***Official Political Discussion Thread***

[DADDYFATSACKS]

Corey turning up the heat

Corey low key someone who seeks attention though. Can’t trust that clown.

 

[gwap]

Corey low key someone who seeks attention though. Can’t trust that clown.

thats the same thing people say about kaepernick....

 

[elpablo21]

As if we needed confirmation from Rick Perry

 

[Cashflow]

 

[elpablo21]

Nothing to see here folks, believe me.

 

[Nike Jordan]

 

[Belgium]

https://www.thedailybeast.com/dc-wise-man-had-early-access-to-trumps-pro-russia-speech
D.C. Wise Man Had Early Access To Trump’s Pro-Russia Speech
Photos obtained by The Daily Beast show that controversial think tank chief Dimitri Simes was closer than previously known to the speech’s drafting.

In the morning of April 21, 2016, a staffer at the Center for the National Interest, a Washington D.C., think tank, wandered into the office of Dimitri Simes, the group’s president.

The staffer saw a pile of papers on the desk titled “FOREIGN POLICY AND DEFENSE OUTLINE.” The staffer realized the papers were the detailed outline, in bullet-pointed paragraphs, of a major foreign-policy address that then-candidate Donald Trump was set to deliver six days later as a guest of the center. The staffer used a cellphone to snap pictures of all five pages of the document.

More than two years later, Maria Butina, who once wrote for the center’s magazine and occasionally emailed with Simes, was arrested as an accused Kremlin agent. Subsequently, the person provided the photos to The Daily Beast. The photos’ metadata confirm they were taken on a cellphone on the morning of April 21, 2016. A second former staffer told The Daily Beast that he saw the same documents on Simes’ desk.

The pictures provide new insight into the creation of Trump’s historic foreign-policy speech. They also indicate that Simes was closer than previously known to the drafting of that speech. (Jacob Heilbrunn, the editor of the center’s magazine, wrote for Politico shortly after the speech that he didn’t know what was going to be in it. “I was curious as anyone to see what Trump would actually say,” he wrote.)

“The Committee has reason to believe that Mr. Simes played a central role in drafting portions of the speech related to Russia.”
— House Intelligence Committee Democrats

It isn’t unusual for a think tank chiefs to preview drafts of a speeches presented at their invitation. But Simes’ proximity to the speech shows that he had an early view into the crafting of a speech that would have historic significance for American foreign policy.Democrats on the House intelligence committee tried to investigate Simes’ relationship to Trump’s campaign, but Republican committee Chairman Devin Nunes blocked their efforts.

Presented with this account and with the pictures of the document, the center’s executive director, Paul Saunders, declined to comment. Heilbrunn emailed that he did not receive any preview of the speech. Simes did not respond to a request for comment but wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed on Sept. 5, 2018, that his think tank’s interaction with the Trump campaign had a “small scope.” Michael Glassner, the chief operating officer at Donald J. Trump for President, did not respond to multiple requests for comment. J.D. Gordon, a foreign-policy adviser to Trump on the 2016 campaign, told The Daily Beast he was not familiar with the document.

The pictures demonstrate that significant changes were made from the speech’s detailed outline to its final version—including the removal of lines condemning bigotry, praising legal immigration, and disparaging Russia.

The speech Trump ultimately delivered—a transcript is available here—had some notable differences from the lengthy outline that found its way to Simes’ desk. The document on Simes’ desk listed four main weaknesses in American foreign policy: overstretched resources, an unclear understanding of foreign-policy goals, allies afraid they cannot trust the U.S., and the disrespect of rivals.

The speech Trump delivered a week later, on April 27, included one more bullet-pointed weakness: “Our allies are not paying their fair share,” Trump proclaimed. The same concern is detailed in the document from Simes’ desk, but with less prominent billing. It’s a talking point Trump has been hammering for nearly two decades and continues to use in meetings with America’s NATO allies.

The outline also criticized American intervention in the Balkans under the Clinton administration—a move also criticized by the Kremlin. “Look what happened in the 1990s,” the outline said. “Even after the attacks on the USS Cole and our embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, we continued to pursue nation-building in the Balkans. Then we got hit on 9/11, because our leaders were not sufficiently focused on the security of the American people.”

