What does a TRUMP presidency look like?

[Syt]

https://www.newsweek.com/another-trump-gift-putin-former-diplomats-horrified-administrations-reported-plans-ditch-1463788

'ANOTHER TRUMP GIFT TO PUTIN': FORMER DIPLOMATS HORRIFIED BY ADMINISTRATION'S REPORTED PLANS TO DITCH OPEN SKIES TREATY WITH RUSSIA

Former diplomats have reacted with horror to reports that Donald Trump's administration is considering withdrawing from the Open Skies treaty, which allows signatory nations to conduct unarmed surveillance flights over each other's territory.

Rep. Eliot Engel, the chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, sent a letter to National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien on Monday expressing his concern at the administration's "reported plans" to withdraw from the treaty.

Engel did not specify which reports he was referring to, but warned that "withdrawal would only benefit Russia and be harmful to our allies' and partners' national security interests."

The treaty allows the treaty's 34 party states—including the U.S., Russia and most of Europe including Ukraine—to conduct overflights of each other's territory and monitor military activity. It came into effect in 2002.

Engel noted that the agreement "allows the United States and our allies and partners in Europe to monitor Russian military deployments. Observation flights under the Treaty have generated additional information regarding Russian military action in Ukraine and provided a check on further Russian aggression there."

The letter prompted grave concerns on social media, with foreign policy watchers denouncing the Trump administration for reportedly considering the move, especially given the president's suspect relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Ben Rhodes, who formerly served as deputy national security adviser to President Barack Obama, tweeted, "Sometimes the only way to explain/predict Trump's foreign policy is to think 'what would Putin want the US to do?'"

Jon Wolfsthal, who worked as Obama's senior director for arms control and nonproliferation at the National Security Council, also linked the reported withdrawal to Putin. "Russia hates Open Skies because it requires them to let Ukraine fly over their country," he explained. "This is another Trump gift to Putin."

Meanwhile, former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul expressed his disbelief at the reported decision. "We are now pulling out of the Open Skies Treaty? Really? Please tell me this can't be true."

O'Brien and the White House are yet to comment on Engel's letter, and the White House did not immediately respond to Newsweek's request for clarification.

Engel ended his letter by requesting O'Brien's "personal engagement on this matter to ensure that the United States does not unwisely and rashly withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty, which continues to serve American national security interests and is particularly important as a check against further Russian aggression against Ukraine."

[Syt]

https://politics.theonion.com/gop-lawmakers-watch-silently-as-trump-strangles-each-of-1838885386

GOP Lawmakers Watch Silently As Trump Strangles Each Of Their Loved Ones In Turn

WASHINGTON—Opting to take more of a wait-and-see approach instead of rushing to pass judgment, Republican lawmakers reportedly looked on in silence Tuesday as President Trump worked his way through each of their families and, one by one, strangled all their loved ones to death. "After I watched the president slowly and methodically squeeze the life out of my wife's body as she gasped, futilely, for breath, he gave me his personal assurance that he was not responsible for her death, so I continue to stand by this administration," said Rep. Scott DesJarlais (R-TN), who along with every Republican in both the House and Senate stated that while killing off their families in cold blood might not be entirely proper, it was certainly not an impeachable offense, no matter how the media tried to spin it. "Now, this is not an action I would have taken myself. I personally would not have wrapped my hands around my 5-year-old son's neck and crushed his windpipe. But if Donald Trump's approach to governing is sometimes a bit outside the ordinary, that's because Donald Trump is no ordinary president. And maybe that's not such a bad thing." Later, with his beloved sister's face turning purple as the commander-in-chief asphyxiated her with a length of barbed wire, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) appeared on several television news networks and said impeaching the president for her imminent death would be "insane."

[jimmy olsen]

Another day, another 43 allegations of sexual assault against Trump

https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a29391247/donald-trump-assault-allegations-karen-johnson-all-the-presidents-women-book/

[Admiral Yi]

Homeland Security chief Kevin McAleelan resigns.

