America, your President-Elect.
QuoteConfusion reigns over Trump's talks with Japanese prime minister
Reuters
16 Nov 2016 at 16:46 ET
One day before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's first meeting with a foreign leader, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Japanese officials said they had not finalized when or where in New York it would take place, who would be invited, or in some cases whom to call for answers.
Uncertainty over the talks shows the difficulties in turning Trump from a freewheeling businessman into a sitting president with a watertight schedule and a fully functioning administration by his inauguration on Jan. 20.
Japanese and U.S. officials said on Wednesday the State Department had not been involved in planning the meeting, leaving the logistical and protocol details that normally would be settled far in advance still to be determined.
"There has been a lot of confusion," said one Japanese official.
The meeting was only agreed to last week and Trump and his advisers have been busy in meetings at his headquarters in Manhattan's Trump Tower in recent days to work out who gets which job in the new administration.
While world leaders sometimes hold loosely planned bilateral meetings at regional summits, it is unusual for foreign leaders to hold high-level diplomatic talks in the United States without detailed planning. Abe is on his way to an Asia-Pacific summit in Peru.
State Department spokesman John Kirby said that to his knowledge, Trump's transition team had not been in contact with the department either to discuss the transition of government or to seek information ahead of his meetings with foreign leaders.
Trump is expected to use the Abe meeting to reassure Japan and other Asian allies rattled by his campaign rhetoric, advisers to Trump said.
But Trump, a brash outsider with no diplomatic or government experience, and Abe, a veteran lawmaker, have differences on policy issues such as free trade.
Several Trump aides did not immediately answer requests on Wednesday for comment about the Abe visit or contact between the transition team and the State Department.
TRANSITION SPECULATION
Speculation about top appointments to the Trump administration has intensified since the head of the team overseeing the transition, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, was fired last week.
Trump on Wednesday denounced reports of disorganization in the team, singling out the New York Times for saying world leaders have had trouble getting in touch with him.
Trump took to Twitter to list several world leaders he had spoken with since his upset victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton in the Nov. 8 presidential election.
The Republican real estate magnate said he had received and taken "calls from many foreign leaders despite what the failing @nytimes said. Russia, U.K., China, Saudi Arabia, Japan."
The Times, a frequent target of Trump's Twitter blasts, said on Tuesday that U.S. allies were "scrambling to figure out how and when to contact Mr. Trump" and blindly dialing in to Trump Tower in New York to try to reach him.
The newspaper said Trump was working without official State Department briefing materials in his dealings with foreign leaders.
"The failing @nytimes story is so totally wrong on transition," Trump tweeted, without specifying what it was in the article that was incorrect. "It is going so smoothly. Also, I have spoken to many foreign leaders."
Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence had spoken to 29 foreign leaders, the transition team said on Wednesday.
Trump has mostly stuck to normal practice for a U.S. president-elect with the order in which he has spoken to foreign leaders on the phone since his election victory.
But some of his contacts have stretched the limits of the usual procedure.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, an army general who seized power three years ago, appears to have been the first leader to speak to Trump after the election, ahead of closer allies like the leaders of Britain and Germany.
Sisi's office called Trump last Wednesday and the incoming U.S. president told him it was "the first international call he had received to congratulate him on winning the election."
Australian media reported that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was the second leader Trump spoke to, after the Australian ambassador to the United States got Trump's personal phone number from Australian golfer and Trump friend Greg Norman.
Trump also talked on the phone to the leaders of Britain, Germany, Turkey and other allies.
But a phone call on Monday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which the two men agreed to aim for "constructive cooperation," raised eyebrows among Democrats and traditionalist Republicans worried about a resurgent Moscow.
Trump also met Britain's anti-EU Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage at Trump Tower last weekend, ahead of any meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May.
State Department spokesman Kirby said: "There's been no outreach to date" from Trump's transition aides. "But it's not for us to approve or disapprove of conversations that the president-elect is having or may have in the future with foreign leaders."
