Place your bets: Who's the snitch?

CNN reports that the WH believes it has narrowed the search down to two individuals. Trump is obsessed while John Kelly advises him to let it go.

Maybe it's John Kelly.





When someone on the radio refers to "The President," I still picture Obama. Sigh...

Slate's theory?

Jon Huntsman

Mike Pence. The reasons beyond the 'lodestar' repetitive use in his speeches and use in the NYT Op Ed piece?

1) He knows it's been going on (may or may not be part of it)
2) He knows he's perceived as a weak, arse-kissing sycophant and wants to change that perception before Trump is gone.
3) He knows Trump is gonna be gone soon.
4) It's no accident that 'lodestar' was wedged into the Op Ed because he knows there are many video clips of his using the word.

Either that, or it's someone else or a small group wanting to misdirect the machine gun/s pointed at him/her/them.

Kaiser-Kun said:

- Peña Nieto
- Putin (to confuse everyone)
- Mueller
- The prime minister of Montenegro whom Trump shoved aside once
- HM The Queen Elizabeth II
- The entire nation of Canada

Is there anyone Trump hasn't pissed?

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gem1122 said:

CNN reports that the WH believes it has narrowed the search down to two individuals.

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If Trump is asking for the AG to dig the mole for him, it's because he is clueless.

The more interesting game is not who Anonymous is, but who will go and who will stay after Anonymous is discovered. Because that person will certainly bring a bunch of allies along with him / her on the way out.

That's why Kelly is advising Trump to let this slide. But Trump can't. Narcissists just cannot stand being humiliated. It's in their nature and in Trump's case the proof is in the pudding.

Catch-22.

-cb

And the pudding is between his ears.

NYT Trump column: Linguistic clues to White House insider? - BBC News proposing Vice President Mike Pence. Clues:

• John McCain as a "lodestar"
• Short sentences: 20 words instead of 30 in official statements
• Passive voice, something rare in official statements

Who is the New York Times anonymous op-ed writer? There’s an obvious suspect. proposing Russia ambassador Jon Huntsman. Clues:

• (quotes from article) Flamboyantly erudite, pious.
• (quote from article) Effusive about conservative policies, blunt about low character.
• A similar op-ed in 2016.
• There are "adults in the room"
• "Country first", John McCain's and his campaign slogan
• Claiming that certain people lack moral "moorings"
• "Amoral" instead of "immoral"
• "Impetuous"
• "Inclination"
• Criticism of Russia as "malign"
• Wanting to avoid political labels
• "Work diligently"
• ...

So I think that it's likely Jon Huntsman, though one will have to check on his sentence lengths and how much he uses passive voice.

Diana Hignutt said:

I think it's Pence, who's used the term "lodestone" numerous times in speeches and public writings.

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Yeah, that's a quick pet theory, but it doesn't really hold much water. First, there's the NYT point about the source being in peril of losing their job. Pence is the one person Trump can't fire. BUT . . . see below.

Second, everything I've seen of Mike Pence reeks of self-seeking toady. Trump doesn't really consult with Pence at all, that I can see. Pence isn't part of the "White House insiders". He isn't in a position to know what;s going on in the day-to-day chaos described in the Op-Ed.

So, who? The candidates, to me, seem to be few, although there might be somebody I don't really know about. But I'll venture it isn't a Cabinet member, for similar reasons to those mentioned about Pence, with one possible exception. Think about the crew of incompetents Trump has appointed to Cabinet posts, a litany of awful people who have no experience in the fields they are supposed to administer: Carson, DeVos, Zinke, etc. Mnuchin is a worse toady than Pence is. Pompeo seems to be enjoying his newfound authority, and hasn't been around long enough to say anything. Chao is a nonentity whom i wonder if Trump has even spoken to (she is a woman and Asian, after all). Mattis? Seems doubtful.

The exception, and this is a very wild guess, without much force of confidence behind it, is Sessions. He's been vilified in terms that would have caused any self-respecting person to resign long ago, UNLESS he knows something we all don't know yet. And, for all the calumny that has been heaped upon him, Trump hasn't fired him. He fired Tillerson for a hell of a lot less.

Other non-cabinet people? Kelly? A slight maybe, but Kelly, like Sessions, has had plenty of reason to leave voluntarily already.

Back to Pence. The dark red demon on my left shoulder is prodding me to hope it is Mike Pence, despite my argument above. If that be true, and it got unequivocally revealed, that would provoke a governmental crisis never seen before in American history: An open rebellion between the President and Vice-President of the United States. That might just be what we need right now, but I'm not about to speculate on either that possibility or an \outcome.

So, who have I missed?

caw

It seems to me the most likely answer to this question about the use of the word lodestar is more likely someone wanting to frame Pence, than Pence himself.

As to who it is, I don’t really have any good guesses, but I’m less interested in getting to who it is, because this person sounds like someone who agrees with the overall direction of the WH, but just sees details where 45 is damaging the country as a result of temperament. It’s difficult to be reassured by a coup or a rebellion when the article could be an attempt by the writer to assuage guilt. Guilt in decision making tends to cloud your sight. I’m not convinced this person is being as helpful as they have convinced themselves they’re being.

