The Last Straw

This week, some rumination on Trump’s tete a tete with Putin (along with a history lesson for Rob Long), we introduce you to Elizabeth Heng, who is running for Congress in California’s 16th District, we get some #MeToo education from our good pal Mona Charen, (stop whatever you’re doing and buy her book Sex Matters right now) and the city of Santa Barbara declares that if you use a straw in that fair city, you’ll do time. Which sucks. Also, the Word of The Day is spizzerinctum.

Music from this week’s podcast: Sex Bomb by Tom Jones

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  1. Roderic Fabian Coolidge
    Roderic Fabian
    @rhfabian

    I hate to criticize what was mostly a really good podcast. 

    Stop reading Trump’s mind, guys.  You’re no good at it.  Nobody can read minds, so I’m certain pundits can’t do it.  When Long says that he is certain that when other Presidents said objectionable things at press conferences they did so out of concern for the country while Trump did it for his own ego, that’s mind reading.  Mind reading done apparently just to put the most uncharitable spin possible on what the President says is not cool.

    Yes, the President gets defensive.  He puts his foot in his mouth.  I don’t think this is new in presidents.

    Pundits  should eschew the amateur psychiatrist shtick.  It is beneath writers at National Review to, Soviet style, slap people they don’t like with a psychiatric diagnosis.  Just saying that the President is a self important jerk says as much as saying he has a narcissistic personality disorder.   The psychiatric term is not validated.   It has no predictive power.  It supposedly includes “high functioning” subtypes, which casts doubt on the rationale for calling it a disorder.   It doesn’t even fit Trump that well since he has characteristics that differ from the usual description of its core features.   Moreover, anyone who is psychologically “unstable” could not possibly have achieved the pinnacle of success in multiple domains — business, entertainment, and politics — as the President has in his life.   

    In his lack of ability to speak according to the norms of the ruling class in Washington, DC, or in failing to see the importance of doing so, the President makes a grave error in class based aesthetics, shocking all the usual suspects.   Alas, Trump is probably too advanced in years to be trained to mince his words properly. 

     

     

     

    • #121
  2. Patrick McClure Coolidge
    Patrick McClure
    @Patrickb63

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    The book “The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 27 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President” comes to the exact opposite conclusion, that there is a duty to warn under Tarasnoff. I believe that you are not a mental health professional; I am not one either. I suggest that you read the book.

    So 27 people who have never examined the President have diagnosed him?  Tell me you wouldn’t love to get hold of an “expert” like that on the witness stand.  How many of the “authors” of the book you reference examined the President?  I’ll wager exactly zero.  And you know as well as I do the Tarasoff doctrine isn’t a medical diagnosis or procedure.  It is a legal doctrine to provide a defense to an examining medical professional for reporting a patient’s credible threats to harm someone else,  when the reporting would otherwise be a violation of doctor-patient privilege.  These charlatans trying to fashion it as some sort of noble gesture by people who have come to their conclusions in violation of medical ethics is sad.  The doctrine is meaningless in this situation and they are using it as a fig-leaf to hide their shame.

     

    EDIT- To correctly spell Tarasoff.

    • #122
  3. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    Roderic Fabian (View Comment):
    It doesn’t even fit Trump that well since he has characteristics that differ from the usual description of its core features.

    Trump’s kids don’t seem very damaged if he actually has NPD, but I’m not an expert. 

    • #123
  4. Miffed White Male Member
    Miffed White Male
    @MiffedWhiteMale

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Ike, Barry, Reagan, H.W., W., Dole, McCain, Romney, Trump, which one of these people is not like the others?

    I am not qualified to issue a DSM-V diagnosis, but I know people who are. Their unamious consensus is that there is something really wrong and off with Trump. Their suggestion is that he suffers from an Axis II Personality or Character Disorder. An Axis II Personality or Character Disorder is resistant to change, and cannot be treated with medication. Trump’s Personality or Character Disorder has Strong Narcissism features, but also has borderline and paranoia features which would need to be ruled out. There is a family history of Altzheimer’s Disease which recommends repeated neurological testing for monitoring purposes. While these professions can not formally diagnose Trump without examining him, they also have an ethical Tarasnoff duty to warn, which they have done.

    It’s funny that you included Barry Goldwater in your list, since as I understand it it was his Presidential campaign that led to the ethical prohibition on diagnosing public figures without examination, after a group of psychiatrists said that he was mentally unfit to be President.

     

    Edit:  “In your gut you know he’s a nut”.

     

    • #124
  5. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Miffed White Male (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Ike, Barry, Reagan, H.W., W., Dole, McCain, Romney, Trump, which one of these people is not like the others?

