monitoring Trump and relevant contemporary events

An interesting parallel can be drawn with the meeting between Putin and newly-elected French president Sarkozy during the 2007 G8 summit in Moscow. It's been widely reported in France. See this summary from national TV channel France 2 (in French with an English summary below the vid):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aPRr9tTqiS4

In essence, Putin told a naïve Sarko, who was raising human rights issues in Russia: "if you keep up speaking to me like this, I'll crush you. If you change your tone, I can make you the king of Europe." Sarkozy was brutally intimidated and appeared "groggy" in the following press conference, like a boxer beaten to pulp by his opponent.

And he did change his tone...

Sarkozy was a narcissitic dope. They always look like a lost puppy after meeting their nemesis.

He also had many skeletons in the closet, and to be shown inside your closet by an opponent is often daunting.

I like how the prez is switching the focus back to exactly what the MSM is trying to provide cover for.

https://www.facebook.com/vicenews/videos/1092895890870360/

Stronger growth, new jobs, more freedom: Japan and Europe have signed a new trade agreement - and sent a clear signal against Donald Trump's customs policy.

EU-Japan free trade agreement defies protectionism

Actually, I think that it does, at least to a degree. Trump feels himself(or so I think) as the undesignated leader of the NATO(probably historically justified). However, if he then takes the look of a businessman, you once again find yourself with Trump at the helm of an organization he probably sees no real use for, since in his eyes, his 'strong bonds' with Putin makes the reason NATO was established in the first place kind of moot. Couple that with his irritation at the fact the financial burdens were unfairly falling on US shoulders. I think Trump is more then ready and willing to either dissolve NATO or at least withdraw the USA from it.

But frankly, I don't buy that Putin would have something so bad on Trump that he could make him say these things in front of the camera. Or rather, that he would make Donald say these sort of things for the world to hear. Because what would he have to gain for it?

If this is true, then Putin effectively has the US president in his pocket, right? Then why make him make such inflammatory remarks on tv? If Trump goes too far, it might get him impeached, and then what would happen? Putin would lose his puppet, and the US would distrust Russia once again.

So what does Putin have to gain from Trump saying what he did?

I think that is so.

Exactly, just like Trump. But to Sarkozy's credit, he was elected free and fair by a majority of voters. Trump doesn't even have that legitimacy: Putin elected him. Hence his submissiveness.

That's good, we need new allies and partners, and so does Japan.

Even if Trump had the slightest concern about his own intellegence, he shoulda kept his dumass mouth shut and not projected a sense of emasculation in front of the news. Now, it seems, weve exchanged alliances based on Trumps fragile narcissistic ego.

It was all just so Neville Chamberlain. It was a sad day watching the President of the US grovel to a foreign strongman.

"Today is a good day for Putin and the oligarchs in Russia. It is a bad day for people in the United States and all over the world who believe in democracy and who are trying to understand what world our idiot president lives in."
-- Bernie Sanders, yesterday

In today's edition of Voice From The Right

You have previously accused Obama of being a traitor because he armed and trained the Syrian rebels who fought against Assad and Russia.

Now you're apparently arguing the opposite -- that Obama was a traitor because he didn't do anything to stop Russia and Assad.

Any argument will do, I guess?

Your Reaction When your intelligence agency is outed as illegally funneling half a billion dollars or more through money laundering from Russia to the Hillary campaign which then loses and is outed on global television 20 months later.

Issuing a subpoena for John Brennan:

I don't think Putin micromanages Trump's every move, but Trump is an idiot. He says stupid things because he's stupid.

I'm sure Putin is aware of that.

Although I don't agree with the way Trump put things, I can see where he's coming from.

For many good reasons, he doesn't trust Obama's intelligence agency output.

Insofar as present conclusions presuppose the validity of premises whose basis is unknown or undisclosed, he not ready to fully trust those conclusions either.

He still wants to know all the facts before jumping to some conclusion. That's why he keeps bringing up the fact that access to the DNC servers was denied by the democrats. Why? Why must the FBI's conclusions be based up the representations of private entities employed by Clinton? The same entities who bashed her phones to bits and destroyed all the memory with bleach?

Everyone who is not a cheese-eater can rationally conclude that there was in fact a coordinated effort by many, including Brennan and Clapper, to try to convict Trump in the arena of public opinion by way of cheap innuendo, insinuation and outright fabrication. All in the hopes of seeing him impeached, and with the further purpose of limiting his ability to govern effectively.

And that would include any attempt to thaw our icy relationship with Russia. The mere filing of the indictments (which contained no information which hasn't been available for over a year) was immediately used by many to demand that he not even meet with Putin, for example.

"Seeing where hes coming from" doesnt help the problem get resolved. Youve got an invested interest that the allegations regarding Trump NOT be true. You therefore, should try to adopt some greater objectivity that is only affected by our country's needs andrequirements.

Trump shows no skills at anything weve elected him for.

. Even Reagan's talk points were much better measured than are Trump

watching Trump in his daily dribbles, brings to mind that
"The only thing a bully fears is a bigger bully"

Bernie called him an idiot?