Trump rejects intel, lawmakers vow probe of Russia hacking
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson delivered remarks, in March 2015, on the release of a report by the National Petroleum Council on oil drilling in the Arctic, in Washington.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
President-elect Donald Trump spoke with members of the military during an Army-Navy NCAA college football game, Saturday, in Baltimore
WASHINGTON » Donald Trump today called a recent CIA assessment of Russian hacking “ridiculous” and says he’s not interested in getting daily intelligence briefings — an unprecedented public dismissal by a president-elect of the nation’s massive and sophisticated intelligence apparatus.
Trump’s remarks come as key congressional Republicans joined Democrats in demanding a bipartisan investigation into the Kremlin’s activities and questioned consideration of Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson — who has close business ties with Moscow — as head of the State Department.
Asked whether he’s rejecting valuable intelligence on “Fox News Sunday,” Trump was defiant.
“I get it when I need it,” he said of the top-secret briefings sessions, adding that he’s leaving it up to the briefers to decide when a development represents a “change” big enough to notify him.
“I’m, like, a smart person. I don’t have to be told the same thing in the same words every single day for the next eight years,” Trump said.
The CIA has concluded with “high confidence” that Russia sought to influence the U.S. election on behalf of Trump. The finding alarmed lawmakers, including Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain who said today he planned to put Sen. Lindsay Graham, a staunch Trump critic, in charge of investigating the claim.
McCain also has questions about Tillerson’s business relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, although it’s not clear Tillerson will be nominated. This afternoon, Tillerson had still not been formally offered the job, according to a person with knowledge of the process who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Exxon steadily expanded its Russian business on Tillerson’s watch even as its rivals faced expropriation and regulatory obstacles. In 2013, Putin bestowed the Order of Friendship on Tillerson.
“Maybe those ties are strictly commercial and got to do with his business in the oil business. Fine,” McCain told CBS “Face the Nation.” And “we’ll give him a fair hearing. But is it a matter of concern? Certainly it should be a matter of concern.”
McCain wasn’t alone in raising questions about whether there would be enough blowback to sink a Tillerson nomination.
“Being a ‘friend of Vladimir’ is not an attribute I am hoping for from a #SecretaryOfState,” tweeted Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, Trump’s former campaign rival and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. Bob Casey said the developments “raise serious questions about whether the incoming administration will adequately stand up to Russia’s aggression.”
Trump said Tillerson’s relationship with Moscow was a selling point.
“A great advantage is he knows many of the players, and he knows them well. He does massive deals in Russia. He does massive deals for the company,” Trump told “Fox News” in an interview broadcast today. He called Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker impressive, and said former bitter rival Mitt Romney is still in the mix.
“These are all very different types of people,” he said. “But when you ask me about Rex, I mean, he’s a world-class player. There’s no question about it.”
Later today, he Trump tweeted: “Whether I choose him or not for ‘State’- Rex Tillerson, the Chairman & CEO of ExxonMobil, is a world class player and dealmaker. Stay tuned!”
Separately, Trump also rejected the CIA’s conclusion that Russia tried to interfere with the presidential election and blamed “very embarrassed” Democrats for the public release of the assessment. The Washington Post first reported the CIA finding on Friday.
“It’s ridiculous,” Trump said of the CIA’s assessment.
He added, however, that he doesn’t necessarily oppose President Barack Obama’s order for a review of campaign-season hacking. “If you’re gonna to do that, I think you should not just say ‘Russia.’ You should say other countries also, and maybe other individuals.” The White House has said the probe would focus on any breaches by other countries, and past elections.
Trump’s incoming chief of staff, Reince Priebus shrugged off allegations that Russia helped Trump win.
He said: “The Russians didn’t tell Clinton to ignore Wisconsin and Michigan,” two states she was expected to win that went instead for Trump.
“She lost the election because her ideas were bad. She didn’t fit the electorate. She ignored states that she shouldn’t have and Donald Trump was the change agent,” Priebus said on ABC’s “This Week.” Trump’s win, he added, “had nothing to do with the Russians.”
Turning to business matters, Trump said he is leaving his worldwide enterprise to his executives and children, vowing, that he will “have nothing to do with management.” He’s expected to discuss the arrangement at a news conference on Thursday.
He also said he is “studying” the Paris climate agreement to reduce carbon emissions. But he doesn’t want the agreement to put the U.S. “at a competitive disadvantage with other countries.”
Trump also departed from Republican orthodoxy by vowing to heavily tax companies that leave the U.S. and then try to sell products here “like we’re a bunch of jerks.”
“That’s the dumb market,” he said. “I’m a big free trader, but it has to be fair.”
Associated Press writers contributing to this report include Ken Thomas in New York, and Julie Pace, Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar and Anne Flaherty in Washington.
129 responses to “Trump rejects intel, lawmakers vow probe of Russia hacking”
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Very interesting development indeed. He appointed a bunch of his generals to head up security and now is about to dismiss security reports because it doesn’t fit his agenda. Only time will tell if this is a good decision.
The thing that troubles me is that he says he will give up “management” but so far nothing about ownership. If you think ownership and management is the same thing then I will just wait and see how this all turns out and see what kind of decisions he will make regarding foreign policies that effect his companies.