'ONLY ONE WHO KNOWS'
Despite fevered speculation, Trump has yet to say who will fill Cabinet positions such as secretary of state, treasury secretary or defense secretary. His team said that was not unusual and was in line with the timing of the transition of Democrat Barack Obama to the White House after he won the presidency in 2008.
In a tweet on Tuesday night, Trump said he was "the only one who knows who the finalists are" for appointed positions in his administration.
When Trump's son Eric entered Trump Tower on Wednesday morning, he was asked by reporters if any positions would be announced on Wednesday and responded: "Likely."
On the ground floor of the State Department, more than a dozen empty conference rooms await Trump's transition team. State Department officials said Trump's team had not yet contacted the department's counselor, Kristie Kenney, who is overseeing the transition there.
As of Wednesday morning, the Trump team also had not contacted the Pentagon about the transition, officials said.
Trump denied he was trying to get security clearance for his children and son-in-law, which would allow them access to classified government information.
Bolton will sort it all out. He'll insult all our allies *within* protocol.
And he's just getting started. :lol:
Fucking suckers.
Quote from: 11B4V on November 16, 2016, 09:53:34 PM
And he's just getting started. :lol:
Fucking suckers.
#MouthbreatherStrong
I honestly believe he's not even going to live in the White House.
You think Clinton carrying 98% of the vote in Manhattan was a rout, just wait until that entire stretch of 5th Avenue is permanently blocked off.
New Yorkers deserve to be annoyed.
I wonder if he forgot about the date.
Maybe somebody should send him a tweet at 3:38 am while he's on the shitter, and remind him.
We need to get used to the new normal.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on November 16, 2016, 10:03:54 PM
Maybe somebody should send him a tweet at 3:38 am while he's on the shitter, and remind him.
#constipatedongoldtoliet
Quote from: derspiess on November 16, 2016, 09:46:10 PM
Bolton will sort it all out. He'll insult all our allies *within* protocol.
He'll send them the President's regards.
Quote from: Ed Anger on November 16, 2016, 10:05:58 PM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on November 16, 2016, 10:03:54 PM
Maybe somebody should send him a tweet at 3:38 am while he's on the shitter, and remind him.
#constipatedongoldtoliet
[twitter]Congrats to Cleveland Cavs on NBA Championship! I am taking the Browns to the Super Bowl![/twitter]
[twitter]Shame on @WashPost for writing that I ignored the Jap PM. I love sushi! So unfair![/twitter]
MSNBC is reporting that the Trump people will be meeting with State and Defense tomorrow
Somebody on the transition team must be watching TV tonight :lol:
Once things ramp up and he feels personally insulted by most of the world I'm assuming his term will consist entirely of angry tweets.
I think that might be the best case scenario.
Quote from: frunk on November 16, 2016, 10:15:31 PM
Once things ramp up and he feels personally insulted by most of the world I'm assuming his term will consist entirely of angry tweets.
I think that might be the best case scenario.
It isn't an implausible one either.
Quote from: frunk on November 16, 2016, 10:15:31 PM
Once things ramp up and he feels personally insulted by most of the world I'm assuming his term will consist entirely of angry tweets.
I think that might be the best case scenario.
One would hope so.
Considering the team he's putting together, I could see a Cuban Missile Crisis-type event go south real fast. Thirteen Days? With the names of a national security decision-making crew they've been tossing around, try Thirteen Minutes.
Come January 20th, I believe we will be as close to the possibility and potentiality of nuclear war since 1982. And the worst of it is, we'll have become the threat.
The confusion of the Japanese talks is not entirely to blame on Trump. Meeting a mere president-elect so soon after his victory is unprecedented behavior for a Japanese prime minister. Logistical and protocol details that should've been determined "long in advance" were not because this trip appears to have been settled on very quickly. I don't think Abe & team had a realistic plan for what they wanted to do if Trump won, and in the wake of it they are scrambling.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on November 16, 2016, 10:36:13 PM
Quote from: frunk on November 16, 2016, 10:15:31 PM
Once things ramp up and he feels personally insulted by most of the world I'm assuming his term will consist entirely of angry tweets.
I think that might be the best case scenario.
One would hope so.
