Time to remind my students, as if a reminder were necessary, of the value of taking regular, complete notes....
7
If dems were smart they would throw Biden under the bus in exchange for Trump doing same. Then get Bloomberg to run; who is a much stronger candidate than all of them.
Play it out. Let’s just say that Romney, Alexander, Collins, and Murkowski support a vote on calling Bolton as a witness, and Bolton actually takes the stand. How can anyone believe that hearing him say what everyone already knows will have any impact? If anything, it will be anticlimactic. It’d be as meaningless as the ‘Access Hollywood’ tape, with Trump plainly admitting he grabbed women’s whatevers. No act is below Trump, and, in the unspoken backroom rallying cry that’s understood by all 53 Republican senators, “For the sake of our Twit, we must acquit!” Testimony from Bolton won’t change a thing.
6
Play it out. Let’s just say that Romney, Alexander, Collins, and Murkowski support a vote on calling Bolton as a witness, and Bolton actually takes the stand. How can anyone believe that hearing him say what everyone already knows will have any impact? If anything, it will be anticlimactic. It’d be as meaningless as the ‘Access Hollywood’ tape, with Trump plainly admitting he grabbed women’s whatevers. No act is below Trump, and, in the unspoken backroom rallying cry that’s understood by all 53 Republican senators, “For the sake of our Twit, we must acquit!” Testimony from Bolton won’t change a thing.
"No matter how cynical you get, you just can't keep up." -- Lily Tomlin
3
the short answer is no !
first off bolton is a ex employee with a ax to grind and one that wants to sell a book on top of it , this is the combination any defense lawyer dreams of, yes bolton says he left the administration but all the WH has to do is produce a termination letter proving that he was fired and there goes his credibility !
But to get back to the meat , boltons statements prove one thing and one thing only , that trump had intent to freeze the aid to force a investigation into biden.
The problem is - and this has been proven by statements made by the ukrainians - that ukraine never received notification that the aid was frozen , this blows a big hole into the democratic narrative ! the second problem for democrats is that the entire case is build on the notion that biden did nothing wrong , if however for some reason evidence were to emerge that biden or his son indeed were involved in dealings that were inappropriate then this would change the dynamics of the whole case .
Last but not least the question senators have to ask is whether or not trumps actions - if proven true - constitute a offense worthy for impeachment and removal from office especially with the elections only 10 months out , this doesnt mean senators troubled by trumps actions have to condone them , they could vote to aquit but then formally censure the president or pass a resolution condeming his actions !
1
A true teflon mobster is what he is. And his party is terrified of his twitter insults and badmouthing. Very sad.
3
Only another "drug deal" will keep Bolton from testifying.
1
You know you're in deep, deep trouble when John Bolton is the voice of reason.
7
This could all be sorted out so easily. I'd like to have Uncle John (Bolton) read aloud to us from the book. Read the good parts--just enough pique the interest of book buyers, and enough to confirm the truth about Trump. That way, everyone's happy--Bolton's publisher, Bolton's investment advisor, and the public.
3
@Purl Onions
Yes, Bolton's publisher, Bolton's investment advisor, and of course, Bolton's bank account. The public? Not so much.
None of this high level power game is played for the public benefit or welfare. The only beneficiaries will be the political power players.
1
Witness exchange? Maybe Biden for Trump!
2
I'd like ask the Senate republicans what motivated them to run for elected office. It certainly wasn't loyalty to the Constitution or interest in the country's well being.
It's pretty obvious at this juncture that its the money and maybe the ease of a job that includes passing legislation.
The other reasons are beyond me.
7
Maybe decent people can't be politicians. Too bad. It seems that all of them are conniving, greedy, horrible people. Nixon is beginning to look good.
PS I don't give a hoot about Joe Biden. He's had his time and does not deserve to be president. How could he not have known that his son getting 50K a month, 600K a year from a Ukrainian electric company would not look like a bribe? Can't Hunter work and make that money?!
So far as Trump -- the great thing is the close scrutiny the press gives this guy as he rules by fiat- aka executive order-- now where in the heck is Congress-- which has enacted all kinds of awful legislation -- ostriches!! taking $$$ from lobbyists for this that and the other, gumming up the works for some kind of so called "conservative" and misogynistic agenda. The corruption did not start nor will it end with DJT. Too bad the impeachment stuff can't go on forever as it seemed to with Clinton. Lame Duck can be a good thing.
2
If other countries can hack into things so easily, why has no one hacked into the IRS and exposed trump.’s taxes?
11
The Republican party has been beyond ethics for some time and now they are showing that they are also beyond shame. The simultaneously reject hearing witnesses while putting forth the claim that Trump is the victim of a witch hunt. Having arrived at a point where one of our two major political parties is hopelessly corrupt what hope is there for democracy in the US?
Trump will be the undoing of the Republican party but I also fear that he will be the undoing of the US as well. It was a dangerous gamble that the US took in 2016 and it is looking more disastrous by the day.
8
The truth of the matter is that Trump is truly a closet Benedict Arnold or a Quisling! At least Arnold failed in his attempt to give West Point over to the British. Unfortunately, Trump, by his withdrawal of troops that were protecting the Kurds from the slaughter of ethic cleansing by the Turks, allowed an important military base in Syria to Putin’s Russia, which, instead, is is now flying the Russian flag now and not the U.S. flag!
1
Narcissists are expert in diversion, gaslighting and lies. With one purpose, to serve the narcissist and his need for control and narcissistic supply.
Donald Trump fits the definition of the overt narcissist to a tee. Grandiose and manipulative.
The Trumpers have yet to see though the looking glass right before their eyes. Sort of like the emperor with no clothes. Just ten times worse.
The reason nothing seems to stick against Teflon Don is simply that the narcissists strategy is to win, no matter the cost. And in the end his or her opponent or partner, will always lose.
Even if the narcissist takes down the house with him.
6
Increasingly, it is the U.S. that is on trial. Not just the president, but also the Republican senators who support him, the voters who stand by them, and the system that seems to be not robust enough to impartially uphold the law. And note -- it is not "democracy" that is on trial; it is the U.S. attempt at democracy.
8
“Perhaps the most serious disclosure of his political career”?
A month before the 2016 election, it was disclosed that Mr. Trump liked to brag about sexually assaulting women who he didn’t know.
17
Jesus could make his second coming and declare that Trump was lying and abusing the office. And should be removed. The republican response would be to convert to atheism.
19
I hate to disappoint folks - but Bolton is the same as that California woman with help of Sen Feinstein of "I have new information" attempted to torpedo Kavanaugh.
We know what happened. Justice Kavanaugh is sitting in the Bench.
Ditto here.
What exactly can Bolton reveal that we already do not know?
That POTUS was determined to hold aid as long as possible while his aides investigated anti corruption efforts of Ukraine?
And that POTUS hates foreign aid.
What I would like to ask Bolton is why did he not resign when he thought he totally disagrees with POTUS over Ukraine. POTUS deserves this courtsey from honorable men.
Also, from House hearings - Bolton was in meetings with Amb. Soundland when he broached Biden investigation.
And Bolton famously said he wants nothing to do with a drug deal.
And I would like to ask Bolton why he never confronted POTUS about his July 25 call when his aides briefed him.
Rather than challenging POTUS - he asked aides to go talk to lawyers.
Mr. Bolton owes Senate this information and whether he ever told POTUS this conversation is big time trouble.
And if folks were paying attention to 81 year old Dershowitz.
He told senators - Bolton makes no difference to this Shampimpeachment as both articles are deeply flawed - constitutionally.
So, bring on Bolton.
But Bolton is going to be eaten alive with his duplicity by POTUS lawyers - as he should be.
3
Republican senators are Trump's stooges, putting their shredded reputations on the line for a man who has never played it straight with them, and who will jettison them when he believes they are no longer useful. Kind of like his contractors, creditors, women, and "friends." And I for one look forward to it.
11
Nothing will upend Trump. To upend Trump, the perfidious Republican senators would have to have souls, but they’re soulless and bloodless. Even the so-called “moderates” are anything but. Collins and Romney “think” they want witnesses? They can all go straight to...
8
They want RBG’s seat, so they’ll continue their charade of patriotism and seriousness
They get the seat
They get their payday
3
I didn’t realize that watching two scorpions fighting with each other could be so entertaining.
2
It's the duty of the Congress to remove a president who "conditioned security aid to a war-torn ally" for anything other than the national interest, despite what OJ, Claus and Jeffrey's lawyer said.
7
Today, Dershowitz clearly showed that even if there was quid pro quo, and there wasn't, it would not be abuse of power constitutionally.
3
Great article....more like this please. The totality of this mans crimes are unbelievable. And how many more criminals still surround him? This presidency is the worst criminal conspiracy in the history of the US. It is mind boggling how it is allowed to continue. What's next? Impose martial law, manufacture a new emergency crises in order to seize power indefinitely and cancel the 2020 elections?
And why have we heard NO other stories from the NYTimes or other prominent journalists regarding the hack on the GOP by Russia, in which NO documents were ever dumped in the public realm? Are GOP senators being blackmailed by Trump and Russia to tow the line or get outed for their own crimes? Not acceptable for the media to have dropped the ball on that loose end.
Your country and it's democracy are hanging by a THREAD.
I suggest millions of you take to the streets of DC before the GOP votes this week or next?
It is that serious, I and millions around the world have been reading for hours and hours a day for nearly 4 years now. We are all Dead Tired of this outrageous clown and how many lives have been put essentially on hold in order to not lose sight of this existential THREAT to continuation of a prosperous free world.
The free world has not been in this much peril since WW2.
We are ALL in a state of emergency, and I strongly suggest the media start making that point MUCH more strongly than you currently have.
This is NOT NORMAL.
RESIST.
10
“...would rise to the level of the abuse of power...”
Consider: living organism, people and others, can be, ABUSED.
And are. Daily. Everywhere.
Enabled by complacent and complicit people.
Power, of harmful words, spoken, written, twittered, ETC., and done-deeds, as
well as needed words not transmitted, and deeds not planned, implemented nor
assessed to be learn from for future actions, is used. Misused. Not used.
This is not a semantic issue. Neither are the daily choices of all too many to BE:
willfully blind.
willfully shortsighted.
willfully deaf.
willfully indifferent.
willfully denying...
willfully selling out...
willfully conforming.
willfully forgetting.
willfully intolerant.
willfully disrespectful.
willfully distrustful.
willfully close minded.
willfully personally unaccountable for...
willfully ummenschlich.
willfully ignorant about...
willfully SILENT about...
when experienced outrage should be expressed, by
words and deeds in order to contribute to making a
needed difference to create an equitable, sustainable, civil
society which fosters and enables daily menschlichkeit.
Hopefully democracy is sufficiently POWERful for this performance of
prevarications.Is this the time to consider the “caveat” by Donald Rumsfeld:
“There are knowns, there are things we know we know.We also know there are unknown unknowns; that is to say we know there are somethings we do not know.But there are also unknowns unknowns-the ones we don’t know.”
Trump is a KNOWN-KNOWN!
2
This whole spire and 'amusement'
From mitch mcconell's positioning
Of credible witnesses to senator
lindsay graham's tail feathering
Of the Bidens,
Is becoming mired in redundancy;
What's next; ?
"Oh, do we have to sharpen our
Pencils in a corner while another
Senator gives his conclusive thoughts
Of not to impeach?,
I would not be surprised if mitch mcconnel himself ammends the trial so that only one person can speak on this 'devisive issue' if he or she can prove to him and lyndsey graham that the motion to testify is worth looking into.
In other grandeouse mcconnell and graham's words;
If you can find a flashlight in a senator's desk at this hour you can take it to the farm of your choice,
Just make sure the cows you tip are not the one's to be left standing for tomorrow's senate hearing
Mr. Trump has proven he is untruthful, self-serving, and lawless. He has always had a battalions of lawyers fixing & fighting his battles for him. Now he has Republican lawmakers covering up, obstructing, and obscuring his national and international crime spree. We the American tax payer are paying for his defense as well as his lavish lifestyle. In organized crime parlance we are dupes. As a head of state he is functionally ignorant, uneducated, and incompetent. The Republicans have never held him accountable, They are all accessory to crimes against the constitution and against the American people, by aiding and abetting Mr. Trump.
8
Trump’s administration and the entire gop will do whatever is necessary to protect their dear leader - they don’t that trump is destroying our country as long as they can hang to their power and their excellent pensions and benefits. God help our country!
6
The Democratic party is on a global scavenger hunt for anyone with a media worthy social score who will dig dirt on Trump in order to support a malicious persecution in the form of an impeachment. It’s nothing short of a DefCon 4 Dirt Alert on a duly elected President. Hey, I don’t like they guy either but I’m ok with following the rules, even rules of law.
2
In these very dark days when the future of my country is under threat to a degree I could never have imagined, the one thing that keeps me going, and comitted to defeating Trump and his enablers in November, are the patriots who keep emerging--some going public, some working behind the scenes- who are risking their careers, maybe even their fredom--to get the truth out.
Whoever leaked this, the whistle blower, the intelligence professionals, FBI agents, State Department officials, civil servants--all who recogonize the danger and are putting it all on the line--you have my undying respect and thanks. I wll give more money than I can afford, and spend more time volunteering--all the while keeping your courage and sacrifices in mind.
3
Trump will be exonerated. The people who will actually be "upended" if we go to witnesses and a lenghty trial will be Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. They will be sidelined right through Super Tuesday. That will be the most significant outcome most likely handing the nomination to Joe Biden or Michael Bloomberg. If I believed in conspiracy theories I might conclude that Nancy Pelosi held the articles long enough to do exactly that and to favor the centrist over the far left. Whether she did or not, that will clearly be the result.
1
If witnesses are called, then the whistleblower, both of the Vinndeman brothers and Adam Schiff should be at the top of the list. And further into the future, if joe Biden succeeds Trump in 2020 (Highly unlikely), then impeachment proceedings should begin immediately for his past crimes and misdemeanors.
1
As to the account of former security adviser, John Bolton, concerning wrong doing on the part of the president reporter, Peter Baker, asked 'Will it be another smoking gun or another “Access Hollywood”?' Baker notes some of Trump's scandals, all of which he has withstood. In addition to being the master of false realities, Baker crowns Trump as the most 'durable national politician in modern American history'. Trump's defense team is following his lead in spouting false realities, and about 40% of Americans relish his combination of rage, paranoia, hate and denial. The seeds of corruption, anti-democratic practices and control of power in the hands of a few enormously rich, white men, was perfect terrain for this manipulative, madman. Word by word, Peter Baker portrays the muck and mire that we have become. A little hope is whispered at the end of the article. Is it another whimper in storm of corruption or a sign of health within the the American people?
8
Just for fun, I swapped Obama's name for Trump's in this article. It was a hysterically different read. It's very sad for the Senate GOP to NOT seek truth in this "trial".
4
The American people have a clear decision to make in November. They can decide to conitnue living in a country where 'anything goes', where corruption, nepotism and abuse of power are normalised and the President is above the law. Or they can vote Trump out. If they choose the former, then America will never be the same. If the latter, we know that people do care and will continue to care about what their governments do, that it's not just about 'I'm alright, jack, so who cares?'. Essentially, it's about striving for the higher ideal and defeating apathy. Presidents have enormous power, but they cannot defeat the ballot box.
5
Have those who want Trump removed by impeachment really thought it through?
Mike Pence will become President, with 9-10 months left to burnish his image. It's pretty unusual for an incumbent not to be re-elected, and Pence could run again in 2024 (Trump can't).
Why not just beat Trump in November? Have you really stooped so low that even John Bolton has become a good guy?
5
Some have suggested that one should put themselves in Trumph's shoes. I thought that was a great idea but my shoe store was out of orthopedic footwear for heel spurs.
5
It doesn’t matter. Trump is going to skate. Then, Katie bar the door, we ain’t seen nothing yet and it’s going to get ugly.
1
There is no way that Michael Bolton could know what Donald Trump did in Ukraine or anywhere else. He is just trying to drum up support for his fledgling music career.
2
Bolton’s manuscript was available to trump and his attorneys, Sekulow, Cipollone, et al., since late December, 2019. One assumes Sekulow, Cipollone et al., knew the substance of the Bolton’s claims in the manuscript. Assuming they knew the substance of Bolton’s “drug deal” claims, have they not suborned perjury — or its senatorial equivalent — by blatantly lying to the Senate in the Impeachment Trial in their “testimony on Saturday and Monday?”
3
Wasn't it a former president who once remarked that "you can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time; but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time?" We seem to be there now.
1
John Bolton has to be heard more fully in one or another setting before the removal vote is made. No Republican can evade this. At the same time, this question of the reasonablity of Trump's concerns about Ukrainian corruption involving VP Biden's son while Joe Biden was VP should warrant calling Hunter Biden.
@Dave Oedel
Bolton's book is due in March of 2020. Perhaps we can revisit impeachment then with the new evidence.
1
Before Republicans abandon Trump, they’ll abandon Democracy. They practically have already. We are hurtling toward Tyranny. I am not even sure the ballot box in 2020 can save us now. If Trump loses the presidential election, will he burn the down Capital Building? Nothing is beyond the pale for this megalomaniac. Nothing.
9
President Trump made one mistake. He trusted John Bolton and now he is paying the price. He should have never hired this neocon in the first place. He should have fired him sooner.
@KMW The American people made one mistake. They trusted Donald Trump and now they are paying the price.
7
Wondering whether Anonymous, of New York Times op-ed and bestselling book fame, might be the leaker of the Bolton manuscript. Wouldn't *that* be one heck of a plot twist!
Yet as the dizzying impeachment storyline continues its careening and zigzagging, the overarching question remains as disturbing as ever: In America under the demagogic rule of Donald Trump, does the truth even matter anymore?
3
Swamp. Cult. Criminal conspiracy. Dictatorship.
Is it any wonder so few are willing to step out into the steel breeze? And if someone does they get the treatment that Adam Schiff has received, even though ''not yet''
This atmosphere of open threat against political rivals is or should be all the red flags anyone might need-to know everything anyone might need to know about this man and his administration.
All the responsibility now rests with the Republicans. Whether or not we are a republic or a banana republic?Will Trump lie about anything and everything that comes to light at this point? We all know the answer to that question.
This all quit passing the smell test a long long time ago. He is making a mockery of our country. This will not wash off any time soon. The farther we go down this hole, the odds grow longer we will ever see the light of day again.
The man is a GROWING threat to our country, the next election and the whole of the world. This is no time to get well adjusted to this malady.
6
I agree that John Bolton’s testimony is crucial and will have more influence with the GOP than some others would. Also, if Trump truly was only concerned about rooting out corruption, as his defense team claims, then:
1. Why has he continued to engage in so many corrupt schemes himself?
2. Why did he fire a very reputable ambassador to Ukraine who was dedicated to and effective in helping Ukraine root out corruption?
3. Why has he purposely turned a blind eye to the rampant corruption in Honduras and Guatemala among its authority figures, which has enabled MS-13 gangs to rule the streets and poverty to escalate?
6
I’m waiting to hear that trump shot someone on fifth avenue and then watch Moscow Mitch defend it and all the republicans say it was justified and besides the president is immune from laws. They only apply to mortals.
King Trump will get off and at this speed will have many more years to completely bankrupt the us financially and morally.
1
Remember how the Republicans were screaming to know the identity of the whistleblower? Then they realized their mistake: stonewalling is the best defense when the facts are not your friends.
The whistleblowing also got the briber to pull the plug on that particular bribery attempt. Reminding us of that chronology is a lose-lose for the GOP.
But let’s not forget the aboutface about the whistleblower. It speaks volumes.
1
Will Christine Blasey Ford also be making an appearance at this theater?
2
Another commenter wrote:
"I think we need to focus on the Ukrainians. What message, to be analyzed in particular as representing illocutionary act (kind of like purpose) and perlocutionary force (the intended outcome),.."
Tell you what: I'll "focus on the Ukrainians" as soon as I figure out what "Illocutionary" and "perlocutionary" mean -- and, more important, I figure out how I've managed to get through life thus far without ever using, or even understanding, either word. For those out there who have any doubt about such things, let me assure you that it's possible -- one can waltz through all the top academies in the land and yet not have a clue what "Illocutionary" or "perlocutionary" means -- much less use either word in an actual sentence.
2
People close to Trump - from the Republican stalwart who was his national security advisor, to a low-level henchman like Lev Parnas - are ready to testify and provide evidence against the president. I think we're going to see more of this between now and election day, and it will cost Trump votes.
1
Unfortunately, virtually all “Republican” senators are complicit in the Trumpublican takeover of their party. They continually kowtow to the mendacious and bullying Trump, and to his blindly loyal base supporters.
Thus far in Trump’s impeachment trial, his defense team and the Trumpublican senators have demonstrated they care not a whit for evidence or truth. It is depressing to realize that virtually no “GOP” senators will have the courage to proclaim Trump’s Ukraine-gate shenanigans were, at the very least, a betrayal of the public trust.
If these senators were committed to the rule of law and if they were minimally ethical, they would censure Trump’s actions. They would censure them even if they were later to contend that Trump’s actions did not rise to the level of impeachable offenses.
If Trump is not censured, this trial will set regrettable precedents. The trial’s outcome will also further enable Trump’s corrupt promotion of his own interests and, by entrenching the ugliest of the Trumpublicans, will guarantee that the scant remains of the Republican Party will disappear into the blackest of black holes.
3
Time after time after time a revelation surfaced about Trump which raises my hope that his base and Republican Congressmen will find significantly repugnant to withdraw blind allegiance. Time after time my hopes have been dashed. There is nothing Bolton can say or demonstrate that will change Trump’s support. This is an exercise in self-flagellation. I am despondent.
4
Bolton and others have the goods on Trump. Who knows what goods Trump has on the likes of Senator Graham and many other senators?
Virtually all “Republican” senators are complicit in the Trumpublican takeover of their party. They continually kowtow to the mendacious and bullying Trump, and to his blindly loyal base supporters. Thus far in Trump’s impeachment trial, his defense team and the Trumpublican senators have demonstrated they care not a whit for evidence or truth.
It is depressing to realize that virtually no “GOP” senators will have the courage to proclaim that Trump’s Ukraine-gate shenanigans were, at the very least, a betrayal of the public trust. If these senators were committed to the rule of law and if they were minimally ethical, they would censure Trump’s actions. They would censure them even if they were later to contend that Trump’s actions did not rise to the level of impeachable offenses.
If Trump is not censured, this trial will set regrettable precedents. The trial’s outcome will also further enable Trump’s corrupt promotion of his own interests and, by entrenching the ugliest of the Trumpublicans, will guarantee that the scant remains of the Republican Party will disappear into the blackest of black holes.
3
Why does no one ask any of Trumps defenders what a president would have to do to commit an impeachable offense? I would love to hear their examples....
3
Forcing the Senate GOP to sit and listen to Bolton will be
a turning point in not only the impeachment of Trump; but
Bolton will most likely humiliate the entire DC GOP which have
ruined a once honorable Republican Party ; these Senators
have not been honorable members of a political entity which
represent the ideals and values of Abraham Lincoln...these
GOP DC Senators are tools of lobbyists for their campaign
funders brought about by the legal disaster Citizens United
which Chief Justice Roberts allowed to pass...
Time for repairing the GOP.. Justice Roberts Time to save not only your face ; but the face of the Republican Party.
7
You have to wonder what it will take to make the Senate's GOP geldings remember that their oath is to support the constitution rather than Trump. Sad days for the nation.
4
While I can understand the cynicism of readers, I nonetheless continue to believe that there is a tipping point. The question is whether or not we reach it in time. The argument McConnell is making to his caucus is that all this messy evidence is ultimately a waste of time because the outcome is not in doubt – now. What may be overlooked is the tendency of a story like this to take on a life of its own and morph into something unrecognizable. At some point in time, the weight of the evidence is unbearable politically. I am reminded of how wrong so many experts were in 2016.
4
Bolton is a neo-con, his stance on Russia, ironically is more aligned with Ms. Clinton than the incumbent.
At this stage what matters is Senate vote, not public opinion, and at stake are very long term trends that perhaps only Senate can comprehend.
During Cold war, the definition of East-West was de-facto within Europe. Now, the context of Kipling quote, "the twain shall never meet", fits the definition. The need of the times, that Conservatives are better suited to perform is politically include Russia and in the cultural context Eastern Churches in the Western world order. This post-Cold war effort was derailed with G-8 expulsion.
China is using of Russia against US, as they have deployed Pakistan against India. The Sino-Russian axis got strengthened even more under Trump. But Trump removal would make the geo-political order more vulnerable for the free world if Bolton world-view gains ascendency.
The view of America is not good and Americans less.
How could Americans a noble, cultured and educated nation serve Trump.
Foreign policy of the US is inward looking and expressed in Pompeo vs NPR.
No man of diplomacy would f bomb a journalist without correction from the president publicly.
There is a pattern of negation of the spirit of the US Constitution by Trump.
