That he is off the rails is not something that needs to be debated any further. What needs to be focused on at this point, if the Republican Senators and Conresspersons who sit quietly and do absolutely nothing. The thing that is attacking our democracy is not embodied in a single crazy person, or even his group of personal enablers. It is the GOP members of congress and the senate that we should be worrying about.
17
Yes? Obviously he feels he’s invulnerable and can stick it to the Democrats because the Republicans will never hold him accountable.
11
This is the Trump tactic of bringing an unlawful act into the open to make him look "honest". However, he is still asking foreign governments to influence our election! That is an impeachable offense. If the GOP and Trump were so concerned with wrong doing by the Biden's, they could order an investigation using the FBI and the CIA, but then they run the risk that they will find nothing. So Trump uses the criminal act of BLACKMAIL, i.e., aid to Ukraine and the looming trade war with China, to "dig up dirt" on Hunter Biden, true or false. No matter the outcome, the GOP and Trump will continue the attack on Biden, like he did with "crooked Hillary", to the point that Biden will become damaged goods. Coming to a Trump rally near you: "Lock him up!" It is so disheartening to see that the GOP has become foot soldiers to a lying, criminal mob boss.
12
There is a big lesson that America can benefit from by waking up to the cause of President Trump's behavior. His brain and mind are functioning at two different levels. While his mind is brilliant, his brain is insane.
Misunderstanding the brain and mind as just the mind is one of the fundamental causes why American society is so messed up. Even when the brain is messed up we mostly try to educate the mind to behave well. We have out of the box mind education while brain education is misdefined as mind education, neglected, and the brain is also miseducated. Brain education is not about teaching the mind, brain education is about healing the brain.
While mind education is about the physical ABCs of life; brain education is about the art and science of living. The steady progress of mind education translates into the progress of civilization. The ignorance about brain education keeps our human nature as animal as ever.
While mind education is the responsibility of schools, brain education is mostly about upbringing. Messed up upbringing creates mind education problems for students that have a rippling effect on all society.
The social ills of society are mostly caused by the messed up brain education. The big question our leaders must answer is what lessons can we learn from a president who behaves so abnormally. America is an emotionally challenged country as a direct result of our ignorance about the human mind. America and the world needs a conference on the mind
Not only Trump's open demand for dirt on political rivals that he is making desperately from the foreign countries to win election again borders on insanity and abnormality but threatens the very existence of the US as a sovereign democratic republic that really warrants impeachment.
5
Trump has lot's of security around him all the time. Who do we have to protect us from him?
9
Mr. Anti-Globalist, Mr. America First, Mr. Trade Wars are Good and Easy to Win, changes his tune. He's now Mr. Help Me Win the Next Election or Things Will Change. Mr.Give Me Some Dirt. Mr. I Love Foreign Intervention.
Where else will he go?
Maybe next he'll be Mr. Former President of the United States.
That would be nice.
10
Trump believes there is nothing wrong with accepting help from a foreign government in an election. Let's have a show of hands from every congressman and Senator who agree with him. The man is incorrigible. To the Republican Party...Trump will not improve..he will get worse and worse...he is your man...stop him.
8
Trump thinks he is going to win this. He thinks he will besmirch the Biden family name enough to sow doubt, and that he will beat the impeachment rap. Take out a top rival and rev up the fervent base. Win-win.
What's truly frightening is that he may be right.
Vote! Take your friends to the polls with you. And their friends.
5
Wow, the most corrupt President in American history stating that it's his Constitutional duty to ask foreign governments to investigate the corruption of others! And the Republicans in Congress and his enablers at Fox all seem to think this is perfectly normal, acceptable behavior from an American president. The Right is so filled with hatred of Democrats, and anyone who opposes them, they can't see that the America they purport to love and defend is being slowly destroyed by Trump. Amazing.
10
Trump is clearly ready for the laughing academy. He is by far the worst president we have ever had. When will the GOP admit that he needs to go? Or will they stand by him no matter what he does?
6
Draw up an article of impeachment on this alone NOW.
IF the Republicans will not convict in the Senate for a violation of the Constitution and based on foreign interference in an election....
...they will never do it.
5
Has anyone noticed that Trump asked China to investigate Elizabeth Warren as well?
3
The US does not solicit help from foreign governments. Fine by me. Does that mean the US doesn't provide help to foreign countries? Of course not. We help countries by taking their excess population- their tired, poor, ignorant and violent. We do so despite the fact that it hurts our own people. We do not want or need foreigners to investigate political corruption. When Democrats do it we don't care. This is about Trump.
Unreal sums it up for me.
2
After all this I can't see why people would come on here, as they often do. to tell us that "Trump will be re-elected [in a landslide]." By now we know Trump is as corrupt as they come similar to banana republic strongmen. Anyone who can't see that is truly delusional.
6
Over 3,000 comments and no one is actually taking real action...
2
How about Biden calling for investigations into Ivanka's money making deals in China? She has done so using her proximity to the president as leverage.
This president is a master manipulator, turning attention away from his own dirty crookedness by pointing to others and projecting his crookedness onto them.
This is but one of many attempts by Crooked Bully Donnie to harm others via his outlae behaviors. Enough. Thank you Democrat House leaders for finally standing strong and leading us out of this embarrassment.
5
Realizing the absurdity, it's too bad Pelosi can't call for China to investigate Trump.
2
I wonder if Republicans think they're going to be in power forever. Are they planning to take the Republic fascist? Would they like it if the next Democratic administration trades for oppo research with foreign governments, gerrymanders, and commits ad-hominem attacks, repeats smears, outright lies, and conspiracy theories, calls the press the enemy of the people anytime anyone on their side disagrees with anything the Democratic president says or proposes?
4
Trump's gone bonkers as some Republicans do the same.
Expect a big assist from the Justice Department any day. Barr has John Durham chugging along on his investigation of the investigators, which will be spun to find fault with the FBI’s basis for opening what became the Mueller probe- specifically the use of foreign sources of intelligence.
Then the thrust will be to force Democrats into a false choice:
A) Continue to condemn the use of foreign source intelligence as a basis for investigations into campaigns, thereby delegitimizing the Mueller probe;
B) Defend the use of foreign source intelligence and thereby endorse the basis of the charges for which the president is being investigated.
There are plenty of legal (and ethical) holes in this logic proof, but if you squint real hard at it, it’s plenty good to play on Fox, and all the cover republicans need.
Barr is deep in this- operationally and ideologically.
I'm doing it in plain sight, so it must be OK.
3
It’s in the interest of the whole world (probably even Putin’s) to get rid of this lunatic. If the Republicans think it’s ok to ask for foreign help, then we should ask them to help us remove Trump and his criminal gang from power, either through impeachment or the ballot box. I’m sure they’d be happier helping us than the gangsters.
2
Extraordinary how the children of high US officials including a Vice President and a President make use of the family name.
1
"Catch me if you can".......has taken on a new and ominously dangerous meaning......
Make no mistake about it Donald Trump is touting, challenging America to defend the Constitution......
AND
If we don't take up the challenge - forget the Republicans as they have already shown their acceptance of a fascist President's leadership - we will lose our cherished democracy........
And if you don't now take up the fight -
The next time you pass a military cemetery hang your heads in shame and beg for forgiveness as we, the citizens of today, have let down those who gave their all defending our once cherished freedom.........
6
Trump’s behavior suits his psychopathology wherein lies and criminal behavior coupled with no sense of guilt go hand in hand. He needs medical treatment in a good psychiatric hospital more than an impeachment.
1
The election of Trump will be a black mark on the United States for many decades, if not forever. Clearly, he is an incredibly self-centered, spoiled brat who cares about nothing but self-gratification. He will certainly go down in history as the greatest mistake of the American electorate, as an evil, self-centered buffoon. If the Republicans even nominate him again, they will destroy any hope of remaining a legitimate political party; instead, they will be remembered forever as a bunch of two-bit con men, which is what they deserve.
3
How far must this lunatic be allowed to go before those GOP cowards in Congress find the political courage to stand up for their country and come to the defence of the Constitution?
4
Trump and his family are enriching themselves off the office of the President. That is a mortal threat to our democracy. Joe and Hunter Biden did nothing. Enriching yourself, and your family, off of the office of the Vice President doesn't count. Everyone knows that. Plus they are Democrats. Nice try Trump! No one cares if Democrats are politically corrupt.
This is getting kind of scary.
41
Trump’s strategy for managing scandal is as transparent as his lies. He believes “getting in front of the story” in other words, admitting his own corruption before it is exposed by other sources makes him appear like a stand up guy. Trump is a liar and corrupt to his core while being surrounded by others who feed him a steady stream of conspiracy theories.
3
Trump imposes economic damage on China and asks them to help him stay in office - this logic can only come from a deranged delusional person.
3
this whoole thing is just soo soo sad.
war of words for control of power,
and neither side really cares what it does or says
or *who* it destroys.
you know, from the outside looking in,
we must look like what the aristocracies looked like
just before they fell.
maybe *that* is exactly what is going on,
One of your editors just posted an article that calls this "unprecedented," the word de jour since the man took office.
Please STOP using euphemisms. The press has played a profound role in normalizing this crime spree.
What the president did in the Ukraine is NOT unprecedented. He's done it --broken the spirit, and, in many cases, the actual law-- in every facet of foreign and domestic affairs every day he's been in office.
His actions are therefore the very opposite of unprecedented...they've become routine. We've been habituated to expect the worst, most inexplicable, and inexcusable behavior imaginable...of the president of the United States.
And let's be crystal clear. That behavior is so far beyond deplorable and unprecedented that it is a tragedy. He has committed crimes. He is a criminal.
Stop normalizing the depraved.
5
Even as the first witness is called in the Ukraine-gate impeachment hearings, and Republicans are starting to talk impeachment over that stunt, Trump suggests the same thing to China. Either he's so stupid that he just doesn't understand that there are rules and laws, or he thinks that if he gets his fans to cheer and Giuliani to blather out something that'll make it all OK, or he knows he's going down and he's determined to cause maximum possible destruction on the way.
While I'll grant that he's stupid and thinks that no laws apply to him, I'm more inclined to believe the 3rd. Nixon got desperate and crazy as the end became obvious, and I think that's where Trump's "stable" mind is at these days.
1
Trump destroys all around him.
We are watching the decline of American culture and greatness.
Trump must be removed from office and be charged along with Pence, Barr, Graham, Crazy Rudy and others.
Time is short.
4
Republicans! Your country needs you! To stand up for the rule of law. To stand up for all your constituents. To stand up for political principals. To stand up for our constitution. Trump supporters have been poisoned by years of ridiculous talk radio. They believe their own government is evil. Help us wake them from their un-patrotic fever dream. There is still time before the next election. There is time to remove Trump and Pence from office. This is not the time to follow the polls. Your party will be in tatters if you dont take a stand against these corrupt law breakers.
3
It's show business, folks! When oh when is Congress in its entirety going to wake up and remove this dangerous nutter from office?
1
Donald trump is running a criminal enterprise. He is doing it in plain site, out of the White House Oval Office. He is managing this enterprise at taxpayer expense.
3
A sociopath is a term used to describe someone who has antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). People with ASPD can't understand others' feelings. They'll often break rules or make impulsive decisions without feeling guilty for the harm they cause.
Our president! See google above or talk to any doctor
1
Isn’t Trump the guy who fraudulently claimed to have investigators in Hawaii who had “incrdedible information” about Obama’s birth certificate?
The facts demonstrated that Trump completely fabricated his assertions. Why is anything he says about Biden taken seriously?
The Times is being conned.
2
Trump and the GOP's smear campaign started with the Bengazi investigation and continued for years leaving the first rightful Woman POTUS (who had an incredible resume) without a slam dunk in the race for POTUS. I remember folks telling me they didn't like Trump "but that they just didn't trust Hillary" OMG really? They claimed she was a "liar".
They fell for the scam and voted for the most corrupt, treasonous, malignant narcissistic Con man ever. HE LOST A BILLION DOLLARS. He was NEVER a good "businessman".
This was all painfully obvious to me for years, why do people fall for the smear on Biden? It's so transparent. The worst thing that might have happened is that Hunter got a job because of who he knew. Nepotism is how 1/2 of the people in my company (fortune 50 company) got their job. Who they knew was how most of the execs - at least 90% were promoted. That is not disgraceful. Lets stop using false equivalency in any situation involving Trump vs. anyone else.
5
Which dictator has our wannabe King Trump missed on his corruption list? How about Kim and Duterte? Corruption personified!
Sorry folks but this belongs in the "Only In America" column.
1
By openly admitting to the main impeachment issue, he is telling Pelosi to go ahead and impeach me. I know I will be vindicated by the Senate, so why not get free 24/7 publicity against my leading 2020 opponent?
37
We should begin camping on the steps of Republican Senators’ offices with signs saying “Are you awake?”
3
Trump is an embarrassment. He should be in a straight jacket not the White House. And the silent republicans who support him should be sent packing from DC.
3
He's committed treason and is explicitly disloyal to America's leaders, and thereby its citizens and the nation itself. The reason he's able to skate while doing all this is because he's a white man.
Imagine if Obama had cosied up to the Russians, Ukraine and China. There'd be swift condemnation from the GOP, and everyone would be all up in arms. With Trump? The GOP is as silent as a roadkill. This hypocrisy is part of why America will continue to decline globally. Make America great again? Oh puhlease... You cannot be great if you are not good. And Trump is not a good person. Neither are any GOP leaders who are too weak and cowardly to speak up. So much bravado and no substance. How pathetic these men are.
4
How is this not total front page news everywhere? And who cares what he said privately to Ukraine if he is saying PUBLICLY THE EXACT SAME THING to China?!!! My goodness. I have young children. Please make this stop!
1
Trump is finished.
3
This may come as a shock to many of those who have commented here on this story, but the worst that Mr. Trump can be accused of is shooting off his big mouth in a moment of white hot apoplectic rage and hysteria. There is nothing illegal about making such a stupid statement.
Crazy is as crazy does.
Enough already, DC Don is going rogue. With his AG an SoS willing to put personnel gain ahead of country and our Constitution so the DC Don can be reelected. Vote these bums outs! This is not a moot point
1
Trump is a moron and he's two-faced. But Americans should be honest and acknowldge that too many career politicians -- and Joe Biden is one -- and their families use their name/ offices as door openers for business activities. How many of the leaders of either the GOP or Dems are "ordinary people" who don't have millions in the bank? Having money shouldn't disqualify anyone from holding office any more than having an average income (or being lower income), but the sad reality is that politics 2019 in the U.S. of A is very much a rich person's game. A matter if class/income. That's just the way it is. Most Ameriucans would gladly trade bank accounts with Bernie S., Elizaberth Warren, or any member of teh U.S. Senate, or . . . (BTW . . . after President Harry Truman left office, he reportedly had problems paying the mortgage on his own home. How times have changed.)
3
So he has asked Russia to dig up dirt on HRC and the DNC, why are people surprised with Ukraine and China, or Mafia or whatever? People thought the presidency to change Trump but he changed the presidency instead. Now McCarthy and the mutated GOP want to ring fence him - by wanting Speaker Pelosi to alter the articles of impeachment - because they know they are as dirty.
America is staring into the abyss right now, can she pull back from it is anyone's guess. We know the majority of American people would say. The question is to the so-called conservatives, especially those who used to wave the Constitution saying the founder this and the founder that. Will they be able to look themselves in the mirror in the morning*
* yes, I do believe there will be a morning in America
2
Translation: Your Mr. Barr and Mr. Guiliani have violated every aspect of legal propriety and must be disbarred. They are an embarrassment to your legal system and a danger to your society. If they were here in Ukraine, we would jail them.
5
The Art of Self-Impeachment™®
The new best-selling Presidential paperback by Donald Trump !
Get your disgraceful copy today !
7
Who doesn’t love a full and complete Presidential psychotic break??
Cheer up...... the worst is yet to come !
5
Anyone who believed he was ever playing with a full deck is to blame !
1
The promised visits to the White House mentioned in Volker's emails- the ones he provided to Congress that is- were code for something else other than a literal visit. The "visits to the White House" as I said, are obviously code for something much more valuable. The "no quid pro quo" comment is just an afterthought; a cover up. You would have to be incredibly gullible to take that bit literally. It is more or less saying "be careful. this will come out".
It was also said very late in the discourse after quid pro quo-ness became a publicised issue.
1
Could anyone imagine how the GOP would howl if Obama acted in the same manner? I hope that a majority of the American public sees this as unacceptable behavior. From comments on social media I know that some of Trump's base see nothing wrong with this. They also accept the false narrative about Biden's role in the removal of a prosecutor from the Ukraine. They totally disregard the bipartisan letter from Congress urging this prosecutor's removal because he wasn't doing his job which was to prosecute those doing wrong.
3
Obama would have never made it this far. Nor would Michele Obama if she was anything like Melania- a foreigner- a nude model- a woman who walks behind her husband.
And as African Americans, our beloved first family got treated horribly by the republicans and a large portion of the public. How could Michele Obama show her arms? Her black arms? And their daughter too- oh no, can’t have that.
Over a hundred more white supremacy militias were started after Obama was elected. And people say we don’t have a systemic racism problem. Look at what this country did to the Obamas- the most noble family to ever grace the White House. Hands down.
We have Trump precisely because America is still largely racist and misogynist. Women and black/ brown people better know their place - this ignorant ‘merica delivered a con man and his frowning bride to the White House.
3
I really doubt that President Xi will want to help you to defeat a presidential opponent, Donald.
2
Biden’s son is a definite ethical problem for Joe Biden. He appears to be using his father’s name to gain foreign favor to his business interests. If so, that is wrong. Likewise Trump’s children (and Trump himself) appear engaged in unethical business practices by using their father’s name.
2
Trumps has always been as a con artist. A lying megalomaniac. No comparison to Joe Biden. Everyone in the world uses their connections- who doesn’t operate this way?
2
How are those tariff negotiations going?
“China should start an investigation into the Bidens, because what happened in China is just about as bad as what happened with Ukraine,” Mr. Trump told reporters as he left the White House to travel to Florida. His request came just moments after he discussed upcoming trade talks with China and said that “if they don’t do what we want, we have tremendous power.”
Wouldn't that be evidence of an impeachable offense? Threatening to use presidential power against a foreign government if they don't give him dirt on his opponent?
7
Yes I thought the same. I actually cracked up a when I heard him speak. It’s absurd that anyone is still allowing this man to represent the United States.
What a disgrace. Trump voters you did this.
2
He gets away with this due to the republican enablers in congress who put their fear of losing an election over their fear for Americans losing their democracy. This is shameful and disgusting and while it might not strictly meet the definition of treason it certainly seems that it is a variant that is just as bad. Beat down the press, force non-political wings of Govt to do your bidding, call all opponents corrupt and spies. Install puppets in the Courts and policing agencies that not only look the other way but actively attack the opposition. This is dictatorship in the offing.
Wake up people. It is not enough to complain and shake your head. If everyone who recognizes what is happening does not actively support the courageous people who are fighting to maintain a Democratic govt, then we will have 4 more years of this despot and he will be worse and harder to resist. who knows, his next executive action may be to crown him king.
7
Don’t forget to give credit where it’s due- to the people who voted for him. The manipulated ones but also the rich ones who knew what he was and held their nose and cast a vote for him anyway/ everyone thinking about their precious bank accounts- not our democracy.
3
Trump follows his predictable pattern: vehemently deny; divert attention by vilifying his critics; deny but now state the action was perfectly legal and reasonable; publicly admit he did the action but proclaim it as courageous; and finally claim “victimhood” by a corrupt press and Democratic Party.
5
Another “perfect” example of Degrading America Democracy Again. How much perfection can we stand?
3
Who paid for Trump's personal lawyer Giuliani? He travels all over the world to get dirt on Trump's opponents. His expenses aren't cheap. WE the taxpayers better not be. Somehow I bet we are.
4
Big Donnie Two Scoops is asking for favors from two countries, one in which he can withhold what they need and the other in which he most assuredly is not holding a strong hand.
That he is using the same strategy for both says everything about his ability to master the art of the deal or having learned anything from running casinos into the ground.
This gambit also reveals how quickly he gets himself compromised, making it easy to see how numerous past situations like this are dictating his current actions.
