The behavior of the captain of our Ship of State whose fingers rapidly fire off tweets of rage against the new book: Fire and Fury with the malevolent quotes by his former chief strategist Steve Bannon, instantly evokes comparison to the compulsive behavior of Captain Queeg of the ill fated U.S. Caine who rolls steel ball bearings in his hand when confronted by some of his officers who suspect their captain is insane.
In his trial, when Queeg is asked: “Did you turn your ship upside down searching for a phantom key over a quart of strawberries? he responded: “All the officers were disloyal. They were always fighting me. But they began spreading wild rumours about steaming in circles….They laughed at me and made jokes but I proved beyond the shadow of a doubt and with … geometric logic … that a duplicate key to the wardroom icebox did exist.”
Everyone in the room who witnessed this disintegration of their Captain came to the same conclusion: Something is not right here.
The only difference between the case of Donald Trump and Captain Queeg is that the members of Congress and of the Cabinet do not appear to have the integrity to exercise their constitutional responsibility to remove the president from command in order to save the ship of state from foundering. Will there be no G.O.P. mutiny. Has the ship of state has become a ship of fools?
17
Thank the President on our behalf for letting us know about the book. A great way to start the new year.
8
Just ordered my copy of Fire and Fury. I wouldn't have bothered if the "Just for Men" spokesman hadn't done such a great job of selling it. Twenty dollars seemed a small price to pay for a golden coffin nail.
11
Whether Trump's presidency will represent an aberration in American history remains to be seem. Nevertheless, future attempts at ascertaining any coherent political philosophy to the GOP this decade from Sarah Palin to Trump will be most difficult, if not a waste of time, for future historians.
At best, Trump's presidency will be viewed as inconsequential. Unfortunately, in contemporary terms, Trump's victory in 2016 and following presidency also signifies how America has generally abandoned any sense of social responsibility altogether.
8
As a taxpayer I demand that Trump be questioned on providing the documents that he is paying for this expensive lawyer. Want to make a bet, I bet he is charging it off to us the taxpayers. His money is his and ours is his also. Lets see those tax returns I bet they would be interesting. As for suing he learned from the infamous Roy Cohn the disbarred NYC lawyer to the mob. He was Joe McCarthy's right hand man in the 50's destroying peoples lives during the big Red Communist hunt. The Trump family employed him even though he was disbarred. He lived well, but claimed on his tax returns he did not make money sound familiar. It was like the newly passed flow through arrangement. Lived in NYC and Cohn wrote nasty pieces on gays, and then big surprise he died from AIDS. One thing about Trump he is and has surrounded himself with total evil people, thugs and criminals. Anyone who has lived in NYC you are in the construction business you are in bed with the mob. Sadly, I have to admit nothing will be done and the public cares not about doing away with the electoral college. Twice in the early 21st Century the loser won and yet, it will happen again. I knew when the great fake craze of reality tv shows hit, someday the President from a reality show would be elected. A major portion of the population lives in the world of the X-files, men in black suits and the "other secret government." In the old days these people were laughed at, but in America they rule. Jim Trautman
5
I read the excerpt from the book. Nothing surprised me. However, the feeling of truly being a “fly on the wall” was interesting. He wrote what most of us have already deduced because of the “leaks”. If I worked in that kind of environment, I most certainly would discuss it with family, friends, and probably a psychologist or lawyer.
Bannon and the others who were interviewed had to know the author’s reputation. Quote from Michelle Cottle’s article Wolff Trapped in 2004, "There's no unalloyed moment with Michael. You're always on the record and performing. I think people don't like him because they have to be careful around him." Says an editor close to Wolff, "There's a certain amount of fear, because people have been burnt so many times."
Bannon may be having perverse fun with this but it is terrifying to have eye witness accounts of what we have suspected was going on in the white house. The white house will need to be fumigated when this is over – if the white house is still there.
5
Trump and Bannon both need to go stand in the corner of their respective rubber rooms for a time out.
Seriously, the extent to which either of these two blowhards has political and social importance or credibility is a good measure of how sick our country is.
8
This latest imbroglio calls to mind last year’s ‘Texas Death Match’ (a pro wrestling reference, for those not familiar) between Trump and McConnell. Much fury then ultimately signifying nothing; within months, the show runners worked it all out. Personally, it’s not hard for me to see the two players arm-in-arm on some future campaign stage installment, waving and smiling. Somebody will pitch it.
2
The more I read the more about this moron, Trump, the more it becomes very evident that this Narcissist in the Oval Office doesn't have any idea what being President is all about, it's not about being a big mouth or a just a heckler from the peanut gallery, it is about being responsible and thoughtful with sound, competent judgment, and the doing hard work behind the scenes, not golfing, waving, tweeting and continually being obsessed himself, and with blaming President Obama for everything.
It seems like what really bothers Trump, is that he knows he will never be as well liked, well respected or as popular as President Obama, and that makes me wonder if his temperament is so unstable and that he is so insecure that he could do something really stupid with a nuclear option.
I hope if we get through this disaster of a mistake with our country still intact that this will be a warning for future generations to learn from, never let an incompetent man with a Demagogue/ P.T, Barnum complex ever get close to the Whitehouse or the Nuclear Codes.
What I find really troubling is that there doesn't seem to be anyone in the Republican Leadership in Congress that is willing to stand up, and make a real concerted effort to end this madness with someone like Trump, who is clearly unfit to be in this office.
9
"Michael Wolff has tapes to back up quotes in his incendiary book — dozens of hours of them."
https://www.axios.com/how-michael-wolff-did-it-2522360813...
In response to the threats from Trump's lawyers, Wolff should start releasing excerpts of the tapes.
10
The child in chief should understand this old playground taunt. "It takes one to know one!"
7
Trumps response will only serve to make bannon more influential Masses (and The NY Times) will b covering and watching all Bannon’s blatherings.
Bannon has his own base
2
Honor among thieves! The GOP has brought this onto themselves, but what a very delightful show it is indeed to see the beast destroying itself. Trump is an obnoxious bully and Bannon is a pontificating demagogue. They deserve each other!
5
"We all go a little mad sometimes....haven't YOU?' ----the late Tony Perkins as Norman Bates in "Psycho.".......when people criticize others, they often reveal more about themselves than about the object of their criticism. It is called "projection": judging others by ourselves, projecting our own faults onto others.
3
The man should be measured for a straight jacket and placed in that bouncy room not saying much when his once much maligned friend in the white house still gets to keep his job.
will have to see how the white house press Corp spin this along with fox news. can't we just ignore these psychos and only print credible newsworthy stories. Maybe it's time to give the Trump circus a big time out. we insist on feeding this beast and how has this worked out so far. the continual babble of fake news etc . etc. it's exhausting.
2
With Manafort suing Mueller and Trump suing everyone it seems, I would think that there is a shortage of lawyers in Washington. Maybe we need to take some out of retirement and speed up graduation rates. Sounds like the US is not a nation of laws; I think we're a nation of suggestions.
3
So Trump really didn't want to be president, but he colluded with Russia in order to get elected. Something doesn't add up.
I wouldn't believe anything either Trump or Bannon said without confirmation from reliable sources.
2
History, and historians, will determine who lost his mind, and when. Not Trump. Not Bannon. And definitely not us in the heat of the moment, even though it might be perfectly evident right away to each one of us. The way I see it, they all are shadow boxing at the moment, trying to avoid Robert M III.
Record the facts and let our minds cool off. Then, history and historians can take over. And that is what NY Times is for, actually.
The way this American By Choice sees it, the Trump era or interregnum (I refuse to call it a proper Presidency to follow our illustrious, and even the not so illustrious Presidents) is a supreme stress test of what the Founding Fathers reasoned and compromised on about a quarter of a millennium ago.
I have faith that we will survive it, and come out stronger from it, while making our Union a little more perfect in the process. This Republic survived Antietam, Pearl Harbor, Watergate and 9/11, and came out stronger and more poised from three of these four. Trump will be an asterisk.
Some day, the Trumps, and Bannon, and Sarah Huckabee, and Conway, and the rest of this odious crowd will be mere footnotes of this narrative.
5
Wow! Now Bannon is a nobody and according to Sarah Huckabee never really knew the President that well. Gee, did she listen to the recording of where Trump says "Steve, has been a good friend for many, many years." Does she live on this planet." Frankly every time Trump, Sarah and anyone connected to this administrations opens their mouth they lie would not know the truth if it hit them in the face. He gave Wolff full access to everyone in the White House expecting this wonderful book to praise the glory of the "Little tinpot dictator" and everything he does. Trump a man with little hands and a brain to match. As for attacking his family - ever heard Don Jr. if Big Daddy did not own the company Don would be working on the loading dock. As far as Ivanka she is in the same boat. Trump talks about tabloid book when he loves that stuff he listens to FOX that makes up their own news every day and one of his major sources of info he announced the campaign was the Inquirer. I love the Republicans scrambling to defend the Dictator while everything in that book is what everyone knew. The Dictator is in way over his head, stupid and has no clue. The Special Council is on the right track "Follow the money to the Russians and laundering it for illegal operations." It was how they got Al Capone and was a big part of the Watergate. Sue, and stop the book, why the author loves it the sales are now skyrocketing out of sight. He is a deer caught in the headlights of a car. Bye. Jim Trautman
7
To be honest, I'm really concerned the release of this tell all book will add fuel to the Trump supporters claim that he is being unjustly targeted.
And if as I suspect, a lot of it turns out to be fabrication, then it could really undermine the credibility of Muellers investigations.
3
Unjustly targeted BY HIS OWN BEST BUDDY?
Wow--Trumpists really will grab at anything that even looks like a straw, which neither Trump nor this other twerp actually do.
I don't think anything will affect Mueller's investigation. Trump just wants people to think that way for good reason. He's so good at manipulating people and their fears.
2
Oh for pity's sake.
#1 it looks to be pretty credible journalism.
#2 the Trump supporters will believe what they want. It will have zero relation to empirical reality or even what they believed five minutes ago. Anyone hateful, stupid, or bananas enough to support Trump is a lost cause. Stop worrying about convincing them, and just treat them like the gangrenous limb of the American body politic that they are - contain the infection and amputate (Calexit!) if needed.
Most of what was quoted from the book rings true to me. I hope it is made available to the public and the publisher doesn't cave, and if there is a lawsuit, I presume many facts will be unveiled.
6
Bannon "lost his mind"?
Trump is apparently under the impression that Bannon made these remarks after he resigned. Or was fired, but I clearly remember Trump calling him 'Mr. Bannon" when he announced his resignation.
Bannon made these remarks while serving in the White House. And had already lost his mind.
I guess. As usual, the Trump revision of events is hard to piece together.
3
I love it - the rats are caged up and are chewing at each other. Now they need to bring a few more rats into the fray - Junior, Jared, Eric. Maybe a ratess of two - Ivanka?
13
We are living, supposedly in a democracy, where, while these two el Donald and el Bannon are in a fight cat (sorry cats!), el Donald is ruining everything: health care, environment, eliminating taxes that hurt la famiglia living in the White House that perhaps should be re-named the "Red" House?
Is this really democracy or an International Plutocracy?
2
I think I like Steve Bannon better with his lost mind. Frankly, I am surprised at my self. Maybe he will unravel the real Trump. Mr. Mueller, please note. Bannon maybe the valuable missing link you are working very hard to find. This is one immunity which will unearth the pot of gold.
4
This is going to mean nothing, except to divert attention from what Trump is all about! He loves it! Listen, there was this line from a movie, several years back, Show Me The Money! It wasn't just the line of the decade, but will be and is the line of this century....His current press secretary, which I'm sure everyone loves, and presents herself as an impeccable, learned spokesperson, opened up her news conference this Thursday, saying essentially, the stock market continues to boom, Americans are making money hands over foot, wages are going up because of the President's monumental tax cut, and America is being made great again! Then, we were immediately given a video of The Leader! Shark Tank anyone?!!!
1
Let's not forget that Trump called Bannon "a friend of mine" and said he "understood his perspective".
4
Trump is the one who lost his mind...if he ever had one. He is the worst president this country ever had. Lying, cheating, running the country into the ground.
1
Oh, the irony.
2
From one who has "lost his mind," to another one who also, "has lost his mind." As an example of Trump's insane paranoia: Trump insists on changing his own sheets. He's such a paranoid germophobic, that he won't trust anyone else to change them for him.
2
When can we have the next thrilling instalment? From the proponent of 'fake news' this cease and desist legal retort is quite a thing. Who would have thought that a president of the USA would demean the Office with litigious and public spats? Can't imagine Obama being such a snowflake.
Wow, 2018 is starting as a spectacular year!
3
What is the difference between Iran's Ayatollah forbidding the publication of Salman Rushdie's book and declaring a Fatwa on Rushdie, for his Satanic Verses book and Trump's legal team trying to stop the publication of Fire and Fury by Wolff, and trying to destroy his reputation?
5
There is an incredible level of mental, if not intellectual instability in the White House and with Trump's circle of "associates". He remains a clear and present danger.
13
So last night, Wed, Bannon apparently praised Trump while hosting the Breitbart News radio show.
"The President of the United States is a great man. You know, I support him day in and day out."
And on his show this Thurs morning, Bannon said that "nothing will ever come between us and President Trump and his agenda. We're tight on this agenda as we've ever been."
So what bizarre response should Bannon expect from Trump, now?
"Aw shucks Stevie, I knew you didn't mean it.
You are pardoned. Love Donald."
6
Who cares. We should try to ignore the distractions and focus on the concrete. For example, two current NYT articles, not open to comment as of now:
Trump Moves to Open Nearly All Offshore Waters to Drilling
Factbox: Trump, Congress Face a Long To-Do List in 2018
The latter article mentions a new Republican new goal for 2018. Cut welfare programs. What a surprise.
Some CONservative "achievements" on the environmental front over the past year: opened ANWR and offshore areas to oil and gas drilling; delayed hazardous chemical ban; delayed rule limiting methane emissions from drilling; banned EPA-funded scientists from serving on science advisory committees; reduced public lands; revoked federal flood-risked standards incorporating rising sea levels; drastically cut back enforcement of pollution control laws.
The Clean Power Plan is on the chopping block. (Reminder: public testimony closes in twelve days). So are SNAP and TANF benefits. Ditto transit funding. The Dreamers have been left hanging, for no good reason. As has CHIP.
Steve Bannon does not have the a vote on any of the above.
20
When Alderman and Ehrlichman took bullets for Tricky Dickie, they did it in a quiet and dignified manner (neither man was dignified in the traditional sense, but that is a whole different story). They took the hit, and left center stage. Good for a play. Or a Greek tragedy. In this new era of slash and burn politics, however, it's a whole 'nother tragedy. Nixon is to Trump what Stalin was to Yeltsin. Stalin, a Machiavellian ogre, and Trump, the McBurglar caricature. Steve Bannon has something going for him, however. Despite his despicable demeanor, he managed to shake the GOP to it's foundation abd scared the bejeezus out of McConnell, something I thought I would never witness in my long lifetime. Maybe we are on the right track, and those Nixonian years of bloodletting and Scumbrianism are finally behind us. In this era of tell-all and exposures of political malfeasance there is a silver lining, and, perhaps, someday soon, we can be the country we have espoused of being.
3
wow today this ;"so-called's) lawyers are trying to stop Bannon's book from being released by issuing a court order. have they not heard of the 1st amendment, something to with free speech,. to bad they don't like what's in it, doesn't seem like anything to do with government secrets. doubt they will be able to do much thru he courts. even slander has to be proven. so if what is being printed in the book is not lies, but rather information this "so-called" just doesn't want everyone to know, to bad, so sad, should have stayed at one of his resorts and not played politics.
3
... and Trump knows a thing or two about loosing his mind.
5
Anything that sarah huckabee sanders says, describes, recounts, is a lie&really, she timed Mr. Wolff's meeting with trump at 5-7 minutes in "the first month of the Administration" when she did not work there yet? If Mr. Thomas J. Barrack said president is "not only crazy, he's stupid" would be accurate as we saw don's chaotic behavior & barely intelligible words for more than a year; that Ivanka is dumb as a brick could be seen in several of her statements but borne out by resignation of top adviser who took Ivanka under her wing to groom her for her position; anyone who hasn't seen the daily rollback of the regulations that protect us, anti-civil rights, anti-human rights, anti-disability rights of venomous sessions as the step by step creation of a militarized police state with autocrat trump is not reading, thinking, or observing. Only Banana Republics Rob the Country of Taxes & Make the Middle Class Pay & the Poor Suffer To Make Sure there Is No Federal Government & To Make those In Charge Even Wealthier & Therefore Untouchable;Look at Scot Pruitt,the hater of the EPA as head of the EPA,he is the Devil in Charge of destroying our public lands for drilling,lowered carbon emission levels for cars so air is dirtier yet calls himself Christ follower;where is Scot feeding the poor, clothing those without,welcoming the stranger? He is not;he has been with fossil fuel stranglehold on this country & with the Koch's who hate Democracy & want an autocratic corporate state.
8
I just love to watch these clowns alley-cat fight! It's the only rewarding thing to come from our phony election. (But still, don't take your eyes off that congress - all this is just a smoke screen to hide their shenanigans.
