Trump wants to destroy all things having to do with Obama. And Biden is an extension of the Obama administration, therefore Trump will do anything to bring him down. I believe that this goes back to the roasting Trump received from Obama at the White House Correspondents Dinner in 2011. Just watch it and look at the expression on Trump's face. Like a petulant child, Trump will do anything to get back at the person who humiliated him, regardless of the harm it might cause the nation he swore to represent and defend.
2
If the republicans can’t see this, then there is no hope for America.
4
What do people expect, the man has always put himself first, his photo op, his twisting of the message to make himself look good. When it's bad news and it's obvious he's not smart, certainly no master negotiator and laughably still touts himself as a genius, and he's lived his entire adult life lying when often the truth would have benefited him more. He's pretended to be his own independent supporter to speak well of a man of whom apparently no one else will speak well. I don't believe a word he says and I attribute nothing noble to any of his actions. He is obsessed with his image. For 23% of American voters who'd rather be duped than live in the real world and seek real solutions to real problems, he will remain their plastic dashboard religious object, bobbling idiotically with every pothole.
3
If Trump had not won the election his obsession with preserving his ego might not be so bizarre. He won the election, and his best chance of winning the next election is by pursuing things the majority of Americans want--say like gun control perhaps.
OR, did our president appropriately search for corruption and inappropriate behaviors of Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, the Obama officials who covered up Biden's questionable behavior; and also assess the Ukraine leader's honesty and ability to start cleaning up corruption in his country so US dollars would not be wasted? Such investigative findings could also by inference help Trump's campaign secondarily when Biden after vacillating, decided to run against Trump in 2020. Such investigations by our president help America national security and are his responsibility.
1
Trump has committed so many impeachable offenses since Day 1, one of them publicly lying on a daily basis to the American voters.
If I remember correctly Al Capone was finally tried and jailed on tax evasion, even though he had committed far more serious offenses.
The likely Articles of Impeachment for Trump are just the tip of the iceberg of Trump's litany of impeachable offenses.
4
We could only wish that his obsession could be that of standing up to the NRA and saving our children.
6
Bribery and extortion plain and simple. And unconstitutional. And their only defense is ignorance. Guess what? I’ve just ordered my first T-shirt that says ignorance is not a defense!
3
“The other was an investigation into a completely discredited theory that Ukrainian hackers, not Russia’s military intelligence unit, may have been responsible for the 2016 breach of the Democratic National Committee.”
Where exactly is there evidence to say “a completely discredited theory”? I do not know of any evidence and I have been following the byzantine maze of comings and goings between USA political Parties and Ukraine for some years.
There is very solid evidence, and circumstantial evidence that the Russia Hoax was initiated in Ukraine. It makes perfectly good sense to me that an American President would wish to investigate a completely discredited theory about collusion between the his campaign and the Russian State.In particular when he has been dogged by that hoax since Hillary Clinton failed to achieve her entitlement.
The American Corporate media wants to pretend that ‘theory’ is discredited because they played such a major role in promoting the theory in total disregard for any evidence.
2
@Robert Jennings
It hasn't been discredited. It's the "other" part of that telephone conversation with Ukraine the NYT and other media want to ignore.
2
I will watch the hearings at home. The analysis hear is so far correct.
1
@William (here) Bill (here)
Clearly Biden is toast, thanks to the revelations (first in the New Yorker and now spread out for all to see) about his family’s corruption. He’s sinking so fast he’s not even bubbling in the water. The question is, once Trump is gone, can taxpayers and voters count on continued emphasis inside the circular highway on cleaning up this type of corruption...whether it’s Hunter Biden or Joe’s brother’s Iraqi construction contracts, or Peter Galbraith and Kurdish oil, or the Clinton Foundation or one of the toothsome Romney sons or the Kennedy mobile phone racket in Haiti. The stench of “insider” corruption has wafted to the country’s interior and the consequences will be very interesting.
1
You conveniently neglected to mention Don Jr., Eric, Ivanka, and Jared. Not to mention to Chao family—in-laws of Mitch McConnell. Why?
5
@Bob C. Twin My purpose was not to single out Democrats, but rather to point out a generic problem in DC. There are plenty more to mention, including as you cite the McConnell/Chao shipping issue, as well as the upstate NY congressman who recently resigned after being caught on insider trading. We could go back in history to LBJ’s amassing a huge fortune thanks to political deals. He used to notoriously ask “what’s in it for Luci and Lynda” when approached about a deal. There are plenty of examples from each party.
Well, we all know what the answer is because Trump has no understanding of National Security and only understands his own self interest. He doesn't believe in knowledge or learning. So, obviously, it's: "Political Obsession." It can't be anything else, that's all he knows.
4
This charge won't fly. Obama refused to give the Ukrainians ANY military help for years. And Obama is still on the lam...
Moreover the military aid to Ukraine is supposed to be a deterrent, not something like supplies for the front line. As such, since the world knew, end August, till it was restored in full Sept 8th the Russians did nothing in particular.
Most of the nasty Russian stuff happened on Obama's watch, due to his refusal to provide any defensive weapons to the Ukrainians. Obama did it so as to be on good terms with Russia.
So go after Obama full blast, condemning his cruelty and lack of empathy covered by smoothness, before you start to complain about the unnoticed gap for Trump.
1
Remind us at what point did Obama withhold congressionally approved aid to Ukraine in exchange for political favors.
That’s what this is about. You can turn off the gaslight. The Grand Old Party is over.
4
A crime, no matter the purpose or intent, remains a crime.
144
@john The verdict seem known, but the crime has yet to be identified and credibly proven in the only 100% partisan impeachment in our history.
2
But a sitting president cannot be accused of a crime, investigated for a crime, indicted for a crime (other than by House impeachment), or convicted of a crime (other than by the Senate, ha ha). Because.
3
@john
You're right that "a crime . . . remains a crime," whatever the perpetrator's intent. But when the perpetrator violates the Constitution by trying to betray the nation he's supposed to lead, then his treasonable "intent" makes his action a HIGH CRIME AND MISDEMEANOR and that mere intent, just like the intent to obstruct justice, warrants his impeachment.
The Constitution doesn't require Congress to act like our courts, whose job is to decide whether an ordinary citizen has done something illegal. Rather, our Constitution assigns to Congress the unique job of investigating whether someone who is in a position of authority---and whose "demeanor" includes wielding the State's full power---has committed those "high crimes" that the Constitution condemns.
14
Who determines our foreign policy? Who determines our national security policy? Can the person who determines make it and undercut it at the same time?
In year three, this president still doesn't have a clue.
5
and what if ‘The Supremes’ rule with Mr Trump
He will be King
4
Nah.
That’s Elvis.
2
The president is in his own reality TV show. His main purpose is to enrich his family and tell multiple lies . His family are vultures and the weak pathetic GOP are constantly looking to enrich themselves.
Trump has all of the bullies from High School in his administration who exist to abuse other human beings and steal from smaller countries.
4
I swear that if blood-drinking space aliens landed, and Donald J. Trump publicly signed any and articles of capitulation, some of you geniuses would still be shouting hooray.
2
Thanks, and sorry for the iffy English. I got flabbergasted.
I see Trump descending into an alarmingly dark place, with his mental capacity diminishing.
This man is supposed to be CIC, but is a draft dodger. My relatives served honorably in WWI, WW2, and the Korean wars, but they never would have said that they "knew more than the generals."
Why is this delusional behavior and thinking not alarming Republicans?
In conjunction with another article, why is our venerable military coddling this frankly unhinged man, whom they recognize is totally unqualified to lead any foreign policy?
6
Mr. Sanger's point must be emphasized. The price the President was willing to pay for a Ukrainian investigation into a domestic political opponent was egregious and breathtakingly damaging to the national interests and those of America's allies: the ceding of American influence of a key component of the Eastern European geopolitical theater to Russia.
This is so far beyond the theft of debate briefing binders. So far beyond an extramarital affair in the context of a gross power imbalance. And, most importantly, so much more than a threat to the rule of law or to the separation of powers.
The President would like citizens to conclude that his actions were, at worst, no more serious than the above and, in context, not impeachable. But they were far, far worse. To be willing to do what he evidently wanted to do - simply to tarnish Biden and the Democrats to gain an advantage in the 2020 elections - not to mention the inevitable loss of Ukrainian lives - is appalling.
Those in charge of the impeachment proceedings, and the American people, all of us, Republicans included, need to focus on this shocking fact.
8
It seems like nobody is actually denying this call with its intent didn't happen. Trump isn't denying it either. It's truly unbelievable. The R's aren't denying it. They're too busy working on gas lighting the entire situation. It's sickening on every level. If this isn't impeachable, nothing is. He gets away with this and what else will he get away with? I won't just "get over it." How can we ever be sure elections are free and fare if bribery is overlooked? And we have citizens claiming this is a big nothing. Nothing but a witch hunt. Wow.
7
What else they gonna say? Welcome to oligarchy and kakistocracy?
6
Trump’s secret foreign policy, which he has not shared with Congress, his own State Department, or the American people, seems to be prioritized to benefit his own personal interests first and then Russia’s.
4
The inability of the Trump administration to follow the rule of law, and its efforts to circumvent established diplomatic channels says it all. Trump was never qualified to inhabit the White House. The fact that the Republican Party fell for his act is just sad. Now they can’t even say anything against him for fear of losing their own office come election time.
2
Many Republicans say that because Ukraine finally received $391M, there was no bribery. Included in the shenanigans was the dangling of Ukraine’s President being hosted in the White House. Has that happened?
2
Trump does not care about national security at all. Trump loves only Trump . He is extremely selfish egomaniac . This kind of people can not anything else other than himself or herself . Moreover, he is an ignorant . He does not understand “patriotism “ . He has no sense of responsibility ,
3
If I empty my mind of context and everything that we have learned about Trump -- and about life, for that matter -- I can get glimpses of a highly selective reasoning that the president is not guilty of bribery. He simply discussed the aid; then, by the way, asked for a favor. He did not explicitly say, word for word in the phone call summary, I give you this and you give me that.
The problem for the president and his republican supporters is that all government officials involved understood that Ukrainian aid and a White House meeting was dependent upon President Zelensky publically announcing investigations of the Bidens and Ukrainian interference in the 2016 election. They are correct and I have no doubt that more testimony will support this understanding. They responded accordingly: confused by the incompetency, betrayal, and corruption. And they are being dealt with accordingly: slandered and manipulated for exposing the wrong-doing. The announcement was not made but the damage was done. Ambassador Taylor's and Secretary Kent's testimony clearly describe this damage. I consider their testimony "first-hand" relevant to the impeachment inquiry.
2
The idea of Trumps fighting corruption is like a dog barking at a mirror. That dog thinks that image is another dog but it is really himself. The one great difference is a dog will eventually figure out that it is himself, has nothing to do with another dog and stops barking. But our 'stable genius' knows only to keep on barking and knows nothing else.
Trump's nature gave him no choice. Doing something for National Security or the peace of the nation is not part of his obsession so some thing better was an impossibility. Why does so much of this country love this constant barking? I's rather put a muzzle on him for now he's starting to bite.
5
It looks to me more like President Trump is trying to outright deliver Ukraine to Russia, in keeping with his pro-Putin tilt, than simply failing to push "his administration's own strategy for containing Russia." Let's not sanitize the horrible things Trump is doing to Ukraine.and may plan to do in the future if not stopped.
7
Impeachment hearings has opened a can of worms from hear say and second information from overheard conversations.
The statement of Ukraine loving Ambassador Taylor telling us that Ambassador Sondland said that he thinks that President Trump cares more about investigation of corruption in Ukraine than providing military aid to Ukraine to fight the Russians.
What nonsense? Trump has been working hard to find geopolitical balance by developing good working relations with the major nonNATO nuclear powers in the world Russia, China, India and Pakistan while military aid to Ukraine was released before any investigation of the Bidens and during the inquiry Amb. Taylor admitted that the military aid to Ukraine during the Trump administration was far far greater than the blankets that Obama administration gave to Ukraine. Also I would like to remind everyone that it was during the Ob ama administration that Ukraine lost Crimea to Russia. Let me answer the question whether the president was undercutting American national security? NO he has not If anything the Trump has made America and the world a safer place. Wish he can make America safer from gun violence and addiction but considering how poorly we are doing in that sector, he probably has left that to congress.
2
You might want to check with some of the Kurds in Northern Syria as to wether or not President Trump has made the world a safer place.