Meanwhile Iran, Turkey, Russia, North Korea, China make havoc as the deal maker and his unelected family make billions.
The president is corrupt, period.
The lack of Senate oversite is worrying.
What if China attacked Taiwan and North Korea invaded south Korea while Russia grabbed more Ukraine territory?
Given the lack of leadership at the White House one is concerned.
11
The only reason why we would have any question regarding whether these revelations will "upend" Trump, is because of a cadre of Republican politicians (and the Republican Party writ large) that have been enablers, in general, and continue to enable Trump's obstruction in particular.
5
The China and Turkey conversations may get to emolument arguments and perhaps violations of law?
3
Mexico’s government is notoriously corrupt, yet we send tons of aid to them. Guatemala too. In fact, we just sent Guatemala a bunch of money in the negotiation to limit their citizens from seeking refuge in the US. But Trump isn’t “investigating” corruption in those countries, or withholding aid until corruption investigations are announced. Guess he doesn’t have any presidential rivals with connections to either of those two countries.
5
The Fox News Channel showed only video of Trump's lawyers yesterday. During live proceedings on the afternoon of Day 1, they interviewed Lara Trump instead of broadcasting audio of Trump's lawyers.
Even Trump's sycophants at Fox are embarrassed at the lack of substance in Trump's defense.
So SAD!
6
@Question Everything
Not to worry, Question Everything. MSNBC did a fine job of taking the low road with backbiting and mockery.
Why are people so frightened by Fox News?
My cable service provides no less than eight direct news sources, not counting the business news networks. Most folks who have access to Fox News surely have more than one service to provide the proceedings and commentary. So what do you fear?
Can only be the free minds of your fellow citizens.
Bolton won't move the majority of Republicans...except Romney who is itching to stab the President. Bolton's timing is SO suspect. And we haven't read the manuscript section for ourselves. So I'm not getting excited over this. Bolton could have revealed this at any time during the House hearing, so why now? And who leaked it? I did watch the President's team all day...on C-Span, and they did a stellar job. Compelling. Not at all boring. They each took a defense subject and presented it, which eliminated the droning on and on we went thru with the Dems. Bondi was terrific. And Dershowitz did address the Bolton issue, and based on his educating us on "high crimes and misdemeanors", the Dems still can't make their case.
Trump made their case. The Republicans are sweeping it under the carpet.
1
It seems important to better understand what Trump's lawyers have been thinking. Presumably they have all known as well as anyone else the general picture of Trump's impeachable conduct—and may well have known the contents of Bolton's book. But they continue the defense as if what they know does not apply. What else do they know, to make that conduct anything but insane? Do they have some kind of assurance which should frighten the rest of us?
1
Democracy not die in darkness, thanks to the fourth estate.
Mitch and Trump fail to understand power of America's free press, the dangers of live TV coverage and that We The People can and will vote them out in 2020 if they continue this sham trial.
2
Let’s be real. Trump will be acquitted and will remain president after the election. Period. Massive GOP donors like the Mercer’s, Adelson’s, Koch’s, Murdoch’s, Evangelical leaders, etc., control the Republican senators, and they won’t let anything getting in the way of Trump continuing to fulfill their deepest wishes. Furthermore, the dictatorship has taken root and is steadily growing beyond control. Every strategy, tactic, talking point, word, image and behavior of the Trumpists at the impeachment trial have been personally dictated by trump with an iron fist. The Justice Department is at the ready to follow his whims. McConnell is trying to blitzkrieg the impeachment for the sake of power and money. John Roberts is sitting at the show “trial” surrounded by wheelbarrows of trump’s lies, vulgarities, obstructions, and assaults on the Constitution. Trump is sending out thousands of interfering and threatening tweets about his trial underway. And John Roberts is doing absolutely *nothing* about it. Not even commenting on “decorum” or “tradition”. Oh, and Bolton? He’s getting free publicity for his book, and that’s all.
2
Just keep the thing going long enough to ruin his State of the Union address. Why give Trump this campaign platform?
4
Bolton has much more to say than his direct evidence about Trump's decision to press Ukraine's president to announce an investigation of Biden for corruption.
Bolton offered to testify if subpoenaed by the Senate shortly after the killing of Iran's general Soleimani. Bolton may have even approved such a decision, but the chaotic manner in which the decision was reach without informing Congress or key allies may have alarmed Bolton. What could come next?
Bolton is very knowledgable about the emergency powers of the president. Presidents that operate within constitutional limits and respect the norms of the presidency and respect the division of powers between the presidency and Congress can bear the burden that a declaration of emergency could impose on the president. Bolton specifically highlighted the division of powers as a concern that troubled him.
The Senate should ask John Bolton to elaborate on his concerns regarding Trump and the division of powers.
The Best People.
With the Best Words.
Writing the Best Books.
< Time to warm up Marine One for Trump's last flight. >
2
A post truth world? Let us be very honest. Civilization will end very shortly thereafter-relatively speaking.
If it is true that the White House had a draft of the book outline with Bolton's planned revelations in it since last year, any Senator with a modicum of self-respect should be incensed at the clear, bald-faced lies being spouted by the lawyers for Trump about the absence of evidence that the Boss discussed the quid pro quo, regardless of his prior knowledge of the term. It is impossible to believe that the mouthpieces did not ask those kinds of questions in preparing their statements to the Senate. And if they were lied to, that says volumes about the "holes" in their case.
The RINOs' problem now is how to ignore this information in light of the fact that it is in the public domain from a credible source with years of Republican work behind him. OK, so he is promoting his book. That does not mean he is lying. If he were, the Trumpies have had weeks, even months, to figure out how to attack his allegations, yet all they can do is attack the credibility of another former Trump loyalist with absolute insider knowledge and access to the Prevaricator in Chief.
3
Unless Bolton has another person corroborate his account it is just his statement which the President has said did not happen. Back to one person's version of an event and also as detailed in tonight's defense presentation what is alleged is not criminal and therefore not a case for conviction. Sorry Democrats but you lost again and will lose in November.
Trump has already admitted his crimes himself. But as you say, that's beside the point. They will vote for him, as in the case of other dictators.
The following statement from the article is wrong. "In his book, Mr. Bolton writes that Mr. Trump told him in August that he wanted to continue freezing congressionally approved security assistance to Ukraine until its government helped with investigations into Democrats including former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and his son Hunter Biden — exactly what Mr. Trump is on trial for." No, Trump is not on trial for wanting an investigation in to the corrupt activities of Biden & Son. He is on trial for ostensibly wanting this investigation in order to help him win the 2020 election. It is not Trump's fault that a probably corrupt -- VERY corrupt -- past Vice President of the US happens to be vying for the Democrat nomination. Biden's political ambitions should not render him immune to investigation, just as Trump's being POTUS did not render him immune to being investigated.
No White House residents, staff or cabinet members ever receive sentences that match their crimes. They don't have trouble finding work after they are unceremoniously dismissed, their resumes are perfect for jobs at Fox .
2
Elected officials / politicians are NOT leaders. They ONLY represent the folks who voted them in. The bewilderment, even the outrage, that the Republican politicians don’t do more to fight trump is completely misplaced.
When and if the republican folks who put their elected officials in office change their minds about trump then you’ll see some real movement.
For those who believe that Donald Trump has coarsened the Presidency beyond repair, take some solace in knowing that George W. Bush had already done that. Obama restored some of the luster, and Trump de-lustered the office. But Trump was not the first -- that honor belongs to George W. Bush.
1
Bolton had his chance in the House and he stonewalled. I don't need his too-little, too-late testimony to confirm what is already clear. The public servants who had the courage and patriotism to testify to the House when it wasn't easy and put their careers on the line, maybe even their personal safety, are the heroes. I won't be buying his book or even checking it out at the library. Like so many Republicans he is serving his own financial interests, not the American people's. One day soon we will have a government of true public servants, not grifters and con artists.
6
The calculations abound as now a dozen GOP Senators are in play in the 2020 election with, or without, Bolton's testimony. Every seat will be contested with the words of Trump: Bolton is double-dealing to sell books. Hardly a convincing story regarding a man with neither hands or paws, but red white and blue talons. The hallowed veil of the Senate is shredded to show whimpers and weaklings unworthy of highly practiced facades of dignity and decorum. The President's lawyers based everything on Trump truthfulness in a Whitehouse bubble that leaks methane gas and Big Mac and Coke burping the facts.
However sensational and damaging the Bolton revelations may be until the Senate Republicans continue backing Trump for whatever he is there's no threat to the Trump presidency that perhaps has come into existence only to preside over the liquidation of the US constitutional order and its democracy at least for now.
4
If the manuscript was indeed leaked from 'the White House' one must ask who would most benefit from Trump's removal.
Hint: He would become President if Trump leaves before the election.
1
Responding to reports that former national security adviser John Bolton has written in his forthcoming book that Trump told him he wanted to link Ukraine aid to an investigation of the Bidens, Dershowitz argued that even an explicit "quid pro quo" would not constitute an impeachable "abuse of power."
"Nothing in the Bolton revelations, even if true, would rise to the level of an abuse of power, or an impeachable offense," Dershowitz said. "That is clear from the history. That is clear from the language of the Constitution. You cannot turn conduct that is not impeachable into impeachable conduct simply by using terms like 'quid pro quo' and 'personal benefit.'"
9
@Jonathan
Yes, that’s what Dershowitz said. But it was the weakest part of his presentation. Prior to saying this Dershowitz had argued that abuse of power is too vague to be impeachable. In this quote he’s saying that what Bolton allegedly wrote doesn’t rise to the level of abuse of power. Why make that specific distinction if abuse of power isn’t impeachable?
13
@Jonathan
Ken Starr opened by asserting that 'the age of impeachment' is over. That the idea itself is an abuse of the executive. And that the abuses in the Clinton impeachment were a nail in the coffin. (Starr did not seem to recall those were his abuses.) Then Starr asserted that legal scholars do not have the authority to interpret the Constitution.
Enter Dershowitz, who to his credit, shared that his interpretation (which was the jewel in the crown of the defense's argument for practicably unimpeded executive authority)was not accepted by legal scholars. And though it contradicts what he has argued previously, in preparation for this trial the scales fell from his eyes.
3
Listening to Trump's speech patterns in recent interviews it is clear he has developed significant memory loss making it doubtful he remembers his conversations with Bolton anymore. He is telling the truth as he knows it when he denies saying what he said, He really has no memory of it.
2
So when will we know if our vote ever counts again? And if it's legal and not hacked? And if other countries have muddled in it? I think if Trump gets away with this, then all other candidates will follow suit. Then what will be?
Sort of reminds when Hillary was using her power to oust Bernie. What happened to her? Was there a quid pro quo or a personal benefit?
It is jarring to read the list of Trump transgressions Mr. Baker compiled at the end of his piece including a listing of Trump subordinates who have already gone to jail, are awaiting sentencing or may be indicted in the future.
With that resume of wrongdoing and questionable associations, most presidents would have been removed months and months ago but not this one; however, the intensity to remove him is growing more intense by the day, like a bulging volcano about to erupt.
2
Republicans will be unmoved because they want this sort of president, and this sort of conduct. If he can do it, they can do it, and they want to be him.
14
@Joe True. Long ago they gave their political souls to the god of power at any cost,and it cost a lot.
3
Sadly on point.
I think we need to focus on the Ukrainians. What message, to be analyzed in particular as representing illocutionary act (kind of like purpose) and perlocutionary force (the intended outcome), did the leader of Ukraine in fact receive from the President?
Considering the sanctity of official correspondence, we could say that spoken and written messages from the President by way of his liaisons (each a carrier or ‘medium’) to the leader were acts – aiming to achieve a certain outcome.
1
@M. C. Major It may work in his defense if he admits to having done no analysis of costs vs. benefits, to have used but his ‘gut feeling’ as to what seemed to be wrong (and what not wrong) in that case.
@M. C. Major An analysis of costs and benefits should require the construction of a model – or a representation of power relations – which might only to some degree correspond to an accurate representation; in other words, epistemological limitations (I mean doubt as to what is true or real) may lead one to reliance on something like ‘gut feeling’ – or the true language, which could be hidden to others and could be of God.
@M. C. Major He could have drawn on various decision-making techniques such as rational consideration of advantages and disadvantages to oneself and/or our institution and mysticism: flashes; quiet and suggestive voices.
I am not sure that Mr Bolton has ever been considered to be an honorable man - in fact he has often been the person we have loved to hate; he has stood for all that we despised. It is true that President Trump has always surrounded himself with people who are basically sycophants : is this the time that we start believing those very same sycophantic unworthy people? We have to come to our senses and be intellectually honest.
3
All that’s needed is to recognize the facts about withholding aid to induce Ukraine to investigate a political opponent.
That should be enough for a conviction.
trump had this manuscript since 12/30 and covered it up from his own party. That alone is a recognition of guilt.
While the other details are repulsive- catering to autocrats - they are not needed to remove trump. He is pure evil.
Let’s go - uphold the Constitution. It shouldn’t be difficult. It’s not about reversing an election. It’s about removing a criminal from the Oval Office.
16
"A president who has survived one revelation after another the last three years now faces perhaps the most serious disclosure of his political career ..."
Yeah. That's what it's been every time. And ot won't stop even if we find out he shot someone on 5th avenue.
7
@KH He did not shoot ''someone'' on fifth ave. He shot his political opponent, he shot the constitution, in front of a cheering throng.
A few GOP senators may flop around like fish, suggesting that they might vote for new witnesses. But they'll just wiggle until some new choice bit of pork is offered to their states.
Too bad McCain isn't still around to add a little stiffness to the GOP spine.
13
Listen to Alan Dershowitz. He is not stupid. It’s not enough!
6
69% want to hear from witnesses.
69% are not supporting cover ups.
It’s time that 69% of the Republican step up to support it.
It’s not too late for 69% of the Republican to do the right thing.
I hope that 69% of Republicans will voted out in the upcoming election.
Let’s just remind republicans that 69% are not supporting their cover ups.
19
When you belong to a cult, nothing the Leader does makes you change your mind. This is clearly the mindset with the rapid Trump base. They can always find an excuse or justification for his actions, or as to why the egregious behaviors outlined in this article can be brushed aside. As to GOP politicians, the live in terror of the base, who vote in primaries. Therefore even though in their gut they may not approve, re-election and political power are more important than honesty, integrity, and the Constitution. McConnell justifies it in that he is getting to confirm hundreds of ultra-conservative judges, who will rule for a generation. They have been able to pass massive tax cuts to the monied and business classes. The Agenda is more important that our system of Government. While secretly they may revile Trump, nothing he has done is apparently worth putting at risk their personal offices and political power. One has to wonder if our system of Government is really effective at this point.
28
I always wonder, what has Trump done that we don't know about? This has to be just the tip of that iceberg.
34
@Walter Ingram
'I always wonder, what has Trump done that we don't know about?'
I can tell you with great confidence, it wasn't reading a book.
8
@Walter Ingram
Yep. You can bet more will be leaked, not just about Ukraine.
1
re "tip of the iceberg... what has trump done that we don't know about." Easy, think Russia and all those secret talks with Putin; think Trump's hidden tax returns that he promised to show after being elected. I could go on. Throw the traitor out of office and into the hands of the SDNY.
1
Russia is at war with Ukraine. It's in the US interest that Ukraine does not lose. Withholding US military aid to Ukraine could cause Ukraine to lose, which is against US national interests. This was traded by Trump for something (investigation of Biden) that is not in the US national interest, but only in Trump's personal political interest. Dershowitz says quid pro quo (trading things) is normal. Maybe, but only when the President trades for something in the US national interest. He didn't do that here. Trump was risking US national interests for his own personal campaign interests. It is exactly what the Constitution warns about. It's breaking the law, it's unethical, and it's impeachable.
35
@Will Hogan
Yet do you really think the GOP Senators will vote to remove Trump? They have sold their souls to Trump. They cannot get their souls back.
If Trump's legal team is successful in blocking Bolton from testifying, Democrats have an alternative: Subpoena Bolton's book and recite key passages of Trump's "drug deal."
17
It’s grimly ironic that a man who treacherously engineered the Iraq War should be potentially pivotal to proving the treachery of another guilty of far lesser crimes. Somehow, Bolton prospers from the intransigence of a mercurial and dysfunctional political system that finds expedience in not prosecuting its worst offenders.
In reality, Bolton should still be in prison for his role in the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of innocents, along with many others. His actions led directly to the depredation of political standards that has ruined America and allowed for the election of this latest charlatan. The Republican Party is probably relieved that Trump is only guilty of indiscretion rather than the genocide than can be levied on his predecessors.
10
@Marcus Brant
Well put. It's a bit galling for me to see Bolton being portrayed as some sort of bastion of rectitude or integrity. He has been largely a disaster for the country. I've never understood why he held influential positions.
7
You are correct re Bolton so how do you account Trump hiring him and keeping him as a trusted advisor. He hired that person you so vigorously condemn.
Please explain.
3
All true. But remember in prosecuting “drug dealers” (trump, Mulvaney, Pompeo, et al.) you do not often get to choose the witness (Bolton) that brings down the drug dealers.
2
Trump, the Republicans, and their voting base willfully abandoned ethics of governance, and laws (especially those that are obscure to the average Joe) long ago. Nothing here is going to change that. Senate Republicans will bury this and move on, knowing full well that the average American has an attention span equivalent to that of a housefly on speed.
What were we talking about again?
11
Hmm. I never thought I’d consider buying a book by Bolton, but I’m more intrigued by the minute.
And what does Barr have to say now? Hmm again.
10
So Clinton was find guilty on several counts and impeached and for lying to Congress, yet was not convicted. Now the show is on the other foot, what is so different?
3
@Hjb
Clinton's lie did not affect national security nor the security of an important ally. He did not extort a foreign nation for dirt on an election competitor.
It's not difficult to see the difference.
9
Clinton was impeached for lying about an extramarital affair. Trump was impeached for withholding 391 million dollars of foreign aid to try to pressure a foreign government into announcing an investigation into a political rival. See any difference here?
4
@Hjb: Typical Trump defender. A lie about a sexual affair that wasn’t in itself illegal, and that had nothing to do with the original investigation in which Clinton was cleared, is not the same as Trump’s extorting a foreign leader with desperately needed and Congressionally appropriated money to throw shade on a political opponent, thereby endangering national security, trying to keep that secret and following it with obstruction of Congress.
2
When Democrats in Iowa go to vote, they should now pick someone who is most likely to beat President Pence. There’s a thought.
10
No one is above the law, not even Donald Trump. We are one nation under God, under one Constitution. Let’s do the right thing and hold the President accountable for breaking laws, covering up his crimes, and lying to the American people.
7
In the immensity his ego and unlimited capacity to pursue his self-interest you know who is not serving America, He is wearing America down.
I sense a dissipating resistance to him in terms of energy. Even the vapid supporters are getting worn out. It's all about Donald Trump. Nobody else matters.
Logic was the first casualty.
7
If his publishers can hustle and get the book out sooner—afterall, it’s just a hastily-penned (by who knows who) money-grab—then Bolton’s timing is right. Six weeks from now, not so much.
4
Gosh, in reading the not all-inclusion list of Trump’s outrageous behavior, I realize how utterly naïve I was back in the day of Charlottesville, thinking that the abhorrent, ‘there were good people on both sides’ episode would function as a reminder to currently serving Republicans of their moral obligations to the country. The question now is, what will be the next harrowing event generated by our feckless commander-in-chief that we all will have to endure?
11
Are Republicans unaware that removing Trump will result in a Pence presidency?
While I disagree with Pence on nearly everything, “President Pence” would be far better than the current national embarrassment and threat to America.
#presidentpence.
10
@Rob i also disagree with much of Pence's thinking.
I am a college professor and I favor tenure and a collective bargaining union sponsored by the AAUP.
i also find a much more presidential demeanor with
Pence than I did with Trump. He would add dignity to the office of the presidency and just maybe have more respect for the Constitution and federal statute as the LAW OF THE LAND.
I would love to see enough brought out on Trump to remove him from office.
4
Another leak tonight.
Mr. Bolton also does not agree with President Trump in Turkey. And China.
The intent here is becoming clear.
7
Yes, Bolton’s intent is to drive book $ale$.
2
Bolton provides a tremendous opportunity to ascertain the truth. He is a Republican in the inner circle.
What a wonderful opportunity.
As a major priority of the GOP is finding the truth, I am 100% sure they will want to hear from one of their own. who is in a position to know.
You are either for the truth or against the truth.
I trust that the GOP are acting in good faith.
They have impeccable commitment to the truth. Right? They have too much respect for the American people to try and block the truth. Right? Ain't that the truth?
15
No faith in republicans to want to learn the truth or admit the truth once it is known. Their lust for control over the country has blinded them.
24
I would think Mike Pence would get busy now and persuade GOP Senators that he has a better deal for them than Trump, so they should go ahead and remove Trump in his favor. I can't stand Mike Pence, but I don't think he'll blow us up.
24
@Dean See my comment to Rob. I am looking more at professional affairs whereas you are looking at the military aspect. Both are important.
2
@Dean He has been making more and more statements distancing himself from the Trump caper. It's mostly been in the form of plausible deniability, but never the less.
1
I feel we are nearing a "Trump shooting someone on 5th Avenue" moment. The GOP has supplied the weapon, the ammunition, and led Trump to the street. And if he fires and hits someone, the GOP is prepared to defend him by saying he did it - because he was distraught over Ukrainian corruption.
22
I lay the downing of the commercial airline at his feet. He is responsible for 176 deaths. It happened only because he ordered the killing of Soleimani.
1
If the clearly proven extortion is allowed to go unchecked, consider your own particular state everybody. Imagine for a moment it is devastated by a hurricane and Congress legislates that you are to receive $500 million dollars to rebuild. Would you be happy if Trump called your governor and said "yes there is half a billion dollars in relief for you. Do me a favour though, I mean your state has not given me much recently.. so do me a favour and look into person x's finances. It would be great if you could just announce an investigation."
Imagine if the president decided to withhold it from your state for awhile to see if that would prompt you into getting a move on to help his re-election chances.
37
Let me guess. The Republicans will say, "Another disgruntled ex-employee" to explain away even more damaging evidence against Trump. When do they stop believing this explanation?
15
The republicans do this, with a straight face, in front of the American people. Shameless.
41
It's hard to say.
The GOP have been so good at ignoring the dead bodies on Fifth Avenue.
30
trump has skated on so many criminal actions, when he does fall there will be a thousand takes on why. we are all his enablers
8
The walrus is a fired disgruntled former trying to sell books. Move along
6
Nature. Or he’s telling the truth.
1
Book is already a hit, #17 Amazon Best Seller List, and it is not even out yet. Appears Bolton will not have “to try” to sell books. Unlike the Art of the Steal, it has no ghost writer.
1
“But privately members of the president’s legal team were preparing for the possibility that the Senate would vote to call witnesses as they tried to defuse anger among Republican senators who felt blindsided.”
Blindsided? Really? Didn’t Bolton say a month ago he had a book coming out and that he wanted to testify? If they were blindsided, it is only because they were willfully blind to transpiring events.
29
Trump has effectively gone from "I could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue..." to "I can run roughshod over the American Constitution...."
And he'd be correct.
25
@Aristotle
If I were a Republican Senator, I would just ignore Trump and then be amused when he would have a temper tantrum. Yes, given the chance I would vote to remove him and then use my vote as a campaign issue to be elected for another term.
5
Isn’t Dershowitz brilliant! Arguing in circles with great historical content. Is he suggesting censure? He can’t stand Trump, but argues that standards are too high to apply to Trump? That says it all.
12
It doesn’t matter what Bolton says the Republicans are arguing it was Trump’s reasonable legitimate right to block the aid and obstruction only can occur when Democrats don’t try to rush justice. But at least John and Amazon are guaranteed phenomenal sales from Democrats searching for the slightest bit of solace and commiseration.
3
@John Doe
It was not his legitimate right to block it. It is illegal to block money allocated by Congress, especially for personal reasons in order to get something of value from a foreign government for your political campaign. YES ATTEMPTED COLLUSION.
19
@Bob Guthrie -- Incorrect, Bob:
"It is illegal to block money allocated by Congress..."
Where'd you come up with that idea?
Dershowitz has just asserted that Lincoln abusing his official powers to win the Civil War is equivalent to Trump abusing his official powers to win an election.
The Managers argued that 'high crimes' are abuses of power which harm the nation.
I'd say Lincoln was trying to save the nation. Trump was trying to save his bacon.
39
The irony is that Lincoln endangered the nation by not letting the South secede.
Imagine how proud we would be if the Confederate States of America wears not a part of the US. They gave us McConnell, the Republican majority and Trump.
Despite that Lincoln is still my favorite President. How was he to know?
Listening to Trumps lawyers today, just re-reinforces what a sham their case is. Here is a National Security advisor, John Bolton, with strong Republican credentials saying everything Trumps defense presents is a lie.