4
Everybody critical of Trump is 100% wrong. The book is 100% false. Mr Trump is only there to serve the people. He is an excellent public servant. 3 months after the hurricane in Poeta (sic) Rico, 33% of Poeta Rico has power. This is just the biased media who are 100% wrong. Roy Moore is 100% innocent and 100% of Trump's female accusers are 100% lying. Those big beautiful paper towels in Poeta Rica are perhaps the best quality paper towels ever tossed by a president probably in the history of the world. Thank you for your exquisite leadership Mr Trump.
13
Thank you for the much needed laugh.
Beautiful towels. Beautiful.
There it is, America; Your portrait in the attic come down for a walkabout.
3
Two things need to happen to end this insanity: overturn Citizens United and term limits for Congress.
28
and end the EC.
one person one vote.
8
When Bannon went on about the insidious nature of our democratic form of government, calling it the, "administrative state", as if it were some alien controlled institution, and asserted that he was like Lenin, who thought that democratic institutions and individual liberties were corrupt institutions which inhibited the natural evolution to a perfect stateless world community where all contributed all that they could and took just what they needed. If Trump had a functioning intellect, he should have known that Bannon was playing with a deck of 51.
3
So many people to blame! Since I don't see it mentioned here, I am still raging at the Electoral College. We've been putting up with this strange limitation to democracy all along and why? The fathers of our nation foresaw that someone like Donald Trump could come along.
Independent and reasoned electors "would make sure 'that the office of President will never fall to the lot of any man who is not in an eminent degree endowed with the requisite qualifications,' turning away anyone whose only qualifications were 'talents for low intrigue' or 'the little arts of popularity.'
They would also keep out the stooges of hostile governments, being the best 'practicable obstacle' to “the desire in foreign powers to gain an improper ascendant in our councils' by 'raising a creature of their own to the chief magistracy of the Union.' " Bruce Hay wrote, quoting Alexander Hamilton.
I agree with Bruce. Donald Trump was both manifestly unfit and raised to the presidency through the machinations of a foreign government. The electoral college had enough knowledge of both to DO THEIR JOB and refuse to allow him to take office. They abdicated that responsibility to the detriment of us all.
16
It is probably futile, but I am hoping that the information revealed in this book will cause the 38% to sit back and do some soul searching and ask themselves what it means to support such an unhealthy man, so obviously unfit to be president, and why they allowed themselves to be so taken by a professional conman. I want this because I don't want this mistake made ever again.
I also hope that this causes Republicans in Congress to also look inward and decide to stop being lackeys for a man they absolutely know should not be president.
12
One thing that has gone largely unnoticed is the extraordinary access the White House apparently gave to Michael Wolff over an extended period of time, which made it easier for him to interview people and ferret out facts and tidbits. For many years I was a senior media relations person at a very large company. We would never have given a reporter access like this under any circumstances. The risk of doing so was far too high. That the White House would do so testifies to the ineptitude of its media operations.
12
Trump should know better, threatening to sue to stop the books release guarantees it becomes a best seller. Now if someone could get his wives to collaborate, and be honest, then that’d could be the first book to get a hundred million dollar advance.
6
It's already #1 on Amazon and not even released until next week.
Sadly, more soap opera to further drag in the mud the already-besmirched honor and dignity of the office and the country. But, more seriously, just follow the money trail. As for the spat between two erstwhile soulmates who proudly put self above country, it will be of little conseqence compared to what is to going to fall out if Mueller and his team are allowed to actually complete their task. The ever-failing businessman's instincts that are the raison d'etre of the current occupant of the White House will likely prove to be his Achilles heel perhaps just as much any of the many other sordid things that he has engaged in. At the end of the day, who knows but that we may yet see such things as money laundering on a scale vast enough for justice and decency to prevail at last and render unto the man and his cohorts their just deserts.
5
desserts
1
If this was a TV plot it could be entertaining....or not! But this is the future of our country, and is far from entertaining.
7
Careful. What else might be taking place today that has been completely smothered by this soap opera?
6
No-one would believe it if it were to be a soap opera.
Trump is doing a first-rate job of promoting this book.
5
There are lots of people who have lost their minds, Bannon being just one of them. But our President is also not in charge of his mind. The most mindless of course,are those who voted for Trump, believing his lies about their future.
6
Is all of this to keep us entertained until the next, delayed Game Of Thrones season? All the costumes, computer-generated dragons that HBO has to pay for, and this presidency is providing this drama all for free (if you don't count the soul of the U.S. as a fee).
1
I just hope that we never accept the behavior of the current president as the new normal.
8
Why is no one asking the most pertinent question? Why are no senior, life-long, respected Republicans - I'm looking at you JEB!, W, Cruz (I know, I know), Mary Matlin, Romney, Colins, Snowe, Kinzinger and many, many others - why are these Republicans not giving press conferences Every. Single. Day. detailing why none of this is ok, none of this is good for America? The only reason I can come up with is, that as bad as it is and as bad as it could still get, it is good for them and their portfolios. Hence, crickets and we're in a lot deeper doo-doo than we think.
16
I have long suspected that neither Trump nor Bannon are rational. It seems natural that public figures who have called Trump an idiot would not want their sentiments to become public knowledge given Trump's insistence on personal loyalty as opposed to loyalty the people and Constitution of the US. I suspect the book is more factual than not and in typical fashion Trump is screaming and having his lawyers sending letters threatening actions for slander and libel. His success seems due in large measure to his talents as a bully. I'm not a lawyer but public figures may not be able to bring such actions easily. It would be a symptom of the end of democracy and free speech in this country if Trump is successful in censoring it or blocking the book's publication.
20
Pure karma! All this time Trump et al. are worried about fake news yet the downfall will be triggered by a book from a guest invited to witness it all. Add self-destructive tendencies to the pathology inside the White House.
17
Trump: "I KNOW YOU ARE, BUT WHAT AM I??"
Bannon: "I'm rubber...you're glue; any name you call bounces off me, and sticks back to YOU!
9
This drama and intrigue are the makings of a great movie.
4
Wow, what a start to the New Year, a cage fight between heavyweight equals!
9
I don't believe trump and Bannon or against each other. This is all just a drama! They are all the mean birds of same feathers.
3
Good of Bannon to bring back into the spotlight the meeting that absolutely establishes collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. The emails that preceded the meeting, the attendees, the subject matter of the meeting and the very clear attempts after the fact to cover up what had occurred are almost incontrovertible evidence of what is being spoken about as “collusion” and what Bannon has called “treason”.
Just to be absolutely clear, Don Jr,, Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort attended a meeting with a Russian lawyer they believed represented the Russian government, for the express purpose of trying to receive intel obtained by the Russian government that would damage the campaign of Hillary Clinton. As Michael Flynn has very clearly admitted, what the Trump campaign had to barter with for this intel was a promise of easing sanctions against Russia should Trump win the election.
When news of the meeting surfaced, who led the attempted cover up and authored the lies in the pathetic first attempt to portray the meeting as one about adoption issues? Donald Trump, of course.
And what occurred in the months following the meeting, Wilileaks, courtesy of thefts by Russian government entities, published highly damaging emails from the Clinton campaign.
As disgusating as Bannon himself is, I think he got this one absolutely right. Treason.
25
Nailed it!
'Dirt' on HRC in exchange for lifting of 'restrictions of adoptions', which Russia put in place to 'retaliate' for the sanctions the US put in place to protest the murder of Sergei Magnitsky.
The 'dirt' surfaced in the form of DNC emails showing up on Wikileaks. That the Russians are still waiting for the lifting of the Magnitsky Act only means that the Trump side of the quid proquo has been delayed by 'unforeseen' circumstances.
That, plus the last minute change of the platform in favor of Russia at the convention, is enough to enough to prove collusion to this fair-minded American (albeit expatriated at the present moment).
If we add the surprising recovery of the Trump family from destitution after the multiple bankruptcies and the high likelyhood, as laid out by Bannon himself, that they laundered dirty money through dodgy real estate deals, the case becomes incontrovertable.
Follow the money. Go Mueller Three Sticks!
3
Jerusalem came in earlier with 'we wish you a Happy New Year and that you keep your sanity'. The best way for this American to achieve this is to pay no attention to anything Trump says, and keep focused on this frazzled G.O.P.
'When Things do not go Right, go Left' was the cause of a laugh earlier, and it certainly beats cry-ing.
2
“Going after the president’s son in an absolutely outrageous and unprecedented way is probably not the best way to curry favor with anybody,” said Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
Oh, I don't know about that.
Oddly enough, I agree with both Bannon and with Trump: crazy, stupid, dumb as bricks, etc. It's good to see them throwing their childish insults at each other, rather than at the grownups.
11
Why does this headline appear in Chinese characters under the English and above the byline?
3
So people can read it in Traditional or Simplified Chinese.
International edition-one world-the Chinese may find it amusing
1
This is just another reality show produced by Bannon and Trump. They are both "starring" in it, and only want the media's full attention, so that other much more important stories get pushed aside. Trump may not like what has been written in this book, but having attention focused on him is much more important.
39
Has it occurred to anyone that the twitter storm about Bannon is a diversion from the well-deserved but politically embarrassing demise of the White House Commission on Election Fraud?
72
Splendid testament to free speech in America - in multiple senses of the word...
Waiting with bated breath for polls to close - to see if the most-recommended comment breaks the 10K-thumbs-up threshold...
Still time to vote...
PS
If the NYT managed their front-page content as astutely as Google manages its front-page search results - they'd have already offered both Bannon and Trump the chance to pen 2000-word (that's about 100 tweets) op-eds anchored by above-the-fold front-page links in tomorrow's paper...
For lead-in pics, use the same one - one of Bannon and Trump together...
But - for Bannon's column - airbrush out Trump...
And vice-versa...
1
Bannon now saying Trump is a great man..clearly he's lost his mind.
14
Rich Loam From Donald:
Trump is saying that Bannon "had the chance to serve the country but squandered his opportunity".
"Bone Spurs" flare-up??
17
A loose canon and an anarchist - they deserve each other.
18
Snakes in a pit eventually turn on each other.....
18
Coming Soon: “Mean Girls, DC” starring Donald Trump and Steve Bannon
15
The key question now is where will the Mercer fortune land next to insure their dream that America will become a large-sized Switzerland?
9
Trump has hired a Hollywood lawyer to threaten Wolff with a libel suit, to demand the courts block publishing, and to stop Bannon from speaking out. There is something said about a non-disclosure agreement with Trump's family businesses.
These are all public figures. There will be no libel judgments unless Trump's lawyer can prove malice, untruth and shoddy sourcing. This is not going to happen - Trump himself accepted Wolff into the White House, talked with him, cooperated.
Further, none of whatever is included in a family business agreement applies here. Bannon was not paid by those businesses. He was an employee of the American citizens, of the U.S. government, and there is no way the courts will allow non-disclosure short of a hard security reason, and none of Wolff's book threatens U.S. security.
Wolff needs to make it clear that if this bully president and his bully lawyer do actually sue, he will countersue for triple damages, expenses, and punitive damages to boot. American law does not favor censorship about American government, nor, in general, does it favor bullies.
24
The action of our President trying to censor and prevent the publication of a book that is critical of him, is perhaps the MOST offensive action, in a long list of offensive actions, that trump has taken.
Thank goodness for our court system, which will hopefully save us from this most direct assault on our First Amendment.
17
All of this is sideshow which detracts from this. Anyone who believes in a liberal democracy (and this includes, despite their instinctive reactions to the phrase, the vast majority of his supporters) should fear what is happening now. As a committed liberal of the most dreaded sort, I can see how some might, despite the evidence, believe in trickle down economics. I can see how some, even some scientists, might doubt some of the direr predictions and probable causes of anthropogenic climate change. After all, science is based on probabilities and even p=0.01 leaves room for doubt. But we have a president who, with the willing connivance of his base, believes - or more accurately, says he believes - that what they want to believe is true. Just feed the rich and we will all be better off and the coal jobs will return to WV and KY. Ignore the scientists and the economists and the generals (you know - experts) except when they tell us the precise time to the second of the next solar eclipse, or how to annihilate a large fraction of the population with that convenient big red button on your desk. My biggest fear is that when (not if) Trump is impeached and removed from office, there will be those who bring torches and pitchforks and AR-15s to defend us from the coup that they saw on CNN and Fox. These people have guns and I don't. I am scared.
9
The statements in the book must be true or Trump's team would not have ordered a "cease and desist", rather than denying the charges.
15
I have never seen anyone praise and throw under the bus faster than Trump...each any every one of these people. It just shows how soulless Trump truly is...he has no ties to anything or anyone, nothing he says or does is he admitting to..nothing, and no one. Trump is only willing to deal with the delusional world he creates for himself , and no one can change that.
6
Fox and friends are trying to diminish this as much as possible. I believe that his devotees will hear what they want to hear anyway.
More fake news, or part of the witch hunt or what ever else they can say to lessen the reality.
4
With the White House in disarray and the President on the verge of a breakdown, can't anybody do anything to remove this disgrace of a person that calls himself a leader? It's the blind leading the blind while the rest of us look on as they walk into oncoming traffic.
9
Let them walk into oncoming traffic. That would take care of the whole lot of them at once.
I say to those drivers...SPEED UP.
2
Trump, as a reality TV star, sees success as dominating the news cycle. This is why he gives impromptu interviews and makes some of the most outrageous Tweets when he's not in all the headlines.
He doesn't care if he flops in his job, seriously damages our country, breaks our ties with our allies, makes America a complete global laughing stock, sinks our economy, etc. As long as he's headline news, that's all that matters to him! #SAD
8
Perhaps this is the beginning of the end of this Trumpian nightmare. In order to save the country, Trump's impeachment can't come too soon!
7
The Republican Party has betrayed America. Only they can remove Trump from office. He is not our president and he isn't even theirs.
But the Congress is a selfish, faithless unpatriotic bunch of louts with no conscience and no thought for the people. Let us hope we can hang in long enough to see them out of office.
13
Cease and desist? What about free speech?
7
Free speech? This is from the administration that has sought to muzzle the press and deny people access to all sorts of White House information.
Bannon is totally about himself and loyal to no one. Bannon believes that Trump's days are numbered. Bannon is looking to be the next king maker.
Turning on your boy so quickly?
Pence is double checking his lifeboat—the funds raised from Pence’s Great America Committee and others. He’s prepared, give the word!
2
Politics-----America's blood sport! Hopefully, they will destroy one another and this whole house of cards will tumble into the abyss. It can't happen fast enough for me!!!
6
Now that Trump's lawyer has issued a demand that the publisher cease and desist further distribution of "Fire and Fury," I will make sure I buy a copy. I hope the publisher ignores the demand. Truth is an absolute defense to libel claims - how I would love to see this play out in court.
7
It is dear right now at Amazon, 20$ for a hardcover,
1
1. Why do I lack compassion for the falling-out between Trump and crypto-fascist Steverino Bannon (not very "crypto" at that)?
2. Why do I care not a whit that I lack that compassion?
4
A high-intensity drama brought to you by a hedge fund billionaire who funds the extreme right... Gotta love those new tax laws... Meeting with Russians is not the only aspect that is "treasonous" and "unpatriotic" about these events...
12
So, Bannon has lost his mind. Yet, another “what aboutism” and the typical response of the wrong doer. It is always prudent for the sociopath to attack anyone who speaks the truth. The truth teller always needs “help” ( psychotherapy). This is a behavioral social disease that has spread unchecked through our culture for decades and manifests itself in some rather mundane interactions. A case in point was my politely asking “a gentleman” to remove his bag from the storage area in the seat in front of me on a long flight. His response? “Oh, your bag is too large for the space and it won’t fit”. My bag fit perfectly and it took all of my emotional intelligence to peacefully sit next to this arrogant corporate sociopath for 14 hours.
4
The response should have been "actually my bag fits perfectly but even if it didn't, I I like the space to stretch my legs" and then hand him his bag back.
Irrespective of your political position, the events outlined in the article are extremely interesting. Most likely, it is the precursor to a successful outcome of the Mueller investigation. Bannon, the undeniable luminary in the Trump victory, is disengaging and positioning his political base, and the media network Breitbart, to the future. (Investors in Breitbart may want to align with Trump, but it is unlikely subscribers will follow.) Assuming that to be true, where does this very incendiary portion of our electorate relocate. It is not going to vanish. Make no mistake, the opposition has not made inroads outside of its ultra-liberal (and equally incendiary) location. The large political mainstream is still contested and unaligned. But one very likely immediate concern is the effect on the economy.
1
I think that Trump, as a reality tv aficionado, is employing the ‘frenemy’ strategy with Bannon. At the end of the day they’re still BFFs.
9
You know a time in history is gonna be huge when you are keenly aware of that fact as you live through it.
I can't wait to read the history books on these years.
9
Hopefully, we'll survive to see this in the rear-view mirror...
2
We are at the Treason stage.
18 U.S. Code § 2381 - Treason
US Code
Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.
10
Follow the Law Suits: Interesting strategy by both sides. Bannon bares all.
Trump's lawyers threaten Law Suites. Let it go forward. Wouldn't the President then have to give deposition and testimony in any trial?
Cellophane suits for sale.
hahaha.
MJ
4
'In a written statement, the president excoriated Mr. Bannon as a self-promoting exaggerator who had “very little to do with our historic victory” in the 2016 presidential election and was “only in it for himself.”'
You cannot make this stuff up! Takes one to know one, would be putting it mildly.
10
none of the above quote is "news" is it?
Mr. Bannon has more resonance with the conservative base? Ewe god no! This man is nothing but an outlier and a carpetbagger. A lot of times a persons outwards appearance is also indicative of their inward personal values and he is but a scrub! Unkept and unwell.