7
@Girish Kotwal He did a bang up job with N Korea. His foreign policy is designed to benefit Russia. In Ukraine. In Syria. And of course in subverting American Nd European democracy.
3
@Doug Lowenthal from Nevada. Russian are not an enemy of the Americans. Look back in history. Trump may take credit for the decimation of ISIS but other countries like Iran, Iraq, Russia, Turkey and the Kurdish fighters also helped. With regard to North Korea, let me ask you when was the last missile launched from NoK in the direction of Nevada after Trump met Kim?
2
The American people need to know that if Donald Trump has a choice between what's best for Donald Trump, or best for the United States of America, he will always choose what is best for Donald Trump.
It starts with bone spurs.
Dan Kravitz
7
People don’t choose their obsessions; it’s the other way around. Trying to make sense out of Trump is unreasonable, if not silly.
3
It wasn't so much political obsession that motivated Donald Trump as personal obsession. I don't think the guy has any set of political principles beyond his personal interests. To call those "political" is simply to name the context in which he operates.
8
Reading Mr. Sanger's article about Mr. Trump's vague attempts at putting together some form of foreign policy, I'm once again reminded that perhaps there really is something wrong with Mr. Trump, mentally.
Mr. Sanger charitably mentions that Mr. Trump isn't known as a reader, maybe because he can't give attention to reading because of some problem afflicting him--attention deficit disorder comes to mind.
Furthermore, in listening to Mr. Trump speak without a teleprompter to follow, I have noted his inability to talk about even simple ideas--he seems to reduce everything he says to very basic word choice and relies more often on emotional responses to events or people, rather than with thought or analysis.
Ultimately, I cannot help but think that we're saddled right now with an extremely limited man who is our president and that that fact is having a drastic effect, among other things, on our national goals in dealing with Russia.
11
A bigger question: to what degree of betrayal of America is Trump willing to go for his power ? Would he do anything to win, including kowtowing with Russians who can help his re-election and feather his business nest in the future and hide how compromised he is?
This is no longer 'collusion' or even bribery--it is reconfiguring the presidency for personal (psychologically pathetic) boasting. Sidling up to big thugs for borrowed strength and revenge against all those who saw him as a loser (Dad, NYC, 60% of the voters).
5
If nothing else, this shows that Trump has only one constituent and concern - himself. Not America, not American values, not the Constitution. And never in a million years could I ever imagine that the Republican party would align itself with Russian interests over ours.
5
Trump has always been consistent about putting US Foreign Policy at the service of his business interest. The press is going thru the same contortion they went thru before coming to terms with the fact that the President of the United States is a racist and a liar. The next step is to admit the obvious that this is an administration of Grifters.
The only difference between Ukraine and the Middle East is that someone blew the whistle on the back channel in Ukraine while Trump's Son in Law does not have to answer to anybody on the Middle East.
How else can you explain our complete capitulation in Syria followed by a victory lap for Erdogan at the White House, or our abetting the murderous MBS, or the rush to end overnight our traditional stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict.
9
I wonder whether Pence and Pompeo have ever talked to Frank Graham about his trip to Moscow in Dec. 2015 where Graham had a lengthy meeting with Putin and sanctioned
Russian officials. Pence signed off on Graham's trip.
It was probably a contact for future evangelical conversions.
I can see Putin now handling snakes and speaking in tongues.
Onward Christian Soldiers!
Huh, great conspiracy theory. Better than ones you hear about on Fox News.
4
It's all about trump, all the time.What a miserable excuse for a human being.He is responsible for 1000s of Unkrainians losing their lives because he held back money that would have let them defend themselves against Putin so that he could bribe Zelensky to start a smear campaign against Biden.What a guy.He deserves a traitor's punishment, nothing less.
2
Trump is very comfortable with Russia (as he is with most autocratic systems). I'm sure he would have zero problem with Ukraine being taken over by Russia. To expect him to care about what has been our traditional national security concerns is not realistic. He likes Russia. He likes what autocrats can do for him. He understand them. They understand him. You get to the top, not to serve others, but to serve yourself. Nothing else makes sense to him.
8
you mean the campaign that has thus far cost him more money than all other previous U.S. Presidents combined?
the one that has essentially been a 'step-down' from his previous life?
the one that has literally cost him a fortune all in the name of saving America from the democratic-socialism which has failed in every other nation where it has been implemented?
1
Lol, you sure know a lot about the finances of a man who has worked really hard to make sure no one sees any real data about them.
You espouse one of the more humorous ideas Trump supporters come up with, that he is suffering in order to serve us. I would have to completely condemn the business capabilities of the first guy in modern history to lose money by becoming president. Especially one who made sure to NOT put his holdings in a blind trust.
6
He is not saving the United States from anything. He ran for president as a publicity stunt, ran like he didn't care if he would lose, then won anyway. He has no clue how to pivot from campaigning to governing and is temperamentally unsuited for office.
4
Louise. Sarcasm.
1
“Trump’s Choice: National Security or Political Obsession” sounds like a false dichotomy. If both are facts, why not allow both to be true?
Good grief. It’s an either or proposition because he endangered national security in order to pursue a political obsession. In this case, they are mutually exclusive.
2
This needs to be said over and over: the president subverted US national security interests for his own personal gain. And the republicans are defending him, and attacking patriots who defend our nation, for trying to uphold the rule of law.
There was a time when republicans were strong defenders of US national security. Those days are clearly gone; voters should keep that top of mind.
5
Trump has no clue. He uses his office for his own purposes. The national interest is just some phrase people in the State Department throw around but it means nothing to him. What both Kent and Taylor showed is that not only do they understand the term they act on it. The nation owes much to these two brave Americans. Trump committed bribery and needs to be impeached.
3
Impeachment hearings has opened a can of worms from hear say and second information from overheard conversations.
The statement of Ukraine loving Ambassador Taylor telling us that Ambassador Sondland said that he thinks that President Trump cares more about investigation of corruption in Ukraine than providing military aid to Ukraine to fight the Russians.
What nonsense? Trump has been working hard to find geopolitical balance by developing good working relations with the major nonNATO nuclear powers in the world Russia, China, India and Pakistan while military aid to Ukraine was released before any investigation of the Bidens and during the inquiry Amb. Taylor admitted that the military aid to Ukraine during the Trump administration was far far greater than the blankets that Obama administration gave to Ukraine. Also I would like to remind everyone that it was during the Ob ama administration that Ukraine lost Crimea to Russia. Let me answer the question whether the president was undercutting American national security? NO he has not If anything the Trump has made America and the world a safer place. Wish he can make America safer from gun violence and addiction but considering how poorly we are doing in that sector, he probably has left that to congress.
3
@Girish Kotwal Military aid was released to Ukraine only because the whistleblower's report of extortion/bribery/corruption leaked (after Barr and Eisenberg tried to bury it).
4
“That is drastically different from what Mr. Trump sought: American military aid in return for dirt on his opponents.”
This cannot be emphasized strongly enough! Our national security was put at risk so Trump could try to guarantee an election victory — just like 2016 with his Russian overlords. These are the actions of a man who knows he doesn’t belong in the position he’s been given. These are the actions of another GOP coward.
3
Trump was "hired" to be President. He has done a poor job. He must be fired.
The job of President has responsibilities, reflected in the oath of office, which Trump swore. He does not care about his responsibilities. He is driven by his ego.
It doesn't matter what "crimes" Trump commits. The issue is we need someone to perform the office as the oath calls for. Trump won't. He can't.
Trump's base is a cult. There is no talking to them. There is only out-vote them -- enough to offset the interference created by Russia, gerrymandering and the Electoral College.
The Republicans in DC? They know Trump is poison. They have sold their souls. The House Republicans will perform for their audience until the impeachment articles are approved.
We don't need the Republican Senators to do anything now. We need them to fulfill their oath of office when they vote on impeachment, to focus them on the central question: "What is more important? My re-election? Or the United States of America?"
I'm drawn to have faith that each Republican Senator will find and vote their conscience, and join the patriots we admire, or at least that we will vote every one of them out of office.
2
The Ukrainian events are minor compared to the major events of this administration's failure to consider expert input, advice, history and policies.
Trump makes stuff up while tweeting from some mop closet. He is obsessed with conspiracy theories and he doesn't know fact from fiction. "He's a dog who don't know c'mere from sic 'em."
His embrace of Erdogan and the resulting betrayal and slaughter of the Kurds, our alies falls under high crimes and misdemeanors in my book. Edogan announced that he will now release the ISIS prisoners to return to their home countries.
He permits Erdogan and Putin to use our assets (troops, advisors and equipment) for their nefarious purposes.
And Trump truly believes that he did nothing wrong. He's got to go before he does worse.
4
Seriously?
Trump made his choice.
Donald Trump asked Russia and Wikileaks to corruptly and criminally interfere in the 2016 campaign and election in order to get him elected POTUS.
Donald Trump then made solemn sworn oath to preserve, protect and defend whatever profitable Trump Organization advantage that he is hiding from the American people in his personal income tax returns and business accounting financial records arising from his occupation of the Oval Office of the White House.
By failing to declare, disclose and divest his personal assets into a blind trust you can't tell where Trump Organization Mar- a- Lago ends and Trump Administration White House begins.
Trump has solicited help from China, Russia and the Ukraine in getting him re-elected in 2020.
The fact that Trump is doing it in plain hearing and sight doesn't make it any less corrupt, criminal and culpable.
Donald Trump didn't run a covert stealthy subtle campaign. Every American knew who Donald Trump was and was not and voted accordingly.
4
Let us not over-think this.
Of course Trump's political obsession took precedence over national security, about which we can all agree he is ignorant. Ask yourself whether until outed by the whistleblower the president could have found Ukraine on a map...of Eastern Europe.
His political obsession is re-election because he has always been all about his self-image as a "winner." This is no different from his assuming aliases to brag to journalists about his non-existent wealth or his robust sex life, or his literally shoving aside other world leaders in order to be front and center in the group photo.
"Make me look good by helping me get re-elected," he told Zelensky, "or else."
2
Putin owns Trump and the Republican Party has lost its face. No one would ever think the great USA would ever be in this position. Trump dies not even wavy to show his taxes. There are rumors that Trumps third wife is controlled by Putin and that is how he checks up on Trump. Investigation needed.
3
The idea that Trump was somehow at odds with foreign policy is ludicrous. He sets foreign policy. What we have here are several bureaucrats who have issues with his policies and believe somehow they have a right to correct the president.
7
Oh, does he now?
Fine. Then you should find it easy to explain exactly what the heck his foreign policy is, with special attention to, oh, selling out the Kurds and giving the Saudis a pass on hacking up on of our reporters or betraying national secrets. What’s the plan, Stan?
For extra credit, go read the Constitution.
Nobody and nothing in it gets unlimited and arbitrary power.
5
@AACNY Deluded. Asking Ukraine to go after Biden was not foreign policy.
6
The President may set foreign policy for the U.S. but whatever it maybe it’s for all not for himself or he’s exceeding his authority.
2
The problem now is blackmail. We didn't find out about the Sondland/Trump phone call from the restaurant in Kiev until yesterday. Putin has had a recording of it since July 26. Did Trump suddenly decide to betray the Kurds to stop the recording from being released worldwide?
And what makes anyone think that Putin has only one phone call recorded? As long as Trump denies the call's existence, he can be blackmailed. Either senate Republicans must convince Trump to fess up (they can then scramble to defend him) or they have to cut him loose. Our national security depends on swift action before Trump is strong-armed into doing something really crazy.
10
Trump is counting on the intellectual laziness of the American people to allow him to rob them of their national treasure and precious standing as foremost nation among nations in broad daylight. Give Trump points for unparalleled audacity if nothing else. And give the American people a pass forever if they allow this disgraceful nonsense to go on very much longer.
5
@Leigh -- Our war hawks are counting on the intellectual laziness of the American people to allow them to rob us of our national treasure and precious standing, by dragging us into another war. They have no end of them, and refuse to end any of them, and this one too would drag on as yet another Forever War.
2
That you consider his behavior audacious would puzzle Trump. For him, it’s very simple — if he perceives that a certain course of action will be in his self interest, he will pursue it. He thinks anyone who doesn’t behave that way is a loser. What negative impact that course of action might have on others or on the national interest doesn’t enter into the equation because he’s too self-absorbed and ignorant to perceive there may be any and, even if he did, the only calculus would be “how does that negative impact affect me.”
