There's much to unpack from today's "Meet The Press" special edition on Facts and a Post-Truth Society. However, as a jumping off point it's worth pointing out that at this moment in time, there is a party that is most responsible and a party that is most irresponsible in this country.
Most responsible to the attack on truth and our institutions is Donald J. Trump. Over 15,000 misleading claims since he has become president with countless attacks on individuals all to satisfy his own ego and greed for power. Executive editor of The Washington Post, Marty Baron, pointed out that the public may be numb to all of Mr. Trump's misleading statement but that it's important to keep holding political leaders accountable. But that's the problem. Ultimately, Mr. Trump has not been held accountable in the slightest. Mr. Trump has been impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives but the Senate will acquit or let's say absolve him of any wrongdoing, which will only enable him to continue on this destructive course.
Russia, specifically the Kremlin, is almost a sidebar from this perspective because the Trump Administration has done little to beat back their propaganda because Mr. Trump has personally benefited from it. The president acting in the best interests of the country over himself is quickly becoming an antiquated notion. Dean Baquet, executive editor of The New York Times, said that it is the responsibility of journalists to separate the fact from the fiction and to be more open minded when reporting. These are qualities that entities like The Washington Post and The New York Times demand of themselves and it is what the public demands. But it is not demanded from the president of the United States.
Whether you agree with the viewpoints of those respective journals' editorial page, they strive to be responsible in their reporting.
This brings us to the most irresponsible for the assault on truth, unregulated social media and it's biggest offender of taking no responsibility whatsoever, Facebook. Mark Zuckerberg, the hero, has now lived long enough to become the villain. The dream of connecting people around the world has become a dystopian nightmare. As Kara Swisher explained, Mr. Zuckerberg has conflated free speech with hate speech, and we'll say propaganda as well. A media and content distribution platform that demands no accountability of itself as Mr. Zuckerberg has irresponsibly defended.
Chuck Todd mentioned the phrase 'toxic cynicism' where nothing is on the level and everything is for sale. This is what Mr. Trump and Mr. Zuckerberg have propagated; it's what they have in common.
Panel: Matthew Continetti, American Enterprise Institute; Kara Swisher, technology journalist; Joshua Johnson, NPR, Susan Glasser, The New Yorker
Sunday, December 29, 2019
Sunday, December 22, 2019
12.22.19: Trump Formally Impeached... What Now?
This week for the third time in American history, the president of the United States has been impeached by the House of Representatives so what's next?
There's already been a lot of back and forth with the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) describing the senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell (R-KY) as a rogue leader of the Senate, who has already said that he is coordinating with the White House on the Senate trial. Senator Lindsey Graham has also stated that he does not intend to be impartial at all, but none of this comes as a surprise to anyone as the sides have already dug into their respective positions.
As for procedure, Speaker Pelosi is holding back on delivering the 2 articles (abuse of power and obstruction of Congress) to the Senate until Mitch McConnell and minority leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) negotiate what the rules will be, namely if additional witnesses will be called. Marc Short, chief of staff to vice president Mike Pence asked how you reconcile the statements of Speaker Pelosi that this is an air tight case against the president but that the Senate should call additional witnesses. Mr. Short must not have read the second article, which is obstruction of Congress. Additional witnesses must be called because the White House has refused to have anyone in the Trump Administration testify and has provided no requested documents with regard to the withholding of aid to Ukraine. It is an air tight case, but so that the American people know to fully know all the facts, administration officials must testify. And speaking of witnesses, what about the Bidens? Senator Corey Booker said he was exhausted with this angle of the Ukraine affair because calling them as witnesses is not germane to the president's actions and it's not.
What is also exhausting is person's like Mr. Short defending the president's reprehensible comment he made this week about deceased Congressman John Dingell (D-MI) at a rally in Mr. Dingell's home state, in which he said Mr. Dingell was 'looking up at us' [from hell]. Mr. Short also said that evangelicals are not a monolithic group in response to a query about Christianity Today's editorial calling for the impeach and removal of Mr. Trump on moral grounds, but how is one anymore able to accept or take seriously anything that comes from evangelical leaders who still support Mr. Trump? Answer: You can not.