When Trump delivered his speech a week later, he didn’t mention the Balkans.

The outline also included a line speaking out against prejudice. “I reject bigotry of all kinds,” the document from Simes’ desk reads. “And I reject Senator Cruz’s proposal to patrol Muslim neighborhoods in our country. That is wrong.” In his final speech, Trump didn’t speak about bigotry in general or Cruz’s proposal to patrol Muslim neighborhoods in particular.

Trump’s outline also suggested spending $100 billion or more on the military; that number doesn’t appear in his final speech.

The outline also included a negative comment about Russia that didn’t appear in the final speech. “Russia is a declining but proud country with a nuclear arsenal that could obliterate our country,” the outline reads.

Politico later reported that Trump received assistance writing the speech from Richard Burt, a member of the center’s board who was lobbying at the time for a natural-gas project controlled by the Kremlin.

Simes attracted scrutiny from House Intelligence Committee Democrats when they investigated Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential race. But committee Republicans decided against compelling Simes to answer questions or produce documents. In a minority report released when Republicans ended their Russia probe earlier this year, committee Democrats listed him as a key witness—evidence, in their view, that the investigation was incomplete.

“The Committee is investigating matters related to the speech and communications that may have occurred at the event, and the Committee has reason to believe that Mr. Simes played a central role in drafting portions of the speech related to Russia,” committee Democrats wrote. “The Committee should also obtain relevant personal correspondence between Mr. Simes and Trump campaign officials and any individuals with direct or assumed links to the Russian government.”

Simes, who was born in Moscow and served as an adviser to Richard Nixon, has distinguished himself from the largely monolithic Washington think-tank crowd by his working relationships with Kremlin officials—and, as The Daily Beast has reported, his apparent effort in one instance to use those connections to try to assist one of his organization’s most generous benefactors. Under his leadership, the center has argued for more effective cooperation between Washington and Russia on some issues. It also gets notable access to some Russian government officials; in March of last year, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov sat for a lengthy interview with the center’s executive director in Moscow.

Both the outline found on Simes’ desk and the speech the future president delivered at the Mayflower Hotel in downtown Washington called for warmer relations with Moscow.

“I believe an easing of tensions and improved relations with Russia—from a position of strength—is possible,” he said in the speech. “Common sense says this cycle of hostility must end. Some say the Russians won’t be reasonable. I intend to find out.”

 

[RustyShackleford]

Hes not on the judiciary committee, introduced a Yemen and Bezos bill today, and has tweeted about stopping the Kavanaugh nomination for the last month...COME ON

Which of those senators above march with union workers and doesnt accept corporate PAC money?

This same dude has been bagging on Bernie since after the election on Twitter and thinks hes equivalent to Trump...Dem tribalist mentality at its best

I bet they were silent on Twitter too when Bernie was speaking out against DeVos, Price, and Pruitt at their hearings

Bernie lives rent free in their heads

I do not think the tweet is not fair to Bernie, for multiple reasons. And is overly petty.

But if Sanders supporters are going to complain that all Dems do is make hollow displays and don't really care, then don't complain when Bernie is attacked in the same way.

Bernie has made a career of making grand displays in Congress. The BEZOS bill is going no where, he knows that, and seem more like a troll attempt. Other Dems put in work on the ground too and Bernie like to hide behind his so called independence for political gain. Last time the Dems had majorities, Bernie was outchea embarrassing himself with some of the steez he was on.

If some Bernie supporters don't like this pettiness, then now they know how everyone else feels when the explicit and implicit accusations come from the Sanders camp that Dems do not care.

 

[nomnom]

But if Sanders supporters are going to complain that all Dems do is make hollow displays and don't really care, then don't complain when Bernie is attacked in the same way.

Far too many of them do that

 

[dacomeup]

 

[whywesteppin]

Trump response to threat of being kicked out: Waaa! There will be Chaos!