Meanwhile, Michael Purpura keeps saying, the House Democrats relied on second hand testimony, and that no witness had come forward to say Mr. Trump had explicitly linked the aid to the investigations of the Bidens.
Well John Bolton just blew that argument out of the water.
Yet the legal team, representing Mr Trump keeps saying there was no first hand witness to link this aid delay to an investigation.
How stupid do the GOP think the American people are?
26
The GOP is right about the American people, though wrong about pretty much everything else.
Once the "Trump Saga" is over, and everything does end in its own time, the Republicans who are and have colluded with the White House to keep corruptions under lock and key, will lose any political credibility. Two-thirds of the American people want the truth--give it and there will actually be viability for those Republicans. Right now, Republican Senators, you are your own worst enemy by refusing to consider reality and the evidence that is almost everywhere. The American people are not stupid, and you will be in great error to attempt a cover-up in plain site.
22
John Bolton isn't the first National Security Advisor to become a problem for Trump.
First there was Michael Flynn.
And as everyone knows, Obama tricked Trump into hiring Flynn by warning him against hiring Flynn.
20
Is that why they want Obama impeached? By the way Trump has it in for Biden not because he’s an electoral threat. It’s because he represents Obama. It’s Trump’s hatred for Obama that motivates him.
I'm out of adjectives to describe this president and his absurd defense.
23
@Foxrepubican It is a defense based on ignorance of the law and the responsibilities of the presidency.
So, where are we?
- Trump is pushing “the dog ate my homework” level excuses.
- Republicans are actively going along with all of it - even as the room is filled with the dead bodies of Trump’s crimes... each one denied by deluded and fantastic counterpoints and conspiracies.
- All of what we know comes from a relatively minor sliver of the data that actually exists, since Trump has buried many other records, recorded phone calls, and the testimony of numerous other witnesses.
- Even as the clearest public light is shining on Trump - and he is desperate for loyalty - he is directly threatening Democrats and Republicans alike!
- Meanwhile, Fox News has moved far beyond lying and myth making. They are distorting the truth, the reality of impeachment events as they happen, muting live coverage! Anything to keep the truth from Trump’s supporters: even with a mountain range of evidence, with more unfolding by the hour.
All this in front of the world, in front of history. It’s the destruction of America, live in 4K High Definition. It’s for the convenience of ONE MAN, a man who will still criminally abuse power every second he’s allowed to hold it, if he is not removed from office.
—-
“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears.
It was their final, most essential command.”
George Orwell
30
@GWBear
Trump does not do homework.
9
Trump does not do any work. With a recent day of 142 tweets, coming to the office at 11an as always, ducking out for two or three distant campaign rallies playing golf three days a week, running his overseas companies... just when does Donald work anyway?
Calling the witness or not its no matter. Don't forget to go vote on November.Check your vote registration statue. Ask for absent voting or vote by mail so you don't have to wait on line. Vote all name with (D). Sent all the (R) to retirement house from local to federal.
15
The clown show continues.
The White House does not tell the defenders of Trump that the Bolton book is "gonna be real bad" and sits on that information from December 30 to now, nearly a month.
The Trump lawyers in the Senate trial continue to make deliberate statements that are easily shown to be falsehoods, such as the assertion that the House ran a secret set of hearings in the SCIF (which hearings were attended by many Republican members of the House), or the assertion that Trump was not allowed to "confront" witnesses (when Chairman Nadler extended an invitation to attend, and Trump's lawyer Pat Cipollone - actually the attorney for the office of the President and not Trump himself - responded by rejecting the invitation).
Now, Alan Dershowitz is giving a Harvard Law School lecture proposing a novel interpretation of the phrase "high crimes and misdemeanors" which had a well understood meaning at the time the Founding Fathers wrote that phrase down in the US Constitution.
Dershowitz seems to forget that the Constitution itself at Article VI states:
This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; ...
Violating the Constitution itself is violating the law. Novel idea, right?
17
With Donald Trump it’s always been eat or be eaten, and Trump has a voracious appetite. It matters not to him whether truth is involved, as he’s proven over the decades, only that he comes out unscathed and, in his eyes, the winner.
Trump, with the help of his attorneys and GOP toadies, is doing his best to devour the United States Constitution. If they don’t call acknowledge Bolton and have him testify in this hearing Trump will polish off what’s left of our Democracy.
18
The impeachment offers the GOP the ideal chance to rid itself of its largest problem - DJT. All 4 of the Senators have to do is vote to allow the introduction of evidence and witnesses to a trial. There is no precedent for the alternative. They can fall on their swords to save their party and their reputations, or they can take their party down in history as spineless lackeys, lickspittles and sycophants. When self-serving, ethically correct and politically expedient converge, how hard is making the right choice, really?
16
Romney has nothing to lose. He, by the way, will be the Republican candidate for president 2020.
Americans want more testimony not only from John Bolton, Mick Mulvaney but also from the Bidens and the whistleblower. Let’s have these witnesses and see if the Democrats are willing to bring in all witnesses not just those they request. Bring on these witnesses. How about including Adam Schiff in the mix too. It will be very interesting.
3
Trump publicly asked Russia to hack Hillary's emails before the election, and he still won. That request seems no more outrageous than what he did with the Ukraine. The voters elected him despite his contempt for the law. Democrats, please come up with a candidate who can beat Trump, and then apply the law of the land to him.
7
Sadly, watching Dershowitz reminds that democrats are no match for the brutally ruthless shrewdness of the republicans. Brilliant ploy to have Dershowitz on prime time.
Impeachment was a fool's errand. First, they should have based the articles on bribery, but they were afraid. Republicans would have used bribery. Second, knowing that the Senate would acquit, they should have simply continued with oversight hearings that would have allowed the court cases to proceed. Schiff was magnificent, but fell on deaf ears. Bolton's book will come out and reveal information that his supporters will ignore anyway.
This trial will achieve what Trump's pressure campaign failed to do to smear Biden. Way to go dems.
7
Trump's brazen criminality, lack of ethics and common decency, symbolize the worst example of diabolical cunning in an American president without a soul! The feckless GOP who appear under his spell, seem resigned to total submission by this evil imperialist "monarch." FACTS be damned!!!!
17
The Founding Fathers stated, in the Declaration of Independence, that "And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."
These Republican senators have no sacred Honor. PERIOD.
17
Dershowitz is arguing that the vague term 'high crimes' must be interpreted in light of the words immediately preceding it.
The House Managers argued that 'high crimes' was intentionally left vague by the Framers to cover abuses they had not envisioned.
The Framers wanted the Constitution to stay relevant and effective. They did not see themselves as omniscient. To this end they allowed for amendments, for legislative interpretation, and for a Supreme Court to decide which interpretations are valid. A Constitution which could maintain its overall identity while being sufficient to the times.
I'm with the House Managers for a living Constitution.
16
My prediction is Trump will survive this revelation as well, and Bolton will not speak at the impeachment hearings. And I have to look to the Democrats failing yet again. You simply can not have two thirds of the country who want to hear from witnesses, and have a prime witness like Bolton, and tell me the Democrats are on top of their game. Democrats lean toward complacency, they tend not to be bold or creative, they are weak at strategy, and they continue to lose... when they should be winning.
9
We should impeach every politician who has used their power to advance their reelection chances...you know, to be fair and proceed with integrity
4
@Craig If you will explain what you mean by presidential power and its scope, then we could discuss whether Trump has used or misused it.
2
There’s a huge difference between using something and abusing it. Trump was impeached for abusing the power of his office. Trump the Abuser.
One things for sure, Trump, by his own admission, hires a lot of lousy people.
8
You say: "Trump's Denials"? Denials? They are lies, over and over. "Bolton's testimony would compromise my ability to deal with foreign leaders". Once again using the Office of the Presidency for deceit. We learn Trump's legal team was in possession of the "Bolton facts" ... for weeks and still push the malarkey they do in the Senate? What is a Republican today? Certainly nothing to do with Howard Baker or any other respected Republican prior to 2000. (House or Senate)
12
If a Democratic President did the same things, the GOP would be screaming (and most of the rest of us too).
The difference is that the GOP has mostly become about "winning", which means getting re-elected at any cost, vs the greater concept of eliminating this horror from office and getting the country back to serving its important position in the world and to the American people.
13
I always like to remind people that the best way to govern is through democracy. The United States has a long history of more than 200 years of democracy. Also, democracy doesn't mean that we've got everything under control. It simply means that we've got a lot of things in control and, that through our democratic institutions, we can correct all the ills of our society.
Currently, the United States is confronted with a constitutional crisis involving the trial of President Trump, who has not provided Congress with the material it has sought to carry its duties. Actually, that's one of the charges against Trump. The other is abuse of power. The impeachment is underway, and this week the Senate will decide whether to allow John Bolton and others to testify under oath.
I also like to say that the winds of democracy cannot be predicted. In other words, even though many Americans believe that in the end, Republicans will vote to acquit Trump, I believe that all hope is not lost because there's bound to be at least a handful of GOP Senators who want to hear from witnesses. And, if that happens, it's very hard to predict what will ensue. I believe that providence smiles upon the idealism of the United States and, when we Americans are confronted with great crisis as now, the same providence always provides a good solution for the nation. So, be cheerful!
5
Disgruntled war monger Bolton is not needed as witness especially since he has nothing to offer the senators that has already been debunked The Trump defense team was totally brilliant and in sharp contrast the house manager's big boys were shallow, partisan and ineffective. Pam Bondi was outstanding in burying the Bidens. She basically did a big favor to Bernie, Warren and Klobuchar in clearly explaining the precise fraud of the Bidens. Today what became evident is Joe Biden has become a flaming hot potato that his supporters, donors and Democratic party need to drop Biden quickly to let Bernie and Warren and Klobuchar to get a chance to move up.
Fair minded senators after today's defense team presentation are more likely to vote in a bipartisan manner and I would not be surprised if 60 senators vote against removal of the president.
3
@Girish Kotwal
This comment from your post is illustrative of your see no evil stance on Trump and ironic in that you say the Democrats are partisan in your partisan comment.
"The Trump defense team was totally brilliant and in sharp contrast the house manager's big boys were shallow, partisan and ineffective."
Brilliant? I guess if you think presenting a pack of lies is brilliant. Sekulow was particularly misleading in saying the Mueller Report proved no collusion. It did no such thing as the following quote from the report shows. BTW please do not launch into a non sequitur as you did in your last response to me when you more or less blamed me for the tragic demise of US bush fighters in the bush fires here. I thought that was disrespectful to those great heroes to use them speciously like that to make a partisan point. This is from the Mueller Report that the "brilliant" Sekulow like Barr misrepresented:
"Kilimnik wrote an email to Manafort expressing the view-which Manafort later said he shared-that the plan ' s success would require U.S. support to succeed: "all that is required to start the process is a very minor ' wink' (or slight push) from [Donald Trump ]." The email also stated that if Manafort were designated as the U.S. representative and started the process, Yanukovych would ensure his reception in Russia "at the very top level."
There is strong evidence of Collusion but Barr curtailed the investigation before its time. there is a lot more than that too.
21
@GirishKotel If the republicans were so concerned about the Bidens in Ukraine, they have had majorities in Congress either House, Senate or both for many many years, and have demonstrated zeal in investigating the Clinton's in particular multiple times (Gowdy and Issa) over the same issues. If they thought this would create some advantage, they would have investigated long ago, and why not when they had the majority of both houses and the presidency until 2018. They did not have interest until Biden looked like a serious contender in the upcoming election. I have been an independent all my life, and over 30 years of watching, find the timing of this so called interest on corruption suspicious. Watched as much of House hearings and now Senate hearings. I want more documents and witnesses to help settle this matter, not presidents using the power of their office, govt bodies and taxpayer money, especially to foreign govts to give them advantage in upcoming elections. As far as I know, this is against the law.
14
Donald Trumps team have not produced a single document, witness or any proof that the charges are not just. Nothing. The lack of any effort of defense is a clear admission of guilt.
18
This is all foolishness and a massive waste of time and resources. Trump will be acquitted and the only people who will care are those who did not vote for him. No heads will roll and life will go on. Expect him to win again except this time it will be a landslide.
Government has been reduced to us versus them. There are very few if any Democrats or Republicans who do not vote the party line. Whoever has the majority rules.
4
@JimH
"Expect him to win again except this time it will be a landslide."
Your complacency gives me great pleasure.
10
@JimH-I didn’t vote for HRC or Trump last election. Be assured this time I will vote for Trump’s Democrat opponent. By the way, have you seen FiveThirtyEight summation of all the polls? Trump’s popularity has slid by a landslide since he was elected, and is actually the worst of any modern president. His re-election prospects are very dim.
9
No evidence for a landslide. The statistics are nearly the same as they were in 2016, except the Democrat will visit Wisconsin etc., where Trump won by relatively few votes. He disgracefully hasn’t yet even broken 50 percent approval. And after his “ exoneration,” the majority will still be against him- more than ever.
5
Sad to say the Senate will acquit Trump.
3
Any one who doesn't think our country is being run by a crime syndicate - needs to open their eyes wide! How can so many feeble minded people be so feeble minded so easily!
27
I care not that Republican senators feel to be "blindsided." How unfortunate I feel for you. Cry me a river, you fools.
Do we have a constitution to protect privileged mostly White men, or do we have a constitution that is built to protect, "We the People?" The first feels to be tragically true. Completely nauseating.
This travesty of the American democracy is proof positive of a society that only upholds the rule of law for privileged White people, almost unanimously men.
The Senate trial is simply a sham! A heartbreak unfolding for all you care about the promise of the founders. Just tragic. Revolting.
The whole travesty provides a little sense of what it must feel to be a POC unjustly held against all legal proof. Hostage to a corrupt system.
We are all hostage to criminals. Privileged white criminals.
15
How many career ending revelations have to be revealed until you realize that for Trump, none of it matters. As long as he has that 40%, decency, logic, and reality are meaningless. Every single Republican politician and judge are going to keep doing what they have been doing. The real question is how can this democracy survive that 40%.
19
VP Biden should send an army of his volunteers to the Impeached WH occupant next rally with signs: WHERE's STORMY.
I bet a $20 he will never mention Hunter again.
9
Two possibilities. Trump's defence will ignore Bolton and the GOP senators will acquit Trump. Bolton will testify and the GOP senators will ignore his testimony and acquit Trump. Same ending.
3
Question: Who is on trial here? Donald Trump or Hunter Biden? Impossible to tell from today's defense arguments. And no mention of Bolton.
15
Al Franken was so prescient in 2003. The Republican Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them has grown to epic proportions.
20
The most ludicrous of the Republican defenses is that millions of American votes are being denied. First, Trump lost the popular vote by 3 million votes. Second, Trump got a huge helping hand from Russia. We can't put a number on these Votes. Third, Many votes were cast for a successful businessman instead of a politician. I have found that everyone I know who voted with this in mind has changed their mind. Trump is a dumb businessman and everyone now knows it. Fourth, many votes were cast against Hillary rather than for Trump. These voters have mostly said they will vote for Trump's opponent. Fifth, even some of Trump's "base" are beginning to think again. All this goes to say Trump can't come close to garnering the same vote in 2020 as he had in 2016. So much for millions of American voters being degraded
11
“Mr. Trump and his defenders quickly sought to undercut Mr. Bolton by dismissing him as a disgruntled former employee seeking to take revenge and sell books.”
John Bolton has a lot of friends in the Senate. Given the choice they would believe Bolton over Trump. So they should vote to hear witnesses. Let’s hear what people close to Trump have to say under oath.
9
Why is it that for Republicans the issue is whether the truth will "upend" their defense (i.e. lies) or if they will stay the course and pretend reality doesn't exist without consequence? And for Democrats the issue is whether they are able to "convince" the Republicans to see reality or if they will fail to make their case?
Republicans failing to do their duty is the Democrats' fault. This is how things have been framed by the NYT the past few days and this is why I have little hope. The standards and expectations are so very different.
The next Democratic candidate for president needs to call on all nations to aid in the election after the Republicans finish their con. How many would rather see anyone but Trump as President? The narrative that we are some sort of democracy is patently false. If you think the next election will be the answer after this trial, you haven't been paying attention... It is already rigged.
7
Jim offers a rather typical DJT comment: unsupported opinions and speculative political judgments/investments.
5
@Das Ru-I’ve been reading Jim’s comments on several NyTimes articles today, all based viscerally in emotion rather than impartial logic. This is what supports almost all of Trump’s impeachment defender’s support. They aren’t supporting Trump because his defense is the most rational, rather they are supporting him because he is their “team”. And, they will do anything to support their in group, even when all the facts point his corruption and immoral acts.
7
Nobody seems to be talking about what would happen if enough bombshells emerge so that even the Republican Senators will have had enough, and Trump is convicted and removed from office. After the violent upheavals -- the man won't go quietly -- we have -- TaDa!! -- Mike Pence.! Awful as Trump is, Pence would be worse.
2
I think the Dems are better off not having Bolton testify. The Republican vote for vindication of the president cannot be swayed. The Dems should cry foul in the next election cycle and repeatedly bring up the GOP's success in preventing a fair trial and obstructing the truth. Bolton testifying will only help Trump and not change the Senate's inevitable exoneration. It will just give Trump more fuel for the "they are out to get me" defense. He will claim the Senate saw no crime even with the Bolton bombshell.
The Dems need to focus on 2020. It is our only chance for removal.
1
Mr. Bolton and other sources of intelligence relating to the articles of impeachment, may have a serious impact on Senators who refuse to allow relevant information to be revealed. The Constitution, or Mr. Trump, which will it be?
8
If Trump had been truly interested in looking for corruption, he should have started by looking in the mirror.
18
Trump, as befits a mob boss, has involved others in his misdeeds - individuals in his administration and party are implicated in his crimes. Now they are obliged to cover for him in order to protect themselves.
Remove him and where do you stop?
The Republican party rebranded itself as the party of dirty tricks decades ago. Manafort, Stone, Atwater, Gingrich, McConnell knew how to relatively stay in bounds. Trump knows no bounds. Now they are bound to shred to constitution to save him and themselves.
Or not. They could say 'enough' and cut Trump loose, clear out the worst offenders, salvage Pence, and crow about their courage.
4
@pi
Trump is John Gotti 2.0
7
@pi McConnell's willingness to subvert the system by simply ignoring the rules, at the very least starting with stating he would oppose everything president Obama tried to do, and then unfairly rig Supreme Court and federal judge appointments to keep courts hard right is a big reason why we are here, that and Congress being afraid to vote against Mitch and Trump. They want to keep their seats over their district constituents too much, satisfy rich donors and their own means of getting richer. When I called both senators from my state to encourage witnesses and documents, the only one I heard back from was the Democrat, Sherrod Brown, so far nothing from the Republican Rob Portman....
3
Does Trump denying that something took place actually mean anything? He has been caught in hundreds of lies. His knee-jerk response is to deny and shout 'fake news' ad nauseam.
3
And who says Bolton’s book is factual??
1
@Nycdweller
Why would Bolton lie in his book? We’re supposed to believe the WH, The purveyor of truths??
6
This is why we need more first hand witnesses like Bolton and documents, all of which Trump and his supporters at the State Dept (Pompeo), O MB and chief of staff (Mulvaney and deputy) , along with VP office (Pence) are withholding at Trump's orders, despite subpoenas from House. If Republicans get their way, insisting that all Congress investigation must have court approval of subpoenas, which they dont need now, and allow other two branches of govt not respond to witness and document requests, Congress will lose its power of oversight. It will only be on paper and any corrupt official will just play out the clock of the court system, Trump and his administration are setting up the roadmap now for how to proceed in the future. Even Nixon and Clinton provided documents and allowed witnesses. Ken Starr sent Linda Tripp to jail for refusing to testify, that is not happening now.....
6
Former House Speaker John Boehner was correct to remark two to three years ago that the Republican Party was “asleep”.
The Republican Party is waking up.
1
@Das Ru Appearances are deceiving. They're just sleepwalking - and dreaming.
1
Bolton timed this perfectly, leaking this information just after the impeachment managers finished so this information cannot be used in the trial and unlikely to be considered for witnesses if the senators can only consider evidence presented to them. But the info will generate political chaos and maximize his celebrity status.
1
What a house manager or defense attorney says is not evidence, just a recital of the facts and the pointing out of relevant evidence; in a trial court, it can’t be relied by a jury. Only a sham trial excludes relevant evidence. And only a purely corrupt judge supports exclusion of critical evidence. This trial has so far excluded ALL new evidence and witnesses. It’s not a trial, it’s a cover-up.
14
Are there really no, not a single one, Republicans who will listen to Bolton's account, and vote to impeach Trump? How do they justify this to themselves? I really don't understand them. Are they really all so compromised, so dishonest, so dishonorable?
9
Of course, this new disclosure from Bolton's forthcoming book won't change a thing. Not because Republican voters don't believe Bolton. They know Trump withheld congressionally approved aid to Ukraine on the condition that its government open a public investigation into the Bidens. They even know it was about taking down a political rival more than anything. Some may deny it, but they know. They just don't care. I fear our nation can't long survive such widespread insanity.
14
What about Roberts? Isn't the CJ of the SCOTUS allowed to call witnesses using his own discretion? How much time does he have to do that? Can the republicans override or veto his decision in this matter?
4
@DM No, actually the Senate makes the rules, just as the House made their rules, one of which was not allowing the President fair due process in their sham trial.
The Republican response to Bolton is a spot on imitation of the playbook in the movie “Idiocracy.” If anyone opposes the Republican view with an intelligent, fact based statement, instead of responding to the merits of a competing view, the default is to malign the adversary with slurs, contempt and mockery. The Republicans have concluded creating visceral feelings is the only means to obtain favorable responses from their base.
At least in “Idiocracy,” President Camacho realized Luke Wilson AKA “Not Sure” was smarter than the president and allowed Not Sure to solve the country’s problems.
6
Was Trump interested only in investigating his “Democratic rivals”, i.e. the Bidens, or was he interested in a wider probe into all the Ukrainian corruption which occurred during the Obama years? In the latter case, the Bidens would not be his focus, and Trump’s motive would not be to affect the outcome of the next election but simply to get Ukraine to clean up its act. Bolton should be asked to clarify this point if he were to be called as a witness.
4
"But polls show that two-thirds of the public wanted to hear from new witnesses in the trial now underway on Capitol Hill." Two-thirds of the public no longer count. One-third of the public, who would give their souls to Trump, are the ones who count. The Senate Republicans are terrified of these people and terrified of Trump's retaliation. They can only retain their power by voting against the majority of the people in the country. A minority is bringing our democratic republic to its knees.
9
"...conditioned security aid to a war-torn ally on its cooperation against his domestic rivals..."
(Is becoming a presidential candidate an adequate legal shield against being investigated in a situation in which your son becomes somehow qualified to a seat on the board of an important company in a nation known for vast corruption while you play a key role in relations between that nation and the United States.?)
2
The Republicans in Congress and Trump's lawyers are using The Schultz Defense: "I see nothing! Nothing!"
7
The Republican faction should carefully consider their handling of John Bolton’s statements. The White House is staffed with people who know from personal observation and experience that Donald Trump is crooked to the max.
White House staff attempted to bury the July 25 call with President Volodomyr Zelensky after realizing that Mr Trump had just shook down Ukraine for phony political dirt on a domestic rival, White House staff who produced the selectively edited partial call record that Trump and his allies falsely refer to as a transcript. In short, WH staff are Trump’s accomplices.
If staff were to follow Bolton’s lead, that would be deadly because his accomplices have the goods on Trump. Suppose Mr Trump sandbags Mr Mulvaney or Mr Pompeo for insufficient loyalty or whatever reason, and they decide to turn stool pigeon after the Senate’s no witnesses no evidence Republican clown show trial has acquitted Mr Trump on a party line vote.
Numerous crimes have been committed. Staffers who covered for Trump are probably feeling nervous. Suppose some of those nervous WH staff were to contract cases of chronic integrity. The optics alone would be horrible for Republican Senators.
5
That republicans are doing everything they can to hold on to power is to be expected. What the electorate should learn from all of this is not that this or that politician is a hypocrite but rather that what Patriotism, religion, the founding fathers, the Constitution represent are constructs meant for us, simple folk. The powerful? They operate outside of their constraints.
2
If we were still a democracy, Trump would be in real trouble.
10
Bolton is Trumps Impeachment 'Smoking Gun'. Now is the opportunity for the few real Republicans left in the Senate to put their fear of Trump and Trumpism aside and do the right thing.
I am betting Bolton will testify, the Biden's are unlikely to appear as their testimony bears no relevance to the articles of Impeachment of Trump.
2
"Unlike the Nixon smoking gun tape, there is no recording." Well, the Ukraine side should be having some tape, which will be coming out decades from now when people almost forget Mr. Trump.
2
Kabuki theater. The only Rep. Senators who will break ranks are those who are independently wealthy (Romney and maybe one or two others). Not enough to challenge what McConnell wants to do. The rest like their current gig and want to have enough cred so that when they retire they will get either a lobbying job or a no-show position in some Fascist think tank. This isn't going to be a civics lesion in profiles-in-courage. I expect this show to be wrapped up by Wednesday, Friday at the very latest.
