White House Economic Advisor Gary Cohn, a man considered to be a “stable presence” in the White House, resigned a mere 2 hours after Donald Trump assured the nation that everyone wanted work for him in the White House. He obviously came out and said this amid rumors and suggestions that his White House was in turmoil. I can see why people might think that, what with scandals arising every other day, and just the boat load of employment turnover which might seem to already undercut Trump’s statement. But Cohn resigning so quickly afterward had to really makes a profound point. I can’t imagine that Trump had a good Tuesday.
I don’t know exactly how appropriate it is for the President to commend a world leader on the consolidation of power, but I certainly know that it’s super messed up that he hopes he can do the same thing in this country. It’s a real shocking and scary thing for him to suggest that he should be aiming to copy Xi Jinping and the idea of a president for life. It’s rhetoric like that that makes me flabbergasted that people think he’s some grand national savior.
So Trump is…I don’t know if I’d call it a 180 on gun control provisions…but he’s definitely sounding…dare I say…somewhat reasonable? It’s weird to see him step so far away from his base’s views on anything. I mean, the VAST majority of Americans overwhelmingly favor some new measure of gun control. That is indisputable, but the very vocal minority, the people who comprise the loudest segment of Trump’s base, do not. So for Trump to come out and say he’s down for confiscating guns from mentally ill people, and for raising the age of purchase on certain firearms…I mean it’s a weird pivot that I’m not sure anyone saw coming. It’s a welcome one. But it also is so out of character for him that I would feel weird trusting it. I don’t know whether to expect him to go back on it tomorrow and say he never said any such thing in the first place.
Hope Hicks, the now ex-director of strategic communications for the White House, said that it was part of her job to tell “white lies” for the President. Given her lack of elaboration on that fact, people are left with a lot of questions about such a response. What does she consider a “white lie”? Who exactly was she lying to? If she saw it as part of her job, then how often was she lying? On what topics did she lie whitely over? If she admitted to lying, was she lying about the lying? She claims that she hasn’t lied over matters relating to the Russian Investigation, but is that a White Lie too? So many questions…
So Donald Trump seems pretty convinced that he would have pulled a Die Hard during the Parkland shooting, and I had a pretty good laugh about it. He says “I really believe I’d run in there even if I didn’t have a weapon.” I can’t tell if that’s a lie or if he actually believes that about himself. I mean, Donald Trump is famously squeamish about blood. He admits himself that he can’t be around blood in even small amounts without getting sketchy. But his inner Harrison Ford would have DEFINITELY kicked in to take down a terrorist.
So the Republicans and Right Wing Media outlets are really trying to push this narrative that the Russians colluded with the Democrats. That THAT is the real story and not potential collusion with Trump. I mean they make a good point. I mean, only by working with the Russians could they have tanked the 2016 elections so hard. It’s a damn goofy claim that flies in the face evidence and…you know, reality? I mean, I’m willing to take the word of right-wing armchair philosophers over a vast network of non-partisan intelligence gatherers whose job and expertise involve this very thing.
So Trump held a “listening session” at the White House on Wednesday, so people affected by the tragedy in Florida could express themselves to him. The session is hard to listen to, as you’re having to hear the rawest emotions from people who were struck by the most horrendous act of human hatred, and having to be composed and responsive…well I don’t know that I can blame someone for having some structured notes to make sure when they were asking questions, they could get to the heart of the matter. So I can’t in good conscience give Trump guff for having notes, even though they were clearly written by someone with better handwriting then him. But what I can take note of is the fact that on the bottom, number 5) was a clear note for him to tell these poor people that he hears them. To suggest that Trump would need a reminder to say something like this shows that the people around the President are concerned that he can’t project his sincere attention.
Trump endorsed Mitt Romney for his Senate bid…and I have to wonder how Romney feels about that. I can’t imagine that Trump has suddenly become self aware, and I think he genuinely thinks that he’s maybe helping Romney. But it’s still odd, considering how often and how fervently Romney has spoken out against Trump and his policies. But back to Romney, I wonder if he’s going to distance himself from that endorsement or run with it. I know he officially thanked Trump, but even in his thank you, it seemed like he was quick to pivot back away from him. So who knows? It will be interesting to watch though.
Bill Gates was on Fareed Zakaria on Sunday, saying, for probably the hundredth time, that he thinks people in his position need to be paying higher taxes. He also talked about how the new tax bill is regressive, and how people with wealth are just getting more benefits from the system. Basically, he’s the rich guy pooing in the punch bowl. I can only imagine how much it must drive Trump nuts that not only is Bill Gates just orders of magnitude more wealthy than him, but that he’s better liked, and has no compunction about giving the wealthy few the business.
Trump’s Attorney, Michael Cohen is alleging that he paid Pornstar Stormy Daniels, $130,000, out of his own pocket, and that Donald Trump had nothing to do with it, and that he was not repaid or reimbursed in anyway for it. And you know what? I can totally believe that. Trump not paying people he employs sounds very much like a tact right out of the Donald Trump playbook.
Mind the Exit 