"This leads to the third and most pressing question of all: If Mr. Trump and his associates are truly innocent of any wrongdoing, what are they so afraid of?"
The truth!
The word "truth" and the Trump administration should never be used in the same statement. Sorry, my bad.
22
We are all afraid of the truth and Mr Trump is simply an all too real mirror.
Neoliberalism cannot work in the 21st century. Our economies must shrink if we are to survive. It doesn't matter if you are Krugman or Laffer you economy must right size.
Of course the stock market is rising interest rates are around zero except for high inflation countries.
Wealth is all in Real Estate and stocks and if we raise interest rates housing equity drops and the market plunges.
The only thing holding it all together is belief and Trump and his minions are challenging all our beliefs.
We all know the markets will collapse but we also all know we will get out on time. The only thing we don't know is where we are going to go.
There is no conspiracy just a whole lot of frightened people who are wondering how we escape.
It is 39 years since Carter put solar panels on the White House and 37 years since Reagan removed them.
Thirty eight years of insanity will be hard to fix.
My wife tells the story of her ancestors working their way across the Atlantic taking in each other's laundry. How interesting to see the takeover the White House who took in everybody"s money for launderying
20
It's just like Watergate: Follow the money!
When Trump's and Kushner's money laundering and loans from Russians are investigated and exposed Trump and Kushner are going to be facing some very serious charges.
Can Kushner save his hide by turning on Trump? This is going to make "King Lear" look like "Family Guy".
45
Cutting to the chase, none of this is news. It matters for only one reason: a full hearing and, if warranted, consequences for Mr. Trump.
None of this is grounds for impeachment. He is protected from prosecution. We envision a wave of outrage sweeping the country, calling for even Republican Congressmen to act. But this will not happen. Mr Trump holds dead-certain devotion of many millions, especially in GOP districts. They cling to him as a fetish of tribal identity, and are proud of their loyalty to him even as they increasingly agree he is crooked.
Only their own culpability will make GOP turn on him. Most likely for his staff and other insiders, but also for a number of Congressmen caught up in his schemes. We should not pretend his following will change their minds. For them, it's an existential matter. Perhaps we should be wondering why our society and its values hold so little appeal for them.
38
Trump is like the kid who didn't want to make the effort to study for a test and now he fears the test laid before him. Trump couldn't bother to learn the law, the Constitution, how the government works, or what the president does. Now he's in the schoolroom, or the White House in Trump's case, and he doesn't know what to do so he's panicking. Two things Trump never learned was how to be honest and how to be an adult. All he can do now is scream and rage.
61
What is Donald Trump afraid of? For starters, the fact he's told so many lies that he can't remember what he told to whom.
Second, that he likely hasn't played it straight with his lawyers. He's the only person who really knows what he did, when, where, and for how long. By insisting his innocence, he's trying to rationalize an eventual decision to jump in and try to quash the investigation--after all, he's told the world he's innocent so why shouldn't he end an investigation that would only exonerate him anyway?
Third, he has no knowledge of history. And this is probably one of the most important reasons--without knowing the history of hubris run amok during Watergate, he thinks he's immune and literally, can do anything.
And finally, the most important reason of all: he's spent a lifetime getting away with just about everything. Oh, sure, he's declared bankruptcy, but that hurt creditors, not him. And since becoming president, there has been no check on his behavior by his party. If anything, they've been bending over backwards to shield him, just as he was shielded throughout his life by Roy Cohn, and current fixer, Michael Cohen.
If you go through life getting away from everything, isn't it reasonable to expect you'll continue getting away with everything?
I'm not saying this is right, just it's the learned behavior of most 5-year-olds who've never been punished for anything.
97
What is Trump afraid of? Let's see:
A year of distraction and still continuing. Political enemies potentially within the investigation. And most importantly the need for a special prosecutor to find something, whether it is there or not.
The Scooter Libby episode with Special Prosecutor Fitzgerald (the same guy NOT chosen to look at the Clinton email mess) is a scary example - the actual crime and the person who committed it (outing Valerie Plame) was fully know to Fitzgerald, but he was a small fish - instead he went after Libby who either lied or got mixed up about something but was never the person who outed Plame.
2
"Mr. Trump’s desire to get rid of the special counsel was reported months ago, as was* his advisers’ efforts to talk him down from such a catastrophic move"
*were
10
Collusion is not a crime. Obstruction, yes. Conspiracy, yes. Money laundering, yes. Donald Trump can spout "there is no collusion" ad infinitum; that is not what Mueller is investigating.
It is not what Mueller has issued indictments and subpoenas for, and it is not what would topple this wretched administration.