We’re talking about psychopathic behavior here. Seriously.
2
Just for the sake of argument, let's say these career diplomats were lying. The question then becomes why would they stake everything to lie about a sitting President.
Are these diplomats so evil that they can only spew forth hate? That they can only build this conspiracy against Trump? And how can they contain this false conspiracy with so many players? We know how much leakage there is in politics.
Or just maybe someone else is lying.
9
@William Reed No, everyone is lying except Trump. How’s that for an absurdity?
1
I saw no hate being spewed. I did see serious concern on behalf of the nation’s interests
Republicans at first appeared shocked that Trump had with held aide to Ukraine ear marked for the fight against Russian aggression, then they sacrificed any sense of principles that protected their authority of Congress to issue funds and then turned to protecting Trump from impeachment for his actions that chose political chicanery over American interests. GOP apologists enable their hero and are as guilty of any crime as he is. Their crocodile tears would fill an ocean and signal only their own political deprvity.
6
It’s a real head scratcher why Republicans don’t break from Trump and decide on a new leader who’s a lot less of an out and out admitted pusher of limits of the law, who has paid hush money for cover ups, who runs the country like a fringe mob boss.
This party of “conservative” people? When did that term come to mean making stuff up to deflect culpability from The Boss? It’s amazing.
Our local representative, a Trump Cheerleader, sent out an email yesterday asking people to vote on whether they supported impeachment of Trump! He thinks it’s a waste of time. It was Day One and the testimony had just begun.
This guy’s pockets are padded by health industry PAC money. He refuses to meet with people unless they donate to his campaign. He’s a real darling of a public servant. His claim to fame was being a football hero and head of the Chamber of Commerce before running for office. He stopped having town halls when “his constituents” showed up and gave him a hard time about healthcare costs before the Dems took over Congress. Yep. He’s a “treasure”.
Most people in this district are not well educated. Some gave up trying to vote. We even have naturalized citizens here that are afraid to go vote for fear of harassment by law enforcement. Real life here.
This Rep is one of the Trump club. He’s also an Evangelical. These folks think Trump is some sort of Prophet. It’s true. No matter that Trump broke almost every one of The 10.
So, what’s up with these people, I ask?
4
Trump's impeachment investigation is not about Obama.
The tradition of donor-diplomats must end. Talking on non secure mobile in Kiev? You've gotta be kidding! In London, Woody Johnson has been cheerleading Brexit and in Budapest, our embassy is a fraternity party central. Abusing the media in The Hague, Catastrophy in Jerusalem, faux pas in Wellington NZ and AWOL in Ottawa and lately UN Hq etc. Shameful. American foreign policy should not be for sale. Sensitive posting should only be the province of professionals like Amb. Taylor. Let donor-diplomats fly stars and stripes in PNG, Chad or Albania!
3
This sordid tale begins when Hillary Clinton goes for regime change in Russia aligned Ukraine . Chaos ensues and Ukraine becomes a huge case of corruption . Enter Trump, Giuliani , spies and rogues .
Regime change leads to disaster . Russians and Ukrainians battle , Trump bribes prove futile and war becomes more possible .
1
Sure, that’s gotta be right
2
There are no contradictions with Trump. A Russian influence campaign captured the White House. Period. Nothing that has happened, that he has done, contradicts that sickening fact.
6
You could argue that Trump was doing Putin's bidding by withholding military aid to Ukraine. That, of course, would be the other "High crime" pf "treason" mentioned in the Constitution, but it gets to the very difficult issue of intent. The charge of "bribery," the other "High crime," is much easier to prove as the transcript of Trump's fateful July 25 conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky along with that of those on the call like Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman and others like Ambassador William B. Taylor Jr. confirms. Moreover, Taylor's testimony made it very clear that Trump was trading our national security for his personal benefit in the 2020 election. There are at least three articles of impeachment that are clearly supported: abuse of power, obstruction of Congress, and bribery. Whether the House will add another dealing with national security remains to be seen as others testify. It certainly has a lot to merit such a charge already.
7
Serious abuse of power is sufficient. No actual crime necessary. Abuse of power may be far worse than a narrowly defined crime. That’s why impeachment was designed to be a political process, albeit a serious, rarely used process that depended on the exercise of sober probity.
There should be no choice for any American, particularly an American president. National security is the first rung, upon which all is built and all depends. It is basic. A person who does not understand this is unfit to be president.
3
Trump tried to fix our election. He’s done nothing to protect election integrity. He’s proven again and again he has little interest in a honest election and unfavorable result. He doesn’t trust American voters and I see no reason why we must trust him. Letting this president proceed is a recipe for disaster.
3
By now there should be no doubt as to which figures more prominently in Donald Trump's mind -- after all, this is someone crafted in the image of the late Roy Cohn.
In fact, after watching him kowtow to every strongman and dictator on the planet in pursuit of a personal business deal, or selling out our election process to the highest paying foreign government, it's hard to imagine that U.S. national security was ever more than an after-thought. If it even that.
As a result there is no diplomacy and no cogent foreign policy, which these days would come in quite handy since this president has seen fit to insult and vilify what few allies we might have left and isolate us from the rest of the world.
This is more than personal political ambition.
It's a pathology.
4
I think we need to back up a little on this issue of "regular" and "irregular" channels - to bypass bureaucracy.
The most famous is Kissinger in Vietnam and China. Nixon Secretary of State angrily resigned when he learned that even he had no idea what Kissinger was up to.
Mr. Reagan of course had his Ollie North and Bob Gates carrying that famous cake to Tehran.
Obama used Ben Rhodes as his interlocutor with Tehran.
Each POTUS had his valid reasons.
This POTUS has America's mayor.
For a POTUS who has been hounded politically from day 1 on charges of collusion with Russians. Regardless of others discrediting it, he believes it is the Ukrainians.
In his view, Bidens and Ukrainian corruption go hand in hand. Having survived the "witch Hunt" for 2 years - he probably thinks the whole thing still comes from Ukraine.
By showing other Americans complicit - POTUS - rightly or wrongly - was shielding himself.
And a man in his position can have a different priority.
An endemic widespread corruption that anything America does to "save" Ukraine - may actually be simply a waste of America's treasury.
As to issue with seeking help with elections - remember Nixon again - privately telling North Vietnam - he has a plan during his campaign. Or for that matter, JFK hiding his quid pro quo.
Finally, these two gents from the State did America disservice.
They should have resigned the first time they got hint of an issue and gone public.
@Neil What babble. False equivalencies. Trump and his henchmen were involved in a criminal conspiracy to benefit Trump’s re-election. Nixon colluded with South, not North Vietnam before the 1968 election. Johnson told Dirksen this was treason. Now Trump is going down for bribery.
1
In this same edition of the Times, an article appears detailing how the Pentagon deals with the erratic Twitter policies that spew out of the adolescent mind of donald trump. So if chump tweets complicate the Pentagon's strategic posture, then yes, trump's national security obligations are inconvenient to his self devotion.
2
This confuses the issue unnecessarily.
Trump tried to get a foreign country to provide him with a thing of value related to our elections.
This is illegal and by tying it to foreign aid, it is considered bribery which is explicitly prohibited in the constitution.
This is impeachable.
Keep it simple.
2
of course he was. he favors not only himself - always - but also Russia/Putin -- whereas Congress (which used to include Graham when he was acting like an adult) favored Ukraine and interests of supporting democracy/freedom and Western tilt of new Ukraine. I.e., the people's reps' will was subverted because Trump was trying to fix the 2020 election with sham disinfo generated by a foreign government TIMED to affect the next election.
Trump encouraged/synced with Wiki/Assange/GRU-Putin in 2016 thru Stone, et al. and was looking for a repeat "favor" in 2010 out of Ukraine.
2
Ukraine is not about containing Russia.
It was about attacking Russia, by driving NATO right into the former Soviet Union, and taking over the major bases defending the south of the country.
There were expressed designs on the short remaining lease term for Russian bases in Crimea, (there since 1789, for which the Crimean War was also fought in the 1850's).
That is as threatening and hostile as it is possible to be. That was the aggression.
It was not the first attack. It was the second effort at a color revolution. Russia had studied the first effort, and was ready to block a new attack on it. Then the new attack was made.
Ukraine is not an American ally. They have no relationship with the US, except any we make now.
Ukraine had been neutral, much like former Yugoslavia or Austria in the Cold War. The US changed that, by supporting overthrow of a government a year before scheduled elections.
Now the talk is of sending missiles into Ukraine. Then what? Which more arms? How soon until we send "advisers" to help use them?
Obama was right to back away from this. He let Hillary as Sec of State run wild and create this, and then he couldn't contain it.
Trump was wrong to give in to the hawks about sending weapons, but right to pause that before any had arrived.
That is not a sacrifice of our national security. Whatever his motive, it was also the right thing to do for US security.
Our hawks are doing it again. Hatred of Trump is blinding many to that craziness.
2
Thank- you David Sanger for broadening our perspective of the costs involved with Republicans supporting the likes of DJT. His strategy related to Russia is much easier to understand though, as it doesn’t involve the world, our nation, nor any documented strategy, just his hubris, greed, and power mongering. Keeping it even simpler, he values his relationship with Putin and other authoritarians, as he sees them as stronger than truth, justice and the American way! Putin is so strong he made him President of the United States, with a little help from his campaign staff in sharing polling data to focus ads, Roger Stone to coordinate Russian hacked dumps of emails from DNC server, and, of course Russian donations through the NRA, as well as dirt on anyone who may stand in his way! Justice will be served. The day of reckoning will come.
4
This article lays out a succinct and damming summary of the chaos wrought by Mr Trump. He has tried at every turn to use the machinery of the US government to enrich himself (monetary and politically) and his despotic allies (Putin, Erdogan and MBS). The founding fathers must be turning in their graves. Our constitution must be protected from this potentially grievous attack.
2
I think we need to back up a little on this issue of "regular" and "irregular" channels - to bypass bureaucracy.
The most famous is Kissinger in Vietnam and China. Nixon Secretary of State angrily resigned when he learned that even he had no idea what Kissinger was up to.
Mr. Reagan of course had his Ollie North and Bob Gates carrying that famous cake to Tehran.
Obama used Ben Rhodes as his interlocutor with Tehran.
Each POTUS had his valid reasons.
This POTUS has America's mayor.
For a POTUS who has been hounded politically from day 1 on charges of collusion with Russians. Regardless of others discrediting it, he believes it is the Ukrainians.
In his view, Bidens and Ukrainian corruption go hand in hand. Having survived the "witch Hunt" for 2 years - he probably thinks the whole thing still comes from Ukraine.
By showing other Americans complicit - POTUS - rightly or wrongly - was shielding himself.
And a man in his position can have a different priority.
An endemic widespread corruption that anything America does to "save" Ukraine - may actually be simply a waste of America's treasury.
As to issue with seeking help with elections - remember Nixon again - privately telling North Vietnam - he has a plan during his campaign. Or for that matter, JFK hiding his quid pro quo.
Finally, these two gents from the State did America disservice.
They should have resigned the first time they got hint of an issue and gone public.
@Neil
Stop drinking the Fox Koolaid. Your examples of back channel were in service of US National Interest not in the service of the President's personal business interest
1
Trump was using a foreign power to investigate an American political candidate of the opposing party in a ‘quid pro quo’ scheme as leverage. Regardless of what the GOP postulates as business as usual, is not. As Pelosi aptly describes, it was bribery using the US govt as the payor to the Ukraine for the payoff. That is Constitutionally a crime. The GOP knows it too.
3
No need to focus on the 20th-century impeachments, no impeachment of a President has ever been for bribery. The impeachment defenses for DJT must surely be the very definition of unique. N Haley posits DJT's preference for obsession over national interest is unimpeachable because an attempt to bribe and abuse power failed to yield the expected result. Rep. K McCarthy continues the tub-thumping of no one has tied DJT directly to the extortion scheme. L. Graham provides a defense that nothing can be impeachable for the simple
reason of incoherent incompetence means there could not have been plan of bribery (incompetence as a good thing is surely unique to DJT and his presidency). A host of Republicans continue the mantra "no quid pro quo" defense.
Here's a question: If the investigation Trump sought with respect to the Bidens is so important why aren't more people concerned about the fact that such an investigation is not happening?
Here's another question: Why was Trump more concerned about the announcement of an investigation rather than the substance? The only thing required to get the meeting was the announcement--not the investigation.