The president is guilty of obstructing Congress and if he were innocent, these administration officials would testify under oath about what they know. Why is the president blocking this? It's not because he did nothing wrong. If the president has nothing to hide then he would provide documents and witnesses, however, this president has run his administration accountable to no one, putting himself above oversight and the law.
Chuck Todd asked the question of whether impeachment would curb the president's monarchical behavior or accelerate it. With the easily predictable acquittal in the Senate, Mr. Trump will be given a green light to break norms and laws in what ever way he decides. A sham trial for a slimy man in the presidency will only embolden him more. Also, it will not keep him for seeking foreign interference in the U.S. presidential election because in his mind the Senate will have said that it is OK to do so.
The chaos that is the Trump presidency will continue and the acceleration of it will be lead by one of the worst people to ever hold political office in American history, Senator Mitch McConnell. Democrats are hoping that in November that the electorate will vote Mr. Trump out, but sadly the same result as in 2016 may happen. The administration will more quietly (this time) welcome foreign interference and Mr. Trump will once again lose the popular vote but sneak by in the electoral college. Former Congressman Tom Davis (R-VA) said that voters have already sorted themselves. There is no middle.
But have voters really sorted themselves or have politicians sorted the voters? You want more civility, more truth, more compromise in U.S. politics? Make all the congressional districts square. All gerrymandering has done is further divide the country to keep ultra-partisans in power.
Panel: Peggy Noonan, The Wall Street Journal; Helene Cooper, The New York Times; Rich Lowry, The National Review; Doris Kearns Goodwin, presidential historian
One more thing...
Helene Cooper clarified a tragedy of American society when discussing the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. She explained that this shooting prioritized gun rights over children's deaths. For defenders of the NRA, let that sink in hard...
There's already been a lot of back and forth with the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) describing the senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell (R-KY) as a rogue leader of the Senate, who has already said that he is coordinating with the White House on the Senate trial. Senator Lindsey Graham has also stated that he does not intend to be impartial at all, but none of this comes as a surprise to anyone as the sides have already dug into their respective positions.
As for procedure, Speaker Pelosi is holding back on delivering the 2 articles (abuse of power and obstruction of Congress) to the Senate until Mitch McConnell and minority leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) negotiate what the rules will be, namely if additional witnesses will be called. Marc Short, chief of staff to vice president Mike Pence asked how you reconcile the statements of Speaker Pelosi that this is an air tight case against the president but that the Senate should call additional witnesses. Mr. Short must not have read the second article, which is obstruction of Congress. Additional witnesses must be called because the White House has refused to have anyone in the Trump Administration testify and has provided no requested documents with regard to the withholding of aid to Ukraine. It is an air tight case, but so that the American people know to fully know all the facts, administration officials must testify. And speaking of witnesses, what about the Bidens? Senator Corey Booker said he was exhausted with this angle of the Ukraine affair because calling them as witnesses is not germane to the president's actions and it's not.
What is also exhausting is person's like Mr. Short defending the president's reprehensible comment he made this week about deceased Congressman John Dingell (D-MI) at a rally in Mr. Dingell's home state, in which he said Mr. Dingell was 'looking up at us' [from hell]. Mr. Short also said that evangelicals are not a monolithic group in response to a query about Christianity Today's editorial calling for the impeach and removal of Mr. Trump on moral grounds, but how is one anymore able to accept or take seriously anything that comes from evangelical leaders who still support Mr. Trump? Answer: You can not.
The president is guilty of obstructing Congress and if he were innocent, these administration officials would testify under oath about what they know. Why is the president blocking this? It's not because he did nothing wrong. If the president has nothing to hide then he would provide documents and witnesses, however, this president has run his administration accountable to no one, putting himself above oversight and the law.
Chuck Todd asked the question of whether impeachment would curb the president's monarchical behavior or accelerate it. With the easily predictable acquittal in the Senate, Mr. Trump will be given a green light to break norms and laws in what ever way he decides. A sham trial for a slimy man in the presidency will only embolden him more. Also, it will not keep him for seeking foreign interference in the U.S. presidential election because in his mind the Senate will have said that it is OK to do so.