2
There's more to Bannon than meets the eye. I hate his political agenda but he is well read and very smart. His looks/ attire are not indicative of who he really is.
1
Sorry, but the more i think about this, the funnier it gets.
And can I beg the assorted commentrs who are trying to explain why this provers Trump's a genius, or Bannon's a genius, or they're both geniuses, to please stop?
I mean, I blew Leffe out my nose after I saw the third of these..you're killin' me, Smalls.
3
My first prediction for 2018 will come true - it's going to be a banner year (no pun intended) for book publishers.
3
Much of my disgust and anger over what is happening in our country is aimed at Republicans who despite the obvious (a president who is grossly unqualified, has a history of fraudulent activities, is using the Presidency to enrich himself and his family while punishing his blue state enemies, not only refuses to defend the country against attacks by a foreign enemy, but encourages them, believes he is above the law, whose administration is demanding illegal actions on the part of federal employees, and who is causing long-term damage to the country) is still nonetheless supported by the Republican Party. That’s my definition of treason. I have known several Republicans over the years that I have admired who would have sacrificed their political careers rather than play along with this tragic farce.
But let me turn to what is equally fueling fear and despair. After historic losses at every level of government, no senior Democrat has stepped down. The Democratic Party should have made a clean sweep of its leadership after this debacle. What is happening now is neither normal nor acceptable. Yet where is the senior Democrat calling for and inspiring Americans to peacefully protest enmass on the streets against the multitude of outrages imperiling our country? (Tom Steyer, this is where your efforts and money would be more effectively directed.)
The moderate, piecemeal approach of the current Democratic establishment is grossly out of step with the times. Rise Up America!
13
I encourage everyone to read Michael Wolff's piece in New York magazine, excerpting his book.
It makes clear that a central tenet of Steve Bannon's political strategy was to purposefully inflame the opponents of the administration and to be as abrasive and controversial and confrontational as possible.
When I was a child, there was an expression for this approach, called "kicking the hornet's nest". And it was pointedly suggested that this was never, ever a good idea.
My point is that the hyper-polarization now gripping the country, which pre-existed Trump, to be fair, was purposefully pursued as a governing strategy.
This is absolutely disastrous and irresponsible because of the all the natural fault lines that exist in our society, around race, ethnicity, faith, national origin, socio-economic stratum, and on and on.
The "trick", as it were, was never how to divide us, but how to unite us.
And if we are divided, what have we got then?
I close with Hosea 8:7: "For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind."
7
Its a movie! It MUST be a movie! 2016/7 could not have been that dumb? I say it is a hilarious, sad, sad dangerous humiliating, dangerous, disgusting blockbuster. The worst is that thousands think it is not only good but also real. Who are those people? They scare me to death.
PS - the comments are great - lots of laughs and truths in those words !
3
Yesterday’s breaking scandal, “Republicans fake investigations” completely forgotten and replaced by this. It happens every day. Is Brannon colluding with Trump to keep the populace and media off balance? Or does this despicable man have one line he won’t cross or abide - treasonous collusion with a foreign power? I suspect the former.
4
Neither Bannon or Trump are sane and both are very dangerous. If the Republican led Congress does nothing about Trump then they are very sick too. They should do their duty and ask Trump to leave office. All sense of Government has been lost to this craziness.
13
Trump said he hired "top, top people" and would fill his administration "with only the best and most serious people."
Serious people, serious trouble.
7
Did a fly on the wall think 'This is turning out more fun than a David Mamet play.' while listening to their last phone call?
Is there anyone in America, save a few sycophants like Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell, who believes that Mr. Trump is capable of being the president of this vast and complex country?
15
I voted enthusiastically for Sec. Clinton. Can she get in on one of these defamation lawsuits, too?
7
The publishing of Wolff's book has become the genesis of the Full Lawyer Employment Act.
2
Let me see if I have this right...Trump and his cronies are upset that Trump's son was accused of treasonous behavior, but nobody says boo about his daughter being called dumb as a post? Not that I'm challenging that assessment, just disgusted that apparently it's STILL okay to call women stupid, particularly if they're blonde. If Trump's son really was acting in a treasonous manner, wouldn't that make him the dumbest of the bunch? But let's not call HIS intellect into question.
5
All fun and games until the president of the U.S. starts seeking a prior restraint on speech with a cease and desist letter to the publisher.. Let's dispense with the fiction that he's acting in a personal capacity; he's attempting to stop a book which criticizes his presidency. How much more proof do Americans need to conclude that we are in the hands of a wanna be dictator?
31
Can the people of the USA file a class action restraining order against Trump?
2
What is truly amusing is that in the tweet that trump sent he referred to how he had " won the nomination by defeating seventeen candidates, often described as the most talented field ever assembled in the Republican party."
This from a man who spent the entire campaign ridiculing, demeaning, bully and name calling each and every one of them. He needs a reality check, or perhaps he should go back and listen to himself and the derogatory remarks he made about all of them. I expect the Bush family must be reveling in delight at this spectacle, with the exception of Billy Bush. Sometime life comes back to bite you....welcome to the real world DJT.
19
Trump says: "Steve ... only pretends to have had influence ." Yet, "The president ... blamed Mr. Bannon for backing Roy S. Moore for the Republican nomination in Alabama and then pressing Mr. Trump into endorsing Mr. Moore." Sounds like influence to me.
15
To whom does 'he' refer in the headline? Interesting self disclosure, if it's DT himself. The US has a bad case of the DTs.
5
Oh, my. The rats are starting to fight among themselves. It was inevitable.
Bannon's comments suggest the special prosecutor is on the right track if he is delving into the financial history of Trump's business dealings in Russia. There is a reason 'the Donald has refused to release his income tax returns and why he has been kissing up to Putin. Looks as if we may soon know the details.
13
Mr. Bannon has shot himself in the foot. Once again, Trump, the heavyweight champion, emerges victorious. Bannon has lost his base, and Trump gets to be the victim, heroically protecting his son.
Bannon failed to grasp something Trump is a master of: how the right wing has set up the media. Fox News, Limbaugh, and others have sold America on the idea that the Republican Party represents LIBERTY. The Democratic Party, associated with the anathema of “liberals” wants to CURTAIL liberty, by regulating business, (an infringement of liberty) killing unborn babies (the greatest infringement of liberty possible), outlawing racism, (we should be free to dislike whomever we choose), forcing us to pay for healthcare and business to take care of the environment. This insures that all criticism of the right is perceived as fascist propaganda, and that we see the real fascists as liberals.
Trump has understood how to utilize this set up to propel himself to the Presidency, in fact, so brilliantly, that anyone who attacks him is instantly recognized as a usurper of freedom. Bannon, having been one of the architects of this vast edifice, thinks he can evict Trump, but will find himself shivering in the street. For the time being, Trump is Lord and Master of the domain, and is likely to remain so for as long as he wants.
2
That's giving him way more credit than he deserves.
3
Whoa. "Lord and Master?"
1
I hope you are wrong, but my gut tells me you couldn't be more spot on.
1
We need to stop entertaining intellectual curiosity items about this guy and hold him to account for doing everything from obstructing investigations to enriching himself by refusing to divest interests. His henchmen keep trying to normalize the abnormality of his behavior. Nothing about his time in office has been normal and nothing about him has changed. He is grossly incompetent and proves it daily. He is using the office to enrich himself and his spawn, and proves it daily.
13
He's attempting to deflect news from the book itself by making it about Bannon.
Seems to be working, NY Times.
6
It's Trump and everyone in that messed up White House who have lost their minds. What an embarrassment for the United States. God help us. Let this nightmarish Presidency be over soon!!!! Voters in America, please vote out every politician for whom you previously voted.
6
Two hateful, narcissistic blowhards who once collaborated now turn on each other. What a shocker.
14
This is the kind of behavior that my mother would have responded to by sending me to my room without any dinner. Boy I miss my mother right now.
8
Clearly Trump is unfit to be president and to make war & peace, life & death decisions. The Republican electeds have an obligation to act in the good of America; lest it be brought to a ruinous decline.
18
When I read this story I wanted to give my spouse a fistbump, but reconsidered. I don't want to be called a terrorist.
9
Nothing about Trump's golf game and whether he cheats or not. I am so disappointed.
This is getting too silly to even pay attention. The rabbit hole likely has a lot more offer in the future. But we really can not do anything about it as the GOP are a bunch of cowards--but still in charge-- that would not dare challenge Trump's nonsense.
8
As usual, the comments are as good as the article. Bannon figured he may as well cash out on Trump. I am assuming he thinks Trumps days are numbered anyway, so he may as well hasten the process, then he can find some other fool to be the political flag carrier for Breitbart. I personally believe every anecdote about Trump, and we are back to- how do we remove this existential threat?
15
Call me a cynic but I'm not convinced there's as big a break here as we think or as we'd like to see. This flurry of activity smacks of self-promotion. Do we know if Bannon has any financial stake in this book?
4
Its his book-whaddaya think?
It feels like we have reached with this book that Wizard of Oz moment, when Dorothy pulled back the curtain, revealing a sad little man operating the controls to generate outward bluster. The blusterer President has no, or fewer clothes
"Full of sound and fury,,,,
And no matter what my vengeance thoughts might be, truly sad for the First Lady to be in this. She has the right to some dignity and humanness.
5
As a former Republican I can't believe I'm seeing a great party being destroy by Trump and his enablers in the GOP. If this is what it takes I hope the GOP will be completely burned down and restart again.
FWIW, the Democrat aren't any better!
2
"the Democrat aren't any better! "
The Democrats managed to PAY for their wars.
Time for the Republicans to step up. We could really use those trillions of dollars right now.
5
Yes, the Democrats are better. Not perfect, no, but much, much better.
"Mind is a terrible thing to waste". Americans have certainly lost their minds by electing the wrong person and suffer the consequence of it while the rest of the worlds are forging ahead leaving us in the fallout from Trump's coal dust.
13
Strange. As usual, don jon talks out of both sides of his mouth.
One: Bannon had almost nothing to do with me.
other: Bannon broke his contract not to divulge confidential info learned from me.
which one is it don jon?
9
Obviously a must-read book for anyone that disapproves of this regime. I'm ordering mine today.
7
I don't doubt Bannon has lost his mind, but he at least had a mind (twisted as it is) to lose.
Trump is incapable of any real thought. His only talent is lying.
7
Before we laugh, remember we lost to these clowns.
11
Only because of the EC and Russian interference.
Millions more people voted for the Dems.
6
So the top Fox news story today online is the weather on the East Coast. To give credit, It is a terrifying forecast and a potential life threatening storm.
Interestingly, quite a ways down, tucked away in the "sideline" news stories, is this...
"Scaramucci to Bannon: Stop running your mouth
Former White House communications director speaks out on 'Fox & Friends.' "
6
This whole thing is like an HBO comedy, a la Veep. Unfortunately the "idiot surrounded by clowns" is the leader of the most powerful nation on the planet and it ceases to be funny watching him drag the once respected USA into the backwaters.
8
Wow. Trump really doesn't have friends. Bannon will testify in the Meuller investigation.
8
Your 'friends' can't refuse to testify! How do you think our legal system works?
Lost his mind?
In the new "presidential" vernacular (previously known as schoolyard taunts):
Takes one to know one
10
Where would we be without all the corruption?
5
Trump's statement doesn't seem like he wrote it. Where are all the capitalized words? And the sentences are longer than he usually writes.
The Republican field was widely recognized as being the "most talented ever assembled"?
By who? I don't recall EVER reading those reports. I do recall it being described many times as a "clown car".
And what about these "forgotten men and women" who helped deliver the "historic victory"? I'd say they were used and forgotten by Trump more than anyone.
And what exactly is historic about it anyway? That he lost the popular vote and only got in through the electoral vote? Wow.
16
Most of the 2018 tweets are not by his hand. Too coherent and properly punctuated.
8
I think many of his speeches, policies, initiatives, and some tweets are preformed and fed to him ... he is fairly devoid of creative, thoughtful, altruistic ideas and mostly he emits negative, destructive, antagonism, etc ...
1
Maybe this is what they mean by “Make America Great Again”. Our ability to air our dirtiest laundry for the world’s amusement yet persevere by an enlightened and constitutionally granted rule of law and rights. How many other nations would be devoured by bloodshed and murder at this point?
13
It has all been said already.
Now it is time to act.
9
If this can't be drastically changed by the 2018 elections (and due to gerrymandering, the GOP might still maintain power), it is about time for pitchforks in the street.
1
The really sad part of all this is that the office of The President has deteriorated to such a level as to be totally discredited. Eighth grade bullying and fighting is terribly unseemly. As our stature on the world stage becomes more and more pernicious, we are all left to wonder where it will take us, up or down.
20
Advice: Trump could should deny everything. A winning strategy
6
Have we finally seen the true character of conservatism?
15
No bottom in sight.
4
It's been both amusing and horrifying to listen to the Trump stooges trying to trash the book and the author. Their scrambles are as pathetic as those of a wounded wildebeest trying to scramble up the bank of a river while being chased by a lion.
10
While it is easy to believe this description of Trump, Michael Wolff does not have a great reputation as a writer.
My guess is the biggest consequence of all this publicity will be book sales, particularly by people who already don't like Trump.
But how much will it do to rid the country of Trump?
6
I suggested to an avowed Trump supporter today that if things get much worse for his man (such as his approval rating falling below 30), cabinet might move under Articles 25.
He didn't think they would do that as it would make America the laughing stock of the world!
So there's your answer.
2
If someone had made a film about a situation similar to the chaos in the present administration, it would have been judged impossible. But in spite of the disorder, Trump and his Kochian anti-government agenda is the real enemy of the republic. First under fund an agency, then criticize it for not doing it's job, then attack and dismantle it. It's dishonesty to the third power. But then, Trump as always a sleazy crook.
20
Who's making the next bag of popcorn?
3
Again, comments from Michael Wolff from the Hollywood Reporter:
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/michael-wolff-my-insane-year-insi...
Trump lawyers filing suit to stop Bannon speaking and to stop the book’s publication: prima facie evidence that the contents of the book are accurate. Two questions are raised: why in the world is this White House requiring government employees to sign business/personal non-disclosure agreements given that they are already covered by government secrecy requirements and there is clearly a potential conflict; why is this White House challenging the First Amendment by trying to prevent a book’s publication?
17
Trump Breaks With Bannon, or should the headline be Bannon Breaks With Trump?
To get through the GOP primary, Trump separated himself from the other 17 conservative Republicans who support the plutocrats and the corporatists. It wasn't until Trump won the November election that he went all out as a national populist, at the behest of Bannon, who gave him the playbook to follow to win the votes of millions of Americans whose jobs were taken away by corporatists solely for increasing their profits. Bannon was betrayed by Trump's change of position when he embraced Ryan and McConnell and supported repeal and replace of the ACA, which Bannon knew was going to create opposition with Trump's disgruntled voters. The last straw was when Trump, the shill populist, went full bore with Ryan and McConnell in passing a tax cut solely for the economic benefit of the plutocrats and the corporatists.
The true Trump was revealed after the general election -- he was just a "talking populist" in order to attract the middle class voters. After the tax cut was passed there was no doubt that Trump betrayed Bannan and finally showed that he was just another Republican whose main goal was to please the corporatists and the plutocrats by cutting their taxes which was not deserved. Trump's deceit was revealed, so Bannon had to leave to save face with the millions of workers who had been betrayed by Trump. Stay tuned for the ending, which the book The Fire and Fury is bringing to light.
6
Nixon and Watergate multiplied by ten.
19
Multiplied by 100.
4
I think the tipping point has been reached, and his upcoming physical will turn up "concerns" which allow him to resign "with honor", . . . like Nixon.
15
One can only hope!
4
George, that's a good call. The request will come from Melania and the kids, who will drag him kicking and screaming to the neatest Trump golf course!
Most insightful comment. But our troubles will not be over with President Pence and Republican control of Congress and the courts.
1
So trump thinks steve is self-serving? Only in it for himself? Takes one to know one, I would say. Too bad our political discourse has descended to the level of the schoolyard taunt, but there you have it.
19
Relublicans had better hurry up getting rid of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid before Donny tiny Button has a nervous breakdown.
16
I wish I could wake up and end the nightmare.
21
Who gets custody of the kids aka the base with this breakup? Shared custody won't work. Saying that, the base are blindly loyal to Trump no matter what he does. They tie their identity to him and some were even furiously defending Don Jr on Breitbart and shredding Bannon over this blowup.
5
Of course, the really fascinating thing is Trump's reaction to Bannon's comments. He actually got off Twitter, and issued a written statement. That's showing your hand, Mr. Trump.
6
So at what point does Trump not hold up a mirror to see the reflection?
6
Your victory wasn't historic. You're the second Republican in this century to take office after losing the popular vote. Not only isn't it unique, it's actually getting kind of old.
20
It's getting really old and both times have been a nightmare for America. I think we need to change our elections and go to a truly democratic system where the popular vote wins. The electoral college has failed us utterly and completely.
Perhaps handing over the presidency, the federal courts, and the entire executive branch to a circus of unhinged incompetents for four years just to teach Hillary Clinton a lesson about having a second email server wasn't such a good idea after all.
33
Imagine… the topsy-turvy world of a former political operative, or an obtuse scribbler; with a passion for capturing elusive pixies in a delirium of cocktails. The latest novel describing Trumps foibles sounds and looks like the works of a spiteful pixie suffering a disheveled soul, or a lost weekend.