And one more question: Once the plan was in action why did the White House hide its true intent instead of publishing it? If the Bidens are crooks and Trump was about to expose them wouldn't it be important to let people know that holding back the funds was a critical element in protecting Americans against them?
1
Every single pro Trump argument is designed to appeal to people who are (A) uniformed) and (B) unable or unwilling to think logically instead of emotionally. For example, the issue is about Trump. So they bring up Obama and what he did or didn't do in an early time when conditions of the ground may have been different. Irrelevant gibberish. But these republicans have hypnotized themselves and can't even see that.
2
Really this is even a question? Who is this addressed to and why? Does anyone actually think that Trump is capable of understanding his job description, let alone actually doing it?
The emperor has no... He is deranged and any normal administration would have evoked the 25th by now. Our very lives and security are in grave danger, thanks to the soulless Republicans.
And you gotta ask and ask yourself why the Democrats will not touch Trump's business dealings which many of us suspect and know in our very bones leads to him owing money to the Russians and Putin having that over Trump and possible the Turkish president and the Saudis as well. What Do the corporate Dems and Republicans who have the same owners, I mean donors stick together in this area?
2
I have to side with the Republicans on this one: its a little far fetched to hear Dem's lecture on the dangerous national security interest that delaying aid to Ukraine represented to the US, when Trump was providing deadly aid to them while Obama steadfastly refused to do so in the wake of the Crimea being taken. Better you Dem's stick with the quid pro quo argument I think
2
@RJPost: your thinking is being distorted by that comparison. You can quarrel with one policy versus another, but this isn't about policy, it's about undermining policy for personal motives.
47
PBS reported that Javelins were indeed provided by Trump but that they are more for show ( like everything about trump) because they are not suited for the type of warfare going on in Ukraine. Trump cut the actual arms by cutting aid in hopes of making it about himself and getting politics in a military deal. Then hiding his Perfect Conversation in with US military secrets.
No, the facts are damning enough.
Imagine the days when lying about your girlfriend was enough for the GOP to impeach a sitting president. Trump is an outright crook abusing his power and nothing.
Astonishing.
35
@RJPost .Trump extorted Ukraine to get dirt on the Bidens to win an election. That is against election laws. That weakens America's Security because it enables Russia. Russia and Turkey gained in Syria; America lost. Trump has been reluctant to sanction Russia.Trump in Helsinki denied Russian meddling in America's 2016 election. Trump makes America less safe. Trump is not fit for office. Ray Sipe
24
Easy call for trump. Do whatever it takes to destroy an American political rival. He could not care less if our country is harmed in the process. Trump is a traitor and should be treated as one.
17
Will investigate Joe Biden and his son's business interests with Beijing after this impeachment ?
If Ukraine was so critical to foreign policy, why didn’t Obama handle it himself? Instead, he delegated the ecountry to Biden?? Really!
1
If it wasn’t critical, then why did the Trump administration give aid in 2017 and 2018, but only refuse it when Biden announced his candidacy? What changed?
It’s true that Obama didn’t do as much for Ukraine. it’s also true that this was against the advice of his administration. And the Trump administration has generally felt Ukraine is critical. Trump has given no explanation for his actions. And no one in his administration has been able to defend the action on policy grounds. They simply engage in either “but he didn’t follow through” or “what-about” arguments (as you do here). Neither address the actual policy decisions being made- because they can’t. And attempted extortion is still a crime.
1
Jordon in heavy-handed questioning of Amb. Taylor he harps about the lack of ‘direct’ evidence. If Jordon is so concerned about evidence being first hand (rather than 2nd or 3rd hand) then why is he and his GOP cohorts supporting the trump administration’s brazen suppression of first hand evidence by forbidding people in the know from testifying?
13
Impeaching for "undermining national security" is a slippery slope. People can reasonably disagree on what helps/hurts national security. The president gets elected to make that call. It's not per se impeachable for him to upend conventional wisdom, e.g. to favor Russia over Ukraine.
What _is_ impeachable is to wield government power directly against rivals for office. Focus on that.
3
Are we still supposed to believe he didn't invite Russia's help to win in 2016? Did he coordinate with Russia? What was the quid pro quo there? What is it now?
3
Moving Trump's brand forward has always been his primary goal. It is also his secondary and infinitum. He cultivates enclaves of sycophants impressed by the appearance of boldness wanting to be in or near the perceived center of power. What Trump fails to see and likewise those blinded by Trump Brand, is how he is used by leaders like Erdogan, Putin, Kim and Xi. He believes his own fake press authored and enhances by daily untruth.
4
Perhaps the article would be even more to the point if it was about "Republican Donor and Voter Choice: Honor or Reject our Constitutional Democracy"
2
Most Americans believe that they can do whatever they wish because the constitution gives them permission....no matter if what they do is moral or immoral, decent or indecent, or right or wrong. With this kind of total freedom the future will have no need of prisons, law enforcement agencies, nor law books. Why? Because if the law allows you to do what you want, then there is no wrong you can do.
Blessed are those who do not see yet believe. To those who believe in His name: who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
1
It has been clear to me since day one of this administration that there is a quid pro quo between Putin and Trump. For what we may never know.
7
Trump's real choice: national security, or extorting a vulnerable ally to sabotage the 2020 election.
8
Oath of office? What oath of office? No oath of office. But if I took an oath of office, it was perfect. (DJT)
3
Following is a range of Trump's portfolio. Time Staff 2017.
Luxury towers in Turkey. MY City Lease agreement w/China in NYC. Developments in Indian cities. Not mention are seven others.
time.com/4629308/donald-trump-business-deals-world-map/
2
NYT: articles like this must be published relentlessly until trump is gone. that trump endangered our national security for some cheap dirt on a political rival is stunning and very, very dangerous for our safety. this point must be driven home so even the most loyal Fox fans will come to their senses before it is too late for us.
5
Trump's stances on immigration, climate change, the environment, end-runs and undercutting the State Department all demonstrate that he is quite willing to throw the USA under the bus to further his own perverse interests.
6
Facts, hidden, becoming uncovered, are being shared.
Transmitted. As if they were unique separate “data.”
Worked on and transmuted into information. Received?
In which many believe. And many others don’t. Won’t!
And derived, created understanding(s) for
implications, challenges and consequences,
so necessary during these conflicted times,
remains so distant for all too many;
at peace with their “alt-facts.”
And their promises of calming-Certitude. THE BIG “C”
Which, voiced, written or tweeted, immunizes against
realities’ uncertainties. Unpredictabilities. Randomness.
Unexpecteds. Lack of total control notwithstanding one’s
efforts; timely or not. None of which can BE walled in or
walled out by Trumpism.
This is not political. He never intended that the funds reach Ukraine. Taylor mentioned the Sept. 30 deadline for the use of the funds.
This is about helping Putin.
Put the pieces together Democrats.
1
trump can't focus on anything other than the impeachment hearings; it's his obsession. He tweets all day long about them, with the same old tired stuff. He even demanded that the 'fake' whistleblower testify.
I'd like to see about a dozen fake whistleblowers show up volunteering to testify. As Rep. Welch spectacularly rejoindered to Rep. Jordan's silly demand that the whistleblower who started it all appear, they can sit next to trump, the one really who did start it all.
6
This is false equivalence with a lot of fancy words. Comparing the Cuban missile crisis to Trump's bribery to get dirt on the Bidens and to whitewash Russia's aiding Trump in 2016 election is crazy.
3
Let’s not beat around the bush. The “Trump Extorts the Ukrainians Scheme” was a setup planned by the Russians to take advantage of the avaricious fool in the White House.
They dangled the bait, and he bit. The path leads thru Lev, Igor, Guiliani and onward to the White House. It was all served up on a platter and Trumpolini helped himself to the buffet.
As the Russians knew he would.
7
Trump did not make a "choice" between furthering the US's interest in Ukraine and his personal political ambition; the only thought in Trump's mind was how Ukraine could help him with "the investigations" politically. As David Sanger notes here, US foreign policy was written for Trump but Trump never read it because as Trump's ghost writer in the Art of the Deal said, Trump can't read anything for more than five minutes. After five minutes Trump gets fidgety and gives up.
In answer to the question what Trump thought about Ukraine the witness said, Trump only cares about "the investigations" into Biden and the 2016 election.
Trump doesn't make choices. He's not even aware of choices. Everything he does is about pursuing his own political agenda and pumping up his own vanity. That such a man is Commander-in-Chief of the United States is astonishing -- and scary.
243
@Sherry "the only thought in Trump's mind was how Ukraine could help him with "the investigations" politically."
Except of course for the small fact that Biden is not the Democrats' nominee and probably will not be.
So how exactly does an investigation into Hunter Biden's activities helps Trump?
4
@Sherry. It's always been shameful. And the whole world was watching
11
@Ludwig ..perceived nominee.
9
Perhaps the most distressing sidebar coming out of all of this is that so many Americans do not view Trump's extortion scheme as detrimental to the nation. The lack of understanding of the import of adhering to "norms," following the rule of law, and the importance of character and integrity in our leaders (what a quaint notion that now seems) appears to be lost.
I wonder, had the nation been called upon as a whole after 9/11 in support of the national interest, would we now be in a different place? Would the understanding of the "common good" have once again been embedded in the national psyche for a new generation of Americans? If civics and a rigorous examination of history and government were still required for graduation, would our society be as morally and intellectually adrift as it sometimes feels?
The Republican Party provides no hope for improvement. As yet, a courageous leader has not emerged. There is still time, but the window is closing. God help us.
157
@Diana
"If civics and a rigorous examination of history and government were still required for graduation, would our society be as morally and intellectually adrift as it sometimes feels?"
I think that is terribly unfair to young people. They are not the ones who faithfully follow the Republican talking points, support and vote for Trump, and are not the many Americans who do not view Trump's extortion scheme as detrimental to the nation.
Trump's supporters are older white uneducated men and women who, when they went to school, did require civics and government for graduation.
13
@Diana great comment. FYI, i have been in the classroom for 30+ years and there is indeed a problem with quite a few teachers who do not or do very little teaching of US gov or US history. the reason for this is that they were not required to master the material in the first place. teacher programs need to address this.
16
@Diana It’s not that Republicans can’t understand the folly of Trump’s doings. I think it’s that they don’t want to. Many Republicans believe Trump’s explanations. It’s like believing a used car salesman who says he’s giving you a great deal.
5
I would not necessarily say that Trump “chose” the obsession above national security.
I do not believe Trump has the capacity to SEE REALITY beyond his obsessions.
He chose what chose him: the darkness of his own paranoid fantasy.
He sees no other alternative, not because it isn’t there, but because he cannot see.
154
@Paul C. McGlasson If anyone believes that--and I do--then the inescapable conclusion from having a President so mentally impaired that he cannot see reality is that he is unfit and needs to be removed under the 25th Amendment, or otherwise.
The President of the United States cannot see reality.
Does anyone who believes that feel safe? I don't.
53
@Paul C. McGlasson
O c'mon. The whole world knows Putin has the goods on Trump and is manipulating him slowly but surely.
Everyone keeps forgetting that ALSO Trump wanted Giuliani to make up dirt to shift the blame from Russia to Ukraine for interference into our 2016 US elections. Then Trump had a reason to lift the crushing sanctions off Russia as Master Putin is demanding.
8
Trump loves to make up conspiracies that he can use to tarnish other people's reputations with, i.e. birther, pizzagate, etc. Yet, when the TRUTH of how low he will go to get elected or re-elected, Trump claims it's RINOs, Never Trumpers, Democrats and/or the media making stuff up about him. He is such a shameless tool..
9
Yesterday vindicated what everybody knows about Trump although many Republicans are too scared to admit - he cares only about his self interests. He couldn’t care less if Russia completely invaded and crushed Ukraine and the effect on the United States all he wanted was his dirt on Biden. When I see Pence and Pompeo his partners in crime standing there with a constipated look on their faces it makes me realise they don’t care about this country either.
9
All roads lead to Russia as Nancy Pelosi stated. When will we find out what Vlad has on Trump?
11
Trump is now a Florida coast resident. So was Nixon. Is that an escape an route, and to where? The Russians are just south in Venezuela as you know, or perhaps the Navy or Coast Guard? I just hope it isn't an escape out of the country. He's safer there, at least until the flood.
3
Actually, I had terrific difficulty believing Epstein thrust himself into a noose in prison. Trump was right to move to Florida. New York is extremely dangerous now.