The chaos that is the Trump presidency will continue and the acceleration of it will be lead by one of the worst people to ever hold political office in American history, Senator Mitch McConnell. Democrats are hoping that in November that the electorate will vote Mr. Trump out, but sadly the same result as in 2016 may happen. The administration will more quietly (this time) welcome foreign interference and Mr. Trump will once again lose the popular vote but sneak by in the electoral college. Former Congressman Tom Davis (R-VA) said that voters have already sorted themselves. There is no middle.
But have voters really sorted themselves or have politicians sorted the voters? You want more civility, more truth, more compromise in U.S. politics? Make all the congressional districts square. All gerrymandering has done is further divide the country to keep ultra-partisans in power.
 |
| United States Congressional Map |
Panel: Peggy Noonan, The Wall Street Journal; Helene Cooper, The New York Times; Rich Lowry, The National Review; Doris Kearns Goodwin, presidential historian
One more thing...
Helene Cooper clarified a tragedy of American society when discussing the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. She explained that this shooting prioritized gun rights over children's deaths. For defenders of the NRA, let that sink in hard...
Sunday, December 15, 2019
12.15.19: After The President's Impeachment Acquittal, His Problems Will Only Be Just Beginning
The conversation with voters in Kent County, Michigan that includes the city of Grand Rapids was the most informative bit on impeachment from today's program. Six individuals, consisting mostly of Republicans, were individually unsure if the president had committed an impeachable offense but were very certain on the outcomes - that House Democrats would vote to impeach and that the Republican-controlled Senate would acquit.
The result, as one person put it, is baked in. What you could glean from the conversation was that the group of voters were leaning toward not impeaching the president, however also very informative was the fact that they all agreed that the president, on a daily basis, does something wrong.
If you consider that conversation and the panel's discussion of how there will be more information coming out after the impeachment saga is over, what we can expect is that the president will be deeper underwater in his approval rating he can anticipate. Heidi Przybyla explained that after impeachment some will say that he's already been exonerated (Republicans) and some will say that he walked (Democrats). However, the information that will come out - the trial of Lev Parnas and potentially criminal charges against Rudy Giuliani coupled with the Supreme Court possibly ruling that the president's tax returns will be released to Congress and or the Southern District of New York. The president will be pushed into some very awkward explanations as to why he may have paid no taxes. For the American people, it's one thing to explain that one has paid little tax, but it's another to read that he may have cheated on paying tax. The latter is something that the American people will not look kindly upon.
Regarding the Senate impeachment trial, Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) said that it was in the best interest of the Senate that Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell (R-KY), work across the aisle to set the rules. However, if there is one thing that we have come to learn, it's that Mr. McConnell has never had the best interest of the Senate, as a body, in mind - only maintaining power. Mr. Coons also said that it is in times like these that we miss the late Senator John McCain who was able to speak truth to his own party, not to mention keep the president's chief toadie Lindsey Graham from making a mockery of the institution.
Senators will have to take an oath, invoking God, before the impeachment trial begins that they will be impartial jurors. Despite what they say at this moment, the oath means little to them especially if you listen to Senator Graham and that Republicans' loyalty is solely to this president. Just writing the name Lindsey Graham causes this column to throw up in its mouth a bit.
However, there are Senators like Pat Toomey (R-PA) who take care to be honest brokers to their principles. He may not vote to impeach and remove the president but he was not dismissive of calling witnesses. Maybe it's setting the bar too low, but at the very least it's refreshing that Mr. Toomey stays away from the hyperbolic partisan rhetoric.
There's also Mr. Todd's question about how the Democrats could vote for impeachment this week but then turn around and approve the USMCA trade deal (the new NAFTA), wondering how it makes sense. Ultimately, it's a longer game the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is playing in as much as that it shows that Democrats can legislate and conduct oversight at the same time. It weakens the president's argument that Democrats are only obsessed with impeachment. If you look at it objectively and consider that Senator Toomey was disappointed that the president capitulated to all Mrs. Pelosi's demands, who is more obsessed with impeachment? The House Speaker or the gas lighter in chief? The only protections, Mr. Toomey explained, would be for the automotive sector and no others, which won't help his constituents in Pennsylvania.
The results of impeachment may already be baked in and the president will be acquitted, however, come June when it will seem like a distant memory, Mr. Trump's problems will only be beginning.