Booker response: Bring it

only one of them is a man

 

[elpablo21]

 

[sonoftony]

Corey low key someone who seeks attention though. Can’t trust that clown.

I can see why you say that

As someone from NJ, Core got my respect. After Hurricane Sandy, mans opened his home to complete strangers that had no power crash at his crib

 

[gry60]

http://thehill.com/homenews/state-w...kansas-house-seat-charged-with-election-fraud

Kobach's Krooked Kansas

GOP candidate for Kansas House seat charged with election fraud

 

[elpablo21]

Need more Poligrip



This ***** again

 

[whywesteppin]

an anomyno-

really just an anomynous

the best words, the best people

edit: that ***** is likely just trolling, because, you know, it's funny to mock the organized extermination of your grandparents to own the libs.

 

[whywesteppin]

Senator Booker needs to work on his TV face. I am sure he was dapper in his youth but he needs to be more telegenic. I personally don't care what the candidates look like but the 2016 election proved that looks matter, as evidenced by the independents in this thread who voted for Trump because he has the sugar daddy appeal.

I suggest Cory grows his horseshoe-pattern hair out and then fold it over the middle. I think he'll have enough time between now and 2020 to grow enough hair. He looks a little too fit as well. I suggest he goes on a McDonalds + KFC diet. He should also avoid the gym at all costs because exercise uses up his precious energy.

He needs to marry Cleo Wade asap, and then cheat on her.

His civil disobedience today was a good step towards the "non-political outsider" persona, but he should've added in fart sounds and shouted out "choo choo" at random times.

 

[whywesteppin]

As for Kamala Harris, she has a good shot at President as well, but only if she learns what not to do from Hillary's campaign.

Hillary made many mistakes, and they cost her and the Democrats the victory. The main mistake she made was being a woman. If Kamala can somehow run as a man, then she can secure the victory.

 

[IATT]

 

[IATT]

 

[HIM]

As for Kamala Harris, she has a good shot at President as well, but only if she learns what not to do from Hillary's campaign.

Hillary made many mistakes, and they cost her and the Democrats the victory. The main mistake she made was being a woman. If Kamala can somehow run as a man, then she can secure the victory.

I was waiting for it, and it exceeded my expectations

 

[RustyShackleford]

Senator Booker needs to work on his TV face. I am sure he was dapper in his youth but he needs to be more telegenic. I personally don't care what the candidates look like but the 2016 election proved that looks matter, as evidenced by the independents in this thread who voted for Trump because he has the sugar daddy appeal.

I suggest Cory grows his horseshoe-pattern hair out and then fold it over the middle. I think he'll have enough time between now and 2020 to grow enough hair. He looks a little too fit as well. I suggest he goes on a McDonalds + KFC diet. He should also avoid the gym at all costs because exercise uses up his precious energy.

He needs to marry Cleo Wade asap, and then cheat on her.

His civil disobedience today was a good step towards the "non-political outsider" persona, but he should've added in fart sounds and shouted out "choo choo" at random times.

Dat vegan diet got Cory looking dapper.

Famb has lost some weight and his skin looks handsome as well.

He needs to bless the streets with some vegan recipes, so we can all get our glow on

 

[IATT]

 

[InTheHallway]

So I just HAD to see this Booker video ... Everyone was raving about it ...

Lmfao ... He released emails that were already declassified and said it was his Spartacus moment ... And then went on to act like he could have been ousted from the Senate ... LOL

This yall's mans?

 

[Kimchi Papi]

As a foreigner (Belgian obviously) I didn't really expect folks around my area to know of Bob Woodward. To my surprise I talked to quite a few people who knew who he was, though most were way outside my age bracket. All of those cases immediately thought of Watergate upon hearing the name and Woodward's key role in uncovering it.

Of my immediate circle of friends (we're all around the same age), I was the only one born here (of Korean parents). They rest were born in Nigeria, Jamaica, & the Congo (all in the 70s). They all now about Watergate, Woodward, etc.

I guess that's different than people who live abroad but I would think people of a certain age know the deep throat & Woodward/Bernstein history even in Europe.