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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhy did Trump release the Whistleblower Report?
He could have stonewalled it for several more months. Anyone?
imanamerican63
(13,763 posts)lapfog_1
(29,194 posts)I believe that he honestly doesn't believe he "broke the law" or rather he is so full of himself that he didn't think the Democrats would actually start impeachment for this, after all, they didn't over the Mueller report.
bluestarone
(16,894 posts)jcgoldie
(11,623 posts)Which basically undercut the entire republican strategy that the whistleblower only had second hand info?
DURHAM D
(32,607 posts)would never be reported out. Something forced his hand on both.
jcgoldie
(11,623 posts)Had already lawyered up and that shit was coming out. The notes of the call makes less sense to me. It just provided instant corroboration.
leftstreet
(36,102 posts)He seems to know nothing about being a POTUS vs a CEO
regnaD kciN
(26,044 posts)Theres your answer right there.
klook
(12,153 posts)Meadowoak
(5,543 posts)onetexan
(13,033 posts)3catwoman3
(23,965 posts)...of directors to whom you have to report?
IIRC, he has never had a board of directors in any of his many businesses.
DrToast
(6,414 posts)And I dont think he had that support anymore.
50 Shades Of Blue
(9,954 posts)krawhitham
(4,641 posts)he's crazy
RockRaven
(14,950 posts)and when the impeachment happens, and they have the trial in the Senate, they will say "what? is that all? there's nothing new here, we knew this already!" like they did when Mueller released the report and testified.
It's a "rip the band-aid off, weather the storm, then accuse the other side of re-visiting an old settled issue" gambit, I think.
DURHAM D
(32,607 posts)first be impeached?
RockRaven
(14,950 posts)is to make the Senate trial a rehash of info the media already has, and has already talked about for months. GOP Senators have already demonstrated that they will use the "old news, nothing new here" argument to justify ignoring his criminality, so he had to make it old news in the future by releasing it sooner rather than later (i.e. during the Senate trial).
leftstreet
(36,102 posts)He'll get an iron grip on the media narrative in the meantime, much like he did with the relentless "NO COLLUSION!" and demonizing his enemies, etc
He probably thinks as long as a POTUS can't actually be charged with a crime, he can manipulate the process
Polybius
(15,364 posts)He probably thinks now is the perfect time, so people forget by next year.
DURHAM D
(32,607 posts)Polybius
(15,364 posts)It's not instantaneous, and the process could take several months to a year I think.
DURHAM D
(32,607 posts)Polybius
(15,364 posts)The day before it was released, it was building up on all of the networks.
uponit7771
(90,323 posts)... otherwise we have a serious flaw in our systems.
customerserviceguy
(25,183 posts)First, he's absolutely clueless what it says about him. That's the most likely possibility. Anyone who would publicly say, "Russia, I hope you have Hillary's emails" clearly doesn't know what the importance of that statement means.
Second, he has some knowledge that will allow him to rise above it, and be vindicated. Not likely.
Third, he thrives on conflict, and is using it to create a situation where he can rally his base. There's a real possibility there.
Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)for his base.
Ghost Dog
(16,881 posts)yes.
uponit7771
(90,323 posts)... bored shit less if he's not the one everyone is feeling sorry for seeing he's a text book sociopath.
** I've been looking at FAUX news and posting on mixed isle forums, these guys are getting punched in the face on legality vs impeachable !!!
They SERIOUSLY have not let it sunk in yet that an impeachable offense does NOT have to be an illegal offense, they're stuck.
When they get it for a split second the first thing they go to is whataboutism ... then you let em know it's nothing like soliciting a foreign country to dig up dirt on your political opponent and they go nuts.