It seems to me that the foundation of Trump's choices is based on the fact he is a Russian asset by design or circumstance as payment for money and real estate loans worldwide. Owned by the Russian mafia big time. I suspect Trump is nearly bankrupt on his own.
This would explain his behavior and favoritism towards Russia and against his own country. Ukraine is just one small piece of four years of mismanagement of his term in office and the placement of crooks and unqualified politicos for cabinet positions. In short, besides being the world's greatest conman, for all practical purposes, Trump is guilty of more than bribery but treason.
The puzzling feature of all these shanigans is how and why the Republican Party, Congress and Senate members have been so willing to support such corruption in office. This is much more than Trump, Russia, or Congress, but the incredible corruption at all levels of the USA government. Indeed, Trump has exposed the swamp in Washington, either by design or his own stupidity.
Thank God for the Democrats who are willing to go through these impeachment proceedings. It's clear that the American people have to choose Democracy by voting in the Democratic Party or move towards Fascism by keeping the Republicans in power. There is no compromise here.
9
This was to be a double win for Trump: simultaneously help Putin and get dirt on Biden. What could go wrong?
2
Everything is always about him first.
4
Trump, his family, his cronies and his enablers in the GOP are traitors pure and simple, and should be treated as such by the electorate, by Congress, and by a court of law.
8
Meanwhile, a note to prez's bud, Hannity:
This week's testosterone boost is really working well.
3
I hate to be repetitive, but once again, all roads lead to Putin.
9
When an egomaniac steals an election with the help of enemy powers, false propaganda, and the adulation of 'patriots' supporting treason.
Oh, the irony.
5
My Sincere belief on why the republicans are still supporting Trump is now even more re-inforced. The republican base is addicted to Trump and now the Republicans do not know how to separate themselves from him without alienating all of those voters. They cannot and have not come up with a strategy to decouple the two (Trump and their Republican Base) and win back their voters so instead they are choosing to support him and lead the country astray. Not sure if everyone else was already aware of this but it seems crystal clear to me now that the republicans need a strategy for defeating Trump not the Democrats if America is to get through this.
8
This article crystallizes the core issue--Trump was willing to discard American interests to advance his own political goals. From this view, it becomes obvious that the impeachment charges must include treason and breach of duty.
5
Yesterday's testimony from two distinguished diplomats got across loud and clear a message that has been largely buried: withholding security aid and a White House meeting from Ukraine benefits Russia, an adversary that seeks to expand its dominion across the former Soviet Union and beyond, to destroy NATO, and to do the United States harm.
The Ukraine story joins a long litany of pro-Russia actions by Trump: slow-walking sanctions; abruptly leaving Syria and allowing our Kurdish allies to be slaughtered, all to give Russia dominance in the region; asserting a belief in Putin's denials over the unanimous conclusions of U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia interfered in the 2016 election; having private tete-a-tetes with Putin and confiscating the translator's notes; and, in his civilian life, taking money from Russian oligarchs to purchase his properties in sums that far exceed their value, and so on.
Yes, the Ukraine story is about Trump corrupting the 2020 election. But the even more compelling story we heard yesterday is that Trump is affirmatively undermining U.S. national security to benefit Russia. That is what we saw the Republicans defending, their Manchurian President.
4
As I listened to the hearing yesterday, I became even more appalled that my representative (Jeff Van Drew) and all house republicans did not want to investigate this national security issue.
5
I lean your way regarding the geopolitical dimension, but Nixon resigned (‘74) before the end of the Vietnam war (‘75).
Can someone explain: Why supposedly better transcripts from the "secret server" have not been obtained? Can those refusing to testify now (Pompeo, Mulvaney, Bolton..) be forced to testify in the Senate? Can Trump be forced to testify in a Senate trial?
2
The question is not "Whether the president was undercutting American national interests." There is a tsunami of evidence against him, coupled with multiple indictments and sentencing of those who worked with him on Russia's behalf. The question is whether trump's hit men in the Senate will finally acknowledge the truth-- that all along they've been supporting a criminal conspiracy against the American taxpayers, against Democracy, and against truth itself. I sincerely doubt the cowardly republicans will vote to impeach their vaunted dictator trump.
1
A few facts, none mentioned in this story are never the less in order. George H. W. Bush verbally agreed to not move NATO "one inch east" if Gorbachev would agree to support the reunification of Germany.
Russia agreed and when Clinton came into office he immediately broke the agreement. Since then, the NATO military alliance has added 13 new states, all east of Germany and most actually bordering Russia.
This is not a trade group, it is a military alliance.
George Bush then unilaterally withdrew from the ABM treaty and by the end of his term we had anti-missile batteries in Poland. Under Obama they were expanded to Rumania.
The ABM treaty was signed because all parties recognized that ABM technology would give either side a first strike advantage with their nuclear arsenal.
Obama also authorized the policy to miniaturize nuclear weapons and Trump has taken the plan one step further by approving a plan to deploy them on orbiting space platforms.
In 2013 the US began discussions to have both Georgia and Ukraine join NATO. At that point Russia said 'no'.
When we went ahead with a coup in Ukraine, Russia responded by seizing Crimea and authorizing a secession vote. The Russian speaking citizens of Crimea voted to leave Ukraine and join Russia.
To complete this story lets not forget that we have 20-25 nuclear weapons in Turkey, another NATO member.
So while the Times talks about restraining Russia, the real question is who will restrain the US?
3
All true, it the US or Europe did not invade any country -they all joined NATO by choice. Russia invaded countries and murdered thousands of people.
1
This is Watergate 2.0, (The International Version). Criminal campaign influence plus foreign intrigue and abuse of power.
1
The fault lies not with our star, but with our congress. Everybody knows Donald has no patience for government, with its rules and procedures and checks and balances.
The man has never been in a large bureaucracy where his fate depended on the coordinated actions of others. But that is how government works.
So if Donald is ignorant, it was up to the Republicans in Congress to educate him. Instead, they let him run amok.
and now, we're all knee-deep in the muck.
4
Ambassador Taylor and Deputy Assistant Director Kent both testified that Trump has been more supportive of Ukraine than was Obama. Obama refused to supply weapons to Ukraine in order not to provoke Russia. Trump increased aid and supplied weapons to Ukraine, including antitank missiles. This is why President Zelensky express his gratitude during the July 25 phone call. Trump released the funds allocated Ukraine before the end-of-fiscal-year deadline.
1
1. Obama supported Ukraine; he just didn’t send missiles, which Biden wanted to do.
2. If you look, not that you will, Trump initially offered to send missiles on the condition that they were’t used at the front lines.
3. Trump released the aid AFTER he got busted for witholding it, and long after it was supposed to go out last spring. See also the way he handled Russian and Turkey sanctions: had to be dragged, kicking and screaming and lying.
Then he started lying about it all.
Why any of this is okay by anybody, I prefer not to imagine.
1
@William Case
Trump released the funds only after he got caught withholding the military funds for personal political gain. If a bank robber doesn't get away with any money because the police arrived that doesn't absolve his crime.
3
I don't mean to sound as if I am brushing aside an article with which I agree 100%, but here is the issue. We all know this. Every single informed and decent person in this country knows this. We have known this since this orange haired con-artist said he would be running for president. But what do we do now? How do we get rid of him? Republicans hold the key, but it looks like most, if not all, of them have ceased to be intelligent and decent people. And if he makes it to the election he will be reelected. So WHAT do we do with a criminal President supported by an equally criminal legislature, a dishonest media empire, and a population with a large component of deeply ignorant individuals? I can think of no comparable situation in the history of the world, and there have been many, that ended well.
3
Finally a Times article that makes clear what this is really about. Trump is more loyal to himself than to the country.
2
Is there any example of Trump ever putting anybody first? I cant think of one.
3
The primary motivation is to avoid indictment, conviction, imprisonment, and forfeiture of assets.
All will begin happening the day he leaves office.
Donald uber alles. He will attempt anything to win 2020.
How can we stop his instigation of a war with Iran?
"That's too crazy to happen" is off the table.
2
Utter nonsense. Trump's opponents are not immune from prosecution for their crimes. And running against Trump does not give one a cart blanche to commit corruption. It is exactly for national security to investigate and punish corruption among those running for high offices.
1
When has Donald Trump ever made a choice whose primary rationale wasn't self-interest? It's doubtful that he can even comprehend options that fail to feed his titanic ego, especially now, after three years of being the boss saint to millions.
26
How could anyone trust any investigations originating in Ukraine?
Any "evidence" or "facts" coming from them might be tainted by corrupt investigators, pressure from Trump and his justice department, Giuliani and associates, and possibly even influence from Russians.
"Dirt" is not too harsh of a word to describe their investigative products. This process could potentially undermine the anti-corruption efforts in Ukraine, leading to further distrust of Ukrainians in their systems as well as furthering distrust of Americans in the integrity of our electoral system.
Pelosi had it right: all roads with Trump lead to Putin. Trump's craziness began with friending him.
21
@vole Pelosi got it wrong.All roads with Trump lead to money.
Any supposed Ukrainian “investigations” don’t even have to be done. All trump has to is say they are being done and then do nothing else. He regurgitates that lie on a daily basis so his followers absorb it. Done deal. Just like all his other pronouncements of plans, investigations, etc that never had anything to them. All lies.
2
Let me offer one more possible choice - between supporting and defending the US and its allies or aiding Russian hegemony and the personal interests of Russian leader Putin.
Every single foreign policy action into which Trump has personally inserted himself seems to be a barely veiled attempt to advance Russian and Putin's interests.
Yes, it certainly sounds like a wacky conspiracy theory but there seems to be no better explanation.
13
@Bill there is another explanation.Its money somehow to Trump.Thats all he understands.
2
I think it's time we built a monument on the off chance that that any survivors of climate change will be around to read the names of those who supported Donald Trump and his actions to bring down the United States of America. These Senators and Congressmen are enablers and should be held accountable. The names . The names of these sycophants should be etched in stone. These men and women sided with and defended Trump as he abandoned constitutional law, climate change, EPA regulations,NATO, Kurdish allies and extorted smaller countries world wide in a push to forward his own agenda. We will never forget the harm these toadies fostered and abetted.
14
I read someone’s comment that NATO originally had an agreement not to push into Communist Russia. Ukraine was part of Russia at that time.
Then Russia disintegrated...into a mafia state. Took years to happen, but here we are.
I support NATO pushing against mafioso Russia. I support Ukraine’s efforts in that fight too.
Trump is on the Russian mafia’s side.
Have I got that right?
9
Volodimyr Zelensky won the election in Ukraine with 70% of the vote based on his promise to normalize relations with Russia. So to say that "withholding military aid" from Ukraine would represent some sort of "national security issue" is preposterous. Trump's supposed malfeasance was to use his office to eliminate Joe Biden as a serious contender in 2020. Understandably the Democrats are upset at the success of his caper. But instead of crying, why don't they challenge Trump on issues? Why not insist on an audit of the Pentagon as a way to reduce waste and fund the many social programs that are being ignored? Why not challenge the corrupt system of political "donations"?
3
Russia, Russia, Russia.
Nothing Putin can do to puff that declining country up and make it scarier and more relevant, including towing that ski jump aircraft carrier around, adds up to the value of propaganda supplied by the American press.
Their motivation is not hard to figure out. They needed a scary monster Russia to fit the Russian collusion hoax narrative and now they are stuck with feeding it while China is robbing us blind and Mexico is becoming a failed state.
3
I fail to understand just what you mean by your statement about “the value of propaganda supplied by the American press.” Are you implying that the facts that have been/are being brought to light by actual people involved is a hoax? Propaganda? Because that’s absolutely nonsensical, just like the conspiracy theories that you probably espouse.
1
Right. Now let’s put on our thinking caps, shall we?
Who might it be in our government who’s up to his neck in business deals with China, and can’t get through a week without attacking the government of Mexico?
2
@Robert
“Who might it be in our government who’s up to his neck in business deals with China,”
The Bidens.
2
It's (select one or more) appalling, disgusting, shocking, alarming to know that Ukrainian waitresses, Russian hackers and foreign eavesdroppers of all nationalities all know vastly more about the President's phone calls, acts of corruption and mindset than the Congress or American public. Apparently, the only security he enforces is against those legally obligated to defend the nation.
98
@Neander It is truly appalling that his own security staff cannot keep Trump off a phone that the Russians obviously can monitor.