Panel: Heidi Przybyla, NBC News; Danielle Pletka, American Enterprise Institute; Eddie Glaude Jr., Princeton University; Peter Baker, The New York Times
The result, as one person put it, is baked in. What you could glean from the conversation was that the group of voters were leaning toward not impeaching the president, however also very informative was the fact that they all agreed that the president, on a daily basis, does something wrong.
If you consider that conversation and the panel's discussion of how there will be more information coming out after the impeachment saga is over, what we can expect is that the president will be deeper underwater in his approval rating he can anticipate. Heidi Przybyla explained that after impeachment some will say that he's already been exonerated (Republicans) and some will say that he walked (Democrats). However, the information that will come out - the trial of Lev Parnas and potentially criminal charges against Rudy Giuliani coupled with the Supreme Court possibly ruling that the president's tax returns will be released to Congress and or the Southern District of New York. The president will be pushed into some very awkward explanations as to why he may have paid no taxes. For the American people, it's one thing to explain that one has paid little tax, but it's another to read that he may have cheated on paying tax. The latter is something that the American people will not look kindly upon.
Regarding the Senate impeachment trial, Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) said that it was in the best interest of the Senate that Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell (R-KY), work across the aisle to set the rules. However, if there is one thing that we have come to learn, it's that Mr. McConnell has never had the best interest of the Senate, as a body, in mind - only maintaining power. Mr. Coons also said that it is in times like these that we miss the late Senator John McCain who was able to speak truth to his own party, not to mention keep the president's chief toadie Lindsey Graham from making a mockery of the institution.
Senators will have to take an oath, invoking God, before the impeachment trial begins that they will be impartial jurors. Despite what they say at this moment, the oath means little to them especially if you listen to Senator Graham and that Republicans' loyalty is solely to this president. Just writing the name Lindsey Graham causes this column to throw up in its mouth a bit.
However, there are Senators like Pat Toomey (R-PA) who take care to be honest brokers to their principles. He may not vote to impeach and remove the president but he was not dismissive of calling witnesses. Maybe it's setting the bar too low, but at the very least it's refreshing that Mr. Toomey stays away from the hyperbolic partisan rhetoric.
There's also Mr. Todd's question about how the Democrats could vote for impeachment this week but then turn around and approve the USMCA trade deal (the new NAFTA), wondering how it makes sense. Ultimately, it's a longer game the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is playing in as much as that it shows that Democrats can legislate and conduct oversight at the same time. It weakens the president's argument that Democrats are only obsessed with impeachment. If you look at it objectively and consider that Senator Toomey was disappointed that the president capitulated to all Mrs. Pelosi's demands, who is more obsessed with impeachment? The House Speaker or the gas lighter in chief? The only protections, Mr. Toomey explained, would be for the automotive sector and no others, which won't help his constituents in Pennsylvania.
The results of impeachment may already be baked in and the president will be acquitted, however, come June when it will seem like a distant memory, Mr. Trump's problems will only be beginning.
Panel: Heidi Przybyla, NBC News; Danielle Pletka, American Enterprise Institute; Eddie Glaude Jr., Princeton University; Peter Baker, The New York Times
Sunday, December 08, 2019
12.8.19: The Weary American Soul
There will be many in Congress weighing in on what articles of impeachment will be drafted, but they will certainly be drafted. Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, couldn't say which ones specifically but did say that it is clear that abuse of power and obstruction of Congress were two that were certainly clear. The latter is without question something that the president is guilty of as Mr. Trump has instructed his administration officials to refuse to testify or to hand over any documents pertaining to his seeking Ukrainian help leading up to the 2020 presidential election. This blanket refusal is something that no administration has ever done. Donald Trump has obstructed the Congress's Constitutional right, by law, to conduct oversight of the executive branch.
The Washington Post's Robert Costa explained that Republicans behind the scenes are weary of how an impeachment trial will go, with vulnerable Republican senators and evidence that is clearly not in Mr. Trump's favor. Regarding such evidence he also explained that he spoke with Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) who said that if the evidence and the Senate trial isn't going the president's way that he would call a vote to dismiss. The 'take the ball and go home' strategy. The Republican-controlled senate may have to employ such a strategy as they have no counter evidence and only attack the process, which if you're paying attention in the slightest is bogus on its face.
