What does a TRUMP presidency look like?

[The Minsky Moment]

His approval rating is the same as Clinton's at the same point.

That will be a great reassurance for Republicans in Congress. 

[The Minsky Moment]

Saw a Trump supporting talking head on TV. I was only paying partial attention, but the argument he was making had me staggered - basically, it boiled down to 'nothing Trump did was illegal, because he's the President, and anything the President does is legal unless Congress impeaches him; and given that loyal Republicans control Congress, that isn't going to happen'.

So, the President can strip naked, paint himself blue, and walk down the street on his way to handing the country's accumulated secrets over to the Russians, pausing only to shoot passers-by in the face - and it's legal, because he's the President? 

There's a partial truth in there.  For example, revealing confidential intelligence information to a foreign power is felony.  But the President has the ultimate authority to decide what is confidential intelligence information.   So for example if the President wants to expose critical intel information to the Russian ambassador, he can do that with impunity.  But that only covers things that are within Presidential powers.  The President is still a citizen subject to the laws, as Bill Clinton found out in Clinton v. Jones.

There is a theory that the President enjoys temporary immunity from criminal prosecution while in office.  [Note that is very different from saying that everything the President does is legal].  That theory has never been tested.

[CountDeMoney]

There's supposedly a massive line to get into the room hosting the Comey testimony, even though all 90 seats or so have been taken already. The first person in line got there at 4:15am.

People and bars in DC are hosting Comey watch parties and early happy hours.

Seriously, fuck DC. Jesus.

You get the email and web warnings about streaming it?    Like it's March Madness.

[Barrister]

They must have taken Trump's phone away from him.  No posts at all so far.

[Tamas]

They must have taken Trump's phone away from him.  No posts at all so far.

I was really hoping he'd get furious enough to compromise himself via a Twitter message.

[Barrister]

So what's everyones take on Comey's evidence?

We know that Trump on a couple of occasions asked Comey to stop investigating Flynn.  Comey said he didn't take it as an order, but it still made him extremely uncomfortable.  Some of the "defence" of Trump is that 'well, it's not obstruction - he was just making a request.  There was no implied threat'.

But then we also know (from Trump's own words!) that he did in fact fire Comey because of the Russia investigation.

[The Minsky Moment]

There isn't any prospect of Trump being indicted and charged with obstruction - if he were the burden of proof probably couldn't be met on these facts.  The question is whether there is an impeachable "high crime and misdemeanor" here.  Only Congress can answer that question.

But it's pretty clear that Comey understood that Trump was looking for some kind of quid pro quo for staying in his job.  And as you say the firing leaves no doubt that Comey playing ball on Russia was that quid pro quo.  So there absolutely was a threat and it was more than implied. 

[Grey Fox]

When a robber holds a gun to your head and says "I hope you will give me your wallet"...

by Sen. Harris.

[CountDeMoney]

But then we also know (from Trump's own words!) that he did in fact fire Comey because of the Russia investigation.

What with telling the Russians in the Oval Office and all.

[frunk]

I listened to a bit of McCain's testimony, and I have no idea what point he was trying to make with the "double standard" of one investigation being closed and another one still being open.

[Grey Fox]

I don't think even McCain knew.

[garbon]

I listened to a bit of McCain's testimony, and I have no idea what point he was trying to make with the "double standard" of one investigation being closed and another one still being open.

I think he was trying to get Comey to say that Hillary is still under investigation potentially as part of the Russia probe. That while emails are closed out, she actually hasn't been totally exonerated given that there is Russia election campaign going.

Though he easily also could have been saying he doesn't know why Hillary isn't part of the Russia investigation.

I also saw how he kept mixing up Comey and Trump...

[grumbler]

I listened to a bit of McCain's testimony, and I have no idea what point he was trying to make with the "double standard" of one investigation being closed and another one still being open.

I was rather shocked that he sounded so clueless.  Maybe he's not still all there upstairs.

[viper37]

I expected something like that.  Well, good luck being alone when the end of the worlds comes

Eat me.

Seedy, you know I'm not into guys.  Try you luck with Grallon.

[OttoVonBismarck]

McCain simply sounded like he was slipping into the twilight years of dementia.