You’ve OD’d on Kool-Aid. The NewYorkTimes quoted unnamed sources and unverifiable data in their story. It’s a complete crock. If the CIA had evidence, you can be sure it would have been presented, and they would stand behind it. After a week of the extreme left media running with the “fake news story” event, they fall right back into their old position of creating news to fit their agenda. It’s pathetic, and thankfully Americans, all over the country, understood their bs, and gave them the middle finger while they elected Trump.
If you think that Dai is drinking the Kool-Aid, what have YOU been drinking. The CIA obviously has enough intelligence on the hacking that they would bring that up. Further, the CIA does not as a habit give out intelligence on an investigation as there may other information that may be compromised if they do so. For one thing, giving out the intelligence may compromise their intelligence collecting method which may prompt Russia to find other methods to do their deeds.
… the CIA does not as a habit give out intelligence on an investigation as there may other information that may be compromised if they do so.
And with that you have just shot down your own thesis.
If this was a GENUINE intelligence work product, the last thing CIA would do is go public with it.
This clearly a combined STATE/CIA POLITICAL initiative designed by the current occupant of the White House to weaken his successor – – much in the same vein as his recent urging of American troops to question Trump’s authority when he takes the oath.
Doubt that?
See: http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/12/07/obama-urges-soldiers-to-question-trumps-authority-criticize-our-president/
He is protected now as POTUS but after Jan 20 he will be a private citizen with no such protection and if he again engages in sedition – – eg suborning mutiny of our armed forces against constituted authority – – that will be actionable and he can and should be prosecuted to the limit of the law.
People like peanut will be drinking the “new” Kool aid From a bunch of old men with Viagra induced testosterone after Jan.20, it’s Goo Aid.
CIA personnel briefed the US Senate about this issue in September. McConnell chose to withhold the information from the American public and threatened POTUS with charges of partisan politics if the White House released it. McConnell then played the same partisan political game by keeping it secret and dismissing the importance of the situation. If Obama’s investigation validates what’s being said – and I have no doubt that to some extent this information is true – we, as a nation have become a tool of the newest Russian czar and his power base.
Barry Should have released info in Sept. Instead, his admin did not want to be “…accused of trying to boost Clinton’s campaign.” Ridiculous argument since he campaigned for her on numerous occasions. Additionally, they were “…concerned about escalating tensions with Moscow …” Another ridiculous claim. Moscow has a perpetual scowl. If they aren’t doing anything wrong, they should welcome an investigation.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/politics-and-government/cia-assessment-says-russia-was-trying-help-trump-win-election
IRT Tita Girl: I would guess that there is a DIFFERENCE between Obama the MAN supporting Clinton and Obama the PRESIDENT using his government office to provide government support for Clinton. I’m guessing by your reaction a lot of Trumpers wouldn’t have been to happy with the later. #MAGA
Jusris, in case you were not looking, it was Obama the PRESIDENT using his official office to provide government support to elect Clinton. He traveled around in a US Air Force airplane funding partly by the DNC and Clinton campaigns, but mostly by tax payers, and the Seal of the President of the United States was displayed on the podium of some of his campaign speeches. If that was not using his official office to provide government support to elect Clinton, what was it?
Jusris, you’re just throwing pearls before swine.
Trump’s devotees lack critical thinking skills and understanding of basic high school civics : much like Adopph Twitter himself. They don’t even know how much they don’t know, and if it doesn’t fit their beliefs it must be some kind of conspiracy.#MAGA?
Trump devotees up to 65%. Getting better every day.
If Obama’s investigation validates what’s being said – and I have no doubt that to some extent this information is true – we, as a nation have become a tool of the newest Russian czar
Steady on, Numilalocal.
Take an even strain.
Keep your sense of balance and keep your wits about you to avoid being played like a mark.
Much of which you read/view in our so called “news” media is politically manufactured food for the feeble – – as we learned so vividly in the run up to last month’s election.
Felony-Shrillary’s foolishly uttered opinion that half our citizenry are s t u p i d , unworthy deplorables is one that is shared by the DNC and their wholly owned subsidiary, the “news” media whose job it is not to find and report news, but merely to take dictation from the Democrat Party.
Peanuts, Trump does not believe the Russians are the source of the hacks. No, he wants YOU to believe they are the source of the hacks. Now he wants to appoint Rex Tillerson, the Chief Executive Officer of Exxon Mobil as Secretary of Defense. Tillerson signed an oil and gas deal with Russian President, worth $500,000,000,000, and has huge oil and gas business in Russia. Putin gave Tillerson a Friendship Award. Now, I can see why Trump and his oil and gas corporate friends do not want an investigation into Russian Putin KGB hacks. The oil and gas interests and profits of Exxon Mobil are being protected by Trump and his appointments to his cabinet to enrich themselves over the interests of our country and our people
To correct my statement, “Trump wants YOU to believe Russians, Putin and the KGB are NOT the source of the hacks”
You’re right. He refuses to accept security briefings and rejects opinions from the CIA.
He cannot accept even the slightest hint that he is not as great as he thinks he is. He’s so sick, it’s really hard to grasp that people voted for him. His mental illness was in full view during the campaign, and his pathetic supporters ignored it completely.
It was anti-Clinton and Trump supporters who continuously pushed for an investigation on Clintons (at the time “possible”) email, Benghazi and other improprieties that were a threat to National Security.
This push found numerous violations and questionable things all behind the idea of “Protect America at all Cost” point of view…Why not now, why not that same fervor for this possible threat?
