"His bizarre adoration of Vladimir Putin has undermined U.S. intelligence agencies, previously strong international alliances, and Ukraine’s very survival."
Right on John. One of the great mysteries of the Universe. Trump isn't afraid to rip anyone in the press including foreign allies. But Putin gets a pass.
I believe European and Corporate leaders have learned to handle Trump. Stroke his ego! The pageantry during his visit to the UK was one of the grandest events in modern history for a state visit.
Putin also knows exactly how to play Trump. For example, he agreed with Trump's statement that if he had been POTUS, the Ukraine war wouldn't have happened. As if Putin had no plans for taking Ukraine until Biden came along. And Trump is stupid enough to believe it. Or more accurately, so desperate for Putin's love and affection, he believed it.
I've long resisted that conclusion. I thought maybe Pres. Trump wants some kind of financial deal in Russia. I was hoping the Mueller investigation would answer this.
The explanation that is increasingly fitting is that Putin has something on him.
I've thought about that, but here's the thing.... Given all the outrageous stuff Trump has said and done over the past 10+ years, what could Putin POSSIBLY have on him that would cause his downfall? Anything Putin puts out would immediately be dismissed as fake news by the MAGA faithful, and Trump would just file multi-billion dollar lawsuits against any network that reports the dirt.
Good point. I get a kick out of his response about the Epstein birthday card. We all know that it fits him. But I know people who traveled to Moscow, and they are masters in hotel surveillance and recording people into compromising situations. I have been invited there on several occasions and won't travel there.
John: The part of Erika Kirk’s eulogy that moved people the most was her forgiveness of Tyler Robinson, her husband’s assassin. As Christians, we are COMMANDED by Jesus to forgive our enemies. This is non-negotiable and the reason for his dying on the cross. As humans, we are part animal and part divine. We have a moral compass and compassion that is foreign to the rest of the animal kingdom. Forgiving your enemies touches on this divinity. I also had a pastor who once said from the pulpit, “Jesus came to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” Forgiveness of one’s enemies is definitely in that latter category, a definite affliction since our animal nature wants revenge (a la Trump’s speech). Do you think Erika was genuine in her forgiveness, or was it more performative? Why do you think this struck such a cord, especially among the right?
Re: Future Mitt Romney Types. Well for better or for worse, Romney lost. He was viciously slandered by Joe Biden who said that Romney was “gonna’ put y’all back in chains” and be “Jim Crow 2.0” and he’s anti-gay because he & some friends allegedly shaved a gay fellow’s head back in his school days. Yes Romney is a decent man who takes the high road, but Trump punched back! After W. got pushed around and slandered by the media and thus allowing it because
he and Dick Cheney didn’t think the American people would “fall for it,” combined with Romney taking the high road as well, then Combine all that with the libs/Dems/media labeling anyone who had expressed an opinion to the right of Bernie Sanders being labeled as “racist, sexist, homophobic, Islamophobic, fascist, religious fanatics, white supremacists, and a threat to democracy,” well then it shouldn’t surprise anybody that the conservatives had finally had enough of it, so that someone like Trump could come along and take control of a Conservative Republican Party that didn’t fight back and defy the left wing lies. None of this is meant to excuse Trump’s faults and shenanigans, but if you’re wondering how it got to this point… well… in my opinion…this is it!
I'm thinking a small hotel fan-convention isn't worth it to someone like Weaver. Lol.
>>Romney lost
Yes, against a popular, historically significant incumbent. Trump lost, as an incumbent, against a candidate as bad as Joe Biden (as well as handing the GOP its worst overall election defeats in almost 70 years). When Republicans didn't care, and stayed loyal to him, that pretty much dispelled the myth that Trump's appeal has been about "winning." I think it's pretty clear that almost any Republican who ran in 2016 would have defeated Hillary, and almost any Republican who ran in 2024 would have defeated Harris. If either of those things had happened, our country would be in much better economic, cultural, international, and constitutional shape right now. But again, no one cares. All that matters now are memes, grievance, and theater.
"His bizarre adoration of Vladimir Putin has undermined U.S. intelligence agencies, previously strong international alliances, and Ukraine’s very survival."