There is also a strong parallel with Trump's behavior on economic issues. His policies are designed to help his own wealth and short term political position. He is attempting to push FED interest rates below what is good for our economy. He is pursuing a trade war that hurts the whole world, and the U.S. most of all. He is removing financial protections for sub-prime borrowers. The list is long and in every case, Trump is trying to foster something that might look good in the short term, to a very naive constituency but which stands to harm our country, overall.
Trump has tried to "sell out" the country in favor of his personal advantage at every turn. The only reason he hasn't been impeached long ago is the most of the issues are complex enough that it has been hard to obtain a consensus understanding.
37
This is important context. President Trump's "irregular" delegation to Ukraine was undermining his own administration's policy, but it may be a policy that he never fully supported.
Sending lethal defensive weapons to Ukraine was a plank in the Republican Party platform before Paul Manafort had it removed during the Republican convention. Barack Obama never supported this policy, but there is now bipartisan support in Congress. While Hillary Clinton advocated military aid to Ukraine in 2016, Donald Trump has suggested that Russia should be allowed to keep Crimea.
This week we learned that Zalinsky is trying to negotiate peace with Russia -- without U.S. support -- a move that is likely to result in Ukraine returning to its former status as a satellite state of Russia. This is a terrible outcome for Ukraine, Europe and the United States, but Donald Trump wants an attack line to use against Biden and the so-called "Russia Hoax" at his rallies.
7
@Jim U
as per DanGood's comment above, writing from Luxembourg, "Volodimyr Zelensky won the election in Ukraine with 70% of the vote based on his promise to normalize relations with Russia."
Sounds like most Ukrainians would rather be on better terms with Russia, Western pearl-clutching notwith-standing.
It's SO politically incorrect these days to dare say it might not be a bad thing to normalize relations with Russia. They are Ukraine's neighbor and Alaska's as well. For a short while, during the 'thaw', we could actually fly on Alaska Airlines (Golden Samovar Service) directly from Fairbanks to our sister city of Yakutsk. Now, we have to fly all the way around the world to get there ! Is it That Bad to have contact between Alaska and Eastern Siberia ? We share many common problems and concerns.
Two points. First, Trump’s undermining of Ukraine is consistent with his policy of attacking our allies and supporting Russia’s agenda. Second, the argument that case is obviated by the eventual release of aid holds no water. If Trump literally held a gun to someone’s head to force him to do something, but later put the gun down without getting what was demanded, could one claim no harm, no foul? Obviously not.
16
The whole GOP “defense” of trying to paint everything as hearsay falls on the face of it. It they want first-hand testimony, all they have to do is demand that Trump, Mulvaney, Bolton, and Guilliani testify under oath.
They won’t do that because they know that lying is in Trump’s DNA, and that the other three might decide that going to jail for lying to Congress isn’t worth it to protect Trump.
So they complain about process. That’s literally all they have.
29
It is still not clear what Trump thinks his role is as President. The one think he seems to like is giving crazy speeches every week to his supporters, but it is not clear if he has any policies in mind. Everything is personal - I like him/her, they like me. That seems to stand for policy. In the meantime, very conservative GOP figures do whatever they want as long as Trump does not interfere.
In regards to foreign policy, it is still not clear if the pro-Russia policy is just personal or if Trump is a Russian asset.
If we judge only by outcomes, everything works to Russia's advantage.
Luckily for Trump, most Americans do not seem to pay attention. As long as we allow disinterest to dominate our discourse, the future looks cloudy.
8
I was very happy to read this insightful but rare analysis. Most reporting on the issues at the heart of the impeachment inquiry fail to fully address the falsehood at the heart of the GOP defense: that it could have been Ukraine, not Russia, that hacked the 2016 election; therefore an investigation by Ukraine into the election IS in the interests of U.S. national security. Here's the important point that has been getting lost but is clear in this piece: "If that was true, the Justice Department might have to consider withdrawing its indictment of a dozen Russian intelligence officials for masterminding and executing one of the boldest hacks in American political history." I hope Democrats pound this point home, since it makes a mockery of the GOP's denials that Trump's motivations were purely political.
12
@Aaron
Thank you for mentioning the point about withdrawing the indictment of the Russian intelligence officials. Sadly, that is exactly what the Republicans might stoop to.
1
This otherwise excellent analysis misses a key point: It's not necessarily national security versus political obsession. Instead, it's more likely national security versus betrayal. That is, the more plausible explanation for Trump's actions is that he is betraying national security due to financial, political or other obligations owed to the Putin mafia.
These two explanations are not mutually exclusive. But the latter is more likely as the factor dominating his thinking and actions.
Do we know for a fact that Trump is deliberately acting at Putin's behest? No. But much or all of Trump's pattern of denying Russian electoral interference, ignoring its attacks on our power grid, inaction against these Russian threats, undermining Ukraine's security to the benefit of Russia, other pro-Russia actions (such as the Syria troop pull-out), extraordinary deference to Putin and hiding his financial records is most plausibly explained by, as Nancy Pelosi put it, all roads leading to Putin. It's time for major media outlets to frontally confront this possibility, rather than simply chalking up Trump's conduct to political self-interest, noting his narcissistic personality or puzzling over why he acts the way he does.
22
There can be no question the "president" was "undercutting American national interests--containing russia--to bolster his campaign". He has been, and continues to be, a russian asset, more loyal to putin, than to the Constitution, to which he took an oath to "preserve, protect and defend against all enemies, foreign and domestic". His ACTIONS are treasonous, not just the obvious bribery attempt (or attempts, as that isn't yet clear). Yes, bribery is specifically listed in the crimes for which a president can be impeached, yet enlisting the help of a foreign country, but carrying out policies that further the goals and objectives of a hostile, non-democratic, totalitarian regime, are charges NEVER BEFORE contained in the three previous impeachment proceedings in our history. This is not a party debate, but a unique case where the president of this country aligns himself with a foreign despot, ostensibly to further his own political ambitions, but inviting the despot's assistance appears to be masking a deeper issue. putin has "something" on the president. It may be the laundering of russian mafia money through his businesses, but it may be something darker. WE MUST KNOW. A traitor as president MUST NOT STAND.
10
Republicans say that "the failure to actually finish a quid pro quo means Mr. Trump never committed an impeachable offense". Weren't the funds released only because of pressure from congress and the possibility that withholding them was illegal?
Why does Trump get credit for releasing the funds when he only did it when forced to?
21
@rob. Everything the republicans say at this point— like everything trump himself says— are lies. Period. It’s all spin and has been for a very long time. God help our country.
This is a fine and a calm recitation of the emerging story..fact-based ..and a perfect follow-on from yesterday's testaments..
It contrasts deeply, of course, with the meandering nonsense of the Republican members of yesterday's hearings..and their counsel ...
The saddest part is perhaps..what percentage of the voting public ..and even their representatives ..actually spend the time to read and take in what happened yesterday. In this short-attention span manipulated-audience world ..sadly ..the answer is very few.
4
Dark days indeed. Taylor and Kent were professional and diligent in their testimony. They laid it out very clearly that something was wrong. It does not get much clearer than this. Sadly, the Trump death cult will march to the bitter end as the president cowers in his bunker hurling invectives at all.
9
Not only has Trump never signed on to the strategy of alliance with Ukraine, he's never acknowledged Russia's interference in the last election. In fact it seems likely he actually believes the Ukraine-did-it-to-frame-Russia story originally pedaled to Manafort by Kilimnik.
Certainly his personal Attorney General William Barr prefers a good conspiracy theory as he heads a criminal investigation into the Russia inquiry.
America's interests and Trump-World's are not the same.
10
This is the all-too-predictable outcome of behaviors by a man who only cares about winning, at any cost. The ability to see Zelenskiy as nothing more than a potential stooge in his plan to knock out a political opponent is embarrassingly consistent with trump's pattern of behavior and transactional interactions with even his most ardent supporters. The failure of the Mueller Report to stop him in his tracks seems to have emboldened his willingness to leverage a weak, dependent ally for his own purposes. He is a cancer infecting this country - - how do we excise him before he infects us all?
6
Trump's actions and their outcomes have shown his loyalty - to Putin.
By their actions it is clear that he has brought his Republican followers along with him.
Just business.
9
I used to think that Trump was unprincipled, dishonest, paranoid, etc. But listening to Mr. Kent and Mr. Taylor, I was impressed anew by the lowness, crassness, and arrogance of these actions, as if he could do anything he wants.
I can't imagine how other countries are seeing us. For Russia, Saudi Arabia and others, they must be smiling.
6
"Obsession" is the right word. If it were a Greek tragedy, we would look for the "tragic flaw" that brings down the hero. In the current case, Trump's inability to control his knee-jerk obsession and readiness to solicit/accept collaboration from a foreign source to help win elections is the fatal flaw ("Russia, if you are listening”...in 2016; “Ukraine, I’d like to ask a favor”...in 2020.). In 2016, Trump probably would have won the election without any foreign-sourced help, but he couldn't help asking for it (another example being the Trump Tower meeting about "abortions"). In 2020, getting dirt on Joe Biden is an obsession at least as strong as the earlier one to get dirt on Hillary Clinton, with the difference that in 2020 he may really need the dirt to avoid losing re-election. So, we can easily articulate this psychoanalysis of Trump, but, I will quickly add, with concurrent apologies to Sophocles and the other Greek playwrights: Trump's inherent depravity hardly merits comparison with the sympathy/empathy we feel for the heroes of Greek tragedy, even if his downfall may indeed be a moment of national catharsis.
7
The Republican behavior at yesterday’s hearing was shameful. From the invocation of unsubstantiated and frankly absurd conspiracy theories — why would the Democrats and their candidate assist the Ukrainians in hacking the Democrats’ own computers to obtain damaging emails that could be published on WikiLeaks and thereby bury their own electoral chances? — to the disgraceful smears of reputations and honesty of two distinguished public servants, to the bald faced lies that are disproved by the memo of the July 25th call, the Republican members of the Intelligence Committee showed themselves to be partisan hacks who lack the intelligence and the integrity to represent our country. Over my entire life (68 years), Republicans have always stood for national security, above all in the face of aggression by the Soviet Union and its successor, Russia. Now, in subservience to a man who acts like a Russian asset, they have forgotten all that in a fool’s errand of trying to be the most fawning Trump lackey. There are only 10 Republican members on the committee, but if these hearings end where the evidence thus far suggests they will, in an impeachment resolution, the American people will be watching how their own representatives vote. Those who follow the antics of the ten GOP members of the committee and vote against the resolution will be held as complicit in the treacherous acts of this administration.
250
@Ockham9
Indeed, it is shameful that Republican elected officials are no different than Fox News pundits, conservative radio hosts, and right wing digital news sites. The lies - the never ending lies - cannot be erased - they are recorded on video tape for posterity.
Have they no sense of decency?
22
We no longer have conservative and liberal parties in the United States. We have those who believe in truth and those who do not. The Democratic primary has more than one candidate who could quite easily be identified as a conservative.
Donald Trump revealed the lie in Republican politics. He promised universal healthcare and no cuts to social safety nets. The Republican base cheered, and their cheers carried on when he blew up the deficit. From rank-and-file voters to the halls of Congress the only coherence in Republican politics is their devotion to debunked conspiracy theories.
18
Ambassador Taylor was prototype for Diplomat. He took excellent notes, was straightforward; his ambition to serve America. How can a President NOT surround himself with such exemplary people is mystery. That Giuliani-Association is more coveted than Taylor-Association is profound bungling
18
This demonstrates Trump values self over the US and its national interests. I cannot see how anyone who considers themselves to be a patriot would even stand to have him in office.
22
@kj that has been tRumps ‘m o ‘ all his life. Laws were meant for others, not him, as long as he could hire the lawyers willing to sell themselves to him!
‘ Sue, sue,sue’ his father told him! While he had his daddy’s millions to rely on that was his strategy!
Why has anyone believed that he would act any differently while illegally occupying the WH?!
2
There is one and only one clear and simple answer to the headline query.
Yes, “the president was undercutting American national interests — containing Russia — to bolster his campaign.”
The more profound question is, will Republicans continue to blindly support Trump, thus risking our very democracy, just to hold onto power? We will all know the answer, and soon.
8
"Trump’s Choice: National Security or Political Obsession"
There's a third option, and trump will take it every time, guaranteed: Personal Obsession. It's not even a choice for him, it's a primal necessity baked into his DNA.