4
1st question: will enough repubs call for witnesses? So far there are only 2. After their sickening obsequious behavior starting in the 2016 primaries and over the past 3+ years I’m not sure any have even the shadow of a spine.
2nd question, if they call for witnesses, will enough republicans be swayed to remove the coward in chief? Even if #1 is ‘yes' I think #2 will be 'no'.
But this is lengthening the process so perhaps poor Mr. Trump's state of the union address will be a bit less rosy, unless he lies … (oops ! my attempt at humor: delete ‘unless’).
Meanwhile the degree of denial demonstrated by Trump and his sycophants keeps breaking records; today out did yesterday, tomorrow will out do today.
And we have the presidential elections in 10 months. We don't know who the dems will run, but we know that to avoid all the fed, state, local charges awaiting him Trump would be happy to turn a minor incident into a war, under the delusion that being president makes him immune.
It won't be the first time, and we know that neither lives nor resources are precious to this criminal.
All that matters is him.
Let's hope our military leaders continue to demonstrate the wisdom and courage to resist.
The true irony will be in the 2022 congressional elections.
How many of these republicans will survive? Will Trump help them? (Sorry, another attempt at humor.)
2
For over four years, every new revelation has only resulted in a moved goal post. There evidently is nothing these republicans want swallow and excuse. I know how this sounds, but Trump could molest a 3 year old on the White House lawn and his base would say she asked for it.
8
What Bolton revealed in his manuscript is something that most rational people already suspected. Unfortunately, even the Bolton revelation will not motivate most Republican Senators to demand witnesses in the national circus orchestrated by Mitch McConnell.
Even now, the propagandists function as a defense team for Trump is promoting propaganda against an American citizen on the Senate floor. Sadly, even Ken Starr , a once respected jurist,
has allowed himself to become an instrument to deceive the nation.
1
“I NEVER told John Bolton that the aid to Ukraine was tied to investigations into Democrats, including the Bidens,”
In fact Trump says that it is true.
2
Why do Republicans seem to get 50x more "passes" for disgusting and criminal behaviour than Dems?
8
GOP has th emajority in Senate and has the ability to investigate and call any witness including Bidens. They would have already done so; if it was going to help them.
Now it's time that real American patriot senators wakes up and join together to call: Bolton, Pompeo, Barr and Mulvaney.. and also Trump for the country to testify in the senate.
I will support for Biden to testify; if Trump testifies under oath first.
2
The proffered Toomey "two'fer deal" on witnesses is completely bogus. It takes 51 Senators to call a witness---like the BIDENS!!!!!---and there are 53 Republican Senators. They can call anyone they want right now!! It's a red herring on the Republicans' part. Don't be fooled!
5
Trump will never say anything under oath. Do we need to know more than that?
7
"Mr. Trump now faces perhaps the most serious disclosure of his political career."
And sadly, that disclosure...is only the tip of the iceberg - political and personal - for Mr. Trump.
14
Answer: Nope because a rich White man can get away with anything in America. Anything.
19
Most don’t want to do anything wrong. Perhaps it’s NY where many feel entitled. You have a good point.
1
The exception proves the rule. So I agree.
The exceptions —Epstein and Madoff. And that Enron guy.
Question:
Let us say the Senate does vote to affirm the Articles of
Impeachment, does that mean that Trump is removed from
Office and cannot run again for President or does that
require a separate vote ?
2
He probably would not be the Republican candidate again, but if they wanted him, why not? He could also run as a third party candidate. Then all bets would be off. The Democrats seem not to realize the chaos they are unleashing. They are quite mistaken if they think they can remove him from office and then blithely sail into the White House. There would be a revolution.
3
@John Brown If he is removed from office he cannot run again. It's in the Constitution.
2
@Mnzr
Thank You.
2
We might as well give up now and put Trump, and only Trump, on the 2020 ballot for election for life followed by his his whelps, also for life. No need to have a Democratic candidate, after all, all of them want to save America from an ignorant tyrant who forty percent of Americans and a slim (slimy) majority of the Electoral College idolize. Let's just cave in to them and accept our fate to become a dictatorship. Why fight the inevitable collapse of American democracy?
12
In these five years, since DT announced his candidacy, it is horrifying to recount what we as a nation have lost- morality, truth, allies, institutions, patriotism, democracy, equality under law - in short all the values that once made us a great nation. And we are staring at the abyss of a second term.
52
I am watching POTUS lawyers defend him on the Senate Floor.
I think Mr. Bolton may want to rethink his strategy of selling books thru selective leaks.
I am no lawyer.
But POTUS lawyers will eat him alive when he manages to testify if senate actually allows.
To me, the first question they will ask him to produce records that he repeatedly told POTUS holding up aid was wrong.
They will then ask him for memos on what assessment he provided to POTUS on damage that might cause to US Security.
And they will ask why he did not tell his aides that he has always opposed this pause before they listened to the phone call.
And after his aides reported the call to him - why as the National Security Advisor, he not rush to POTUS and say this could be a problem call.
Instead why did he ask his staffer to call NSC lawyers.
Based on what I heard on the floor - Bolton may wish he had never written the book.
And if Republicans don't insist on calling Bidens as witnesses - but only Bolton - they will participate in a cover up by Democrats.
Incidentally, the female lawyer for POTUS did more damage to Joe than Ukraine could ever do.
His opponents will play these clips incessantly.
I am glad the Majority Leader insisted on this trial and not a quick way out by simply tabling the articles.
This has been a great education in our Constitution and more importantly, how empty these articles of Impeachment really are.
Glad we live in a free country.
4
@Neil You are right on only one thing; You are no lawyer. Trump's Defense: Pens; Biden; Obama
4
Dear Iowa voters,
Did you listen today to your Senator, Joni Ernst?
She is doubling down on support for a criminal president. Is this who you want representing you in the United States Senate? Does she represent your values?
Iowa voted for Barack Obama twice (in 2008 and 2016). Iowas elected three out of four Democratic House Reps in 2018. Why would you ever vote to re-elect Joni Ernst to the Senate?
And by the way, how are Mr. Trump's tariffs working out for Iowa farmers?
60
I just wish, in the interests of Civics teachers everywhere, that Republican lawyers, Fox, Republican Senators and House members would be sat down and forced to listen that if trump is removed from office, Hillary Clinton would not be elevated to the Oval Office.
5
@Howard Clark
Nobody has suggested that she would be.
1
@Elizabeth Not directly. However, those who shout that an impeachment will in effect overturn the will of the voters in the 2016 make it sound as though she would. Otherwise, they would trust our duly elected members of Congress to make a sound decision.
3
The Republican Senators all know Trump is guilty. They are trying to get elected in Red States and have nothing to gain by dealing in the truth. Trump’s lawyers— knowing the results before this all began— aren’t even bothering to address the actual charges. They’re just throwing red meat to the Fox News set by trying the trial and introducing all of the Biden nonsense. It’s a strategy to distract from the real issue while trying to win an election.
On the other side of the equation, the Democrats are telling a story to all posterity, and setting up the Republicans for the long game. The Democrats will lose this particular battle, and even the election, but they need to— and I believe are— sowing the seeds of the Republican’s downfall for the future. Bolton will help the Democrats toward that end.
8
@Mickey GOP greed will be their downfall;unfortunately Trump loaded the Supreme Court; so expect 40 years of old ; rich white people getting richer and poor people getting shafted
6
Republican senators this is your chance. You have been handed a silver platter to remove Trump but complain the process of how it arrived is in question.
A Trump as King past this point will allow him to act without boundaries. Your call. Trump is a vindictive dangerous man.
What will he do?
12
An unofficial court held by a group of people in order to convict someone regarded, especially without good evidence, as guilty of a crime or misdemeanor is called a kangaroo court.
What do you call an official court held by a group of people to absolve someone regarded, especially with good evidence, as guilty of a crime or a misdemeanor? The U.S. Senate in 2020.
6
Trump is invulnerable at least till November. It will however upend the Senate.
2
@Tullymd
And a year ago, we were saying there was no way he could possibly be impeached.
3
No, I said there’s no way he would be convicted.
GOP attorneys ramble on addressing pretty much anything EXCEPT the proven charges and the new first-hand evidence of Mr Bolton that the president tried to coerce the Ukraine for his own political goals - - and when caught, tried to cover it up.
9
Yes, Trump is troubling, having committed all of the indecencies, indiscretions, and illegal acts noted in the article.
Yes, Republicans care more about holding onto their seats than their oaths of office or equal justice under law.
Yes, this is disgusting. But is it surprising? Not at all.
The super-rich that Trump represents can tolerate anything from Trump, so long as they don't have pay taxes or their workers. Republican Congressmembers can tolerate anything, so long as they don't risk Trump's ire on Twitter. The "base" can tolerate anything so long as the immigrant remains a scapegoat for persistent economic inequality and they are promised that things will be great again...
13
@STG And somehow it is better than anything the Democrats have to offer.
I would be amazed if any of those “two thirds” Americans who want to hear witnesses are from his core base.
Dear Trump Republicans,
There are more of us than there are of you. And we are angry, and outraged, and motivated. This is your last gasp of power, and you know it.
Your blind, cult-like support for Mr. Trump is your downfall, and marks the end of the Republican Party. You will relegated to the dustbin of history, like the Whigs.
We Democrats would not have been outraged at a President Romney, a President McCain, or a President Kasich. We might disagree with some, or even most, of their policies. But we would consider any of them to be our President, the President for all Americans.
Donald Trump has never even attempted to be the president of all Americans. Rather, he openly expresses contempt for over half of the American people. Good luck with that.
59
@MidtownATL Thank you for the motivation. We'll see.
The Republicans are correct. Donald Trump is laser-focused on corruption.
He wants to identify every bit of corruption that can benefit him personally.
===
The G.O.P. is the national party of corruption, and felons.
Vote accordingly.
- Chris Collins (R-NY), Duncan Hunter (R-CA), Paul Manafort, Michael Flynn, Michael Cohen, George Papadopoulos, and so forth. Criminals and felons, every last one of them.
16
In a properly functioning democracy, Bolton’s earth shattering revelations about Trump’s corrupt and illegal behavior would mean an impeachment conviction and the end of Trump’s corrupt administration. But Republican senators seem hell bent on preventing our country from acting as a functioning democracy, because they place politics and party over country. It’s despicable
9
I find the tone of this analysis deeply troubling, for it accepts as a given the idea that facts don’t matter anymore. It’s all just a horse race, with the amazing Mr. Trump out front, and by golly it looks like he’s going to maintain his lead against those other pesky horses flinging mud at him. Gee whiz, nothing’s taken him down yet so why should this be any different? Sadly, this brand of subservient-to-power horserace coverage of Trump’s corruption pervades the NYT reporting of Trump’s impeachment.
And yet, yesterday the Times posted this article about Iran: “Anatomy of a Lie: How Iran Covered Up the Downing of an Airliner.” https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/26/world/middleeast/iran-plane-crash-coverup.html?searchResultPosition=1
Can you imagine if the Times had the courage to report on our own government with the same force and clarity of recognition of what is truth and what are lies, where might we be instead today?
9
@Matthew L.
Yes I can imagine. Everyday a new "Trump lied about..." headline. Instead the Times has been too soft on Trump and the Republicans.
5
If not now, anytime is good because he is emboldened by anything resembling a get away free card. He is chaos.
2
What were Igor and Lev after regarding banking rules over medical marijana transactions? I asked my governor if there is any Russian money in my vape pen, but he’s not returning my huffing emails. I suspect global fraud and money laundering require swift money transactions. Is anyone checking the no checks lobby?
2
Unbelievably, Republican defense team are not addressing the fact that "that Trump tied $391 million in aid to Ukraine to the country helping with investigations into Democrats- including former Vice President Biden and his son Hunter Biden- ricocheted across the Capitol."
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/480161-bolton-upends-trump-impeachment-trial
HOW LONG WILL GOP TRY TO COVER UP for themselves and the President?
7
There you go: Giuliani as a witness in exchange for Bolton as a witness. Bring them both.
1
Trumps lawyers can stand infront of the Senate and use every second of their 24 hours to try and defend him. To try and convince the Senators, the country and themselves that he did nothing wrong, but IT'S ALL A LIE!!!
Bring forward Bolton. He knows the TRUTH.
7
@Michael McDaniels
Stockholm Syndrome.
2
Behold, the President shooting someone in the middle of Fifth Avenue and getting away with it.
10
The Senate will have no trouble voting to confirm that, as Trump demands, up actually is down and black is definitely white.
No one wants their head on a pike !!
5
I would trade Bolton for Hunter and Joe Biden and the Biden's obvious corruption any day of the week.
1
Of course. Trump is an existential threat. So why protect the Bidens especially if they are guiltless.
Hunter is no angel. He might fit right in with the Trump crowd. More irony.
Nothing Trump says or does upends him. He says he is smart because he doesn't pay taxes. He says he can abuse women because he's wealthy, he calls Nazi sympathizers good people, he says he breaks the law and he can get away with it because he is above the law. He insults good people and cozies up to dictators (who he loves and admires)...
Now, the GOP and Trump's lawyers will make the impeachment about everyone but Trump and continue to lie and blow everything out of proportion. The GOP has already stated they will acquit him so Trump can continue to proclaim his innocence and try to negate the overwhelming evidence of his guilt as an illegal coup.
7
It looks now that the Trump lawyers are calling for the impeachment of Obama
11
Bolton is a slimy neo-con hackjob. Trump was a fool to hire a Bush retread, but he is not the best judge of character.
In any case, Bolton's claims are not credible because he is just talking trash to sell his well timed book release. What a bum.
@BearBoy Unfortunately, the GOP sees him differently. His claims are credible and that is why he can sell books.
2
I’d like to trust the Constitution and the process, but the GOP is either too captivated by or too afraid of Trump and their comstituents back home to do anything but march in lockstep, right off the cliffs of sanity and conclusive evidence.
Trump has made it his life’s work to be a sleazy grafter. He’s weaseled out of nearly everything...I expect nothing different this time around.
4
Biden should testify if Bolton does. If he’s done nothing wrong, it will help the case against Trump. If he did , better to find out before he becomes the Democratic nominee.
3
Why? One is a fact witness, one is not. Remember it is Donald Trump that is on trial here.
3
I have a hard time seeing why McConnell and Co would change course in any meaningful way now. Sure, the Bolton revelations may mean that they need to put a little more effort into creating the fig leaf they'll don after they vote not to convict The Don - but that's hardly heavy lifting. No harder than what they did after Access Hollywood, the Comey firing, "Little Rocket Man," Charlottesville, hush money payments, Michael Cohen, Manafort, Helsinki, Trump family security clearances, the Trump Foundation, babies in cages, Kavanaugh, the Mueller Report, drawing on weather maps with a sharpie and about a hundred other scandals that should've been career-ending for Trump.
7
It would be naive, for lack of a better term, to believe that John Bolton’s account will upend Mr. Trump. That will have to wait until November, when the voters get to decide Mr.Trump’s fate. Until then this is Mr. Trump’s era and Mr. Trump’s Washington. At this moment in history, the rule of law simply does not apply.
5
Exactly but the Senate will be transformed.
3
This article certainly assumes that the president of guilty of something, however, if this were true, why have all the examples listed in the article come up with ZERO criminal indictments on the president? In business you work with people who get their hands dirty. That doesn't necessarily mean that the president was involved in these things. It's disingenuous to treat the president like he's already guilty when there really hasn't been any proof (apart from people with grudges suggesting something seedy has occurred. Whatever happened with Trump's lawyer who sang to try and save himself? Not a single thing has come from that even with all of the documents he turned over. Nor has anything come from the Comey investigation. Democrats really should be looking at a strategy to beat Trump that doesn't involve all of this political grandstanding.
2
They are not trying to beat Trump but rather to rescue the country from a fascist dictatorship. The dangerous villain is McConnell. Trump is just a “sick puppy”.
Or should I say “puppet”?
Or both.
6
@Tullymd Republicans did save America in 2016. As bad as you believe Trump is, Hillary would have been worse. And if any of the current candidates are what Democrats have to offer, I think Trump shall be President in 2020.
The issue for many is- Whether Trump had a reasonable excuse to ask for an investigation on Burisma. If the public agrees with Trump that the facts as known are worth investigating, Trump comes out looking good..Whether Bolton knew that Trump wanted an investigation is irrelevant... Bolton will also testify that Trump had other reasons he felt justified holding up the aid..Unless Bolton can testify that Trump knew or should have known that any investigation would be bogus, his testimony won't hurt Trump...The only witness's that might testify to anything entertaining would be the Bidens.
The current circus is a moot point however it ends.
Let the states try Trump for the issues they have, in the meantime half the country want him out of office.
Dissolve the government, and Call an election NOW, to clear the air.
Mr. Bolton's testimony, even if allowed, will have no effect. We are no longer the same country we were before November 2016.
We know two things. The impeachment case against Trump is unassailable. There is ample evidence to support his removal from office. But we also know that this Republican Senate will absolve him. Either they will refuse to call Mr. Bolton, or will, after hearing his testimony, ignore it and "exonerate" Trump anyway.
But Republican Senators' conduct in this impeachment trial makes perfect sense, once one understands what their motives are. And they want only this: the installation of Trump as dictator and turning this country into a "one party" nation. They want to ensure that he continues acting as a dictator. And this includes his continuing criminal activity, that will only escalate now.
Trump has torn this country apart, and this Republican Congress will do nothing but help him consolidate his power. Republicans will never cede leadership to the Democrats again, under any circumstances. Republican Senators will ensure a rigged election in November. In short, they want anything that solidifies their rule and the dictatorship of Donald Trump.
Trump and the Republicans will never cede power peacefully. He will not leave peacefully if voted out this November, or in 2024. Republicans want Trump to be able to do anything he wants, for as long as he wants.
And for those of you who think we still have a democracy, check your rear view mirror.
8
I am listening to Trump impeachment defense team right now on C-SPAN (Monday late afternoon).
The Trump teams' defense is to fully embrace conspiracy theories.
- They probably believe the moon landing was faked. And the United States government is hiding space aliens at Area 51. And the Council on Foreign Relations is sending black helicopters to come for them, to take away their guns and Bibles.
Sure, the Trump defense team is populated by fancy lawyers stating these claims in grammatically proper English. But that does not make these fact-free and logic-free arguments any more plausible. They are irrevocably divorced from reality.
42% of Americans are truly Through the Looking Glass.
- Rod Serling could not have presented a stranger narrative on the Twilight Zone.
- George Orwell was correct when he wrote "1984." He was just 32 years early.
My, how far we've fallen as a nation.
God help us all!
8
What I don’t understand in all this - why are there not massive protests in the streets about Trump and his trash? It is all well and good to blame the 30% or so of his core supporters and the elected Republican zombies, but the people need to contribute and make their voices heard.
10
Bolton's testimony will make no difference. They do not need this monster to convict the other one in the white house. He should take his observations and go home. He has done enough damage to the world. They do not need his testimony, as there is enough already. They are waiting for video of Trump yelling the word crimes I guess. Even then they will find room to wiggle out and justify it somehow.
1
As long as the truth comes out, people will know what happened. The emperor will have no clothes.
1
TRUMP'S PLAYBOOK Is the plot for how he's going handle Bolton's claims. 1) Never admit guilt. 2) Normalize illegal behavior. 3) Turn the tables on the critic. Before or after, Trump will turn the matter into a food fight, throwing around any sort of garbage he can to see what will stick to his opponents. Given Trump's severe mental limitations, he is not capable of being aware that he's cornered by Bolton's book, so he's continuing to follow the script he learned from his demented mentor, the notorious, ultimately disbarred Roy Cohn, the attack dog for Joe McCarthy, both of whom got their "evidence" from Hoover's "secret" files. Trump's playbook is outdated. It has been rendered ineffectual by the Internet, most often by Trump's tweets, which he uses because that's about all that he can handle cognitively. Making belittling remarks about an opponent won't cut it for Trump in this case. He is well and truly at a crossroads, where can either make things easy for himself by getting a doctor's note and leaving. Or stand and fight a losing battle. The senators who have supported him are going to heed the wishes of We The People. If their constituents demand that witnesses be called and evidence introduced into the trial, the will not rest until they get what We The People deserve from its government: Respect for the rule of law and upholding the presidential oath of office. Trump's grades couldn't be lower. Will he flash Vs while climbing into his helicopter?
1
How is this different from John Dean not allowed to testify in the Watergate?
Whether Bolton testifies or not and regardless what he says if he does, it won't change a thing. That how things work in a banana republic.
3
For those here who refuse to acknowledge there maybe another side to all this; if Hunter Bidens cream puff well paying job, was in fact meant to bend Joe Binden toward the Ukrainians then Trump is right to request official inquiry into the matter. The Democrats arguement that it can only be viewed as Trump seeking personal gain also has no foundation other than its assertion by the Democrats.
3
I find the saddest thing in all of this is the dual personalities of many, if not most, Americans.
On one hand they think The United States of America is the "greatest country in the world". As they put their hands over their hearts, they also believe are the greatest, luckiest people in the world.
On the other hand they don't believe or respect their leaders. I look at their leaders and I see some very very fine human beings but I also see a country that is paranoid, doesn't care for their lost souls, the old, the sick, the unlucky.
The only country to drop atomic bombs on thousands, attack those weaker than they. Most travel in packs and have little interest in other nationalities or customs. I know because I have lived in the USA, and travelled somewhat extensively.
Get real Americans - so many of you have so much to learn. When you are good you are very very good but when you are bad you are truly horrid!
@New World - I have no doubt of it! However, you tried it before and we burned the Whitehouse - I hope we could do so again? Maybe... with all the immigrants who love us as we love them. Come on over - lots of Americans here and they add some often needed spice to our solid meals.
Given that most conservatives primarily take in Fox and other right-wing media, it's unlikely they'll wake up. That media realm avoids reporting any negative news about trump and spins it to the extreme when it does. The M.O. is always to paint whistleblowers, book writers, journalists, Democrats, civil servants, ex-trump staffers, etc etc as liars with an agenda.
I pray we as a nation can break through that propaganda.
14
@Barbara,
I agree, FOX without questions spews right wing propaganda but so do all the other news outlets. Let’s call it’s fair.
The left isn’t immune with the likes of MSNBC and CNN.
Unfortunately, this train has left the station and there is no going back.
My hope is that we ALL watch less news and engage in real conversation with each other. That’s a lost art...open conversation where people are willing to listen...it doesn’t happen.
It’s important we all do our open homework from heat on out.
A divided nation is a fragile one.
Thanks for listening.
Again there is nowhere to comment while today's presentation is happening, listening to Jay Sekulow when it comes to Giuliani being stellar and not being subpoenaed which prosecutor would ever put someone as disturbed as Giuliani on the stand especially after the world has seen him make a complete spectacle of himself not only once but in what is considered a pattern, then you hear Jane Raskin regarding investigations she tends to go to previous impeachments knowing full well that those impeachments had special counsel with staff doing investigations, the House did not have this luxury, Ms.Bondi focused on Hunter Biden, Joe Biden and Burisman sounding impressive but many facts inaccurate, Mr. Hershmann who is a Master in Energy? he is certainly distracting from Trump by attacking the Bidens, but all of this together does not come close to explaining what John Bolton knows, the Lev Parnas tapes even though it seems Parnas may be implicating himself, the
many high Donors that are found on the Parnas Tape, the qualifications that Ivanka, Eric, Jr. have and their association with Ukrainian Oligarchs, Kushner's business, no one has delved much into the children to see if they have any business dealings in Ukraine, they seem to be invested in much of the Russia Area which includes Ukraine so it would not be a stretch specifically since Trump seems to now be focused on Ukraine's oil, Syria's oil, Iran's oil, NYT needs to focus on possible Trump dealings.
3
@Rachel Quesnel Mr. Herschmann is arguing the "Urgency" wording that the Democrats used for
this impeachment, wondering why if he was a
threat, that they waited, my answer, maybe their meaning of "Urgency" is equal to Trump, Pompeo,
meaning of "Imminent"
@Rachel Quesnel-Ukraine business dealings involving Manafort, Giuliani, Trump and kids, Kushner, and now Rick Perry's gas and oil buddies definitely deserves it's own investigation. In addition to Syria and Iran, there's also Saudi Arabia, U.A.E. and Israel.
https://themoscowproject.org/dispatch/for-the-ukraine-scandal-the-firtash-connection-keeps-getting-clearer
https://themoscowproject.org/dispatch/for-the-ukraine-scandal-the-firtash-connection-keeps-getting-clearer
https://www.texasobserver.org/rick-perry-exports-his-pay-to-play-politics-to-ukraine
3
We may all thank Constitutional law expert Laurence Tribe for keeping true facts out for the rest of us:
"Starr’s claim that all House subpoenas issued before the House passed Res. 660 were void is legally wrong and is irrelevant to Impeachment Article 2, which focuses not on disobeying particular subpoenas but on directing unprecedented refusal to provide any and all information."
https://mobile.twitter.com/tribelaw/status/1221872079051640832
7
Listening to GOP 'defense' one wonders when or if Republicans will address what the House Managers proved: the president used the power of the state to bribe a foreign country to announce an investigation of his political rival-- and when discovered, tried to cover it up!