[Oexmelin]

Shepard Smith has left Fox News.

[Sheilbh]

Homeland Security chief Kevin McAleelan resigns.

The awkwardness of not being able to keep even your Acting cabinet members in place.

[grumbler]

Shepard Smith has left Fox News.

New Acting Head of Homeland Security?

[Oexmelin]

Shepard Smith has left Fox News.

New Acting Head of Homeland Security?

Considering that Trump hated his guts as the lone voice exposing his lies within his actual cabinet (i.e. Fox News), and that he tweeted mockingly that Smith left because of "ratings", my answer would be no.

[grumbler]

Considering that Trump hated his guts as the lone voice exposing his lies within his actual cabinet (i.e. Fox News), and that he tweeted mockingly that Smith left because of "ratings", my answer would be no.

I never watch Fox "news" so actually have no idea who Smith is, but if Trump loathed him then he's best off away from the Trumpsucking Network.

[Sophie Scholl]

Considering that Trump hated his guts as the lone voice exposing his lies within his actual cabinet (i.e. Fox News), and that he tweeted mockingly that Smith left because of "ratings", my answer would be no.

I never watch Fox "news" so actually have no idea who Smith is, but if Trump loathed him then he's best off away from the Trumpsucking Network.

He was the sole consistent voice of reason and the most honest reporter and most legitimate reporter that Fox News had.  How he managed to keep his job or not go crazy for so long being gay and honest at Fox News, I will never know.

[The Brain]

How do people know who's-who at Fox News?

[DGuller]

He was the sole consistent voice of reason and the most honest reporter and most legitimate reporter that Fox News had.  How he managed to keep his job or not go crazy for so long being gay and honest at Fox News, I will never know.

They probably kept him on as a token non-fascist, and he probably thought that his best move was to try to inject some reason from inside the nest of insanity.  I think Smith was wrong to stay on as long as he had, because people like him only lend legitimacy to an outfit that should have none at all, without actually making it any less of a propaganda outfit.  Same goes for Chris Wallace.  I hope people won't overestimate him as a journalist, like they did with Megyn Kelly, just because they're clearing a very low bar on Fox.

[Zoupa]

Macabre Video of Fake Trump Shooting Media and Critics Is Shown at His Resort

By Michael S. Schmidt and Maggie Haberman
Oct. 13, 2019, 8:36 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON — A video depicting a macabre scene of a fake President Trump shooting, stabbing and brutally assaulting members of the news media and his political opponents was shown at a conference for his supporters at his Miami resort last week, according to footage obtained by The New York Times.

Several of Mr. Trump's top surrogates — including his son Donald Trump Jr., his former spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders and the governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis — were scheduled to speak at the three-day conference, which was held by a pro-Trump group, American Priority, at Trump National Doral Miami. Ms. Sanders and a person close Mr. Trump's son said on Sunday that they did not see the video at the conference.

The video, which includes the logo for Mr. Trump's 2020 re-election campaign, comprises a series of internet memes. The most violent clip shows Mr. Trump's head superimposed on the body of a man opening fire inside the "Church of Fake News" on parishioners who have the faces of his critics or the logos of media organizations superimposed on their bodies. It appears to be an edited scene of a church massacre from the 2014 dark comedy film "Kingsman: The Secret Service."

The disclosure that the video was played shows how Mr. Trump's anti-media language has influenced his supporters and bled into their own propaganda. Mr. Trump has made attacks on the news media a mainstay of his presidency, and he tweeted a similar — but far less violent video — in 2017. In recent weeks as he has confronted impeachment proceedings, he has ramped up his attacks on the news media, repeatedly calling it the "enemy of the people."

A person who attended the conference last week took a video of the clip on his phone and had an intermediary send it to a reporter for The Times. Parts of the video were posted on YouTube in 2018 by a user with a history of creating pro-Trump mash-ups.

The organizer of the event said in a statement on Sunday that the clip had been played at the conference, saying it was part of a "meme exhibit." He denounced the video and said his organization was looking into how it was shown at the event.