9
Thatit is true that "there is nothing wrong with seeking foreign help to fight corruption", it is outrageous to seek help to influence our national elections.
Indeed, then, upon such a request, a foreign state becomes a"voter", and may possibly decide who will be our next president.
If Trump does not do them a favor, they will not"investigate".
If he does, then a foreign power will provide whatever "evidence" it may feel advantageous to its own aims.
A simpler solution would be for Trump to sign an executive order appointing him President for life, and a member of his family to succeed him.
Alternativeley, to have foreign powers meet, for exemple at the UN, and decide who will be our President.
2
Is invoking the 25th Amendment still possible?
10
So Mr Trump openly calls on China to investigate his political rival Joe Biden.
Lets say the CCP comes up with a tale... it doesn't have to be true to damage Biden's election prospects, and Trump is re-elected.
The re-elected President Trump is in debt to the CCP for the 2020 election victory as it seems, Mueller concluded, he is (collusion or not) to the Russian government for 2016.
Seems like a rather compromised position for the 'Leader of the Free World'. Would he, as a consequence, 'owe allegience to a foreign power'?
6
Tan suit. Emails. I miss those simpler times. I await the day for his gotcha speech. If he were truly a stable genius he'd make one last address to the nation and thank us all for the nutty ride.
7
@Make Or he would have refrained from throwing VP Pence under the bus so that he could be pardoned by his replacement al a Ford and Nixon
1
Congress is a place where lawyers and others, with pliable morals and ethics, go to serve themselves, their party and wealthy patrons. Until that problem is fixed it is unlikely any problem with how our government works will be fixed.
5
Yes. The oligarchs run the country and the world.
3
Why is so little being said about the Trump children, who fly around at taxpayer expense, being served by Secret Service at taxpayer expense, while they pursue TrumpCo business where clearly their contacts are desirous of getting close to the family of the POTUS? This has been going on since Day One. Pointing it out isn't admitting that Biden's son did anything ("You do it, too!") but it seems if Trump's going to make accusations, there should be some blowback on his own kids.
11
Of course the whole world should have a say in who becomes president of the USA! Loving what Trump does really is a matter of the right perspective. Vetting presidential candidates is a good thing, including their activities across the world. Biden on his part should make a referendum among world-leaders about Trump, in fact even Putin may be fed-up?
2
I think Trump has a point. If proven, it could help him, but Biden's dealings in the Ukraine might have been corrupted if he, as a vice-president, was helping his son's commercial interests.
Sorry folks, all he did was ask them to live up to the provisions of the Treaty between countries. It's a basic provision that asks for countries as participants in the Treaty to control wrong acts perpetrated against other members of the treaty.
3
if this was anybody else he would have a coronary about it.
He best hope nobody starts digging into his kids cause it goes both ways. the Kushner family tree is just as bad
I tried to raise 2M money to make a movie. Every person who wanted to buy a share wanted something extra for that money and in the end I failed. The idea that Hunter raised 1,5 billion from Chinese firms because of his amazing business skills and the good heart of the Chinese -- unrelated to his dad's huge politically influence is ludicrous.
Who on this board can raise 1.5 billion in venture capital?
I think it is important Democrat’s don’t get tricked into claiming Biden did nothing wrong. He may very well have. But that puts BOTH Trump and Biden in the wrong. It does not exonerate Trump. He has no business personally going after Biden, no matter how guilty Biden his. Fortunately democrats have far better candidates than Biden lined up.
2
You have to give it to them: Trump and his advisors are brilliant. By going public he reinforces his narrative that he is fighting corruption by demonstrating that he is convinced that he is doing nothing wrong. Impeachment is a political process and ultimately the public has to be convinced of impeachable conduct. The public is convinced that politicians in general are corrupt so not much work for Trump to do there. However, one should ask him why he is only fighting corruption in the democratic party and whether he made sure that all republicans adhere to his high moral standards. He may have a hard time selling this.
3
I'll quote several of my Democrat friends when I say, if Biden has nothing to hide, why is he worried about an investigation into his dealings. That was the logic used against Trump for the last 3 years, only there is far more evidence against Biden.
Oh really? What about the Trump dynasty’s dealings ? And hey how many Americans have been screwed over by fake universities - bankruptcies, refusal to even pay contractors... ? And let’s not forget how many rape accusations made by very sound reputable women
4
“ ...I would recommend that they start an investigation into the Bidens,” Mr. Trump said. “Because nobody has any doubt that they weren’t crooked.”
so if they weren’t crooked, what’s to investigate?
3
@cliff barney
Trump doesn't feel obliged to use the English language the way the rest of us do, any more than he feels obligated to follow any of the rules or norms of presidential conduct.
1
Trump is calling on foreign countries to investigate his political opponent, an American citizen. Trump has now tainted any investigation by a foreign country and by this country as more than likely politically motivated. Two of the impeachable offenses raised against Nixon is his having an enemies list and his using the IRS to harass his political opponents. Trump has upped the ante by including foreign companies in his request for investigations that would interfere in our elections.
3
I think what Trump is attempting to do is normalize this, as he has done with all his previous betrayals of accepted norms. It may work, because as usual he's offering a ready alternative interpretation, i.e. it's about "Biden's corruption". But if it does work, he will have proved we are the banana republic he thinks we are.
5
The 2020 election is about whether America wants an autocracy or a democracy. The impeachment is about removing a president who can't be trusted to oversee a fair election.
5
I think no matter who we choose - unless it’s Warren or Bernie- we will continue to have oligarchical rules.
Look at the income inequality in this country.
All the politicians have to do is manipulate well. People who live in Rural America support trump. As if the man has ever swept a floor or used a shovel.
The American population that is tricked the most is the least educated. Maybe if some of this income inequality changed we could educate people so they don’t welcome fascism.
And the wealthiest of Americans do fine no matter who wins- they always win. They win on the rest of our hard work.
1
According to being above the law and the resolution of the Mueller case and its outcome, this is not abuse of power. Two weeks ago the United States was at a point of having our own problems to deal with so that we may have an election. President Trump is determined to have people on the right around the world not be stifled by liberals and to have an election that even our child AI could agree with to abide by as it matures.
Though this be madness, yet there is method in't. Trump is trying to shift public perfection in his favor regards gray zone of impeachable vs. marginally "acceptable" behavior by a president. By publicly repeating the crime but now in different direction (China), he's trying normalize the impeachable offense of asking (& bribing) a foreign nation to investigate his political rivals.
1
The statement trump made after he suggested that China get busy investigating the Bidens, was that trump “had lots of power over China if they don’t do what we, trump, wants.”
Isn’t that a quid pro quo?
2
@LivingWithInterest
Trump always makes his threats by implication without saying it directly. That way, he can deny having actually made a threat ("no quid pro quo") even though it is abundantly clear to his target what Trump expects out of hem.
1
“that could benefit him in next year’s election.”.
Mr. Biden is wholly unsuitable to run against President Trump (and lose) and will never be the Democratic nominee, . That is unless the same Primary fixing that eliminated Bernie Sanders v HRC is carried out again by the DNC.
1
It is time to just address him as Trump instead of President Trump. He has given up his duties as POTUS the day he got elected.
As Trump doubles down on this most flagrant and abhorrent smashing of our Constitution, many commenters are asking what Congress and the Democrats will do about it.
We, as a people, need to remember that we too have a voice in this matter. THIS IS THE TIME that all able-bodied people who care about the survival of our democracy need to contact their representatives, take to the streets in protest and engage in every means possible of non-violent resistance. Our very existence is at stake,
5
This is not only foreign policy by extortion. it is pure, outright theft of US government funds for Trump's own purposes.
Trump needs to write the government a very large check for all the interest on the money he has used and held back for his own purposes, as well as paying all the professional salary time and other expenses lost to his racket, plus damage to our standing in the world.
Most of all, someone needs to apologize to the countries who have had these corrupt and humiliating demands made on them, and financial restitution given accordingly.
1
First Ukraine, now China. Trump knows that the GOP nor the courts nor law enforcement have the nerve to hold him accountable for his wrongs.
Meanwhile, the Times just reported that in Florida, a 21-year-old with no prior criminal record who helps take care of his disabled grandfather was sentenced to 10 days in jail just for accidentally oversleeping and missing jury duty.
4
What do the GOP members of congress tell their families when they go home at night? What legacy do they believe they are leaving their children?
2
Feels good to read these like-minded opinions, but after three years of this increasing craziness I think we are just the few frogs left with enough consciousness to realize the water is boiling.
2
The president who had to close his charity and his university due to corruption is now worried about corruption. This is a President who bankrupted a casino. Using bankruptcy laws to dupe contractors and investors is not corrupt. If Trump did release his tax returns, there would probably be numerous avenues of corruption to pursue; therefore, he refuses to release them. Trump couldn’t even run for President without paying off women for their stories through a phony corporation. The President wouldn’t even dis-engage from his businesses due to his position. Could we ever know how many decisions has the President, his supporters, and people who want to influence Him have made because they know his organization owns businesses. Zelensky of Ukraine definitely knew to mention that he stayed at the Trump hotel when he came to the United States.
Trump obviously knows his base will overlook his corruption while focusing like a Lynch mob on the suspected corruption of others. If Trump had any honor, he would not spearhead questionable investigations of his political opponents as if he is concerned about corruption. His only true intent is to hold on to power at all costs because he can be indicted once he leaves office.
3
Trump is panicking. He feels the pressure closing in on him. So he responds the only way he knows how- double down on his outrageous misconduct & dare anyone to stop him, while simultaneously trying to distract everyone's attention with a series of utterly false smears against his opponents.
It is becoming increasingly untenable for any GOP Senator to claim that Trump's behavior is acceptable. As the nation finally begins to catch on to the fact this monster is shredding our democracy, the willingness of GOP leaders to continue to put party ahead of country will be put to the test.
Only when GOP leaders make the cold calculation that supporting Trump harms (rather than helps) their own personal electoral prospects will there be some cracks in the protective wall they maintain around their embattled leader. Once this happens, the defections will come in a flood rather than a trickle. Trump's obliviousness makes it more a question of when, rather than if, this will finally happen. When it does, it won't be one moment too soon
1
Trump has left American democracy to hang by the threads. His untruths are reminiscent of the men that twisted revolutionary ideas, into propaganda poison for the masses. Many of us were born after that era. Let’s hope we never experience such catastrophe in our lifetime. Be mindful and remember to love and heal those who incite hate. If you know someone who has become morally and mentally hostile, they may have experienced overexposure to untruths. Do not isolate such people, but be patient and help them to learn to recognize and appreciate the truth. We all must remember the consequences of moral decay, lest history repeats itself.
This might be the craziest thing ever. Aren't we in a trade war with China right now that threatens the stability of global markets? Why does Trump want China doing his dirty work? Is that patriotic? I am so confused.
2
We know what kind of person he is.
Now he’s helping define just how bad his supporters are.
5
Trump accuses his opponents of crimes that he is guilty of on a routine basis - No facts, no evidence, just baseless claims and conspiracy theories made to distract people from the actual crimes he has committed. It is almost like he is pointing out his own crimes, in an accusation against his opponent way.
5
Sadly, about 40% of this nation does not care that Trump ignores the law. They accept whatever he does or says as if they were members of a cult and he is their leader.
I'm 75 years old and I never thought I would live to see the day that someone like Trump would be our president. He thinks like a dictator and I believe he is hurting the nation and the world but I'm more disappointed in those who support him than I am upset about him being in office.
I really thought we were a better people.
7
If Trump would openly encourage a dictatorship to investigate the son of a former Vice-President, he would abandon a lesser-known American in a heartbeat. If you travel abroad for pleasure or business, be afraid. Be very afraid. Trump does not have your back.
3
Again, I ask those Trump supporters who claim that Trump is just “shaking things up,” why not really “shake things up” and drop the ridiculous non-binding DOJ guideline that a sitting president cannot be indicted for crimes committed while in office?
2
First of all, great article!
Secondly, what trump is doing is not the Russian email request, it’s shooting our Democracy on Fifth Avenue!
Thirdly, in addition to Russia, North Korea, Saudi Arabia and China all have top-notch computer hacker shops that touch our own intelligence services, internet and social media.
Chances are trump is leaving NK alone to test missiles in exchange for political campaign help.
In spite of Congresses disapproval, trump is giving Saudi Arabia nuclear plant plans and selling them a world class arsenal, probably in exchange for political campaign help.
Meanwhile, trump is grinding China while China is approving trump family patent and trademarks (one on voting machines), and probably giving trump campaign help, which is why the trade war is being so slowly executed.
And now the texts and emails are surfacing!
43
we don't need Biden. The Dems should support someone else. not Bernie, who is so mad at everything. Bernie is useless now.
It is the Dem women we must support--there is no one else. We must rally to support the smartest women. what a country--can we move beyond fanatic religiosity and male dominance thinking to what we really need here.
So worried; so trying to believe in USA.
35
Is this Saturday Night Live or real life?
1425
@kermit23
This guy comes from realty TV, the thing that is not supposed to be real.
37
@kermit23 No it is Dateline Crime committed, in this case criminal not very bright criminal, lots of witnesses, police investigated, criminal excuses given, and now all we need is the jury to convict.
37
@kermit23 Now we can all truly grasp the old term "stranger than fiction"
39
Trump calls upon our adversaries to help disrupt our democracy.
Well, I call upon our allies in Europe and in Asia to overthrow this traitor.
45
Trump is absurd. At this point of his increasingly unlawful presidency if he thinks the majority of the American public is with him on his pursuit of dirt on the Bidens he can't imagine how wrong he is.
27
Sadly, yes, very sadly the Trump voter base doesn’t shake. They enjoy this political/diplomatic play, giggle and will vote for him and Republicans in 2020 who provide this series of entertainment. Do we have any effective means to change them?
22
Yes, Trump can do anything he wants.
The Muller report has clarified the issue that “ Justice Department cannot indict a sitting President”.
Not only DOJ cannot indict him, but also WILL not indict him as long as Barr is in charge.
22
I don't know about you, but it would appear to me that many people have a slam dunk came of Defamation against President Trump. So why aren't they suing?
Per the Legal Information Institute at Cornell Law School, "Defamation is a statement that injures a third party's reputation. The tort of defamation includes both libel (written statements) and slander (spoken statements).
To prove prima facie defamation, a plaintiff must show four things: 1) a false statement purporting to be fact; 2) publication or communication of that statement to a third person; 3) fault amounting to at least negligence; and 4) damages, or some harm caused to the person or entity who is the subject of the statement.
Different states vary in their anti-defamation statutes. As such, courts in different states will interpret defamation laws differently, and defamation statutes will vary somewhat from state to state. In Davis v. Boeheim, 110 A.D.3d 1431 (N.Y. 2014), which is a New York state court case, the court held that in determining whether a defamation claim is sufficient, a court must look at whether the "contested statements are reasonably susceptible of a defamatory connotation." However, as the Davis court held, because the courts recognize the plaintiff's right to seek redress as well, many courts have declined from dismissing the case for failure to state a claim, as long as the pleading meets the 'minimum standard necessary to resist dismissal of the complaint.'"
10
“Republicans largely stayed silent on Thursday.”
That tells you everything you need to know about the total destruction of that once proud American political party, and how important it is to relentlessly press for Trump’s removal from office.
37
Exactly what is the quid-pro-quo carrot being offered China?
An end to the insanity of the trade war or support for Beijing’s actions in Hong Kong?
I somehow cannot see anything the US could offer Australia, maybe an apology for dragging its military into Viet Nam, but for I’m guessing half the electorate, that’s history.
One of the great problems with our shortened attention spans, and decline in teaching History seems to be a loss of understanding of the differences in national attitude during various eras, the role of Congress in investigations and oversight.
I found myself reading the liner notes/transcript of an LP first released before I was born - Reuben Ship’s anti-McCarthy radio play, “The Investigator” and wondering how many people would get any of the jokes were it aired today, especially the unnamed Joe McCarthy figure, who finds himself facing investigation of his post-death future (“Up Here or Down There”) vs. how many who tuned into Canadian Broadcasting in the 1950s got the “oldest” joke on the disk: the spirit put in charge of The Investigator’s future is Investigator Martin - it had been less than a decade, I guess since Martin had been on the job, after Martin Dies.
(For the very confused, there’s a half-way decent Wikipedia write-up on the album that doesn’t mention radical anti-Semite US Rep Martin Dies, the second chair of HUAC who turned a committee formed to fight US religious and racial intolerance into the leader in attacking US Jews.
5
@Eatoin Shrdlu
Asking for the favor itself is illegal. No quid pro quo is needed.
He’s daring us to try to hold him accountable.
He and his base have already decided that he is dictator.
22
Does it never occur to Trump that he who reveals it conceals it?
5
I can't wait for 2020 elections.
15
Trump's crimes are like a shoal of sardines. There are so many that it is hard to focus on one.
21
So many commentators sound as if they think some small illegitimate cabal has hijacked the presidency. It’s way worse than that. Nearly half of Americans actually support Trump. I bet that many more secretly like the return to the days of casual racism and bedrock sexism. In other words, Trump has not stolen America. He IS America.
21
Sadly, you are spot on.
1
‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’
....but Trump’s meltdown will.
14
Your summary of Hunter Biden's work in China reminds me of NTT's transaction with Advsr. Kushner last year: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-13/kushner-conflict-cloud-hovers-over-brooklyn-sale-linked-to-japan 6 weeks after Mnst. Abe rushes to meet with Pres. Trump, a Japanese government-controlled TelCo (NTT) buys into one of Advsr. Kushner's buildings, the TelCo's 8th in the U.S.--out of all the buildings in the U.S. The Japanese government and Kushner family are now literally business partners.
I'm hopeful that the reaction to Pres. Trump's corrupt use of office catalyzes a forceful backlash to money in politics in general, including appearances of conflicts (e.g., Hunter Biden, the Clinton Foundation). Accordingly, I support Move to Amend's Proposed 28th Amendment to the Constitution.
15
"Hey China, I need a favor" seems an odd way to get the upper hand in a trade war.
23
better stay away from 5th avenue, he did say he could shoot someone on it and it wouldn't faze him or his 'base.' I don't often comment, because, like many of you, i live in a constant state of shock since 2016
20
Trump owns properties in the US, UK, Philippines, S Korea, Turkey, Indonesia, Uruguay and India. It's advertised on the "World of Trump" website. He also wants to build in China and Russia.
He's to say that he's not a globalist?
6
Now Trump is “shooting” multiple people in the middle of 5th Avenue.
And, yes, the Republicans are going to let him get away with it.
15
for a President seeking to oust corruption: “Y’all without sin can cast the first stone”
-Raising Arizona
2
In these incredible political times it is an honor to be able to post this message as a record for the ages of time to come, that there was a time when the people of America allowed an unstable representative of a minority of the people to put it all in jeopardy. To mess it up so bad that our infighting compromised democracy.
As a member of this democracy I denounce and repudiate Donald Trump. I ask our representatives to protect our democracy and impeach this president.
Remove him from office and reestablish order.
RsW
26
I wish someone would establish an effort to implement the 25th amendment. He is unraveling right in front of us and I think he needs help. I wish his base had the insight to see it. We are all along on this ride and he is gonna take us all down with him in the driver’s seat...
1
This is equivalent to Trump publicly asking Russia to investigate Hilary Clinton’s emails in 2016. Same playbook. He’s a crook, and he doesn’t try to hide it (unlike Nixon, who at least tried to deny it).
17
I love the way he struggles with his comparison when he's telling us (and China) that they need to investigate what wicked Biden did in China because it's "just about as bad as what happened with -" Er - [THINKS] - [PAUSE] - [LIGHTBULB] - Ukraine."
Sorry. I can't help myself sometimes.
13
Looking at international headlines tonight, The Telegraph (London) described rump pressuring the UK by using
Lyndsey Graham:
"This week, Lindsey Graham, a friend of Mr Trump's who chairs the Senate judiciary committee, wrote to Mr Johnson, Mr Morrison, and Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte, asking them to give assistance to Bill Barr, the US attorney general."
A country receiving graham's letter would think the entire US Congress (in addition to rump) fully supports sending it's attorney general to various leaders to determine how the russia investigation started, in addition to whatever barr discusses.
The Telegraph
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/10/03/donald-trump-pressures-uk-investigate-investigators-origins/
lindsey graham doesn't want to be left out, he wants to be impeached as well.