10
Dear Republicans,
Please do not take a deep breath and follow the advice of your leader Mitch McConnell.
John Bolton is an ultra conservative Republican and was Trump’s National Security Advisor during this period. In his book he confirms the House’s impeachment indictment that Trump withheld vital military aid and an important Presidential meeting as a bribe to obtain personal political favors. He based his conspiracy beliefs on information obtained from Lev Parnas and Rudy Giuliani in contradiction to the professionals from the CIA, FBI, and State Department. He has abused egregiously his office and poses with his poor judgment and even worse conduct a grave national security risk,
You have taken an oath to be impartial jurors and conduct a fair trial. As conservatives you are supposed to respect the integrity and independence of the Senate and your oaths to the Constitution.
Start showing some Moral Courage and do what is right. You must hold a fair and thorough trial and render your verdict on the facts. You must imagine that Trump is a Democrat and vote accordingly.
If other members of the Trump administration participated in the scandal you must demand that they resign and face justice. The sanctity of our Republic and democracy demands no less.
Remember moral courage! Finally you should demand the resignation of Mitch McConnell as your leader for his failure to abide by the high standards of impartiality required by the Constitution and his unreasonable partisanship.
11
Bolton's "lawyer blamed the report on a leak by the White House." My question: did the administration not tell the defense lawyers about Bolton's soon-to-be-published claim? Did the defense lawyers plan their defense without this explosive fact known to the staff, and they are still Trump's defense team?
Or did they know about Bolton's claim and then went into the Senate chamber to lie?
5
@Mary C.
That is a great question. Perhaps they should testify?
Never seen so many Republican men make hypocrites out of themselves. With-holding aid to pressure a foreign country to interfere in our election for his (Trump) personal political gain is extortion. Extortion is a crime. Thus, the House has established the act of high crime by this president. Using the blanket "executive priviledge" covering 6 depts. preventing ALL those employees from testifying is obstruction. Therefore, Trump's impeachment is warranted.
13
It is a well established and widely reported fact that Trump by a wide margin lies more than any other modern president. But now on a specific, swaggering, posturing, macho claim we are supposed to take each of his words as priceless pearls of truth? That is a preposterous claim. Trump lies and brags and postures with every word he utters. The inevitable conclusion that only his actions reveal his truth.
12
GOP should call Hunter Biden....and Monica Lewinsky ....and Hillary....and Comey.....and Elvis....and Santa Claus as they all share the same relevance to the articles of Impeachment that Trump is facing.
But it does beg the question why the DOJ or the Senate never opened their own investigation into Hunter Biden. Maybe he can ask them if they get him on the stand.
7
Ken Starr struts his pompous stuff – a dirtbag trying to blabber past the John Bolton revelations. John Bolton - pushing his pre-publication book sales. Senator Cotton yawns, the cheeky guy who got senators to sign a letter to the Iranian government blowing off President Obama’s efforts to avoid a nuclear holocaust. Pick one who isn’t deplorable because I can’t.
11
So basically it’s still a matter of Bolton’s word against Trump right? It’s not like Bolton has a recording of Trump talking about a “quid pro quo.” Meaning Bolton has no DNA stained “blue dress” in his closet? This is what the Democrats are hanging all of their hopes on? Lol
1
@Bahn Mi
He’s got contemporaneous notes, notably.
2
Paraphrasing Groucho Marks... »who should I believe? Trump? Or my own two eyes? »
5
GOP just needs to keep claiming the Dems did not do their jobs, and anything not said in the House does not count.
Electoral America will buy it and vote Tump, and support their Senators for dong the same. John Roberts will write scholarly articles why all of this was indeed on the up and up.
Can someone explain to me who is on trial? Is DJT President? He was impeached in the House and is now on trial in the Senate, correct? What does either of the Bidens have to do with #45s guilt or innocence?
9
If Trumps lawyers arguing the impeachment case in front of the Senate were shown to have known about the Quid pro quo couldn’t they be accused of lying before the Senate ? Is that a crime ? Lev Parnas says Sekulow knew all about the Biden scheme .
3
The Republicans are going to have to track down a little Dutch boy with an enormous finger now.
5
Where were all the so-called bombshells during the House proceedings?
This is little else than well-timed static to tru to accomplish a job that wasn’t accomplished by the vehicle provided by the Constitution.
Doesn’t work this way. Build a new, better case and present it.
1
@Amused Team Trump blocked all witnesses; all documents. He is a Dictator. If I shoot someone;destroy all the evidence; lock all witnesses up and bribe the judge and jury; then; my name is Donald Trump
3
If the Bolton revelations do not cause some of the Trump lackeys to grab their souls from the clutches of the evil regime, we are probably in for an even more excruciating, dangerous ride on the Trumpian roller coaster. However, truth will eventually prevail and "heads on a pike" will look like good outcome for these swamp dwellers. I picture a more colorful fate for them.
8
GOP senators might claim to be "angry" that Trump didn't prepare them for this disclosure, but surely they know by now that he's a completely undependable grifter with no integrity or even foresight.
12
Students of political history in some distant future, in a land where such things are still possible, where access to digital data is still possible, might look upon this whole degenerative process as either the moment that the USA began its precipitous slide into autocracy ( via oligarchic corporate plutocracy) or as the event that re-galvanised the Republic into standing up for its founding principles. Despite not commanding a majority in the country, the GOP has shown itself to be extremely effective at holding onto power, at any cost, to spew any lie into the ether. Meanwhile, the Democrats tie themselves up in knots not to be Trumpian, and destroy good people in the process. Focus and the willingness to risk all will win in the short run, but meanwhile, your country is sliding into moral bankruptcy, as 3 short years have shown what a toxic leader can infect with every rancid breath and how digital , diktats and ad hominem slash attacks are tolerated multiple times daily. You need the Street to rise up.
15
Time to call Trump as a witness, I haven’t heard perjury trap in awhile.
7
Bolton is just one witness. All of the House's subpoenas must be honored.
9
@Saints Fan
You might like to worry less about procedure and consider the content itself.
As a lifelong Republican, I just want to know the whole truth. The Senate should definitely let witnesses testify. Otherwise, it would be a fiasco of obstruction of justice- 1st by Trump, and now by the GOP Senate. Trump and Giuliani have been screaming that they want to testify. Let’s do it!
18
@Saints Fan It’s true my friend. Been w GOP when I turned 18, so long ago. Let’s make our GOP better, together my friend.
2
@Saints Fan The senators control the senate. They should allow both parties to call upon anyone to testify- Bidens, Bolton, Schiff, Giuliani, Trump ... The laws do not allow whistle blower to testify. I don’t know what a never trumper is. But I do know that there are many GOPs like me who want the truth for America, not for Trump, not for GOP, and not for Dem. America is way more important than GOP or Dem or any other party. I’ll stay a registered Republican forever because I believe in a lot of its principles. But I’m not going to sell out my principles like McConnell and Graham did. One day they’re swearing on the Bible shouting out their beliefs, and the next day they’re disavowing those beliefs.
Nothing upends Trump. He's spent a life time seeding chaos and crime. And we are even worried that he'll be around another 4 years, because he's so good convincing people of follow him.
5
I continue to be amazed how Trump ever came to be an icon of success and someone to be looked up to. Even in my teens during the 80s all I saw was a crass, tacky, gifting blowhard who couldn't be trusted. I suppose his attraction had something to do with the era and its yuppie excesses. Whatever the source, his continued success as a grifter and role model is indicative of something very unattractive and unhealthy within our society and culture.
8
It's going to take a really creative effort by the GOP to paint whatever Bolton says as fake news. I'm sure they'll try, I'm not so sure they'll succeed, but it's going to be really interesting to hear. Bolton's not a man who's easily played with. I think we’re in for some real prime time reality TV.
12
This is how mob bosses go down....someone talks to save their own hide.
When you associate yourself with shady characters, this is what happens.
10
Wont make much difference. Best case is GOP says that Trump should not have done what he did but it doesn’t rise to the level of impeachment. If both sides would tone down the rhetoric and if the GOP would acknowledge that the Dems had had reason to examine the situation more closely, even if impeachment was going too far, it would go away to calming the infuriated citizens on both sides and maybe restore an illusion of sobriety to the Senate.
2
According to President Trump, he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue in New York, and he would not lose voters. Similarly, Ambassador Bolton could testify that the President used public funds to aid Ukraine for personal benefit, and he would not lose the votes of Republican senators.
4
For the Republicans, relenting over John Bolton's testimony might not be such a bad idea, so long as this means they also get to call new witnesses of their own, like...
...Hunter Biden!
1
@Michael
Unfortunately, what Hunter Biden did or didn't do has nothing to do with what Trump did. If it was such a big deal to begin with, why not look into Bidens three years ago? After all the garbage Trump and cronies have done, Biden is small potatoes, if any.
11
If you are reading this and you are the person(s) who leaked Mr. Bolton’s book: Thank you.
If you are the whistleblower and you are reading this: Thank you.
22
Who are these influential people who are "pressuring" Senate leaders to include Bolton or other witnesses?
Democrats COULD have made this a credible vote to impeach. I can't figure out who advised them to let Schiff be the public face of the effort. Trump/Senate/GOP were handed a process that looked completely political and made their own manipulative/dishonest process look like more of the same. I'm sick of the inability to work within a focused strategy, or understand what wins an election. Obama was a great campaigner and won DESPITE that leadership. Now they are about to give an ignorant, unethical, insecure, ignorant (because it's worth saying twice) Trump a second term.
If you have the slightest belief that Trump gets impeached, congrats on wasting time and giving him another term - unless Democrats can get their act together. I support Buttigieg but think a Biden/Klobuchar ticket can win, if not botched.
1
@David Trump has already been impeached. The job now is to determine if he stays or goes.
4
If Trump escapes this Senate Trial with the help of a "there's nothing to see here" defense by Mitch McConnell, he would have successfully and fully replaced the Gipper as the Teflon President.
4
Democrats must ask the chief justice to issue subpoenas on his authority so that key witnesses like John Bolton appear in the Senate, and the Senate should subpoena all relevant documents as well.
4
The Senate has already decided Trump is going to get away with it so I've given up waiting for justice to knock on his door, and I'm tired of Mitt Romney's so-called open mindedness only to cave, as usual.
The only thing that concerns me now is how long we're stuck with these crooked and contemptible weasels.
10
I wish NyT would not append the headline with such a downer that could in fact sway outcome. “But will it upend Trump?”
How about just the first part? ..a much better way to start Monday.
3
Oh yeh, Bolton. Isn't he the guy who who hysterically insisted that Iraq has WMDs in 2003. He wouldn't lie, would he?
2
Probably not as often and shamelessly as Trump does.
3
@Stolypin He is also the person that said that he would like to blow up the United Nations....
Trump did it -said that he did it - base says say “not impeachable act” or wait until election. And some like his bravado even more.
1
I have read the comments and it appears that most, if not all are willing to simply hand over our country, morals and traditions to this warped, lying cult of corruption: without a fight, without a whimper. So, we the people will now live with the norm of dirty water, dirty air, dirty dealing as we all get down in the gutter with the swamp. If that's what the people want, then thats what the people deserve.
11
@jdoe212
That’s pretty much it.
The Republican Senate is ignoring the obvious as well as their oaths.
They are running from the truth.
They are willing to confirm Trump as America’s first dictator.
It is deserved if that is the case.
6
As for Trump's supporters in general, the title of a Pew Research article online answers the question posed by this NY Times article (will the Bolton revelation be a smoking gun or just another "Access Hollywood" tape?). The 1/22/20 Pew survey article is entitled "Majority of Republicans who say it is likely that Trump committed illegal acts oppose his removal from office." Really! Will Republican senators display more integrity than the general population? Whadda you think?
6
I am so sick of collins and murkowski and their ambivalence. These two women have shown that women of this type need a strong man like Trump to batter them around to his will. They have no ability to think independently and need a strong man like Trump or McConnell to 'guide.' So much for women's lib. These women have set it back decades. Collins and Murkowski are now completely defined by their men , Trump and McConnell. Sad. Maine and Alaska are so comfortable with such weak women. Says much about each state.
6
As I and many others here have commented, no, it will make no difference at all.
The Republican Party has now completed its long march to total corruption. As for Trump’s base, well, they just don’t care because they share Trump’s fears and hatreds.
8
It's time for more prior administration officials to step forward now: Kelly, McMasters, Tillerson etc. and begin speaking up about what they witnessed in Trump's White House. Trump lies with impunity even when he doesn't have to do so. To call Trump mercurial is being kind. The man lacks a moral compass and his ignorance about so many issues is staggering. Two thirds of Americans want witnesses and new evidence to be introduced at the senate trial. The revelation about Bolton's manuscript and his description of Trump's desire to withhold basically all aid from Ukraine until they relented to Trump's insistence on investigating the Bidens and the Crowdstrike nonsense cannot be ignored. To do so would mean every sitting Republican senator is guilty of tyranny and worse – actions that border on treason because they would knowingly be betraying our national security interests and fealty to our constitution. The arguments in Trump's defense are disingenuous at best. It's time to end this farce and for Bolton and other witnesses to testify.
6
So here's the problem for DJT. He is a bare face liar, constantly, incessantly, and never ending. Now, when it really matters that he can be believed that he didn't tell Bolton that it was the investigation into the Joe Biden for the $391 million appropriated to the Ukraine by congress, who should believe him? There is a better chance of a 'snowball in hell', than Trump telling the truth about this matter or anything else going forward. The Pinocchio syndrome is about to catch up to him. Of course the wild card will be those meek and obedient Republican senators.
3
Remember how outrageous was Trump's line "I could shoot somebody on Fifth Ave. and they'd still elect me"?
Now anything that Trump doesn't like gets the tag "fake" or, in Bolton's case, "he's just selling books".
The outrage has turned to belief for at least half of the electorate.
4
This morning president Trump announced he has never met John Bolton, he has no idea who Bolton is. He added that videos of the two of them together were a Ukraine creation to undermined his presidency.
4
Trump's denials being upended? Trump being upended? A person most at risk of being upended is likely thousands of miles away. Someone we may never have heard of is likely to step up.
It'll be a person posing an 'imminent threat' to the US. His name will probably be a Middle Eastern one but or all intents and purposes it may as well be "My Next Little Distraction."
Like the exactness of his name there will be fuzziness about his end. Eliminated? Taken out? Assassinated? Murdered? The reasons too will be equivocal. Given the circumstances this will be the hugest threat to the USA ever, with a plan so heinous and imminent that anything less than 'smashed, killed, destroyed and obliterated' would be a surprise.
Then again it could even be a country.
4
"will this be the turning point or just one more disclosure that validates his critics without changing other minds?”
It is not a matter of changing minds regarding Trump’s guilt, because odds are that all but the most enfeebled intellect knows he’s guilty. One does not refuse to hear witnesses who can shed light on truth if one is doubtful-- if one is genuinely doubtful, the normal human course of action is to seek more information.
Yet there is no one, I think, who will claim to be certain that Trump is telling the truth. Rather, the issue is changing their mind about putting Trump and the GOP at risk by allowing testimony.
The reason this is so challenging for the GOP is that they have chosen the way of “unreason and immoderation”, two terms much condemned by Edmund Burke. His solution was to counter unreason with reason and immoderation with moderation.
But who thinks the GOP even can choose reason and moderation at this point?
6
It is still important to get the evidence of the subpoenaed documents and Bolton’s and other fact witness testimony aired even if not one Republican senator is swayed , so that public opinion can be moved to overwhelmingly call for the removal of our corrupt and lawless president. As mentioned in other posts, if it proves impossible to get it into Senate trial, then subpoena Bolton in the House of Representatives and make every effort to get him to speak out on major network news shows, so that the full truth comes out to the American people.
3
The Republicans will never allow Bolton to testify. It just won’t happen. Bolton could provide a videotape of Trump telling him to withhold the money unless Ukraine investigate the Bidens for the purpose of helping his re-election and the Republicans wouldn’t pay attention. They have not and will not care about the truth and what is right and wrong. They simply do not care.
18
It’s worse than that. I think they do know and care BUT they think it is more important to hold onto political power by any means possible. They are quite consciously acting this way.
4
Your headline asks whether evidence indicating Trump lied will cause his supporters to doubt him. This further normalizes a complete breakdown of government transparency. It also presupposes a significant portion of the electorate is incapable of correctly distinguishing truth from lies, whatever the evidence.
Please stop printing such headlines. They’re destructive.
10
So Republican senators now feel "blindsided" by the Bolton's revelations. Well, of course they do . After all, how could any of them have ever anticipated that Trump might tell them something untruthful?
(sarcasm)
10
President's comments: "Look, I don't know this manuscript. I've never met this manuscript. I get thousands of manuscripts about me. Just because there's thousands of pictures of me with this manuscript doesn't mean I know what's in it. I don't even know what a manuscript is".
8
It is possible his sides never showed him the manuscript because they were afraid of the temper tantrum he would throw. I don’t think there is anyone left around him willing to bring him bad news.
1
The very fact that Democrats are now rallying around John Bolton is a testament to Trump's unique ability to bring people together.
7
The defense argument heard today argues that absolute executive privilege, which gives the president the authority to conceal the testimony of any and all employees of the Executive branch, is the legal precedent of the land.
The Supreme Court ruling on the Nixon tapes directly contradicts that imaginary precedent..
Chief Justice Warren Burger wrote;
“We conclude that when the ground for asserting privilege as to subpoenaed materials sought for use in a criminal trial is based only on the generalized interest in confidentiality, it cannot prevail over the fundamental demands of due process of law in the fair administration of criminal justice. The generalized assertion of privilege must yield to the demonstrated, specific need for evidence in a pending criminal trial,”
While acknowledging that impeachment is by it's Constitutional description a political process, the defense team and Trump supporters have spent countless hours advising us that we should be following norms & principles of American jurisprudence.
So can can we do that please?
7
All of this was worth it just for the non-stop laughs of listening to Ken Starr, of all people, go on and on about how we have to be super-duper careful about using impeachment in our democracy.
20
The more evidence that comes out, the more a couple of things become clear.
Either we will truly reach a tipping point, and Trump will prove to be the architect of his own destruction. And the country will begin to rebuild
Or the Senate GOP will choose power and party over ethics, justice, and their oath to the constitution. And the country will become a full fledged Banana Republic.
10
The title of this article is pretty frightening.
Sadly, I hold very little hope that Trump will be held accountable for his misdeeds.
I also have very little respect for these power hungry Republican elected officials. They are an embarrassment.
It’s cliche, but history will not look kindly on them. (They probably do not care)
Depressing...
9
The revelation that the White House has had a copy of the manuscript since December 30 makes it even more obvious why they do not want Bolton to testify: they know that his testimony will sink the now-foundering ship of fools captained by Trump. Everyone, even his supporters, recognize that Donald Trump is a serial liar and a paragon of mendacity. If you believe that his supporters in Congress are truly honorable people, then why any of them still believes the perfervid denials of our deeply disturbed president is a mystery beyond the comprehension of mere mortals.
6
Apparently nothing will upend Trump because Pence is next. Nobody wants that as he is worthless. Trump is a criminal and very petty and has always been. Republicans just can't believe how stupid they have been but they will stand by him to preserve their jobs. Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski are worthless cowards as are all the rest. It is bizarre to see Mitt Romney stand up sort of but only because he doesn't need a job.
The worst part of all this is the possibility of even a few months of a Pence residency. He is despicable and not capable of an original thought. Like his master, he sells the victimhood of the "base". He acts like he is the last confederate general waiting to find the Lost Cause at last. Oh America, what have you done now!
8
It is all just too much, Trump and everything. I say this because I would wager that were Bolton to "testify", he'd state that Trump did absolutely nothing wrong and that the book, the sound bites, and everything were just lies.
I mean, Trump exists on lies, so to have someone effectively take a bullet to exonerate Trump...
...it doesn't seem any more far-fetched then the idea that a narcissistic, bullying, con artist would be elected to the highest office of the land.
Some days, I wish I had not stopped drinking so very long ago...
We are a very sad nation, pathetic even.
7
Upend Trump? Don't be silly! Now, if the framers of the Constitution had specifically written "bribery; treason; asking Ukraine, Russia, and China to interfere in our elections; offering big bucks in exchange for dirt on American politicians," maybe the Republicans would be persuaded.
But the framers were short-sighted, alas....
5
Taking out Iranian General definitely a sop to neo Conservative chicken hawk Bolton meant to muzzle or at least delay public testimony. / Times publishing book exerpts allowing trump’s council brainstorm regroup.
3
Trump didn't really know Bolton, did he?
People are saying that Bolton is a loser who was fired by FOX and couldn't get a real job without Trump's help...and Rudy told Trump to let Bolton go and Pompeo agreed....
Trump was heard to ask "Just what IS a "book"?"
4
I'm growing so weary of slanted coverage by all media. I crave to see a balanced story about this trial by any professional medium. The real end of democracy is in the death of a press that no longer strives to be objective and factual. The good news about all of this is that it has compelled me to take the advice of Walt Whitman (a former journalist himself): to look and judge with my own eyes. Laborious though it be, I have watched the tapes of the House Managers, and I am watching now the tapes of the president's defense team. Let me assure you that the press is giving you extremely curated and slanted presentations of the facts. If anyone can recommend a site that actively strives to provide objective coverage, please do share!
3
@Valerie
Molesse share your understanding of the facts.
4
@Valerie
Please, tell us your understanding of the facts. Your comment needs some substance for such generalizations.
4
PBS. However, if you watch PBS and feel it is slanted, then it’s likely that you aren’t as independent an observer as you claim. For example, if PBS says 2 2=4, and Fox says 2 2=5, are they both slanted or is it possible one is just reporting the plain facts?
8
Probably not ; the fix is in with the Republicans and the public is apathetic . Lies become truth and the truth becomes lies , the money is too good , being honorable does not pay . There are no good people involved , that is another lie ; when persons in Congress are easily bought , it perpetrates a government not for the people but for the few . Welcome to an oligarchy .
9
I’m not so sure the public is apathetic. Hopeless, maybe. Dispirited, yes. Fed up with what passes for checks and balances, absolutely.
Americans like a good fight. If we have to come down out if the stands in order to get one at some point, we surely will.
4
@David H Hopelessness , and being dispirited breeds apathy . What passes for checks and balances is not checks and balances ; where is the movement from the stands ? This is not spectator sports were watching...this is apathy .
Can we contemplate that a great number of citizens really pay no attention to the ongoing back and forth. Revelations about Trump explode and fizzle; absorbed with no consequence, again and again. The origin of these nihilistic attitudes is not new. They have been part of the nations history from its beginnings. Perhaps we really are at a crossroad and its tendency gives Trump powers only thought to be fictional nightmares.
3
I think John Bolton understands we are a nation at risk, now.
Bolton sees that Trump is destroying democracy, as we know it.
We are in a democracy crisis, and perhaps John Bolton can help.
If Trump wins, democracy may fall for the US and other nations.
But if Trump is defeated, we may have a new democracy wave.
"Democracy is coming to the USA" (Leonard Cohen song)
6
Hopefully John Bolton‘s account will upend Trump. It also may cast Bill Barr in a very unfavorable light. In the words of my dearly missed former Senator Claire McCaskill, “let’s get that slimy slippery snake up here” to testify.
6
An innocent man has nothing to hide. What is he hiding? Why are they so afraid of a fair and transparent airing?
9
"...but Will It Upend Trump?" Of course not. Bolton's input would only jeopardize trump if this were a functioning democracy free of old, white repub senators. And, if it had an informed electorate.
10
None of this matters. Even if Bolton is allowed to testify, Trump won’t be removed from office. And both his base and Republican enablers no longer care if he’s guilty. He now controls the Senate and the Justice Department and is working tirelessly to politicize the State Department and federal judiciary. Even if the Democratic Party wins back control of the White House and both houses of Congress, I’m not sure we’ll be able to undo the damage.
5
The Republicans in the senate are as much on trial as Trump is and it may have begun to dawn on a few of them. Pelosi has boxed them in and it’s not going to get any easier. With a majority of Americans saying Trump should be removed a quick acquittal has danger written all over it. He and McConnell will do all they can to stop witnesses testifying but that only confirms to majority of Americans that the fix was in.
4
Interesting spin, Bolton has one and only one objective. Neutralize Iran. Trump is no longer furthering that agenda, so he turned on Trump.
2
@Marcus
Sounds like Faux News propaganda to me.
3
The burden of proof rests on the accuser in the United States. Unless Mr. Bolton has tapes to back up his "recollections," they're only value IS to help him promote his book.
He would have to risk perjury, which our liar in chief would not.