11
I am amazed that the American public, or at least a large portion of the public, countenances Trump's conspiring with foreign nations for political gain. The details are not important. Quid Pro Quo or not, he has either openly sought or implicitly allowed foreign nations to interfere with American elections. Worse, he does so with Communist nations! Republicans would never have tolerated such conduct from any prior President, Republican or Democrat. Trump's devastating impact is his destruction of governmental and popular standards of civility and behavior, an impact that will outlast his tenure in office.
15
More than anything, this illustrates how much Trump has debased American principles & values, corrupted constitutional processes, and distorted civic discourse beyond recognition in just three years.
Just four years ago, no matter who the president, the indisputable facts about the president's behavior that have come to light in the past couple months would have engendered broad agreement (except at the crazy fringes) that the president had placed his own political interest above the national interests in a matter of grave international importance that is critical to national security, had attempted to bribe a foreign leader with congressionally appropriated funds to interfere in the US election process, has persistently lied about his behavior, and is now engaging in obstruction of justice, withholding evidence and preventing material witnesses' testimony. No self-respecting member of Congress would even think of condoning, much less enabling, such clear and persistent violation of the president's oath of office. Impeachment and removal would have been a slam dunk.
Now, we are so inured to the facts that the crazy fringe is now the new normal at the White House, and that an entire party caucus has abandoned principles, patriotism and civic duty in order to ingratiate itself with the crazy fringe, we have something that was unthinkable just four years ago: a dispute about removing a reckless and unprincipled man from office who has utterly defiled and debased it.
15
Trump would corrupt not only America, but the world, to seek unrestrained political power. You could call that his and his Party's obsession.
6
While the facts of the case are concerned with Ukraine, the 'high crime or misdemeanor' here is Trump's gross abuse of the public trust. The voters invest their collective power in the President (popular vote vs. electoral college notwithstanding) to pursue our national interest, and he expends it to extort a political investigation out of a vulnerable government to neutralize a potential rival. Ugh.
9
The President's guiding principle is, it's all about me. Write as many paragraphs as you need to meet a publisher's quota. His world view is me centered. Whatever he can manipulate around him to elevate his me is fair game. Any beliefs, agendas, actions and behaviors are anchored my his unflagging loyalty to himself and his self-interests. Many gather around him to take advantage and/or bath in this imaginary brilliance with no substance. For them It is nice to be part of something even if it is not real.
5
It isn't only his campaign he is "bolstering." It his pocketbook. Putin and Erdogan know this very, very well. As Pelosi said: "All roads lead to Putin.
6
Yes, he is truly obsessed— as is the rest of Washington and the media. Pretty terrible.
It’s all perfectly clear that Trump was thinking only of himself. It behooves Republicans to recognize how much of a liability the president is, lest they go down with him like rats on a sinking ship. Or, are they too craven to act?
2
The founding father's who wrote our Constitution failed to envision that Congress itself might fail in its responsibility to be a check on the president. From when Trump took office, I have been astounded by the freedom Republicans have given him to turn our international relationships in a different direction. Had it been a Democrat president on the cozy with Putin and moving away from traditional European allies, the screams from the GOP would have shattered windows. The same has been true with Trump's friendships with Saudi Arabia, Turkey and even N. Korea. Hardly a whimper has been made.
65
What kind of a country lets the head of state use the power and resources of state to blackmail another for personal gain? What form of government lets a head of state obstruct any investigation into their wrong doing? We are establishing a precedent that will have profound implications far into our future.
46
The choice is for Congress. Are they loyal, patriotic Americans or will they do anything to keep their seats? Do they care how their children and grandchildren and the rest of history will view them, or are they only about how they feel today?
Many in the GOP have said that what Trump did isn't good, but not impeachable. So Trump will do it again and again, and why not? What if it's Warren or Sanders is in office and s/he wants to get a country to say they are investigating his opponent? Is $1B too much to pay that country? How about $10B? Would it be okay to hold arms away from Germany if Russian separatists were to attack them? How about Israel if Iran was attacking or S. Korea if N. Korea was attacking?
If undermining our democratic elections by hurting an ally and using taxpayer money to do that is not impeachable, what is?
20
Are the Republican Senators reading this? How can they look at themselves in the mirror, allowing this threat to our security?
This "obsession" is evidence that Trump is unfit. He is like Humphrey Bogart in Caine Mutiny demanding strawberries.
And Trump's refusal to place America's national security interests before his own obsession requires Republican mutiny from the Trump cult.
Otherwise, they, too, will go down in history as selling out our country for their own personal gain.
18
Why has this taken so long? A Moscow roadmap has been taped to Trump's forehead for at least 3 years now. Some would say much longer. Without the whistleblower Putin would have had Ukraine for lunch last Thursday.
It took men like Taylor and Kent to shake Americans out of their stupor?
We have tried everything else. Maybe, just maybe, we’ll get around to getting it right, at last.
30
The impeachment investigations of Nixon and Clinton were both motivated by domestic politics and concerned politics almost exclusively: Nixon’s began with the third rate burglary of the Democrats’ Watergate office that was intended to help Nixon’s campaign (CREEP, as I recall). Clinton’s originated with the Whitewater affair and was meant to sully Clinton politically, and only later morphed in the sleazy Lewinsky and lying to Congress matters. The motive both times was sheerly political. Trump, otoh, has a seemingly endless menu of actual high crimes and misdemeanors of an astonishing variety, something like the menu in a classic Greek diner. The whistleblower episode precipitating the current hearings is political at its root, of course, but unlike an Arkansas land deal or a Beverly Hills bimbo, or a failed attempt to steal opposition documents in DC, this time it’s international in scope, involves America’s foreign relations, and matters of altogether greater import. The crime is not lying, it is not obstruction, this time it is treason, perhaps the highest of high crimes.
16
Trump manages to diminish the stature of the U.S. and give Russia opportunities to increase it’s influence in the world, simultaneously. Coincidence? Or is he talking to Putin and other world leaders and asking them for advice while ignoring the advice of Americans?
He seeks help from Ukraine to denigrate Biden, withholding military aid to be used to kill Russian baked separatists and may be Russians. He kisses up Erdogan and lets Turkey kill Kurds who fought with us in Syria without any remorse. Russia ends up looking like more of. Reliable ally than us and the Kurds seek peace with Assad and help from the Russians.
There is a lot to be explained, here.
8
The problem is that if Republicans vote country first, they will lose their seats.
8
Lois -- classic!
3
@Lois
Whether Republicans will lose their seats if they impeach and convict Trump is not the important question; doing their constitutional duty is.
2
@Jane That is exactly the point of my comment.
Their constitutional duty is putting the country first. By concerning themselves only with whether they keep their jobs, they fail in their duty.
1
Generations of American patriots have died for this country. At this point a Republican Congressional hero need only risk losing a primary and retiring into a long and profitable K street existence, all the while running the chance of being hailed as a "maverick" national patriot who solidifies a Senate seat for life like John McCain. The weak Republicans like Olympia Snow and Cory Gardener don't even have to risk anything and might just save their pathetic chances for reelection.
Calling all Republican patriots! Anyone? Hello?
16
@JS
Agree -- we need Republican Senators to stand up and be counted, to listen and vote based on the facts presented.
FYI
Susan Collins is the current Maine Senator up for reelection.
Olympia Snowe retired in 2013. Snowe has been on the Board of Directors for the investment counsel firm T. Rowe Price since 2013. (Proving your point about career alternatives for Republican Senators.) She opposed Donald Trump as the GOP nominee in 2016.
3
This is what happens when you elevate a tabloid newspaper addict to the highest office in the land.
Trump, who used the fake names John Barron and John Miller as a fake spokesperson for Donald Trump to plant favorable stories about himself in the press in the 1980's and 1990's, has spend most of his life peddling fiction, fantasy and fraud to the press and society for a living.
His springboard to the Presidency was the despicable Birther Lie propaganda.
His Presidency, much like most of his adult life and his Presidential ascent, has been a giant rancid bucket of propagated lies and fabrications designed to dupe the masses for personal gain, profit and larceny.
The idea that Trump in any conceivable way is preposterous giving his rich history of lying for a living.
Of course 40% of the population will blindly stand by this Presidential prevaricator.
Humans are deeply, deeply flawed animals.
But to those humans who have retained critical thinking skills, it's plainly apparent that this career liar belongs nowhere near elected office.
Wake up, America.
Time to throw Donald Trump out of office where he can stop trashing the national security, the Presidency and the world with his rainbow of pathological lies.
171
All roads lead to Putin.
And for trump/Putin, its a 4 lane highway
18
@sjs
What does Putin have on him?
If Russian tanks rolled into eastern Ukraine at dawn tomorrow morning, like the Germans did in Poland in 1939, would President Trump lift a finger to stop them?
It is very, very troubling.
What does Putin have on him?
2
The next election is for Democrats to lose. Everyone knows the incumbent is a NY real estate crook. But you still have to bring a viable alternative. No revolutionary, no stumbling octogenarian involved in Ukraine, no mayor of Newark (!) etc- just a viable candidate.
Trump will always ham up the script that is written for him. This one was written by voters indulging in an ethic of total retaliation — not the ugly real life exemplified by the Hells Angels who’s life experience made that the only plausible psychological alternative — but like avatars role-playing in a game of malfunction — virtually — and although the game regularly crashes with reality, these voters will remain in the game until reality breaks the spell Until then they don’t sense the impact, cannot embrace accountability, and will continue to write Trumps destiny.
Trump says he could shoot someone in the middle of the street... etc. It’s actually the other way around, his base will write the murder into his script he will commit the crime for the adoration.
2
Which is more horrifying, Trumps thuggish attempt to use his position and taxpayer dollars for his political benefit (at the expense of our national security and interest), or the Republican stooges bending themselves into pretzels with the excuse du jour of why what he did is normal for presidents and not impeachable.
13
There are three options, but no one seems to want to discuss the third. The third option is that Trump really is if not an agent, at least a tool of the Russian government and the Russians don't want to lose him to something they believe is as trivial as an election is.
13
You can put it another way: The president faced a choice between actually hurting U.S. national security interests, which was the reason behind providing this military assistance to Ukraine to counter Russian aggression, and promoting his own re-election campaign. He chose to do harm to U.S. national security interests, a gross abuse of power and violation of his constitutional duty amounting to an impeachable offense. We all know the first quid pro quo, but there's another one in reverse: "Will I as President give up my responsibility to defend the security of the United States at all times in order to get a political investigation against Joe Biden started in Ukraine? Yes, I will."
142
@chas Trump did chose to harm US national security and it was a gross abuse of power and in violation of the constitution and Republicans continue to go right along with him in violation of their constitutional duties.
14
@chas -- " actually hurting U.S. national security interests" would be sending missiles and getting us more deeply involved in war in Ukraine.
The hawks are not doing us any favors. They are doing it to us again, this time behind a smokescreen of never Trump.
Considering the recent moves that Mr. Trump has made (wavering support for the Ukraine, withdrawing from Syria) one can not completely discount that he is a Russian asset and remember Sec. Clinton’s charge during one of the debates in 2016 that he is indeed a puppet, his protestation notwithstanding.
66
@SRD
Thanks. It’s good to hear that simple but likely refrain.
4
The Republicans put on quite a show at Wednesday’s hearing, particularly in contrast to Schiff’s methodical low-key approach.
I’m expecting that at tomorrow’s hearings, those same Republicans will threaten to hold their breath until they turn blue. It’s about the only thing left in their arsenal.
It could be an entertaining spectacle on national TV, but it would be much better if they would do their jobs and investigate in good faith.
But there is no good faith on that side of the aisle, apparently. Just spin and churn.
12
I do think the President's obsession with Biden goes deeper than his running as a leading Democratic Presidential candidate. It is as much about the 2016 election with Russian interference and promoting Trump over Clinton. Trump wants to believe he, and he alone won the election. And the Ukrainians were backing HRC and were supplanting our election, not Russia.
Trump just can't let go of the Mueller investigation and it's findings, and will do whatever he can to cast a light elsewhere.
10
@cherrylog754
As weird as your supposition sounds, you may be right. In Trumpworld, it makes perfect sense that he just can't let go of the fact that he lost the election by 2.8 million votes.
1
This impeachment is different from all others in that it is 100% partisan and involves charges from operatives who have never met the President.
No crime has been named that is backed up by the fact pattern presented so far, presumably the best Democrats have in Schiff' arsenal.