There is a smarmy self righteousness in the op-ed that screams--at least to me-- evangelical. Not one though. Those folks travel in packs. No idea myself--just more than one, at least one is a right winger and churchy. --s6

There are two things that the anonymous op-ed writer can and should do, push for the 25th Amendment removal of Trump, or resign. Taking matters into their own (unelected) hands is not the right way to go.

Now that some time has passed since the op-ed appeared, my mind keeps drifting back to Sarah Sanders. I just get the sense that her evangelical background makes Trump absolutely disgusting to her -- not that I sympathize with her at all, but I have a sneaking feeling. I'm with others who believe that she's not acting alone.

gem1122 said:

Now that some time has passed since the op-ed appeared, my mind keeps drifting back to Sarah Sanders. I just get the sense that her evangelical background make Trump absolutely disgusting to her -- not that I sympathize with her at all, but I have a sneaking feeling. I'm with others who believe that she's not acting alone.

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That would be a great plot twist, but I doubt this is the case. Despite Trump's constant lying, the pussy grabbing, multiple marriages, adultery, the all around un-Christ like behaviour (adultery and lying which apparently was so abhorred by them when Clinton was president) the evangelicals fully support Trump. I am only speculating but if she's the daughter of a highly religious man such as Huckabee, then she's been raised to view men as authority figures. Trump is both and it seems unlikely to me, that she'd be the author of the op-ed.

darkprincealain said:

As to who it is, I don’t really have any good guesses, but I’m less interested in getting to who it is, because this person sounds like someone who agrees with the overall direction of the WH, but just sees details where 45 is damaging the country as a result of temperament.

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The writer more or less admits the op-ed is a reassurance that there are "adults in the room" and is clearly aimed at party waverers who might consider dumping the GOP altogether over Trump.

We want the administration to succeed and think that many of its policies have already made America safer and more prosperous.

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There are bright spots that the near-ceaseless negative coverage of the administration fails to capture: effective deregulation, historic tax reform, a more robust military and more.

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Although he was elected as a Republican, the president shows little affinity for ideals long espoused by conservatives: free minds, free markets and free people.

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"Never fear," the article says to the reader, "the GOP you love and believe in is still in control working for your interests."

. . . the rest of the administration is operating on another track, one where countries like Russia are called out for meddling and punished accordingly, and where allies around the world are engaged as peers rather than ridiculed as rivals.

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There is a quiet resistance within the administration of people choosing to put country first.

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Paul Ryan? Not entirely joking--s6

Bolton. Just because nobody's mentioned him yet and it would give me bragging rights as a visionary if it turns out to be him.

Having read Newsweek this week, I find Bolton highly unlikely. But given the insanity of the past two years, not impossible. Bolton just announced we are going to stop cooperating with the International Criminal Court. https://www.newsweek.com/international-criminal-court-no-threat-america-john-bolton-opinion-1115820

I'm still saying Nikki Haley. But we're all gonna be shocked when it's Jared in the Billiard Room with the candlestick.

Diana Hignutt said:

There are two things that the anonymous op-ed writer can and should do, push for the 25th Amendment removal of Trump, or resign. Taking matters into their own (unelected) hands is not the right way to go.

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It is the "right" way to go if their goal is to keep this farce going as long as possible, so as much of the agenda gets ramrodded through under its distraction as they can manage. If/when the man truly becomes more of a liability than an asset/distraction, they'll drop him like the "useless idiot" hot potato he is. Until then, people like "Anonymous" are happily covering for his gross incompetence, because they like where the regime is headed even if they wouldn't trust the man nominally heading it to open a can that was already open.

I don't care who it is. But if Trump can be convinced it's Stephen Miller, it would be glorious.

Twick said:

I don't care who it is. But if Trump can be convinced it's Stephen Miller, it would be glorious.

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Right?

I'm hoping it's someone who Trump and his rabid fans hold in high esteem -- someone shocking like Miller or Sanders or Melania, rather than the "See, I told you so!" types like Jared or John Huntsman.

Seriously, I don't believe it's Miller, Pence or any of the Trump "true believers." It sounds like someone who's been around Washington for a while, and knows how it's *supposed* to work. They see Trump as a tool that was originally useful, but now is causing more problems than it's worth. It may not be Huntsman, but it's his type.

shakeysix said:

There is a smarmy self righteousness in the op-ed that screams--at least to me-- evangelical. Not one though. Those folks travel in packs. No idea myself--just more than one, at least one is a right winger and churchy. --s6

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Jon Huntsman, my favorite candidate, is a Mormon, so that may fit.

I had computer tech problems late into the night last night. Sometime, well after midnight I saw something about someone who CNN or MSNBC found credible making a sound but flabbergasting argument that pointed to Pence. Unfortunately I was on the phone with Chivan in Delhi (Do you think that is where the Dell in Dell comes from?) Although Chivan's English was sound I was not hearing very well so could not focus on the announcer. Haven't heard anything this a.m. on CNN or MSNBC. I don't think I dreamed it because my computer is all clean and shiny this a.m. Anyone else hear this? --s6

shakeysix said:

Paul Ryan? Not entirely joking--s6

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Paul Ryan is most certainly not part of the "insiders". Plus he's already announced resignation of his job.

caw