Imagine… I don’t know about you, but the wild fabrications of a poor scribbler haunted by hobgoblins, or lost in the woebegone world of goblins and pixies while suffering the after effects of delirium tremens (DT’s) sound so trite! Talk about the dribbling’s of Judas Iscariot!
Imagine…the emotional stress on Donald when discovering the trite notions of his former political acquaintance while wandering in the Rose garden. I mean think about it for a moment or two; we can almost assume the real leakers lurking in the bowels of the Trojan Horse were Steve Bannon and Michael Wolff.
1
There are apparently numerous tapes to back up Wolff's claims in his new book, the latter of which has undoubtably already benefitted the author's bank account almost greater than winning the lottery.
I despise Trump, his sycophants and the craven, unpatriotic Republican House and Senate that quake under threat of a Trump twitter. I have no problem believing the epithets and observations thrown in Trump's direction by the now "banished" Bannon, and others in Trump's administration are true. But Wolff better be able to back up his explosive claims. Otherwise we will all have yet another delirious episode of pin the tail on the Trump donkey show.
Somehow Wolff's email that he is "wholly comfortable with my numerous sources" makes me a little uncomfortable. It seems to give Wolff some wiggle room.
3
President Trump and Stephen Bannon are each right about one thing: each other.
5
It reads like a horror novel, except that it's real. Ugh!
3
a self-promoting exaggerator, who isn't?
1
Now seems anyone, absolutely any lowlife can be prez of US. Don’t know how much of this Humpty Dumpty going back together again. How can we ever forgive the “worse than deplorables” that elected this monstrosity? Feels like country’s in ER.
6
Distraction ploy, just that! We depend on NYT to look beyond such illusions!
2
Wow. Did not see this coming from Bannon. But it does make sense. Trump was bad-mouthing Bannon for Moore's loss in Alabama and now most likely refuses Bannon's phone calls.
With the Mueller investigation getting closer to possible money laundering and tax evasion evidence, Trump is obviously in meltdown mode. And GOP is frantically trying to discredit Mueller and our FBI. It's a freaking 3 ring circus in these United States and Putin is loving it.
So it makes sense that "Chief Strategist", Bannon, reset his strategy to jump ship in an attempt to regain some credibility. With this deluge of publicity, Bannon is back in play for at least another Time Magazine cover and 60 Minutes interview. That just might take Trump completely over the edge.
Wonder what part the Mercer$$$, who paid Bannon to take over Trump's floundering campaign, have in all this.
5
And you write Republicans are gleeful? Really?
They should be bloody ashamed and join community service for a year for not behaving! They are more outrageous than the clowns portrayed in this book.
8
Bannon is Trump's Ernst Rohm.
4
Well, it seems if anyone in the clown circle of the White House knows something about losing one's mind it is our Predator in Chief.
4
Again, from the book by Michael Wolff:
"Few people who knew Trump had illusions about him. That was his appeal: He was what he was. Twinkle in his eye, larceny in his soul. Everybody in his rich-guy social circle knew about his wide-ranging ignorance. Early in the campaign, Sam Nunberg was sent to explain the Constitution to the candidate. “I got as far as the Fourth Amendment,” Nunberg recalled, “before his finger is pulling down on his lip and his eyes are rolling back in his head.”"
My oh my. What a president we have.
10
"Shortly after 8 p.m. on Election Night, when the unexpected trend — Trump might actually win — seemed confirmed, Don Jr. told a friend that his father, or DJT, as he calls him, looked as if he had seen a ghost. Melania was in tears — and not of joy.
There was, in the space of little more than an hour, in Steve Bannon’s not unamused observation, a befuddled Trump morphing into a disbelieving Trump and then into a horrified Trump. But still to come was the final transformation: Suddenly, Donald Trump became a man who believed that he deserved to be, and was wholly capable of being, the president of the United States."
From the book by Michael Wolff.
11
I too found this one of the more interesting parts of the excerpt. As many have suspected it appears Trump did not seriously consider the possibility that he might actually win the election. Faced with this Electoral College fluke and unexpected challenge, he could have A.) hunkered down in study and preparation to do the best possible job he could for the nation, B.) admitted he was unprepared and uninterested in the job and resigned, or C.) continued his vengeful publicity campaign with the fervor of a frustrated carnival barker. Unfortunately for all of us, he chose C.
10
So looking forward to reading this book. Sales will be through the roof with all this attention. No doubt guilty ad the day us ling Potus will then take credit for the phenomenal sales. If he is protesting thus much it’s all true!!!
9
It feels like the country and the world are on this insanity merry-go-round that just keeps spinning and spinning and spinning. Each spin brings about a new wave of crises and each crisis outdoes the last one before. While the world looks on in disbelief, the insanity merry-go-round gets larger and larger. As innocent bystanders we question when will this carnival spectacle come to an end?
20
Yes thank you so much Republican Congress for throwing this garbage at us every day.
Every one of those miscreants should be driven out of town in the back of a garbage truck.
13
I marvel each day that Trump and his crowd are still in office. What will it take
for saner heads to finally prevail and rid us of this insanity?
Who will stand up to these amateurs?
How dangerous does it have to get?
Tells us a lot about this Republican Congress!
5
For some reason this Shakespeare quote comes to mind: “I would challenge you to a battle of the wits, but it appears you are unarmed.”
Let the games begin!
39
Great timely quote. thanks
4
Could you spare us to see the faces of these crooks while reading the articles about them. It does help us to understand what is all about their bickering.
6
Could you spare us to see the faces of these crooks while reading the articles about them. It does NOT help us to understand what is all about their bickering.
I could have written this book and I do not even have any access.
16
Bannon and Donald Trump are clearly the stars of this episode, but I wonder: Why does no one seem to be jumping to the defense of Ivanka Trump? And what is this going to do to the relationship between the President and Jared Kushner? I think this will be bad for the Trump family. But maybe that will improve things, both for the White House and for the country. I suppose that depends on whether you believe the country is better served by function or disfunction in the White House.
6
While entertaining in a sick way once you realize we are talking about the most important job on the planet, the Trump/Bannon bromance book is strictly a shield for Bannon.
Bannon is using this book to hopefully protect himself from prosecution.
8
Trump has turned the U.S Presidency--an office that used to garner respect--into reality TV. Disgusting!
12
Can't wait for the State of the Union address.
19
Not me. I'm still wretching from the last one.
6
That'll be a hoot!
2
With the White House in disarray and the President on the verge of a breakdown, can't anybody do anything to remove this disgrace of a person that calls himself a leader? It's the blind leading the blind while the rest of us look on as they walk into oncoming traffic.
15
"Self-promoting exaggerator?" Add the word "criminal" to that that and you have a perfect definition of Trump himself.
13
As I mature, "ripen?" into my own dotage I find myself less inclined to euphemism and more comfortable with just calling things what they are. So props to Gary for his appropriate use of "criminal," for that's precisely what all of these guys are: Donald, Don Jr. Jared, Ivanka, Paul, Mitch, ....all of them. Not sure about Melania, she might be an innocent bystander just caught in the vortex, and Barron is only a kid. But really, NYT, let's stop pussyfooting around and begin using the correct terminology. Thank you. Pete McGuire, Atlanta
7
Like most narcissists, he doesn't see it in himself.
2
Well. I see this country has lots of serious business to attend to in respect to deciding who is the bigger whack-job: Bannon or Trump. Good thing there are no other serious issues we need to deal with on an international or domestic front. Let's just get out the popcorn and ignore the boring "real" work that needs to be done (climate change, N Korea, immigration, workable federal budget perhaps?).
I'm sure this is exactly what all the trump supporters had in mind when in the voting booth: Hmmmm, reality show huckster - or well seasoned and educated stateswoman? Tough choice for some.
14
Both parties have been pretending to act, yawping while postponing action on those issues for decades, so lf we leave them for another generation, oh well...
Currently, we wake up each day to a negative political atmosphere that seems to continue to worsen. I used to feel lucky watching those physical brawls in smaller or third world governing bodies that we lived in a country where the politicians didn't throw chairs. I now think many interactions in our politics are actually worse than any chair throwing or brawling. Trump and Bannon are tearing down our institutions, the media, numerous people, and each other, but like many insurgents and bomb throwers, they have no real plan for creating anything at all except another portrait of the ugly American.
23
This is an expected outcome when two narcissists butt heads. We have allowed illegal and immoral behavior in our elected and appointed officials, and all Americans suffer as a result. It's never too late to clean house. If not, this farce in the White House will continue.
13
I believe Don Jr.'s ignorance defense. He/they really didn't understand what they were doing or what the stakes were. They wanted to win the election, and it didn't occur to them that there was more involved than a competition in which the best tricks win. After all, isn't that how business deals are made?
10
IMHO,,this is just a side show. To direct attention from the real issues.
1--- All of the federal judges are being picked by Heritage foundation.
These are life time appointments.
2----State department is being gutted, and the polices are set by Kushner
and Stefan Miller......
3---- EPA is being gutted, and a lot of its scientists are just leaving.
etc.....
33
Excellent point !!!
1
When Liars meet on the battleground... the thruth comes out.
6
Wealthy republicans got their bargain with Tax bill with this presidential gambling on DT. Someday, political analysts might write that DT signed tax bill too fast to bring his demise sooner because it was the only major thing left to stick around him for republicans.
They might know by this time that there are more danger and instability of US with more longer DT presidency that will eventually give negative impact to wealthy and corporate America. The record shows that he already made a lot of damage to government in this short period of time, implanted almost whole world with negative image of America, benefited Russia passively in every possible way even though sanctions are not lifted, and debased American value of moral and ethic.
I am on the front row to watch this kind of drama that I never want to watch again in my life.
6
The Doomsday Clock ticking down the Trump Presidency to its inexorable end just edged closer to midnight. With the president in a perpetual rage about real and imagined slights, the task of his handlers to manage him and the fiasco he has created becomes more challenging with every passing day.
9
Mr Wolff's book will fade if by some miracle it is the only book this year about the DJT White House. Should (when?) the second book appears no amount of tweets will hold the Republican caucus or the DJT administration together and what so many suspect or fear will be laid bare.
1
Fascinating, but it won’t make a da— bit of difference to this administration. Republicans in Congress are primarily concerned with Trump’s signature on their legislation. They don’t care about national security etc. and I suspect that Trump himself will not be found to be connected to “collusion” although his subordinates may. Meanwhile all his appointments are destroying the functioning of the government like termites inside your house, and his supporters will never abandon him because he feeds their resentments, their frustrations, their biases against those they believe have caused them to be “demoted” in their lives. Ironically, every actual populist notion that he ran on in his campaign has been utterly abandoned and what you have left is raw Republican Darwinian economics and governing. Some things are more entertaining as TV than they are in reality; this administration heads the
list.
12
As an 8th grade teacher of 24 years experience, the statement from the White House strikes me as being about the intellectual level of my average students. As I would note on a student's paper, "Probe more deeply. Show me some more complexity in thought and phrasing."
Either the WH staff thinks of us as intellectually inferior, or they are.
16
I has the schadenfreude...this makes me happy.
6
So so now Trump is mad because Bannon violated his non disclosure and non disparagement agreement? It strikes me as profoundly wrong and deeply concerning that any government official can use those to insulate themselves from scrutiny or criticism, something the right would understand if it was Obama, either Clinton, or the DNC operating that way.
6
I always wondered what would happen when two arsonists were mad at each other.
4
Just a window into Trump's mindset, way back at the beginning of the campaign, Trump was being interviewed by George Stephanopoulos, and was asked who he admires most in history...Lincoln? Washington? ......and Trump said, P.T. Barnum.
I can't imagine any Presidential candidate in my lifetime who had been in public service or politics, especially running for President of this country ever coming up with P.T. Barnum.
Donald Trump the Con Man, the Greedy Sham Artist!
7
Is it a break or is it really a setup by two deceitful. conniving men. My guess is the latter. This is a diversion to make us think the President is not as bad as mainstream America thinks he is. They have too much on each other to be truly splitting like a disgruntled married couple. They are too much alike. Let us not forget what made America great in the first place. ... http://lstrn.us/2t3r2wi
We need to stop letting the president, Steve Bannon and Manafort distract us. I don't think it's a coincidence that this nonsense dropped the same day as the Fusion GPS op-ed. That's the real news and the where the real fire is. NYT editors, stop making these non-consequential/"he says-he says" stories the top story. This is the presidency, not reality TV. Please start highlighting the fact that people in power are not using the information they have and representing the American people in getting to the truth.
8
This is an Irrelevant diversion. Do we really need to stoop this low to sell news? Reporting bad reality show type of rhetoric. Please NYT's take the focus off these deplorably people in power. Let's focus on our core vales and real solutions to our political, environmental and economic challenges. Isn't that also a responsibility of effective journalism?
1
How very predictable of Trump. When all else fails him, he heads for the Grand Denial card to make others "disappear."
But, here's an even more concerning issue: Republicans refuse to remove Trump no matter how far he goes. Let's pretend that isn't dangerous to national security.
Republicans look the other way at everything Trump does. Will they do that if a raging Trump decides to make Bannon "disappear" and anyone else Trump finds too truthful and factual?
It was Trump, who during his campaign, said, "I could commit murder in front of Trump Tower and I'd still have supporters." Will seriously compromised Trump thrown down the Putin gauntlet and make people disappear?
The problem now isn't Trump. It is the Republican Party who refuse to stop Trump from doing what Trump has done since birth, go to extremes to get his way. No matter who else he has to destroy to do it.
Nothing in the US Constitution gives ANY political party the right to use their majority as a weapon to keep a lunatic, dangerous nut in the White House.
Trump and his cohorts are desperate to stop the investigation. Rational, innocent people welcome an investigation. It is long past time for the public to KNOW what Trump is hiding.
The reality is Trump is using the DOJ and that weasel mutton chop Sessions to do his dirty work by removing southern NY district federal court judges in areas where Trump's money laundering and businesses are located. How isn't that obstruction of justice?
6
It’s a shame Bannon and Trump can’t get along given how much they have in common, not to mention their shared psychosis. I mean really, if these two disturbed and highly flawed characters can’t see eye-to-eye given their shared view of a chaotic, racist and sexist-centric new world order...all is lost for unity of any two people on the planet.
Our complicit congress needs a total shake out
Their lack of patriotism and devotion for self dealing is appalling. Republicans are treasonous traitors
6
Steve Bannon has lost his mind? How would DJT know the difference?
1
What's fascinating about Trump's statement on Bannon is that whoever wrote it was channeling Trump's id. It's chilling:
"...our historic victory... delivered by the forgotten men and women of this country... he’s only in it for himself... simply seeking to burn it all down."
I recognise the style of writing - it's appeared before, but I have to go back and do some research to identify when exactly. It's written by the only serious thinker in Trump's team and that person only dictates the message occasionally. It's certainly not from Trump.
Trump didn't win an historic victory, Trump is the one who has forgotten his baes, Trump is the one who is only in it for himself and Trump is the one who is ready to burn it all down. The person who wrote this is simply inverting Trump's warped mentality and projecting it onto his enemy.
The journalists writing about Trump as if he is just a dumb huckster don't have the insight into his frayed mind displayed by the person who wrote this press release.
It's Trump who is the dangerous, delusional narcissist and it's Trump who now has the power to literally burn it all down - think Nero.
The media coverage of Trump just seems to be dominated by a stubborn refusal to acknowledge exactly how dangerous a threat to all of us Trump now embodies. Nobody can predict the outcome of the first use of nuclear weapons since Nagasaki, but Trump is toying with the idea.
It's only Trump who can burn it all down - and soon he might decide to do it.
6
My guess is that Stephen Miller was the author.
(And not the Stephen Miller just below this! I was referring to Trump's repellent aide in the WH.)
Where is Vince McMahon when we need him ? This battle between two dangerous,delusional dotards calls for a steel cage match sponsored by the WWF. No holds barred. This would give the world a look at the new Republican party. The party of Trump, Bannon,Gorka, Conway, Priebus,Moore, Sessions,Franks,Farenthold,McConnell and Ryan. The Mercers could referee the match between two of their donees. Please Vince, America deserves this match.
4
Trump is trying to block publication and distribution of this book? Oh,,, I want to read it now. That attempt to block is an admission. And Manafort attempting a law suit limiting an FBI investigation? Well, my thoughts of each are a bit less than civil.
4
And we should believe Sarah Huckabee Sanders because?
8
This has all been choreographed and plays out like a World Wide Wrestling script. Hell, they even have Linda McMahon on board to help with the optics.
Sorry, they'll have to do better to garner interest in these two gas bags cat fight....
3
The publishing industry cannot keep up with the "spinout heads" leaving the Trump orb because anything goes commentary is afire. We'll soon learn the Trump techniques of brushing his teeth, blowing his nose and outgrowing his pants as his girth expands. The Secret Service must be flipped-out due to Trumps personal, unusual habits and phobias. The National Security apparatus must be in total blackout and fearfulness. The GOP is however clearly on notice that *fit-for-duty* applies to Privates in the Army and the "Commander". Hopefully, the GOP might hold a seminar on the Federalist Papers and Constitutional Amendments.
1
The confederacy of dunces has been exposed, and by the only man left standing. So satisfying.