Anyone else reckon this is a concerted effort by Bolton to "testify" if he is not called on by the Senate? The timing is surely more than coincidental. I think what we have here is a man who, despite his many faults, does not believe the President is fit for purpose, and has decided to put his message on the record. I've said it once and I've said it again, perhaps this will amount to Bolton's swan song, his redemption for past atrocities to which he has been the architect.
2
Though not a fan of Bolton, I don't believe he's a liar. And I very much doubt he'd perjure himself for Trump if he's a witness. Whereas, we know that Trump is unable to tell the truth.
8
If this impeachment results in a witness-less, evidence-less pre-determined acquittal, the GOP will have managed to completely destroy the integrity of the US justice system, and will have sold all of their principles to the devil. The world is watching, and for the GOP to believe that the rest of the world is gullible enough to swallow this, then they are mistaken. Undoubtedly there are a number of agencies waiting for Trump to lose his sitting presidential immunity to prosecution as it is. It will be good to see that house of cards come tumbling down as well in the fullness of time.....
5
" I NEVER told John Bolton that the aid to Ukraine was tied to investigations into Democrats, including the Bidens,” Mr. Trump wrote just after midnight.
Donald J. Trump has way too much time and money in his hands! Unfortunately, in this case, none of it belongs to him but does belong to the taxpayers.The lawyers must be cringing as their client seizes defeat from the jaws of victory!
5
@here, there
Trump’s defense lawyers are lame.
3
And how many times
Will the President lie
Before they believe he’s a liar.
The answer, my friends.....
7
Dear Mr. President,
Perhaps instead of looking for your Roy Cohen, you should have been looking for your Rose Mary Woods.
Sincerely,
Chris
1
If Giuliani is a hand grenade, then Bolton is a bunker buster bomb.
6
We continue to hear from all the “he can shoot someone dead in the middle of 5th Avenue and I wouldn’t care” crowd who would be screaming for the death penalty if Obama had done even one of the things Trump has done. Yet they defend this chronic liar, adulterer and childish bully. Why? Normal and decent people don’t understand. Can one of you people please explain how it you can continue to do this?
58
@Rico Versalles
Amen. Same goes with the GOP. You know, can you explain the real behind the scenes cost of no witnesses/acquittal? Why?
What, pray tell, is causing them all to abdicate their oaths at the peril of destroying the constitution, and ultimately the democracy?
What kind of evil runs among the GOP halls of the Senate and House? What kind of pot of gold is McConnell feeding his peers?
Could it be so simple as a complete grab for power - creating a dictatorship with oligarchs (read Mitch McConnell, his wife, Ted Cruz, et.al.) and the 1% stamping out the democracy of We The People?
How long will it be before the masses rise up in revolt to the Citizens United clan because the citizens become poorer by the day with no jobs, no minimum wage increases , exorbitant medical costs, etc., while the congressmen line their pocked with big PAC donors and laundered money from overseas.
Me thinks a revolution can’t be far behind if the GOP props up this Con by not allowing witnesses and acquitting the Mafia Boss.
It is not hard to imagine.
8
@Rico Versalles Obama once wore a tan suit. Remember the Republican outrage?
6
The Republican Senators are not the problem, WE ARE. We are the ones that put them in power, and we have the ability to take that power away. Don't get mad at the Senators...get mad at us for tolerating this circus.
11
Republicans are busy inventing history, muddying the waters even more and am king up every conceivable plausible argument, although all false, that would help to exonerate their feckless leader, Impeached Donald John Trump. They cannot refute facts, and there are so many of them that unquestionably support Trump’s Impeachment and conviction. They cannot vault process or the necessity for this action, so they invent their own interpretation of the Constitution. Ignorant thugs believe what they want, no matter its degree of fantasy. Those of us whom they call “liberal elite”, thinking that is a slur, take the time and spend the energy to look at all sides before coming to conclusions - others, including almost all Republicans in Congress, do not. They are a disgrace to their constituents, perhaps most of whom are much smarter and more involved than they are in their own governance.
If a politician is placed into power to govern on behalf of his/her constituents, a smart American would demand intellectual excellence, honesty and integrity. Instead Republicans are getting corrupt pay-to-play crooks, self-serving hacks and party sycophants who don’t have the spine or the courage to stand up for what is right, ethical or moral. I’m waiting for Romney to prove me wrong this once. I can’t expect better from the likes of McConnell, Graham or Trump’s other sycophant mindless talking heads; not even Collins or Murkowski based upon their past hypocrisy.
4
Wow ... pretty snooze inducing defense case. Keeping a tally of strawman cases and downright lies is keeping me awake. I wish they had allowed more cameras ... i think we'd see a big elephant in the room with a curious walrus style grey moustache. And the republicans deperately avoiding looking it's way!
5
There is no limit to what Bolton will do to sell a book. What a conspiracy to leak the draft now for max sales impact. The publishing industry has joined the MSM. Isn’t fake news what Bolton has pushed all these years. Why would anyone believe him now they wouldn’t believe him when it was time to make him U.N. Ambassador.
@Richard, Trump himself said “do me a favor, though” to the Ukraine president. No fake news here. Bolton would merely be corroborating what we already know to be the case.
7
Is any sane person going to believe the denials of a person who has lied over 16,500 times since January 2017? One thing you can take to the bank regarding Trump is he lies. Reality and truth mean nothing him. He has no morals, no integrity, no honor, just ego.
The pressure for witnesses has increased exponentially, as the truth is emerging, external to the impeachment process. The House Managers need to request witnesses from the Chief Justice, as per Neal Katyal's opinion piece today, outlining the path.
With each passing day, as more revelations are becoming public, it becomes more and more difficult for GOP Senators to give a pass to the place holder in the Oval Office.
13
The Bolton "bombshell" is unimportant, because it does not provide any new information.
We all know Trump tried to get a quid-pro-quo with Ukraine.
The only question is, is that impeachable ?
The Democrats say yes, the Republicans say no. Trump *will* be acquitted; no one seriously believes 67 senators will vote to convict. So the only remaining question is, from a PR viewpoint, how should the Republicans treat this non-news ?
At the end of the day, Susan Collins needs Republicans votes more than she needs Democratic votes. She may not win if she doesn't have Democratic votes, but she will surely lose if she doesn't have Republican ones.
The Republicans should vote to acquit without any witnesses. They will get beaten up by the media just as badly with or without witnesses. It's not as if Schiff or Schumer will give them any credit for voting for witnesses anyway.
Ditto for ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, and the Times.
Better to solidify the base and move on.
4
@G
Bolton’s manuscript is very important since it gives first-hand evidence and gives further proof of what the House managers have already shown.
The Senate needs to see it, and it would likely provide new, relevant information. So would Bolton’s testimony under oath. Both should be subpoenaed.
The American people need to see a real trial. Not just a bogus acquittal show.
6
Nothing is going to change. For Trump, GOP senators and the base, there is no bottom line. Keep the memories of this circus when you go to vote in November this year.
12
Hard to expect. The Republicans are liars and traitors.
As Martin Luther King said we have a system of socialism for the rich and capitalism for the poor.
Add yo that no laws for the rich and strict laws for the poor, no responsibility for the rich and unforgiving responsibility for the poor. Treason and no patriotism for the rich and sacrifice and patriotism for the poor. No principles for the rich and demanding principles for the poor.
And by the way, middle class and even upper middle class gets lumped in with the poor on this. Also, non super rich senators and representatives who side with the Trump’s Republican Party get lumped in with the rich on this.
The are disgusting. Who do they think they are?
13
The House had ample opportunity to call for witnesses. They didn't. They never found any crime to charge Trump with. They conducted a kangaroo court, hurried along and done in secret so they could try to hurt Trump in the 2020 election. The articles of impeachment are a joke. They are scrambling, trying to find anything that will keep them from looking like clowns.
Clowns like Schiff and Nadler should be thrown out. Pelosi is a joke. But if the dems really want to call witnesses, let's call the Bidens.
2
Ralphie, you are mistaken. The voters have seen the revolving clown car of trump and it’s no laughing matter.
5
@Ralphie. Are you serious? What part of reality did you miss?
Trump is guilty and you know it.
4
@Ralphie - The Democrat impeachment managers did subpoena witnesses and some of those witnesses, including Mulvaney and Bolten were told by Trump not to show up. They obeyed.
You can’t have it both ways. Trump and his pals refused to turn over documents asked for by the Democrats. Trump told some of the key witnesses with direct, first-person knowledge to disobey the subpoenas and not show up.
Then the Republicans have the nerve to criticize the Democrat case for not having the evidence the Republican side refused to provide when asked.
Is it possible you really didn’t know that?
7
Thanks again to the whistleblower, to the witnesses who testified with great personal courage under oath, and now to the yet unidentified NSC person who leaked this Bolton manuscript.
At least some people are concerned first about our national security and the rule of law. As Lt. Col. Vindman said: “Here, truth matters.”
19
We hope that Bolton's account will not only upend Trump, but will bury him.
16
For Republicans, Trump asking Zelensky to announce an investigation of the Bidens is an admirable request and good politics.
1
How often we must quote the „Shoot somebody on 5th Avenue“?
The republicans can’t row back into justice and ethics anymore. They outlawed themselves- sworn in on „keep him at all costs“ (even a Romney who got offended and humiliated by Trump at any occasion)
3
I thought Stormy Daniels, no the Access Hollywood tape, no the Mueller inquiry, no the (fill in the blank) was the most serious disclosure of the Presidents political career.
The NYT keeps trying, but because Americans can get the truth from other places, keeps failing in its attempt to take down the President.
4
@John Gilday I’m wondering, are you saying that those disclosures were all false, that those disclosures were not “serious”, or that the Times should not have published them because they reflect badly on Trump? For a follow up, would those “ other places” be Facebook posts and Fox News?
5
Next, Trump will claim that he does not know John Bolton.
8
Funny, but everyone who disagrees with Trump is lying, according to Trump. Taking his claim at face value, it appears that Trump put a lot of liars in positions of public trust.
20
@Howard Right. What happened to "I only hire the best people"?
5
Congratulations, Republican sycophants: Trump just threw you under the bus! After you sacrificed your morals (if there were any to begin with), after you put the fraudulent president ahead of the Constitution, sided with him over the Intelligence community, and put your own political futures on the line, NOW you learn he was lying to you all along. Bolton's revelations say more about you than about him. America hopes you learn from this: Don't ever follow a deranged cult leader again. Nothing good can come of it.
17
And now I support John Bolton over Donald Trump? How low can I go?
8
Trump is the republicans POTUS like him or not. Simply put they have no other option at this point. Trump is their only person who can win another 4 years.
GOP will lie, cheat and steal (the election) for him again with the help of Russia, gerrymandering and the Neanderthal Electoral College.
6
@Hal
You forgot his Neanderthal voters.
5
Everybody in the country should read this article. Peter Baker lays out a clear picture of the two bit con man heading our government and petrifying the likes of the members of the dying GOP.
8
It's all over but the lying.
8
Trump is a cunning and slippery old goat. Especially with all the republican enabler sheep following him down the road....(hopefully to the cliff).
But we all know witnesses are the ONLY way to find the truth and Bolton is as good a place to start. So Republicans lets go! Country over Party.
The truth will set you (and the country) free.
6
Now what will the GOP do? They do not have a moral compass; keeping quiet shows how much power and money mean to all of them. What a mess! All the while, the Liar in Chief will keep tweeting till the cows come home!
2
This trial bears out the narrative in the book "A Stable Genius" as Trump frequently proposed illegal actions all the officials in the various agencies failed to call Trump out out of fear of angering him. What happened is a repeat of Chamberlains appeasement of Hitler as that only emboldens an authoritarian demagogue to push further . GOP politicians are terrified of Trump's tweets and he knows it but as he even disclosed "it all an act" if actually confronted would back down . The GOP might draw the line at Trump forming a pact with Putin to rule the world but that is where it is heading as long as they say "what can we do".
5
Even if the gun was literally smoking after Trump killed someone on 5th avenue, his cult wouldn’t even blink. Remember?
5
I would not trust Mr. "Got Milk" Bolton as far as I could throw him. He's a notorious warmonger, misanthrope (to all except anyone who is a clone of him), and self-server. I was surprised Trump brought him on board - kind of like bringing a fox into a hen house.
2
Like all lifelong criminals who are deep narcissists, Trump is immune from shame or contrition. Pay off off porn stars is just another day at the office for Trump, as is abandoning allies, caging children, destroying the environment, and targeting the media as the "enemy of the people." Will Bolton's 'revelations' have any impact on this dreadful president? Probably not; Trump will slither out of this like he's slithered out of everything else. The only tragedy is the level of damage he has done and will continue to do until he is stopped in his felonious marauding across the earth.
4
We, as a nation, are quagmired in a dystopian dream drowning in incompetence, corruption, intolerance and moral ineptitude.
A Svengali wanna be boy man pretending to be president is at the helm. A man with the brains of a potted plant and the empathy of a mosquito cheated his way to get elected and is cheating yet again on the next election.
Our country has been ripped apart by the thuggish notion that everything this imbecile does is good and perfect, when, in reality, the exact opposite is true.
There must be accountability from the GOP or we will rapidly descend into an oligarchy instead of a republic led by a deranged Furher. Does anyone in their right mind really desire that for the future of our nation?
It services no one’s interest if that is what our future holds.
For the sake that future as a United States, Trump must be removed from office so our country can come back together, mend and heal.
6
Had Trump claimed he never met John Bolton yet?
3
@Doug S
No, but he's denying everything Bolton said.
The Buffoon's team is infested with liars, headed by the buffoon himself.
He will simply deny it and his poodles will buy it.
But I hope the Senators are more intelligent.
4
And of course Trump denies everything Bolton wrote, because Trump is a pathological liar who is wholly incapable of telling the truth about anything.
5
With no Bull Moose party in sight, it is time to sting MM where it hurts. No moe KY bourbon, horse betting, travel, recreation. etc. etc. He'll then take a deeper breath.
1
Republicans have no moral compass. Period!!!
3
Republicans in the Senate are now operating from the simple realization that if they don’t hang together they will all hang separately .
3
Wait for it.....
"I never met John Bolton."
3
Don't kid youself. The republicans have always been Fascists. It took Trump and the "conservative" media to bring them out of the closet and let them be their true selves.
8
We must stop Trump.
He must be removed.
FISA and Mueller failed.
This impeachment and conviction must succeed.
We can allow Trump voters to add more conservative judges to the Supreme Court.
We cannot allow them to stop our march to socialism.
We cannot them to close our borders to the undocumented, and stop free Medicare for them and us.
We cannot allow them to continue their warming of our planet.
They must be stopped now.
4
Despite all of the evidence starring the Republicans in the face I fear that this impeachment trial will end with a Trump acquittal. Since they won't believe their lying eyes I wonder if Republican senators will be okay with Trump gunning someone down on Fifth Avenue? Even if there was video evidence. Based on how they are comporting themselves, I think the answer is yes they would be fine with it.
The corruption of the party I used to belong to takes my breath away.
8
I would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to the Fourth Estate. Without journalists holding the Republican Senate majority accountable by pointing to the smoking gun, we would risk a farce of an impeachment trial.
We still risk it, I know. Let the record show that we the American people choose country over party even if our Republican leadership doesn't.
14
The defence appears to be taking the line of “if the facts don’t fit, change the facts!” It’s as though they can wish away any inconvenient truths, totally reinterpret history to suit their preferred narrative.
If they get away with this it will set an incredibly dangerous precedent for the future. A future where, in shade of George Orwell’s 1984, history can change at any moment to fit with the situation as the authorities see it at the time.
Clearly such an approach is entirely appropriate for someone like Donald Trump, a man who is not well acquainted with the truth. Democracy, on the other hand, will be the casualty if he’s allowed to get away with this!
9
@Andrew
I’ve been singing the dystopia song for a couple months now, and folks might have thought I went off the deep end. Now the dystopia is staring down the barrel is democracy, ready to obliterate the barrel.
The GOP are propping up the dictator and are on the road to become the next oligarchs (already are -I.e. Deripaska energy deal in McConnell’s Kentucky. Deripaska was taken off Russian sanctions list just for this deal)
The GOP are destroying democracy and the constitution.
1
Peter Baker's list of Trump's scandals is so devastating that it's hard to believe that Trump is still in the White House. It's a ominous sign of where our country is and what the Republican party has been able to avoid confronting. If the Bolton revelation doesn't persuade at least four Republican senators to vote for witnesses, the country is doomed and all my hopes are gone.
11
Chief “Justice” Roberts has a choice. He can either hold the feet of Republican Senators to the fire and see to it the People get a fair and legitimate trial. Or he can continue to cheapen himself, and the American courts, by rubber stamping this corrupt farce.
If Roberts thinks he can tote water for Trump and the criminal conspiracy known as the Republican Party, and maintain his pretense of respectability, he hasn’t been paying attention to the fates of the other people who tried and failed badly.
7
This whole sordid mess appears to be a conspiracy involving Barr, Giuliani, Pence, Pompeo, and Mulvaney at the least.
What can be done?
Barr certainly isn't going to take any steps, so that leaves Congress. But the Republican members of Congress have abdicated their duty to hold this administration in check and are violating the oath they took to uphold the Constitution. And half the people in this country have been brain washed into thinking that everything is okay because they're fed actual fake news.
Can some expert please weigh in on what can be done in this situation to hold those engaged in this conspiracy accountable? And to save our democracy?
4
John Bolton doesn't want to become the one hundredth person with dignity and respect to accuse Trump of crimes, only to be publicly humiliated. On the other hand, given Trump is calling him a liar, would he not pull the plug given the chance?
3
Trump is saying that this is Balton trying to sell more books, and it is a lie. So it is Bolton's word against Trump's. Bolton doesn't have any hard evidence Trump asked to hold the funding. As a result, Trump is going to get away with a high crime and misdemeanor.
The White House has all the written evidence and will not share it. They did share a transcript of the phone call. But Republicans don't care. They are not going to remove Trump.
If a White House staffer leaks written evidence then maybe he will be removed. The Ukraine president may have written or voice taped evidence of the phone call he may want to share. Otherwise, Trump is here to stay with his high crimes.
2
Every day since Trump was sworn in, it is one continuous lie, slip-up, trip-up, slap and general disdain for the America. When will it end?
4
In retrospect Nixon Administration relatively liberal—even more so than Clinton, Obama. Reactionary Goldwater Republicans cynically doing the right against corrupt Tricky Dick but then hypocritically letting Conservative equally corrupt Reagan slide regarding “Iran Contra” arms for hostages scandal.
3
Readers suggest that bucking Trump on impeachment, will loose the election, but maybe save the Republican Party. I'm not sure there is a party to save. It has become a party of nativists, militarists, protectionists racists and sexists. This was set in motion 20 ears ago by Newt Gingrich. moderates have been drummed out. Susan Collins has survived, but her unlikely survival portents extinction of the moderate party. So incumbents on the edge loosing re-election have either quit, may yet quit or loose their seats.
1
Q. How does Bolton's book differ from "The Art of the Deal"?
A. Bolton's book doesn't have seven Chapter 11s.
5
It looks like the power and rules of the unrepresentative votes of the electoral college are in a position to kill democracy, justice, and decent governance.
Adios America.
1
Step 1. Force/encourage, etc. Bolton to testify under oath (house or senate). Step 2. Boycott his book. Profit issue solved.
Trump will be acquitted by the senate anyway. Step 3. Vote the republican scoundrels out.
4
Trump is caught, no doubt about that……….
But
The big question is still - will the Republican senators put
country over party,
honor over party,
truth over lies
patriotism over public humiliation, dishonor & disgrace
Only and maybe only, if they are brought kicking and screaming to the realization they are flat out wrong backing our, this completely dysfunctional, dishonest man, Donald Trump the President of the United States………….
4
This is the end of the line. The nonsense must stop now. We want our country back.
4
So, I've been watching all of the defense bit today and the first bit before the break was insisting that the Democrats have brought this upon our nation strictly for revenge and then had the gall to insist that the Senators should act like the hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil monkeys when casting their vote. And now, post break are saying Guiliani is completely innocent and is being attacked because he's been a staunch advocate of trump and that there was no plot to get Zelensky to announce a fake investigation. I'm floored at the trump defense team's lack of respect for these Senators. The only thing that would make it worse is if they brought out a watch and said... you are getting sleepy, very sleepy...
2
Interesting that Trump's defense team is arguing in a pre-Bolton manuscript world tense.
Just pretend nothing has changed and carry on.
Not going to work, but what else do they have? Nothing.
21
@Blue in Green Sadly it likely will work ... in the world of alternative facts and reality tv, his supporters have learned to disregard what they see and instead believe what they are spoon d.
2
So far the White House team is proceeding as though Bolton does not exist. And according to Ken Starr impeachment shouldn't exist either. They wish. And they've got 53 gop senatorial genies to grant their wish.
But more egregiously, they are asserting that impeachment is a violation of citizens' civil rights. And that these grievously wounded voters can appeal to the courts for financial restitution. They are appropriating 'reparation' (for the abuses of slavery, jim crow, and systemic racism) to inflame the white grievance of Trump' populist base.
I guess this is better than Trump calling for 'second amendment solutions' and armed seditious uprisings but ... it is ... deplorable.
9
I'm still waiting for what giulani has to babble on about, under
oath, mind you, assuming that could possibly matter. If bolton were to testify, wouldn't giulani be next?
8
Let’s hope that he and Barr face disbarment as a consequence of their conduct. That would send a powerful message to others to uphold professional standards in the future.
2
The fix is in. Only the election in November will remove the clown and his minions. Disgusting.
8
The Times and the rest of the media should really try too come up with a synonym for the word "bombshell" to describe the breathless soon-to-be-discredited charge against President Trump.
2
How about “bombast” for the trumpist response to credibility and facts that they don’t like to hear.
2
The repubs are stumbling around like a bunch of ants on a sinking banana.
The smart ones bailed last year, by retirement or announcing retirement.
These are the ones who were too stupid to get out in time, so it's not worth the time to expect too much from them.
16
Trump lawyers will not allow Bolton to testify(he was there).But... they play video of Pelosi handing out pens. This is Trump's A Team? The Fix is in... so they can be as bad a Lawyer as a Trump U Grad
7
the Emperor has no close
3
Bolton's testimony should be heard, for the record and for history.
However, the Republican Senate is the OJ Simpson jury of politics.
It can't be counted on to try this case impartially.
6
NYT, why are you saying trump
"survive(s)one revelation after another in the three years since, proving more durable than any national politician in modern American history. So will this be the turning point ..? "
Please editors, watch terminology in all of this.
The term 'durable' implies strength. And to go on and say, "...more durable than any other...?"
IMHO, that is needless melodrama that could be misconstrued as flattery.
Corruption should not be linked to strength.
We the People need to return to a nation of integrity, so please watch -- there are hundreds of other appropriate terms to describe how corruption has been serving his vain purpose.
9
@It's Time: Trump is as durable as a cockroach. Does that satisfy your sensibility ;-)
2
Hi Anna,
Got it!
Great analogy, thank you!
Lets hope we have no more such infestations. ;-)
2
Day after day, month after month and now 3 years plus on the left, the democratic establishment, the state run media, hollywood and wall street have hammered Trump and his supporters.
As a supporter I wonder how it wall end.
1
@Charles Segal
Trump caused all of this himself, and the Republicans let it happen. Trump supporters apparently have no problems with corruption, lying and moral bankruptcy.
3
@Charles Segal
What the heck are you talking about? FOX is the state run media. When I last check, Wall Street has yet to turn on Trump. After the tax cut sham, why would they?
The democratic establishment you refer to is the United States of America has hardly hammered Trump, its a 50/50 split.
4
@Charles Segal: That’s because patriotic Americans don’t want a Putin shill, fraud and unrepentant liar as president, who has turned their country into an international laughingstock.
3
How can Americans trust Republican Senators to govern with facts and evidence if they are unwilling to acknowledge the facts presented by the House managers?
9
What Bolton's words should do is up the pressure for witnesses.I am specifically looking at SCOTUS Roberts as surely he knows there's no such thing as a trial without w/o witnesses.If he doesn't subpoena any,he should be fired for not doing his job.
7
Trump will never be impeached because there aren't 20 Republican Senators with the spine to vote him out, even though there are far more that hate having to cover for him.
There is a measure of justice, and some protection for our national norms, that Trump was impeached. As Pelosi said, he'll be impeached for life.
However, the more important function of the impeachment and the current trial is to educate the American people. Trump's hardcore base will never desert him. However, Americans would vote for him because of the economy that he inherited from Obama (but claims all of the credit) may change their vote when they are forced to confront how totally corrupt he is.
More importantly, the people who sat out the 2016 election or voted for a third party candidate were key to why Trump is the president. I pray that they'll take a different path in 2020, even if their favorite Democrat is not the nominee.