Sad, partisan, flimsy, and hard to justify when the voters have a voice just months away. Are Democrats attempting a bit of stagecraft using taxpayer resources in hopes of benefitting themselves in a n upcoming US election?
2
Post hoc fallacy. Extreme partisanship (A) has been a fact of life in Washington and the Congress for many years. It has been stoked relentlessly by assertions that one party in particular has a systematic program to subvert all that is true and good about America. The impeachment hearing is happening because it is pretty clear to anyone paying attention, based on documentary and testimonial evidence (B), that Trump attempted to shake down Ukraine to dig up dirt on Biden, his political opponent, which looks very much like extortion. A did not cause B.
2
@OldEngineer
It's 100% partisan only because not a single Republican is willing to be honest and ethical. From the shadow diplomacy campaign, to the phone call, to hiding the record of the call on a secret server, to the fact that the aid was released only after the whole rotten affair was exposed, it's blatantly obvious that trump abused his power and violated the public trust (which is exactly what "high crimes and misdemeanors" referred to when the Constitution was written). By failing to acknowledge trump's actions for what they are, the Republicans show themselves to be no less criminal, corrupt, and unpatriotic than their leader. And the obstruction they're all engaging in amounts to a cover-up.
Are you really that blinded by your bias?
1
@OldEngineer
Your modulus of elasticity is amazing.
Please recalculate your data. You came up with a dangerously weak structure.
3
Thank you, David Sanger. Ukraine, as many have noted, is the pivot point for a larger Russian geopolitical strategy to rebuild its Eurasian empire. Europeans know this and have invested billions to strengthen Ukraine's fragile democracy. But for Trump it's just a petty political game board. That's the real offense here: dereliction of duty and a direct violation of his oath of office.
18
Trump assumes that the position of President is to serve himself, not the American people. This is the root of all of Trump's multiple abuses of power: extorting Ukraine for personal political gain; using taxpayer money for what are effectively political campaign rallies; using his personal properties to sell political influence; using his voice as President in the service of personal vendettas and smear campaigns. He has no concept of public service and no ability to see any goal but his own immediate personal advantage. "L'etat est moi" is Trump's motto and we know how that ended.
22
For Trump , politics is money, public service with no payoff is for saps. National security, alliances, rules based global order are way down on Trump's TODO list. The fraud is preaching sovereignty and religious freedom.
6
Trump has brought us to questions about what our nation stands for and how our government works that are basic and clear and difficult. Is the President allowed to kill citizens, profit from his office, make deals with our enemies that are in opposition to our national interests, etc. ? He did not bring us to this point as part of a plan. He brought us here through self interest and ignorance.
We have become so polarized as a people that answering these questions may renew us or destroy us.
4
When, in the last 3 years, has the president clearly preferred U.S. interests over Russian interests, and not just the bluster "nobody's been tougher on Russia?" On almost every turn, from accepting Putin's patently false denials to allowing Turkey to invade Syria and kill Kurds, Mr. Trump has not defended U.S. interests. And how conscientious Senators and Representatives can continue to turn a blind eye to this record is incomprehensible.
13
@Dennis G
I am also puzzled why his supporters still say they like him because he is a masterly deal-maker. Like which deals are those? I only see flops and failures in his "deal" achievements.
5
When someone is elected President that starts most sentences with the word 'I', we should expect this type self centered governance to continue. I cannot remember a single instance when this President used the word 'we' and appealed to the entire electorate to unite behind an initiative. His rhetoric and actions are all centered around his greatness and how he alone can fix the country's problems. This will not end well for the U.S., whether it is next year through impeachment and removal, January of 2021 with his defeat at the polls or heaven forbid after four more years of this nonsense. The damage to our image and influence abroad will take at least a decade to repair. Best to get started sooner as opposed to later.
10
Even among those who voted for him, how many seriously thought he was running for president for the sake of the country and not for his own egoistic cause? So why would he rerun for any reason other than to fuel his own ego?
6
@Eastbackbay
By extension does that not fuel his supporters egos?
1
Trump First. That's always been his motto, and will always be.
6
Ambassador Taylor and Deputy Assistant Director Kent both testified that Trump has been more supportive of Ukraine than was Obama. Trump has increased security assistance and summerly Ukraine with weaponry, including anti-tank missiles. Obama refuse to give Ukraine armaments for fear of provoking Russia. President Zelensky was effusively thanked Trump for his strong support of Ukraine.
1
@William Case I don’t think you’re letting facts get in the way here. Withholding appropriated funds until Zelensky thanks Trump and press hits as to what’s going on? Since when is that “aid”?
From the outset Trump has demonstrated that he holds Russia in much higher esteem than his own country. He has cow-towed to Putin at every turn, met privately with him while demanding that no transcript be made available, consorted with countless miscreants with close ties to Moscow, made decisions that clearly benefit Putin — all while giving second shrift to American values and accepted policy toward our Russian adversary. It's been speculated that Trump is a Russian asset; if not by vocation, he appears closer to the Kremlin than to Washington. These impeachment hearings are revelatory — and vital — in exposing Trump for what he is: a substandard president who will sacrifice his own country in order to appease his Russian counterpart. If Republicans are fine with this arrangement, rather than defend Trump on our soil, they should relocate to Russia and remain there. Leave Democracy to those who cherish it.
4
The fact that Trump won the last presidential election (only because of the Electoral College, which has go) is to me our biggest problem. How could anyone in USA not know his history of deciet and lies, the Dems blew it on that one. What I find shocking is that so many people still support him. Do they not read anything or do they just watch FOX and take it for truth? It is very sad that so many people have been duped.
31
He was sold to his tv audience for years as a brilliant master of the deal and billionaire businessman who swaggered around, made his own rules, and fired the inept who didn’t measure up to his high standards. He was rich so he must know what he’s talking about. That’s what they voted for. Who knows what worthless products advertised on those shows the yokels also bought. But they got what they wanted: a president as seen on tv... just like in Ukraine.
4
Nobody, not even a small child (except for Fox News and Republicans), could possibly believe that Trump was interested in Ukrainian corruption in his phone call, nor that he was not soliciting foreign intervention in our elections, nor that his dealings played to the advantage of Russia.
In the previous three impeachment proceedings concerning a president, one was quite serious (Nixon), one political (Johnson), one trivial (Clinton). This one is serious and strikes not only at our Constitution but also at our national security.
If some House Republicans do not vote for impeachment and Senate Republican vote against conviction, we shall know the Republicans for what they are: the party of corruption, greed, dirty tricks, and weak national defense. We need a new book for the Trump Republicans: Profiles in Depravity.
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@Wiltontraveler
I think we already know the republicans for those traits. Why don't you write that book? I would buy it.
1
Unfortunately none of this maters unless the Republicans step up to their constitutional duties and see the President what he is and what he did. Their loyalty is greatly misplaced Their performance yesterday was shameful. If they don’t do their duty hopefully they will be voted out of office
19
As Pelosi said, all roads leads to Putin. The hold up on aid to Ukraine clearly benefited Russia, and Ukraine has already made concessions to Russia because the uncertainty over US support.
80
For me as an Independent, the impeachment proceedings, up to and including the first day of public hearings, show beyond any doubt that Mr. Trump is guilty of serious abuse of power. The witnesses providing evidence of Mr. Trump's attempt to coerce Ukrainian officials into a politically motivated investigation of the Bidens are very credible and well informed. In particular, Mr. Taylor, the top US official in Ukraine, was very convincing. The Republican rebuttals came across as mostly foot stomping, arm waving and table pounding, but no justification for Mr. Trump's unacceptable actions. Based on this and many other episodes of unacceptable behavior and rhetoric by Mr. Trump, Republicans need to put country above party and impeach Mr. Trump.
431
Republican's are going the Screamin' Brett Kavanaugh route.
37
@Steve Kennedy that moment is coming, isn't it? And when it does, all Americans will see in clear light who the Republicans care most about. I can't wait!!
23
Trump doesn't just need to be impeached. he needs to be removed from office along with ag Barr and secretary of state pompeo. chief of staff needs to go too but I assume he's on his way out.
19
It really is time to get this thuggish, cartoon criminal out. I can only hope he doesn’t slither his way out of this one like he has done since the day he was born.
198
@Nicky he'll eventually save face and resign rather than being humiliated in a public trial. And of course, he'll blame it on others and accept no responsibility. That's how narcissists operate.
12
@pork chops From your lips (or should I say fingers?) to God's ears!
2
@Nicky
He won't slither past Pelosi!
If you disagree with policy, you fight hard in the next election.
But if the president has brazen disregard for a fair election, we only have only one option.
176
@Cyrus Oh the irony. It is Schiff and the Democrats who are using taxpayer resources to interfere, hoping to tilt the upcoming election in their direction.
Meanwhile, the people's business goes unattended.
2
@OldEngineer OK boomer
12
@OldEngineer
From another commenter: "Wiltontraveler"
Nobody, not even a small child (except for Fox News and Republicans), could possibly believe that Trump was interested in Ukrainian corruption in his phone call, nor that he was not soliciting foreign intervention in our elections, nor that his dealings played to the advantage of Russia.
In the previous three impeachment proceedings concerning a president, one was quite serious (Nixon), one political (Johnson), one trivial (Clinton). This one is serious and strikes not only at our Constitution but also at our national security.
If some House Republicans do not vote for impeachment and Senate Republican vote against conviction, we shall know the Republicans for what they are: the party of corruption, greed, dirty tricks, and weak national defense. We need a new book for the Trump Republicans: Profiles in Depravity.
30
He did it to help the Russians and his own re-election. What could be more "perfect"?
89
The question is no longer "whether" it is "why?" One would guess that the old Watergate adage "follow the money" may provide the answer.
61
@SDG
Need the tax returns to do that!
2
@Allan He just lost another appeal today, so it is getting that much closer to the moment when we will see them.
Lock him up. The GOP are saying he did nothing wrong. They all have traitor tendencies in their hearts for America. They are only there to save there corrupt GOP party and forget about Demcracy and getting along. Shameful.
121
@D.j.j.k.
GOP looks more like an arm of the Russian government every day. Trump may not be the only one with marching orders from Putin
9
Well reasoned and thoughtful
12
When faced with a choice between obsession and something else, Mr. Trump can be relied on to choose obsession, every time.
28
Didn't we only start giving Ukraine weapons during the Trump administration anyway? What was Obama's reason not to if it's a national security issue? This all seems very odd.
@Don Q
There was some attempt to rationally limit the danger of war. Remember?
1
@Don Q No, Obama did supply weapons, just not the ones they requested from Trump. Obama did put on sanctions, expelled the Russians from the G-7, and issued strong terms. It's historically wrong to suggest Obama was slack on this one.
16
@Don Q It was the change of presidents in the Ukraine. The US was not about to give American weapons to the previous Russian-loving president of Ukraine. This policy came from the State Department, not Obama.
12
Trump did alert everyone about a shadow government- he just forgot to take credit for it.
Rudy and his crook friends are handling Ukraine and Jared is off schmoozing with Saudi prince murderers and the Turkish president ‘s son in law back channels. Trump’s 100% degrading of his office, his oath, his country is a family affair.
Meanwhile Roger Stone’s family has open Bibles on their laps and a preacher in a smock nearby at his trial, trying for some borrowed morality to fly by.
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@Kay Johnson
'Meanwhile Roger Stone’s family has open Bibles on their laps and a preacher in a smock nearby at his trial, trying for some borrowed morality to fly by.'
Are you serious?!?!?!?
2
It is in Russia's interest to keep an incompetent president whose avowed aim is to dismantle America's government in power as long as possible. Putin was one of the first to realize that Trump is a perfect example of the axiom that getting elected is one thing and actually governing is something entirely different. Russia is going to have to make some strategic adjustments in 2021.
85
@Billy Glad
Will they host his exile on the Black Sea if he loses?
Get all the information out of them that they can as a condition of exile, (treason) then send him home to face the music as a gift of friendship between two great democracies.
@Lawrence I know I'm an outlier here but I think Trump might resign before the election so that Pence can pardon him without facing obstruction charges himself when the Democrats take the government back. If Trump runs and loses it will be too late for Pence to pardon him and he will be the first American president to be indicted and, if he can't get a hung jury, go to jail. No Democratic president is going to be able to avoid prosecuting Trump for obstruction of justice as soon as they take office. Considering Trump's character I wonder if he has the nerve to take his chances with the electorate next November.