4
"he spent his time at the White House leaking false information to the media"
Thank you for officially confirming that you and your administration (via Brietbart) are the actual perpetrators of lies and fake news!
15
Oh, *Bannon* is the "self-promoting exaggerator," is he, Donald? Thanks for clearing that up.
10
If Trump could be compared to Hitler perhaps Bannon is his Ernst Rohm, the head of the infamous Brown shirts who was purged by Hitler at the suggestion of Hitler's inner circle. Like Trump's poor white supporters it turns out that the dear leader did not, after all, have their econoimic interests at heart. "They were disappointed by the new regime's lack of socialistic direction and its failure to provide the lavish patronage they had expected."
As they say...history starts as tragedy and ends as farce.
4
When, oh, when, will the NYT learn to get its headlines right?
"Trump Loses His Marbles, Saying Bannon Has `Lost His Mind' "
7
it takes one to know one
6
At this low level of political discourse I am waiting for the type of toilet paper which is used in the White House.
1
When Trump noted many months ago that as president he could pardon himself it was obvious the wheels were going to fall off his clown car sooner or later. His role as angry narcissist-in-chief has been to demonstrate the realities of supreme incompetence and why character and intelligence matter. He's been an autocrat in business and simply believes the same approach works as president. As always, Trump is simply wrong. His demented mind is home to fantasies that are antithetical to democracy and rational governance for the greater good. He has to be fired.
Eclectic Pragmatism — http://eclectic-pragmatist.tumblr.com/
Eclectic Pragmatist — https://medium.com/eclectic-pragmatism
4
Both men are right about the other ! Therefore they are both wrong, if you follow what I mean. They are certainly nutty and toxic. Just make sure they both don't end up in the same prison, let alone in the same cell.
3
Oh, NO! Gotta disagree with you there. I say, put them in the same cell and let them devour each other like two snakes (which they are).
1
I've been posting the polite term 'Doofus' to describe Trump and his followers' rhetoric. Now that Bannon's nonfiction book is out I'm comfortable using the easier-to-understand word 'Stupid.' God help America. Help the poor, sick, senior and vulnerable Americans. It's a mystery to me why Republicans are basing their legislation on hate and cruelty.
11
Bannon didn't write the book, but otherwise, agree wholeheartedly with your assessment.
1
Won't somebody help that poor man?
3
The Times is becoming a puzzle to me. It is probably not an exaggeration to say that the paper could be more important now than at any time in American history. But it persistently leads readers away from instead of toward the critical issues. Trump's trashing of the presidency becomes "reinventing" it. A neo-Nazi becomes an elegaic figure. Now, bad soap opera between Trump and Bannon gets at the top of the page. Nobody cares about whether Trump has "broken" with Bannon. We care about knowing the crimes and the subterfuge of this administration. We care about how and why the actions of this administration conform to the agenda of a hostile foreign power. We care about journalism on the issues that will decide the fate of this country --and soon. Either NYT will be a constant guide to meaningful facts, or will itself begin to flop around in the murk that this administration specializes in creating around itself.
9
Maybe you’re confused that Americans don’t deserve to know that all the rumors about dysfunction in the WH is now confirmed and how they pose a real threat to the country, presently run by less than credible man with a below average intellect.
Pamela, I agree completely. Fighting with down-filled boxing gloves is how the media pulled Trump out of his own primoridal ooze and into the White House.
Can we really wait till next November for a Dem takeover of both chambers of the Congress? Can we, or the rest of the civilized world, wait that long to begin the impeachment process?
2
Stalin had the same problems.
6
DJT Jr. cracking like an egg = Humpty Trumpty
6
What I don’t understand is Bannon today on Breitbart.
Per CNN—Speaking on Breitbart radio Thursday morning, Bannon assured a caller that "nothing will ever come between us and President Trump and his agenda" adding that "we're tight on this agenda as we've ever been.
He also called Trump a “great man”. What gives?
4
Wealthy republicans got there bargain with tax bill with this presidential gambling on DT. Someday, political analysts might write that DT signed tax bill too fast to bring his demise sooner because it was the only major thing left to stick around him for republicans.
They might know by this time that there are more danger and instability of US with more longer DT presidency that will eventually give negative impact to wealthy and corporate America. The record shows that he already made a lot of damage to government in this short period of time, implanted almost whole world with negative image of America, benefited Russia passively in every possible way even though sanctions are not lifted, and debased American value of moral and ethic.
I am on the front row to watch this kind of drama that I never want to watch again in my life.
Two crazy men making it all about themselves. What about the rest of us who live in this country..innocent bystanders caught up in a dysfunctional family fight.
1
Whatever Bannon said in that book must be true considering the way Rachel and Lawrence were quoting out of it last night like it were the Bible.
The Time's revelations are quite dire,
Clearly a case of Smoke meet Fire!
It feeds Democrats' fondest desire,
Too bad it seems everyone is a liar.
Fired and Hurry.
Naturally, another hit piece by Trump Haters Maggie Haberman and Peter Baker, made to look like they're presenting 'all the facts that are fit to print'. Everybody on the Alt-Left wants to believe that Trump is dumb, Trump is a crook etc. but all I know is that here is a guy, 71, who is worth anywhere from $4 to $10 B, who has built towers and skyscrapers all over the world, who is foregoing his retirement to serve American ingrates in the gilded cage of the White House. Meanwhile, the stock market continues to tick upwards, companies are coming home, people are going back to work and seem a lot more optimistic than the Radical Leftist Press? How is this you ask? Oh right, yeah, Trump is dumb.
1
Is that the view from Sardegna?
2
I'd more ask if this is the Donald talking, giving the hilarious claim about net worth.
How ironic that Trump, a self-promoting liar, describes Bannon as "a self-promoting exaggerator." That's like a bank robber calling a car thief a crook.
4
It would be the biggest payoff in Octagon Cage match history were these two to arrange a FOX Sports/HBO Pay Per View event.
1
SCHADENFREUDE.
2
Cannot stand the pig, however, the truth is true regardless of who says it and bannon is correct that there is treason afoot. Though its not limited to jr.!
3
Headline: Pot Calls Kettle Black. Paul Ryan, do your duty and start the process of ridding us of this incompetent president.
1
He’d loved to do that because Pence the Koch puppet would take his place. Then we’d really be on the road to ruin. No good choices in this mess. Read Jane Mayer and Nancy MacLean.
1
I hope they both turn gay and get married.
2
Rudolph Hess anyone?
You seriously can't make this stuff up.
1
One more potential nail in the coffin (?) of a Trump presidency, which has been beleaguered with one misadventure after another. Now, Bannon is mutinying as a renegade, and his latest uttering will continue to re-ignite Trump's fury, already at a pinnacle, anyways. All Trump needs is a pretext to pounce upon anyone, plucky enough to rub him the wrong way. But Trump is already hard-wired to assail others, even without a provocateur.
The war of words has just begun. Or is it the clash of the titans? It can be a pitched battle, between the 2 well-matched adversaries, who once were bosom buddies of sorts, at least to the outside world. Now the gloves are off from both the sides, and all bets are off as well. Apparently, Bannon has nothing to lose or gain, and his impetuous intonations will face the wrath of Trump with alacrity. It is game on from now on.
Meanwhile the responses from the other side of GOP will be essentially either muted, or subdued, as if from a pack of poltroons. It is highly tempting to suggest that the entire GOP, barring a few, is turning out to be a party of pusillanimous pussycats. Or so it seems.
7
I would call this administration a circus act but circus acts are far more organized and talented. A national embarrassment.
11
And they are scarier than even a clown car full of clowns.
2
The beginning of the end. Once Trump goes, Pence steps in and we are ruled—and the republic and democracy destroyed—by the Koch brothers and the radical rich libertarian right. Trump is their Trojan horse. Read Nancy MacLean’s new book Democracy in Chains if you doubt it. And Jane Mayer’s Dark Money. Americans are being played like a fiddle. November 2018 is our last chance to save the country from this scourge.
10
Call me cynical, but I suspect that Bannon is still working for The Donald, and the two of them are colluding to throw Junior and Jared under the bus. The Donald's loud protest is just for show.
5
A farce sponsored taxpayers money and America's reputation in the world.
2
The story should emphasize that Bannon called Trump Jr a traitor and suggested that Trump Sr laundered money for the Russians. Instead, as usual, Peter Baker spins this as favorably to Trump as possible.
1
I disagree. No one in the story looks good. It would be worth focusing on Bannon's accusations about Trump and Trump Jr. except that none of those ideas are new and even if Bannon is right (which he may be) you can't trust anything he or Michael Wolff says. I believe that Mueller's investigation will pursue anything that is worth pursuing. I think the political fallout within the White House and between the various factions of the Republican Party is the more consequential story for now.
Trump is essentially saying that he believes Wolff’s book is accurate.
7
Although Bannon has long been removed from the White House, his sentiment remains with Stephen Miller. An intellectual in his own right, Miller provides the ideas behind the restoration of American traditionallism in the battle with the new elites. Defeat of the new elites is essential. For America to be great once again, traditionallism must be restored, and the new elites disposed. Thank you.
My first reaction to Trump denouncing Bannon's comments in the Wolff book was, 'it doesn't feel so good when someone says mean things about you, does it DJT?' DJT routinely uses Twitter to hurl accusations and incendiary comments at others, not to mention the name calling, oh, and the off hand comments about nuclear war. (I think Twitter TRULY epitomizes what it means to be COMPLICIT in the destruction of our democracy by allowing his account to remain active.)
With the publication of the Wolff book, DJT is about to get his comeuppance.
It's about time.
4
based on past Trump behaviour they will be friends again in a week.
Why are people finding any of this funny - cause for jokes, smirks, satirical calls for popcorn?
1
Not sure why he came down on Bannon so hard. There is so much material originating from other sources in that book.
there is so much explosive material in this book, it is hard to believe this is not going bro be the end of Trump and his clan...
1
A man with two heads fighting with himself.
1
A self-promoting exaggerator? I fell right off my chair when I read that one!!
2
Somebody remind me again why they called them Punch and Judy. They were such a cute couple of puppets.
1
"The president excoriated Mr. Bannon as a self-promoting exaggerator"
Well, Trump should know since his whole persona is based on being a self-promoting exaggerator.
1
Pot, kettle and all that.
Stay tuned to next season when the Donald and Putin go after each other...
In an op-ed on another page, David Leonhardt has it spot on: these revelations about the treasonous collusion and the (obvious) idiocy of this parasitic clan are most likely indicative of how deeply, inherently corrupt this "president" is, and hopefully how solid Mueller's criminal case is. Leonhardt also notes that a conservative NYT commentator expressed his sorrow that Bannon has ruined his chances of becoming a viable political influence in this country. I don't think Bannon ever really had a chance at legitimacy: "liberal" indoctrination that ALL Americans are equal under the law, that ALL people are entitled to human rights, has become ingrained in the past 50 years, at least in the majority of the country (the fact that a majority voted against this parasite and his agenda encourages my optimism), and I think it would take more than an angry drunken troll and his legion of angry entitled paranoids armed with tin-foil helmets and keyboards to dismantle that.
1
The Con Don and Steve Bannon lost their minds? Did they every have one?
They are part of the Top 1% Global Financial Elite International Mafia Cabal. Mafia members aren't known for their "intelligence". They are known for one thing - corruption. They lie, cheat, steal and kill to try to fill their demented, insatiable greed. They have not social conscience or moral compass.
They have taken over much of OUR U.S., state and local governments and only WE THE PEOPLE can/will stop them.
Hit the streets the weekend of January 20/21 and fight like hell to preserve the one thing you value most about democracy in America. WE must protest in such large numbers that the press/media - or The Con Don and his corrupt brethren - can't ignore us.
NOW is the time.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/WomensMarch2018USA/events/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_protests_against_Donald_Trump
5
With the 2018 elections coming up it's a good idea for Republicans to distance themselves from the ultra right wingers in their party.
I'm sure the GOP leaders are telling their supporters that the Trump-Bannon spate is just a ploy to fool the moderates into voting Republican again.
Soon we will see Bannon saying more things that look like attacks but are really designed to make the Republican party seem moderate by comparison.
1
Pro wrestling without the tights and makeup. Can’t figure out who the villain is. One variant, usually the Vlad represents evil.
2
I would love to bathe in the schadenfreude, but the if Bannon's account is even half right then the president's fragile ego and lack of acumen make for a really scary scenario.
3
Losing Alabama, and now, this is actually good for normal conventional Republicans in the long run.
The establishment has lost a battle but won the war.
Mitch McConnell is smiling somewhere.
2
It is my fervent hope that we will all go to the polls in November to save our country from this cheesy soap opera. America, we are better than this.
9
Comments in outrage can go on and on and on about the Trump presidency and those with whom Trump is associated in conducting his office. Venting out of disbelief, if not disgust, is understandable. But this is the thing ... and never mind the issue over the wisdom or fairness of Electoral College: Trump was elected by a highly significant number of Americans as Americans “are” in their very lives presently. The problem with Trump et al is therefore certainly more of a national problem, say of morality and common decency, that, through tacit denial apparently, doesn’t seem to get much traction. Looking away from the “mirror” seems to be an effective way of making matters worse.
2
I think all of these reactionaries would need to find minds to become conservatives.
In a measure of the misogyny of the US, the CNN crawler of this morning reports that the US is down at number 102 on the list of all nations ordered by the percentage of public offices occupied by women.
3
Thank you sir for enlightening us on this fact.
#102...that is disgraceful.
A focus of this 'exposure' of Trump by Bannon; here in Peter and Maggie's reporting, on "Mourning Joe" TV, and elsewhere, but 'not so much' in the top rated comments here, somehow triggered what George Lakoff calls 'analogy-thinking', and brought to mind one of my favorite articles by one of my favorite writers, Earl Shorris:
"Perhaps I had missed a clue. It could have been this: Reagan’s “kitchen cabinet” assured me during the convention that their man did “not read books. He reads reports.”
So, Reagan --- who, for me, marks the beginning of this acceleration toward Empire, reads only "reports', while the current occupant reportedly "won’t read anything — not one-page memos, not the brief policy papers; nothing" --- but like Peter Sellers as 'Chauncey Gardner' in his last film, "Being There", likes to watch TV incessantly.
If Reagan was the on-set of this disease, then Trump is the observable symptom of its metastasis, as Shorris --- on his death-bed wrote this his last article for Harper's, "American Vespers":
"Evening did not begin at that convention, nor during the election. The cell that multiplies, the killing thing, lies beneath the observable world."
"the man with no philosophy was to be a philosopher: he removed ethics from politics. Everything followed on his elegant excision, an operation performed so deftly on the body politic that it did not feel the wound."
"I do not know who will take America in their arms to revive her.
No nation is forever."
5
We can all now see the real Donald Trump, and if you don’t, you are simply choosing not to look. The man is a real danger to our democracy and to the peace of the world, with Trump’s only defense being a non-disclosure agreement. Citizens must begin to listen to his media attack dogs, and remember those who choose the Trump defense over truth. The Republican Party fed us this disaster, as their only agenda is to win and to maintain power. Those still defending him need to be removed from government forever.
3
This stuff has made my day. To quote Nelson Muntz , " Ha-Ha "
1
There once was a provocative book
Some parts of which were gobbledygook
But if some of it’s true
It’s past time for a coup
To change leaders by hook or by crook
3
Syphilis Maximus.
Trump could hunker down and soldier through the the Nunes/Grassley strategy: admit nothing and do everything you can think of to divert attention and undermine your accusers. Instead, he is validating the book. We know for sure that the part about not being very smart is factual.
2
I always felt Bannon held Trump’s hands, told him things would be okay and to not to think so much about nuking Iran or North Korea. I don’t think General Kelly is up to coddling Trump in the same way Bannon was. Now Trump is free to go mad on his own. That’s very frightening.
3
Trump and Bannon, birds of a feather; both given to unrelenting, vindictive counterattack — both on the ragged psychological fringe.
By now the nation should be throughly mortified with this dark comedy, yet millions are still doggedly hanging on to the Trump delusion.
The rest of the world looks on aghast.
9
And those who love America are disgusted; and those who hate America are delighted.
The article notes that Trump's personal lawyer is threatening Bannon with a defamation lawsuit. Will that take place before or after the promised lawsuits against the women who accused Trump of sexual misconduct?
8
“Bannon was shot on the South Lawn and run over by a tank and the president shifted in gear and ran over him again,” said veteran Republican strategist Ed Rollins, a strategist for the pro-Trump Great America super PAC.
Uhm, I think DJT is the one knee capped. You think Bannon cares a whit about DJT? The White House reaction is so over the top, it is ridiculous. And right at the time defending his large button.
And I'm looking to see who in their right mind would hire Huckabee-Sanders after she leaves the WH? Who would want such a prevaricator to work for them?
6
Don't worry. Americans are such suckers that they will buy her memoirs "Telling The Truths". Like Palin she will tour the country. Millions will line up around the blocks to have their books signed. She will replace Hannity at Fox.
You mean "The-President-Has-Been-Very-Clear" Sanders.
Yep, clear as mud.
This is truly the end for Trump et al. The "brand" he wanted to reinforce plus encourage a dynasty in his family for followon years is finished. Trump is now and will be more disgraced..and no doubt will not finish out the office...most would be surprised if he lasted another year.
And no published comments from HR or Kelly...of all the professionals..how is it these two still maintain their association. Their collective legacy will be damaged forever...however, I will read HR's pending book.."Dereliction of Duty, Part II"
4
Trump Vs. Bannon - Is this True form of democracy or A Democracy at its worst bottom?