"Content was submitted by third parties and was not associated with or endorsed by the conference in any official capacity," said the organizer, Alex Phillips. "American Priority rejects all political violence and aims to promote a healthy dialogue about the preservation of free speech. This matter is under review."

Organizers declined to say exactly where at Mr. Trump's resort the video was shown.

A person close to Mr. Trump's son said he was unaware that the video had been played at the conference. Ms. Sanders said she was unaware of the video's existence until a Times reporter contacted her.

"I was there to speak at a prayer breakfast, where I spoke about unity and bringing the country together," Ms. Sanders said. "I wasn't aware of any video, nor do I support violence of any kind against anyone."

A spokesman for Mr. Trump's campaign said he knew nothing about the video.

"That video was not produced by the campaign, and we do not condone violence," said Tim Murtaugh, the spokesman.

A DeSantis spokeswoman did not respond to an email seeking comment.

The video depicts a scene inside the "Church of Fake News," where parishioners rise as Mr. Trump — dressed in a black pinstripe suit and tie — walks down the aisle. Many parishioners' faces have been replaced with the logos of news media organizations, including PBS, NPR, Politico, The Washington Post and NBC.

Mr. Trump stops in the middle of the church, pulls a gun out of his suit jacket pocket and begins a graphic rampage. As the parishioners try to flee, the president fires at them. He shoots Black Lives Matter in the head, and also shoots Vice News.

Some of those in the church try to apprehend Mr. Trump. He fends them off and makes his way toward the altar, knocking over several pews. He wrestles a parishioner with a Vice News logo as a face to the ground and then shoots the person at point blank range. In the background, the former F.B.I. director, James B. Comey, is seen trying to get away.

From there, Mr. Trump attacks a range of his critics. He strikes the late Arizona senator John McCain in the back of the neck. He hits the television personality Rosie O'Donnell in the face and then stabs her in the head. He strikes Representative Maxine Waters, Democrat of California. He lights the head of Senator Bernie Sanders, a Democratic presidential rival, on fire.

He takes Senator Mitt Romney, Republican of Utah, hostage before throwing him to the ground. Then he strikes former President Barack Obama in the back and throws him against a wall.

Others shown in the video include Mika Brzezinski of MSNBC; former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; former President Bill Clinton; the film producer Harvey Weinstein; and Representative Adam B. Schiff, the California Democrat who as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee is overseeing an impeachment inquiry of Mr. Trump.

The clip ends with Mr. Trump putting a stake into the head of a person with a CNN logo for a face. Mr. Trump then stands on the altar, admiring his rampage, and smiles.

The video is similar in style to one Mr. Trump tweeted in July 2017, in which he is shown at a wrestling match body slamming CNN's logo and beating it up. The president was roundly criticized for encouraging violence against journalists by posting that clip, but his supporters enjoyed it, and helped make the tweet viral.

Throughout his 2016 campaign and presidency, Mr. Trump has sought to demonize the news media, partly out of frustration about the coverage of his administration and partly because he likes to have an opponent to target. Mr. Trump has also sought to undermine confidence in the mainstream media, some of his advisers acknowledge privately, to make people doubt the accuracy of less favorable accounts of what goes on in his administration.

The president said at a rally on Friday that there was an "unholy alliance of corrupt Democrat politicians, deep-state bureaucrats and the fake news media."

NY Times article

[Syt]

https://twitter.com/ndrew_lawrence/status/1183117868784902150

Sean Hannity wants you to "imagine" what if Don Jr, Eric or Ivanka were making loads of money from foreigners off of the presidency. The media mob would be going crazy Hannity says

(Video clip at link)

[Razgovory]

https://twitter.com/ndrew_lawrence/status/1183117868784902150

Sean Hannity wants you to "imagine" what if Don Jr, Eric or Ivanka were making loads of money from foreigners off of the presidency. The media mob would be going crazy Hannity says

(Video clip at link)

I watched the video, but they must have cut it short cause Hannity never got the punchline.