Considering the team he's putting together, I could see a Cuban Missile Crisis-type event go south real fast. Thirteen Days? With the names of a national security decision-making crew they've been tossing around, try Thirteen Minutes.
Come January 20th, I believe we will be as close to the possibility and potentiality of nuclear war since 1982. And the worst of it is, we'll have become the threat.
Americans voted in this orange clown. Maybe we deserve it.
Maybe,
we're the bad guys?!? :o
I look forward to all the hit Chinese and Indian action flicks where all the bad guys with plots to end the world are Americans
Quote from: FunkMonk on November 17, 2016, 08:17:48 AM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on November 16, 2016, 10:36:13 PM
Quote from: frunk on November 16, 2016, 10:15:31 PM
Once things ramp up and he feels personally insulted by most of the world I'm assuming his term will consist entirely of angry tweets.
I think that might be the best case scenario.
One would hope so.
Considering the team he's putting together, I could see a Cuban Missile Crisis-type event go south real fast. Thirteen Days? With the names of a national security decision-making crew they've been tossing around, try Thirteen Minutes.
Come January 20th, I believe we will be as close to the possibility and potentiality of nuclear war since 1982. And the worst of it is, we'll have become the threat.
Americans voted in this orange clown. Maybe we deserve it.
Maybe, we're the bad guys?!? :o
I look forward to all the hit Chinese and Indian action flicks where all the bad guys with plots to end the world are Americans
:D
Quote from: FunkMonk on November 17, 2016, 08:17:48 AM
Americans voted in this orange clown. Maybe we deserve it.
Maybe, we're the bad guys?!? :o
I look forward to all the hit Chinese and Indian action flicks where all the bad guys with plots to end the world are Americans
And the Russian historical dramas where European perfidy is revealed to Trump by Saint Putin, who is then able to unleash his holy crusade to the Atlantic.
Of course the man is so hard to contact and he doesn't trust anyone from the government & no interest in doing so.
I read somewhere that he was surprised to find out he has to find new White House Staff.
Trump is going to make Stephen Harper look like a icon of knowledge. (Harper was the doofus of the G7/8/9/20/30 at every meeting they had.)
Apparently Putin's representative spent 30 minutes on the phone with Trump and is still not certain with position Trump has on the Ukraine.
Quote from: Jacob on November 17, 2016, 10:55:53 AM
Apparently Putin's representative spent 30 minutes on the phone with Trump and is still not certain with position Trump has on the Ukraine.
Neither is Trump.
THERE WILL BE NO POSITION ON UKRAINE. THANK YOU.
Quote from: Grey Fox on November 17, 2016, 09:55:19 AM
(Harper was the doofus of the G7/8/9/20/30 at every meeting they had.)
Totally false.
Quote from: celedhring on November 17, 2016, 10:58:09 AM
Quote from: Jacob on November 17, 2016, 10:55:53 AM
Apparently Putin's representative spent 30 minutes on the phone with Trump and is still not certain with position Trump has on the Ukraine.
Neither is Trump.
:lol:
It probably depends on how many hotels he gets to build in Russia.
Quote from: FunkMonk on November 17, 2016, 08:17:48 AM
I look forward to all the hit Chinese and Indian action flicks where all the bad guys with plots to end the world are Americans
Why, they'll all be English actors.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.techtimes.com%2Fdata%2Fimages%2Ffull%2F220148%2Fattackontrump02-jpg.jpg%3Fw%3D760&hash=08b32e009473e546ea436b5f7c6d1987b566d8b7)
Quote from: viper37 on November 17, 2016, 11:17:29 AM
Quote from: Grey Fox on November 17, 2016, 09:55:19 AM
(Harper was the doofus of the G7/8/9/20/30 at every meeting they had.)
Totally false.
Look at the official pictures, he always looks so uncomfortable.
Quote from: Jacob on November 17, 2016, 10:55:53 AM
Apparently Putin's representative spent 30 minutes on the phone with Trump and is still not certain with position Trump has on the Ukraine.
He is just playing hard to get.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on November 17, 2016, 11:53:14 AM
Quote from: FunkMonk on November 17, 2016, 08:17:48 AM
I look forward to all the hit Chinese and Indian action flicks where all the bad guys with plots to end the world are Americans
Why, they'll all be English actors.