15
DJT still doesn't understand that what was fair in business, such as seeking foreign help to dig up dirt on an opponent, is illegal if you are the President of the USA. Oh, and Giuliani stinks as a lawyer if he is telling DJT that he can say these things, in public no less. It's a circus. Enjoy the show!
8
What are the Americans waiting for to impeach this weirdo? He is calling in broad daylight and publicly a rival foreign power to interfere into the next American elections to take out his political opponent. He doesn’t care about the law, is the US a lawless country? I can’t understand all this time waste. The crime is clear, there is no need for investigation and endless hearings. Just watch his performance today in front of the cameras ………….
19
Why? They order wrong?
1
Boy am I really beginning to hate Jill Stein voters. Sorry, but they own part of this.
17
It's a perfect strategy. Do in the open what he's accused of doing in private. He said it, I can shoot someone on 5th avenue and not loose a single vote, it's true.
Until the GOP voters turn against them, which mean FOX commentators turn against him...... he can continue to turn our country into an international joke in bad taste.
13
He's trying to normalize impeachable offenses so they become . . well, normal. But guess what, they ain't.
He really is unfit for the protocol and decency of a well carried ut impeachment. He really should just go straight to jail while we still have a country left.
21
Another news outfit reported that in June 18 in a phone call with Xi trying to restart talks with China, Trump talked about Biden and about saying and doing nothing on Hong Kong's protests. The conversation transcript was stored in the secret server, holder of compromising secrets.
So Trump got a hold of the news and preempted it with the China comment. That server needs to be scrutinized, looks like our national security depends on it.
22
@Jgrau Kindly name the ‘other news outfit’ & provide link.
1
What more do you need? This is not second hand or anything. He is calling it out in the open.
In fact, he is calling to be impeached because he knows its over.
14
Trump's MO is painfully obvious: Anything that he is guilty of he will accuse others repeatedly until his base follows. It is a presidential game of I'm Rubber You're Glue.
16
Obviously, Trump creates chaos in order to feel powerful. Whether that's sending illegal immigrant cleaning staff scurrying to dust the tops of door frames or issuing illogical and illegal orders to White House staff.
This need for chaos and false drama extends to his use of the whine of Marine One's engine and rotors to mask the absurdity of his "press availabilities."
God forbid he should have normal press conferences with follow up questions.
8
Well, it certainly makes one wonder if this is what the trade war with China has always really been about.
Now we perhaps know why there was no actual plan to help U.S. businesses and why Trump's behavior on tariffs was so erratic.
It may have all been about leverage, favors asked, and not granted.
We now know Trump asked China for dirt on the Biden's and did not get it a few months ago. He may have asked for dirt prior to this, as well with other things he has become obsessed with.
The United States intelligence agencies won't tell him the fake news he wants to hear, so he goes elsewhere to confirm his bizarre conspiracy theories and to manufacture ego saving dirt.
He seems a bit insane, to say the least.
So, all those farmers and business owners had to suffer while Trump turned us into a corrupt government.
The truth is that China and the Ukraine were smart to not manufacture dirt on Biden, because Trump always, sooner or later, betrays those who play along.
They are better off waiting for this crazy bozo to be ousted.
In the meantime, they get the luxury of turning the tables and calling the U.S. government corrupt for a change, and at the moment, they are actually correct.
Does the GOP understand that that will be our fate if they do not act?
We will be seen as a corrupt government with no real rule of law.
14
And China would do that to extend the tenure of a US President who acts like a lunatic, has started a trade war against them, and says they should no longer enjoy the benefits of being regarded as a developing country? Trump might be good for a laugh, but surely they’d rather deal with someone rational?
Of course, the issue with impeachment isn’t whether Trump did it, that’s pretty obvious. The issue is whether anybody cares.
8
Doesn't Ivanka make a ton of money from business connections in China? Is her father not the POTUS, a man who exerts considerable sway? Did she not get a rare tariff exemption on her clothing line made in China? To be eligible for the tariff exemptions, a product must be essential and unique, neither of which apply to her unremarkable, mid-priced clothes. So tell us why?
Is he so deranged that he can't see the direct connection?
Lock him up! In a nice, state run sanitarium.
21
It must have looked unconstitutional to talk about a person's mental acumen as an admission criteria to candidacy for the US presidential elections. But Trump makes a good case now to have a mandatory and public IQ test before anyone can announce their bid for the highest office in USA.
8
From now on an IQ test, tax returns, and mental health assessment should be required for any candidate to the presidency. We can’t afford any more Trumps.
11
@don. How about a polygraph? Trump would blow out all the circuits.
@Jayraj
What do you mean? The guy literally walked in the room and told everyone he was a stable genius. That should have been a big red flag.
Trump is exposing the USA's hypocrisy and criminality by openly embodying it.
6
Caught with his hand in one cookie jar, Trump empties all the jars in the cupboard, as if to emphasize his right to steal. Incredible.
14
‘China has to investigate’ dear Mr. Trump, YOU HAVE ASKED it already during your June call with president Xi with the promise you wouldn’t criticise China’s Hong-Kong policies. By admitting it now you are trying to get the steam out of the upcoming and new revelations.
9
If I was Joe Biden, I would say, "Game On".
Ask the FBI to investigate any alleged crimes by both the Trump and Biden families. Release the tax returns of all.
Waive any executive privilege going back to 2008.
Biden will do it. Trump won't. Case closed.
14
Make America great again! (with the help of a foreign nation). He is getting more crazier by the day. It is pretty obvious he has lost his mind, at this point it is getting worse by the hour.
I have to say, as a non American, it is a great spectacle but the sad thing is the GOP keeps on defending and supporting him.
17
Aw, man... this is just so embarrassing to watch! It seems obvious that someone (maybe many someones) have advised Trump that the coverup is what sunk Nixon, so now he's desperately trying to show that he's not covering anything up, and that he doesn't think there's anything wrong with openly coercing foreign leaders to investigate his political opponents. The saddest thing is that many of his supporters will defend these tactics--would these same people tolerate the same tactics from their teen-aged kids?
14
He can use weasel words out in the open and get away with "Trump being Trump" but if he says the same thing to Congress under oath, etc. then he's in trouble.
I think Congress has to play hardball now - no choice about it. Impeach him again and again. If the term becomes meaningless, it is on the Republicans. We're either a country of at least pretending to follow the laws or not.
11
Completely, thoroughly, utterly, and totally out of mind. Can’t get rid of this occupant fast enough.
11
America has become a laughing stock.
13
@Paul Torcello
They aren’t laughing. They are very concerned as any sane person would be.
Moscow is ecstatic about the chaos their asset Trumputin brings to America. Just perfect destruction and division.
14
He actually impeached himself on tv today. Live and in color. The fox news channel has abandoned him. Pence may have impeached himself as well. Guess who becomes president: Pelosi. You can't make this stuff up.
17
Has he forgotten about the re-re-re-investigation of Hillary Clinton's email server?
Oh, right. Trump has the attention span of ... Donald Trump.
7
Simply put. This is wrong.
Please put him out of his misery.
11
Heavens. Can't anyone tell he's trolling? After all the tariffs on China who expects them to cooperate on some off the cuff remarks? Get a grip.
1
Just impeach him, already. This is past the point of being ridiculous.
12
“‘That’s probably why China for so many years has had a sweetheart deal where China rips off the U.S.A. because they deal with people like Biden where they give the son a billion and a half dollars,’ Mr. Trump told reporters on the South Lawn of the White House, adding: ‘You know what they call that? They call that a payoff.’”
No, a payoff is when you get your fixer to give money to your pornstar dalliance to keep her from talking right before the election.
13
Mr. Trump is attempting to normalize his corrupt behavior. Maybe this time he won't get away with it, but I'm not hopeful. He may be unfit for office, but he sure knows how to play the media.
He's turned the White House into a sewer.
15
Put plainly as possible, from Australia, I have spoken with no-one who doesn't think Trump is a complete idiot (putting it nicely). And I have lots of conservative friends here - that is, conservative by Australian standards.
For the good of the Republic, America's world reputation, and stability of global markets (that impact us), he MUST be removed, either by impeachment, or be voted out in 2020. Please get it done.
16
Trump's toolkit of diversionary tactics we've watched for 2 years:
1- pointing his finger at an accuser and yelling loudly, "well what about him?
2- create a "blizzard" of lawsuits, counter-suits, rumors, gossip, conspiracies to shift focus away.
3- use veiled threats of violence from his followers.
4- overwhelm and exhaust an accuser with his money and lawyers so they just give up.
5- instantly shift the focus somewhere else when the heats on him, no matter what.
As Americans, we've sick and tired of him using and abusing our country to enrich himself!
11
With Donald Trump getting ever more unhinged and bashing what is remaining our Democracy, I can't help but hear Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall (Part III)" that starts with the sounds of thing being smashed to bits:
I don't need no arms around me
And I don't need no drugs to calm me
I have seen the writing on the wall
Don't think I need anything at all
No, don't think I'll need anything at all
All in all it was all just bricks in the wall
All in all you were all just bricks in the wall
1
Thanks, GOP for defending and abetting this openly treasonous man, it lets everyone see what you really stand for- greed, mendacity, and overwhelming hypocrisy.
12
Article 25. Or at least could a few GOP senators and reps get back what little integrity they had left and speak up.... country over party ... democracy over anarchy... uh, good vs. evil
10
'VERRY interesstink',
as Colonel Klink would say.................
'nough said'.
1
“When in peril — create a diversion.”
Donald Trump really seems to think he can divert attention to Joe & Hunter Biden and that we’ll all focus on the bright colors to which his spotlights point.
Mr. Trump, Joseph Biden Jr. may need, for the good of the Democratic party and the country, to withdraw from this presidential race. You, on the other hand, are up to your eyebrows in trouble of every sort. Attacking Joe and Hunter will avail you nothing.
You’re going to be impeached. You have EARNED impeachment. If you’re not convicted by the senate, you’re going to lose in 2020.
Don’t you get it? You are the worst president in American history. With any luck at all, you will remain the worst for hundreds of years into the future.
Diversion is not an answer.
Your best bet is resignation and a blanket pardon. Treating the electorate like idiots isn’t helping you. Not helping at all.
27
I will give trump this : He knows the republicans wont make a peep ! He told Ted Cruz his father was a criminal, and his wife was ugly ..And Cruz will still lick trumps boots .
29
To my Republican friends and countrymen I have but one question for each of you -
This is the man - the current President - you wish to stake your reputations, your integrity, your patriotism, and your country on?
Give me a break. Muster up some integrity and intellectual honesty.
Impeach and remove this man - Do it now, or risk the destruction of the ideal of claiming you stand to protect this Nation and our Democracy.
The Constitution we all claim to honor and some have died for is weeping tears tonight. Courage is needed.
33
Declaring something this brazen is akin to his boast that he could shoot someone on 42nd street and get away with it. He's now testing the limits to see what he can get away with...if he gets away with this China ploy, woe to some unlucky person on 42nd street in the near future
11
China doesn't trade freely so its OK to start a trade war with them. But then at the same time its OK to ask China to meddle in the elections. This doesn't get any crazier!
17
Now it's out - they secretly pushed China for this last June, and now that the Ukraine's out Trump's trying to pretend he's been open about China. He's a complete fraud - and farce.
17
Everything about the "leadership" in this country has become nothing short of terrifying. Terrifying!
7
Has Trump gone over the edge?
9
"An oath to a liar is no oath at all", from Braveheart. Trrump has burned his crew and they will all squirm to renounce him.
5
Trump is literally banking his freedom on fellow Republicans staying loyal to him even in the face of flagrant, public displays of arrogant disregard for our laws and norms. His fatal flaw may prove to be his inability to understand that others—Mitch McConnell, for example—will throw HIM under the bus as soon as they wake up to the fact that he is destroying the Republican Party (to say nothing of the country).
10
Republicans who support trump have no shame, no morals and now, no patriotism.
19
He seems traitorous. Also, everything he alleges about other people he seems guilty of himself.
Organize, register, vote.
10
@Third.Coast
Yep
1
Recall Voltaire:
"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."
Please.
Country and democracy first..!
19
How strange that he is inviting the next president to explore the financial misdeeds of his own children and Jared.
13
I bet China won't get itself involved into this dirty political water.
2
So when will the "powers that be" investigate Jared Kushner for seeking investors while in Israel and other middle East countries on the taxpayers' dime? How about that multibillion dollar loan he got from Qatar to pay down the mortgage on 666 Park Avenue.
Hunter Biden is a graduate of Yale Law, a registered lobbyist and partner in an international consulting firm but Trump claims he is unqualified to advise a foreign company in international business? What exactly are Don Jr's and Erik's qualifications for all the thing they are sent to do? Ivanka? I'd like to see their diplomas and their college transcripts as well as their father's! Just like Trump demanded of Obama!
13
@Susan in NH
We should investigate all those trademarks that China gave to the daughter.
6
Would-be Dictator Donnie is calling upon all of the world’s incumbent third world dictators to bail him out. If this was the plot of a novel, the novel wouldn’t sell because the plot bears no relationship to reality. Until Now.
5
Smarter people than I are strongly doubting that Pence knew nothing about the flagrant quid pro quo attempt. They say he is very thorough reading his briefs (I refrain from using a blank strap quip here).
He had a number of hours, to read on the plane, a 7 page print out. People are saying that it is likely he was up to his pencil neck in this debacle. If he did have knowledge of the attempted quid pro quo, one would have to conclude that his pious flaunting of his supposed Christianity has the redolence of Pharisee-ism about it.
In other words hypocrisy. I can't get the memory of Pence standing outside that crowded human zoo on the border out of my head. Scores of men held in the heat in a crowded cage for about a month and Mike Pence casually discussing the situation with sickening and visible diffidence; before promptly leaving.
13
Didn’t we all want what Trump offered? To drain the swamp? So if he takes a few of the democrats who have been in the swamp for years ie., Joe Biden among others down with him then that’s real progress!!
No. We didn’t all want what Trump offered. He offered a vision of hate, of darkness, calling this great country a “hellhole”. Drain the swamp was such a ludicrous concept when people actually walked into that voting booth and voted for the monied interests that made the swamp possible to begin with. I never wanted what Trump offered. I never wanted lies and corruption and porn stars and fear and more fear and hate and more hate. The real irony of this is that the very people who have been proclaiming “fake news” have turned our to be the true peddlers and purveyors of fake news. Either that or Trump, Barr, Giuliani, Pompeo, etc. were totally duped by fake news. Neither scenario reflects well on any of them.
4
For an American to solicit foreign assistance to demean, or cause harm to a fellow American, Treason.
I spent 4 years in the military, where I surrendered my rights to protect the rights of US citizens. Millions of our citizens gave their lives and years of service to defend our freedoms, and continue to do so. The coming days will determined if it was worth it.
I fully accept that there is a significant population who for whatever reason do not care if this “leader” sinks America- I get it. I believe that a majority of Americans are willing to do what it takes to keep the union.
11
@Henrysor This American is.
4
Why did China grant trademarks to Ivanka Trump in 2018 for voting machines? Why has this not been fully investigated? This is beyond strange.
10
I can only believe Trump wants to be impeached because he expects the GOP-dominated Senate to refuse to convict him. Then he can use his "innocence" to help him win the election by proclaiming the impeachment a partisan "witch hunt."
BTW: "nobody has any doubt that they weren’t crooked"--evidently Trump doesn't understand the effect of a double negative. That is more likely than that he does & is, for a great change, telling the truth and hoping his supporters don't catch on.
5
The behavior is no less impeachable if it is made in a public statement as opposed in a phone call with a foreign leader.
What Mr. Trump did today is provide a basis for a second impeachment article, this one focused on soliciting the interference of China in an American election. That, like the conversation with Ukraine's leader, is an example of conduct in violation of his Oath of Office.
8
Yes, we all know that Trump is the most compromised president in US history bar none.
Yet, Biden and the favoritism his curried for his son is exactly the type of unseemly activities that sickens so many people about how 'inside the Beltway' Washington DC operates.
Sure, nothing 'illegal' may have happened. But, someone of Hunter Biden's 'talents' doesn't just fall in to these type of business 'relationships' without it being an implicit understanding it's because he was the Vice President of the US's son.
2
@Common Sense
You are correct. That is why so many of us want money out of politics.
Another example is Meghan McCain. The only reason she is on TV is because if her father.
@Common Sense
“What aboutism” is not a defense of what our current president is doing RIGHT NOW - violating his oath of office and the Constitution every day.
He is a threat to our democracy.
He is corrupt to the core.
He may even be deranged.
He is compromised. He is a real danger to our country.
1
I have called my two Republican senators for the last two weeks with one simple request: Put the country first, ahead of the party. None of this is good for our country. Call your senators!
13
Trump is committing crimes in plain sight. Just imagine what he'll do privately if impeachment isn't a threat and he is reelected. Heaven help us!
5
Now the reports are that he apparently refused to stand up for the people of Hong Kong.
3
Since going berserk yesterday, Trump seems to have contained his anger a bit. Yet it is inexplicable as to why ELECTED Republicans, Republican cabinet members, the RNC, and 45% of the public continue to accept and endorse Trump’s atrocious and reprehensible behavior as he represents America!
9
This is an evident egregious display of hypocrisy that
makes one gag. Its purpose is to see if you can create a sufficiently tantalizing diversion that will completely
distract from the Ukraine narrative by making an effort at false equivalence seem perfectly natural.
Feed the propaganda chains with this alternative, get them to repeat it and insinuate over and over again muddies the waters, and helps make people forget that Ukraine is an effort to extort cooperation for purely personal political interests in exchange for delivering needed and approved money, to help reinforce an American strategic interest.
The China slop concerns vague insinuations of some type of
"corruption" that is only limited to Biden. All forms of
comparable influence peddling and pay offs re the two Kushners business activities in China are off the table and irrelevant.
Who can't see through this farce?
Trying to throw out such an obvious attack on "corruption" is feed a fake storyline to f-x. It also provides needed
alternative talking points for trumpican talking heads to divert MSM interviews away from Ukraine with
a full regalia of false equivalences.
Falling into the trap of even having to talk about this charade
is part of the underlying goal. Once you start doing so, you already implicitly acknowledge that there is some justification for continuing to do so. Focus upon Ukraine then fades away.
So, it'll be interesting to see well how this ruse works.
2
I guess I won’t have to vote in 2020.
The people of Ukraine, Russia, China, and probably others will make the decision on who will sit in the Oval Office.
Does that sound ridiculous?
If the answer is yes, trump must be removed from office. Write to your representatives in Congress and insist. Let them know they will lose your vote if the aren’t in favor of impeachment.
8
@Steve Ell
I’m probably on their ignore list by now. Keep at it!
Rather that calling the Chinese out for beating down on the Hong Kong protesters and rather than calling out the Chinese for their own corruption, Trump shirks his duty by calling on the Chinese--an unapologetic communist country-- to investigate an American former VP and former Senator just because and only because he's a Democrat and polling better than Trump. And the Republican response: censure Schiff. Sweet Jesus!
8
Who are we kidding?
Trump knows exactly what he is doing.
That is....daring the REPUBLICANS to cross him.
He has seen their initial tepid responses and now knows he will get zero resistance.
The burden isn’t on the Dems. This is all on the Republicans.
7
Americans,
The show has just started.
1
Imagine if there was one Republican who put Country before Party.
7
I think Trump is going for an insanity defense.
7
Bitter irony to hear Trump and his minions screaming about Hunter Biden being paid $50K a month for a board seat he had no apparent qualifications to sit on.
Has anyone gotten a comment from two of Donald's most experienced and trusted advisors.
Where is Jared and Ivanka?
8
Trump is a case study in what the Framers were intensely concerned about when writing the US Constitution, an amoral president.
5
I don't think Trump intended to imply that everyone believes that the Bidens are honest and not crooked people, yet that is what his statement literally means: “Because nobody has any doubt that they weren’t crooked.” Right, they 'weren't crooked,' no doubt about that, except in the minds of those who crave conspiracy theories.
I think the psychoanalysts call that linguistic slip-up a parapraxis, a.k.a., a Freudian slip.
4
Why pick Ukraine? Trump had leverage in 400 million of military aid. Next is China, and Trump doesn't need to add that he might make trade concessions - potentially in the billions - if they dig up a little dirt on his potential presidential opponent. That's how thugs work: dangle candy and imply it's yours if you do a little favor. Am I missing anything?