1
Every morning, I awake to chaos form this band of thieves, liars, and traitors. Never did I ever think that I would grow fearful about living in America. i am in my sunset years, and worked hard every day of my life (including childhood & adolescence.) I am a sibling of eight children, four of whom survive. Our Mother was a young widow at 38years old, and she worked hard as well. No one "gave" us anything. I am fifth generation American on my Mother's side, and fourth generation American on my Father's side. My ancestors sailed to New York and immediately signed up and fought in the Civil War. Several family members became well known for their accomplishments, and all were public servants. Until last year, I would often awake in the mornings and thank my lucky stars that I was born in America. Now, I want to leave. America's greatness is being eroded by these criminals, and it is not worth ling here or dying here. I want to go . . .
In my sunset years, I am riddled with fear (and shame) as to what is happening in the White House, and its chaotic, evil reverberations. My peacefulness is shattered by the cowardice of the GOP. They have fostered this criminal & hateful divisiveness that now eats up innocent people, and spits them out. White Supremacy is thriving, and ignorance is at its most dangerous level ever because it is a convenient tool for the likes of these criminals.
God save & bless America, and Robert Mueller.
19
Thank you Moonlight in New Hampshire.
I feel exactly the same way. A small earthquake (4.4) jolted me awake at 2:30 am and my immediate thought was that we were being attacked by North Korea.
I am not the paranoid type. but this is no way to live.
Trump has created an absolute nightmare for our country.
2
So, this is what it's like having a reality TV star as President. When will this nightmare end.
What bothers me the most about this horror show is Pruitt, Zinke, Mulvaney and 45 and his craziness, oh and the republican do nothings in Congress and the tax plan and, and, and....ugh...
3
Jeez, I'm so glad my government is not being run by some vain, shrill, hysterical woman. Sarcasm if you missed it.
48
What was it she said, "he's unfit...?" I feel like the Trojans to her Cassandra.
2
The pot and kettle vie for who can produce the most foul slop. They deserve each other, we deserve neither.
22
Much more significant here is the breakup of the Mercers and Bannon. Cambridge Analytica is the mechanism run by the Mercers to run an effective ground game in getting Trump elected and in Brexit. If Bannon and the Mercers withdraw from Breitbart and in funding Bannon due to the Roy Moore fiasco, what does that mean for Trump and the GOP in future elections? Wil Trump's attacks on Bannon swing the Mercers to support Trump and the GOP?
Does anyone in the GOP really care if Trump and his sons committed treason?
Does anyone truly believe that Bannon and his white nationalist cohorts do not envy Vladmir Putin?
This is is just two disturbed children fighting over toys in the sandbox.
10
Jean Le Carre, novelist and former MI - 6 agent, Fresh Air September, - Plutocrats (Koch, Mercer etc) in America and in Russia have common cause: destroy democratic systems in the West, particularly ours...
Michael Wolff has a terrible reputation of fabricating "quotes" and has been sued numerous times as a result. He sensationalizes garbage. It's impossible to reconcile Wolff's supposed quotes with what Bannon said on a recent 60 Minutes interview. Polar opposite.
1
If Bannon didn't say Don Jr. acted like a traitor, why doesn't Bannon deny it?
Also from Wolff's book:
"In the second excerpt published from Michael Wolff’s new book, the journalist paints a portrait of a President Trump who is increasingly repeating stories, cannot recognize old friends, and is viewed by his closest allies as “incapable of functioning in his job. The bombshell book, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, describes a scene where, at Mar-a-Lago, just before the new year, “a heavily made-up Trump failed to recognize a succession of old friends.”
https://www.thedailybeast.com/wolff-book-trump-is-incapable-of-functioni...
3
I never liked Steve Bannon, but I must applaud his spin on Ivanka Trump. Calling her “dumb as a brick” was priceless. I laughed so hard I spit up my coffee. Scary how this accompanying picture of Bannon is similar to William H. Macy in "Shameless", except a little heavier, but nonetheless shameless in the end.
15
I'm curious about the tweets concerning Maggie Haberman's PR connections with Trump. Is the Times going to respond and clarify?
1
Political Theater. Both are accomplished liars. Both crave power. Neither has scruples. They represent today's republicans and republican party most aptly.
20
What a fiasco and embarrassment to the country! They totally deserve each other!
9
As we them.
How would you like your egg?
1
Never a dull moment with this President. Don't think Bannon said much new about the Trump Jr Russian meeting in Trump Tower. Leaving legalities of such a meeting to the legal experts, average people see the meeting as unethical, improper and just plain dumb, dumb dumb. For Trump Jr to further compound the situation by his emails is beyond idiotic. If the President thinks he is the smartest person to occupy the Office, it is only because he has spent too much time with Donald Jr.
All this brings to mind the Watergate crisis and coverup, What did the President know and When did he know it?! No doubt the President will blame Hilary, Obama, the Bushes, Bill, Bannon, the doorman at Trump Tower, the elevator operator, the NY Times, CNN, etc., etc, etc. Just before the end, rather take responsibility he will finally throw Donald Jr to the wolves. Somebody should remind the President of Truman's "The buck stops here!
9
This is just a short episode in a total disaster. And to think a year ago I had the silly notion that some in the GOP leadership might demonstrate leadership and morality to protect our country (and the world) to prevent this idiotic, reckless and evil behavior. Turns out they love it.
14
How shameful all this is!
10
"The president excoriated Mr. Bannon as a self-promoting exaggerator "-- talk about projection.
12
Inside scenes from our Banana Republic.
15
Reds have a poor history of managing after the revolution.
3
Cry Bannon, and let slip the Wolff of war.
4
Bannon was the canary in the coal mine; Trump the bull in the china shop. The games have begun.
6
A fight between two 5th grade losers. One mentally insane and the other an absurd right- wing wannabe. Both are mocked and ridiculed clowns. Embarrasmems to a coutry and the world.
12
Is Donald J. Trump really the person that the electorate chose to be President of the United States? He is pathetic as a world leader and disgraceful as a national leader. America should feel ashamed that such an incompetent, narcissistic ignorant and unintelligent person with no moral grounding could be POTUS. Hopefully we will finally see our error and replace him using the 25th Amendment to the Constitution, if he isn't impeached beforehand.
18
As bad as he is, Pence will be worse. He’s a Koch puppet.
Yes, Mr. President, Steve Bannon is crazy. Thanks once again for telling us yesterday's news thinking you broke the story. Duh!
5
Your comment misses one very salient point, when a crazy man calls another guy crazy, who should you believe??
3
Circus clowns couldn't have thought this one up. The public seems to enjoy this never-ending entertainment. Where is poverty? Where is the three of nuclear war? Such things are forgotten, knocked out of the news by another clown act. Such fools!
7
Regarding the headline, Isn't it more likely that Bannon broke with Trump ?
5
Bannons comments today on sirusxm radio need to be part of the reporting
Hasn't the country had enough of this trashy Real Housewives administration? I know I have. Enough. It's time to frogmarch the whole bunch of them out of the White House.
17
Ivanka is dumb as a brick?! 348th day of the DT gig and the first truth spoken by anyone in the Administration (fired or not fired).
Republicans and Democrats, America deserves better!
9
Calling Bannon self promoting, like that is a bad thing? Who does Trump think we all are? Obviously stupid, because he sits in the Oval Office. His only "loyalty" is to himself. I actually have a bit more of an elevated opinion of Bannon, as he is basically saying the obvious: Ivanka is as dumb as a brick and DJT Jr is a traitor.
4
"The president and his advisors blame Steve Bannon" basically, for convincing Trump to endorse Moore. If Trump, or his advisors had an ounce of brain, they would use judgement and common sense and would not have endorsed Moore. But, they are so stupid, they endorse Moore, then blame Bannon when Moore looses. These people are all nuts.
7
“You have planted wickedness, you have reaped evil” Hosea 10:13
6
Another piece of wisdom ignored
Each of these descriptions of Trump and family are 100% believable: treasonous, dumb as a brick, crazy and stupid. Even scoundrels like Bannon can serve a purpose.
4
Pure covfefe.
4
How's the view from under the bus, Stevie?
1
Beware all ye who work for this sicko in the Oval Office, you will eventually be thrown under the bus.
2
Calling Ivanka Trump “dumb as a brick” and Mr. Trump “An idiot surrounded by clowns" is not nice.
Who cares.
Does anyone think we will make it. We have a total idiot running this country. His "base" can be proud of themselves for putiing a total idiot in the White house. Hope we can survive until we put a new president in office.
Beautiful turn of events Bannon turned on the con artist.
5
Donald was snookered by Michael Wolff. Trump's narcissism coupled with his manipulative sociopathic behavior and magical thinking led him to believe Wolff would write a book that would be flattering. Evidently Trump has no understanding of what a journalist's role is - to report the truth.
Trump's fallacious thinking and grandiosity that is on display for the world to see every day has now been immortalized in Wolff's book. If what has been written was properly documented and vetted then we have verification of the opinions of those closest to him. Really nothing new only further confirmation of what we have all been seeing and hearing for the past 2 years.
The book has an ending but what we really need is an ending to the Trump administration.
6
This seems to be the lesson in dealing with Donald Trump: it's OK to promote an intentionally divisive agenda for the country; but don't say anything that could be seen as showing divisions within the First Family.
5
Bannon was probably the one most responsible in getting Trump elected to the presidency and Trump bit the hand that fed him. There is no honor among thieves in the White House. Unfortunately, there is honor among thieves in the GOP-controlled Congress and they are the catalyst that keeps this horror reality show alive and running.
11
Birds of a feather.
I can't discern or decide: is this a hurricane in teapot, with an ornery cast of bloated, bloviating egos trying to one up one another even if they have to lie? Or is this that omerta thing, when one of the former trusted inner circle of the clique who has been cut loose is compelled to dishonorably spill the truthful beans on the circus at the center?
This is grand entertainment for the Mueller team. Send in the Clowns. Enter Laughing. I Pagliacci. Make Him an Offer He Can't Refuse. Will Mueller subpoena Bannon soon? This is splendid stuff. Somewhere the ghost of Shakespeare is taking notes.
3
Honestly, this is not a headline that deserves top billing on the Times' home page. I would rather have highlighted more substantive investigative reporting. If I am to choose the Times over other news sources (and this story is everywhere anyway), why should I?
I skipped over it to read some of the more substantive NYT articles...but then needed some comic relief to jump start my day so came back to this piece. It did lighten my spirits after reading about NK/SK. I'm happy to have plenty of intelligent news sources to pick from, including the NYT. I think the NYT is damned if they do, damned if they don't...
NOW we see the Trump Legal Army (TLA) come after Bannon to "cease and desist," like they have relentlessly done with countless less powerful, less rich individuals over the past half century, including staff, investors, networks and ex-wives.
Finally, we have a guy who doesn't give a flip about the famous Trump NDAs.
Hopefully more people decide to follow suit.
Time to speak up again, Ivana and Marla!
Time to release those Apprentice tapes, NBC!
For the nation to heal, we need to bring the Trumps to heel.
7
Does anyone remember a time when the President did not have to spend most of the time trying to convince the country that:
1. He is not mentally unbalanced
2. He is not incompetent
3. He is not a criminal
4. He didn't really mean what he said
Well... you can finish the list.
11
Who appointed someone on the verge of losing his mind to the National Security Council? The Tooth Fairy?
We have a president who imagines that every day can be made anew and is therefore unconnected to the past. Moreover - this is a guy who actually continues to believes it "after" he gets out of the shower.
It's time for someone (Robert Mueller?) to turn off the hot water in the White House.
7
I am still an enthusiastic supporter of Bannon. I agree with his thesis, abolition of the administrative state and the restoration of traditionalism. America must return to its roots in order to survive, in order to thrive. Thank you.
1
Theses are just that: a theory without experimental data. Now we have the results in which Bannon got to do his experiment. The chaotic results could well be predicted from an immense body of experimental behavioral science over the 70 year with just a few exemplary studies: Zimbardo study, the Asche study, the Robbers’ Cave study and more. Ironically, the Iranian Revolution is a case study of what happens with Bannon’s thesis. Of course, the notion of verifiable, replicable science is banned by the newly installed, extremely vetted new administrative state created by the cult of personality and nihilism. Both ancient wisdom beginning with the Greeks and the last century of solid, replicated behavioral and evolutionary science predicts the convulsions we are witnessing.
America has always had an administrative state. That's what a country is. What you are describing is a failed state, one which can't deliver services and is overrun by war lords. Maybe you imagine you'll be one of those war lords who gets everything for nothing. But it won't happen that way.
1
All of this and I do mean ALL can be blamed totally on the shenanigans of the Electoral College.
4
This is another reality show stunt that keeps us from discussing the real changes that they are enacting.
4
If the wheels are coming off the bus, this would be the right front one.
And considering the child driving the school bus (with us in it) doesn't know how to drive...
3
And the other article about his tweets.. do we need more evidence about the urgency of this president's unfitness and the harm we are allowing to ourselves? Or alternatively these constant reminder may be very necessary lest we go to sleep. Or is this entertainment, Trump as "ratings machine" and "click bait"?
2
The man who was not there. The man that the WH occupant hardly knew but attended high level meetings, had a high security clearance, talked with the WH occupant frequently if not daily, the man who was not there but was congratulated and tweeted positively about is obviously a figment of the American public's imagination.
"I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,. And what can be the use of him is more than I can see. He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;. .."
4
Bannon was probably the one most responsible for getting Trump elected to the presidency and Trump bit the hand that fed him. There is no honor among thieves in the White House. Unfortunately, there is honor among thieves in the GOP-controlled Congress and they are the catalyst that keeps this horror reality show alive and running.
4
In Trump's eyes everyone around him is a minor player, absolutely everyone, including the American people as a whole. Megalomania.
4
The book paints the picture of a White House in chaos. Does anyone who has been paying attention for almost the last year doubt this? I'm sure the book isn't 100% true--I have no illusions on that point--but there is enough truth there to give most of us a very accurate idea of what is going on in DC every day. Remember, this chaos is what your GOP strongly supports on a daily basis and which many in our media are in the process of normalizing. #Resist
8
I would like to understand if Mr. Bannon has any financial stake in "Fire & Fury." This all smells of self-promotion, to me.
2
I strongly recommend reading "The Peter Principle," which confirms Mr. Trump long ago reached his level of incompetency. How I would love to say to Trump: 'YOU'RE FIRED!"
2
What did Trump expect would happen after firing one of his "inner circle of doom" members? Granted, attacking the boss's children is crass, but then, putting one's children in a position of power is risky, at best. But honestly, did Trump really think that Bannon would go quietly into the night to never be heard from again? If that's what he really and truly thought, then who actually has "lost his mind?" This entire administration is a "house of incompetents", and calling them that is being kind.
4
Who knew that Donald John Trump was hungry for staging the ultimate reality TV show aka "The Presidential Apprentice" in order to profit by what ever he is hiding in his personal and family income tax returns and business records aided and abetted by Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin?
There was no camouflage nor subterfuge nor concealment to Trump's malign skulking sneaking stalking scheme to temporarily occupy a tiny historical public housing building project in the District of Columbia as little as possible. Trump has spent a third of his time at his palaces on vacation golfing and resorting.
4
Lest there be too much joy; just remember Pence is waiting in the wings.
4
Indeed. It is a no win situation for USA. Full-on whacko followed by nutzy Christian-taliban. Great. The future looks ever so bright.
1
I can recall the near apoplectic rantings of the Fox tabloid reporters and their minion viewers when President Obama had his shoes on the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office; how disrespectful to the presidency our President was with his behavior.
Just think about that in the context of the last year.
But alas, every outrage generated by this revolting pig just slips away quietly, replaced in the news cycle by the next....numbing our society and creating a new normal. Republican senators sit idly by dismissing each outrage and rationalizing their complacency in the name of conservative judges, tax cuts, and social program cuts. We need term limits on these folks - it’s the only way to get people out that refuse to govern...and perhaps they will then act in the country’s best interest instead of their own or their lobbyist’s.
7
What to do when amateur hour becomes amateur month, amateur year, amateur decade?
7
Now he's lost his mind? I recognized he was out of his mind long before he became a Trump adviser.
3
This is like two middle-school girls fighting because one was heard gossiping about the other in the restroom. I can't believe the President of the United States would get involved in a public squabble like this. But, as we know by now, nothing is beneath Trump. No amount of pettiness is too small, no tantrum too large. (I will add that Trump's statement doesn't sound like his usual half-literate musings. I suspect an aide wrote it while Trump fumed and sputtered nearby.) What a disgrace Trump is. How anyone can have respect for the man is beyond understanding.
3
Is this trump and Bannon in conspiracy against Trump's children? Have Bannon be the one who throws them under the bus, while Donald appears appalled? What does Bannon get? Press. Good for Breitbart, etc. What does Trump get? Another excuse and insulation between himself and the dirty nasty business of conspiracy.
2
I think the President needs a dog. These vacations don't seem to be working.
3
Please no punishment for wonderful dogs. No dog deserves to be a companion to this filth of a family. Dogs are good, let's leave them out of this mess.
3
They both seem to be totally twisted. Just looking at either, creeps me out. Like the old uncle that always thought he had to kiss the kids. MAGA!
5
The word for today is; schadenfreude
scha•den•freu•de
ˈSHädənˌfroidə
noun
pleasure derived by someone from another person's misfortune.