There is also the counter argument by Republicans that Ukraine also meddled in the 2016 election, which the intelligence community has widely condemned as a false narrative, but today we have Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) saying that he believes that Ukraine meddled citing an OpEd piece as evidence. Senator Cruz is definitely no profile in courage, that much is clear. Mr. Cruz supports a man who defamed his family, who he himself called a sniveling coward, but here we are. The political animal that he is, Texas right now goes for Trump so therefore Mr. Cruz is on board.
Mr. Cruz also said the Chuck Todd called Senator John Neely Kennedy (R-LA) a stooge for Russia, to which Mr. Todd refuted. However, this column will resolve that by saying that Mr. Kennedy by repeating Kremlin talking points is indeed a stooge. We'll get to Congressman Denny Heck (D-WA) more in a minute, but he said he is tired of politicians on the opposite side of the aisle continually taking views that are absent of truth.
Speaking of an absence of truth, there is fmr. New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani who is at the center of this scandal in Ukraine this week concocting evidence to what end, no one seems to know. Under investigation by the very office he used to lead, the Southern District of New York, Mr. Giuliani's fall from grace and respect has washed away all good deeds in his past. Supposedly, he intends to present his findings to Congress and to this end, Speaker Pelosi should review the coming articles of impeachment and sit on them and compel other potential witnesses to testify, namely fmr. National Security Advisor John Bolton who would effectively render Mr. Giuliani's finding void. Kristen Welker explained that once the articles go to the Senate, majority leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) could set a rule that bars any additional evidence from being presented or considered once the trial has started. However, Mr. McConnell should be weary of setting such a rule because if new evidence/ testimony comes up given the light and attention of the American people during an impeachment, it could easily steep public opinion away from his party, jeopardizing the Republicans slim majority in the Senate.
This brings us to the Congressman Denny Heck's (D-WA) retirement from Congress, who said he is tired and that his soul is weary from all the investigations but really it is from what he called the absence of the greater sense of decency and truth from Republicans. He also cited the lack of Constitutional principles on behalf of Republicans who have abdicated their responsibility to country. He said that the reelection of President Trump is a nightmare scenario, one that this column feels is an all too real possibility. If Mr. Trump is reelected, there is little doubt that American democracy will be changed forever for the worse. The equal rule of law will no longer apply to those in the president's favor.
Panel: Stephanie Cutter, fmr. Democratic campaign manger; Kristen Welker, NBC News; Robert Costa, The Washington Post; Carlos Curbelo, fmr. Republican Congressman of Florida
One more thing...
It's looking like that the Saudi national that shot 3 people at a Naval base in Pensacola, FL was an act of terrorism. We'll see how the investigation plays out but an apology from the Saudi government is hollow at the least and disingenuous at the worst. What's really disgusting is the president of the United States being the apologist in chief from despotic regimes.
The Washington Post's Robert Costa explained that Republicans behind the scenes are weary of how an impeachment trial will go, with vulnerable Republican senators and evidence that is clearly not in Mr. Trump's favor. Regarding such evidence he also explained that he spoke with Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) who said that if the evidence and the Senate trial isn't going the president's way that he would call a vote to dismiss. The 'take the ball and go home' strategy. The Republican-controlled senate may have to employ such a strategy as they have no counter evidence and only attack the process, which if you're paying attention in the slightest is bogus on its face.
There is also the counter argument by Republicans that Ukraine also meddled in the 2016 election, which the intelligence community has widely condemned as a false narrative, but today we have Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) saying that he believes that Ukraine meddled citing an OpEd piece as evidence. Senator Cruz is definitely no profile in courage, that much is clear. Mr. Cruz supports a man who defamed his family, who he himself called a sniveling coward, but here we are. The political animal that he is, Texas right now goes for Trump so therefore Mr. Cruz is on board.
Mr. Cruz also said the Chuck Todd called Senator John Neely Kennedy (R-LA) a stooge for Russia, to which Mr. Todd refuted. However, this column will resolve that by saying that Mr. Kennedy by repeating Kremlin talking points is indeed a stooge. We'll get to Congressman Denny Heck (D-WA) more in a minute, but he said he is tired of politicians on the opposite side of the aisle continually taking views that are absent of truth.