54
Trump doesn't fear the truth. He knows the evidence of his crimes will never see the light of day. What he's afraid of is having anyone with much more credibility challenge him. For anyone of such stature as Mr. Mueller to expose him as the con artist he is.
But the truth? The truth is only what this Republican-led Congress says it is. And this Congress will do nothing to risk the ire of Trump voters, who would stop at literally nothing, in the unlikely event they would proceed with impeachment charges. Tens of millions of them would be out in the streets, with their neo-Nazi and KKK screeds, along with their tiki torches, should this Republican-led Congress move against Trump.
Mr. Mueller could easily present well-considered charges of both obstruction of justice and conspiracy against Trump, each with a surfeit of evidence supporting them, and this Republican Congress will do nothing. They've signaled as much by their ridiculous efforts to impugn Mr. Mueller and his team. This gives them "cover" when they fail to act against this president.
No doubt Mr. McGahn counseled Trump against firing Mr. Mueller because the likelihood that the Democrats would win control of both Congressional houses in November 2018 was essentially nil. So McGahn told Trump that he had nothing to fear from Mr. Mueller's investigation, because this Republican-led Congress (now and after the 2018 elections) would do absolutely nothing to unseat him.
And that is the truth.
9
Democrats don't need to win both houses of Congress. Winning the House would be the referred "check and balance" for Mr. Trump.
18
Afraid that the jig is up?
10
I'm sort of surprised to not see Sally Yates and Preet Bharara here as at least bit players in this racid little passion play.
6
One think I hope to heck everyone remembers is that this investigation is into Russian interference in America. Not just the 2016 election. When members of Congress, and may I coin a phrase the fakestream media, try to stop the investigation they are not protecting America.
22
He fears the truth, because he can't take the truth!
8
The truth won't set him free.
The truth will likely see him impeached if a few Republicans can put the Republic ahead of Trump's interests and hopefully the truth will see Trump and those enabling him, and conspiring with him, convicted and imprisoned.
The US of A needs to be put ahead of Trump's cabal of lying greedy pigs.
26
Will not happen. They are hogtied by the money. A few even said so during the tax bill debate when it became clear their constituents abhorred it,
12
We always fear that which we have no knowledge of.
8
What does he fear?
Finally being called out the most fake, fraudulent, dishonest hack that ever existed. It means he's failed - himself, his father, his fans - and that is the most frightening thought he can ever have.
36
Because he's a criminal president.
31
The Times seems torn once again on these pages. The dots are all there. It isn't journalistic prudence anymore to pretend that you don't see the connections. Instead there's a willful obtuseness here, and in clinging to it you ignore the bigger threat.
This investigation gets closer every day to the likely revelations that Trump 1) is an international money launderer for criminal enterprises; 2) was elected illegitimately and 3) believes that he is above the law. Trump is exactly the man to announce from the Oval Office that he 4) is dissolving the government in defense of his divine mandate; 5) is summoning up a citizen militia of true Americans to rise to his defense for the sake of the Republic and 6) that the 2018 elections are suspended.
Trump isn't inept, stupid, or even (in his mind) lying. He isn't an aberration. Nothing of what you see is an accident. The Times Editorial page asks late and feebly the questions you ought long ago to have answered.
It can happen here, and it is.
34
...sorry, but I hit the 'enter', by mistake in my prev. comment...)
That being said...Trump is a walking advertisement for amateur_criminal(s), I.M.H.O.!
More to the point...Republicans NEED TO LOSE their Feux_Xian_Zealotry!
You CAN'T demand an end to abortion rights for others, when you initiate corporate_pillages, {'Iraq, L.L.C.'), via IMAGINARY N.-W.M.D. claims...if you expect people to take you seriously!
BTW: You, (also), CAN'T whine about 'religious' freedom until/unless you can extend that same freedom of religious worship to ALL faiths, vs. an, (incredibly), superficial 'Jesus said 'X', so, I WON'T serve gay / other patrons!' etc.!!
Xenophobia describes what happened in Rwanda, back in the 1990's; Racism, Sexism, AND Homophobia are merely synonyms of the root concept...
'XENOPHOBIA'!
10
Other than racist or bigoted tweets and utterances, can any N.Y. Times reporter cite any speech, rally, press conference or anything else when Trump didn't lie? So, why are you sneakily suggesting a guilty mind or sinister intent behind his lies relating to the Mueller investigation?
5
The only thing that Trump fears is not seeing his name on the front page, at least once every day. He does what he does to keep it there, and you guys in journalism fall for the act every time. Want to torture him and drive him up the wall? Try ignoring him on your front page for a week.
