Evan's The Coming of the Third Reich shortly after it was published. It was somewhat alarming how many of the conditions existing in 1930s Germany existed in the USA at the time (and still exist).

I'm thinking one of the best ways a country can insulate itself against this type of shift is by reducing economic inequality and increasing social opportunities. Of course, that goes against the Cult of Rand thing we've got going on at the moment.

Kaiser-Kun · May 8, 2018

LittlePinto said:
I'm thinking one of the best ways a country can insulate itself against this type of shift is by reducing economic inequality and increasing social opportunities. Of course, that goes against the Cult of Rand thing we've got going on at the moment.

That is very alarming. The USA's ideology seems to have shifted from the ideals of freedom to the ideals of selfishness. "Someone wants to take my gun rights, my doctor, my taxes, my job". Never seems to be an idea of balance or compromise.

blacbird · May 16, 2018

This thread seems to be as good a place as any to post this new development:

https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/16/politics/trump-financial-disclosure-report/index.html

It will be entertaining to watch Sarah Sanders unwind her forkéd tongue trying to explain this, in the shadows of the many other (and contradictory) statements already uttered by Bone Spurs and his mini-mes.

caw

cbenoi1 · Jun 4, 2018

Trump's above-the-law presidency

https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/04/politics/donald-trump-robert-mueller-legal-strategy/index.html

As has been stated by numerous legal scholars, I have the absolute right to PARDON myself, but why would I do that when I have done nothing wrong? In the meantime, the never ending Witch Hunt, led by 13 very Angry and Conflicted Democrats (& others) continues into the mid-terms!

THE man. Impervious to indictments and impeachment alike. The best show on Earth.

As a former federal prosecutor, NYC major and icon figure during 9/11 era, Giuliani should know better as the legal counsel. He is awfully yielding when it comes to licking his boss's behind knowing he got passed as Secretary of State - or any other Secretary or Ambassador position for that matter.

The worst mental state Trump could ever be when he faces Mueller later this summer is cocky and it shows in the quote above Giuliani is doing a great job at that.

I think Rudy is getting his revenge...

-cb

blacbird · Jun 4, 2018

cbenoi1 said:
As a former federal prosecutor, NYC major and icon figure during 9/11 era, Giuliani should know better as the legal counsel.

Bone Spurs didn't hire Rudy for legal advice. He hired him to be a deflecting public mouthpiece, which is the role Giuliani has eagerly embraced: Let Rudy say the silly stuff; it deflects attention from all the silly stuff I say.

caw

Larry M · Jun 4, 2018

cbenoi1 said:
... As a former federal prosecutor, NYC major and icon figure during 9/11 era, Giuliani should know better as the legal counsel.

That's the thing - he does know better. He knows that the best thing to do in this situation is to insist as often and as adamantly as possible, that what they want to happens is what will happen. No doubt this will get more outrageous as time goes on.

Kjbartolotta · Jun 4, 2018

I'll admit to having a hard time thinking there's a master plan here when Rudy's so off-the-rails his nonsense can only be rationalized by people who are already sold on it. I suspect Trump genuinely thinks Rudz is doing a good job, except when he doesn't of course (I hear tell Trump is capricious). But there's certainly a concerted effort to push the narrative in increasingly batshit directions, and in that regard, I'd consider him semi-successful.

As with firing Rosenstein or ultimately Mueller, I continue to be skeptical if Trump is actually gonna try pardoning himself, or that if he does, we're gonna see full complicity from his GOP allies. But it continues to be apparent to me Rudy's main job is to shout 'DO IT!' at Trump through the TV screen, more than, say, ginning up support or inventing 'legal' justification for when it happens. I'd say Dershowitz is more the person on that beat.

regdog · Jun 4, 2018

I present the first line of the Department of Justice ruling in 1974 when Richard Nixon asked if he could pardon himself.

Under the fundamental rule that no one may be a judge in his own case, the President cannot pardonhimself.

Nixon resigned four days later.

Link-Full memo

Larry M · Jun 4, 2018

regdog said:
I present the first line of the Department of Justice ruling in 1974 when Richard Nixon asked if he could pardon himself.

Nixon resigned four days later.

Link-Full memo

The difference here is that Nixon had an actual functioning conscience and/or he knew he could not win that fight.

45 apparently has no conscience, seems not to understand any of this, and appears to believe that he will win this fight.

Brightdreamer · Jun 4, 2018

Larry M said:
The difference here is that Nixon had an actual functioning conscience and/or he knew he could not win that fight.

45 apparently has no conscience, seems not to understand any of this, and appears to believe that he will win this fight.

Exactly.

Do not expect that man to walk away from any power he's been given. He will have to be forced out, drug out, kicking and screaming and flailing like a five-year-old having a meltdown in Walmart. (Unless he can be convinced to hand it away for another shiny object bag of magic beans, which seems unlikely.)

MaeZe · Jun 4, 2018

Larry M said:
The difference here is that Nixon had an actual functioning conscience and/or he knew he could not win that fight.

45 apparently has no conscience, seems not to understand any of this, and appears to believe that he will win this fight.

I'm not sure about Nixon's conscience, I believe it was the fact the Congress was still full of normal functioning legislators.

Alessandra Kelley · Jun 4, 2018

MaeZe said:
I'm not sure about Nixon's conscience, I believe it was the fact the Congress was still full of normal functioning legislators.

I would lay it at the feet of ethical Republicans, cooperating with Democrats.

Hard to believe I would ever say those were the days.

regdog · Jun 4, 2018

I don't think for one moment, Trump will give in without a fight. I do however find this Game of Throne's quote frighteningly appropriate for what he would try.

"He would see this country burn if he could be King of the ashes."

cbenoi1 · Jul 7, 2018

NYT: Trump lawyers make new demands before a Mueller interview

https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/06/politics/rudy-giuliani-robert-mueller-trump-interview/index.html

Take a deep breath and read sloooowly...

President Donald Trump's legal team demanded that before the President agrees to an interview, the special counsel's team must prove it has evidence of Trump committing a crime and that it needs testimony from the President to conclude its probe, The New York Times reported Friday.

It's the new standard for those under investigation. Prosecutors must prove an individual has committed a crime AND their testimony is required.

You'd think that would go down well with the Supreme Court.

Oh. Wait.

-cb

Larry M · Jul 7, 2018

This sham administration continues to insist they are above the law, and the right wing clowns cheer this bullshit on.

Giuliani joining Trump's legal team

Alpha Echo

I should be writing.

CWatts

down the rabbit hole of research...

Tazlima

LittlePinto

Perpetually confused

MaeZe

blacbird

shakeysix

blue eyed floozy

blacbird

cbenoi1

ShaunHorton

AW's resident Velociraptor

LittlePinto

Perpetually confused

Kaiser-Kun

!

blacbird

cbenoi1

blacbird

Larry M

Kjbartolotta

Potentially has/is dog

regdog

The Scavengers

Larry M

Brightdreamer

Just Another Lazy Perfectionist

MaeZe

Alessandra Kelley

Sophipygian

regdog

The Scavengers

cbenoi1

Larry M