Speaking of an absence of truth, there is fmr. New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani who is at the center of this scandal in Ukraine this week concocting evidence to what end, no one seems to know. Under investigation by the very office he used to lead, the Southern District of New York, Mr. Giuliani's fall from grace and respect has washed away all good deeds in his past. Supposedly, he intends to present his findings to Congress and to this end, Speaker Pelosi should review the coming articles of impeachment and sit on them and compel other potential witnesses to testify, namely fmr. National Security Advisor John Bolton who would effectively render Mr. Giuliani's finding void. Kristen Welker explained that once the articles go to the Senate, majority leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) could set a rule that bars any additional evidence from being presented or considered once the trial has started. However, Mr. McConnell should be weary of setting such a rule because if new evidence/ testimony comes up given the light and attention of the American people during an impeachment, it could easily steep public opinion away from his party, jeopardizing the Republicans slim majority in the Senate.
This brings us to the Congressman Denny Heck's (D-WA) retirement from Congress, who said he is tired and that his soul is weary from all the investigations but really it is from what he called the absence of the greater sense of decency and truth from Republicans. He also cited the lack of Constitutional principles on behalf of Republicans who have abdicated their responsibility to country. He said that the reelection of President Trump is a nightmare scenario, one that this column feels is an all too real possibility. If Mr. Trump is reelected, there is little doubt that American democracy will be changed forever for the worse. The equal rule of law will no longer apply to those in the president's favor.
Panel: Stephanie Cutter, fmr. Democratic campaign manger; Kristen Welker, NBC News; Robert Costa, The Washington Post; Carlos Curbelo, fmr. Republican Congressman of Florida
One more thing...
It's looking like that the Saudi national that shot 3 people at a Naval base in Pensacola, FL was an act of terrorism. We'll see how the investigation plays out but an apology from the Saudi government is hollow at the least and disingenuous at the worst. What's really disgusting is the president of the United States being the apologist in chief from despotic regimes.
Sunday, December 01, 2019
12.1.19: The Whining and Complaining President
If impeachment inquiry of President Trump ends up with the Judiciary committee drawing up articles for a vote in the House which passes and then goes to the Senate for a trial where they vote to keep the president office (both votes along party lines), it will be what the American people already expect. This is exactly what will happen.
Republican strategist Al Cardenas explained that what President Trump did was worse than what Richard Nixon did, but that opinions on the president have already been set. Worse than Richard Nixon... think about that for a moment.
Impeachment must go forward even if the outcome is predetermined, which it seems it is because of the larger point that Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) outlined that the president has betrayed the trust of the American people. He consistently puts his personal advancement above the agenda of the American people. What kind of person who wins the presidency of the United States to become the most powerful person in the world constantly whines about unfairness like Donald Trump. This column for one is sick and tired of Mr. Trump playing the victim card.
He has gotten nothing done as president with the exception of a wasteful corporate tax cut and two Supreme Court justices. Healthcare, nothing. Prescription drugs, nothing. Opioid crisis, nothing. Gun violence, nothing. Foreign policy, worse than nothing - the American people have taken hits all over the world for the impulsively poor decisions that this president has made.
As for the circumstances of impeachment, it must move forward, popular or not, because you can not let the president's lawbreaking go unaccounted for. Of course, the president is going to muddy the waters and talk about the unfairness of it all. Please, he's the president and he's a whiner. All he does is whine and complain and Americans have little tolerance for someone if that's all he does. Yes, you could say that this column is filing a complaint about the president's whining and complaining.
The converse of this is what you heard from Senator Kennedy (R-LA) who seems like a pleasant person, but a person who had the gall to say that this president has a demonstrated record on fighting corruption. Where did this notion even come from? He also said that the former Ukrainian head of state, Petro Poroshenko, actively worked with Hillary Clinton during the 2016 election. Simply stated, Mr. Kennedy is spouting Russian talking points. After Fiona Hill's testimony, an expert on Russia, the Senate was briefed by the intelligence community on Russian versus Ukrainian interference and the information on Ukraine is fiction. Mr. Kennedy told Chuck Todd that he wasn't briefed and that Ms. Hill is entitled to her opinions. It's funny in the most profoundly sad way that these are the people representing our country. Mr. Kennedy, sir, do your job and go to the briefings on national security.