19
Trump is dirty. He has been dirty his entire adult life. He has lied to, cheated, robbed and betrayed his business investors, his employees, his contractors, the press, government officials, his creditors, his voters and his wives. Everything he touches he debases. Everything.
The time for giving this amoral pathological liar the benefit of the doubt was over a long time ago. The sooner the nation admits the mistake of his corrupt election and removes him from office the better.
69
Let's begin with what is generally known about Trump: he is a liar and a cheat. He is likely the greatest liar and cheat to ever hold high public office in American history.
He has a small but solid base of supporters consisting of white evangelicals, white supremacists, neo-Nazis, gullible Fox News viewers, and Russian NRA oligarchs.
Republicans in Congress have deferred to Trump because they understand he will sign whatever they bring forward. With the passage of tax cuts, the Republican Congress is now content to sit on their hands , awaiting the outcome of the Mueller probe, which will almost certainly detail money laundering, Russian interference, obstruction of justice, perjury, and general incompetence.
In a few months the Trump presidency will come to an abrupt end, but only after inflicting severe damage to our democracy.
43
A honest man fears nothing while dishonest man fears for his life daily.
23
I don't like Trump. He gives me the heebie jeebies, but I'm inclined to entertain the possibility that he doesn't actually have something to hide (maybe some money laundering but otherwise...) because:
1. There's clear evidence he's unusually paranoid (think McDonalds to avoid poisoning)
2. He is well versed in creating false conspiracies (think Birtherism and wanting to 'Jail' Hillary)
3. He's a specialist in playground politics, knows nothing else.
Something to hide? Maybe he just doesn't want to be the butt of a joke. He's tried his whole life not to be (sadly, a life of becoming a bigger and bigger joke), and as long as an investigation is underway he knows for certain that he is.
3
Does he fear the truth? Maybe it's the people that keep jumping at every single thing that really fear the truth about this. And no doubt what they and the editorial board really fear is a President Trump unencumbered by the Russia investigation. Why that is we may soon find out.
3
Mr. Trump is afraid of the truth. Given his nature and his record, how could the truth ever be his friend? The present investigation is not an exception. As noted here, there are no other plausible reasons for Mr. Trump's behavior which now also includes the likely obstruction of justice. Either there was a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia to undermine our democracy. Or Russia is blackmailing or otherwise controlling Trump. Or the Trump family has been participating in money laundering with the Russians. Or something else has transpired that is equally unsavory and illegal.
6
The reason President Trump fears the truth is because he has something to hide from his party, his family, and the American people. We already know from the bitter lessons of our American history, that where there's smoke, there's fire. Only the guilty fear the truth. And the truth - during the fire this time (h/t James Baldwin) - will set us free from the most catastrophic presidency in our country's history.
6
The entire New York and London real estate markets are flooded with laundered oligarch and oil money, stolen state assets. Trump is only the tip of the iceberg in a systemic failure and corruption.
17
I have this vision of Trump yelling "Fake news! Fake news! How did you guess?" and having a tantrum and stomping his foot so hard he sinks into the ground like Rumplestiltskin.
Why does he dislike the truth? Because it isn't what he wants to believe. For whatever reason Trump seems to think he got elected King not President, and things like obstruction of justice are not in his contract. You hit him, he hits back harder. Isn't that what he always says? Well, it isn't in his view of the kingdom that hitting back harder might actually sometimes be illegal.
So cue the tantrum. It'll be a tweetstorm, not a rage in the woods, but it will be a tantrum nonetheless. Printing facts is cheating.
4
"Why does President Trump fear the truth?" Is this a trick question?
8
If Trump knows anything about prosecutors, he'll know that they aren't in fact in search of the truth. In the United States, the job of a prosecutor is to get convictions. With that in mind, there's a very good reason (other than being afraid of the truth) why someone wouldn't be anxious to talk to a prosecutor.
2
Don, but what is the explanation for a President to consistently lie to the country?
9
The truth doesn't always set you free, sometimes it gets you imprisoned. My own take on this phenomenon is that lying is such an ingrained part of Trump's personality that he does it without concern for the consequences. Whether in business, politics or his personal life, our president has probably built up, not only an immunity but also a reflexive fear of the truth because of his unfamiliarity with it's basic concept. To tell the truth opens one up to vulnerability and to admit the truth (I'm not liked, I'm not successful, I'm a bad father, businessman or human being) would unravel the house of cards he has lived in his whole life. Next patient please.
7
The firing of Sally Yates was also obstruction, as well as firing Preet Bharara and the many DOJ attorneys Trump ordered Sessions to fire. Many more crimes have been committed by Trump and most members of his administration & campaign. All must be punished to the fullest extent.