    I am not qualified to issue a DSM-V diagnosis, but I know people who are. Their unamious consensus is that there is something really wrong and off with Trump. Their suggestion is that he suffers from an Axis II Personality or Character Disorder. An Axis II Personality or Character Disorder is resistant to change, and cannot be treated with medication. Trump’s Personality or Character Disorder has Strong Narcissism features, but also has borderline and paranoia features which would need to be ruled out. There is a family history of Altzheimer’s Disease which recommends repeated neurological testing for monitoring purposes. While these professions can not formally diagnose Trump without examining him, they also have an ethical Tarasnoff duty to warn, which they have done.

    It’s funny that you included Barry Goldwater in your list, since as I understand it it was his Presidential campaign that led to the ethical prohibition on diagnosing public figures without examination, after a group of psychiatrists said that he was mentally unfit to be President.

    I met Barry and shook his hand.  He had a strong sense of self, and didn’t need external stroking for an ego that will not quit.  A good man.  A very good man.

    • #125
  6. Miffed White Male Member
    Miffed White Male
    @MiffedWhiteMale

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Miffed White Male (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Ike, Barry, Reagan, H.W., W., Dole, McCain, Romney, Trump, which one of these people is not like the others?

    I am not qualified to issue a DSM-V diagnosis, but I know people who are. Their unamious consensus is that there is something really wrong and off with Trump. Their suggestion is that he suffers from an Axis II Personality or Character Disorder. An Axis II Personality or Character Disorder is resistant to change, and cannot be treated with medication. Trump’s Personality or Character Disorder has Strong Narcissism features, but also has borderline and paranoia features which would need to be ruled out. There is a family history of Altzheimer’s Disease which recommends repeated neurological testing for monitoring purposes. While these professions can not formally diagnose Trump without examining him, they also have an ethical Tarasnoff duty to warn, which they have done.

    It’s funny that you included Barry Goldwater in your list, since as I understand it it was his Presidential campaign that led to the ethical prohibition on diagnosing public figures without examination, after a group of psychiatrists said that he was mentally unfit to be President.

    I met Barry and shook his hand. He had a strong sense of self, and didn’t need external stroking for an ego that will not quit. A good man. A very good man.

    That’s wonderful for you.

    Has nothing to do with my point, and I can find plenty of people who will tell you that Trump is charming and person able in real life.

     

    • #126
  7. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    Barry Goldwater strikes me as considerably less crooked or whatever than the average politician is today. Just a feeling. 

    • #127
  8. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Barry Goldwater strikes me as considerably less crooked or whatever than the average politician is today. Just a feeling.

    Agreed.  And Trump strikes me as the most chooked Republican I know of who was ever a Nominee.  (Perhaps, “James Blaine, the congenital liar from the State of Maine” was as bad, but I don’t know.  He was one of the few Republicans to lose to a Democrat in the late 1800’s.) 

    • #128
  9. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Miffed White Male (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Miffed White Male (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Ike, Barry, Reagan, H.W., W., Dole, McCain, Romney, Trump, which one of these people is not like the others?

    I am not qualified to issue a DSM-V diagnosis, but I know people who are. Their unamious consensus is that there is something really wrong and off with Trump. Their suggestion is that he suffers from an Axis II Personality or Character Disorder. An Axis II Personality or Character Disorder is resistant to change, and cannot be treated with medication. Trump’s Personality or Character Disorder has Strong Narcissism features, but also has borderline and paranoia features which would need to be ruled out. There is a family history of Altzheimer’s Disease which recommends repeated neurological testing for monitoring purposes. While these professions can not formally diagnose Trump without examining him, they also have an ethical Tarasnoff duty to warn, which they have done.

    It’s funny that you included Barry Goldwater in your list, since as I understand it it was his Presidential campaign that led to the ethical prohibition on diagnosing public figures without examination, after a group of psychiatrists said that he was mentally unfit to be President.

    I met Barry and shook his hand. He had a strong sense of self, and didn’t need external stroking for an ego that will not quit. A good man. A very good man.

    That’s wonderful for you.

    Has nothing to do with my point, and I can find plenty of people who will tell you that Trump is charming and person able in real life.

    Barry would give you a piece of his mind face to face.  Trump is a coward at heart.  I recall it being said that Trump has never fired anyone in person, except on TV.

    • #129
  10. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Barry Goldwater strikes me as considerably less crooked or whatever than the average politician is today. Just a feeling.

    Agreed. And Trump strikes me as the most chooked Republican I know of who was ever a Nominee. (Perhaps, “James Blaine, the congenital liar from the State of Maine” was as bad, but I don’t know. He was one of the few Republicans to lose to a Democrat in the late 1800’s.)