Schadenfreude is the experience of pleasure, joy, or self-satisfaction that comes from learning of or witnessing the troubles, failures, or humiliation of another.
5
With everything that is happening in the world I wonder why this is worth a leading headline on the NYTimes. A fight between a reality TV start and a ego-driven but 2-bit player from the extreme right over a book that seem to repeat what everyone knows including grooming of Ms Trump and the overall naiveté of the administration. Tabloid fodder not NYTimes.
1
This entire thing is a national humiliation.
8
Trump is a self-promoting exaggerator who had “very little to do with our historic victory” and has now “lost his mind.”
1
The photo choice with the headline is priceless!
1
The pot calling the kettle black.
Unfortunately, where do we go from here?
Without Bannon, Trump wouldn't have gotten the Republican nomination. He had his finger on the Right, saw what was happening in Europe and knew how to insight voters in exactly the right places. He energized the anti-immigration sentiment and the taught Trump how to sing the "blame the government" theme song. Without Bannon, Trump has indeed lost his mind for Bannon was Trump's brains. Scary, but the scarecrow has no brains of his own though it's real good at frightening those crows from the corn.
150
Bannon and Trump are both Vladimir Putin's pet toy poodles.
What did Mike Pence know and when did he know it?
3
If you go over to Breitbart, you will find most readers attacking Bannon, not Trump, for betrayal, egoism, and so on. Bannon just issued an affirmation of his support of Trump, but that's really hollow considering he accused his son of being a traitor & his wife of being really stupid.The Breitbart readers' reactions seem predictable to me, as are Trump's given that Bannon personally attacked him and Trump is established as someone who is compelled to attack when attacked himself.
So the interesting question to me is why did Bannon do this? I don't think it was stupidity, & unlike other readers (& Trump), I find accusations of madness both facile & offensive to the actually mentally ill. Was it hubris? Was it revenge? Whatever it is, it weakens Trump coalitions & weakens the Breitbart brand.
I guess we'll see. I'm of the mind to get out the popcorn.
107
It was stupidity, okay? None of these guys have two working neurons to rub together.
WE'VE made them seem smart, us and the media coverage. None of us want to believe that dolts can get where they got, largely through our indifference and arrogance.
2
Everything these guys do is calculated. Whether it is distraction or destruction, it is to their benefit. Like when Trump and Fox manufactured a rift between them during the campaign just to get more eyeballs. Now they love each other. It's all a show for the low educated. The creeps in the White House are nothing more than realty TV Producers of a show called The American Government circa 2016. They stay in power because we happen to have over 60 million low educated voters who gladly swallow all the garbage Bannon and Trump feeds them. Bannon and Trump's brilliance is their ability to manipulate these marks.
He may already have flipped and may now be working with Mr. Mueller's team - just speculating.
Bannon's crazy like a fox, but bloviates too much and looks it. Does anything surprise us now (of then!) about Trump and his gang, whether related by blood or title? It is a morality tale, a story Monthy Python would love (and so would we but we're living it), a joke (a bus stops and two bad boys/men get off and one of them brags about grabbing women's genitalia), a slam between nations and their leaders, a slam between our fearless leader and his opponents in the recent campaign, his birtherism claims w/o any evidence but his own disregard for truth of our former president...ad nauseum. Bannon may have decided to stick it to POTUS, but surely he has fallen in the words of so many "on his own petard." The show is now in the second season.
4
Trump as the political novice never learned the real playbook of politics... keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
Trump surrounds himself with yes-men and then whimsically scorns and ridicules them for his personal gain-- and tosses them out with the trash. Friends can take one for the team (it would seem...)
However, Trump met his ego match when he brought the ultimate frenemy-Bannon into his vortex. Bannon should have never been a public political partner-- a private consigliere, a behind the scenes influencer, maybe at best. Trumps biggest mistake was allowing Bannon to perceive himself as the maker of the Trump presidency. There's only room for one "Don."
Get the popcorn ready-- there is going to be a showdown.
3
Waiting for "Donald Trump Jr. has nothing to do with me or my presidency" or "Jared Kushner has nothing to do with me or my campaign or presidency".
Trump's boring, unbelievable go to line.
Trump's tremendous and air-sucking ego will eventually leave him all alone saving his own skin at the expense of all others, even family. That is how sick this tiny button man is. Sad.
3
What Mr. Trump won't admit is that Bannon's accusations of treason by Donald, Jr. and Mr. Kushner could turn out to be correct. One can imagine the young men blasting out of the gates after the election to make their mark, rulebook be damned. The problem was that there weren't any grownups in the room when deciding to meet with the Russians, who supposedly had dirt on Hillary. But the Russia investigation is much ado about nothing. Even if the kids get convicted, the next day they will be pardoned by Daddy Trump.
2
Doublethink this one. It’s surely not what it appears to be. NYT can we get a real analysis on this?
2
Loving the threat of a lawsuit by Trump. I mean, really, given the barage of garbage he spews at everyone everyday? What a little snowflake. Also, Bannon is gonna have a laugh b/c he's got so much dirt on the Donald that the supposed lawsuit will disappear in 5 seconds. So - let it fly, Steve - perhaps the only useful thing your racist, crazy self will do all year.
4
It must be tough to try and contain all your lies, when you have no idea what the truth is.
4
It’s sad when a bromance ends…
3
It's so Machiavellian. And another historical reference comes to mind, as to
some dramatic historical precursors: When Germany's high level staffer Rudolf Hess finished his time in office and decided to fly off to the U.K., Hitler and his staffers quickly diminished him by saying “he has lost his mind."
Interestingly, Hess served as deputy Führer, spoke on Hitler's behalf at speaking events + rallies, and personally crafted the many executive orders + eventual laws. Hess eventually left his position, took a plane then parachuted out of it.
Seems fairly aligned to Bannon's situation---he too crafted executive orders, positioned himself well, then took an exit -- which was ultimately quite dramatic, with his explosive revelations in Michael Wolff's book.
It's mind-boggling the access this journalist had to the entire white house.
11
I hate to admit it, but I’m glad these two nation-destroyers are attacking one another. I hope they manage to drown one another in some filth- and vermin-infected gutter, but they're probably much too familiar with gutters to suffer any ill effects from slopping around in sludge.
Why Trump ever joined forces with Bannon—a mean-spirited, racist Neanderthal (my apologies to the troglodytes who hadn’t had the opportunity to know any better), who, on his best days, looks like a homeless drunk who has just awakened from a five-day binge—is beyond my ken. For a man to whom acceptance into the upper echelon and to whom appearances mean more than blood or loyalty, Trump buddying up with Bannon was a poorly considered methodology for achieving his goals—not that Trump is known for his wisdom. Trump didn’t think Bannon had a presidential air about him, surely.
That Trump surrounds himself with malevolent folks like Bannon and criminals like Flynn, et al, should be proof enough to all but his most die-hard, Kool-aid sipping believers, that he is up to his eyebrows in activities unbecoming someone holding the highest position in the government of what was once a world-respected nation.
So, get out of their way, because this battle is going to be about as ugly as civil war. We'll all be better off when they are both out of DC, or, preferably, out of this country. That's one case of isolationism and ostracism I’d support.
12
So Trump calls Bannon a "self-promoting exaggerator." As we said as kids, "It takes one to know one."
16
Now, who would ever suspect that Trump laundered money, cheated the IRS, and fondled an intern?
10
Juicy, get me the popcorn!
6
Brannon’s picture remind me of the Grinch Who Stole New Years.
2
Smash-mouth, I sez. Two bad guy wrestlers breaking bad on each other. Shadow boxing conflict. Like The Three Stooges were in earnest despite of each other. When Andy Kaufman wrestled women he was misogynistic. Sure... when a duck hunter goes into a duck blind holding a duck call and once you no longer see him but subsequently you hear quacking it must mean the hunter has turned into a duck. Hamlet was only pretending to be insane in order to flush his uncle.
"The play is the thing...etc." On that we'll note that Bannon was one of the producer's of a really good Shakespeare movie adaptation, "Titus". Directed by Julie Taymor. Herein this theatre now are carefully crafted parallels?
1
As the inimitable/incomparable NYTimes senior Opinion writer Gail Collins would so aptly say: "Heheheheheh!"
4
Papadopoulos and Flynn plead guilty. Manafort is squealing that Mueller has exceeded his mandate and must let go of him. Bannon says Trump's son and son-in-law engaged in treason when they met with Russians who said they could deliver dirt on Hillary Clinton. Trump says Bannon has lost his mind. Man, I haven't seen this sort of squirming and breaching of "omertà" since I reported on federal court in Las Vegas back in the day of Tony "The Ant" Spilatro. Screenplay to be produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who turns out a nice Chardonnay that pairs well with popcorn. Giddyup!
7
Please stop reporting claims from celebrity tell-all books as if they are news.
This belongs in the National Enquirer, not the NY Times.
2
What about if in response to the content of such book, a sitting president of United States issued a statement denouncing his former Chief Strategist as having lost his mind and had his personal lawyers sent to a person who just few months ago was considered to be top WH official, a letter for revealing "confidential" information, is that still considered "tabloid" in your cave??
1
That would be equivalent to characterizing the president's tweets as news events.
All presidents use strong language about many subjects. It doesn't elevate the topic to news.
How remarkable it is that Trump and Bannon are front page news. How did this country fail so miserably?
7
Hopefully soon we will know who's button is bigger - Trump's or Bannon's.
3
Mueller's is bigger and Trump and his crime family and hangers-on all know it.
Touché!
Surveillance video of Trump Tower meeting just released:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZvugebaT6Q
1
Don't worry, Melania, you won't have to do it again in 2020.
9
Bannon has lost his mind? Trump is projecting again.
7
great to have the obvious confirmed from the inside, that Ivanka is truly clueless...
8
Thank you America, for answering the question, every day, for the world: what happens when a hate-filled ignorant lout is elected to be the president of the United States. I fear that worse is yet to come...
10
A brief glance at these comments confirmed what I already knew: the New York Times is increasingly an echo chamber for the establishment left. It's sad that an institution with such a strong legacy – the New York Times *and* its readership – has turned into a bunch of elitist snobs who buy their own spin.
4
Amadeus stop drinking the Kool-Aid. If you didn't know Trump is nuts before at least it knowledge it now after his latest tweet about the awards he'll be giving out on Monday. I'm rooting for Colbert to take home a few!
1
Oh, don't be such a spoil sport!
I love the line where Bannon says or a more reputable paper or site
That just slayed me
3
Nice photo accompanying the editorial. Bannon does look pretty nuts... he ought to get a haircut and a shave. And lose a few pounds. As they say in the fitness business: "New Year, new you".
5
So, when will Mueller summon Bannon?
3
And the craven GOP Congress stays mute
10
I'm really glad the Times has finally (!) decided that its readers can handle a four letter word that is heard constantly on the street and everywhere else these days. Thank you for not adding the off-putting "[expletive deleted]" and treating readers like grown-ups who've heard dirty words.
3
"You're crazy". "No, you're crazy". Right up there with "my button is bigger that yours".
6
Bannon is apparently only part of the story in this book. It's abundantly clear that the WH is full of people with no real loyalty to the office, to the country, and certainly not to the pretender-in-chief.
4
(To the tune of the Hallelujah Chorus:)
Schadenfreude...
Shcadenfreude...
Schadenfreude, schadenfreude, schadenfreude!!!
Can't wait for the trials to begin.
2
There is a winter hurricane/cyclone in the Atlantic that is about to explode over the middle Atlantic and New England states, meanwhile in DC -- there is a nutcase running amok in the White House who is in such a frenzy created by the publication of excerpts from the book "Fire and Fury" by Michael Wolff that "baby Trump" had to be allowed to sign an exec proclamation tonight shutting down his ridiculous "election fraud investigation" in order to try to distract him from the fact that Mueller is going to put him and his crooked family and his minions not only out of the WH but also in prison for treasonous acts against the US and money laundering on a grand scale.
4
Trump is a projection-machine. I guess we can conclude that he’s lost his mind and is a loser. As if we all didn’t already know that.
2
Can you say “Schadenfreude?”
1
Enough already - two legends in their own minds who care little about social justice, health care, climate change, economic realities facing the "base", infrastructure, gun control, immigration reform etc., etc. If the book is anywhere near accurate (and it probably is) so what, who cares. Most of this Country is painfully aware of what an idiot and total incompetent currently resides in the Oval Office watching Fox news and sipping diet cokes. Time for Congress to contain and circumvent this disgusting pathetic excuse and move onto their work - passing legislation which will address the aforementioned very obvious problems that need attention.
5
'He who lives by the sword, dies by one'
3
"Steve was rarely in a one-on-one meeting with me... " Interesting point to inject into the public record. Trump is trying to build a wall.. Perhaps knowing Bannon has incriminating evidence, knowledge of collusion, Trump will say he didn't know about it. He was hardly ever alone with the guy. They never had any confidential conversations... He had no idea what Bannon was doing.. The rats are jumping ship.. All the little rats better make their deals soon...
5
This story opens by chasing the rabbit (Trumps attack of Bannon) and buries the news (former White House Chief strategist accuses President's family of treason and money laundering). Haven't you learned anything about covering this guy and not getting distracted from what's important?
2
There's only one way for two manly men to settle this.
Thunderdome.
3
With this charge of "treason" by a Trump associate, has Steve Bannon been "interviewed" by the Mueller team?
2
No one with the common sense or world experience of a rational adult requires additional authentication of Trump's degree of mental retardation moral corruption.
Bottom line: the world possess more than sufficient evidence of the most negative overview of Trump anyone could possibly compose. He is, simply put, sub-human slime and perverse to the bone!
2
Anyone else watching MORNING JOE & listening to Scarborough say he & everyone else always knew Trump was a dunce who couldn't read & was unfit for office?
I want Scarborough & Mika Brzezinski to tell us why - since they knew Trump so well & how stupid, ignorant, infantile & unfit he was - they never once said that on their show. How many times did they have Trump on during the campaign? NOBODY more mindlessly promoted Trump than Joe & MIka! Remember Trump phoning MORNING JOE & yakking about whatever he wanted?
All MSNBC is implicated in this. Remember Chris Matthews gassing on about Trump's outrageous antics while he stood down so his entire show became live Trump rallies? Trump got millions$$$ free exposure on MSNBC 24/7. Obviously FOX & CNN too but MSNBC covered Trump 24/7 because Trump was entertaining -he'd been a reality tv star for years.
This was all it took to throw our election! Not just Putin but complicit media that just wanted ratings $$ from broadcasting outrageous Trump - constant free exposure & almost nothing said by people who knew Trump well (Scarborough & Brezinski!) about how ignorant, infantile & unfit Trump was to be president.
I'd like to see MORNING JOE off the air because of this. Joe & Mika helped put this monster in the White House, & now pretend they had nothing to do with promoting him for ratings!!
This is the movie "NETWORK" for real - Paddy Chayefksy's satire about how tv network news cared only about money!
Shame!
4
I'd like Morning Joe off the air for Joe's endless pontificating while the roundtable stands by as if being held hostage. And Joe's thin lips, beatty eyes and puffy hair are hard to look at.
1
"Trashy tabloid fiction" - Pretty much describes everything that emanates from this administration.
5
Peter King said it best - the guy appears as a disheveled drunk.
2
Speaking of "Self-promoting exxagerator", who else comes to mind??
4
In re Trump claiming that Bannon has lost his mind: it takes one to know one.
2
Pot kettle black, but they're both mad as a hatter.
3
Trump says "Bannon has lost his mind.".
Hey pot, calling the kettle black, when the kettle is a white supremacist, is mean and very hypocritical !!! Specifically since the pot said there were some "very nice people" marching with the Neo-Nazis and white supremacists in Charlottesville.
4
“...nothing to do with me or my Presidency.” President Trump, you need to look up the definition of “me” and “Presidency.” You may be hanging off the chandeliers that Steve Bannon considered his “employment contract” as about as legal as toilet paper, but in reality, Steve Bannon had (and has) plenty to do with you and your Presidency. In reality, your useless employment contract (which is now public property as you have cited it in your inane letter) demonstrates conclusively (that means without a doubt) that Steve Bannon and Donald Trump will go down in the Presidential history books as entwined. It just appears that Bannon would like to make sure that he doesn’t go to jail with you.
2
“As Ye Sow, So Shall Ye Reap . . . “ and Good Riddence to Ye All!
Who lost their mind first, Bannon or Trump is the question.
1
This story misses the lede. It is about the book by Wolff. You give Trump a thin veneer of dignity.
A NYT #1 Best Seller is born. When can I get mine? Maybe I can pre-order it on Amazon.
The soap opera Presidency of Donald Trump reached its climax He and Steve Bannon are now tearing each other to shreds.
They are deserving of each other; lunatic fringes poised to set America on fire.
3
This is typical narcissist behavior. First it's love, then, after a perceived slight, it's hate. It's called "flipping". This case is interesting because it involves two narcissists.
7
I’m wallowing in a gold-plated tub of schadenfreude right now.
2
Everyone involved in this administration, especially the "president," has the attention span of a gnat.
2
The big ignoramus. The big puffball. He doesn't want to win, doesn't want the job, but allows his son(s) and supporters to commit treason. He wins fraudulently, breaks hearts on all sides including his wife's, and then superstitiously accepts the job, hires the worst people possible, conducts himself abominably, frightens the world, threatens nuclear war. And no one has the guts to make him quit.