4
@Plumberb
Simple because Bidens kid was working there. He was trying to get dirt that he could tie back to Biden.
After all that has transpired in this Administration -- the constant. lies, the overt corruption, the ignorance, the arrogance, the incompetence, why would anyone act on or form an opinion about anything that Trump says!? I have observed this man closely ever since he took office. There is very little truth or even useful information coming from him or anyone else in the Whitehouse.
4
Politics is the entertainment division of the military-industrial-medical-pharmaceutical complex.
While we are all hypnotized and distracted, the mega wealthy - those who really control the levers of power - continue to gain more wealth and more power.
We are in a "fooling all of the people some of the time" phase of our history. I hope it doesn't take the better part of the 21st century to restore democracy. But it may.
3
@Paul
Trump isn’t good for business but they can’t have a martyr. He also gave them a major tax break and a corrupt Supreme Court to favor capital over people.
1
As many others have pointed out, I am surprised by how malleable our norms are. Yesterday it was shocking. Today, many are questioning if it is really wrong. Tomorrow they will be sure it is not. Day after they will be proponents. Depressing.
5
When Trump publicly asked Russia to help him win in 2016, it turns out the Russians were already doing so at his private request. I would suspect the situation with China is very much the same, likely he has made promises to China to give them many billions in trade benefits if they help him win reelection. Everyone foreign power out there knows that Trump is for sale, and that Trump puts his own financial hopes and dreams far above the needs of all other Americans combined.
4
If he wants to keep America great he would solicit American help. That's the real issue here. Are we not talented enough to perform sketchy investigations?
After so many years of complacency, Americans are finally letting their government walk all over them (and the rest of the world). This will not get fixed by democratic means.
1
Every time this President speaks it's Presidential campaign material for the democrats. Let him keep talking.
As far as Trump asking China for help getting elected, I have to wonder if the people of Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Philippines and Vietnam have some concerns about what/who Trump is willing to part with to get another four years, or maybe longer, of Trump branding.
One term or less.
2
Trump's pattern of bad behavior is not to stop and reflect; now it is to continue more outrageous of the same to normalize his behavior as manly, as business like, and now as Presidential. Sadly, it is effective with his advocates, supporters and now foreign leaders in their attempt to deal with reality.
1
While at this point we don’t need a “smoking gun,” more “smoking guns” are always welcome. The idea and hope that paperwork and/or testimony might surface of Trump telling Xi Jinping that many or most of the tariffs that have been so ruinous to the U.S. economy might just disappear in exchange for dirt on the Bidens is, at this point, not at all farfetched.
Just how would such a revelation play with the electorate: that the tariffs that have devastated the farm sector, the manufacturing economy, and reached into the pocket of every single American consumer and family were actually imposed solely as a carrot to enlist China’s intelligence apparatus as a Trump political asset ensure he stays on his throne for another four years.
If there is such a piece of evidence, let it be found, and soon.
1
I don't see any incentive for the Chinese to curry favor with Trump. If he is intent on rooting out corruption he should start with his own family and administration, fertile ground for prosecution.
2
One question:
If Trump was so concerned about what the Bidens did, why is he only bringing it up now? Why wasn't he concerned about this 2 1/2 years ago?
I think we all know the answer: Because Biden is his top political rival.
4
"You don’t even have to be convicted of a crime to lose your job in this constitutional republic if this body determines that your conduct as a public official is clearly out of bounds in your role. Impeachment is not about punishment. Impeachment is about cleansing the office. Impeachment is about restoring honor and integrity to the office."
- Lindsey Graham, January 1999
I would like a Democratic senator to read that quote on the Senate floor (without the attribution) and then ask Senator Graham if he agrees with that statement.
5
Never before has the privilege and arrogance of the born wealthy been on display so vividly.
6
How very sad. He knows he cannot win in 2020 so the only alternative is to be forcefully removed.
1
Trump absolutely would be indicted when not in office, even if Pence pardons him. New York State passed laws several months ago invalidating double jeopardy, even if pardoned - specifically because of Trump.
@Reva Cooper
Pence is now entangled. He may not have that opportunity. Oopsie!
Amazing, international interests have attempted to influence the American political system! Does anyone really believe that this is a new development? It has been with us for most of our history. So stop pretensions. Key to the 2020 Presidential election is which candidate is bringing up issues that the American electorate desires to discuss-i.e. immigration, international trade, economy. The Hard Left is in complete denial. Assuming no recalibration, the prospects do not appear likely. And impeachment is a farce. A patently ridiculous act, designed by Democrats to appease the extreme left of their Party, which continually moves ever further that direction.
"I have received information from multiple US Government officials that the President of the United States is using the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the 2020 U.S. election."
He's been doing it since 2016 at least, he is doing it now, he will continue to do it until he is escorted out of the White House because he is completely immoral. He has betrayed his constitutional duties. He is not fit to serve.
3
There is nothing wrong about seeking foreign help to fight corruption. In a sense, in a role inherited from the Consuls of Republican Rome, the president, the one who sits before, is the supreme magistrate, so the president, be it Warren (hopefully) or Trump has a right, even a duty, to push other countries to fight corruption. And the USA has been doing this for years, using, under Obama, to prosecute dozens of foreign, European, banks and companies for corruption in, third party countries, such as, say, Indonesia (whereas only a handful of US companies were prosecuted that way). It conflicts in this case with the fact Biden is running for the presidency. However, precisely, it is crucial that the next US president didn't let his son earn many million dollars, when he held the second most powerful office in the land. When one analyzes the decay of Republican Rome, one notices that top Roman officials got extremely corrupt, so corrupt they didn't prosecute each other. For example the future assassins of Caesar, Cassius and Brutus, were heavily involved in extravagant corruption in Greece and Asia. They got a tap on the wrist, instead of being severely punished and went on to sit in the Senate... something they would use to launch a massive civil war of plutocracy against We The People. Republics rot by the head. At some point the entire state, including the Deep State can become corrupt: this is what history shows, and, in cases like that, civilizations collapse.
1
His actions and reactions remind me of a family member of mine who is diagnosed bipolar, borderline personality, and a narcissistic sociopath. Trump does not belong in a position of power. Republicans-find someone else for god’s sake. I’d take Ryan, Romney etc. at this point (desperation and fear set the in) and I’m a card carrying democrat. The insanity must end.
53
@Nycgal What about John McCain? Sadly he has passed away. How about Senator McCain's friend, Lindsey Graham? As someone who plays golf with Trump, has he seen Donald pocketing a ball out of the bunker? Or has Trump been impeccable in following golf rules?
Lindsey called Trump a kook unfit for office. Surely Mr Graham would fit the bill for you. Right?
1
I think Nikki Haley should run!! She would pose a real threat and could even win....
‘Cept she’s stood up for zero in this madness.
“I would say that President Zelensky, if it were me, I would recommend that they start an investigation into the Bidens...Because nobody has any doubt that they weren’t crooked.” Translation please! Nobody doubts that they were not crooked. Isn’t he saying they are innocent?
23
Trump thinks he is above the law. If there are no consequences we'll descend into chaos just like the white house. He leads by example! Corruption is going to tear this country apart, unless.... he is removed from office.
29
@patriot, so you think we haven't already descended into chaos - for about the past three years?????
2
That is true, but it's been mostly cold chaos except for the shootings by Trump inspired zealots. Using his Twitter account he could very well try to launch hot assault on various targets like the Media, Congress, or other public institutions of his choice. He is mentally irrational and unstable with a massive bullhorn in hand.
Mr. Trump has apparently fixated on Joe Biden Jr.
Doesn’t the president realize that at least a dozen of the Democrats who’ve thrown their hat into the ring have the experience, abilities, knowledge and demeanor to be a far better POTUS than him?!?
19
@Tom W Can you imagine if Biden bows out for any reason, Trump will go after Warren like a bear going into a honey jar!
1
WHY must we put up with this a day longer? Have we forgotten that this president spent five years repeating a baseless claim, that Barak Obama was not born in the United States. He sullied the internet and airwaves with garbage, news media reported it and the story went on and on, ending without an apology.
So here we go again. We should just totally discount everything this man says, and hold him accountable for making up stuff. Oh, and impeach him.
45
The number of orange jumpsuits needed is doubling by the minute....
37
"nobody has any doubt that they weren’t crooked.”
Freudian slip?
20
@AMH, Trump is too ignorant to know what that actually is.
3
Trump just announced to the world that he has zero confidence he can beat Biden without foreign help.
30
And Trump thinks China might respond to his request for a Biden investigation, why?
18
Well, maybe if the Chinese help him with this then the tariffs may go away?
1
Let's see...if we *discount* the Mueller report on obstruction...the emoluments clause...failing to shore up elections against Russian interference...declaring an emergency he didn't need to declare...espousing racially bigoted rhetoric target at members of Congress....and lying about the weather during a hurricane, this is...
Round two of high crimes and misdemeanors, after the Ukraine call. Hope Pelosi and Schiff are keeping track.
21
@N. Archer, isn't it apparent to everybody and his Aunt Maude dead for the past 10 years that Trump has zero doubt the Russians will once again win an election for him by their hacking?
2
Trump is making it loud and clear that he won't be leaving office under any circumstances except through force. Tremendous and great force.
18
The problem is, there is evidence Hunter Biden profited substantially from his relationships with Ukraine and China. While Joe Biden was VP and conducting business with both countries on behalf of the USA.
I'm not say there was any wrongdoing. But it smells. And it's an open invitation for Republicans to conduct their own impeachment inquiry if given the opportunity. Don't think for a second they won't.
Biden is not the only Democrat who can beat Trump. And he has baggage. If Democrats choose Biden as their nominee they're making his baggage their baggage. For the good of the party, Biden needs to step out of the race.
14
@Jimmy, agree with you. As Biden is good man, afraid he’s not the best candidate. What happened between his son and Ukraine was not illegal, but it was unethical.
1
If Trump wants to assert that it's corruption for adult children to financially benefit from the political positions of their parents... and if he wants to make this a focal point of the 2020 campaign, well.... I say let him. Maybe Ivanka can sell a new Trump brand perfume simply called "Nepotism".
3
This is exactly what Trump wants. There is no evidence of wrongdoing and the testimony today attests to that yet now Biden should drop out because Republicans (Trump) will lie about it which he will do no matter who's the nominee. Democrats can't let Trump dictate who is opponent is because they're afraid of the lies and smears.
4
Keep both Biden and trump aside for a minute.
No single person who divides the country this way is worth it. There is nothing that Trump can achieve that will outweigh the fracture in our country. If Trump won’t contest 2020, dems won’t nominate Biden, who seems reluctant anyway.
All those that support Trump - The division amongst us isn’t worth it.
11
@Yes
Totally agree. He has to go but you have to get republicans, specifically Moscow Grim Reaper Mitch Hiding Turtle out to do his job. Literally actually do his job and honor the oath of office above party politics.
Trump is betting that he can normalize calling on foreign leaders to investigate his opponents / potential opponents. Thank goodness the lmpeachment investigations have commenced. Otherwise there are plenty of people unfamiliar with the norms of international political interaction who would be none the wiser that this is not business as usual-- um, perhaps I should say, that it shouldn't be.
DT's special pals at Fox are doing their best to assure the public tbat this is perfectly ok.
15
@Barbara I watched the channel this evening. They are actually doing what they can to convince the public that the whole of our intelligence apparatus cannot be trusted. The only person in our government that can be trusted is Donald J. Trump.
3
I believe that Donald is now doing it openly so he can say that the other country cannot blackmail him by knowing something that the US populace doesn't know; thereby he counters the national security component. Having done the brazenly open breaches of the law he obfuscates by rolling all the collusions into one. But don't forget that all of the Ukraine and Russian related crimes were not done openly (not that doing it brazenly is in any way right either.)
He is trying tp cancel out the national security/blackmail component, thus at least diluting that part of it.
It still doesn't wash though. I am more and more convinced that the Steele dossier nicety is probably true. Actually I think that what Putin has got over him is worse than mere urination; that charming observational activity has been baked in already and did not damage him, I reckon they have a lot more than that. Common sense points me in that direction. He has plenty of nice things to say about Kim and Vlad; but just try and get him to say anything nice about an American.
12
@Bob Guthrie
How does he get his money? Who signs his loans when no one else will loan to him and why?
Simple question. Who is it?
1
I know there must be a lot of Senate Republicans who are desperately hoping the Democrats can get enough on Donald Trump to impeach him. They are hoping the Democrats can make such a strong case that will make it easier for them, Senate Republicans, to convict.
11
Wow. Trump asking for China's help is a clear sign of his desperation and a concession that he needs more than Russian election interference in 2020.
15
One wonders if our current trade war with China is being influenced by Trump's political desires? It is not far to conceive from this President that our trade war would end sooner if the Chinese investigated the Bidens. For the Ukraine it was military aide for political dirt. For China it could be lifting tariffs for political dirt. Something to think about when I am paying more for consumer goods because of Chinese Tariffs. This is why it is so important to have a President who serves our country and not himself.
12
Why would China care to help Trump find anything on the Bidens after Trump started a trade war against China and imposed tariffs, hurting their economy? Why would China care to investigate possible wrong doing among its own if it benefited their country? Trump is delusional thinking the Chinese would help him when they are waiting for him to be removed in the 2020 election.
11
Nobody is above the law.
Not the current president. Not the former vice president.
It is clear by now that Hunter/Joe Biden are guilty at least of influence peddling in both Ukraine and China. Depending on the details and form, that may be a crime or might just be non-criminal corruption that is typical in Washington D.C.
Joe Biden used a quid pro quo to force the firing of a senior Ukrainian official who was responsible for investigating the company that offered Hunter a $50K/month position to do absolutely nothing. That may or may not have broken any laws in the U.S. or the Ukraine.
In any case, we need a full and transparent investigation. We just need to follow the facts. This will require the support of both the Chinese and Ukrainian governments to understand exactly what the Bidens did and when they did it.
This is completely normal and reasonable. Just as when the Democrats demanded/threatened the Ukrainians to cooperate with the Mueller investigation.
Joe Biden isn’t protected from such legitimate investigations just because he is a presidential candidate.
If he isn’t guilty of anything, he has nothing to fear.
5
@John I agree—also USA has treaties w both countries requiring them to cooperate to in each other’s investigations if need be. If Biden did break any laws, we need to know before he becomes president. Who is afraid of an investigation now?? The Dems are, strangely enough—even though they were ok when Trump and his entire campaign were investigated without a known predicate of criminality for that. Here we do have a clear predicate—big bucks paid to the son of the VP.
1
@John
Enough. You can't let the man leading this expedition with the hit out on him. Do you understand a conflict of interest? Dirt or not Trumps team is incapable of finding truth when they are actually simply forcing people to make up dirt or else.
Yes we have a corrupt system that rewards anyone in power with gifts such as employing their children in positions of wealth with zero qualifications. That is why so few respect corporate leadership as they are rarely people of capacity but of privilege.
Guess what Trumps kids do nothing and have earned positions of power with no qualifications. Trump himself didn't earn it. Chelsea didn't earn it. Mehgan McCain is pure lunacy yet she is on TV all the time because of her father.
As for the issues of conflict about Biden it doesn't fly when that situation wasn't done by Biden on the sly but with the support of our government, leadership and other governments around the world. Meaning it was properly sanctioned. Trumps actions were not and are criminal related to asking for favors to hurt his strongest election opponent.
Do you understand? So please stop with the Trump troll both sides are equal garbage. They are not.
2
Sorry to disappoint you, but Biden has already been cleared.
4
In our rightly placed anger at this office's acts of democratic treachery, we miss his deliberate and measured response - yes measured strategically speaking.
His office now goes on the attack - not defense to normalize this treachery. ' Bringing in foreign powers and then subverting the evidence....had to happen, best interests of the country. I'm a patriot for doing this'.
Pay attention people. He's leaning in. He said it better than anyone else when asked what it feels like to be in the eye of the storm. " I am the storm" he replied.
4
Our government is in free fall, with no foreign policy other than pandering to Trump's political schemes, no domestic policies other than demolishing environmental and consumer protections and abusing migrants, and the promotion of the wholesale abuse of power by Trump and his cronies. We need mass demonstrations in support of impeachment and for the restoration of our democracy. Where is the outrage?
24
Funny how a guy who directs both US and Foreign officials to stay at his business properties while conducting official business, and who has zero compunction against appointing friends, family, and business associates to government jobs, fails to see the irony in accusing anyone else of corruptly gathering funds through abuse of their position.
15
This country needs civic education more than it needs anything else. If the circus of the past week is not adequate to bring around the Republican members of Congress and their constituents to an inflection point, then America as we know it is already over. The only benefit of a failure of the American experiment is that it will lay bare once and for all in history that the concept of a superior civilization "installing democracy" anywhere is a laughable farce. Democracy is a living dynamic thing that only works when everyone living in it wants it badly enough to forego other tempting options.
11
Nope, we're not going to let that happen to the US. The overwhelming majority of Americans love this country too much and are willing to fight and protect it from some cheap swindling TV "has been".
1
Isn't this one act alone blatant proof for removal from office?
16
@Ben M
Yes.
1
While the House has begun an impeachment inquiry, investigating a private phone call and a possible cover-up, today the president basically does the same thing, but this time in public and on TV. So he's saying, "Look, no cover-up. It's all out in the open." I guess Trump feels he can do this and get away with it. It even makes the current Congressional investigation seem a little pointless. Today's move could be seen as a brilliant tactic, or Congress could see it as a further abuse of power. But Republicans are going to stick with the president. I think Trump is going to get out of this intact.
6
Nancy should withdraw all requests for information and witness interviews and immediately make the China and Ukraine statements by Trump the sole grounds for impeachment. Nothing else is needed. House can vote on this tomorrow. No more waiting.
9
I'm a Bernie Sanders supporter, & if Bernie loses momentum to Elizabeth Warren, I'm equally supportive of her.
The best thing than could occur for our nation is for Trump to be roundly defeated by either Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren.
That said, and having spent over 50 years analyzing and observing every action of both parties, missing nothing, I can say with certainty that both parties have been engaged in policies designed to beggar the poor and the middle-class, for the benefit of their corporate masters and wealthiest donors.
Anyone who believes that any of our elected officials, except for Sanders, Warren, Cortez, and perhaps a few others, are in office to serve the people they were elected to represent, is simply unaware that the American political machine is all about getting its tentacles into the economic bloodstream of the American consumer.
Americans, specifically the poor and the middle-class, are owned by corporate America, which itself owns, and has for decades, the entire governing body of the United States of America.
Both parties, Republicans and Democrats, have been working together for decades, handing the baton of subjugation back and forth every time it seems the electorate may be seeing through the chaff.
Obama was a carefully orchestrated ploy, designed to try and cement the idea that anyone can make it, and hey look, we Americans are not racist at all; we elected a Black man.
The charade is nearing its end; Sanders or Warren must win.
9
@Mel Ferrel. Brilliant analysis!!! You should be an investigative reporter for the Times !
All I can say,” When will this end?” It goes on and on and I am loosing faith. I wake up each morning and hope something has changed, but it only gets worse. Saddened!
5
New theory: Trump is a notorious penny-pincher who fails to pay contractors and live up to his promises of charitable donations. Could his brazen ploys to convince foreign leaders to investigate his rival simply be the result of extreme and misguided penny-pinching? Simply put, is it his goal to avoid the cost of legitimate opposition research by shifting those investigative and research costs to foreign countries?
5
Is the President even aware his job #1 is to work on behalf of the whole country, and not his re-election? Seems like all he does these days is attack Democrats and the Press while espousing crazy conspiracy theories. He was never fit for the job, I personally can't wait until he's fired.
12
@Steven D Smith And exactly what do Democrats so theses days?
@Steven D Smith - this President should take a minute or two to read the Oath he raised his hand and swore to. Read it nightly, it is a short enough sentence to hold his attention, and then determine if his deeds of the day uphold the promise he made in the name of our country and its Constitution.
1
While all of this is going on, what exactly are Ivanka and Jared up to? Mighty quiet on that front.
16
With Jared and Ivanka? There’s nothing to see there... no corruption, no impropriety, all above board with Jared and Ivanka, yep.