Clinton supporters were up in arms about the look into those same “questionable” acts that Clinton was being accused of…why NOT that same dismissiveness about these “possible” allegations by Obama and CIA?
#MAGA
You see, “We are more alike, my friends, as we are unalike.” Maya Angelou
There you go again Klastri, talking nonsense. By the way how’s ikefromeli? All those weekends picking up cans and bottles for nothing. A total waste of time.
Klastri, Are you a physician? Didn’t think so. You seem to make a lot of outrageous medical diagnoses about Trump. And Trump didn’t say he refuses to accept security briefings. Did you listen to his entire statement? He asked to be informed of changes as and if they occurred. The current President said he wasn’t even aware of the extent of the threat of ISIS, and your criticizing President elect Trump and he isn’t even in office.
Hey, les: is it too much to ask that you invest in a few wit lessons?
I mean, your destination is clear but your vehicle is under-powered and out of gas.
A veritable bevy of energy-friendly Trump picks for his administration
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-energy-idUSKBN140108
To me, the message could not be more clear. Getting the US energy industry back on its feet will be job #1.
TigerEye, do you EVER have anything of substance to offer or are you confined to mucking about on the fringe with such throw away commentary?
No, no.
Don’t bother.
You’ve already made your answer quite clear.
Klastri, always trying to find fault. the White House has an intelligence-focused Presidential Daily Brief scheduled for President Obama. But, according to a 2014 report by the Government Accountability Institute, the President has attended 42.1% of them since he was sworn in. It does not matter if Trump does not have daily intelligence briefings from the CIA or any other intel agency because he is PRESIDENT ELECT and cannot act on the information. That is the job of the sitting president whose name is Obama.
Felon Hillary,lol,will never go to jail. Promise broken from trumpf. Wall? Yeah right. Many trumpies are demanding he keeps his promise. “Ah,No that not businesslike”. Like bankrupcies, promises are just negotiation tools. After use,just toss it. Lol.
According the the article, the CIA “has conclude with “high confidence” before I listen to you and your opinions, I think what our CIA has to say is much more important than yours.
My post was not reliant on Kool Aid as you assume. I don’t like Kool Aid and haven’t had any since I was 5 years old. Have you had any lately?
Please try to be more open minded and not so defensive. Be happy that your candidate won the election.
After a full investigation of your “fake news story” is done, we’ll then know if it indeed was a fake.
Try to have a civil discussion without turning to insults and derogatory comments please. That is if you are capable.
IRT Dai: Great job, another Middle Man…THATS what we need MORE of…Don’t need to pick a side, it will only lead to blindness…Extremeist need NOT apply. #MAGA
Cybersecurity experts have found a server in Trump Tower communicating regularly with an Alpha Bank server in Moscow. Alpha Bank CEO Friday is the second richest man in Russia, has very close ties with Putin, and Alpha Bank is Russia’s international face and commercial player. Trump’s commercial relations with Putin and the Russian State are becoming more transparent with each passing day
Correction, Alpha Bank CEO, Fridman
We need more commercial relations. Perks everyone up.
IRT Dai, you’re believing “Fake News” or filtered data that is not complete and could not be true. All assumptions of truth. Kinda bad to get sucked in without any concrete verification. It’s similar to conspiratorial theories about the Russians. As President Reagan stated, “Trust, but verify.” We don’t know who hacked into the DNC. We know that the Russians did not hack into the RNC. We don’t know who hacked Podesta’s email. No one knows what information the CIA has. All speculation, period.
IRT kuroiwaj: So you are advocating for a wait and see approach, semi truths that should be investigated more? That’s a good approach, at least you acknowledge the possibility, you just want patience for the FULL investigation to play out. Seems reasonable.
Many Trumpers are saying that the investigation shouldn’t happen at all, that it is all FAKE…and many anti-Trumpers have decided that it is ALL true. More investigation needs to happen before we decide.
I agree with you, let the investigation play out and let’s find the answer, it’s for the betterment of America after all. #MAGA
IRT Jusris, agree with your post. Just listened and watched President-elect Trump on Fox being interviewed by Chris Wallace again and have a better understand Mr. Trump’s words. Many are “Fake News” that are posted here. We all must get to the truth.
Why would a man with no intelligence want to accept “daily intelligence”? He will let his son in law, the real estate agent, peruse it. Then get back to him. That “call” at 3 am, will be accepted at 5 am, after hairspray in and orange rogue.
He’s probably not interested in the briefings. He just needs to let the intelligence guys know that he wants juicier news that he can use to make deals.
This whole Brew Haha about Russia is the same as Obama repairing relations with Cuba. People complained to no end about dealing with those Communists in Cuba. Trump is trying to improve relations with Russia which Obama destroyed simply to show he was better than Putin.
Oh come on. Russia has been our enemy as long as I have been alive. Who called it the evil empire? Obama has had his up and downs with Putin and if he really wanted to deal with the Donald instead of sweet Hillary, he will get his wish. He should enjoy it while he can. I don’t think even republicans will stand for the type of corruption that the Donald is likely to give us.
IRT Peter (aka Boots), Russia is not our “Enemy”, but a Country that organized different than the United States, and we must always trust but verify any issue with them. “Enemy”, no. Our “Enemy” is Iran and the “Islamic” Terrorists who do say and kill Americans. President elect Trump does trust all intelligence and is reorganizing the process by which he receives the information. It does make a lot of sense what he is doing, which gives him time to undo all that Hawaii born Obama has done to the United States of America.