    How is Trump crooked?

     

    • #130
  11. Miffed White Male Member
    Miffed White Male
    @MiffedWhiteMale

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Barry Goldwater strikes me as considerably less crooked or whatever than the average politician is today. Just a feeling.

    Agreed. And Trump strikes me as the most chooked Republican I know of who was ever a Nominee. (Perhaps, “James Blaine, the congenital liar from the State of Maine” was as bad, but I don’t know. He was one of the few Republicans to lose to a Democrat in the late 1800’s.)

    How is Trump crooked?

     

    Oh geez…

    What’s the over/under on how many time Gary uses the word Kompromat?

    • #131
  12. Patrick McClure Coolidge
    Patrick McClure
    @Patrickb63

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Miffed White Male (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Ike, Barry, Reagan, H.W., W., Dole, McCain, Romney, Trump, which one of these people is not like the others?

    I am not qualified to issue a DSM-V diagnosis, but I know people who are. Their unamious consensus is that there is something really wrong and off with Trump. Their suggestion is that he suffers from an Axis II Personality or Character Disorder. An Axis II Personality or Character Disorder is resistant to change, and cannot be treated with medication. Trump’s Personality or Character Disorder has Strong Narcissism features, but also has borderline and paranoia features which would need to be ruled out. There is a family history of Altzheimer’s Disease which recommends repeated neurological testing for monitoring purposes. While these professions can not formally diagnose Trump without examining him, they also have an ethical Tarasnoff duty to warn, which they have done.

    It’s funny that you included Barry Goldwater in your list, since as I understand it it was his Presidential campaign that led to the ethical prohibition on diagnosing public figures without examination, after a group of psychiatrists said that he was mentally unfit to be President.

    I met Barry and shook his hand. He had a strong sense of self, and didn’t need external stroking for an ego that will not quit. A good man. A very good man.

    1189 Psychiatrists said Barry Goldwater was unfit to be President, according to Fact Magazine.  Using your idea that we should listen to these professionals, how can you defend him?  That is 1162 more than the 27  who authored the book you cited (some of whom were actually political pundits, I learned in a Kirkus review, not Mental Health professionals).   

    • #132
  13. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    Miffed White Male (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Barry Goldwater strikes me as considerably less crooked or whatever than the average politician is today. Just a feeling.

    Agreed. And Trump strikes me as the most chooked Republican I know of who was ever a Nominee. (Perhaps, “James Blaine, the congenital liar from the State of Maine” was as bad, but I don’t know. He was one of the few Republicans to lose to a Democrat in the late 1800’s.)

    How is Trump crooked?

     

    Oh geez…

    What’s the over/under on how many time Gary uses the word Kompromat?

    Trump isn’t any more crooked than any other POTUS has been on things that will actually affect his actions as POTUS

    • #133
  14. Patrick McClure Coolidge
    Patrick McClure
    @Patrickb63

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    That’s wonderful for you.

    Has nothing to do with my point, and I can find plenty of people who will tell you that Trump is charming and person able in real life.

    Barry would give you a piece of his mind face to face. Trump is a coward at heart. I recall it being said that Trump has never fired anyone in person, except on TV.

    Hold on.  You’re saying meeting someone face to face, talking to them, maybe even examining them will make your opinion on the person have more weight than someone who has never had significant personal contact, or maybe even examined them?  Like say a doctor who has examined someone and found no mental health problems, versus 27 people who are making guesses from afar?  Or maybe greater weight than even 1189 people who are making guesses from afar?  Huh.  Sort of undermines the experts’ book you cited, doesn’t it?

    • #134
  15. TheSockMonkey Inactive
    TheSockMonkey
    @TheSockMonkey

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    I met Barry and shook his hand. He had a strong sense of self, and didn’t need external stroking for an ego that will not quit. A good man. A very good man.

    “I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy. We had a very good dialogue. I was able to get a sense of his soul; a man deeply committed to his country and the best interests of his country.”

    • #135
  16. Miffed White Male Member
    Miffed White Male
    @MiffedWhiteMale

    TheSockMonkey (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    I met Barry and shook his hand. He had a strong sense of self, and didn’t need external stroking for an ego that will not quit. A good man. A very good man.

    “I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy. We had a very good dialogue. I was able to get a sense of his soul; a man deeply committed to his country and the best interests of his country.”

    Ooh, that’s gonna leave a mark.

     

    • #136
  17. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Miffed White Male (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Ike, Barry, Reagan, H.W., W., Dole, McCain, Romney, Trump, which one of these people is not like the others?

