monitoring Trump and relevant contemporary events

Ressa and Rappler are at the center of a fight over the future of press freedom in the Philippines that is testing the foundations of Philippine democracy.

It is a fight that resonates far beyond this U.S. ally, as the world comes to grips with a new breed of populist authoritarians who bask in positive coverage and decry the rest as “fake news.”

When President Trump met Duterte in Manila last November, for instance, the Philippine president called reporters trying to ask questions about human rights “spies.” Trump’s response? A laugh, according to the transcript.

"Now look at who Mueller has prosecuted at this point, and who is left to prosecute for collusion?" he wondered. "I mean, there's no one left. [Former Trump campaign manager Paul] Manafort would be the obvious guy to think of that was colluding, right? If you could have gotten him on collusion, he would have been the obvious choice. Flynn, I mean, I knew Flynn very very well, and he is not a secret communist supporting Putin. So, they can't get him on that. So who else do they have?"

As New York’s Jon Chait added yesterday, “Who is left to prosecute for collusion? Well, let’s see. There is Donald Trump Jr., who attended a meeting with a Russian promising to help his campaign, and loved it. There’s Jared Kushner, who also attended that meeting, and had a web of financial relationships and contacts with Russia that he suspiciously failed to disclose. There is Roger Stone, who reportedly knew about the Russian email hacking as early as spring 2016, before it was publicly known.”

That’s hardly a comprehensive list. Some of those Mueller has indicted weren’t on the political world’s radar, right up until there were reports of the criminal charges against them.

There’s also, of course, the beneficiary of Russia’s attack – I believe he’s now the American president – who may yet face legal jeopardy, and who has an unfortunate habit of acting as if he’s guilty.

The Times notes that “fickle” Trump has ousted at least half a dozen of the people present at his first Cabinet meeting last June, whom Trump hailed as a “phenomenal team.”

Winner of this morning's "Now There's a Big ******* Surprise" award

Quote:

Trophy hunters are packed on a new U.S. advisory board created to help rewrite federal rules for importing the heads and hides of African elephants, lions and rhinos. That includes some members with direct ties to President Donald Trump and his family.

A review by The Associated Press of the backgrounds and social media posts of the 16 board members appointed by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke indicates they will agree with his position that the best way to protect critically threatened or endangered species is by encouraging American hunters to shoot some of them.

Trophy hunters are packed on a new U.S. advisory board created to help rewrite federal rules for importing the heads and hides of African elephants, lions and rhinos. That includes some members with direct ties to President Donald Trump and his family.

A review by The Associated Press of the backgrounds and social media posts of the 16 board members appointed by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke indicates they will agree with his position that the best way to protect critically threatened or endangered species is by encouraging American hunters to shoot some of them.

TPM

Hard to imagine how this crowd could become more venal.

Just days ago, Trump used Twitter to fire Rex Tillerson, the secretary of state whom he disliked, and moved to install his close ally, CIA Director Mike Pompeo, in the job. On Wednesday, he named conservative TV analyst Larry Kudlow to replace his top economic adviser, Gary Cohn, who quit over trade disagreements.

And on Thursday, Trump signaled that more personnel moves were likely. “There will always be change,” the president told reporters. “And I think you want to see change. I want to also see different ideas.”

This portrait of the Trump administration in turmoil is based on interviews with 19 presidential advisers and administration officials, many of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to offer candid perspectives.

The mood inside the White House in recent days has verged on mania, as Trump increasingly keeps his own counsel and senior aides struggle to determine the gradations between rumor and truth. At times, they say, they are anxious and nervous, wondering what each new headline may mean for them personally.

But in other moments, they appear almost as characters in an absurdist farce — openly joking about whose career might end with the next presidential tweet. White House officials have begun betting about which staffer will be ousted next, though few, if any, have much reliable information about what is actually going on.

Many aides were particularly unsettled by the firing of the president’s longtime personal aide, John McEntee, who was marched out of the White House on Tuesday after his security clearance was abruptly revoked.

“Everybody fears the perp walk,” one senior White House official said. “If it could happen to Johnny, the president’s body guy, it could happen to anybody.” 

Trump recently told Kelly that he wants McMaster out and asked for help weighing replacement options, according to two people familiar with their conversations. The president has complained that McMaster is too rigid and that his briefings go on too long and seem irrelevant.

Several candidates have emerged as possible McMaster replacements, including John Bolton, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and Keith Kellogg, the chief of staff of the National Security Council.

Kellogg travels with Trump on many domestic trips, in part because the president likes his company and thinks he is fun. Bolton has met with Trump several times and often agrees with the president’s instincts. Trump also thinks Bolton, who regularly praises the president on Fox News Channel, is good on television.

I think sooner or later the republicans in congress are going to have to face the fact this President is mentally unfit for the office he holds.

Several candidates have emerged as possible McMaster replacements, including John Bolton, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and Keith Kellogg, the chief of staff of the National Security Council.

Kellogg travels with Trump on many domestic trips, in part because the president likes his company and thinks he is fun. Bolton has met with Trump several times and often agrees with the president’s instincts. Trump also thinks Bolton, who regularly praises the president on Fox News Channel, is good on television.

If he has gotten rid of the more established moneyed influences he had around him; he is going to make moves which might be contrary to what koch brothers/ wall street want, I think they will influence congress to get rid of Trump.

What I am trying to get at, it is like Trump is going back to Bannon days.

Is it just me

Vanessa Trump, Don Jr's wife is suing him for divorce. They have 5 children.

Do you have evidence that he is a sociopath?

I think sooner or later the republicans in congress are going to have to face the fact this President is mentally unfit for the office he holds.

Republican Senators Call for Second Special Counsel Into FBI’s Procedures