Well said, Kuroiwaj, but you are wasting perfectly good pearls when you cast them before swine.
Boots (nee e h r h o r n p) has demonstrated to a fair thee well that he is impervious to facts, logic and reason.
He once looked into a mirror and found the image terminally captivating.
A nightmare scenario would play out if an Obama Administration investigation found conclusive proof that Russian hacking and controlled leaks had proven decisive in denying Hillary Clinton the White House, prompting Barack Obama to declare the 2016 U.S. elections null and void and imposing upon all of us an Obama third term of indefinite duration until we find out “just what the heck is going on.”
Ain’t it great that we don’t live in a Seven Days in May (sort of) fictional world? 🙂
The only difference îs this time the president is with the generals to take over the government . Seven Days in May
Have you by any chance heard of that slim volume known as “The Constitution of The United States of America”?
No?
You would do well to check out articles I, II, and III and quit watching so many Hollywood fantasy flicks on your DVD.
It is not surprising that a Putin ally would brush off any intelligence that links any kind of connection to his campaign. Call it sour grapes if you will against all that bring up this possibility but the fact is that even high ranking Republicans can see that there may be something to the link. And given the fact that one of his possible appointees was linked to Russia just adds to the whole mix about Trump being Russia’s foot in the door of the White House. We cannot ignore the fact that there is a motive for Russia’s hacking, a possible president who will be an ally to Russia. Such a president would put the country at risk when it comes to Russia’s aggressive stance. Such a president would be a liability for the United States when it comes to national security. We cannot ignore the facts and even Trump’s very friendly approach to Russia tells you a lot about his alliance with them.
And all Mr. Putin had to do was to praise Mr. Trump.
Mr. Trump is a malignant narcissist, who revels only in his own pure wonderfulness. He’s a psychotic.
klastri you are lying again. Get back on the meds. Mr Trump and Putin may get along fine and our defense budget will shrink. Trump is a great American and wealthy too. Just blessed.
Klastri, Hillary lost, although you guaranteed she’d win. Get over it.
C’Mon klastri
You can’t possibly imagine ANYONE is going to take your ill tempered, manini spirited grumbling as serious commentary after an electoral majority representing your fellow citizens made such a fool out of you and your absolutely certain predictions about the election.
But HEY. If you are hell bent on continuing to make a fool of yourself, by all means put on your polka dot clown hat, your fake nose and big flappy shoes and do so with gusto.
Since November 9 you have become WAY more amusing that a cast iron bull dog door stop.
Trump rejects intelligence — of any kind.
Exactly. He will say whatever will fit the occasion that will accomplish his goals. Example: He promised to put Hillary in jail for the whole email server indiscretion. He used that statement to garner votes. Now that he is in office he made a 360 degree turn and said that he will not pursue this promise that he made. And he was VERY vocal on this right to the end of his campaign. Where is he now on this promise? He was in fact quick to say that he would not pursue her. Why? Because he knew all along that there was no possibility of putting Hillary in jail as there was nothing that could be used to achieve such.
Trump and his devoted followers don’t trust intelligence.
“I get it when I need it,” he said of the top-secret briefings sessions, adding that he’s leaving it up to the briefers to decide when a development represents a “change” big enough to notify him. “I don’t have to be told the same thing in the same words every single day for the next eight years.”
Come on now. Absorb the part of the story that makes sense instead of being hung up on the headline.
Trump’s approach to national security makes perfect sense if you approve of the nonchalant hands off approach to intelligence briefings taken by GW Bush. That approach only resulted in Bush ignorong intelligence warning about an imminent terrorist threat involving hijacked airplanes, in thousands of innocent Americans being killed in DC and NYC (and near destruction of the capitol building), in the disastrous US invasions into the Mideast, in the implosion of neighboring countries, in a refugee crisis destabilizing all of Europe, in Trillions of security and defence spending bloating naional debt, in disgraceful torture of detainees (including inmocent men and boys), and in the on the job training of ever more sophisticated terrorist bomb-making and propaganda.
Sure, latenightroach, all those events made headlines, but who cares about headlines? No big deal. Just read the article where Trump says he doesn’t need to be involved with daily brifings. And Trump is always right, always, trust me. What could possibly go wrong with that approach?
DannoBoy – Even before Trump takes office, he’s showing to everyone – except his pathetic supporters, of course – how ill he is. He already said he has the “best brain” so he won’t be taking counsel from anyone.
How is it possible that so many people could believe his ridiculous lies?
Ike is back aka DannoBoy. The crickets are slowly returning as they can not accept defeat..Lock her up. Trump 2020
Sgt Kitty just had her dinner. She says, “meow, Hi, meow.”
Who is Ike, the ghost of Eisenhower come back to warn us again about the Military-industrial complex?
DannoBoy – The don’t trust intelligence because they don’t have any.
Klastri, you nailed it
POLITICAL SUCCESS v GOOD GOVERNANCE
1. Lies and deception are effective in politics
Trump and his loyal followers value loyalty above belief and belief above objective reality. This is the same dynamic that drives cults and unhealthy mass movements. Their goal is power for themselves and defeat of opponents and critics. It works.