    I am not qualified to issue a DSM-V diagnosis, but I know people who are. Their unamious consensus is that there is something really wrong and off with Trump. Their suggestion is that he suffers from an Axis II Personality or Character Disorder. An Axis II Personality or Character Disorder is resistant to change, and cannot be treated with medication. Trump’s Personality or Character Disorder has Strong Narcissism features, but also has borderline and paranoia features which would need to be ruled out. There is a family history of Altzheimer’s Disease which recommends repeated neurological testing for monitoring purposes. While these professions can not formally diagnose Trump without examining him, they also have an ethical Tarasnoff duty to warn, which they have done.

    It’s funny that you included Barry Goldwater in your list, since as I understand it it was his Presidential campaign that led to the ethical prohibition on diagnosing public figures without examination, after a group of psychiatrists said that he was mentally unfit to be President.

    Edit: “In your gut you know he’s a nut”.

    Actually, the phrase is “In your guts, you know he’s nuts.”

    • #137
  18. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Barry Goldwater strikes me as considerably less crooked or whatever than the average politician is today. Just a feeling.

    Agreed. And Trump strikes me as the most chooked Republican I know of who was ever a Nominee. (Perhaps, “James Blaine, the congenital liar from the State of Maine” was as bad, but I don’t know. He was one of the few Republicans to lose to a Democrat in the late 1800’s.)

    How is Trump crooked?

    For starters:  Intentionally lying about Birtherism, even after getting Obama’s long form birth certificate.  Trump University where Trump scammed hundreds of people out of tens of thousands of dollars.  Not paying the contractors and vendors on his buildings and properties.  His five bankruptcies.  Claiming that he misunderstood questions about White Supremacists and David Duke before the Southern primaries.  Claiming that Ted Cruz’s father help Oswald kill Kennedy.  

    • #138
  19. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Miffed White Male (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Barry Goldwater strikes me as considerably less crooked or whatever than the average politician is today. Just a feeling.

    Agreed. And Trump strikes me as the most chooked Republican I know of who was ever a Nominee. (Perhaps, “James Blaine, the congenital liar from the State of Maine” was as bad, but I don’t know. He was one of the few Republicans to lose to a Democrat in the late 1800’s.)

    How is Trump crooked?

    Oh geez…

    What’s the over/under on how many time Gary uses the word Kompromat?

    You don’t think Putin has something on Trump?  Did you watch the Helsinki Press Conference?

    • #139
  20. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Patrick McClure (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Miffed White Male (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Ike, Barry, Reagan, H.W., W., Dole, McCain, Romney, Trump, which one of these people is not like the others?

    I am not qualified to issue a DSM-V diagnosis, but I know people who are. Their unamious consensus is that there is something really wrong and off with Trump. Their suggestion is that he suffers from an Axis II Personality or Character Disorder. An Axis II Personality or Character Disorder is resistant to change, and cannot be treated with medication. Trump’s Personality or Character Disorder has Strong Narcissism features, but also has borderline and paranoia features which would need to be ruled out. There is a family history of Altzheimer’s Disease which recommends repeated neurological testing for monitoring purposes. While these professions can not formally diagnose Trump without examining him, they also have an ethical Tarasnoff duty to warn, which they have done.

    It’s funny that you included Barry Goldwater in your list, since as I understand it it was his Presidential campaign that led to the ethical prohibition on diagnosing public figures without examination, after a group of psychiatrists said that he was mentally unfit to be President.

    I met Barry and shook his hand. He had a strong sense of self, and didn’t need external stroking for an ego that will not quit. A good man. A very good man.

    1189 Psychiatrists said Barry Goldwater was unfit to be President, according to Fact Magazine. Using your idea that we should listen to these professionals, how can you defend him? That is 1162 more than the 27 who authored the book you cited (some of whom were actually political pundits, I learned in a Kirkus review, not Mental Health professionals).

    I bought the book.  I recall one attorney and one social worker, and the 25 rest being psychiatrists, psychologists, and counselors.

    • #140
  21. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Miffed White Male (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Barry Goldwater strikes me as considerably less crooked or whatever than the average politician is today. Just a feeling.

    Agreed. And Trump strikes me as the most chooked Republican I know of who was ever a Nominee. (Perhaps, “James Blaine, the congenital liar from the State of Maine” was as bad, but I don’t know. He was one of the few Republicans to lose to a Democrat in the late 1800’s.)

    How is Trump crooked

    Oh geez…

    What’s the over/under on how many time Gary uses the word Kompromat?

    Trump isn’t any more crooked than any other POTUS has been on things that will actually affect his actions as POTUS.

    Have we ever had a president where there is more circumstantial evidence of the president being blackmailed?

