1. After being called on by the President, a reporter from an obscure Jewish publication asked a long two-part question and Trump took offense. For reporters, this is not unusual and the reporter was not offensive or critical. After Trump answered the first part of his question, the reporter asked a follow up. This was not unusual and the question was not critical or offensive. Trump then delivered a lecture and told the reporter to "sit down" I've been watching new conferences for decades and have never seen a President be so rude to a reporter. This wasn't even a reporter for the New York Times or Washington Post. This is classic Trump. Whenever he's asked a question that challenges or irks him, rather than address the issue, he sidetracks to irrelevancies like criticizing the press and falsely accusing them of lying. One of his advisors told the press to "shut up.
Where did they find this President-- an anger management class?
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/17/us/politics/trump-press-conference-jake-turx.html?_r=0
2. Trump's cabinet appointments and first preliminary budget reveals a well know principle of politics. Reward your friends, punish your enemies. Environmentalists, teachers unions, consumer protection, public housing, civil rights groups and others found their cabinet posts filled by people with clear records opposing those who were 'enemies' during the campaign. For instance, the Education secretary had never been to public shoot and didn't send her children to one. She was a strong supporter of charter schools which are opposed by public education unions and lobby groups. Civil rights groups opposed the attorney general nominee. I can't think of a single cabined appointee who knew much about their agencies or cared about its traditional mission.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2017/01/19/donald-trump-has-assembled-the-worst-cabinet-in-american-history/?utm_term=.dc98ad528e71
The budget was not totally about rewarding and punishing, but the trend was clear.
3. The Trump administration is considering use of the National Guard to help with mass roundups and deportations. Makes sense given the millions of people Trump wants to roundup and deport. When he sees even this is inadequate will he call out the troops? Use if the military for civilian law enforcement is probably illegal, and we have had a long tradition of keeping the military out of civil affairs except in cases of dire emergency. The administration denied it--it's usual response to leaks, no matter how apparently reliable. (Remember, for instance, the Flint-lying case?)
http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-trump-national-guard-immigration-20170217-story.html
4. The Russian contacts/National Security Advisor Flynn scandal
For a detailed and accurate account see
http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/editorials/2017/02/15/trumps-russia-problem-now-americas-problem-going-away
#1. I've seen news reports saying that Trump self-identified as the least anti-Israel person one could imagine. Given that he has Jewish family, that sounds reasonable. Further, the Jewish reporter is said to have been satisfied with Trump's comments.
ReplyDelete3. Apparently a made-up fake news BS story.
4. Flynn's contacts with Russians were not the problem. It was his foolishness in thinking that the NSA (or whomever) would not give that info to enemies of the Trump group. Then, Flynn's egregious error after the fact in lying or obfuscating to Pence.
Art
Whatever defamation of character the elitist MSM forces on Trump, he's going to throw it right back. The president does have his New Yorker side. Better get use to it.
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