Loyalty is displayed by denying facts and endorsing lies – the more blatant and far-fetched the better. The willingness to even deny one’s own belief in objective reality or authoritative truths can be a degrading experience that bonds the gruop tightly together, the way hazing promotes loyalty in frats and street gangs. It weeds out the doubters and wafflers, like a litmus test.
The unspoken message is this: “Are you with us or with them? Yes, then prove it. Say that you believe this lie. Betray your past statements and actions. Attack that fact. Deny what just hapoened. Deny what to you saw. Deny what was said. Deny the meaning of words. Do all that if you are truly loyal.”
The preferred lies and deceptions will glorify and justify the group, especially the charsmatic leader, and will denigrate outsiders. Whatever the powerful leader says must not be challenged.
The preferred lies might include reassuranced of a bright future, salvation, immortality, 40 virgins, a world with no climate change, a nation with no taxes.
Critics and objective evidence that contradicts the leader, the comforting beleifs or the lies must be dismissed. These voices don’t matter. They are the liars. They are part of a conspiracy. It doesn’t matter if these are the concerned voices of experts, they should be silenced.
These strategies have allowed Trump and his followers to gain political power. They have been emboldened by this, and intrepret success with validity. “What Trump says is true because he won. That proves all the critics are wrong about everything.”
In the minds of Trump and his followers, lies can be true (even those that contradict each other). Logic and facts and evidence don’t matter in the world of loyalty, belonging and belief.
Since belief guides our choices, and choice is what dominates political outcomes and investment decisions, all will be well for the Trump machine, at least at first.
2. Truth and honesty are critical to good governance
But most of reality is determined by facts and forces much more powerful than belief. Gravity doesn’t care if Trump believes in it or not. CO2 in the atmosphere doesn’t care. The many conditions of our non-mental lives don’t care. Unemployment, poverty, crime, droughts,floods, contaminated rivers and diseases won’t be improved simply by loyalty to whatever Trump tweets.
The tools to achieve political success involve manipulating loyalty and belief, but the demands of good governance require being loyal to the truth, to objective reality, and the strength to resist seduction by feel good false beliefs. It takes integrity, honesty and trust in those who are better informed.
Trump and his followers appear unable to do this. This is not a sign of mental illness. It may be a sign of mental weakness disguised. Time will tell how Trump will govern and what will be the fruits of his leadership.
……
You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?
Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
-Matthew 7:17-20 (NKJV)
Ikefromeli is back Say it ain’t so.
@ SARGE 22
You GOT’EM!
ikefromeli still not over the DEVASTATING LANDSLIDE SHOCKING LOSS!
#MAGA
When it comes to the subject of intelligence, bsdetection, you have more than demonstrated you have scant …. well in the spirit of charity, no need to finish that thought, eh?
If you believe the CIA you believe in Santa Claus.
I believe in Santa Claus more than HRC and Obama.
Is this the SAME CIA that Barry The Blamer said did not warn him about the rise of ISIS? BTW, I believe in Santa more than I do ANY politician. On Both sides of the aisle.
So what are you suggesting? Eliminate the intelligence agency and its $70 billion budget?
Mr. Trump is a psychotic. He cannot accept any information that conflicts with his baked-in beliefs – including anything that suggests he isn’t was great and wonderful as he thinks he is.
Every single person who voted for him should be deeply ashamed of what they did.
IRT klastri: I don’t believe that EVERY single person should be ashamed…the vote for CHANGE like Obama pushed when he initially ran, might’ve been a GOOD idea, I support THAT vote for change. It’s the Trump part that’s looking SHAKY…The more they insult YOU the more you DIG in, right? #MAGA
Just another red herring argument typical of klastri as no one is suggesting doing away with the CIA. Klastri as a supposed lawyer should know better than to rely on logical fallacies. Didn’t they teach that to you in law school??
d_bullfighter – And you understand how lawyers are trained and how we practice? Please. You know nothing.
Titagirl, whose side are you with, the hackers, the Russians, the Chinese, or just a blind and gullible Trump supporter
I will believe Trump is sincere and truthful when I see his tax returns, and what his business connections with Putin and the Russian oligarchs are.
I agree.
Trump spent a year demanding Obama release his full “long form” birth certificate to prove be wasn’t foreign born.
Trump now refuses to telease his full tax records to prove he isn’t a criminal or a cheat.
What has Trump been hiding from the people?
Most suspect the tax returns would reveal that Trump is a billionaire who has weaseled out of paying any taxes since the mid-1990s, let alone his fair share.
It could be even worse than that. Has he accepted gifts from foreign governments, Russia perhaps? That could be unconstitutional and could disqualify him.
See:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2016/11/21/the-emoluments-clause-is-donald-trump-violating-its-letter-or-spirit/
Trump said he does not need to have daily intelligence briefings from the CIA. The December 7th surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, was the result of poor intelligence and underestimating of Japanese intentions, and ignored warnings
The White House has an intelligence-focused Presidential Daily Brief scheduled for President Obama. But, according to a 2014 report by the Government Accountability Institute, the President has attended 42.1% of them since he was sworn in. It does not matter if Trump does not have daily intelligence briefings from the CIA or any other intel agency because he is PRESIDENT ELECT and cannot act on the information. That is the job of the sitting president whose name is Obama.
Vector, The December 7th surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, was most certainly not the result of poor intelligence and of underestimating of Japanese intentions.
We had remarkably good, real time intelligence thanks to our allied magic and ultra code breakers.