3
Next time you hear a Republican say that he or she "Just can't see that the President has done anything wrong," reply with: Obstruction of Justice, Abuse of Power, Contempt of Congress.
12
What if they say they did and say in fact what is claimed is true or false? Should we believe what they say?
1
It doesn't matter that Trump thinks this is OK. He is willfully publicly flaunting his violations of his oath of office. This is him shooting someone on the street and no one raising an objection. That Can't be. This should be added to impeachment charges. There need not be any investigation. It is right out in the open. If the scope is to be narrow, fine. Vote right now. He violated the law.
The child is insane and must be removed from office. Republicans must lead the charge as they most certainly would if a democrat sought foreign help in an election against a republican. Their silence in the face of this outlandish public abuse of power will condemn them to irrelevance for a generation, if not forever. Their craven silence is beyond astounding for people calling themselves patriots. After this they cannot lay claim to that status.
9
He says what he knows is untrue, but by repeating it again and again, convinces his gullible base, as well as other moderates who just aren’t paying attention, that it is true.
7
Very disturbed hearing about this latest China episode on NPR on the way home from work. For the headline, they played Trump's speech, then said Mike Pence was also asking for an investigation into the Bidens. No mention of this being NOT ok, no time given to the Democrats.
This whole thing is some kind of psychological experiment: can the media claim to be fair and balanced (i.e. parrot Republican talking points) while a crime occurs right in front of us? Why, yes! Can Trump deflect every criminal activity he does by performing bigger ones right in front of us? Why, yes! I swear, by next week, everyone will be clamoring for Biden to be investigated. I don't even LIKE Biden as a candidate, but this is now frankly dangerous, for him, and for all of us.
8
How ironic! Joe Biden commuted from Washington to his home in Wilmington DE each night to be with young Hunter and his brother before they went to bed after losing their mother and sister in an auto accident. Certainly an act of devotion and love. Now, many years later, Hunter's activity is bringing doubt to his father's campaign to become President, which he dearly wants to achieve. Donald Trump has decided to use the close father-son bond, a bond close in the eyes of the public also, to tar Joe by tarring Hunter. Fiendishly clever.
3
Since when is asking for investigation of possible corruption characterized as “soliciting assistance in discrediting”?
3
Seems like China might not want to help reelect trump.
5
For Big Brother Trump there's no use hidin'
when the Ministry of Truth says get Joe Biden.
So, "China are you listening"
my tariffs are already bristling.
This "favor" will be just great
giving me "two minutes of hate."
So, let's make this deal
and your wounds will heal.
You know I'm your great friend;
it's time for the trade war to end.
3
I figured Trump would defect to Russia if things got too hot for him, however looks like he may just invite his buddies China and Russia to invade us. We don't know who to,or what he has been talking about in secret, he may be selling our country to the highest bidder and his family will be our rulers. Think about that for a little while...
5
Personally, I'd appreciate it if the Chinese (Russians, Ukrainians, Iranians, Syrians, Australians, South Texans, whomever) might come up with Trump's tax returns or perhaps some incriminating evidence of his being a con artist (aside from getting elected; we're pretty aware of that one now).
11
New York Times.
June 4, 1975.
Lillian Hellman's speech to the graduates at Barnard.
Particularly of note, her words on Nixon.
https://www.nytimes.com/1975/06/04/archives/for-truth-justice-and-the-american-way.html?searchResultPosition=1&fbclid=IwAR1IOOhRtAH1T7A0ahRLtdx5ncYRIN9gSHPFPvatswSmrdeNXUQTRCtA-Vc
3
Mr Trump's strategy for managing foolish, impulsive, irresponsible, illegal behavior: double down.
Shoot someone on 5th Avenue? Shoot two.
Want to go for three?
10
The Chinese must be laughing so hard!
If you’re going to ask for help committing a crime, know at least who your friends are or those who have a vested interest in your success. Oh no - he goes to Ukraine, now China.
4
Outrageous - this should be the headline and cover the entire front page - above and below the fold. I lived through Watergate waiting for the press and the people to catch-up.
17
Trump using the time honored maxim,
the best defence is insanity.
17
@Blue in Green
It didn't work for Hamlet though; who as a Scandinavian would not have been shot in the legs at the border. The article says:
"Undaunted by the criticism, Mr. Trump doubled down on that request on Thursday. “I would say that President Zelensky, if it were me, I would recommend that they start an investigation into the Bidens,” Mr. Trump told reporters. “Because nobody has any doubt that they weren’t crooked.”"
Now that he is telling the truth about the Zelensky exchange, could he do Americans a favour and admit he colluded with Russia?
6
Trump must be la earned scholar of Tacitus:
"Crime, once exposed, has no refuge but in audacity"
27
Next Trump will slap Biden with a gauntlet and challenge him to a duel. Nothing is out of the question anymore.
8
During the last presidential election he publicly asked Russia to find the 30K missing emails belonging to his opponent. We all know for what reason and how this would affect election results.
How is this request to China different?
If he was not stopped then, when may members of Congress on the Republican side had grave concerns, I do not see how he can be stopped now, when he has their near-complete support.
This all may be proof that Kurt Gödel was correct.
https://slate.com/technology/2018/08/is-there-a-logical-inconsistency-in-the-constitution.html
4
@Reader
Many of us assumed that Trump’s public 2016 appeal to the Russians was an attempt at sarcastic humor. Trump’s detachment from reality and disregard for the rule of law was not as clear then as it is now.
Trump’s insanity and his followers’ mindless loyalty sort of snuck up on the thinking members of the American electorate.
6
@reader
It was wrong. But now he is under the oath of office and the president.
1
Trump’s conduct is atrocious. But the situation with Biden’s son needs to be investigated. He put himself into a situation where foreign powers may have blackmail material that could be used against a President Biden. I have to assume that the Ukrainians and Chinese recorded their interactions with Biden’s son.
2
@J.S.
Well, Jared Kushner's financial empire dependent on Saudi and Russian money seems much stronger leverage. Especially since Princess Ivanka is Jared's wife.
Goose and Gander. Honk, honk.
9
The fact is there is nothing there. Trump is lying to cover up his past crimes by changing the conversation!
8
I just hope and pray that Trump, Mitch, and Miller et al, end up in an alligator moat of their own making soon.
11
This entire situation begs the same strategy that I use with my young children, “ GOP how would you feel if a Democrat had asked another country to help them get elected by investigating you?” “ Would you feel like this was ‘ just perfect?’”
7
@C You really think they're able to consider the shoe on a different foot? Trump went on Letterman 6 years ago or so and demanded Obama release his transcripts, for transparency reasons. But then admitted it was because transcripts reveal where a person was born.
Ironically, but not surprisingly, when Trump became president he sued Penn to prevent them from releasing his transcripts.
Trump also claimed on that Letterman episode to have been born in Jamaica Queens which had me wondering if perhaps he was born outside the US. His lies are so thick and often that you have to question literally everything he says. Trump needs to do something so egregious that even his right wing cronies decide enough's nough.
5
Indisputably the worst US president in history. We've had some losers, but he takes the cake.
22
Well if I was Xi Jinping I’d say “Good idea, Donald, I will investigate the relatives of US politicians and we’ll start with Ivanka”.
14
In that situation, you’d welcome foreign interference?
@Eric Not at all. It’s a case of beware of what you wish for
More and more, Mr. Trump appears to be the "man of lawlessness" who is increasingly less bound mentally. This individual has got to go, for the benefit of America!
And while we're investigating the Biden's should we also be investigating the Kushner's, Trump Jr., et. al. for corruption and collusion with enemies of America? What other president in American history has asked foreign powers to investigate the family members of one of his political challengers?
9
Seeking dirt on fellow Americans, from foreign countries, in some cases from the enemies of America.Nothing else needs to be said.
If everyone involved in it, from directing to enabling it isn't prosecuted and jailed for subversion of the Constitution and acts of treachery America is finished.Gone.A rogue state.
9
Can anybody stop this man from tearing down our democracy? If Democrats can't and Republicans aren't willing to, in my book we don't have a democracy worth defending. We may as well devolve into some new kind of political entity, because our "city on a hill" experiment will have utterly, pathetically failed.
10
Besides being illegal and immoral his conduct is patently unfair since an unscrupulous sitting US president can offer foreign powers benefits for digging up dirt on rivals that no rival can offer for digging up dirt on him or his family. Be that as it may, since he obviously likes mud-slinging contests, perhaps it's time for dems to respond in kind.
3
@One Eyed Man Who said it's illegal? Countries ask other countries to help with investigations all the time
Perhaps it is time for the men in white costs bearing a long straight jacket for the President to turn up at the White House. Trump’s paranoia runs even deeper than Nixon’s . It is pathological. His behaviour is absurd.
10
This is how "not normal" behavior gets normalized - just put the aberrant behavior in daylight to suggest that if he's so open about it, it can't be wrong or illegal.
10
I now feel really happy to have had an average father.
9
The Chinese government might come up with some bogus investigation that implies Biden corruption. The quid pro quo being of course the end of the trade war Trump is waging against China. Could that message be hinted at any more blatantly by Trump?
7
What if they find real evidence?
1
I think he is going overboard by doing in public what he couldn't hide in private to make it appear he is on a crusade. Sad
7
"Is this Saturday Night Live or real life?"
It's a mixture, the hybrid so to speak...
Far from funny, but addictive to watch and observe the deepness of the SWAMP.
"China if you listening" sounds vaguely familiar...
Oy vey!!!
4
Donald Trump is corrupt at the cellular level. Corruption is what he lives and breathes. For this reason it not only infects nearly everyone close to him but colors everything he perceives. This is why the administration keeps mumbling about corruption. He see's Hunter Biden as corrupt because Don Jr. is corrupt. The reason Joe Biden Sr. tried to fire the Ukrainian prosecutor is because the prosecutor was supposedly going after Biden's son. It doesn't matter that case against the company was dormant, that the prosecutor was fired for leniency, not aggressiveness. This is how Trump see's the world. Facts, like the non-existence of the
so=called Ukrainian server, do not matter. Trump is corrupt at the cellular level. It's what he lives and breathes,
9
Late Thursday, Pence (Trump's pet rock) released a statement saying "Whatever he said..."
10
"Trump Publicly Urges China to Investigate the Bidens" for the 2020 electio ?
And Trump publicly called called on Russia to get dirt on Hilary Clinton during the 2016 election... Which they did, in spades! And also tampered with our voting system, via spreading lies on "social" media and vie apparent tampering with machinery!
And Trump also tried to pressure Ukraine to dig up dirt on Joe Biden and his son, using military aid as a stick in . 2019,
Either utterly and totally corrupt, with depraved indifference to the welfare of our nation and its laws, or certifiably impaired mentally? Or BOTH?
Either way, utterly unfit for the office he inhabits and a true menace to our nation, the world order, and democracy.
10
So, remind me again: how is this not "collusion", or even treason for inviting a foreign nation to interfere in our democracy?
Impeach him now!
21
Why doesn’t he just shoot Biden on Fifth Avenue. Republicans, Fox, etc would still stand by him.
10
In this article Trump is quoted as saying about the Bidens that they should be investigated...
“Because nobody has any doubt that they weren’t crooked.”
Freudian slip?
5
Maybe China should turn over the conversations concerning the Trump trademarks granted back in 2017.
17
So now it is pretty clear that the sole purpose of US foreign policy is to serve the interests of Trump and his family. Way to go GOP. Taking lessons from N, Korea.
26
Its like he said....I could shoot someone on 5th avenue and still get elected. I can tell the same lie over and over and they will believe I did nothing wrong. We can not let him create his own truth.
7
We should call this by it’s name, gaslighting. We are being gaslighted by the President and he is doing it on television.
12
@S K Wannabe dictators don't bother to gaslight.
3
Are we not in a trade war with China? Isn't Trump constantly threatening to raise tariffs on China? Now, he's openly asking China to dig up dirt on his political opponents, to meddle in our elections on his behalf?
Trump's brazen behavior is not just an insult to every American who cares about the rule of law and our Constitution, it's an insult to his supporters. Thumbing his nose at the law in such a brazen way is Trump's way of saying, "My supporters are such brainwashed doormats, they'll let me get away with anything, no matter how corrupt".
If Obama had held the same conversation with Zelensky, word for word, Trump's followers would agree that it was an abuse of office and immediately call for impeachment. They see nothing wrong when trump does it. It's more than just hypocrisy, they genuinely believe that trump has righteous intentions, therefore the same rules don't apply. He is special in their minds, so he's entitled to commit acts that other presidents wouldn't be allowed to get away with. If Obama had done what trump is currently doing, it would confirm their hatred for him, so they'd scream for impeachment. The law only applies to those who they dislike, not to trump. This is what tribalism is all about. It's why trump followers are often viewed as a cult. At this point, it's easy to see why.
Of course, Obama would've never pulled these stunts that Trump is pulling in the first place. So there's that.
15
@Roberta
Well said, Roberta. Well said indeed!
The double-standard embraced by the GOP, such as the hypothetical event you describe where Mr. Obama appeals to President Zelenski for electoral assistance, is an excellent example. How can a government function where a major party has one set of standards for the elected officials of their party, and a completely different set for officials of the opposition party?
This is very troubling. It is damaging to the political process and, over time, leads to political paralysis.
AND a psychologically unbalanced, dangerous president.
Irrationality in government is in NO ONE’S best interests.
1
Can someone please investigate Ivanka, Jared, Don Jr and Eric to see how they have profited in foreign countries from their father/father-in-law being president of the United States? Thank you.
36
Trump is brazenly telling us that he wants China to "investigate" the Bidens. He is openly telling us he is committing impeachable offenses and daring us to do anything about it! We must accept his dare,
15
Honestly, during the 2016 campaign, when Trump asked Russians to find the emails—I thought that was and is a punishable Federal crime.
Then, when Trump was elected, I cried for every man, woman, and child who had died fighting for America and our American dream.
Today, seeing Trump asking China to interfere in the federal 2020 elections, is the final straw.
What happed to our great nation when a Scoundrel is president? Why is there silence from the Republicans, GOP, and Red states.
What would Washington, Hamilton, Franklin, and Madison think? Jefferson and Adams are crying tonight as the sun sets on a lost and dirty America whose good name and fine ideals lasted until the GOP, Republicans, and Red states voted for selfishness over good, sound America ideals.
We’ve lost all credibility with the entire world and history books.
No person predicted that a single-soulless selfish man could bring an end to America. But he did; it’s over. American and it’s dream is gone forever.
Signed,
Sorrow in Sacramento
PS
Perhaps it’s time to let all 50 states go their own way now that the American dream is dead.
PSS
For those that care, the bedrock of the American dream is based upon democratically elected leaders who are elected by free and fair elections for the people, by the people without foreign interference.
16
@Linda:
You’ll want to have a look at The Federalist Papers, No.60, which-incredibly-had the foresight to identify the pitfalls in the impeachment process exactly reflecting what we now face.
Summary: Impeachment is a political, not a legal process. It will likely polarize the country. It will be incredibly difficult, and will likely result in an unhappy, inconclusive result all the way around.
It is not designed to be a definitive remedy. It is designed to create a forum for conversation, to hilight a particular problem or issue (especially in the Executive branch) and to allow Government to essentially stop and take the time to think-and then for law and process ti be adjusted to deal with malfeasance.
Check it out. Federalist 60 and its interpretations are pretty brilliant.
I wonder if the Chinese will respond as quickly as the Russians did?
9
@Peter I wonder if the Chinese regard Trump as a fortune cookie. One never really knows what he's going to say.
1
Trump must be a learned scholar of Tacitus:
"“Crime, once exposed, has no refuge but in audacity"
8
@Mainecairn “I’m the boss. I’m going to continue to run things. Don’t let anybody kid you into thinking I can be run out of town. I haven’t run yet and I’m not going to.” AL CAPONE
- - - -And then they ran him out of town !
2
China, Ukraine, et al...if you're listening...please send us Trumps tax returns.
16
Picture this. A bumper sticker with a turkey in a roasting pan. The turkey has the head of Trump. He has been baked to a golden brown. The words say ‘Happy Thanksgiving. Impeached to perfection.” Send the first one to China. I have dibs on the second one.
6
He obviously does it on purpose - throw so much dirt around that it looks like it might be okay, like "see I'm doing it in the open so how can it be wrong."
It IS WRONG. It is NOT OKAY.
Trump is crooked and he's trying to make Republicans complicit in his crooked dealing. They supported him when the Mueller Report proved Russians interfered in the 2016 on Trump's behalf, then they supported when he pressured Ukraine on a phone conversation, now he's telling EVERYONE that he's doing the same thing with China and I'm sure the Republican-sheep will repeat their 'talking points' all over the internet and cable news.
A noble Republican (Abraham Lincoln) said " You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time." The American people are smart - they will throw these feckless bums out on their behinds!
6
Just when I thought I could not be sickened by the so-called "president" of the USA, Trump did it again. This man has no shame, and perhaps very stupid by openly calling other countries to investigate Biden and his son. Maybe he is not stupid, but an egomaniac, believing that he can just do anything he wants without consequences. The sad a horrifying fact is that some Americans and most GOPers still support this man. It is Trump who should be thoroughly investigated, yet both parties have neither the guts nor the will to do so.
8
First time tragedy; second time covfefe
16
Wasn't Ivanka awarded several Chinese patents while serving as a Sr. White House Adviser and while her Daddy is President?
12
Xi Jinping just woke up and was advised of Trump’s latest quest.
He laughed so hard he started to choke and almost died.
6
Unbelievable when the president is the biggest snake (and/or alligator) in the swamp! And it appears Pence is complicit, as well, pretending to be ignorant of the Ukrainian call details when he was briefed the next day and given the transcript.
Looks like we may be headed towards #PelosiForPresident
8
Predictable Trump strategy of doubling down to obfuscate the fact that he knew he was committing treason.
13
Hello NYT in need of a little assistance. I am not a grammarian, but when Trump says . . . “Because nobody has any doubt that they weren’t crooked.” Did he not just say ". . . nobody has any doubt . . . they [Bidens] were NOT crooked!"
Can I get an AMEN!
11
@Bill Taber
I saw that a couple of hours ago, and thought the same thing.
AMEN
2
@Bill Taber No.
But you can certainly get a "Let us pray."
1
When you repeat everything Tr__p says like a bratty 7 year old, it makes sense. The answer is a time out. Grounded. No dessert. No TV. No Wifi. And in this exceptional case, a spanking.
19
Maybe China will investigate Trump.
18
Is there a failsafe for our system of government? He actually can shoot someone on Fifth Avenue. I guess over all these years it really has been held together with nothing more than baling wire and duct tape.
14
@Michele More to the point, it has been held together by the people's trust. That's fast unraveling.
He just shot someone in the middle of 5th Avenue again--and again, nothing will happen.
17
As long as it is in the open, it is OK with the GOP.
@ANNE IN MAINE He will take credit for "Making 5th Avenue Great Again!"
2
Dear Xi,
About that Biden dirt I need from you ...
There are a couple of U.S. soybean farmers I haven't yet thrown under the bus, because I've been saving 'em for this moment.
For this moment, and for you.
Love,
Donald
16
This is all so exhausting. I don’t know how the journalists covering this joke of a president keep going - kudos to all of you uncovering the truth. Or in the case of this story, just writing down the absurd, unpatriotic and criminal words that come out of trump’s mouth.
35
oh goodie ! We can now totally bypass the impeachment inquiry and go straight to the eviction.
22
agree, just lock him up.
5
NYT: As per the headline, is this only an “ extraordinary “ request? It seems like “unprecedented “, “self-enriching” and “potentially treasonous” are all more accurate qualifiers.
20
He really wants to be impeach...
8
@Thinkabouit No. He wants to prove he can't be impeached because he's such a much-loved apartment-house builder.
2
He’s in it knee deep now. Just stick with the same abominable behavior!
9
The President seems unhinged and needs to get medical help fast. To ask China to spy for him is in my option treason as spelled out in the Constitution.
14
Trump keeps talking about billions in relation to pathetic Hunter. Heh?
5
Two words: President Pelosi
25
Okay... so, let’s look at BIDEN?
But pay no attention to the foreign emissaries —-and our military(!) —staying in Trump establishments???
Seriously???