13
Birds of a feather stick together when they start plucking each others feathers it is only going to end in spectacular falls.
3
Bannon has now “lost his mind.”
Who would have EVER guessed that this would be the Comrade's retort ?
2
Both of these men unleashed the most vicious forces in America: neo-Nazis, Klansmen, and their many descendants and cousins. Both have relentlessly undermined the institutions of our American republic. Both have encouraged hatred of our fellow citizens, fear of everyone else, contempt for knowledge and expertise, and the acceleration of banana-republic-level inequality and injustice.
Every time I'm tempted to join the "pass the popcorn" crowd, I remember: Whether they are working together or separately, it's my country and my family's future that Trump and Bannon aim to destroy.
11
Maybe Mexico will pay for a wall to be built between them!
8
It's utter chaos over at Breitbart. Who's up, who's down, Bannon or Trump? Trolling is the heaviest I've ever seen. Is the site doomed now and will users desert for other sites (e.g., Gateway Pundit, Infowars)? It may take time for the dust to settle. Meanwhile, they're awaiting Bannon's statement.
Hilarious ! Two pathologic egomaniacs - both well practiced con-men with a compulsive lying habit. They were made for each other.
4
Bannon may have lost his mind, but Trump never had one to begin with.
3
Even if this book is only half true, it seems like instant schadenfreude. 45, who has insulted everyone from Carly Fiorina to Mexicans to disabled reporters to John McCain, just for a few, is suddenly facing a book that says things like Trump is stupid, only semi-literate, and could not remember who John Boehner was, or that Melania wept tears of sorrow when he won . Revenge is a dish best served cold.
3
How supremely delicious but how utterly predictable to see Trump and Bannon falling out in such a grubby manner after having parted ways.All that odious contrived and repulsive love in between the two egotistical (clearly deranged) misfits, has come to nought.
May they find themselves alone together in an elevator one day...and the power shuts off.
6
I'm sure all the die hard Trump supporters who put him in office are beaming with pride right now.
3
More like burning up.
They are beaming with pride. Really. Because as others focus on the smack down between Trump and Bannon, the the semi literate moron is fast accomplishing their agenda. You be they are beaming.
What IS "their agenda"? There is no border wall, no tax break for the middle/lower class, no world wide respect, no approval rating over 50%...
Woohoo, the bullies are at each others throats rather than targeting the rest of us...Remember "no drama Obama"....sanity reigned and life got boring. I do love "dumb as a brick," however! Maybe this will push humpty trumpty right over the edge!
2
The perfect visual analogy: a snake swallowing its own tail.
1
They’re both nuts, but we know who the Big Squirrel is. Biggly.
1
The pot calls the kettle black.
This is the same old story of Trump "the pot" calling the kettle black. He constantly criticizes others when they do the same stupid, childish and destructive things he does. He can't see what's in the mirror. I've never felt such personal enmity for a President before (including Nixon!".
2
My thought and prayers go out today to Trump and Bannon.
Laughing. Out. Loud.
3
I'm with Barrack, "crazy and stupid" pretty much nails it.
2
We need no further evidence that this administration is a total disaster. We have weirdos capturing ( sadly ) the headlines, day after day. Please, God, remove all members of this gang, currently masquerading as our government, from our consciousness. You have punished us enough. We beg forgiveness. We will stop attacking other countries and visiting untold tragedies upon your other children all over the world. We will be good from now on. We will stop to pretend to love you but hate all your other children. We will not be cruel in your name.
4
One cannot help but think of the story, The Emperor's New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen. Time will tell. Let's hope 'his generals' have the nuclear codes safely hidden away before this White House blows us all to oblivion.
2
Ok, which liar should I believe?
3
So this is the republican party of today. RIP
2
Elect a clown, expect a circus. Grab the popcorn, the 2018 edition of White House Apprentice is bound to be entertaining.
2
Trump and Bannon break up! Boohoo! Small time players failing on the big stage.
1
What is interesting is now the truth has come to light and trump can only come up with bannon has lost his mind. This is the guy who help come up with this whole make America great again nonsense. Please remove the little child from the oval office. Today if possible!
1
Lie down with dogs, get up with fleas.
1
It's funny. Trump saying that Bannon has lost his mind, I was thinking that exact same thing about Trump himself!
2
Everything that comes out of Trump's mouth is nothing more than "...a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing..." and nothing seems to produce more sound or more fury than when a congenital liar gets smacked in the face with a bit of truth he can't swat down. Well, these two lovebirds deserve each other - and for the first time in a year, maybe I can sit down with some popcorn and watch the show!
1
Trump states: "Bannon lost his mind"!
At least Bannon had a mind to lose.
Obviously Trump has nothing to lose!
1
When is the plug going to be pulled on this national horror show?
4
It all rings true. The infighting, the stupidity. Bannon's prophecy re: Don Trump Jr. will probably be fulfilled in the coming months. Indeed the meeting with Natalia Veselnitskaya should have been held 'in a Holiday Inn in Manchester, NH'.
Takes one to know one. Not the least bit surprised.
1
Steve Bannon lost his mind when he thought Donald Trump would be a responsible leader for the USA. Now he finds he was involved with Russian agents. What did he expect?
Seems like The Bannon sea shelf is breaking off from Trumplandia, as it begins to melt. I sense climate change.
3
Rats.
They always eat each other; they eat each other all up!
Curious slant of this article by the NY Times, as it finds more interest in Trump's tweets (an almost daily bodily function for this president), than insider Bannon's accusation of treasonous behavior by his administration & family members, as detailed by an earlier article today in the Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jan/03/donald-trump-russia-stev...
1
Why is this article on the cover of one of the best Newspapers in the world?
Perhaps you can create an entirely new section and entitle it the Political Cartoon. The first publication could easily be called "The Two Stooges." Stay tuned.
Meanwhile...Pence awaits his moment.
That's the very scary part. It's a choice between just plain crazy Trump and the crazy theocratic Pence
3
I'm amused probably way more than I should be, reading this article. ".....crack Don Jr. like an egg.". Priceless.
In a predictable fashion, throws Bannon under the bus. although Bannon very well deserves it.
3
"self-promoting exaggerator "?
Talk about the kettle calling the pot black!
Don't much care for Bannon's view of the world or his reading of history but he is one thing that Donald Trump is, he is not stupid.
Rasputin's revenge.
2
Never in my life has politics been so entertaining! This is going to be a must-read book. And Don Junior is going to crack like an egg on national television! And Princess Ivanka )"dumb as a brick" wants to be POTUS! And Melania was crying tears of dread upon hearing her husband won the presidency!
2
I thought it was a nice touch by Trump to give a homeless man that is mentally defective a job. Trump is president because of him, but now he's just a minor inconvenience. Bannon wants to know why apples fall from trees and which Democrats cause them to fall. He's also searching for baby bumblebees. What a man.
1
The thing that concerns me most are the comments that Trump is either dumb or illiterate. Doesn't read or understand the Constitution. Is he in the early stages of dementia?? His rants seem to indicate a man who is not in control of his mental faculties. The VP and cabinet need to invoke the 25th amendment
At least we know that Ivanka is "dumb as a brick," which makes her the smartest member of the Trump family.
5
Watching Bannon and Trump falling out is like watching a wasp landing on a nettle: someone is gonna get stung and you don't care who.
Trump's defense of his presidency so far has been to throw people under the bus and claim he hardly knew them, didn't heed their advise and scarcely knew they were there. From that one can only conclude that either he is lying, or that he is the stupidest and most incompetent president we have seen. Either way, it doesn't look good for him.
1
Trump has such a huge ego, it's probably true that he never notices anyone else exists.
Our government reads like a gossipy scandal mag. The president does not do his job, being completely caught up in personal vendettas and erratic behavior. He is deranged and the Republican Congress shares his illness. Our government is sick.
1
Hey Robert Mueller, “in case you missed it,” it's time to find a way to inspire Banon to assist in your investigation...
1
Good grief, the only response I can think of is: It takes one to know one.
I am not so happy about Senate Republicans having a chuckle over the debasement of the Presidency, and the enormous risks that Trumpco has taken with our future. Bannon is a jerk. But those other old guys are responsible for an ignorant greedy Trump still sitting there, family wholly enmeshed in government affairs, showing the world how to really defraud the public.
3
And the circus continues!! Not sure how a rift between Bannon and Trump will influence Trump supporters.
IMHO, the way to reach some of his supporters is to point out campaign promises he has no intention of keeping. Finally, at the press conference yesterday a reporter asked if Trump was going to keep his promise not to cut funds for Social Security and Medicare since going after so called "entitlements" is a big part of the Republican agenda led by speaker Paul Ryan. Sanders' answer was more or less, we will see how things go .
If my memory is correct, polls showed that the majority of senior citizens voted for Donald Trump. Want to reach his supporters? Then, this question needs to be asked over and over again. Pin this administration down on where it stands on this issue!
So instead of some of us constantly telling people they have been conned, they may actually begin to believe this in their own.
4
"A reporter asked if Trump was going to keep his promise not to cut funds for Social Security and Medicare since going after so called "entitlements" is a big part of the Republican agenda led by speaker Paul Ryan"
Social Security is NOT an entitlement. It is bought and paid for with OUR money. Any attempt by any administration to compromise SS will provoke an extreme reaction from the public.
"Not the best way to curry favor," so says Huckabee Sanders who makes her living doing just that. Until for reasons mysterious and inevitable her method seemingly perfected won't work.
In the meantime Bannon seems to be backtracking. Heeding Huckabee's advice, he is calling Trump a great man, very sure of the time they will be together again, that their hatreds are a bond more powerful than any differences.
2
Put together Macbeth, King Lear, Julius Caesar, Hamlet with Midsummer's Night Dream and it does come close to the plots, intrigues, antics, and comedy that are the staples to the Down House on 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. What have we done to deserve this?
1
We are a powerful and rich nation on the way down, and the least scrupulous are fighting over the remaining scraps of power and money.
1
And still this administration will continue blaming the media and other previously stable institutions of government for the chaos, incompetence, and misuse of power that we see on a daily basis. I'm torn on how the media should prepare for the "awards" that trumpie is going to announce. Give acceptance speeches? Complain if they're not nominated or don't win? Or treat it with the deserved eye roll? That'll be yet another day of embarrassing actions by this administration.
And still the GOP will remain silent and complicit in the face of their party wreaking havoc on a daily basis and very real concerns about national and global security due to the actions and reckless chirping of the oaf in the oval.
1
If the media has any sense they will totally ignore Trumps media "awards" as they will be yet another deranged distraction from the serious business of government. Nothing would agitate him more.
"Lost his mind"? Bannon may once have had a mind to lose; I have insufficient evidence on that point. In the case of D. J. Trump, that's not something we have to worry about.
1
I doubt this book will matter much in the long run. Dirt doesn’t stick to Donald—insults to his intelligence and knowledge go nowhere. However, notice how Bannon’s comments are focused on money laundering and Russian meetings, the very things Trump tries to distract us from with his constant tweeting. These two issues should be repeated and retweeted for this is where Trump is actually vulnerable.
3
Every time I read these things about Trump, I think about how perfectly he represents the people who elected him. People who do not read and have no curiosity about the real world need to be represented, too.
4
The real shocker is that GOP members of congress seem to not care. We need to elect Democrats who will defend the country. The few GOP members who will defend the country are resigning. The truth will come out like it always does and the longer the GOP drags their feet the worse it is for the country.
2
This incident, and the many more bizarre actions by Trump and his apologists in the White House, makes the US look like a third rate country in terms of governance. The World is treated to a live comedy on a daily basis. Can't wait for tomorrow's episode.
1
Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President....
...officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.
Excerpt, US Constitution, 25th Amendment, Section 4.
I am not in the least surprised by the chaos that exists in the White House. What continues to baffle me is that over 60 million adults in this country picked Trump and about half of them remain steadfast in their support of him.
1
When the rats are running up the stairs, the ship is sinking.
3
The right-wing is fracturing, and this is apparently the beginning of a civil war within the party. Bannon is now admitting that the Trump presidency is a sinking ship, and he bailed before Mueller caught up with them. This is just the beginning, and I can't wait to see what happens when the Category 5 reaches the beach. Nothing like some Republican infighting, especially to this degree.
Is this yet another misdirection to keep us riveted on The Real Meshuggenehs of DC rather than reporting on the "deconstruction of the administrative state" where the only ones who will benefit are huge private organizations and the very, very well to do?
1
Press secretary Sanders is becoming the face of Trump's defenders. Body language means much and she seems to be projecting all the charisma of a mannequin. She has her equals in Junior, Kushner, Ivanka and heaven knows who else. This is the brain trust, the core advisers to the leader of the free world? Deep inside, I suspect Bannon is much brighter than these acolytes. No doubt he is more adept at street fighting.
1
This is further evidence that Donald Trump has lost HIS mind, as he always projects his own faults onto others.
2
I'd like the NYT to consider the layout more carefully. This story is lead news, and really, it's more gossip than news. The Korean story, the dissolution of the election panel and other stories deserve the lead more than this.
Lead headlines like this have two corrosive effects: they support readers' perceptions that this is the most important thing to pay attention to (Trump's daily emotional episodes are not where our focus is best paid - it's the ongoing parade of bad policies and decisions made by the executive and legislative), and give credence to right wing perceptions that the left has it in for Trump.
3
This is a spat between two Type-A narcissists. They'll be sitting back together in the lunchroom as soon as it becomes apparent how they can use each other.
1
looks like there’s some angry words between the evil architect of trumps campaign and mr. Big button. Sounds like Someone needs a time out. They’ll be no more play dates for these two going forward.
2
Let the lawsuits begin. That should tie up Trump and the GOP for the emainder of Trump’s tenure.
Most of Trump's discarded, humiliated staff and family members lead their lives quietly, remaining fearful of reprisal, but not this time.
Bannon has lost his mind??? I am not a psychiatrist and haven’t examined him in person, but Trump’s behavior in the last few days is not encouraging. If one-tenth of what Bannon said is true, we need to take that big, powerful button away from Trump.
1
Everyday it is a new train crashing into the previous day's train wreck. How high does the pile of debris have to grow before the Congress acts? If they don't then we will – and vote the whole lot of them out of office and impeach the others.
2
Upon fired insults across the playground, Mr. Trump packed up his toys and left.
1
Nothing about the current administration is predictable. They say anything.
No, Bannon hasn't lost his mind; the 30 something percent following Trump have.
1
It seems that the news organizations are so afraid of Trump that they are unwilling to fact check Bannon’s statements. Isn’t it true that meeting with a foreign agent like Don Jr did and not reporting it to the FBI is a crime? Isn’t it true that Trump’s hair is a joke? What else is true? Main-stream media, get to work and do your job; don’t be afraid!
I am beginning to think Robert Mueller is not the right investigator. I think he should be removed and replaced by Dana Scully and Fox Mulder.
2
Is anyone else confused? Bannon just now said that T is a great man. Did he mean large? Reading the news has become an exercise in futility...yet I cannot stop my addiction to the soap opera.
In 8th grade terms that even Trump might understand:
"It takes one to know one".
1
An optics problem that the left has pushing Bannon's view of Trump is that Trump doesn't appear publicly to be as stupid, fearful, and incompetent as everyone surrounding him seems to believe. That inconsistency feeds his supporter's view that it's the left/media's agenda to destroy him using falsehoods and fake news. It's a perfect conspiracy theory.
I believe that Trump and his inner circle are incompetent, out of their league, and likely criminal money launderers for the Russians, but he has been very effective setting up the dichotomy that anti-Trump news is all fake news. Bannon's (tape recorded) quotes might change that. The State of the Union message may well be an exciting event.
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The analytical problem I find is not being able to imagine why Mr. Bannon would launch such an attack. I find the ideas of Bannon frightening, but I have no sense of what actually motivates him.
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O Lord, please, pretty please, push El Presidente to do what he's never done before, and actually launch a massive court suit against Steve Bannon.
PLEASE make Hizzoner sue a private citizen over speech and a book he don't like.
I'll bring popcorn, as it's bound to be pretty much as funny as the commentors who're arguing, "Well, that's just Steve's opinion! And you know who else has opinions? LIBERALS! So..."
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Trump never fails to accurately project onto others exactly where he himself is at. Now it’s “Bannon has lost his mind” just when his “I have a bigger nuclear button” tweet is leading people to question if Trump has lost his mind.
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You forgot this part: "self-promoting exaggerator who had “very little to do with our historic victory” in the 2016 presidential election and was “only in it for himself.”"
Who would have thought that choosing as his closest adviser a conspiracy theory-pushing white supremacist whose ex-wife got a restraining order against him for physical violence -- would end so badly for Mr. Trump?
Bannon clearly sees that Trump is going down and is trying to protect the Breitbart brand by getting ahead of the story. Bannon wants his loyal conspiracy-theorists to trust Bannon when Trump gets hauled in for money laundering and humiliated before the world. Ironically, both guys will sell each other out over branding and audiences. This is truly the reality tv presidency.
I was viewing an old interview with Roger Stone recently in which Stone was discussing a Trump presidential run back in 1999. Stone said he believed that in America, "Pop culture would become more powerful than our institutions" -- and this is why he thought Trump could win. But it is our institutions we must fight for, while Bannon and Trump squabble over followers on their Twitter feeds. If fighting for America's institutions means being called part of the "Deep State" -- so be it.
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