What we underestimated was not the “intention” of Imperial Japan – – they had made it abundantly clear they were going to establish a Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere by which to secure an uninterrupted stream of vital imported resources (e.g. oil) primarily through military conquest.
What we underestimated was their military offensive CAPABILITY. Few in America had any idea of the dog fighting air superiority of their Mitsubishi ‘Zero’ or of their type 92 “Long Lance”, the best torpedo in the world.
For their part, Admirial Isoroku Yamamoto’s target planners made three dreadful mistakes that would come back to haunt them:
>> They only lightly damaged NSY Pearl and within weeks the shipyard was returning damaged combatants to duty fully restored and ready for war.
>> They left the greatest strategic resource – – our Navy fuel tanks – – untouched.
>> Worst of all, they paid scant attention to Sub Base Pearl. Within weeks combat war patrols of the far east on the part of our “Silent Service” undersea killer wolves would begin welcoming millions of tons of their vital shipping down into the deep watery realm of King Neptune and Davy Jones.
If you do not believe in the CIA and our intelligence agencies, then are you in denial of the Russian KGB, Chinese Office 39 which has also been doing a lot of hacking
Well the FBI disagrees with the CIA, so who to believe. Just to put this out there, if Clinton has won and the Trump supporters thought there was hacking, we all know that the President would dismiss it as conspiracy theory. Also, do people not realize that if for some reason.
Cont.- Trump were not given the Presidency, do you all really think that the population that voted for Trump would revolt? Trump voters have been patient and silent. My goodness, if you said you votedfor Trump you are bullied. What happened to the democrats tolerance. Be careful what you wish for because I and other Trump supporters will not sit idly.
If Russia did indeed hack the presidential election, this country is in big trouble. Mainstream media, if not just ignoring the issue, seems to be diminishing its ramifications. And if the issue is unimportant, then will we see the fall of America and the rising of amerikkka?
Nice to know that the president-(un)elect is smarter and better well-versed about national security issues than are the people and agencies who are actually doing the work. Welcome to amerikkka folks, where reality is a side show to what the powers-that-be want to hear.
Numerous commentators have labeled this Fascism (the combination of corporate power with the power of the state and military). We nay have to get familiar with it.
See:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/donald-trump-is-actually-a-fascist/2016/12/09/e193a2b6-bd77-11e6-94ac-3d324840106c_story.html
American Fascism on the rise with Trump appointing oil and gas corporate executives, Goldman Sachs executives to run Treasury and Commerce Departments,Elizabeth Chao, who has connections with Rupert Murdock & Fox News, a climate denier from Oklahoma who will gut the Environmental Protection Agency, to allow oil and gas companies to drill and frack anywhere and everywhere, while contributing to ever increasing global warming and more extreme climate events, military generals to security and defence departments
Vector, are you aware that it was the corporate executives you so despise that formed the strategic advantage we needed that – – along with the enormous sacrifices of Russia (25 million KIA) to defeat Hitler in Europe – – allowed the Allies to win WWII?
Our private sector corporate executives working hand in hand with government officials took a virtually naked military force in America and provided it and our allies with the staggering output of the greatest war production machine ever seen then or since on our planet. To take but one small example, the WW II era LST on which I was privileged to serve in country (waterways of CTZ III and CTZ IV) almost half a century ago had had its keel layed in September 1944 and was launched THE NEXT MONTH. The engineering excellence of the war machines of both Germany and Japan were like a candle in a hurricane when compared with our astonishing shift from peace time to wartime production capacity.
Eight years ago everything was G. W. Bush’s fault. Now it’s the Russians. Fake news and everyone knows it. Democrats need to engage in a little introspection to figure out why Mr. Trump spanked Waldo. This Russian hacking myth is going to take on a life of it’s own since the media and democrats refuse to look at the real reasons ordinary Americans rejected their policies. Here’s why Waldo lost: The alienation of the white working class via identity politics, Waldo and her private server, embrace of deviant social policies, Barry Hussein’s many screw-ups, a condescending one-sided media which protected elites, the list goes on and on. A straight talking, political outsider and his uneducated supporters took progressives to school and now Trump lives in their heads rent free. So expect more of this childish nonsense in the near future. #MAGA
IRT CEI: But how do we EXPLAIN the Republicans who support the investigation and their reasoning behind their SUPPORT? #MAGA
I can explain that with half my brain tied behind my back just to make it fair. The republican establishment including John McCain and others, the Weekly Standard, George Will, Charles Krauthammer were all made to look stupid by political neophyte and outsider Trump and they want their revenge. It is no secret the establishment republicans favored Waldo Clinton to maintain their comfy status quo. Like cockroaches that scatter when the light is turned on political elites fear Trump flicking the switch and upsetting their world. I’ll entertain other rational inquiries if you like.
I can explain that with half my brain tied behind my back just to make it fair. The republican establishment including John McCain and others, the Weekly Standard, George Will, Charles Krauthammer were all made to look foolish by political neophyte and outsider Trump and they want their revenge. It is no secret the establishment republicans favored Waldo Clinton to maintain their comfy status quo. Like cockroaches that scatter when the light is turned on political elites fear Trump flicking the switch and upsetting their world. I’ll entertain other rational inquiries if you like.
IRT CRI: I see, the revenge factor is most likely the truth…but it brings up the question, What TOOL have they decided to use to accomplish their revenge on Trump: straight up LYING or admitting the TRUTH?