13
Trump fears those who have the power to follow the money. The aura of financial genius trump has built over a lifetime is at risk of being exposed as the fraud it likely is. If Mueller takes a look at his tax returns and follows the stench of money, trump knows it is game up for him. The Russian assistance - financial and political - are essential to the wizard of trump's illusion and coverup.
Trump can certainly relate to all those criminals with guns and lawyers - Don Corleone and other Don's - who shoot and litigate at law enforcement - they're only fighting back.
Sean Hannity, the gold for cash huckster a la trump, is in the same mold as trump and would not fall for the Brooklyn Bridge con. Though he may fall for an overpriced trump condo high up on a fake floor of a shortened building.
I'm sure trump took Mueller's golf club cancellation seriously and personally and has carried that grudge for years. That should be a serious warning to all those who currently have a membership in a trump property. He does take names - seriously.
9
We already know the NY DA had Ivanka and Trump Jr dead to rights on fraud with Trump Soho, and the investigation magically disappeared after donations.
The real question is why someone like Trump with a clear history of fraud and breach of contract was tolerated and enabled for so long.
13
Yet another editorial today about the Russia investigation, Mueller, obstruction. Please. What the president fears is an out of control investigation with no oversight and no end date. That is entirely rational. A special prosecutor on a mission. You know prosecutors like to look good. They like to bring indictments -- and with unlimited time and money, shoot, who knows, a special prosecutor might find something on the Ed Board.
But, despite the shrill calls of the left that there must have been collusion (otherwise how could HRC and Obama's legacy lose?) there was no collusion.
And if not collusion, Trump must have obstructed justice. And how can you obstruct justice if there was no crime to begin with? And when your office gives you the power to fire.
Rubbish. Over 18 months into the FBI investigation and with a year of senate and house investigations -- not one shred of evidence that the Trump campaign colluded. But of course the left is willing to consider ordering Russian dressing in a restaurant as evidence of collusion so who knows.
And then the obstruction charge? President can fire people in the exec branch. He fired Comey -- and yet -- the investigation continued. Trump never tried to stop the investigation. And he has allowed Mueller free access to staff (compare Trump's cooperation with how Justice & the FBI have cooperated with the House's request for information.
The left is starting to panic. Trump will be unscathed.
4
" And how can you obstruct justice if there was no crime to begin with?'"
People can be convicted of obstruction of justice if they interfere with an investigation even if there was no proof a crime was committed. Happens all the time.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/obstruction_of_justice
9
Perhaps, with tax cuts a done deal and some sort of immigration deal coming within the next few weeks to avoid a shutdown, GOP insiders would rather face the 2018 mid-terms with a President Pence at the helm? Hard telling not knowing the anonymous sources leaking this story.
But that is a concern for me -- not knowing the sources of this story lends credibility to Trump's claim of fake news. Hopefully, whomever leaked also talked to Mueller and fears the threat of perjury and potential differences between their own testimony and whatever Trump's, both in public and to Mueller.
Old adage I have lived by for years, and have passed on my to kids: ...When you find TRUTH, pass it on, quick, before they bury it under money..."
8
I can't imagine why he would fear the truth. As horrible as it is, the truth hasn't hurt him a bit so far.
Gotta go, it's Mueller time.
The depth of Trump’s narcissism meets the shallowness of his intellect — his reactive tendencies reveal a self-serving conman, ill-acquainted with truth, making it up as he goes along. One can’t expect loyalty to country from a ‘president’ who values personal enrichment and excessive adulation above all. No wonder he’s so enthralled with Putin.
13
The bigger question is: Why are the leaders of the House and Senate afraid of him? Why do they treat him like he is a dictator when they run a co-equal branch of government that was designed to keep the Executive in bounds?
4
"For this White House, though, mere public embarrassment has never seemed a source of chagrin."
It is exactly the opposite. As Trump tells us repeatedly he would rather have bad publicity than no publicity. I believe it safe to conclude that whatever Trump and his campagn fear, it is not embarrassment.
1
Trump took his "fake news" mantra a bridge too far today. When even Fox News confirms that he did give the order to fire Mueller what are even his most ardent supporters supposed to think? Trump is loathsome but he does know how to manipulate his base. In this case, I think he made a yuge mistake. Bigly.
2
Through the years one can see the pattern in his businesses-the self aggrandizement of his abilities, his bragging concerning the size, height and decor of his buildings.
Much of this was based on lies, or, the con.
While true that many of those who are successful in business are con artists, many of those successful scions of business are also honest in their dealings and one will see little ego building or self-aggrandizement.