    There were rumors that FDR “knew” that Pearl Harbor was coming, and ranting of Truthers that W. knew about 9/11, but those have very little to support those conspiracy theories.  Trump’s behavior at the Helsinki Press Conference goes well beyond that. 

    • #141
  22. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Patrick McClure (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    That’s wonderful for you.

    Has nothing to do with my point, and I can find plenty of people who will tell you that Trump is charming and person able in real life.

    Barry would give you a piece of his mind face to face. Trump is a coward at heart. I recall it being said that Trump has never fired anyone in person, except on TV.

    Hold on. You’re saying meeting someone face to face, talking to them, maybe even examining them will make your opinion on the person have more weight than someone who has never had significant personal contact, or maybe even examined them? Like say a doctor who has examined someone and found no mental health problems, versus 27 people who are making guesses from afar? Or maybe greater weight than even 1189 people who are making guesses from afar? Huh. Sort of undermines the experts’ book you cited, doesn’t it?

    Read the book and come to your own conclusions.  I did.

    • #142
  23. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    You don’t think Putin has something on Trump? Did you watch the Helsinki Press Conference?

    I did. It can be explained very simply by his personality and needs no Kompromat. Do you think Kim had something on him, too?

    • #143
  24. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    TheSockMonkey (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    I met Barry and shook his hand. He had a strong sense of self, and didn’t need external stroking for an ego that will not quit. A good man. A very good man.

    “I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy. We had a very good dialogue. I was able to get a sense of his soul; a man deeply committed to his country and the best interests of his country.”

    W. Has acknowledged that he was conned by Putin.  I don’t hear that from Trump.

    • #144
  25. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    You don’t think Putin has something on Trump? Did you watch the Helsinki Press Conference?

    I did. It can be explained very simply by his personality and needs no Kompromat. Do you think Kim had something on him, too?

    It can be explained by both Trump’s (bad or lack of) character, or kompromat, or both.  (Or mental illness or demonic possession.)

    I doubt that Kim would have kompromat on Trump.  I would ascribe that to Trump’s wishful thinking that he can charm anyone.

    • #145
  26. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    You don’t think Putin has something on Trump? Did you watch the Helsinki Press Conference?

    I did. It can be explained very simply by his personality and needs no Kompromat. Do you think Kim had something on him, too?

    It can be explained by both Trump’s (bad or lack of) character, or kompromat, or both. (Or mental illness or demonic possession.)

    I doubt that Kim would have kompromat on Trump. I would ascribe that to Trump’s wishful thinking.

    Even if you want to believe that, why conclude that Trump vs Putin was necessarily more nefarious than your own allowance for Trump vs Kim?

    • #146
  27. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    You don’t think Putin has something on Trump? Did you watch the Helsinki Press Conference?

    I did. It can be explained very simply by his personality and needs no Kompromat. Do you think Kim had something on him, too?

    It can be explained by both Trump’s (bad or lack of) character, or kompromat, or both. (Or mental illness or demonic possession.)

    I doubt that Kim would have kompromat on Trump. I would ascribe that to Trump’s wishful thinking.

    Even if you want to believe that, why conclude that Trump vs Putin was necessarily more nefarious than your own allowance for Trump vs Kim?

    Kim has had no opportunity to blackmail Trump.  But see Jonathon Chait’s July 8, 2018 article from New York Magazine questioning if Trump has been a Russian asset since 1987.

    See also the Politico review of that article.

    • #147
  28. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    kedavis (View Comment):
    Even if you want to believe that, why conclude that Trump vs Putin was necessarily more nefarious than your own allowance for Trump vs Kim?

    Exactly.

    • #148
  29. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Arahant (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):
    Even if you want to believe that, why conclude that Trump vs Putin was necessarily more nefarious than your own allowance for Trump vs Kim?

    Exactly.

    Lack of capacity and opportunity for the Kim family and North Korea.

    Clear capacity for KGB starting in 1987 when Trump went bankrupt 5 times and no one would loan him money.  Trump allegdedly sold his soul to the Russians to get financing.

    • #149
  30. George Townsend Inactive
    George Townsend
    @GeorgeTownsend

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    You don’t think Putin has something on Trump? Did you watch the Helsinki Press Conference?

    I did. It can be explained very simply by his personality and needs no Kompromat. Do you think Kim had something on him, too?

    I agree with Arahant, Gary. And you know that I don’t think anymore of Trump than you do. But Trump has shown us how strange he is, how his need for continued flattery makes him say and do the most reckless things. Obama did a lot  of reckless things too, and no once accused him of doing them because someone had something on him. You just can’t explain some people, or their actions.

    • #150
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