#MAGA
Hey CEI, right on. Love your post.
You think that their concern about his lack of intellectual curiosity (evidenced now even further by his avoidance of national security briefings) was based on something other than concern for the United States?
They fear Trump because he’s profoundly mentally ill.
Klastri, they fear PEOTUS Trump for the same reason you do.
He took you arrogant air heads to the wood shed and revealed for all the world to see what pretentious fools you are. Now they – – and you – – are stepping fearfully out onto terra incognito, worrying about the pools of quick sand that lurk ahead.
And with good reason.
And the most delicious part? You half vast half wits have brought this calamity on yourself without any help from the NORMAL people who decided this election.
Enjoy the fruits of you labor.
Bon appetit
IRT juris: The TOOL right now is promoting the fake news about the Russians interfering with the electoral process to favor Trump. Of course there is no evidence of this but to paraphrase Dr. Goebbels if you tell al lie big enough and keep repeating it people will come to believe it. As I stated in a separate post look for this “The Russians Did It” narrative to take on life of it’s own in the near future. It’s the old psychological defense mechanism known as rationalization on the part of progressives. It provides a handy excuse for why their bankrupt philosophy was soundly rejected by traditional Americans.
Yes but what TOOL do you suppose that is: conscious effort to LIE and promote the false investigation or tell the TRUTH about the validity of the investigation? Are they saying, “let’s join in and also LIE about a lie” or “let’s tell the TRUTH there is no lie”?
Trump and his supporters also knows the, tell the biggest lie game and repeat it until it catches. The lie doesn’t need to be NEGATIVE in nature, you can also tell the biggest POSITIVE lie and keep repeating it until they believe it. #MAGA
CEI demanded investigation of Clintonvs email but not apparent Russian hacking of our electoral process. This is because he is a loyal Trump follower.
CEI demands we turn the light on corrupt politicians, but has no interest in the fact that Trump continues to hide his tax forms from the American people.
Comrad CEI lacks integrity and apparently shares Lenin’s values, “The ends justify the means (as long as,Trump won)”. Not very patriotic..
IRT Danno: Thank you for your thoughtful albeit unhinged post. Looks like I struck the unanesthetized nerve. Gotta’ stick to the “Russians Did It” conspiracy angle to avoid any analysis of the real reason Waldo lost. And dragging Trump’s tax returns into the conversation does little to bolster your position. If the Russians did in fact change the outcome of the election I’d be interested to learn the details since thus far it’s just wild speculation.
Glad to hear you aren’t completely lost to the dark side.
Perhaps Trump has a good reason for not finding the truth?
In so many ways, the truth is Trump’s biggest enemy.
Trump has many things to hide.
On this the 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbor Americans should remember that the tragic lost of so many american lives was due in large part to intelligence information that was ignored. The tragedy of 9/11 was also due in part to intelligence not acted upon. (Congressional report July 2003. FBI and CIA not sharing intelligence on hijackers.) This present situation is about learning lessons from the past so that future foreign or domestic attacks on America can be prevented. Intelligence information is not perfect, but needs to be taken seriously. The president elect would be wise to work with the intelligence community and to take advantage of their expertise and warnings. Rather than be dismissive and derogatory in their comments about the CIA and its report, as the president elect and his spokeswoman, Kelly Ann, have done.
Instill doubt, discredit the accuser ADDED to Deny, Deny, Deny…Divide and Conquer the Republican politicians, get them to see the threat to America, supporters will follow because it legitimizes the CIA intel. And threat But MANY Republicans fear the Trump base and their no holds bar enthusiastic support of Trump, and hate of all that oppose Trump, politicians need to be re-elected too. #MAGA
What gibberish babble.
Don’t just LOOK at the #MAGA and form a negative opinion.
“supporters will follow because it legitimizes the CIA intel and threat, but many Republicans fear the Trump base…” Auto correct was killing it. #MAGA
The Mental Health professionals are going to much in demand for at least 4 years.
Yawn…Lets enjoy some entertainment until the next set of headlines emerge that’ll rattle the Democratic & Liberal world….
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=clinton+supporters+crying+compilation
Who would’ve thought we’d be at this point? Not in my wildest dreams (errr, nightmares). He’s going to impose a new world order. Conventional wisdom said everything he’s done to date leads to Armageddon (for the GOP, for his candidacy, for the stock market, etc., etc., etc.). But, it hasn’t. Am I therefore optimistic? No. I’m scared. Really scared. Honeymoons end, bubbles burst, the king without clothes is always a risk regardless of whether people want to admit he’s naked.
IRT CriticalReader: King Without Clothes, is a funny AND true connection here. #MAGA
Yes CriticalReader, that fable rings true in the case of Adolph Twitter. Excellent contribution. But now I can’t get the image or of my head of Trump strutting around with the finest, most classy suot ever, so fine and classy that only the most fabulous people can appreciate it. And Reince Preibus is following Trump around saying how good he looks, and Paul Ryan can’t believe how raucous it is, but then he deadpans, “Great suit, Mr. President.” Then Melania days that she once modeled her own classy gown made from the same cloth.
