Andrea Mitchell seems to think Bannon was behind Trump's crazy threat today

[highplainsdem]

She's on MSNBC now. She doesn't think Mattis, Kelly or McMaster had anything to do with Trump's saber-rattling.


Editing to add that Barry MCaffrey agrees with her that the three generals closest to Trump had nothing to do with his statement today.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. That's very possible - I wouldn't be surprised if it came from Bannon

or Miller. Seems like all the smart professionals are horrified.

[Miles Archer]

7. OR...

...it came from Trump, and Bannon and / or Miller immediately fanned the flames and encouraged it.

Because even if an idea does come from someone else, Trump has to believe it was his idea.

Case in point:

‘I hate when people take credit for an election I won’: Trump blows his top over Bannon-praising book


http://www.rawstory.com/2017/08/i-hate-when-people-take-credit-for-an-election-i-won-trump-blows-his-top-over-bannon-praising-book/

[MiniMe]

28. His speech today was too close to Truman's speech from when he dropped the nukes on Japan

Does anybody here think that tRump knows enough history to have used similar words?

[still_one]

2. Actually Andrea, trump can be crazy on his own

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. I think she got the impression that it came from someone besides Trump

because he seemed to be reading from notes. It's quite possible, of course, that Trump wrote down his own loony thoughts.

[still_one]

13. thanks for the insight

[JI7]

3. not sure i believe that. Trump's reaction is typical of how Trump reacts to things

it doesn't come off as being planned in any way.

[liberal N proud]

4. Butternut has wanted to use nuclear weapons for a long time

He even mentioned it in the campaign last year.

9 terrifying things Donald Trump has publicly said about nuclear weapons

https://thinkprogress.org/9-terrifying-things-donald-trump-has-publicly-said-about-nuclear-weapons-99f6290bc32a/

[C_U_L8R]

5. It looked like Trump was reading cue cards

Still, he screwed it up.

[democrank]

11. I noticed that during the last half of his statement on North Korea

Trump kept glancing down at the table, perhaps to look at notes. His ad libs were shocking, his demeanor sickening. His recklessness is truly frightening.

[pangaia]

6. No sane general would do such a thing.

Now if you happen to be played by George C Scott.......

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

9. When SCROTUS starts raving about his precious bodily fluids

it's definitely time to duck and cover.

[pangaia]

14. Lolol....

That was Turgidson, wasn't it.
What was Scott's generals name?
I forget.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

15. Scott was Turgidson, Sterling Hayden was Gen. Jack D. Ripper.

[pangaia]

29. Oh yeah. Thanks.

[Grassy Knoll]

10. Trump Was Globally Embarrassed, Kim Bruised His Ego...Twice...

...So Of Corse DUMP Has To Prove He's A Bad Dude To
His Gullible Fake As Fuck Supporters.

Hey Donnie, Don't Forget To Ask Permission From Congress
Before You Blow Us All Up To Hell Because You Are A Worthless
Insecure Egotistical Clown Fuck Idiot. The End.

[highplainsdem]

12. Bannon is supposed to be obsessed with war and confrontations:

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/2/2/1629296/-Former-friends-of-Steve-Bannon-reveal-his-longtime-obsession-with-testosterone-and-war

[Ms. Toad]

16. It's been right wing fantasy chatter for about a week or so, so yeah - Bannon or his ilk

not the generals.

The chatter sounded very similar to what came out of Trump's mouth today, accompanied by - "and the liberals are really going to hate it."

(When NPR switches to music, I look for other talk stations and - unfortunately - my options are limited between midnight and 3 AM. . . . heading out to my car now. Wonder what new horrors will greet me on the way home.)

[gratuitous]

17. Sorry, but a 71-year-old man is responsible for his own behavior

People can fight about it later in their memoirs, but for now the President is the mouthpiece for his administration. Let's see how the President of the United States explains himself tomorrow now that that punk kid in North Korea just pantsed him in front of the whole planet.

[lamp_shade]

18. I believe she's right. nt

[canetoad]

19. I thought it was a given

That Bannon is behind this.

[Hieronymus]

20. Andrea is a very wise woman.

[Vinca]

21. If so, that crazy Steven Miller was in on it, too.

[H2O Man]

25. Definitely.

Good call.

[DeminPennswoods]

22. Watch the video

I don't think anyone was "in on it". It was the first thought that came into Trump's mind when asked the question and is what popped out his mouth. MSNBC showed an interview from 1999 Trump did with Tim Russert and he essentially said exactly the same thing. Trump's style is to tell anyone that threatens to hit him that he'll hit back 10x harder.

[dalton99a]

23. Trump is perfectly capable of inciting violence on his own

and he loves that shit

[yardwork]

24. Andrea Mitchell is one of the reasons we have Trump.

I'd say what I think of her but why bother.

[gordianot]

26. Winner of this thread.

Really no one cares what she thinks beyond a few employees at NBC.

[tavernier]

27. But but but Andrea, what about Hillary's emails?

That was all you cared about before the election, day in and day out...