And that's what is at stake here. John Kerry and Arnold Schwarzenegger started a World War Zero project to combat global warming and climate change. However, what's really should be in the works is a cyber-informational WW III in which America and it's allies stand up to Russia and cripple the economy and disinformation infrastructure. Russia is a petrol state and the two are tied together. Talking and doing something about climate change and the environment directly impacts Russia and its misinformation hegemony.
However, not with this president, and not with this Republican senate, blindly loyal to a petty commander in chief who whines and complains about unfairness. Speaking of unfair, David Brooks reported that many Trump supporters were disgusted with the president's intervention in military cases involving Navy SEALS acting unlawfully. What sets America apart from others is our morality and our belief that we fight for good with honor, but the president not having any understanding of what it is to be in the service of one's country has decided that one of the aspects that makes the United States exceptional doesn't matter.
Mr. Trump makes irresponsible decisions all the while complaining and whining about fairness when he has broken the law. Life's not fair Mr. President, get a helmet.
Panel: Theresa Maria Kumar, Voto Latino; Betsy Woodruff Swan, The Daily Beast; David Brooks, The New York Times; Al Cardenas, Republican strategist
Republican strategist Al Cardenas explained that what President Trump did was worse than what Richard Nixon did, but that opinions on the president have already been set. Worse than Richard Nixon... think about that for a moment.
Impeachment must go forward even if the outcome is predetermined, which it seems it is because of the larger point that Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) outlined that the president has betrayed the trust of the American people. He consistently puts his personal advancement above the agenda of the American people. What kind of person who wins the presidency of the United States to become the most powerful person in the world constantly whines about unfairness like Donald Trump. This column for one is sick and tired of Mr. Trump playing the victim card.
He has gotten nothing done as president with the exception of a wasteful corporate tax cut and two Supreme Court justices. Healthcare, nothing. Prescription drugs, nothing. Opioid crisis, nothing. Gun violence, nothing. Foreign policy, worse than nothing - the American people have taken hits all over the world for the impulsively poor decisions that this president has made.
As for the circumstances of impeachment, it must move forward, popular or not, because you can not let the president's lawbreaking go unaccounted for. Of course, the president is going to muddy the waters and talk about the unfairness of it all. Please, he's the president and he's a whiner. All he does is whine and complain and Americans have little tolerance for someone if that's all he does. Yes, you could say that this column is filing a complaint about the president's whining and complaining.
The converse of this is what you heard from Senator Kennedy (R-LA) who seems like a pleasant person, but a person who had the gall to say that this president has a demonstrated record on fighting corruption. Where did this notion even come from? He also said that the former Ukrainian head of state, Petro Poroshenko, actively worked with Hillary Clinton during the 2016 election. Simply stated, Mr. Kennedy is spouting Russian talking points. After Fiona Hill's testimony, an expert on Russia, the Senate was briefed by the intelligence community on Russian versus Ukrainian interference and the information on Ukraine is fiction. Mr. Kennedy told Chuck Todd that he wasn't briefed and that Ms. Hill is entitled to her opinions. It's funny in the most profoundly sad way that these are the people representing our country. Mr. Kennedy, sir, do your job and go to the briefings on national security.
And that's what is at stake here. John Kerry and Arnold Schwarzenegger started a World War Zero project to combat global warming and climate change. However, what's really should be in the works is a cyber-informational WW III in which America and it's allies stand up to Russia and cripple the economy and disinformation infrastructure. Russia is a petrol state and the two are tied together. Talking and doing something about climate change and the environment directly impacts Russia and its misinformation hegemony.
However, not with this president, and not with this Republican senate, blindly loyal to a petty commander in chief who whines and complains about unfairness. Speaking of unfair, David Brooks reported that many Trump supporters were disgusted with the president's intervention in military cases involving Navy SEALS acting unlawfully. What sets America apart from others is our morality and our belief that we fight for good with honor, but the president not having any understanding of what it is to be in the service of one's country has decided that one of the aspects that makes the United States exceptional doesn't matter.
Mr. Trump makes irresponsible decisions all the while complaining and whining about fairness when he has broken the law. Life's not fair Mr. President, get a helmet.
Panel: Theresa Maria Kumar, Voto Latino; Betsy Woodruff Swan, The Daily Beast; David Brooks, The New York Times; Al Cardenas, Republican strategist
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