9
Does anyone seriously believe Republicans were "blindsided" by the revelations in Bolton's book? If so, then why did they fight so vigorously to prevent him from testifying? What they wanted was plausible deniability to convince enough voters who prefer a "don't ask, don't tell" stance that there was "reasonable doubt" so they could continue Trump's presidency and GOP control of government. I earnestly pray that Bolton's revelations have pulled the rug out from under them, and that enough GOP senators will now feel the need to appear disgusted by Trump's perfidy that they will have to allow Bolton to testify.
11
Ken Starr comparing this totally partisan Congress with the bi-partisan Congress of the Nixon era is no proof that the President is innocent. It just documented that we are in Trumpian Times, where there is no Republican Congressperson now willing to breaks ranks with this President.
And that’s his argument for the defense? Sounds more like an argument the prosecution would make.
8
@Astute Commentary Ken Starr's arguments are as lame as he was before and is now. His only attribute is a name that sounds good in the press.
It's all very simple and straightforward........Mitt still wants to be President but how to depose Trump without offending The Base? Bolton on the stand gives republican senators cover to support witnesses but that would drag in Hunter and it's bye bye Biden. With trump exiled to Ellis Island and Biden out of the way Mitt runs against Sanders and wins! Either that or Mini Mike pays off the national debt with his spare cash and is anointed by a grateful republic.
@rockafella: Before you can put someone on trial, you have to charge him with a crime, and before you can charge someone with a crime, you need some credible evidence at the very least. Hunter Biden is not charged with anything, neither is there any evidence he committed something illegal. He is also not a witness to what Trump is charged with, so Roberts will not allow Republicans to subpoena him.
GOPers should get rid of Trump, and with that all the ways he intimidates and humiliates them. History will forever mark them with the Trump stain.
Then rally behind Pence to carry the GOP banner forward. Many GOPers disgusted by Trump, the person, will welcome the change.
4
@Judy I am horrified by the idea of a President Pence, but agree with you - I cannot understand why the Repubs would not want to go this route.
Two points:
First, Lindsey Graham “doesn’t know who to believe anymore?” That’s what happens when you put your future and trust in a grifter who has distorted the truth his whole career. Will be interesting to see if, of all the people involved, he still believes then one who is caught in lie after lie.
Secondly, the republicans are upset that they were blindsided? Couldn’t they determine like the rest of us, through reading, listening to testimony, listening to the liar they defend, what the truth was about Bolton’s role, what he would say, and of course that trump would lie about it?
11
@PGM When he says he doesn't know who to believe, is he comparing his stated beliefs from 20 yrs ago with the opposite which he states now???
1
Most bar associations make it a violation of ethical rules to intentionally sponsor evidence known by the attorney to have no basis in fact. One wonders if Mr. Dershowitz and cohort are feeling comfortable with the prospect of an ethics inquiry into what they knew and when they knew it.
11
If Bolton does testify does that mean that Dr Hill would also be called?
There are aspects of what Bolton is likely to say that she can corroborate.
She impressed as a highly credible witness at the House inquiry, one who was extremely damaging to Trump.
I can only hope.
12
Until the release of Bolton’s book, I didn’t think the impeachment had a chance. The Man in Office always emerges from these things stronger, and his opponents are always embarrassed and destroyed.
I’m still about 95% sure this will be the outcome; but cracks are appearing in the impenetrable fortress. Commentators on Fox saying to each other “get your facts right?” Republicans in the Senate”blindsided” and angry at the White House? Romney and Collins saying maybe they should allow witnesses?These are not small developments. They are unprecedented.
I still think they’re going to get Him out of it. Alan Dershowitz doesn’t lose. But there are cracks. As any member of the Patriots teams who lost to the Giants in two Super Bowls will tell you, there’s no sure thing.
3
Months ago I would have assumed, that Bolton’s testimony would make a difference. Not anymore. By now I am convinced that - short of shooting this person on 5th Avenue - GOP-senators will let Trump get away with anything. It is incomprehensible, stunning and outrageous, but there you have it.
Why do Trump supporters want a President who has been cheating his wives as well as suppliers and customers, who is a habitual liar, and who is certainly not interested in improving Jane & John Doe’s lot? I will never understand.
And while writing this I feel it has been written, asked and shouted a 1000 times before. To no avail. How spectacularly frustrating.
So, now I have started hoping that Bloomberg’s money will make the difference , no matter who the democratic candidate will be. So, so sad.
9
GOP senators have lost all capacity for indignation, truth, patriotism and self-respect. This is what happens when you fail to stand up to a bully.
5
Now is the time for all good ,en to come to the aid of their country.
What is Bolton’s excuse?
3
Trump: “I NEVER told John Bolton that the aid to Ukraine was tied to investigations into Democrats, including the Bidens.”
This is another alternative fact, another lie, of the 16,241 lies Trump has told, according to the Washington Post.
12
Remind us how many tell all books have been written already thanks to Trump's white house antics yet he's still there. Maybe John Bolton should practice parting the Red Sea first before taking on Donald Trump.
3
No mention of Bolton in two hours? Really guys, the charade is over.
I feel like I’m watching the Wizard of Oz, when the Wizard screams “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!”
7
I'm afraid our republican senators who support Trump will ignore their oath of office and submit to a president who lies so often that he can't remember what he said last. These senators are worse than Trump because they know the president is a danger to our republic. They have no honor and show it clearly by their blatant submission to a malignant criminal.
6
@Figaro
Those GOP senators are propping up the US dictator.
Putin must be laughing at his complete and utter success of snowing over nearly half of Americans with his disinformation propaganda campaign.
3
I do wonder how much exposition we're going to get from Lev Parnas. I mean, honestly. That 2018 disclosure was jaw-dropping.
Not that McConnell's jaw would drop. I don't think he even has one underneath those waddles of his.
1
My heavens! The White House had Bolton's book manuscript since December 30! And yet Sekulow, Purpura and the White House legal team continues to lie to the public, and to the Senate about "no direct evidence" of Trump's abuse of power in soliciting bribes from President Zelensky. Bolton heard it directly. It will all come out eventually, and the Republican Senators who choose to ignore this are total fools. They will be skewered at the polls in November. For their own sake they had better at least put up the appearance of running a fair trial.;
10
@William O, Beeman
You are betting on a fair election come November. I’m not so optimistic.
2
If the Republicans and Trump really want to have the question of Trump’s statements to his staff regarding Ukraine answered unequivocally, it seems to me the best way to do that would be to have people testify under oath. The fact that they are fighting that contingency with all they have speaks volumes. This sorry era in our history will live on for generations, I would think that even the Trump apologists would want to leave their legacies untarnished. Sadly not.
11
Every senator, in the capacity of being part of the jury in the Trump-impeachment trial, took an oath, gave his/ her word, to be impartial in considering presented evidence as to ground faithfully a vote to convict or not. In that Bolton was close enough to Trump to say what he, Bolton, now does in his soon-to-be published book, regarding Trump withholding congressionally obligated funds in order to secure action on the part of a foreign agency for intended political power benefit for himself, Trump, it is impossible for senators, regardless of party, now not to vote for participation of witnesses. Indeed, that self-vested misdeed by Trump is what impeachment was mostly based on. The alternative, a word we hear so often to sow chaos, is for oath-taking to be nothing more than a meaningless formality ... which, disturbingly, seems too often the case these days. In the entire Trump presidency it is truth as a constitutive way of life in America that is on trial; and this seems to apply again here. When truth as a way of life doesn’t matter, nothing does, of course. And when nothing does, America is not only not free but she is highly vulnerable to adversaries that work systematically for her fall.
3
@wak sad to say the current President is Putin's minion, and is one of those working systematically for our downfall.
2
@Baruch
I do appreciate that. It may be though, that by Trump acting on his, Trump’s, own behalf, regardless of any particular adversary like Putin, “it” is about him, Trump, the narcissist, not us,; thus our downfall (that of absolutely no concern of his). Fair enough, though ... comes to the same thing of downfall.
1
According to Mother Jones: "House Democrats asked Bolton to submit to a voluntary interview. He did not agree to that. At the time, Charles Kupperman, a former Bolton deputy in the White House, was seeking a court ruling to determine if he could testify over the objections of the Trump White House. Bolton said he would wait for that case to be decided. Democrats ultimately withdrew their subpoena of Kupperman, and the case was dismissed."
Why did Schiff/ Nadler withdraw their Kuppeman subpoena? They could have used the law courts and could have asked for a expedited decision. They are accusing Trump of breaking laws but don't seem to want to follow laws themselves.
Schiff and Nadler's rush to judgement has always been political.
1
@IndependentVoter Trump team in October said we will allow no Subpeonas;No witnesses; No Docs...but video of Pelosi handing out pens...that we allow
1
@Ray Sipe
And if Trump team's stance was not justified, the courts could overrule - and on an expedited basis. Schiff and Nadler were scared to use the courts; easier to play public opinion with the assistance of the biased media.
1
@IndependentVoter
You're dreaming if you think the Republican shills on the Supreme Court are going to give an 'expedited' decision to the Democrats.
With this latest revelation the Republican defense has completely crumbled to dust. Anyone with the slightest bit of common sense can see that Trump has done exactly what he's been accused of doing - holding up critical military aid to Ukraine in order to compel them to announce a ginned-up investigation of Biden. Now the "it's all hearsay, no one heard the president say it directly" argument has been demolished.
Will it force the Republicans to agree to hear Bolton's testimony? It had better. If they try to ignore this bombshell and ram through an acquittal McConnell can kiss his Senate majority goodbye.
We will remember in November.
7
I suspect that, in the early months of Trumps “presidency” there were a number of GOP members of congress who compromised their integrity and possibly even the law when they were blindsided by things he was doing. I also suspect that they all know Trump will sing like a canary on each of them IF he ends up facing removal and, soon after, jail. If I’m correct, my message to those members is to go all in. Remove him, shut him down on twitter for domestic and national security reasons, then let cases from SDNY get him in court where a gag order will shut him up, or not, at his own peril.
The corruption runs deep in this one.
7
No it will not be enough. Trump will continue to get away with whatever he wants and no one will do anything about it other than post memes on social media.
@Mike To say that no one is doing anything other than posting memes on social media is an insult to the many, many people who are appalled at what is happening in our country and are doing everything legally within their power to stop it. It is also cynical and lazy.
2
@Maggie Im not seeing people out in the street the way they are in other countries. When i go to protests here in most cases I see a hundred people. So I think im right on the money. Most people do nothing.
@Mike Because you don’t see people out in the streets, that does not mean no one is working to get rid of Trump. The people who founded this country made it such that we have many ways to express our disapproval and to demand change. We are a Republic, we can speak to our elected officials, we can vote, we can support candidates, organizations, and publications with our money and time. I would urge you to help out in any way you can, expressing your political views doesn’t have to be drama played out in the streets.
We need to call more witnesses for cross examination... both parties are cherry picking snippets of who said what and blowing it out of proportion.
We need to know what Bolton knows and how and why it happened not just have 1 saying Trump is corrupt while the other is saying otherwise.
We also need to see why Trump want to investigate Bidens not just he’s a political rival. Did Biden really quid pro quo regarding Hunter and preconditions with Ukraine. Democrats saying that it was supported policy at the time and he’s not the subject of this investigation is not sufficient. It’s like Republicans can say it’s policy this time.
We also need accountability of the aid to Ukraine. Is the money really going to fight the adversary or funding more corruption.
@CD Unfortunately, Congress has already "rested its case" and therefore, cannot legally call any further witnesses.
If new evidence emerges after case is rested it can be introduced. Ignorance is bliss. Sorry to pop your bubble.
I know. I watch Boston Legal.
What I'm waiting for is Trump's statement that he does not know John Bolton. I can hear Trump now: "Well, you have to understand, I don't know this guy Bolton very well. I've passed him a few times in the hallways of the White House but, to be honest, I'm not sure if I could pick him out in a lineup. He had a minor role in my administration--the best administration ever, by the way--where he did something related to the National Security Council. I think maybe he ran and got coffee for their meetings. But I don't know him personally."
6
Trump certainly has a lot to say on Twitter, but I would like him to say those things under oath in the Senate Impeachment trial. He has said over 16,000 falsehoods and lies over the past three years that I currently don't believe anything he says, if now under oath.
3
Excellent recap of Trump's previous crimes while in office.
Many quesitons: Did Trump's lawyers in the trial know what Bolton's book said, before they argued that the fund freeze was not linked to blackmailing Zelensky? If they did, what explains their strategy? If they didn't, why didn't anyone tell them?
Was it White House incompentence, or did someone in the White House have a motive for withholding the information?
Is it true what Bolton's lawyer said, that the scoop about his book came from a leak in the White House? If so, who, and what was his motive? If it's not true, who was it who spilled the beans--and why?
Of course Bolton should testify. But equally true--even before these latest revelations--everyonea knows, and knew, what Trump did with regard to Ukraine. It is perfectly clear, without adding anything to the record, that he is guilty as sin.
It is a flimsy excuse to assert that the lack of testimony from people who were on the call, or in the room, exculpates Trump. That dog won't hunt. It doesn't even deserve the response, "Nice try!"
2
The Republican Party's success relies on preventing the American public from enjoying Free-And-Fair elections, and learning the Truth. When that strategy fails, they're doomed.
2
I don’t like the way Trump conducts himself. Nevertheless, it seems that if you are a potential political opponent, like Biden, you are exempt from charges of corruption. I don’t agree. I think Biden is corrupt, has been corrupt, and will continue to be corrupt. He is a politician after all! Thus, I don’t see why Trump could not press the Ukrainian the investigate him.
2
@T Smith because it is illegal to collaborate or collude with a foreign power in order to manipulate our elections. Get it now?
5
@T Smith You honestly don’t see the difference between investigating alleged corruption and making foreign aid contingent, not on an actual investigation, but on announcing that an investigation was occurring to smear a possible opponent ??
2
@Baruch
Biden has as much chance of being Trump's opponent in the General as YOU Do. Get it now?
1
“Access Hollywood,” the pay-off to Stormy Daniels, ripping off students at Trump University, “a shocking pattern of illegality” at the Trump Foundation, overcharging “donors” to the inauguration, 10 instances of obstruction of justice in the Mueller Report. And the list goes on. Any one of these scandals would have finished any other president. But Trump supporters have proven time and again that they just don’t care.
And we’re all supposed to leave his fate in their hands by waiting for the next election.
7
Good question, but it misses the main point. The goal is pursuing truth. Whether it "upends" Trump is secondary. That's why it's important for Mr. Bolton to testify. It's utterly inconceivable to anyone who has followed Mr. Bolton's national security and foreign policy views to believe the president's claims today that Bolton never urged Trump not to hold up military aid to Ukraine. Of course Bolton opposed this "drug deal" Mulvaney and Sondland cooked up with Trump. It went against everything Bolton has stood for in his long career as a conservative who is for standing up to tyrants like Putin. Bolton is simply more trustworthy than the self-seeking Trump. No doubt Trump's defense will simply morph again after Bolton testifies, but let's give Bolton the chance to at least set the record straight before the president and his spin team go to work again.
5
Whatever Bolton is rumored to be saying in his draft of his tell-all memoir will not matter. It does not resolve the identity crisis at the heart of the impeachment case. What is it about? What rule of law was violated? That a president cannot lean on a foreign power to investigate an opposing party's potential presidential nominee for possible corruption? Or is that OK if the corruption allegations are "plausible," or "credible?" If so, who decides what's "plausible" or "credible?" Does this render what the Obama administration did to nominee Trump on the basis of now-discredited allegations impeachable? The Democrats still cannot meet the There is No There There problem head on. Being hated by the intelligentsia left is not, and should not be, impeachable. That is for the ballot box.
1
@Beantownah Absolutely no, zero Bostonians would use the name “ Beantownah”.
2
@Beantownah it is illegal to collaborate or collude with a foreign power in order to manipulate our elections. What part of that do you not understand?
2
Wait......
with the motto
One people one realm one leader,
why would anyone expect any change in the Republic Party position on the Trump solicitation of foreign assistance in election campaign in exchange for the release of impounded military assistance?
After all how is Ukraine and Crimea of any importance to the Fatherland.
Russia lost full control of the Sevastopol base when the Soviet union dissolved.
It regained full sovereignty over the naval base when it annexed Crimea.
Russia has naval bases in Temryuk and Yeysk on the Azov Sea.
With the seizure of Crimea and the connective Kerch Strait, connecting the Azov Sea with the Black Sea.
So what......
Russia, with the support of Assad, now has a naval base in Syria.
With the seizure of the Kerch Strait, Sevastopol and Crimea, Russia has a thoroughfare for its naval resources in the Mediterranean.
So when the implications of hindering Ukraine from self-defense is raised as a "national security" issue for the homeland......
......this is part of that equation.
Yes, Herr Trump's illegal withholding of funds for Ukraine defense does harm to the security of the Fatherland.
1
The defense attorneys are now claiming that the aid to Ukraine was released on September 11 because Trump was finally satisfied that the burden of aid would be shared and corruption would be confronted. If this was the case, the President's team would be falling over themselves to get witnesses (Mulvaney, etc.) to this decision and supporting documents in front of the Senate as soon as possible. Such testimony would be devastating to the Democrats' case. Case closed.
The fact that they can't get such witnesses to come forward is telling. Mulvaney would be committing perjury if he corroborated this story, based upon his prior comments in the briefing room..."there was a quid pro quo, get used it".
2
At least NIXON had enough Dignity to Resign.
Seriously.
10
...if it looks like corruption, sounds like corruption and presents facts of corruption...then it's corruption.
6
How convenient. You'd almost think the timing was planned.
2
@Daphne Well, better planning would have had this vital information from a rightly trusted conservative and national security director come out during the House hearings, or House testimony, instead it happened during the president's lawyers time and one can be certain they won't mention it. So it wasn't "planning" that was involved, but it's good, especially for Republicans who were being duped by Trump that it came out!
1
Look, guys. Trump could get on the floor of the Senate and say, "I'm going to use the power of the US government to imprison any Democrat who I think has I chance to beat me in the 2020 election", and the R's would see nothing to be upset about. You think Bolton can make a difference?
8
Why does the left suddenly believe that Bolton is an icon of truthfulness? Only because he said something in a book they like, whether or not it is true.
And so what if Trump said that? We all say things we would like to do or see happen knowing they won't. It's called venting or wishful thinking.
And even if Trump meant it, so what? Words are easy.
And let's not lose sight of the fact that the Bides behaved in a corrupt manner in Ukraine. Trump didn't say -- Zel, go dig up some dirt on any dems who might oppose me in 2020. No, he suggested Zel look into what went on with the BIdens and Burisma; Hunter's job, Joe's possible interference in a Ukrainian investigation into Burisma.
This is pretty much a nothing, but of course to dems, any revelation about Trump is like the holy grail, even if many of his predecessors did far worse things (tell Vlad I'll have more flex on missiles after the election).
You and all the “he can shoot someone dead in the middle of 5th Avenue and I wouldn’t care” crowd would be screaming for the death penalty if Obama had done even one of the things Trump has done. Yet you defend this chronic liar, adulterer and childish bully. Why? Normal and decent people don’t understand. Please explain.
3
Bolton's statements put Senate Republicans and Chief Justice Roberts in a terrible bind. Failing to hear his testimony under oath after this would destroy their credibility, such as it is.
1
Of course not. The Rpeublcans don't care abouthte truth. They just wan tto continue to fee their bellies. Sad to watch the erosion of our country.
1
Dems have to stop engaging in magical thinking. It validates Trump's base's belief that it proves them right.
1
The sight of the prurient Kenneth Starr, who couldn't get enough of the salacious details of the Clinton/Lewinsky affair, but turned a blind eye to sexual assault cases at Baylor, is sickening and speaks to all that the Republican party has become.
11
We are sooooo lucky to have such a great man come to southern New Jersey on Tuesday, January 28th. No doubt, he'll whine and complain all through his rally. I'm sure Van Drew our X-Democrat turned Republican will wipe the tears from the poor victims (Trump) eyes and give him some hot coco to make it all better. I hear John Bolton will be selling photocopied transcripts of his book outside of the convention center. Oh, I mean outside the big, big, big coliseum?? This will be yet another "Historic" event. We feel humbled by his presence.
2
Until we hear from Bolton, everything the president's lawyers say is really quite useless. It's all nothing new. We need to hear from Bolton. It's that simple.
1
Never ever hire anyone who worked for the Bush family.
Never ever.
Trump knew this and went against his better instincts.
Nancy Reagan knew they were poison.
1
@P&L
Nancy Reagan was pretty poisonous on her own.
Like other commentators have noted, the republicans will acquit even if every witness is called. They would probably acquit if video showed DJT shooting someone on 5th Ave. Democracy and rule of law died with this administration and the GOP.
4
"Will it upend trump?" It would be a terrible thing to live without hope.
2
Another of many announced “bombshells” will be nothing more than another kids sparkler. But I’m sure MSNBC and other media are calling this one the very big bunker buster they have been hoping for.
1
The last “bombshell” announced by MSNBC led to Trump’s impeachment so don’t get too cocky.
@Jerry Davenport All one needs to do is look at corrupt Republicans, and the citizens that support them to know why Trump has survived.
Really? Does anyone actually believe a word Trump says?
5
Looks like Pelosi's delay is paying off.
Bravo!
5
I am listening to Ken Starr decry an 'age of impeachment'. That 'impeachment' as an idea is over. And argue that neither scholars nor the judiciary can interpret constitutional law because it is up to ... whom? Kenn Starr? And according to him the presidency is unique and executive privilege should be limited by ... oversight. What oversight? Mitch McConnell?
Folks, they are arguing that not only can a sitting president not be indicted but practically speaking cannot be impeached. They are arguing that if Trump is impeached it will grievously wound citizens by stealing their votes - and these grievously wounded citizens can appeal to the courts for redress and financial restitution.
This is what absolute power run amok looks like.
I have a bad feeling about this.
82
@pi
Yeah, I caught some of that too (Ken Starr, "impeachment as an idea is over". The world has turned upside down. The radical right and Putin propaganda is running amok, not just in the US, but around the world.
We live in dystopian times, indeed.
14
@pi
Those “grievously wounded citizens” voted for a guy completely unfit to be President. Maybe they’ll chose more wisely next time. Or not.
2
Mike Purpura, speaking in defense of Trump this afternoon, continues to point out that the record of the July 25 phone call with President Zelensky does not show any linkage between the release of aid to Ukraine and the commencement of investigation of the Bidens. He hasn't claimed that there is no linkage, just that there is no reference to that linkage in the July 25 phone call (or elsewhere in the record). So the farce continues.
14
I’m putting this current Bolton bombshell in the context of two other interconnected crises: the Virus and its potential effects; the effect of the virus on worldwide financial markets.
We have Impeachment going on. But behind the scenes we have a lethal virus, which could upend so many things about this election and the potential for a worldwide recession to accompany the virus epidemic.
There are so many unknowns. But it would appear Trump has no control over these three crises.
8
So all the pundits are pushing for witnesses, hoping that enough direct evidence will do Trump in. But what is ignored by us intellectual types is that for most voters, facts and reason are irrelevant, and democracy is an abstraction.
Trump's one honest statement was that he could shoot somebody on 5th avenue and not lose any support. And he could shoot somebody on Pennsylvania Avenue and not lose any Republican Senators' support.
Why? Cause propaganda and hatred of "those people" has much greater an influence than logic, evidence and compassion.
I share most readers' horror that this man is our president. But strategically, I am not sure I want witnesses in the Senate. The Republicans and Trump will just spout some nonsense about how they are lying, and why aren't Joe and Hunter Biden testifying, they must be hiding the Ukraine corruption that Trump was trying to reveal. Nonsense, but it sells.
Pardon my cynicism, but better, for November, the notion that Trump must be hiding something by not allowing witnesses than that we get what voters hear as just more words, words, words.
We need a resounding defeat of Trump in November, a repudiation of Trump by the American people- and of Trumpism by anyone willing to try it again. And with that wave, a crushing defeat of his Republican toadies in Congress.
24
@Peter Wolf
The only problem with waiting until November to oust the dictator, is that it may be too late. He can do too much damage and I wouldn't put it past him and the Republicants to falsify the elections. Georgia did it. Wisconsin is at it...
Truth is not only under attack, it is in its dying throes under the GOP dystopian governance.
5
@Peter Wolf
And you're assuming that Trump will just leave the WH peacefully? And his well-armed militia will just accept defeat graciously?
Civil War 2.0 begins the day after election day, regardless of who wins and how much they win by.
4
@Radha
Yes, but...
The Senate, even with witnesses, is extremely unlikely to get 2/3 of its members to kick him out of office. So the question might turn out to be "Trump is hiding something," vs. "Trump is the victim of the Democrats." I think the former is more promising for November, even with dirty tricks, as you described.
Look, if there were a realistic chance of turning 20 Republicans to convict Trump I'd say go for it. But nothing seems to matter to Trumps's base, and therefore his cowardly party. Barring something really strange, that is not a realistic goal.
1
The only thing that will upend Trump is a massive voter turnout in November of Democrats, Independents, and some Republicans behind a consensus candidate.