True. There won't be any Americans left after the war so the next closest thing will be English blokes trying their best American accents.
Great. So they will all sound like goofy Southerners.
Quote from: FunkMonk on November 17, 2016, 12:49:34 PM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on November 17, 2016, 11:53:14 AM
Quote from: FunkMonk on November 17, 2016, 08:17:48 AM
I look forward to all the hit Chinese and Indian action flicks where all the bad guys with plots to end the world are Americans
Why, they'll all be English actors.
True. There won't be any Americans left after the war so the next closest thing will be English blokes trying their best American accents.
Worked for Band of Brothers, The Wire, and other shows. :P
Quote from: Valmy on November 17, 2016, 12:52:59 PM
Great. So they will all sound like goofy Southerners.
:(
Quote from: Valmy on November 17, 2016, 12:52:59 PM
Great. So they will all sound like goofy Southerners.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1Bg8tvvkYo
Valmy must not realize just how many Brits are working in Hollywood.
Teaching American accents is actually part of the syllabus at most British acting schools.
Quote from: celedhring on November 18, 2016, 03:42:55 AM
Teaching American accents is actually part of the syllabus at most British acting schools.
How very interesting. I figured they were all just coached before their first American part.
(https://scontent-fra3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15036250_10158148014580725_3319329217798394003_n.jpg?oh=50a7cd683cf3a1a8bf8cc7b8a735b783&oe=58BD3AB5)
Their facial expressions made me laugh out loud. See guys, there are positives to Trump's presidency - pictures like this, for example.
:sleep: :D
I don't see what's likable about that. /The Trump aspects look the same as most staged Trump photos.
Maybe if you really don't like Abe? :hmm:
Quote from: garbon on November 18, 2016, 04:29:16 AM
I don't see what's likable about that. /The Trump aspects look the same as most staged Trump photos.
Likeable? Not much. Hillarious, yes.
Dunno, Abe just displays the usual official-ish faint smile, Trump with a shit-eating grin.
The most hilarious thing is the golden leaf everywhere. I so hope Trump ditches the White House for Trump Tower.
Quote from: celedhring on November 18, 2016, 04:37:47 AM
Dunno, Abe just displays the usual official-ish faint smile,
I dunno, maybe that's normal for him, but that smile looks kind of pained.
There's many images of him with the same face with a quick look at google images.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fthediplomat.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F05%2Fthediplomat_2014-05-21_13-33-09.jpg&hash=42b13a98c1979e1836b9235e982543f9dd648ad1)
Quote from: Martinus on November 18, 2016, 04:33:42 AM
Quote from: garbon on November 18, 2016, 04:29:16 AM
I don't see what's likable about that. /The Trump aspects look the same as most staged Trump photos.
Likeable? Not much. Hillarious, yes.
Okay, hilarious, I also fail to see. Looks like a stock Trump photo (Trump looking crazy with overwrought furnishings - the epitome of the disdainful nouveau riche) with a foreigner inserted.
Architrave projecting out over capitals. :x
Quote from: Eddie Teach on November 18, 2016, 02:14:08 AM
Valmy must not realize just how many Brits are working in Hollywood.
Yes and many American actors can do British accents. It was a joke, see.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on November 18, 2016, 03:58:53 AM
Quote from: celedhring on November 18, 2016, 03:42:55 AM
Teaching American accents is actually part of the syllabus at most British acting schools.
How very interesting. I figured they were all just coached before their first American part.
I think doing accents is part of the syllabus at most acting schools. But I can see why a British school would focus on American accents in particular.
Just a reminder to myself and others who might have forgotten or be in denial, Donald Trump is going to be the next President of the USA. :wacko:
Donald who?
Quote from: Valmy on November 18, 2016, 08:52:05 AM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on November 18, 2016, 03:58:53 AM
Quote from: celedhring on November 18, 2016, 03:42:55 AM
Teaching American accents is actually part of the syllabus at most British acting schools.
How very interesting. I figured they were all just coached before their first American part.