20
Nixon should have tried this strategy and invited the press to follow him as he personally broke into another hotel room to demonstrate how corrupt the Democrats were. History may have been different.
19
China, If you're listening, please adopt Donald Trump and his entire family and pay their moving expenses to Beijing.
24
Dear Mr. President,
Rule number one: Stop digging.
9
Conceivably something about trade war?
5
One of the main symptoms of sociopathy is an exaggerated sense of entitlement. This is what Trump does. When he is wrong he doubles down. Message: Trump= always right. Anybody else= always wrong. Trump= telling the truth. 20 women claiming sexual assault= all making it up. He is doubling down right now. What a nerve to repeat the offence immediately after Ukraine. What arrogance! Do people now revisit his false NO COLLUSION mantra now that he is openly trying to do it in plain sight?
The general perception that he won the Mueller probe is an utterly false narrative usually propagated by people who haven't bothered to read it. As a foreigner I have bothered to read it yet most GOP politicians have not even read it. There was enough to impeach this man 10 times over just from the Mueller Report. I cannot believe that commentators keep repeating that he survived Mueller. I guess so; if you are not patriotic enough to read even a bit of it. Mueller seemed to be doing his best not to communicate his message effectively.
YES COLLUSION. He is proving collusion now retroactively Sheesh.
22
You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in impeachment proceedings. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, Giuliani will provided to you for free. Do you understand the rights I have just read to you? With these rights in mind, do you wish to continue ranting?
23
@sapere aude A sitting President cannot be tried for any criminal offense. (Murder maybe, but since when does The Don do the dirty work himself?)
1
Mr. President,
Are the tariffs a stick to get the Chinese to do you the favor of investigating the Bidens?
14
Like the GOP likes to say about gun control and other issues, maybe we should also be discussing mental health issues here?
22
Shouldn't Ivanka's business interests in China be investigated? Wasn't she awarded many Chinese trademark licenses?
30
This is all that needs to be said....an American president is asking, publicly (and privately) for a foreign government to investigate and provide evidence of either illegal activity or “political dirt” on an American citizen for his own, personal ends. Not official activity.
It doesn’t matter who the citizen is (though being one of his most prominent political opponents does add more unseemliness to it). Nor does the hypocrisy of his families dealings and profiteering of their status matter (though worthy of their own investigations).
This is treason full stop.
And silence from the GOP.
Always end with this...just imagine if Clinton (either) or Obama did 1/100th of this (or any of the other of insane behaviour, sleazy dealings and voluminous lying). Benghazi anyone. Her emails. Tan suit. Apology tour. On and on.
13
So we’re still supposed to believe there was “no collusion” with Russia for the 2016 election...right.
18
China, can you investigate the Trumps also?
11
Well, it worked with Russia!
7
Don't just comment; Write Your Congresspeople! I've just emailed Senators Feinstein & Harris and Representative Lee. Please do the same if you believeTrumps's behavior warrants immediate action. Thank you.
9
Now Trump is even asking President Xi of China to dig up dirt on Elizabeth Warren. This man is completely abusing the Office of President. He must be impeached immediately!
20
Trump denies climate change, and that is reason enough to pray that he is not re-elected.
However, Trump is rubbing the establishment’s nose in its own hypocrisy, and so I can see why his supporters might be enjoying this.
I wish all these sanctimonious neoliberals had a little self-awareness, and would stop being so condescending to Trump’s supporters.
Business as usual in Washington is very corrupt, and the fact that what Biden’s son did isn’t against the law is outrageous.
Mr. Trump is the king of the swamp, but Joe Biden is the swamp’s mayor, and we really have to demand better.
5
@Annie Gramson Hill Washington corrupt? Surely you jest.
2
It must make it SO hard for the writers of SNL. This White House is too absurd for parody!
8
I can't wait until 1/21/21 when indictments are filed against every crime he has committed from 2016 -2020, including by not limited to obstruction of justice to selling favors for favors, etc. He also should be banned from profiting from sales of any books about his time in office and all legal fees should be paid of their own pockets, not taxpayers' dollars.
He won't live long enough to get through the appeal process.
9
I agree with others who have commented that he seeks to normalize his Ukraine actions by doing something similar with China but out loud. But I think this is also about ramping up his authoritarianism. By doing it out in the open he's trying to show he can do whatever he wants. The question is are we going to step up and stop him?
11
At least when this is all over the Republicans can be blamed for destroying the country. But they of course I’ll reinvent Trump into a hero in 20 years. Like they did with Reagan.
8
@Steve "the Republicans can be blamed for destroying the country. " Lotsa luck.
Please. Trump is not serious about this, but just trying to normalize his bad behavior and deflecting to a different subject so people forget the impeachment investigation. We should not even pay attention.
3
By requesting another investigation from a different country Trump is trying to demonstrate that there is nothing wrong or unusual about this behavior. Can't be a smoking gun because I'm doing it right in front of everybody.
6
Here are two scenarios:
1) a runaway locomotive is blasting down the tracks with the engineer high on crack, and;
2) trump continues as chief executive of this country.
I'd feel safer on the train.
9
Has it not occurred to Mr Trump that attacking the son of a political opponent pave the way for more aggressive investigation of his own children? Something tells me Don, Eric and Ivanka may be starting to sweat...
21
Seems only prudent if these are the new rules.
1
Why do the Democrats allow themselves to play defense while the demagogue in the White House unleashes falsehoods and diatribes with the sole intent to make Biden look culpable of criminality and self-dealing. Instead of allowing Trump the upper hand through his diabolical falsehoods call his bluff. He has been hiding his tax returns and the records from his dealings with Deutsche Bank since the beginning of the 2016 campaign. Why? And why do the Democrats not make more of this particularly as he ruthlessly attacks Vice President Biden and his family. Why not offer the President a deal. One would surmise the renowned author of the "Art of the Deal" would gladly trade oversight of Biden's "wrongdoings" for full disclosure of Trump's tax returns and a release of all Deutsche Bank records related to his sweetheart deals and possible money laundering. Let us have full transparency on both sides.
6
Trump's brain is where logic goes to die.
So let me get this straight... Trump hasn't named what crime the Bidens supposedly committed (because he can't - they've never been accused by any government of violating any domestic or international law), but he is alleging (without evidence) that Biden's policy with Ukraine and China was shaped by a personal desire to help his son? and that if so, that would be fundamentally wrong - a crime - a scandal? And as these allegations are flying out of his mouth, Trump himself is warping foreign policy to put pressure on Ukraine and China, until they affirm this very (mis)information in order to boost his personal re-election campaign?
You can always tell Trump has committed a crime, ethical violation, or gaff when he accuses an opponent of doing the same thing, even when its absurd. This is more than psychological transference, but an example of the phenomenon Freud described as "His Majesty the Baby":
When the narcissist's ego is threatened to the point that his grand delusions can no longer survive a reality test, he retreats to the position of a child. As a child, "renunciation of enjoyment, restrictions of his will shall not touch him; the laws of nature, like those of society are to be abrogated in his favor, he is really to be the center and heart of all creation, "His Majesty the Baby," as we once fancied ourself to be..."
When are Trump's supporters going to stop upholding the delusion over the Constitution?
6
Wow. It‘s terrifying how this President after every single misconduct since 2016 has always found a way to raise the game.
The only thing even more terrifying is he’s (still) getting away with it while the world seems to resign over his behavior.
7
Donald Trump has now - flat out- come undone in front of live television cameras. To publicly state China should start an investigation into Joe Biden and his son is not only a violation of election laws in this country but a slanderous assertion. Does the American public have to witness this daily meltdown of unhinged tantrums which is then -somehow -passed off as "normal" Presidential behavior? It is not normal on any level and Donald Trump is unfit to serve as President of the United States of America -as demonstrated just on today's latest unhinged outburst alone.
Not only has Trump come undone - as evidenced by asking China to become involved in some sort of investigation -which would directly benefit Trump getting "dirt" on a campaign opponent - the absurdity of such a statement - particularly after imposing tariffs on Chinese imports only serves to support his unhinged mental state of mind. These outbursts from Trump are not only -incomprehensible and outlandishly grasping - but grounds for impeachment just on their face alone. It is important - once again - to keep in mind former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's statement on live television to members of Congress, “if we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so.” As the noose gets tighter, the more Trump flails with unhinged tantrums. It is quite alarming to observe this behavior on live television.
13
In his deranged mind, the unfolding strategy will be an effort to make a joke and wear people out with such comments. It will all be a simply ploy to, in his mind, to trivialize something that no other president would have ever done in the first place. He will likely request "help" from many more countries before this is over.
Keep your eyes on the target, people.
7
I guess US does not have its own intelligence that it needs Chinese intelligence. US does not have its own diplomats. It needs Giuliani. A lot for just four or five people to run US and maybe the world.
7
Those 4 or 5 think it takes other intelligence agencies to investigate our intelligence services when the clear cut answers aren’t what Trump wants.
Donald Trump has shot his oath of office on 5th Avenue.
No doubt the MAGA hats will support him. But will Republican senators now defend the indefensible?
6
Not that this is the point, but what's in it for China to help Trump get re-elected?
30
@Scott K
Nothing. There’s nothing in it for China.
It is probably time for the president’s handlers to place telephones and other electronic devices out of his reach. Don’s no longer able to deal with such things. He’s just going to cause problems with them.
Give him paperclips, tape and blank sheets of paper to play with.
3
@Scott K
reduce tariffs?
1
That’s what China will ask Trump and Trump will have an answer.
4
The sad thing is that Trump may be goading Congress to take his obstruction of justice and foreign intervention all the way to the Supreme Court. If that happens, I have no doubt whatsoever that Kavanaugh and Gorsuch would side with the other conservative justices to claim they have no jurisdiction in the matter, thereby allowing Trump to further prostitute the office of the president. Rather like ruling that they had no jurisdiction over political gerrymandering that gives one party unfair control of voting. The court gave up pretending it is non partisan and that it is intended to balance power.
If this were to happen, there would be mass demonstrations, not only to remove Trump from office but also Kavanaugh and Gorsuch, who owe the Republicans a lot for putting them on the court.
People voted for Trump because they thought Republicans and Democrats were corrupt and inept. They ended up with much worse than they bargained for.
25
On what basis is the court there to balance power?
I don't mind you educating me about this, because I thought it was there to interpret law.
2
@Greg
Well said. I do agree but I think there are a lot of foolish people who are conned by Trump. After all, Trump made millions off the backs of those who believed he was an honest, hard working individual.
Sadly, there are many of those who voted for Trump and will continue to do so. They are looking in the same mirror as their master.
4
genius! He was told by his crew to go out on south lawn and mention asking China to investigate. I don't know how they handle implications of quid pro quo when we're having such fruitless trade negotiations with them. Dems got to play HARD. Start investigating everyone of the presidents children and tie them up until the New Year. Trump has lawsuits left and right and the dems have to have investigations about anything and everything. wear them down.
8
Seems like he might not want to be prez any longer, unless it's totally on his terms. Good luck with that.
8
Tonight I listened to an interviewer explain the problems that Joe Biden and and his son have with the Ukraine and China. To be honest, the interview was quite good and contained information that troubled me. I would like to see the NYT’s spend time and commit to true investigative journalism and tell us what really happened with the Bidens. I am holding back my opinion and await your response to this important investigation.
8
Please let us know who was interviewed and what outlet they were on. Then I’ll decide how worried I would be, if it all.
5
Struggling with this topic - but is it true that this Ukrainian firm was paying Hunter Biden $50,000 per month to be a Board member - is this a reasonable rate and how does that happen without some kind of special status or connection? Or where can the average Joe sign up for this kind of Gig?
5
Well, if you are a Yale-educated attorney who focuses on international business, I’d bet $600K a year is pretty reasonable for a huge gas company’s BOD. Not a bad gig at all.
3
China is a powerful, influential country. Perhaps if they formally investigated Donald J. Trump and declared to the world that he appears to be completely detached from reality, a danger to himself and others, and just plain crazy — this may have some positive effect on America’s current Crisis of Insanity.
Maybe Mr. Pence and the members of the cabinet will awaken to China’s warning and begin to cope with the insanity and idiocy that has taken over the executive branch of our federal government.
10
@Tom W Pence is in this as deep as Trump. If they investigate him then we run the risk of insuring no impeachment in Senate (not that that is going to happen) as Mitch will do everything and anything to keep Nancy from being President after Trump & Pence are impeached and removed.
4
Has anyone asked why Trump hasn’t asked Barr to ask the FBI to investigate the Bidens? As opposed to foreign governments?
22
@Doug Lowenthal Yes! Chris Wallace asked Stephen Miller this exact question! Stephen Miller's response was a blathering non response about the deep state. Stephen Miller needs to hand in his high school debate team tie.
1
Because he wouldn’t get day and night presidential TV, social media, and front page coverage all over the world if he asked Barr to ask the FBI.
He’s a reality TV star first and foremost and co-author of The Art of the Deal. This is his MO. It worked in 2016. Who’s so sure it won’t work for 2020?
He’s campaigning the ways he knows best. His shock tactics have everyone glued to Trump news! Just look at the number of NYT and other commentators already questioning the Bidens just as they did Hilary.
Next, he’ll be on the warpath against Warren but he’ll probably start that ruckus when we’re counting votes in November— if we let him get that far.
Gosh, it really looks like the burger and fries, err, diet has him fried real good! That countenance! Take a good hard look, it shouts out - I'm really sick, that lousy cholesterol is coursing in my veins getting thicker and thicker, stuck in my, err, brain and heart. It's doing a job on me, can't you see! Yes, we can!
11
Trump expects people to believe that Joe Biden would make American trade policy toward China based on a negligible business interest of his son in that country. Anyone who knows Biden would know just how ridiculous such an allegation is. Trump is the only American President one could seriously believe might subordinate national foreign policy to family member’s business interest.
Being slandered by Trump is a badge of honor. It means the President feels threatened by the person accomplishments and integrity.
Mr. Romney, are you ‘concerned’? Or have you finally rediscovered your spine?
18
He's inoculating himself from the upcoming news that he has already solicited Chinese support. What numbers do you think they'd get if a pay-per-view event captured GOP senators, drinking bourbon, saying out loud what they're too feckless to say in public? Better than all the Ali-Frazier brawls combined.
14
Impeachment cannot be too expedited!
13
You couldn't make this up.
In any language.
24
No, but you could read The Art of the Deal, or read his road map which he left all over Atlantic City. Then we’d know what to expect. This is all true to form. The writing has always been on the wall. Why are we all surprised ?
2
Trump defiles himself and our country. His desperation is unbecoming.
19
I wonder if there is a journalist with spine enough to ask Trump if he plans to save the press conference recording on the same super secret server used for the Ukrainian call?
6
@Padraig Houlahan You mean like the DNC server that was hacked, but the DNC refused to give to the FBI.
1
@Gary
I smell gas.
2
Trump is repeating old plays from his playbook, and his reality television show is getting boring. "Crooked Biden" is the same line as "Crooked Hillary". There is a limit to what kind of lies and messes he can create, for entertainment, and even his base is going to find him passe. His rudeness and crudeness is also getting really old. He is a boor and a bore. His show is going to be canceled.
Trump's high crimes and misdemeanors, and they are real indeed, are way more interesting. The impeachment show, which is a justice reality show and a mob reality show, combined, is going to interest viewers.
The attention span of Americans is short, and dignified behavior, which has been "out," is going to come roaring back "in." Smart politicians from either party should try to be as dignified as possible.
12
Trump is increasingly grotesque.. as is the Republican Party that enables him.
23
Not fit to be the President of the United States. Never was and never will be. Period!
31
Not fit to be president of anything.
Not fit to be.
Not fit.
4
@BearBoy The Hunter Biden investigation was dropped by Shokin long before Joe Biden and others, as part of an international coalition, called for Shokin's dismissal. This obsession with Biden is another false equivalence deflecting from Trump's clear criminality. The accusations against Biden have been so thoroughly debunked, even conservative media is moving on from it. It's not going to work this time.
1
Trump is the shallowest mind and the emptiest soul I have ever witnessed. It is painful to watch him charge and preen and to hear him bluster and blabber. He's always been all orange hair and mindless superlatives, but his Ukraine debacle now has him daily talking in conspiracy theories. Trump must see a Biden in every closet and behind every hedge. Listening to or reading Trump's bile is excruciating. The three years he's been in office feel like six. Can the United States endure another four?
16
Does running for president immunize the Biden familly from review of suspicious conduct while he held power as VP?
To the average person , the extraordinary appointment of drug abuse recovering Hunter Biden to a foreign company whose business he had no expertise in , and for compensation much higher than EXxon board members is highly suspicious-
But not for -in the bag - so called journalists
4
You are willing to overlook Trump’s irrational and offensive behavior on the off chance that an already cleared non-issue is something. That is about the level of self-deception that Trump supporters have to maintain to ask this kind of silly, off the point.
5
@John Boyle Just a note: Hunter in not running for anything.
3
This has been investigated multiple times and there has been no proof whatsoever of corrupt behavior by Joe Biden. You can be suspicious all you like. It doesn’t change what was outright illegal behavior by Trump and his minions, in plain sight for all to see. More “whataboutism”, the standard response from Trump supporters in denial.
1
This country is sick, plain and simple. We’re soon to find out if it’s on its deathbed or there is hope that it will one day be healthier. As long as there is even one “normal” person in America who buys into Donald Trump’s lines of blatantly insane rhetoric, never mind millions who do, we have a huge problem. On top of all the other problems we have. I personally think America’s time has come. It’s hard to imagine what will be left when the smoke clears. So...very...sad.
22
I agree but also think mother nature is going to start putting the nails in the coffin. If Trump remains in office we will never start to deal with the real issues facing the US. No new infrastructure, no plan to deal with ports and based that will be disrupted by sea level rise and we will never get out infrastructure updated.
6
Ignorantia legis neminem excusat (Latin for "ignorance of law excuses no one" )
Yes, Trump is ignorant, and yes, he has broken the law and continues to break the law. We watch him do it every day.
We can't excuse him for doing it. It's against the law.
11
Trump, by doubling down, either knows something or he's lost his mind.
10
@MIKEinNYC
we know he's lost his mind
7
He doubled down in 2016 and had his base chanting “lock her up.” There’ll be a new chant yet.
2
By all means, let's investigate family members of politicians receiving financial benefits from China. And why not start with multi-million dollar licensing agreements awarded to a "an advisor to the president." And while they're at it, let's include the Saudis who donated (was it a 100 million?) to Ivanka's previously non-existent foundation (who's monitoring how that money is being disbursed?), and how Jared's company was miraculously bailed out of bankruptcy. Poor Hunter Biden must not have been very good at his business with the Ukraine as he earned only $50,000. a month whereas Don Jr. received a $50,000. appearance fee from the University of Florida for just ONE NIGHT...presumably talking about his father, or was it about condos?
24
Donald Trump has said, "I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose voters."
With his current defiant comment regarding China and election interference, he is throwing down the challenge. The question is if Mitch McConnell is up to the challenge. If not, it is obvious that Trump can indeed get away with murder.
10
Investigation of corruption is the game that Trump and his family will lose.
6
"If they don't do what we want, we have tremendous power!" - Dr. Evil or 45?
4
This urging is classical Trump; legitimize the illegal by simply committing the crime in public. Trump profited with this method with the Russians against Hillary in 2016, so why wouldn't he do it again with the Chinese against the Bidens in 2020. It is a sad truth that too often when a criminal gets away with a crime, he tends to do it again and again until he’s finally arrested and convicted. Hopefully, the Congress will finally act here and end this lawlessness!!
9
If you repeat a lie long enough it will start sounding like a truth, and Pres. Trump is counting on that.
Lincoln famously said, "you can fool some of the people all of the times, and all of the people some of the times, but you can not ......".
But there is someone I know who is at least trying to make a liar out of Lincoln. From the looks of it, he may even succeed.
2
@Syed Abbas
Trump hasn't fooled all of the people.
Lincoln was right, you can fool some of the people all of the time--based upon polling for Trump's approval rating, we now have a number for this: it appears to be around 35% of the people
1
Typical Trump. He tries to deflect the investigation into criminal behavior (soliciting foreign governments to interfere in an election) by normalizing it with additional violations. If this guy were caught after robbing a bank, he'd go out and rob a few more, and then ask, "What's the big deal? Everybody's doing it!"
