Did I hear that right? No translators for Putin meeting?

[spinbaby]

Just mentioned passing on MSNBC that there won’t even be translators at the Putin meeting. Is that true?

How is that not screaming collusion?

[DeminPennswoods]

1. 2 Translators, no other staff

There has to be at least 1 translator because Trump doesn't speak Russian. Putin can speak and understand English, but he'll only speak Russian in this meeting.

[jpak]

4. No **American** translators

Just Trump giving away the store.

[spinbaby]

9. Just Putin's translators?

Yeah, that’s not suspicious at all.

[still_one]

12. Kelly or Pompeo should be there at the least. Not that I trust either, but I do think neither

would intentionally compromise the US to a foreign power. Trump has already demonstrated he woulld

[Blue_true]

17. They won't be in the room with Trump, Putin, two Russians brought by Putin.

I really hope our intelligence agencies are in that room.

The right is silent about this, if President Obama even joked about doing what Trump WILL do, Pennsylvania Avenue would be alight with tiki torches right now.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. Putin must speak English, since despite Spanky's fondness for all things Russian,

I don't think he's smart enough to have learned the language. He can barely manage rudimentary English.

[Leghorn21]

5. Hey, Spanky should take his good pal Roy Moore, eh? He lurrrvs Vlad, plus speaks a bit of Russian!:

[DeminPennswoods]

6. Something I've noticed over the years

is that Russians always speak Russian in interviews. We, in America, always expect everyone to speak American English because, well, we are (or were) the biggest kid on the block. But Russians feel the same way about themselves and they think everyone else should speak in Russian.

Hedrick (Rick) Smith was the NYT Russia correspondent for years, lived in Russia and speaks Russian. He's written several books on Russia, but his book, "The Russians" is a great primer on the Russians and their psyche.

[3catwoman3]

15. Absolutely fascinating book.

I read it before spending 2 weeks in the then-still-Soviet Union, and was really glad I did.

[Blue_true]

18. Russians have been nationalistic for a long time.

They also have a big chip on their shoulder.

[PearliePoo2]

3. I heard that too! What the fuck? If so, this is bad, really bad!

Does uncle Vlad speak English? They can conspire together. This is terrifying.

[underpants]

7. He doesn't want anyone else in the room. Job evaluations with your boss can be tough.

Just saying.

[kwassa]

19. LOL!

[kskiska]

8. There are numerous YouTubes where Putin speaks English

&frags=pl%2Cwn

[Igel]

11. Yes, his English is competent for many purposes.

Esp. when there are prepared notes.

But when you're discussing things that might actually matter, you want a translator. If you know the other language, you can judge whether the interpreter's okay. If not, you trust the interpreter anyway.

You never know when somebody's gonna throw a spanner in the works.

It also provides a witness, as well as somebody to blame. (Or to ridicule for no purpose apart from making fun of somebody, which always makes for delightful political cooperation.)

Russian-trained interpreters, by the way, are pretty good. They still shouldn't be relied upon for interpretation into English, and I certainly wouldn't want one to produce good translations, but I'd certainly trust one of them more than I'd trust most Americans interpreting into Russian as their L2.

[unblock]

10. No American witnesses.

No American witnesses to report if he divulged classified info, accepted or solicited bribes, traded public policy for private gain, etc.

[JI7]

13. Putin is going to bring the translators

[Achilleaze]

14. russia is engaged in ongoing ACTS OF WAR against the USA

Putin ordered it. The Senate Intelligence Committee confirmed it last week. Now Dirty Donny, the republican Draft-Dodger-in-Chief, is going to meet in secret with America's enemy, and his "friend."

How f*cked up is that? But republicans think it's cool that their Draft Dodger can pull sneaky shit that weakens America. Totes f*cked up.

[3catwoman3]

16. Can anyone say...

..."incredibly naive and gullible"?

[kwassa]

20. For some reason, Putin owns Trump.

I don't know exactly what he has on Trump, but he definitely has it.