Right on John. One of the great mysteries of the Universe. Trump isn't afraid to rip anyone in the press including foreign allies. But Putin gets a pass.
I believe European and Corporate leaders have learned to handle Trump. Stroke his ego! The pageantry during his visit to the UK was one of the grandest events in modern history for a state visit.
Putin also knows exactly how to play Trump. For example, he agreed with Trump's statement that if he had been POTUS, the Ukraine war wouldn't have happened. As if Putin had no plans for taking Ukraine until Biden came along. And Trump is stupid enough to believe it. Or more accurately, so desperate for Putin's love and affection, he believed it.
Or, as some suggest, he has something on Trump which I believe.
I've long resisted that conclusion. I thought maybe Pres. Trump wants some kind of financial deal in Russia. I was hoping the Mueller investigation would answer this.
The explanation that is increasingly fitting is that Putin has something on him.
I've thought about that, but here's the thing.... Given all the outrageous stuff Trump has said and done over the past 10+ years, what could Putin POSSIBLY have on him that would cause his downfall? Anything Putin puts out would immediately be dismissed as fake news by the MAGA faithful, and Trump would just file multi-billion dollar lawsuits against any network that reports the dirt.
Good point. I get a kick out of his response about the Epstein birthday card. We all know that it fits him. But I know people who traveled to Moscow, and they are masters in hotel surveillance and recording people into compromising situations. I have been invited there on several occasions and won't travel there.
Right, but even if the fabled "prostitute pee party" really happened, and Putin has the tape, does it even matter at this point?
John: The part of Erika Kirk’s eulogy that moved people the most was her forgiveness of Tyler Robinson, her husband’s assassin. As Christians, we are COMMANDED by Jesus to forgive our enemies. This is non-negotiable and the reason for his dying on the cross. As humans, we are part animal and part divine. We have a moral compass and compassion that is foreign to the rest of the animal kingdom. Forgiving your enemies touches on this divinity. I also had a pastor who once said from the pulpit, “Jesus came to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” Forgiveness of one’s enemies is definitely in that latter category, a definite affliction since our animal nature wants revenge (a la Trump’s speech). Do you think Erika was genuine in her forgiveness, or was it more performative? Why do you think this struck such a cord, especially among the right?
Sir John —-where was Sigourney Weaver?
Re: Future Mitt Romney Types. Well for better or for worse, Romney lost. He was viciously slandered by Joe Biden who said that Romney was “gonna’ put y’all back in chains” and be “Jim Crow 2.0” and he’s anti-gay because he & some friends allegedly shaved a gay fellow’s head back in his school days. Yes Romney is a decent man who takes the high road, but Trump punched back! After W. got pushed around and slandered by the media and thus allowing it because
he and Dick Cheney didn’t think the American people would “fall for it,” combined with Romney taking the high road as well, then Combine all that with the libs/Dems/media labeling anyone who had expressed an opinion to the right of Bernie Sanders being labeled as “racist, sexist, homophobic, Islamophobic, fascist, religious fanatics, white supremacists, and a threat to democracy,” well then it shouldn’t surprise anybody that the conservatives had finally had enough of it, so that someone like Trump could come along and take control of a Conservative Republican Party that didn’t fight back and defy the left wing lies. None of this is meant to excuse Trump’s faults and shenanigans, but if you’re wondering how it got to this point… well… in my opinion…this is it!
His Utmost Excellency, The Emperor , has spoken.
>>Sir John —-where was Sigourney Weaver?
I'm thinking a small hotel fan-convention isn't worth it to someone like Weaver. Lol.
>>Romney lost
Yes, against a popular, historically significant incumbent. Trump lost, as an incumbent, against a candidate as bad as Joe Biden (as well as handing the GOP its worst overall election defeats in almost 70 years). When Republicans didn't care, and stayed loyal to him, that pretty much dispelled the myth that Trump's appeal has been about "winning." I think it's pretty clear that almost any Republican who ran in 2016 would have defeated Hillary, and almost any Republican who ran in 2024 would have defeated Harris. If either of those things had happened, our country would be in much better economic, cultural, international, and constitutional shape right now. But again, no one cares. All that matters now are memes, grievance, and theater.