6
Shouldn't it be illegal for anyone to ask a foreign power to interfere in an election?
10
Yes and that’s exactly what Donald Trump is requesting: that a foreign actor interfere in a US election for the personal political benefit of Donald Trump. He’s now done it three times (that we know of). And it’s de facto impeachable.
1
Seems to enjoy doubling down on a bad bet, that’s our Trump.
1
This shrill, tormented Trump individual seems to be trying to forge his own twisted reality.
He has access to the nuclear launch codes... unsettling... very unsettling.
7
GOP senators need to open their eyes and ears to reality and search their souls about whether they are serving themselves and their reelection fears or their Oath of Office.
Clearly, Trump is off the rails, and with this one statement (not to mention others) has committed a serious crime.
Impeachment is a political process, not a criminal law proceeding. Thus, I hope it's possible to ram through removal with all due haste. Otherwise, God only knows what this mentally abnormal and just plain shameful President will do.
8
A pretty fair article that reveals disgraceful, self-serving behavior by Trumps and Bidens. I’m disgusted with the whole greedy bunch of them.
Let’s move on from both of them.
@Third Clarinet
There is a huge difference.
The troubled Biden is the son; the father has done nothing illegal or even wrong and in fact was working with the international community to help Ukraine get rid of a corrupt prosecutor.
In dramatic contrast, the entire Trump family is full of corrupt grifters and law breakers
4
@Third Clarinet
The Hunter Biden investigation was dropped by Shokin long before Joe Biden and others, as part of an international coalition, called for Shokin's dismissal. This obsession with Biden is another false equivalence deflecting from Trump's clear criminality. The accusations against Biden have been so thoroughly debunked, even conservative media is moving on from it. It's not going to work this time.
3
This is all straight out of the fascist dictator playbook. Project your own corruption and malfeasance onto your political opponents by publicly pretending they’re doing what you’re actually doing. Tell so many lies that no one knows what truth is anymore. Normalize what was previously unacceptable and commit your crimes out in the open. Intimidate your political opponents with implicit and explicit threats and invitations to violence by your supporters.
It’s amazing how far this has gone in less than three years, from “the adults will contain him” to Trump’s complete cult-of-personality domination of the entire Republican Party, co-opting of key agencies like the Justice Department and evisceration of our Constitutional protections.
I don’t think most people realize how close our democracy is to the brink or how scared they should be. The next 14 months will determine the future of our country - if we have one. Trump simply cannot be allowed to stay in office, and we must do absolutely everything in our power to legally and peacefully remove him.
9
Maybe Nancy should call on all nations to help her investigate Trump. Many will be happy to comply.
7
At this point it doesn’t take a psychiatrist to see that Trump has lost his mind. I feel sorry for Republicans who are trapped by their allegiance to this guy.
8
Not sure why the Times keeps referring to Joe Biden as Trumps political opponent. There is no way the Democrats will let Biden become president. Also President Trump is simply asking for help investigating a dirty politician and his family. Seems reasonable.
@John Gilday
It would seem reasonable if Trump and his family (children, son-in-law, son-in-law's family) weren't currently and openly profiting in much more egregious ways from countries known for corruption and human rights violations (hello, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, here's looking at you). f the current President were transparent about his own business dealings (by, for example, releasing his tax returns) and if the President himself hasn't been documented lying --not making mistakes, but lying, hundreds of times as president about matters concerning our country. Trump is without honor. Trump's family is without honor. Dirty Don who couldn't muster the popular vote in the US looking for dirt on dirty politicians is the height of hypocrisy.
So, yeah, investigate away. But investigate Trump and his family, too. Let them put their financial documents, debts and money trail on the table. Then and only then will I be convinced Trump is anything but a two-bit con in a borrowed two dollar suit.
2
Do the tongue-tied Congressional Republicans realize, that Trump must be positive they're afraid of him and weak-minded wimps because they're hiding under their desks during this crisis?
Republicans must have so little respect for the constitution because they're fumbling around while Trump continues to do several illegal things, asking Ukraine and now China to investigate Biden.
Do Republicans actually think they have any credibility with the larger % of voters after this clueless act they're putting on to please Trump?
I didn't realize that narcissism was a disease and it looks like the Republicans have a bad case of it just like Trump.
2
He can "do strategy" but his lack of knowledge of the Constitution - will not hold up in court. Attempting to make something normal - sure - but not this. The founders were specific. There are consequences.
3
yesterday I wrote about the possible ramifications of pompeo refusing to honor congressional requests.
I openly voiced my concerns that we were possibly in the midst of a coup propagated by Trump with the help of the the gop, a corrupt justice department and plutocrats whereby they would allow Trump to break every law, undermine national security and ignore the Constitution just to retain power
I predicted that Trump would go all in and pressure even more countries to interfere in our elections. However, I didn't think he would go there so quickly and so publicly....
it is clear Trump is desperate to remain in power and will solicit help from any foreign entity. It is clear GOP will support this national betrayal as long as they are able to pack the courts.
My question is what will Americans do?
4
What's wrong with asking foreign governments to investigate a US citizen? These 18th century laws are obsolete in the 21st century.
Disregarding such laws is the sign of a strong leader that followers are looking for. Just like Trump, Boris Johnson and other autocrats are leading the world into new legal territory. Democracy is obsolete and for the weak.
It seems to me that the whole country needs what the Mayo Clinic refers to as "family therapy" which provides support and education to families (read nations) dealing with a family member (read President) who has a personality disorder. Trump displays over and over again the characteristics listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual as manifestations of personality disorders.
Speaking to China openly to investigate Mr. Biden and his son is disturbing in the extreme--the final straw. Now all of us have become familiar with what it's like to live with an abusive family member, and must take steps to help ourselves, since Trump is beyond help.
2
The Dems have seen the folly of putting up Biden, so regardless of what comes out about him now, the impeachment effort is more or less risk free, because Liz Warren has signaled she will play ball. Never mind that Sanders stands the best chance by far of beating Trump, he wants to get money out of politics so the DNC will once again pull out all the stops to box him out. The irony is that like FDR did in his day, he might have saved capitalism.
2
If not politically motivated, why are Trump and friends investigating Biden and not FBI, CIA, etc?
Also, wouldn’t nearly everyone be happier if Trump just got the hook and we could all move on? This really is getting to be like a Gong Show episode.
Honestly, I would think even Trump fans are getting a bit tired of hearing about him.
4
Interesting. This is a big diplomatic misstep for Trump. To say nothing of the fact that it probably violates the constitution, it puts the Chinese into a difficult position. How in the world should the Chinese respond? If they concede, they effectively stall future negotiations with the next President (which may be quite soon), and jeopardize longterm US-China relations. They also set up the possibility of seeing the US intervene more directly into Chinese politics as retribution. If they refuse Trump's request, it's a humiliating public rebuke that hijacks the US-China agenda.
Now let me guess. Trump will release Meng Wanzhou if China initiates this Biden investigation?
This is an obscene affront to all Americans, as well as to America's closes allies.
I’m done analyzing and pontificating about Trump. Enough! He just HAS TO GO. I don’t care how it happens just so long as it does, and he has to go NOW. End of story. Nothing more to say.
7
Trump is clearly improvising. This is like jazz - there are no mistakes in jazz - if you make a mistake, just repeat it a little louder. Then everyone will think you meant to do it and its cool.
2
It’s so sad that the best defense of Trump isn’t a defense at all but a statement that “someone” should investigate Joe Biden.
Well, Trump fans, do you remember who is in charge of investigating crimes in this country? Trump. What has he turned up? Nothing.
What did he do after nothing turned up? Tried to coerce Ukraine to make it up; suggested China, a place known for making up cases, make one up against an American citizen.
3
When will this end? Every day this continues, our democracy erodes, bit by bit. And what makes matters worse and unbearable to watch, is the lack of patriotism on the part of the Republicans in Congress. I never thought I would say this, but right now, I am ashamed of the leaders of my country and not proud of my American heritage that is being trashed for all of the world to see.
3
Will this insanity ever stop? I am so weary of Donald Trump, and the chaos that he has brought to this country. He is the Divider in Chief. He never sought to unite this country after winning the presidency. He does not care about the majority of voters who did not vote for him. He would rather win by manipulating foreign countries, rather than fairly winning the vote. He has no morals or scruples. I just don't see how the Republicans can continue to support him.
5
Wow, Trump is really afraid of Biden. Maybe that's something for the Democrats to consider, particularly those who are so ready to dismiss Biden out of hand.
3
The strategy is not subtle: brazenly double-down with a geo-political rival in broad daylight to make the secretive misdeeds with an ally seem mild by comparison. Ignore the so-called experts who don’t understand p.r. Fan the flames of the Fox fanatics.
I’m thankful the Senate is in Republican control. Trump needs a humiliation and repudiation he cannot withstand. If Senate Rs don’t rise to the occasion, then the people will ensure they suffer the consequences. Trump will be as popular as Hoover during the Great Depression.
1
Didn't Trump just publicly do with China what he was accused of doing with Russia that stirred up such a hornet's nest that he flatly denied?
So yes, Mr. Mueller, Donald Trump DID collude with Russia. He virtually just admitted as much, and did so openly with China.
4
The country won't live through 5 more years of Trump. He’ll destroy the republic and start a civil war to keep himself and his family out of jail. How far we’ve fallen. If we don't act fast, we’ll no longer recognize our country.
6
* Russia doesn't get a vote in America's democracy.
* Russia must not meddle in America's democracy.
* China doesn't get a vote in America's democracy.
* China must not meddle in America's democracy.
* Trump must not suspend military arms needed by an ally to defend itself against a belligerent Russian aggressor.
6
Trump in 2016: "Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing" . Trump in 2020: "China should start an investigation into the Biden’s because what happened in China is just about as bad as what happened with Ukraine". Trump voters with drums beaten by daily talk show radio hosts gave him license to seek any support to defeat Clinton and is waiting for renewal of his license to defeat Biden in 2020. There is no conscience left by him or his media. USA looks like banana republic under Mr. Trump and his media. At this time, I cannot support any democrat other than Biden or a moderate alternate from Republican party.
1
I'm starting to actually question my own sanity. Today President Trump called on Ukraine and China to investigate Joe Biden and his son for some type of vague "corruption". Then, the media hands Trump a microphone and airtime to press his vague, and most likely, scurrilous charges against Biden.
Who said irony was dead? After all, don't Trump's own children have business interests in every corner of the globe and freely pursue those interests, even while they work in the White House?
That's pretty rich, considering Trump has so thoroughly proven his corruption by lying about so many things that would benefit him and his own children.
Stop airing Trump's insane rants and conspiracy theories. It's time to hold Trump's feet to the fire. The media needs stay on ONE question and ask no others until Trump answers.
"Where are the tax returns that prove you aren't doing the exact same thing you're claiming Biden did?"
4
I wonder if Moscow Mitch is watching this and remembering his own advice to Democrats when they undid the filibuster for judicial appointments. I suspect that Republicans will rue the day that they stood by while the leader of their party made leveraging foreign governments to investigate political rivals from past administrations the norm.
7
Should they start before or after the trade talks... What about before or after Meng Wanzhou's trial in Canada?
1
Hey! New York Times. Why do you refuse to describe Trump’s lies as lies? It’s not unsubstantiated evidence, it’s lies. Full stop. The more you repeat Trump’s lies, the more they seem believable. Have you folks not learned anything over the past 3 years?
45
How about asking the Donald how he would like it if Obama asked the government of Scotland or the UK to investigate him (Trump) in 2016 when he was opening his golf course there?
12
Didn't Princess Ivanka get awarded Chinese patents for her company the day after Mr. Trump met with Chinese President Xi at Mar-a-Lago?
And don't get me started on Price Jared the Slumlord, and Prince Don II the Impaler, and the rest of the nepotism of the Trump Crime Family, in violation of the Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
32
He needs to be removed from office immediately.
No questions.
No impeachment.
No trial.
Just handcuffs, and the perp walk to the helicopter to take him to Big Sandy Federal Prison in Kentucky. It's far from any of his golf courses.
30
Jeff Flake and Mike Murphy have both said that, if there were a secret vote, 30 Republican Senators would vote to remove Mr. Trump from office right now, assuming he was impeached.
So, G.O.P. Senators, what is stopping you?
- Are you a coward?
- Are you corrupt?
- Are you just plain selfish, wanting to keep your job?
Be a patriot. Stand up for Country over Party.
Do the Right Thing!
Our American Republic depends upon this. And History will judge you and your descendants harshly if you don't.
Where are the Howard Bakers and Barry Goldwaters when we need them?
===
If you can't do this for the right reasons, do it out of naked self-interest to save the Republican Party from self-destruction. (We need two viable political parties in this country, including a legitimate and honorable conservative voice.)
22
After calling on Russia, Ukraine and now China to interfere in our elections, "stupidity" should be an impeachable offense.
18
A president obsessed with building a beautiful wall, unclimbable, topped with flesh cutting spikes to keep foreigners out seems more than willing to invite foreign governments to breech the sovereign American wall of our history, our cohesion, our values, our laws, our democratic elections. Find your own adjective to describe this man.
12
Don't forget the moat filled with alligators and snakes!
1
The bots are flying fast and furious.
7
If Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, James Madison, or Monroe had publicly asked for political help from England or France they would have been tried for treason and, most likely, executed.
10
Wow. What if he hates his job, but has to pretend he wants to keep it? We already know he hates to read, doesn't attend to security briefings, cannot keep details straight in his head, and spends most of his time watching TV and tweeting. What if he _ wants_ to be removed from office, and all of this is a wily strategy to get thrown out, blame it on the Democrats, keep his Republican and corporate crony friends, and set Mike Pence up to take over? We also know he never expected to "win" the election in the first place.
5
Wow. I don't know whether Trump is fatally brazen, or simply idiotic. He is clearly his own worst enemy. Doubling down rarely works at the casino. Why should it work in this White House roulette game. The odds for Trump are diminishing by the minute.
In any case, brazen or idiotic, is this the man we want at the helm of the ship of state? He will take us down with him when he falls.
9
With respect to President Trump and speaking of high crimes and misdemeanors, 18 USC § 595 provides that ". . . a person employed in any administrative position by the United States . . . [who] . . . uses his official authority for the purpose of interfering with, or affecting, the nomination or the election of any candidate for the office of President . . . shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year or both."
Trump's words and actions with Ukraine, and now China, would seem to be illegal under this federal criminal statute and to be grounds for impeachment.
24
@Steve M
"Interfering with or affecting the nomination" is literally the definition of (negative) campaigning.
All candidates want to have an effect on the nomination by influencing their opponents' chances. It's what negative campaigning is. And it's perfectly legal.
@Viv
Um... not for US government officials.
1
@Stephen in Texas
Candidates ARE government officials.
Becareful patriots, he is trying to normalize this by repeating it publicly.
30
G.W.Bush may be unsuccessful president , he did big mistakes.
But he behaved at least as an mature adult.
We are dealing here either a child or some sort of dementia.
Trump is not the worst president ever. he cannot be considered in that category at all.
He is not qualified to be an Adult yet.
He cannot hold a job, he cannot earn money, he bankrupts everything he involves. He is kind of relative you do not want to spend an 15 minutes.
AWFUL
22
What about Trump holding up military funds for Qatar until miraculously a few weeks after Kushner found his funding for the 666 building from a Qatari backed investment fund.
Corrupt much???
Send. Them. All.To. The. Pen.
29
We are watching something very like what my mother described to me from her childhood. She was born in January 1926 in Germany. She says life went along quite normally it seemed until one morning people stopped saying "Guten Morgen" and instead said "Heil Hitler" - all it took was for good people to just not be engaged enough to notice what was happening until it was too late to stop. We need to take to the streets like our lives and country depend on it - it does.
36
Trump is simply a really bad person.
And a terrible POTUS.
He has to be held accountable. 100% we have to hold the line.
20
As dangerous or more dangerous - He's also creating a roadmap for circumventing Congress, publicly accusing anyone of anything, serial maladministration, compromising the office of POTUS, and basically running to foreigners for support on a routine basis. As for personal gain, that'll come out in the future, no doubt to the detriment of everyone, as usual.
The irony of this "everyone but me is crooked" thing is that even after years, his own dealings have received surprisingly little scrutiny. Would he like the same level of "get something on them" applied to himself?
Let's find out. Or is the fearless American media just happy to keeping on doing weather reports from Windbag #1?
6
I'm waiting for Trump to admit it was all an performance art prank.
4
Trump double downs on corruption.
6
This is part of the deranged Trump’s strategy—
Just keep blaring and blabbing it out to any country who will listen, or is forced to listen like poor Finland. He thinks that makes his impeachable conduct public and defensible.
He is in full panic mode now and has nothing to do but hulk around the White House and tweet and holler.
8
Illegal Russian collusion, Ukrainian collusion, Australian collusion, Chinese collusion requested, anyone else else? Republicans are silent because they are all collaborating and cheating.
10
So, when exactly *is* Trump going to shoot someone on 5th Avenue? Or perhaps he might have to choose Pennsylvania Avenue instead because the DOJ OLC says a sitting President cannot be indicted.
7
I imagine a number of sycophant Republicans are squirming right now.
As they should. Many who have aligned themselves with Trump in the past have ended up with trashed reputations or jail sentences.
May many more follow suit.
6
The potential irony here is Joe Biden will not be the Democratic nominee.
45 is stuck, not smart.
4
Can there be any doubt that Trump colluded with Putin's Russia to rig the 2016 election? Get rid of Trump now for the good of the world.
7
There’s something seriously wrong with Trump. For the future of our country he must be flushed out in 2020.
7
He’s going to get away with it. He can just claim he’s looking into corruption, draining the swamp, and that it’s Biden who is the criminal.
The more the Dems hound him the better it is for him. The more he dominates the headlines, the more he wins.
As he said himself, he could shoot someone in broad daylight and no one could touch him.
There isn’t only one thing that can defeat the man: boredom. But he is awfully good at keeping everyone riveted.
He’s going to sail to re-election. All the hysteria is his best friend.
Shorter Donald Trump: “That Bad Thing I say other people are doing? That’s me in a nutshell. So are the Bad Things I say about their personalities.”
2
This is the President who owns a hotel across white house and expect foreign envoys should stay.
No corruption there.
11
So what is a return for this favor? Trade deal that milks America dry?
4
Like millions of other Americans, I despise Trump.
He’ll be impeached. He won’t be convicted.
The end.
4
Time for the enactment of the 25th amendment is long overdue to remove Trump & Pence.
5
The Times needs to add more opinions and analyses from legal experts about Trump's actions and statements. Americans are getting hit with a blizzard of accusations and counter-accusations and it's getting hard to fully understand the legal ramifications of it all.
For instance: do lawyers with expertise in impeachment believe that the memorandum of Trump's conversation with Ukrainian president Zelensky provides sufficient evidence on its own to impeach Trump? If so, what exactly would be the impeachable offense(s)? Which parts of the Constitution would be relevant to sustain charges?
Further, has Trump committed another impeachable offense by encouraging China to investigate the Bidens? Was his veiled threat about America's "tremendous power" an implicit quid pro quo--investigate or the US will hurt you--that is strong enough to merit consideration as another impeachable offense?
I'd like to hear what the lawyers have to say. The impeachment process is largely political but it's necessarily based on laws that readers should know more about.
6
Three weeks ago Trump claimed that China "wants sleepy Joe[Biden]" to be the next President. By this earlier rhetoric why would China help Trump ruin Biden - because "we have tremendous power?" Who would believe Chinese reports anyway? Trump's line of bunkum has gotten away from him. What is wrong with us for tolerating his "leadership?"
4
Trump is trying to say Ukraine was legitimate because I am asking everyone to investigate. The problem is that this is not part of a general strategy to root out corruption or drain the swamp, but a selective strategy designed to cripple a political opponent. Moreover, the Ukraine situation stands out because of the implied or - we don't know yet - confirmed effort to use US aid as leverage.
2
All democratic societies get and have the quality of government they deserve based on their active intelligent and responsible participation in the democratic process. It is never enough to vote your feelings based on a pretty face, stunning charisma, or the most appealing political propaganda you stumble across. Nor is it enough to only view and listen to pundits of one particular viewpoint without carefully considering the other side of things and alternative viewpoints.