The meltdowns are fantastic !!!
customerserviceguy
(25,183 posts)thrived on chaos. It would be created by my ex-MIL if everyone seemed to be getting along harmoniously. Trump seems like that same sort of personality, so insecure that he needs others around him to be more insecure so that he can feel a sense of control over them.
uponit7771
(90,323 posts)... even ignoring bigger stuff.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,656 posts)eleny
(46,166 posts)DURHAM D
(32,607 posts)It is his way of bragging about how powerful he really is.
eleny
(46,166 posts)Maybe they all deluded themselves into believing that saying it made it so.
GulfCoast66
(11,949 posts)Read his history. He is not political but a military lifer. Left a private sector job helping killed veterans families to serve under Coats. An honest man if a right winger. Coats that is. Hate his politics. Never saw any indication he would sell out his country. So he got fired.
So Maguire found himself in a position he never expected or wanted. Remember, he was not second in command. Sue Gordon was and left with Coats. I think it took Maguire a few days to realize the situation and he said fuck it. Fire me if you want. But Im releasing it.
He will resign before Christmas.
DURHAM D
(32,607 posts)the WH counsel, the people hiding the info and his second stop was Barr who was named in the report. iows - Maguire immediately made a dirty decision.
klook
(12,153 posts)GulfCoast66
(11,949 posts)His whole life was about chain of command. He spent 35 year honorably serving the country. He did not want this job. Was he in a real Administration it would have never even possible for him to have it. But when Coats and Gordon left, he was left holding the bag.
So he did what is natural. Go up the chain of command.
The Washington Post still stands behind their story he was willing to resign if he could not tell the truth. I believe it.
This was moving at a super fast pace. I truly think after a few days to ponder the matter he did what he thought the law demanded. He as much as admitted he was confused at first.
I think he told him he is releasing it. Fire me if you want.
And look at Trumps reaction today. He clearly did not want this released.
I except him to resign shortly with his reputation not totally shredded.
The real question is what bone head agreed to release the White House sanitized version of the call? That decision got all this going. It really is stupid Watergate.
DURHAM D
(32,607 posts)He is slime.
GulfCoast66
(11,949 posts)But read his history. 35 years of military service. Then spent years working with a charity to help the families of killed servicemen.
Never in a million year expected to be DNI. Took the 3rd place job under coats. Suddenly found himself, after what, less than a month in a job he never wanted. And had the biggest bombshell in 30 years of American politics dropped in his lap?
And he did release it. In its entirety. And you could tell Trump was not happy about it.
Had this guy been a long time political operative I would agree with you. But he has about 3 weeks dealing with political shit. Before that he was an intelligence guy under Coats and Gordon. But he wishes he had walked out when they did.
Its not like he was up there defending trump.
DURHAM D
(32,607 posts)that Trump declassified it, not Maguire.
He was defending his own actions.
He took an oath and he forgot it.
GulfCoast66
(11,949 posts)Because firing the guy was a worse choice.
And after the disaster of the call memo, that would have made things worse.
The real question is who decided to release the call memo? Thats what got this going.
Had they not released that they could have squashed the whistle blower report.
Of course since the whistle blower is willing to testify it is a moot point.
DURHAM D
(32,607 posts)I believe the DOJ released the call notes. Maybe Ukraine was threatening to release the info while in DC.
GulfCoast66
(11,949 posts)We tend to forget it involved another politician who has a different agenda. Good thought.
Have a nice evening.
greyl
(22,990 posts)Could Maquire have been doing all that consciously?
FakeNoose
(32,610 posts)Link to tweet
On Tuesday morning, Chump called Nancy Pelosi and asked her if they could make a deal.
Nancy told him to "Obey the Law. Release the Whistleblower's Report" - so he did. He released it thinking that Nancy would be satisfied and everything was OK. Instead Nancy announced that she's starting the impeachment inquiry.
DURHAM D
(32,607 posts)Why was the call note released?
GulfCoast66
(11,949 posts)DURHAM D
(32,607 posts)about the call notes down thread.
Still looking for the answer.
