Since there is such a fuss over “button, button, who has the largest button,” let me build on this theme with another button that comes to mind. For some reason, the President believes he has an “undo” button that can make people forget what has happened.
The most recent example is in response to the comments made by Steve Bannon, Trump’s former Chief Strategist, that are derogatory to the President and his family. In trying to diminish Bannon, Trump said Bannon was just a staff member who did not greatly help Trump’s election and never got one-on-one meetings with the President. Call me crazy, but Chief Strategist sounds kind of important and we should not forget that Bannon was given an unheard of security clearance usually reserved for Generals. As for the one-on-one meetings, there are pictures of the two of them meeting, which look like no one else is in the room.
Of course, he changes his stories so often, he presumes reporters don’t remember he said things. The infamous meeting with Donald Trump, Jr., Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort and several Russians is now being referenced as treasonous and unpatriotic by Bannon. Yet, we should not forget that the President has changed his story twice on his knowledge of this meeting. First, he said he had heard about it shortly before the news broke. Then he changed the story to knowledge the month before the news broke as he funded $50,000 into Junior’s defense fund. Then, he changed it again and said he was aware of the meeting before it happened, but did not attend. Now, Bannon implies more to the story, asking the question why was the meeting held in Trump Tower?
The above story will likely haunt his son and son-in-law more than it will him, but his story changing as to why he fired James Comey, may come back to haunt him for obstruction of justice. Firing Comey was not the wisest move on Trump’s part, but he added fuel to the fire by doing the following: firing Comey without the courtesy of telling him or his communication people who had to plan on the fly in the White House shrubbery, deviating from the story as to why Comey was fired two days later in an interview with Lester Holt saying it was due to the Russia thing, and then providing altering versions of the story in future tweets.
For me, I am not going to let him off with an “undo” button. He has pushed that button so many times, it has worn out. My thesis is simple. If he is not guilty of anything, then why does he act so guilty with his story changing? And, for those who want him to testify to remedy all questions, there is an interesting story about a deposition he once did, when the opposing attorney made him recant under oath 30 lies he had told. When you change your story so much, it is hard to remember the truth.
Happy New Year to you, Keith!
I would like to inform you that there is a special video produced by the series “Planet America”:
The video is available at http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/planet-america/NU1735H050S00#playing
Happy New Year. Thanks for sharing the link. What worries me as well is the post-truth age where one must work at ascertaining the real story and politicians are at liberty to lie. Unless we hold them accountable for lying, then we are doomed to allow more Trumps to get elected.
The other need is for people to get involved in the election process. Far too many chose not to vote at all as Clinton was imperfect, yet as Michael Bloomberg said at the DNC, vote for the “sane competent one” as he knew them both. Keith
I would also like to wish you a wonderful festive season and a happy new year with my special post at https://soundeagle.wordpress.com/2012/12/12/season-greetings-from-soundeagle-merry-christmas-happy-new-year-and-joyful-holiday/
Happy 2018!
I’m with you on this one, Keith. If he is not guilty, then there is no need to tell lies, as the truth would do quite well. And if there is no need to tell lies, then why does the story keep changing. That said, I think he is likely a pathological liar, for he even lies about little, inconsequential things. I think we have never, in the 230 years since the signing of the Constitution, had a more dishonest president and administration.
Jill, agreed. Richard Nixon is the most identifiable one with Trump as the former had over twenty of his associates go to jail and would have been impeached. The list is still building for Trump. By the way, if Manafort does not like these charges, I am sure Mueller will be adding to them. Keith
The two big differences between Nixon and Trump: a) Nixon was intelligent and in many ways a good president; b) I actually liked Nixon.
And yeah, I so want to see Manafort get what he deserves. I saw a picture of him in an article about him suing Mueller, and he was smirking! SMIRKING, I tell ya! I wanted to slap that smirk off his face, but I didn’t wish to break my laptop. 😉
Jill, Nixon’s opening the door to China was lauded by Obama as one of the most prescient acts. He knew the ropes which is in direct contrast to the current President. Keith
Note to Readers: Well, my letter to the President asking him to lie less, which I posted last week, unsurprisingly has no effect. He said today that he is eliminating the Voter Fraud panel because all the Democrat states did not supply the information. He failed to say there were Republican states, as well. That is on top of other lies, bullying and boasting that he has done taking credit for things he has little to do with.
The one TRUTH that he makes evident every day is that he lacks every quality that defines the word leader.
Agreed. I do not consider him a leader nor do many.
Dear Keith,
The sad truth is that the president has dug his own grave with all of his lies but he is continuing to dig an even bigger one. The Attorney General was never going to be able to protect him from himself, but by recusing himself, Mr. Sessions may have just avoided being buried with the president. Meanwhile, as the hole he is digging gets bigger, his clueless daughter, son-in-law and Don Trump Jr. may end up being buried in that hole with him.
The book is not the problem but the truth does hold its own power.
Hugs, Gronda
Gronda, he can only look in the mirror to find the person at fault. Beneath the sensational topics in the book is a portrait of a ego-maniacal child in a 70 year old body who needs immediate gratification.
The book has elevated the level of concern among his supporters and acquiescent GOP leaders. It says not only the man is likely guilty, but he may be incompetent. Keith
It is possible to think of yore, politicians good, bad or even indifferent, yet they all shared the quality of being professional.
This fellow shows no qualities at all. He keeps on selling himself to his base and his contributors while ignoring the majority of the country as if this will see him through. If he was not such a personally obnoxious creature it would be quite tragic.
Roger, not all our politicians are professional due to gerrymandered districts drawing some people with extreme views. Yet, very few, if any, are as unprofessional as our President. What people lose sight of is one can still be a populist (or politically incorrect) without lying, bullying and uncivil behavior. Keith
Quite Keith.
Ronald Regan was not everyone’s ideal and many will not think of him with fondness, but he was very adept at ‘The Soft Sell’
Agreed. Reagan was not perfect, but he is light years ahead of the current incumbent in terms of professionalism and civility. He had one major lie on the Iran-Contra affair, vetoed legislation on sanctioning Apartheid South Africa (which was overturned) and handled the AIDs epidemic poorly, but on the whole is viewed as a decent President and person. He was surrounded by better people than the incumbent.