Your vote is precious and should only be cast after a thoughtful, deliberative, and exacting review of all the candidates. Their personal and political histories, along with their proclaimed viewpoints and beliefs need researching. There is a reason Trump only garnered three percent of the vote in his hometown of New York. Those voters had a history with him and knew who he was and what he was all about.
Voting is not and never should be an exercise in feelings or a reaction to solely your personal circumstances. To have any real meaning it has to spring from an intellectual exercise consisting of research, an examination of facts, and weighing the honesty, character, and ability of the candidates.
Our current political crisis could and should have been avoided if only the vast majority of our citizenry had done the hard work of researching both presidential candidates in 2016.
5
Since when do we judge people based on the behavior of their children? Hunter may have taken advantage of Joe's position, but there is no evidence that Joe did anything improper to benefit his son.
Joe Biden led in the polls because he is a known quantity. He is known as a decent man with foot-in-mouth disease. He stumbles verbally but not morally.
Kamala Harris had 15 minutes of fame by defaming Biden but her poll numbers sank because her allegations didn't stick.
I don't want Joe or Bernie as the nominee because of their age. I worry that even Elizabeth Warren, who is 70, is too old. But all three are decent people, which even supporters of Donald Trump will admit that he is not.
8
Trump is beyond description. Biden is a decent guy. Children of these high profile politicians or celebrities are treated differently and will use their names to open doors and take what people are willing to give them. Ivanka comes to mind. Having said that Biden should have never allowed his son to do what he did. It looks bad and smells worse.
Good judgment matters and Biden failed that test.
1
Sorry - what is it Biden “allowed his son to do”? The Biden’s were cleared already - no corruption. The prosecutor in Ukraine was fired NOT prosecuting corruption and it was many countries who pressured Ukraine to do it. By the time it happened, Hunter Biden’s company was no longer being investigated. There is NO STORY. Trump just wants to make people think there is. If he wants to revisit decisions- let’s start with the Mueller investigation. How do you think he’d like them apples?
5
What's even more concerning than the fact that Trump publicly asked China to investigate the Bidens is that he doesn't seem to understand that this is wrong. Having a president with no moral compass who does not know right from wrong is in and of itself a crisis.
6
This is a red line
If you suggest that one adversary be investigated, there's no reason to believe any charge against any of his adversaries, they can all be coerced
Same with witnesses at an impeachment trial
I just assume that the whistleblower is being "investigated" now, and will conveniently change his testimony
Was Mueller "investigated" ? Who knows ?
It's not something that can be ruled out after the last week
1
With his blatant violation of and public contempt for the Constitution, Mr. Trump is giving the GOP members of
Congress a chance to do the right thing.
Lest they forget, this is what they swore to:
I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.
3
Wasn't Trump near-apoplectic at the suggestion (I know it never happened) of the Obama administration directing the FBI to spy on his campaign? He seemed to understand why the principle was wrong then!
6
Trump’s most fervent defenders can no longer claim the whistleblower’s account is hearsay, or without merit.
Under the Federal Rules of Evidence, what Trump admitted to is admissible as a party opponent admission under Federal Rules of Evidence 801(d)(2).
Moreover, when the White House released the transcript, POTUS authenticated the record under Rule of Evidence 901(a)(b)(1),(6).
Trump statements about China are admissible to prove to prove motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, absence of mistake, or lack of accident regarding his telephone call to Zelensky per Rule of Evidence 404(b).
NYT readers, when Lindsey Graham or anyone else cries for Trump, please know that hundreds of thousands of defendants are convicted each and every day based up on these rules of evidence.
4
I think Trump has been counseled to double down on the requests to foreign dictators to help him get elected. Sad in a way how Trump turns to dictators for help getting elected because it confirms whose opinions he values.
I can't believe anything that comes out of any dictator -- China, Russia, or Ukraine, or US. Ronald Regan must be turning over in his grave, trying to get some peace. "Tear down that wall" is now "build that wall" and "The bombing begins in 5 minutes" is now "Hey, no pressure, but I can't get elected without you".
2
Trump obviously has no idea that he shouldn't be saying things like this publicly so I'm sure we'll soon see Republicans start their 'explanation campaign,' informing us that the President wasn't really serious about asking China for help - he was just trying to show us that even if he was serious, that there would be nothing wrong with what he did.
By next week the Republicans will hope to have convinced the public that asking for foreign countries to provide opposition research for Trump is OK and that the impeachment attempt is nothing but another witch hunt.
1
My father is Trump's age.
HE has good days and he has bad days.
On a bad day, if he were President or PM he may well go out ine front of the press and say something he ought not.
I truly believe Trump is senile. The Republicans are misguided keeping him there.
12
Collusion is established for certain now? He continually said no collusion and in his moment of desperation he is now totally public about it.
It does seem that an inquiry is necessary anymore. Impeach away!
2
Trump simply throws wild accusations of impropriety at potential opponents without even a shred of evidence and keeps repeating the garbage over and over. His base responds and gives the unfounded accusation support and an unfortunate air of possibility. This is tragically effective. Think of the Birther movement, Hillary’s emails, etc. Not a shred of evidence, yet around a third to half of the population think that ‘there is something there’ or that ‘it should be investigated.’ George Orwell would be impressed.
3
When he doesn't respect the rule of law, anything a law-abiding govt body does has no effect.
2
I always insisted on civility in my personal and professional life. And I still believe in it. But Donald Trump clearly lives in a fantasy world where any accountability for his actions is something he perceives as an insult as a minimum and a death threat as a maximum.
We as a nation need to remove this poor excuse for a human being. A vast majority of five year olds behave better than Donald Trump.
Impeach him and then throw him in jail.
Period.
4
Talk about calling the kettle black!
Trump seeks evidence on Biden profiting from his son, whilst Trump has done exactly what?
Unhinged and unfit for office.
1402
@MelbourneG Yes, but the strategy is this: When everyone is guilty then no one is guilty. That's why false equivalency is so deadly. It spreads the false belief that they're all the same and there is no real morality. That's why news media so often fails. In an attempt to be 'fair and balanced' by presenting both sides as if they're equal they blur the real offense and make it seem like no one can choose a better alternative because all choices amount to the same thing. They all do it.
92
@MelbourneG And his base STILL adores him AND the Republicans in Congress say absolutely NOTHING about him and his evil, illegal ways. Sad!
72
@MelbourneG Exactly!! This is where I blame the press!! Stop being os nice and light footed!! Every time he brings this up Biden and his son where is the press asking up Don Jr, Eric, Ivanka and Jared? Does he think he and his family are exempt from judgement!?!?!? The man is delusional and needs to be called out on it all the time and every time!!
91
The Trump Administration has every reason to investigate the Hunter Biden's business deals while traveling with his father the Vice President on Air Force Two. Once the extent of this scandal becomes known, it will be the end of the Biden campaign.
8
No they don’t; and Trump certainly cannot ask a foreign government to help him!
3
Why would a Ukrainian gas company pay the drug impaired son of the Vice President $50,000 per month ? What were they buying ? It’s difficult to believe that Joe Biden and his son Hunter never discussed the Ukraine.
1
@Purple Spain What, exactly, is Hunter Biden hypothesized to have done? I would love to hear a possible example.
Also, even if it is appropriate to investigate Hunter Biden, it is inappropriate to discuss the matter during a phone call between two leaders in the direct context of withholding aid. The proper protocol is to open an investigation through the State dept or CIA and let the matter be handled through government channels, not unaccountable celebrity lawyer cronies.
Imagine the size of the scandal if it's found out that Joe Biden deliberately sent military contingencies through areas where he owned resorts! Or refused to divest himself from businesses in general and could directly profit off of the Obama admin's decisions!
It's like looking at dust imprints that could be years-old footprints when a bloody shoe is just about kicking you in the head. The selective focus is nauseating and mind boggling.
2
We don't how extensive Biden corruption is. At least Trump is trying to figure that out. First elected to the New Castle County Council in 1970, Biden has been an elected official for nearly 50 years. That's enough time to do significant damage. let's hope that Trump gets to the bottom of it. Thank you.
11
@Southern Boy
What pains me most in your comment , (I am not denying Biden has corruption issues) , "let's hope that Trump gets to the bottom of it."
That is excruciatingly painful.
Trump doesn't care about corruption, if you are corrupt , that is better for him, just do not stand on his way.
willful ignorance is beyond the bliss in South .
3
@Southern Boy
Ivanka Trump was awarded Chinese patents immediately after Mr. Trump met with Chinese President Xi at Mar-a-Lago.
What say you about that pay-to-play scheme?
What say you about the Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution?
Yes, "let's get to the bottom of it."
6
he was so concerned that he waited until he was due for reelection, not when he first took office and Biden was not a political adversary, not by our govt, which I believe already investigated and found nothing, but by a foreign power, now two, what the heck does China have to do with Ukraine? And bringing up Benghazi again, when it was investigated multiple times by our own govt? This is not genuine, it is him getting caught asking foreign govt for dirt on his chief political rival, with use of our govt. our resources, our tax dollars. No,no,no. This is illegal. He should be impeached. China situation is just him, pushing the ball further, seeing how much further we and Republicans will let him go....trying to distract from Ukraine call, meetings, use of his private lawyer etc. Enough!
3
Let's take a look at what the Bidens have been doing in Ukrain and China. The Dems have been hounding Trump and his family for years - it's only fair. Drain the Swamp, President Trump, or at least give as good as you get. I support you.
7
I agree. Let trump release his tax returns so we can properly investigate it all.
6
@bronx refugee
"The Dems have been hounding Trump and his family for years"
- No they haven't. Only since he became a politician, and then president.
- Do you feel persecuted? Are you a victim? Look in the mirror.
"President Trump ... I support you."
- Trumpism is a religion. Good luck with that.
- Blind faith in a criminal.
4
$1.5B deal with China after flying there on AF1 with good ole Dad.
Nope, nothing to see here.
We are too busy trying to get Nancy to finally impeach Trump. She has been promising us this for three years.
8
@Dr. John
Ok, so you agree with should also investigate all of Trumps children for the same reason.
Agreed!
11
@Mr Good
Sure!
What $1.5B personal deals have they inked after flying with Dad in AF?
4
@Dr. John
Princess Ivanka received Chinese patents immediately after Mr. Trump met with Chinese President Xi at Mar-a-Lago.
What say you about that nepotism, and violation of the Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution?
7
Gosh, if only I had a famous VP for a Dad who had no problem with influence peddling I’d could get a billion dollar loan from the Chinese too...
10
@EGD And how many trademarks have the Chinese approved for Ivanka?
16
One word: Ivanka.
13
@EGD
Gosh if you didn't fabricate stories you'd be believed
Oh well, that's not gonna happen
2
The NYT article begs the question, why is the US Government not looking into Biden? Also, why is the US Government allowing Representative Schiff to remain a Government employee after his stunt in the House Chamber?
These are certainly interesting times to look and reflect on the Democrat party in the US Government.
10
@RCS RCS, if you allow this to go on and Trump decides that he does not like you or you cross him he will blacken your name as quickly as anyone else. Trump is not the law in this country though he seems to claim to be.
We do not need Trump's say so to know that Biden has been an honorable representative of our government for decades. But now that Biden is a candidate Trump will use any means possible to blacken that reputation. Biden should not need anyone to say this, but Trump in his attacks requires it. As for Mr. Schiff he is conducting a duly authorized investigation into possible impeachable offenses as he is allowed to do according to our constitution.
10
@RCS I see what you did there! whatabout-ism much?
To answer your questions, the justice department (under Trump admin) has the power to investigate any citizen that breaks the law. Why can't they investigate the Bidens? Perhaps they found nothing?
Rep Schiff does not work for President Trump, he's in congress (co-equal branch) and his constituents will fire him if he's deemed unfit. Now, can we go back to the issue at hand of Trump's abuse of power and possible crimes? Or you have a blind loyalty to him to the detriment of the nation?
10
@RCS,
It's DemoCRATIC Party. And which branch of the U.S. government would come down on Schiff for . . . what?
2
Biden will soon drop out .He hasn't denied anything because he can't prove that he didn't coerce both Ukraine and China in business deals.Biden would have to get the votes from Democrats who voted for Trump,several million and that will not happen.Carrying Obama s legacy ,which actually got Trump elected won't cut it either.Notice Obama ,quite absent in all matters Biden,was then also.
4
@Alan Einstoss
So Biden must drop out because " can't prove that he didn't coerce both Ukraine and China in business deals."
Maybe you could call him up and show him how to prove a negative?
5
@Alan Einstoss I could not care a fig about Biden -- there has been no evidence of criminality.
On the other hand, this is about the POTUS and his clear abuse of power. It is illegal to ask for help from a foreign country for help in a U.S. election, full stop. What is it that you do not understand about this? Trump has to go. Period.
6
The $3 million for Hunter Biden from Ukraine were pocket money. The $1.5 billion hedge fund from China is where the real money was. Plus the co ownership of a company which makes face recognition gear for the Chinese police.
Hillary Clinton made a billion from foreigners for her foundation.
It seems to be almost a requirement for leading Democratic politicians. The thought seems to be "I am politically correct, I save the Earth, so I am entitled to anything."
Democratic voters don't dare to protest, but a number of them, like myself, at the ballot box, voted for Trump. Who indeed, made the country, especially the low waged, more prosperous. While losing a billion off his wealth while in office.
It is pure fun to see how outraged the commenters here can be about a blunt, but not corrupt, politician. Who spends his days making the country's economy work better.
7
@otroad
I think you forgot the billion-dollar contract to build housing in Iraq.
2
@otroad Much of what you have written here is flat-out lies. Made the low-waged more prosperous? Really, now? Look at any data on the wealth gap in U.S. society, and you will see that Trump has accomplished nothing, except funneling more money to the wealthy.
For the record: I am a sociologist, and a criminologist. Trump has committed an illegal act by asking a foreign government for help in interfering with U.S. elections. Period. Please explain your credentials for calling Trump 'blunt,' and not blatantly corrupt. Also provide data for your claims that the working-class is better off.
I'll wait. Your man is out of here!
7
@Six Minutes Remaining
If you're an actual sociologist and criminologist, you know that income inequality and low wages are two separate issues.
Yes, income inequality is at a 50 year record high.
But, the wages of low income people have been rising as well, with the largest increases going to people working in manufacturing and construction. For the first time in decades, most people's incomes are rising above the rate of inflation. These stats are from ADP, the largest payroll processor in the country, not a biased think tank. http://workforcereport.adp.com/2019/Q2/Q2_2019_WVR_Release.pdf
Try harder at playing a knowledgeable professional.
We should know whether there was conflict of interest between the Bidens in their dealings with China. How else can you find out unless you ask the country where this occurred? There is nothing wrong with this request. The Democrats would behave in the exact same manner if was a Republican politician. They probably have in the past.
7
@KMW, The Bidens have already been investigated and proven not guilty. This repeated inaccuracy is getting very tiring.
18
@KMW -- No, the Democrats would not "behave in the exact same manner," nor have they "probably in the past." The first assertion is mere speculation, the second unsourced (and groundless).
14
And you let a competitive strategic power manipulate our elections and politics? At what point do you put your country before partisan politics. I have been an independent voter and have voted for republicans and democrats. Trumps antics and the silence of the republicans is increasingly pushing me towards voting for any democrat.
12
Biden, Hunter Biden and Trump and his cronies have to get out of government. Biden should withdraw for the presidential race, and Trump should be removed from the White House. This is the kind of mafia the US doesn't need. We need a government that works for the people. We don't need this type of diversion from governing. Only people without criminal and conflict of interest need govern. Everyone else please go to Wall Street if you want to make money or the private sector. Government is NOT a place to enrich oneself!
526
@Hoping For Better
I like to see evidence before I come to conclusions that people have acted illegally or unethically, including to the extent of being removed from an elected position. I'm surprised I have not heard of such evidence on the Bidens, or indeed. that neither have been charged for offenses committed several years ago. Please share any evidence you have (no debunked conspiracy theories, please).
211
@Hoping For Better It appears that trump's Biden con is working.
196
@Hoping For Better
You're falling for Trump's "Crooked Biden" lies.
The former Ukraine prosecutor says Hunter Biden broke no laws.
284
Overwhelming comments here seem to be echos of the progressive branch fighting against Trump ever since he rode the escalator down in Trump Tower and can’t get over the fact he won. Why would he not fight back any way possible. Without Twitter he would not have a voice.
4
@Jerry Davenport
Yes we progressives have been fighting since he rode down the escalator, perhaps because we knew what an unmitigated disaster he was going to be as fake "president."
Whether it's through impeachment or losing the election in 2020, be prepared for a lot of gloating on our part.
3
@Jerry Davenport
Did you say "without Twitter he would not have a voice"?
He has the pulpit of the presidency, which he has abused and debased.
2
We are well over the fact that he won. You are not over the fact that he’s corrupt.
2
China does not need to follow marching orders from anyone. Unlike someone we know well, they have their own ideas.
1
Canada comes to mind. And Japan.
One expects counter attacks and hysteria from President Trump. Business as usual that warrants hardly a yawn. However, when a President seeks to normalize impeachable conduct, the country has been betrayed.
17
Trump did it again. Right on the White House lawn this time! He's shaming himself, his supporters, and his country.
Trump is apparently unable to comprehend what he was accused of and the reality of U.S. law. That makes him completely unfit for the job of POTUS.
12
So wait, he just did publicly what he was busted for doing privately? Do we still need the inquiry then?
My head is exploding.
9
Not My President is providing us all with a most perfect definition of the Bully Pulpit. The only job in the US in which slander is legal. Unstoppable, but for the Republican Senators. Real Patriots aren’t they....
5
Donald Trump just publicly called on China to intervene in U.S. elections on his behalf, in violation of U.S. Law.
He just stood in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shot someone. (And yes, he did not lose a single supporter, among his minority base.)
Either we are a Nation of Laws, or we are a third-rate banana republic and a failed state.
Congress, do your job. Follow the Constitution and honor your oath of office. Mr. Trump has double-dog dared you to do the right thing. And we, the American People, are wide awake and watching your every move, and your judgment day will come on November 3, 2020.
9
@MidtownATL,
Apparently you haven’t been paying attention. We are a nation of laws for the little people. The wealthy, powerful and/or connected are not held to account.
But as for being a 3rd rate banana republic, I’d say we’re one of the finest banana republics on the planet.
Although, since our government trains right wing death squads in Latin America and our CIA overthrows legitimately elected leaders, it hasn’t exactly been a level playing field, and perhaps you are right, we could well be en route to 3rd rate banana republic status.
But for now we’re still #1.
How can you report this story without telling your readers that Republican Senators Ron Johnson and Rob Portman (and then Sen. Mark Kirk) signed a letter dated Feb. 12, 2016 supporting removal of the Ukrainian prosecutor then Vice President Biden sought to remove? You can see the text for yourself on Sen. Portman's "Newsroom" section of his website under this date. It is journalistic malpractice to let stand the GOP lies about Biden's allegedly untoward motives when 3 of its Senators supported same.
10
Republicans had better hope that the Democrats succeed in bringing this nihilist to heel. If they don’t, the next Democratic President will have acquired vastly strengthened power and precedent at her or his disposal. At it’s core, Trump’s behaviour is an assault on law and order and the Constitution. Worse, he’s trying to normalize his bad behaviour. It’s the thin edge of the wedge.
Where are the constitutional purists who exert so much influence in American political life? Do you not understand that this President is shredding that beloved document right under your noses? You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.
6
So, Mr. Trump, instead of asking countries whose names you can remember, why not save your time and just ask the United Nations to investigate?
3
Did Trump investigate the fly by night company linked to former Interior Secretary Zeike that landed the contract to rebuild Puerto Rico's electric grid after Hurricane Maria?
9
And what will it take for Americans to take to the streets if not a constitutional crisis?! They've had massive protests for 116 days straight in Hong Kong! A few solid days of protests will get us further than written outrage on social media and newspaper comment sections!
11
It is not normal to do what Trump is doing. It is crazy, and not like a fox unless everyone listening is, well, Chicken!
3
Our president must be absolutely terrified of Biden. Someone should tell him no one has made Biden the Democratic candidate!
If our president was really concerned, I mean legally concerned, he should turn to our FBI and CIA to investigate. Oh, he probably doesn't know what the FBI, CIA or NSA is.
8