10
All Trump has to argue is that Hunter Biden was appointed to the board of a leading energy company in the Ukraine for one reason. Not his expertise in energy.But based upon his access to the Obama White House through his father the VP. This could be potentially corrupt and Trump would be justified in wanting the matter investigated.
3
@Milton Lewis He doesn't have to argue it he has to PROVE it. Sorry Ontario, you have it wrong.
2
@Milton Lewis Well there you go! Except that’s not how our justice system works. We investigate our own citizens and corruption in our government, like we’re doing now with Trump. We don’t bribe foreign governments to do it.
1
@Milton Lewis Think it through: Ukraine is on Russia’s doorstep and was/is under constant threat. Ukraine is looking around for a big brother for backing against Russian aggression. There’s no bigger, big brother than the U.S. So an Ukrainian company with very close ties to the Ukrainian government hires Hunter Biden, it’s an insurance policy, very visible to the Russians. Don’t begrudge Biden’s salary. It’s not the salary to Biden that’s important, it’s the signal to the Russians that Ukraine is backed by a very big brother.
1
So now Republicans will agree to have witnesses and will bring in Biden to to make it a circus and distract from the truth.
Republicans will argue that what Trump has done doesn’t rise to the level of high crimes and misdemeanors but they will say they cooperated and gave it the old college try.
Despite compelling evidence when they voted against impeachment in the House why should we expect them to act any differently in the end?
3
When the alternatives are preventing Socialism and establishing a conservative Supreme Court that will last 25 years, there is nothing today’s Liberals will not do to remove Trump.
5
Yes, you’re right. And you state excellent reasons why that should be so. And conservatives on the other hand, in an effort to rescind Roe v. Wade, stack the courts with conservative judges, deny marriage equality, force schools to support Christian prayer and ensure continued white supremacy will put in office even the most despicable and corrupt individual imaginable.
@Dr. John Republicans’ alternative is burning the Constitution and turning our democracy into a fascist dictatorship. No thanks, Boris.
2
@Dr. John while Trump's corruption may keep him in office through this trial, in the long run he and the republicans have convicted themselves in the court of public opinion. The Republican party will never be considered a body with integrity or honor, not even a molecule. Their racism sexism and classism are now fully on display.
There are more people of color in the US than "white" people, at this point. Trump and his racist cabal are freaking out about that, and they can freak out all they want. They are losers, and we all know it.
2
Big business, and the huge money that supports Mr Trump renders justice impotent.
Minions of Mr Trump's regime likely leaked the Bolton manuscript to flaunt the totalitarian power held over the constitution, and US citizens.
6
I am both saddened and amused at the defense line that the House had no witnesses in the room when any discussions took place. Gee, why is that? Didn't the House committees try to get current and past members of the president's inner circle to testify? Oh, yeah, they did, but were blocked at every turn by a president who claimed "executive privilege" over everything and everyone he could and prohibited everyone from testifying. Sadly, a lot of his supporters probably aren't even aware of this and will toe the (false) party line.
11
Seek Truth?
Choose the Right?
Defend the Constitution?
When will Senate actually step up to their oaths and serve the American people? I'm a Democrat and I'm fine with a Pence or whoever VP that will at least "Try" to serve us.
Call your senators. We can't just bury our heads in the sand just because the economy is doing well.
7
It’s all about retaining power.
A small number of GOP senators will be weighing whether they can hold on to their seats if they continue to stonewall against calling witnesses in light of this development. The rest have already made the calculation that they have a far better shot at remaining in power by kowtowing to the Trump line—regardless how false, regardless how dangerous to the constitutional order, regardless how wrong in the great scheme of our rule-of-law republic. They have made their beds in Trump’s muck and will lie in them no matter how much laps over the top.
We are witnessing the corruption spawned by power in real time, and assuming the GOP continues to tow in to Trump’s acquittal, reelection and thus complete unfettering—which they no doubt will so long as they can ride the coattails of that power—we may well witness the absolute corruption spawned by absolute power.
7
Ambassador Bolton was the object of Democratic ridicule and scorn when he served in government. Now that Democrats find his words useful he is being lionized. That is fair, but it's not convincing. I just heard Ken Start testify and he exposed the House managers' case to the schoolchild gossip that it is.
2
Trump supporters certainly know how to recognize a school child. In fact, they voted for one.
@AW,
So you agree that the Democratic managers are no better than Trump? Okay, got it.
1
@Charles Becker
That's pretty funny, considering that Starr spent 5 years chasing down schoolchild gossip.
Bolton isn't upending Trump's denials-- Trump already has via numerous ill-conceived statements.... and yet, like crowd viewing the emperor's new clothes, his loyal GOP followers see and hear nothing.
5
Trump, the serial liar with over 16,000 lies to his credit since taking office, wants people to believe him? I am laughing so hard right now. How deeply and truly pathetic he is.
12
One can only hope that America survives this nightmare. I'm amazed at the hypocrisy of Kenneth Star, the zealous prosecutor of Clinton's peccadilloes, and others who argue no crime has been committed. Will they only be convinced when Trump does, in fact, shoot someone on 5th Avenue.
12
@SD
Heck, he already had Sulemiani assassinated in Iran. Who will be next?
2
Now it is clear why the Iranian general was killed. They had Bolton's words and were trying to appease him. Another example of abuse of power for personal gain.
8
I’m not sure, but I think I may have just seen Ken Starr try to make an argument against impeaching a president, for what he dismissed as a biased, and highly partisan effort, to undermine the legitimacy of the US Constitution.
The CIA finally went ahead and dosed the water supply with LSD, apparently. Trippy stuff.
9
More reason to impeach Trump;
TODAY
WASHINGTON—A divided Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to begin implementing rules that make it easier for the government to deny limited-income immigrants residency or admission to the U.S. because they use public-assistance programs or might use them in the future.
2
I was fine with disliking John Bolton. Now I'm to think "Hail fellow, well met" because he can rat on Trump, probably to no effect anyway?
Please Mommy, tell me this will be over soon.
3
These Republican Senators were blindsided by this? Don’t they read or watch the news? Wasn’t the “drug deal” quote first reported back in November?
12
there should be a site where we can message as this sham of a trial being presented presently. listening to Ken Starr, one must remember Mr. Starr had investigators, and a grand jury, and let's face it, President Clinton was being impeached for having an affair, Clinton did what every married man has done he lied, and denied, Trump though has and continues to batter the Constitution, Ken Starr knows well that it will take more than one year for any court to give their final determination, he calls a fair game, but still hasn't hit a home run, Jay Sekulow should remember he is no better than Michael Cohen was, Trump is a user and sooner than later Sekulow, Cipollone, will find themselves out of job as Trump has no fidelity to anyone especially the Constitution, he is no longer allegedly corrupt, it is tiresome to listen to the Trump Defense Team and the Republicans lie to the American people and to the world, naive we may be, stupid don't quite think so, or we wouldn't be following this case as closely. If no witnesses are called after disclosure from Bolton, and many Republicans including McConnell keep stating that Bolton is simply trying to advance his book, which in all fairness is called Public Relations and Advertisement then one must in their mind conclude that there are more than the known Congressmen and Senators and Cabinet Ministers(possibly Chow, McConnell's wife) implicated in not only this scam but others, there is no denying justice, soon it should arrive.
5
Ken Star saying the house represents the minority towards the end of his speech and tying that to process failures is totally out of touch with reality.
The majority of the population is represented in the house, barring voter suppression. The minority is represented in the senate. And the minority is represented in the electoral college.
A lot of talk about process but none about the administration obstruction justice and the process. Really your argument is they didn’t follow whatever path you dreamed up?
So how’s the vacation from Fox News going Ken? Enjoying hanging out in the senate instead of on Fox?
See a problem anyone.
8
Let this sink in for a moment: we are wondering after a mountain of incriminating evidence against and unprecedented obstruction by this president, if either four Republican senators or Justice Roberts will allow a person at the epicenter of the allegations to testify. Spoiler alert: they won’t.
The fascist state isn’t coming; it’s is already here. The Senate trial is simply a demonstration of how strong it already is.
10
And now we also know why Secretary of State Pompeo went off the rails, exploding at veteran NPR reporter after an interview, because Bolton's book very likely implicates Pompeo in the both the Ukraine shakedown and cover up. We all likely knew this already, but Bolton was in the room as a participant.
Bye bye Pompeo -- hope you're lawyering up.
8
"Bolton? Don't know him, never met him. Very weak on foreign policy." -Trump, likely
6
With no Whig formation in sight, it is time to sting moscow mitch. Boycott KY. switch to TN whiskey, non KY horses. non KY travel and recreation. This will wake him up.
7
“I NEVER told John Bolton that the aid to Ukraine was tied to investigations into Democrats, including the Bidens,” he tweeted. “In fact, he never complained about this at the time of his very public termination. If John Bolton said this, it was only to sell a book.” - Donald Trump, 01/27/2020
On Dec. 19, 2019, the Washington Post wrote "President Trump has made 15,413 false or misleading claims over 1,055 days."
Now, at the end of January, 2020, Trump is at 16,000 falsehoods, including his quote above. The USA is being led by a pathological liar.
11
Call your senators every day.
7
Any republican senator who votes to convict Trump may not just be jettisoning the base they need to keep power, but their place in the corporate elite and lobbyist industrial complex that awaits them after losing or retirement. And that is the swamp personified.
1056
@Farina This works for both parties all of the time. It’s why politics is a sleazy business. Always has been. Always will be.
9
@Farina Agreed. It seems that when these people have encountered a moral quandary where doing what's right and honoring the facts could end their careers. Who, if any, will put the country first? People don't tend to risk being expelled from their tribe.
36
@Farina
Hey, the economy is booming, or so I hear.
Perhaps the freshly ousted can get a job in a coal mine or manufacturing plant.
I hear Mississippi is in desperate need of poultry processors.
Landscaping season is just around the corner.
Plenty of work available for those who seek it......
137
I honestly think after all this long list of things the republicans have swallowed from this president, not even Bolton testimony will provoke a response. call me cynical because I am.
they have such a vested interest in propping up this guy, why would they stop now? think how many times we've waited and waited for a smoking gun moment only to be disappointed.
I've ruefully concluded this country has changed beyond repair. How I would love to be proved wrong.
970
@ChristineMcM
You are not alone in your love to be proved wrong.
The sad fact is that I do not think one just less 2/3 of the Senators will vote to convict, which is probably why so many of the Republicans either fall asleep or do crossword puzzles or actually LEAVE the hearings. They have no zero interest in what is being said or what information is being shared.
Their behavior is contemptible and way beyond disgraceful. They actions and behaviors are unfolding right before our eyes in how they will vote. Their rudeness and blatant arrogance is revolting. The Democrats continue to spin their wheels all the while the Republicans keep their feet firmly planted on the brakes.
I feel as this trial was over before it ever got started.
127
@ChristineMcM
To watch them get up in front of the cameras and excoriate the House managers, form a "wall" around this phony hustler to protect him, and throw themselves and the rest of the country under the bus is so depressing. He would have never even gotten away with all that he has done during the Nixon years.
110
@ChristineMcM
Yes but that was never the point. The point of all of this is to have something to write articles about hoping beyond hope you can swing the upcoming election. Could have just focused on making the lives of the Voters better but went a different route. So read away and do get angry. That is the whole point.
6
The Senate Trial was always about Republican Senators. Pelosi had put them in a box with Trump. The most likely outcome was always an acquittal. And if so, that could be used to help flip the Senate in November, especially if the Senate acted without impartial deliberation.
Now, the Bolton testimony just about negates a dismissal and complicates an acquittal. But the target for Democrats should still be the next election.
Pelosi was right at the beginning, and right all along, when she said the best way to deal with Trump is to defeat him thoroughly in the next election. That is the most legitimate and lasting way to put the Trump era behind us.
Beware of a deal that sacrifices Biden for Bolton. Republicans will gladly accept that bargain. It is what they have been trying to do all along. They see Biden's candidacy as the most dangerous to their hold on power and Trump has gotten impeached trying to sink that effort nearly from the moment it began.
A Bernie or Warren nomination would be a gift to the Republicans who could paint a red menace and light it up big with the huge amount of political contributions they have already received from wealthy "patriots" afraid of the wealth tax and other social programs both promise to initiate.
And in both Iowa and New Hampshire votes are drawing near....
Hold on. We are on as hair-raising a ride as I can remember!
373
Exactly...why should democrats validate the GOP lie machine by calling Hunter Biden? He literally has ZERO relevance to the case
99
The republicans can vote to bring Biden to testify without one Dem vote. If they really want him to testify so bad, they don’t need to make deal.
35
@Southern Boy deadbeats? You mean the oil & gas industry, the defense contractors, and the large-scale farmers? It's Donald (and the entire GOP, for that matter) who've been giving them something for nothing for half a century now.
50
Come on man! Their selling books! Spin the latest "development"? How is it possible for the Times to Say such things?
2
Trump will continue to survive as long as the crimes he’s accused of remain abstract and unrelatable to the people who support him. It doesn’t matter how good the case or evidence is as long as the underlying crime remains something obtuse to most people.
I’d wager most Trump supporters wouldn’t even consider withholding the Ukraine aid a crime and ultimately within his legitimate personal sphere of influence as President.
The Republican lawmakers who still back Trump understand why it’s a crime but they also know that his supports don’t believe it. They’re reasonably confident that politics can transcend morality and this entire situation can be spun as Democratic political retribution.
5
@Mobocracy
It seems that Truth is Dead...
Sad but .... true.
1
@Mobocracy
"I’d wager most Trump supporters wouldn’t even consider withholding the Ukraine aid a crime and ultimately within his legitimate personal sphere of influence as President."
That's *exactly* what they think. Furthermore, they think presidents "do it all the time" and 'it's no big deal."
They believe this because they were told to believe this by the White House and Fox News. So they do.
1
According to the Times story, the primary source of this information, Bolton claims the president said that he'd "prefer" an investigation prior to releasing the aid. Did he demand it? Did he say that he would never release it without one? Is there corroborative evidence, notes, memos, emails? Will anyone else corroborate Bolton's narrative? Would Bolton testify that he understood the president's words he claims were uttered to be a quid pro quo? It seems almost inevitable that Bolton will now be asked to testify and some of these questions may be answered. However, it seems that definitive, uncontested information will unlikely surface and the delay will still end in acquittal. So despite this new claim or revelation it would appear that the conclusion is not in dispute. It would be best under these circumstances to put us all out of our misery and mercifully end this thing as soon as possible. In doing so we can end this chapter and let the House go back to pursuing its main duty, as defined by Democrats, and get back to trying to impeach the president. Again.
Bolton also called what Trump/Giuliani were working on a “drug deal”. You conveniently forgot to mention that tidbit.
5
@AW
He also called Guilani a 'hand grenade.'
Peter conveniently forgot to mention that too.
How much longer can the Republicans in Congress, Trump’s base, and the right wing media maintain their delusional thinking? Is it really that important that they hide from Presidential tantrums and abuse and get re-elected? Do they really believe that it’s OK to bribe another government’s leader to get dirt on political opponents? If that’s what the Republicans are ok with, we’re in grave peril.
11
@LHW Look at what happened in Germany in the 1930's. People are capable of terrible things.
5
@LHW
I agree, we are in grave peril. It seems '1984' is unfolding in real-time. The idea of 'Truth' to the Republicants is dead.
I get a sincere feeling of dread as I watch this unfold. It's like the GOP have given up any respect for truth, in their lust for power and control. They are ultimately propping up a US dictator.
1
Since the 'lockstep' McConnell Republicans are in control of the Senate, this may not 'upend' Trump - but it could quite likely 'upend' the Republican Party in the long run. They're walking a tightrope in their defense of Trump, using lame excuses and falsehoods. Is Trump really worth the destruction of your party, and your own legacies?
8
No! No amount of truth will upend Trump. Trump and his party are the opposite of the truth. And they keep demonstrating it day after day no matter what the evidence. In fact, like Ken Starr at this very moment, they won't even bring the evidence up for discussion.
6
A staunch conservative by any measure (e.g. Gatestone Institute) once praised by Trump is now denigrated by after stating his recollection of events. Nothing new here.
Republicans, many of whom were stridently opposed to Trump in the last primary, fall in line with Trump’s predictable accusations.
McConnell, once the recipient of twitter tirades by Trump, dutifully falls in step with Trump. Perhaps his wife’s support of her President over the sanctity of her marriage and respect and support for her husband has some role.
The Senate, we are told, is made up of individuals who first and foremost are elected to uphold our laws and ethos as a country. If the circumstances were a Democratic president going through the impeachment process, we know the Republican response to witness testimony. If the witnesses are liars it will be plain to see. The argument that they have nothing to add or give fuel to the arsonist attacks of Democrats is insulting.
As an Independent I want to listen to what witnesses have to say. I want to judge the veracity of their sworn testimony. I want to hold my Senators responsible for their vote
5
Will it upend him? Not very likely in the Senate trial. There is an admittedly thin possibility that some Republican Senators will have their long-dormant consciences awakened enough to agree to witnesses. But in the end, not only is the jury not impartial, but also its foreman (McConnell) coordinated with the defendant in a blatant case of jury tampering which in any other setting would expose them to lengthy prison terms.
But its hard to foresee that trump and his Senate lackeys will avoid getting their comeuppance in November.
13:35 EST, 1/27
4
1:40 pm Monday, Trump's attorneys appear to be making Opening Argument II, leaving out the blatant lie that there are no first-hand witnesses, saying that Trump withheld $391 in foreign military aid to Ukraine in a quid-pro-quo push for the announcement of investigations into a political opponent and his son. (They conveniently forgot Trump's chief of staff told Americans it was a quid-pro-quo ASK, which happens all the time -- So "Get over it!") Last night, a second first-hand witness ALSO SAID it was quid-pro-quo.
2
At some point, we the people should demand that justice be served and that congressional Republicans preserve, protect, and defend the constitution as they vowed, and allow the impeachment trial to proceed with John Bolton and other witnesses who will swear to tell the truth. We’ve heard enough lies, we’ve seen enough Republican spin to make us all dizzy, and we’ve had more than enough alternative facts from the administration and the Senate majority. It’s our country, let us decide for ourselves. If the president violated his oath, then he must go. If Senate Republicans continue to ignore the facts and follow the president blindly, then they must go as well. Recalls exist, and the public still has voting power ........ unless we allow it to be taken away. Mine is not the only voice in a vast wilderness. We are everyday Americans, and we vote. Let’s hear the witnesses.
3
If it takes a thief to catch a thief, Bolton is our man. No one has higher foreign policy credentials with hard conservatives than Bolton.
The senate should take a non binding secret vote to determine what a less politics driven vote would look like. They could then convene a private caucus to discuss what might be done next. There must be at least some small temptation for many senators to rise to the occasion and do the right thing for their honor and country.
5
"John Bolton’s Account Upends Trump’s Denials, but Will It Upend Trump?"
No, No, and again No.
Mick Mulvaney already stated on camera months ago, before the House Hearings, and this Impeachment Trial, that Trump is guilty, that he "held up the money”, and "get over it," so how can anyone believe that this will "upend Trump"?
Bolton testifying won't make a difference, because Trump could confess under oath and on camera to everything and it wouldn't make a difference. No matter how the House and Senate Republicans bluster, (or rather the reason they bluster), is because they all know Trump is guilty, just like over 60 million Trump supporters know he's guilty. This is what authoritarianism looks like, because this is what authoritarianism is. Trump and the GOP are dezinformatsiya factories.
As Rep. Adam Schiff already stated:
"Do we really have a doubt about the facts here? Does anybody really question whether the president is capable of what he’s charged with? No one is really making the argument, ‘Donald Trump would never do such a thing' because of course we know that he would, and of course we know that he did."
"This is why if you find him guilty, you must find that he should be removed. Because right matters. Because right matters and truth matters. Otherwise we are lost."
The GOP is a post-truth authoritarian party from top to bottom. There is not a republican or democratic impulse left in any of them. If it is up to them, we are lost.
4
Will it upend Trump? No, it will not upend Trump. When will the liberal opposition realize that nothing will upend Trump, he is upendable. I support the President. I support Trump. I look forward to his exoneration. I look forward to his re-election. Too bad he can't be re-elected again and again and again. Thank you.
2
@Southern Boy — I’m sure Trump would agree with you, which is exactly why he’s such a threat to this nation.
2
Oddly, you didn’t even try to deal with Bolton’s revelation.
I wonder why that might be?
Nevertheless, thank you for the reminder that Trump is indeed, “upendable.”
You’re welcome.
4
Despite GOP Senators' beloved position as Privilege Warriors and all, I just can't imagine why it's so soul-sellingly important to get re-elected to this Congress and this government, which is now an almost complete joke. The Senate used to be the nation's "most exclusive club," but now I'd be embarrassed to tell my grandchildren I was a GOP Senator during all this. Why not vote based on the evidence (not on Trump's threats and reelection prospects among cultists), do the thing you know deep down is moral, and then get out and have a tiny bit of dignity left? Any GOP Senator who did this would be doing his family, his descendants, and the country a giant favor.
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Bolton v trump...will it reduce to a he said this, no i
didn't say that mini drama of play ground hostilities best resolved by an adult supervisor? Or will there be actual documents too?
Of course, whenever trump says that he didn't
say something, he and we all know that that means
absolutely nothing, and usually means just the opposite; the statement is just filler material
for the propaganda chains and enablers in Congress to echo, as well choice material for Colbert et al to play with for those not watching the ongoing travesty.
The business about this book in progress was
news that came out of right field, surely for lots of people.
Something akin to what Butterfield did in 1973?
1
Trump can come testify all he wants. But he won’t. Because he’s a notorious liar.
I think that Democrats should be careful not to raise expectations too much on what Bolton may say. After all, just like that other great hope, Robert Mueller, he is still a Republican partisan...
So I just read McConnell is telling angry Senators who were ready to rubber stamp this sham trial and acquit Trump tomorrow to take a deep breath.
It seems like poetic justice that somebody in the White House leaked the substance of the John Bolton book on the president's role denying aid, in effect, a very strong quid pro quo.
And yet, the senators I"m sure want to believe Trump whose knee-jerk denial flies in the face of reason. So will they say they believe the most mendacious president in US history--topping, I think, 15,000 lies to date since being inaugurated, or will they believe a staunch conservative seeking to make money off a tell-all book?
I think in the end, the Senators will cave as they have on everything his president has said and done. And yet, in this our darkest hour, it's somewhat amusing to my cynical mind that they are trusting Donald J. Trump when he denies, as usual, anything he's accused of.
2
All of the world press is reporting today that John Bolton has refuted Trump's version of Ukraine events. The world sees that the Emperor wears no clothes!
All of the world press also reports that the 53 US Republican Senators will stand behind Trump and Giuliani's lies, allowing no witnesses or evidence to be presented.
The world today regards Americans as complete hypocrites, who pretend to be decent and ethical people, while accepting the blatant corruption of the Trump government.
3
To the average voter, what happened in the Ukraine is as irrelevant at what Clinton did with Monica in the Oval Office
They know that politics is a dirty game, that all politicians lie, to various degrees, to get elected , and that Bolton is a rat.
What they care about is the economy, most importantly that they get better paying jobs and that the US does not get involved into more wars
And that is where Trump scores. Even VOX acknowledges that the New Nafta is better for workers, than than the old Nafta and that Trump, by instinct, is a guy that does not like to get involved in foreign wars.
And they know that China is up to now good.
So looking at all that commotion in Washington they write this off as dirty politics, and wait till November to make up their mind
2
Whatever helps you sleep at night.
Did you hear the news that Trump plans on getting rid of the ACA completely. That he plans on gutting Medicare and Medicaid. He told advisors they’d wait till after he wins the election but that all of that is on the table... Do voters care about that?
1
That Mulvaney’s admission of quid pro quo went nowhere is worrisome. In fact, that Mueller’s pretty clear intimation that Trump obstructed justice went nowhere is also troubling. We can only hope that Bolton’s statements will have some effect. If not, we may as well admit that until the election we’re stuck with His Royal Highness, King Donald I.
2
In any situation where a witness says one thing and Trump says another it's helpful to remember Trump's lifetime record of absolute honesty. Like George Washington, Trump just can't tell a lie. At least not in his sleep.
1
Will Bolton’s account upend Trump’s denials?
It depends.
Trump may be in denial.
He thinks he can depend on Bolton
To uphold Trump’s denials.
Bolton may deny it
But he thinks he can depend on Trump
To help sell his new book
The Room Where It Happened
An account of his time with Trump.
Trump depends.
Bolton depends.
They both depend.
Depend on ...
Depends?
Depends!
Isn’t it time to stop the denials?
1
DJT is incurious, has a disdain for facts and an inflated sense of his self importance. To cover up for his weaknesses, he takes on the victim role and lies. To watch this situation unfold in/to a political party historically known for advocating the importance of personal responsibility and values/ virtues is pathetic.
4