Mahalo and #MAGA
Last August, the NY Post had a picture of Melania sporting her special outfit:
http://nypost.com/2016/08/01/melania-trumps-girl-on-girl-photos-from-racy-shoot-revealed/
Our fabulous, classy NEW first lady, the empress with no clothes. #MAGA #FamilyValues
https://thenypost.files.wordpress.com/2016/07/melania_-_copie_2.jpg
We have to admit…She’s the hottest looking First Lady since Jackie O.
Yes, the party comes to an end when he gets sworn in. Everything will be up to his team to run the country. Then there will be no one to blame…maybe.
He did state that he is smart so I take it that whatever is done on his behalf by his appointees meets with his approval.
We don’t need to get all riled up. I understand the concern and fears we all have. I leave it to our new POTUS. One observation prior to the election was HC might have been harder to impeach than DT. Just praying he is up to the challenge of running the most powerful country in the world.
Just hoping he stops doing victory tours and start paying attention to how he is going to keep his campaign promises. Many of which has undergone some really big changes already.
A self proclaimed CriticalReader proclaims
I’m scared. Really scared. Honeymoons end, bubbles burst, the king without clothes is always a risk regardless of whether people want to admit he’s naked.
There, there, Critical.
This subject and the running of this country is a job for ADULTS not timid androgynous snowflakes in melt down.
You are clearly out of your element.
Go back to your romper room, put on your footie PJs, break out a coloring book and leave the running of our Constitutional Republic to the ADULTS, which is to say the NORMAL people, in America.
And, you, thosser, should get out from under the blanket you’ve draped over yourself and your monitor and go back to bed. If they find out that you’ve sneaked out again and gotten yourself all worked up, your internet privileges will probably be revoked permanently.
The focus should not be on who hacked into the DNC computers. The outrage should be about what the hacking exposed. It exposed the widespread corrupt, dishonest, unethical, immoral and everything bad process that existed within the DNC and the collusion and conspiring between the DNC, the Clinton Campaign, the media and the Obama Administration to help Hilary defeat Sanders in the primary election and Trump in the general election. Democrats can cry about it all they want. The bottom line is they are the ones who secretly tried to interfere with the election process, which the hacking uncovered.
It exposed plenty about the Republican National Committee as well to the Russians but they never released any of that information – only the stuff on the DNC because they had a goal to put in a friendly and conflict of interest Trump in the White House, a person who has ties to the Kremlin and his advisors and his appointees in the Cabinet. you have to do backflips to avoid the cognitive dissonance to not call for him to step down and call for a new free and fair election.
Cite your source about the hacking exposing anything about the RNC.
Yeah I’d like the source too because this is the first time I’ve heard this fake news.
IRT Ronin006: I agree that about the DNC trying to interfere the election process and your OUTRAGE in that, why don’t you feel any, not the slightest, bit of OUTRAGE for the possible connections that the CIA is drawing between Russias interference with the election process? Granted we should wait and see what exactly comes out of the investigation BUT it doesn’t seem that you believe an investigation should even happen.
All in on the DNC but nothing on Russia? Some people are jumping the gun and decided to be judge and jury without a full investigation but your view that NOTHING should be done is confusing to me. #MAGA
Jusris, why should I or anyone express outrage over the POSSIBLE connections that the CIA reportedly is drawing between Russia’s interference with the election process? You will get no knee jerk reaction from me. Show me the evidence and I will react accordingly.
You are exactly right Ronin006.
His hubris can get us all killed.
Trump’s collaboration with and invitation to and constant communication with Russia throughout the election while they used espionage and other methods to successfully undermine our nation’s very sovereignty. This is treason and should be treated as such. Further the election should be thus null and void, especially considering how close it was and that he lost the popular vote and a new election should be held. Our nation could be saved from such a crises of democracy however if the electoral college simply puts someone else as a our president and they undoubtedly should.
Carl Bernstein, the investigative journalist who broke open the Watergate scandal, “Trump lives and thrives in a fact-free environment. No president, including Richard Nixon, has been so ignorant of fact and disdains fact in the way this president-elect does. Richard Nixon was nothing, in terms of lying, compared to what we have seen from Donald Trump,”
sadly accurate.
“Trump lives and thrives in a fact-free environment. No president, including Richard Nixon, has been so ignorant of fact and disdains fact in the way this president-elect does
They said the exactly same thing about the ‘amiable dunce’ Reagan and, like Trump today, he LOVED being underestimated by these political pygmies.
“To have the president-elect of the United States simply reject the fact-based narrative that the intelligence community puts together because it conflicts with his a priori assumptions — wow,” said Michael V. Hayden, who was the director of the N.S.A. and later the C.I.A. under President George W. Bush.
“WHY WASN’T I TOLD?! You’re all fired!”
Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford, a Republican member of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee, who tweeted, “Cybersecurity investigation of Russian interference can’t be partisan.”
Trump is no dummy. We should copy what he does. Fake news to create mass confusion and stress is what they do to us. He is above it all.
“He (Trump) also said he is “studying” the Paris climate agreement to reduce carbon emissions. But he doesn’t want the agreement to put the U.S. “at a competitive disadvantage with other countries.””
Interpret that to mean money is more important than clean air and water. Industry likes saying EPA regulations prevent jobs from being had. That’s a lie. If a business needs an employee, it’ll find means to hire an employee, or work around current employee responsibilities to absorb needed duties. Business/industry simply wants to make more money at whatever expense to the environment.
Can we call trumpf a Commie? They labeled Obama that.I mean trumpf got their back?