I think doing accents is part of the syllabus at most acting schools. But I can see why a British school would focus on American accents in particular.
Yeah, the US is a huge market if you're a native English speaker, Brit acting schools just can't ignore that. In castings you will be filtered out if you can't manage a good American accent, so it's not something one can leave out "to be coached once you get the part". Hence most schools incorporate it as part of the syllabus.
Professionally-trained American actors also learn to pull off shitloads of different accents.
Quote from: Eddie Teach on November 18, 2016, 09:01:05 AM
Donald who?
Donald 'where's your troosers' Trump
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDJflQfNUE8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDJflQfNUE8)
Hugh Laurie has the best American accent of all the English toads.
Damian Lewis's accent was pretty good in Band of Brothers (haven't seen Homeland). The actors for George Luz and Bull Randleman also did good American accents, and of course Rick Warden aka Lt Welsh (he was also on Rome).
And then there's Idriss Elba and Dominic West on The Wire.
Btw, Hugh Laurie's Song for America: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyHSjv9gxlE
Quote from: Syt on November 18, 2016, 09:30:01 AM
Btw, Hugh Laurie's Song for America: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyHSjv9gxlE
I loved Fry punching him at the end of it.
A Bit of Fry and Laurie was a great show and often a bit absurd and random.
Here's Laurie's Protest Song (appropriate atm?) from the same program (and another example of Laurie's accent): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8chs2ncYIw
Quote from: FunkMonk on November 18, 2016, 09:20:26 AM
Hugh Laurie has the best American accent of all the English toads.
I dont know about that. The Brits on Walking Dead do a pretty good job and I agree with Syt that Damien Lewis did an excellent job in Band of Brothers.
Damian Lewis does indeed do a great job. He's right up there as an honorary American, tbh
Quote from: FunkMonk on November 18, 2016, 09:46:40 AM
Damian Lewis does indeed do a great job. He's right up there as an honorary American, tbh
He was pretty good in Homeland too. Well first season. He couldn't help the writing after that. :D
Quote from: Syt on November 18, 2016, 09:28:21 AM
The actors for George Luz and Bull Randleman also did good American accents, and of course Rick Warden aka Lt Welsh (he was also on Rome).
Rick Gomez is from New Jersey (Luz)
Michael Cudlitz is from Long Island (Bull)
Quote from: crazy canuck on November 18, 2016, 09:41:14 AM
Quote from: FunkMonk on November 18, 2016, 09:20:26 AM
Hugh Laurie has the best American accent of all the English toads.
I dont know about that. The Brits on Walking Dead do a pretty good job and I agree with Syt that Damien Lewis did an excellent job in Band of Brothers.
Lauren Cohan does a awesome job. Watching Talking Dead where she uses her British accents is uncanny.
Quote from: Grey Fox on November 18, 2016, 09:58:30 AM
Quote from: Syt on November 18, 2016, 09:28:21 AM
The actors for George Luz and Bull Randleman also did good American accents, and of course Rick Warden aka Lt Welsh (he was also on Rome).
Rick Gomez is from New Jersey (Luz)
Michael Cudlitz is from Long Island (Bull)
Bugger me sideways and hit me with a spoon! I mixed them up with Talbert and Martin. :P
Quote from: Syt on November 18, 2016, 09:39:46 AM
A Bit of Fry and Laurie was a great show and often a bit absurd and random.
Yeah. I didn't know about it until just a couple years ago but I have loved all the Youtube clips from it. I quote the slightly mad sketch all the time here. It is a completely idiotic concept but Hugh Laurie is brilliant in it.
Quote from: garbon on November 18, 2016, 09:54:20 AM
Quote from: FunkMonk on November 18, 2016, 09:46:40 AM
Damian Lewis does indeed do a great job. He's right up there as an honorary American, tbh
He was pretty good in Homeland too. Well first season. He couldn't help the writing after that. :D
I've been meaning to watch the first season of Homeland. Is it really that good?
Quote from: mongers on November 18, 2016, 08:59:59 AM
Just a reminder to myself and others who might have forgotten or be in denial, Donald Trump is going to be the next President of the USA. :wacko:
Sorry man, but we're not tired of winning yet.