GulfCoast66
(11,949 posts)Against the strenuous opposition of the politicians in the room. Pompeo to start. Who while a total dick is a natural politician.
I can only guess that Barr, being an attorney thought that since the memo they created did not spell out a blatant Quid pro Quo they were in the clear. But who listens to a man with no political experience when making the biggest political decision of their life? Someone who values loyalty over competence, thats who. Because any tasty human reading that manufactured memo understands what was happening.
If we ever get the real transcript which is apparently in s super secret server, Im sure the Quid pro quo is there. Because remember. What the released was designed to help them!
They committed the biggest fuck up in American political history. Had they not released that the hearing today would not have happened.
He will never be convicted by the senate. But as Americans digest what he did his election chances dim.
Nice back and forth in a respectful manner. Even if we disagree on some issues. You have a nice evening.
denbot
(9,899 posts)Wasnt he the one who got Ollie North, Cap Weinberger, et al off the hook for Iran/Contra?
He has a plan, you can bet your ass on it.
Midnight Writer
(21,733 posts)emmaverybo
(8,144 posts)randr
(12,409 posts)He has only the worst of his ass kissers left and they either don't know enough law to advise him or they no longer care.
NanceGreggs
(27,813 posts)
of things at play one of them being that the longer it was held back, the stronger the build-up of anticipation that its something explosive. And once that mindset takes hold with the public, theres no going back.
You cant spin what you keep hidden. Im sure the thinking was get it out there now then let the spin-meisters start crafting their narrative, and begin muddying the waters.
Weve seen this play before: get out in front of it by acting like its a nothing-burger, and claim theres been no wrongdoing because you wouldnt have released it if there was.
As GOP spokes-whore Scott Jennings said on CNN two nights ago, the Mueller report faded away, the Kavanaugh outrage faded away, the Stormy Daniels story faded away, and this will, too. Theyre relying heavily on the idea that after a few news cycles, this story will go the way of all the other tales of Trumps criminal behaviour forgotten as soon as the next pile of shit hits the fan.
"No worries. The election is over a year away. This will be old news by then."
Needless to say, theyve badly miscalculated this one - but they really had no other choice.
imavoter
(646 posts)what will the Senate do with this once it's their turn? Anything at all?
Will this go any where?
His base doesn't seem to care or really know wtf is going on....
It's not the 70's when even the R party pushed Nixon out. This is not now.
How bad does it have to get before they turn on him? I don't see it happening.
Thoughts?
uponit7771
(90,323 posts)... and depend on already 100% tainted elections.
Trumps approval ratings have to be drug in the 20s, don't think there are enough rethug senators that will come over to defend the constitution on this one.
JHB
(37,158 posts)...shovelful of topsoil?
dalton99a
(81,426 posts)Imperialism Inc.
(2,495 posts)how he isn't releasing it would be much worse. People would be thinking he's hiding something and they were very likely to lose any court battle over its release.
Thunderbeast
(3,404 posts)He thinks impeachment will improve his numbers. The rhetoric will be vile in the election, and the deplorables will eat it up
His risk, however, is underestimating how this will energize Democrats. Many on the left were frustrated that the House looked impotent in the face of corruption and crime. Pelosi put a stake in the ground, and bet that fighting results in a better outcome than rolling over and waiting.
I think she's right.
Republicans in Congress will have to defend their defense of Trump. That will require unprecedented lies and deflection.
Trump is in a corner. The walls are closing in.
Buckle up!
NCLefty
(3,678 posts)I've wondered why Nixon release his tapes finally instead of just saying they were all erased. Sometimes you just know that the alternative is worse. Maybe Rudy and he came up with it (it's not like Rudy is a genius).
He would look worse if the WB showed up at Congress and he was still hiding the report. Untenable.
Captain Zero
(6,799 posts)Maybe she has him in a quid pro quo on that?
I heard that but have not seen any backup for it.
Claritie Pixie
(2,199 posts)I hope she recorded that call.