Trump has the demeanor of one who never, never loses (although he lost during his bankruptcies, his failed casinos (and the shady deals with Daddy)).
He will never admit defeat-not his style, so, to keep up the persona of being the top dog in the pound, will never admit to the lie and will always fear the truth.
4
This is indeed a deep question.
Because, let us assume the president does tell us the truth about everything, and I mean everything, it is likely to energize, nay electrify his followers (40% of American voters). The moral majority and the white christian tribal are more likely to hoot and holler, pump fists, line up for high-fives - knowing that their spiritual leader is a complete scoundrel. They wish they could get away with it; too many succumb to temptation and get caught. They admire this sort of thing.
So if I were indeed a friend of Trump, I would ask the gentleman to seriously making public all the bunga bunga tapes the Russians possess, full details about his finances, clear narratives about how he swindled and stiffed everyone. Insist that he be examined by Mueller on TV, not in a private FBI office. What's wrong with bragging about any of these things given where we are as a nation?
Lurid detail will not produce outrage, as the left gleefully expects it will. It will produce an overwhelming electoral victory in 2020, and pave the way for future Trumps. Scoundrels need apply.
Historians - when all this is deep history - will deconstruct and infer that all presidents prior were scoundrels too, but merely of a different sort. "Why else," they will argue, "did he have an overwhelming popularity to produce the electoral wins?"
It's all clear Mr. T; the new normal is here. Let it rip.
Kalidan
4
My supposition is that there are dirty Russian money Congressmen and Senators - who can forget the oops we forgot to turn off the mic conversation among Ryan, et al.? I'm sure Mr. Mueller hasn't. I also believe that Trump has been laundering illegally gained money from Russians through his real estate deals for years. We know that Trump has had an association with Felix Sater for years, and we know of the Sater family's ties to the "Russian Mafia." Sater was one of the by-invitation-only attendees at Trump's Election Night celebration in Manhattan, despite Trump's occasional claims of amnesia when it comes to Felix Sater. Sater has been feeding Trump Russian real estate buyers for years - buyers with millions to spend. Indeed, Trump and certain GOP members in the House and Senate have appeared to be increasingly not just in panic mode, but in outright hysterical breakdown mode, since last July. If there is no "there" there, they should have nothing to hide. Instead, they are smearing our first guardians and defense against terrorists, etc., the FBI and on occasion, Trump's own Justice Department!
7
Trump is afraid of something being found in his financials.
4
That which is our antithesis we fear the most. Hence, Trump's fear of the truth.
3
Re "Why Does President Trump Fear the Truth?":
A question that answers itself, if there ever was one. The president's attempt to short-circuit the Flynn investigation and his firing of the F.B.I. director are, in and of themselves, enough to build a persuasive obstruction-of-justice case. Yet there's so much more.
Given this president's impetuousness and disregard for our system of laws, it's inevitable that we'll have a constitutional crisis sometime in his first term. He'll no doubt fire Mr. Mueller as soon as it becomes clear that the investigation is uncovering sordid details of the Trump finances and dealings with Russian oligarchs. Not to mention those tax returns.
So fasten your seat belts for another "Saturday Night Massacre." Or a "Sunday Morning Massacre." Or a "Monday Afternoon Massacre." Or whenever else the guillotine falls on the Office of Special Counsel and we first learn about it in a Trump tweet storm.
Then comes the ultimate challenge: impeachment. Which the American people have every right to expect amid such flagrant disrespect for the presidential oath and the Founders' fundamental precept that no one is above the law. Not even Donald Trump.
Problem is, Congress, in its current configuration, is controlled by craven, partisan hacks, so don't expect anything resembling respect for the Constitution as it existed in 1974. Unless, that is, We the People -- district by district, state by state -- vote wisely this November. For the good of the country.
7
Even atheists are familiar with John 8:32. "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
But there are many truths in our world. We seek meaning in life, but we also seek the truth to protect our society from criminals. Traitors. Abusers.
And that is why Donald Trump fears it.
4
Hopefully Kim has enough sense to keep a low profile for the last few months of the Trump presidency.
2
Mr. Trump wants the world to believe his money and wealth is so extensive that he is rich. The reality is that he is deeply in debt and truly underwater, and is being held afloat by Putin, AKA Boris Badenov. Soon, the moose and the squirrel, Mueller and the FBI, will foil his plans to take over the US. After moose and squirrel succeed, no Natasha Fatale on earth will want to have anything to do with him. And as the episode ends, he will know that we are all laughing at him.
8
Perhaps because he is genuinely unable to distinguish truth from falsehood?
3
I'm not personally among the believers that Trump colluded with Russia. I don't think his misdeeds amount to collusion or overtly seeking Russian support or influence to secure his victory. So, to the point, what is he afraid of? Well, I don't know it is as much fear as it is anger and a sense of entitlement. He has grown accustomed to operating his business empire as a personal fiefdom, with absolute control over his operations and the ability to use wealth and influence to bully and coerce to achieve his goals. Competitors, partners, or subcontractors were swept aside when they did not serve his goals. And, likely, laws, regulations, and moral standards were seen more as inconveniences than as the essential elements of a vibrant and respected nation. And now in the office of the Presidency he has struggled to adapt to a world where he is expected to not only promote and support the rule of law but also abide by it as well. The power of the Presidency is, in some important ways, more constrained than that of the undisputed figurehead of a family-owned real estate firm. Given Trump's particular psychology these constraints are intolerable, shackles he is compelled to try to break out of, even if in doing so he appears more guilty than he actually is. So I don't believe he has acted, however clumsily, to prevent discovery of collusion but instead he has obstructed the investigation because he believes in his bones he should be above investigation and above the law.
34
It's become ever more clear that His Unhinged Unraveling Unfitness is just as we thought - nothing more than the Useful Idiot to institute the GOP'er agenda of filling a thieved SCOTUS seat, tearing apart Obamacare's revenue stream, cutting taxes on the uber-wealthy (especially djt himself), packing the Judiciary with a Federalist Society dream list, and sucking all the air out of the news cycle so that serious journalism isn't exposing what the Wrecking Crew Cabinet is up to, all the empty spots at the State Dept., etc., and the White House sneaking into legislation provisions to allow un-monitored shifting of intelligence funding to wherever they choose:
https://theintercept.com/2018/01/17/section-504-house-spending-bill-chan...
There would be reason enough for concern were it not that former Blackwater honcho Erik Prince (Betsy DeVos's brother) reportedly proposed setting up a private intelligence network of contractors:
https://www.cnn.com/2017/12/05/politics/erik-prince-private-spy-network-...
Still to do: provide Useful Idiot cover for GOP'er leaders as they set about cutting Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid to pay for the $1.4 Trillion$ give-away to the uber-wealthy in December :(
GOP'ers only fear when the Useful Idiot falls away, and they stand fully revealed.
18
This isn't astrophysics or even 5th-grade arithmetic. Trump is a born-rich, golden-spoon-in-his-mouth brat who has aged into a septuagenarian version of that same miscreant. He's real trouble, and every citizen's No. 1 political goal should be to exert pressure on her/his member of Congress to stand up to this dangerous sociopath who assumes he can do whatever he wants.
49
For Trump the whole Russia thing (and all of its component parts) calls into question his central narrative: he was elected because he was the most qualified, most wonderful, candidate in history; he was elected by overwhelming support and love by a never seen before huge majority of American voters who believe that ONLY he can save America. To allow any hint that Russia interfered and, therefore, helped him to win is simply anathema to the narrative. He cannot stand it; it dents his wonderful greatness.
I do not know what or how much Trump or his cabal may have done that is illegal. That said, I believe that his neediness to huge, that his narcissistic fantasy world is very real to him, and that this severe challenge to it is simply intolerable to him, i.e., it makes him crazy. He will do anything, say anything to make it all go away.
45
"If Mr. Trump and his associates are truly innocent of any wrongdoing, what are they so afraid of?"
The truth because, in this case, it won't set them free. It will reveal how corrupt they are and how inept Trump is. I still think that he and every candidate from hereon in should have to take the same test immigrants applying for citizenship in the United States have to take. If they cannot get a passing grade they should not be eligible to run for the presidency or any other public office.
45
Contrary to what the pundits think, and to a certain degree what the President has shown, when people in power ( of any political stripe ) stand up to the man (via words, actions or the threat of resigning ) the man backs down.
If republicans figure out a way that they can stay in power and still go against the President ( the base ), then they will do it in a heartbeat. ( Many are ''retiring'' and not going to run again exactly because of the above )
Having said all that, the flip side is that the man ( The President ) is going to ride the populism ( his solid 30-35% base ) until he is threatened. Mueller and the investigations threaten him.
Some republicans are starting to threaten him now that they have gotten their theft of the taxpayer's money. ( tax cuts )
That is why he is scared of the truth.
62
"theft of the taxpayer's money" - exactly. Hypocrites all, they claim to be christians but reject the Jesus of the gospels.
OTOH, I too am scared of his base. They've been arming themselves at speed. Anybody want to guess how many high-powered fast-acting killing machines they own (hundreds) and bullets for same (many thousands), and how eager they are to use them? A friend of a friend was at a cocktail event with Will Happer, fake skeptic (in plain English, "expert" climate science denier), who was all too eager to point out that they're ready and eager to come out shooting if we overturn Trump. I'm nonviolent, would rather be killed than kill, but that makes me weak in their eyes.
18
When someone (anyone) stands up to a bully he always backs down. This has always been the case. The bully is the most fearful of all, that is why he tries to convince everyone (including himself) that he is the big strong leader through intimidation. "I will sue anyone".
7
Mob men specialize and delight in setting groups against one another, arousing passions and hatreds, making empty promises and extolling themselves as leaders.
Trump is a mob man pure and simple and a highly skilled and agile one at that.
History records that mob men frequently remain in power for relatively brief periods of time, but not before they do great and lasting damage to their countries and the world.
66
Very astute reasoning. Thank you for your enlightening information. I think you are right on.
4
Excellent! Take the fight to the White House door! The Republic is more important than any president or any political party now, in the past or in the future.
34
Trump doesn't fear the truth if by truth you mean that there was collusion with the Russians. The only thing Trump fears is that Mueller will uncover or has uncovered what are likely his criminal business activities.
56
Perhaps the overarching reason why Pres. Trump fears the truth - or maybe it's the intrinsic reason - is that his entire life is a mashup of the material success and with a facade of super competence, which he is terrified would collapse without his micromanagement of every subordinate, and every development. He IS consciously manipulative, but it is also pretty clear that he cannot tolerate any criticism - and can be triggered easily to spout lies upon lies to avoid taking responsibility for anything negative. He seems to be unable to tolerate even a moment of restraint when face with anything less than worshipful attention from his minions, without attacking whomever is handy.
Deceit has also been a major part of his "arts of the deal" - - but before being, surprisingly, elected, he could bathe in any sort of celebrity but without scrutiny. Legal scrutiny, by an man who simply ignores his public outbursts, has him facing a mute "enemy" which cedes no clues, owes him no favors, and will not go away because of popular opinion. This is not how he conducted business - under a legal microscope. If he is stripped of his standard tools and disguises, what is left? Not the master of the world that he wants to present.
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The president may not fear the truth but could rationally fear a process clearly intended to damage him, even bring him down, at any cost – REGARDLESS of the “truth”.
We already appear to have come to the conclusion as a nation that Mueller can’t prove cahooting between Trump, his senior people and Russians to unfairly (and illegally) affect the last election in Trump’s favor – the investigation of which was the whole PURPOSE of Mueller’s empowerment. We’re now down to a consensus that he’s going after an “Obstruction” charge, to which these dreadful matters seem ALWAYS to descend. Trump and his people may not have committed direct crimes, but he MUST have sought to obstruct the pursuit of justice – by firing Mueller (oh … uh … wait a minute: he never DID fire Mueller, did he?); and based as well on a he-said/he-said private conversation between James Comey and Trump, and Comey’s recollection of what HE heard and the construction HE places on Trump’s intent – despite Trump’s denial.
You have GOT to be kidding.
From day-one this was a political witch-hunt and hatchet-job that sought to reverse an election outcome for which Democrats and other #NeverTrumpers were unprepared and are unwilling to accept. Trump is not guilty of something because you despise him, other than being despised by you; and, last time I looked, that wasn’t a “high crime” or “misdemeanor”.
Trump just may not want to become Scooter Libby. Seems reasonable to me.
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I agree with you that Mr. Trump won the election fair and square. My problem is that he has not managed to act Presidential, learn about the Constitution or rule of law, or even manage to tell the truth for a single day since his election. Obviously that is just fine with you-----but it really bothers me. Unlike you, I cannot find any rationale to defend this man, but I respect your right to do so---even if it seems sad and just a bit perverse.
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Actually the investigation appears to be equally centered on money laundering, and where the interests of Trump and oligarchs intertwine and his obligations. It's called multitasking. The only reason obstruction became an issue is Trump made it one.
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I too don't believe that Trump (or his campaign) colluded with Russia. He and his team have hardly helped his case in how they've handled it. Nonetheless, I seriously doubt there is enough there to support a finding of cooperation to win Trump the election. However, obstruction is much, much, much more likely. And it would be a mistake, whatever one thinks of Trump, to dismiss obstruction of justice charges. A President should be above suspicion and reproach and should jealously guard the rule of law both through the powers of his office and also through personal behavior. Trump has not done that, and we are the worse for it. His attempts to sweep away the Russia investigation are of one piece with his adulation of despots in the Philippines, Egypt, and Turkey, leaders he celebrates as strong and decisive, while he criticizes our democratic allies. Even the appearance of obstruction should be taken seriously and avoided, out of respect to the Office, to our laws, and to the standing of our country in the world. Trump has shown little respect for our history and our values and even if he is not found to have violated the law he has certainly violated our trust, our sense of national decency, and our values.
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"Oh what a tangled web we weave
when first we practice to deceive"
Trump learned to lie in his cradle, from mom and pop and Roy Cohn and Roger Stone. He learned that he could get away with it, and that he would "win" ("I could shoot someone") and there would be no consequences.
He has no soul, no morals, no grit, nothing but the path downward:
"Evil, be thou my good" (Paradise Lost)
A cautionary tale. But his victims should know better than to let him take them down with him, just for power and money. The evangelicals who support him, in particular, need to ask themselves if they have any obligation to act according to the teachings of their supposed leader, Jesus. (Not the oily pastors who profit from promoting "success" uber alles, while they steal the widow's mites.)
Trump knows where his money comes from, and he knows that full financial disclosure will reveal his investors and supporters when he was almost broke, Putin's oligarchs, the Russian Mafia, and, earlier, the Italian Mafia.
He may even know that Mueller's files contain the documentation to an earlier exposure of his real estate scams in New York City, which in the end they decided to not pursue (without prejudice, it would have been).
I don't think he knows that being president does not put him above the law, that being president does not automatically make him a patriot when he commits crimes.
The record is there for all too see. This monster and his sycophantic enablers are overdue for exposure.
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@Susan ( allo luv )
My first inclination was ( and still is ) that everything rides on Flynn. One can only extrapolate that everything Flynn has offered will be compared to any interviews ( under oath ) that the President gives.
That ( imho ) will be when the dominoes start to fall.
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There is word that Gates may also be cooperating now.
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What's he afraid of? Money laundering. Tax evasion. Crooked real estate deals. Under the table financing from Russian oligarchs with possible connections to organized crime.
Real estate projects need lots of funding. Where did Trump get the funding for his projects? Did the money come from Russia?
Trump isn't interested in participating in some scheme to put Russia in charge of the US. He is interested in using money from any source he can to fuel and expand his business empire, Russia included.
Russia would be interested in using Trump if they had their tentacles locked into him. That's why I think Trump kowtows to Russia. Not because he wants to team up with them to fight ISIS, but because they have the goods on him. Trump needs to keep them happy.
Trump is so in love with himself that he would believe that he could pull something like this off. His string of obstruction attempts indicates as such.
Follow the money. Mueller has enlisted the help of prosecutors who are experts in money laundering cases. The tangled web will be unwoven.
If I'm right, then these charges that Trump teamed up with Russia to throw the election may very well be bogus and his denials are truthful. But what he isn't talking about is the money laundering and his attempts to obstruct justice from finding out.
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Add in paid sex with hundreds of prostitutes and an escort or two, sexual assault of more than 16 women (possibly as many as 24), and rape of a 13-year-old girl.
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'The final key to the way I promote is bravado. I play to people's fantasies. People may not always think big themselves, but they can still get very excited by those who do. That's why a little hyperbole never hurts. People want to believe that something is the biggest and the greatest and the most spectacular. I call it truthful hyperbole. It's an innocent form of exaggeration—and a very effective form of promotion.'
~ Trump, The Art of the Deal'
The current inhabitant of the White House cannot be bothered with any distinction between what is truthful and what is fabrication. His life is a progression of mistruths and exaggerations going back to his earliest days under the mentorship of his father Fred, and Roy Cohn.
What many are feeling is a sense of disbelief that this brigand is now the head of the Republican party and president, and how many of its members have prostituted themselves at the altar of Trump, with his promises of even greater riches and power.
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brigand (definition)- a lawless robber, freebooter, or one who lives by pillaging and highway robbery
Tim B, an excellent description and word selection for our Sociopath-In-Chief, who has spent his entire adult life ripping off other people's money, trust and naïveté while strategically hiding behind his daddy's lawyers and the deeply disturbed Roy Cohn and an army of other criminal defense attorneys sheltering him from the rule of law.
Trump University was a world-class consumer fraud....and he merely expanded it nationwide with his fake election.
Fortunately, Donald the Bandit has met his match in America's checks and balances and separation of powers.
Thank you, Robert Mueller ... and thank you, Montesquieu, for a wonderful idea.
Our Career-Criminal-In-Chief is about to be arraigned on charges.
The guy should have been behind bars years ago.
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I wonder how many of those words actually came out of Trump's mouth. If any.
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Tim, I hope you realize that "Truthful hyperbole" was Tony Schwartz' concoction, which he put into Trump's mouth.
Ponder that last phrase for a moment -
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