Quote from: FunkMonk on November 18, 2016, 10:14:34 AM
Quote from: garbon on November 18, 2016, 09:54:20 AM
Quote from: FunkMonk on November 18, 2016, 09:46:40 AM
Damian Lewis does indeed do a great job. He's right up there as an honorary American, tbh
He was pretty good in Homeland too. Well first season. He couldn't help the writing after that. :D
I've been meaning to watch the first season of Homeland. Is it really that good?
It is, although if you already know the outcome of the basic premise (whether he's a sleeper agent or not), a lot of the tension is probably lost.
Quote from: Grey Fox on November 18, 2016, 10:00:29 AM
Quote from: crazy canuck on November 18, 2016, 09:41:14 AM
Quote from: FunkMonk on November 18, 2016, 09:20:26 AM
Hugh Laurie has the best American accent of all the English toads.
I dont know about that. The Brits on Walking Dead do a pretty good job and I agree with Syt that Damien Lewis did an excellent job in Band of Brothers.
Lauren Cohan does a awesome job. Watching Talking Dead where she uses her British accents is uncanny.
Lennie James sounds a bit odd though.
http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/international/japanese-pm-trump-has-seen-a-film-about-ninjas-20161118117344
Quote'Trump has seen a film about ninjas', confirms Japanese PM
THE Japanese prime minister has confirmed that Donald Trump has seen a film about ninjas and remembers much of it.
Shinzo Abe, who met the president-elect at Trump Tower, was assured that all trade agreements between Japan and the US will be 'great' before the meeting focused on the 'ninja film'.
Abe said: "Mr Trump watched the film on LaserDisc at some time in the 1990s, and enjoyed it, even though it was subtitled.
"The plot apparently revolved around a ninja whose family had been killed by an evil lord and had vowed to take revenge, which unfortunately did not narrow it down.
"At one point he put his swords through the heads of two of the bad ninjas at once and used them as leverage to swing around and kill a third ninja. This was acted out.
"Mr Trump enjoyed the film so much that he bought himself a solid gold shuriken, which he asked his daughter Ivanka to find. She was not able to locate it, but Mr Trump assured me it definitely exists."
Abe added: "The meeting was very successful. I now know exactly what I am dealing with."
Quote from: Tyr on November 18, 2016, 12:38:18 PM
Quote
Abe added: "The meeting was very successful. I now know exactly what I am dealing with."
:lol: That is a fantastic quote.
Quote from: Valmy on November 18, 2016, 12:40:37 PM
Quote from: Tyr on November 18, 2016, 12:38:18 PM
Quote
Abe added: "The meeting was very successful. I now know exactly what I am dealing with."
:lol: That is a fantastic quote.
A quote from a joke website?
Quote from: garbon on November 18, 2016, 12:46:34 PM
Quote from: Valmy on November 18, 2016, 12:40:37 PM
Quote from: Tyr on November 18, 2016, 12:38:18 PM
Quote
Abe added: "The meeting was very successful. I now know exactly what I am dealing with."
:lol: That is a fantastic quote.
A quote from a joke website?
Ah. I guess it is less fantastic then.
It's funny because it's true.
Quote from: garbon on November 18, 2016, 12:46:34 PM
A quote from a joke website?
it's getting harder and harder to tell the difference.
Quote from: FunkMonk on November 18, 2016, 10:14:34 AM
Quote from: garbon on November 18, 2016, 09:54:20 AM
Quote from: FunkMonk on November 18, 2016, 09:46:40 AM
Damian Lewis does indeed do a great job. He's right up there as an honorary American, tbh
He was pretty good in Homeland too. Well first season. He couldn't help the writing after that. :D
I've been meaning to watch the first season of Homeland. Is it really that good?
It's slow and it's boring.
Quote from: FunkMonk on November 18, 2016, 09:46:40 AM
Damian Lewis does indeed do a great job. He's right up there as an honorary American, tbh
Yes he's definitely in the same league as Winston Churchill and Raoul Wallenberg. :rolleyes: