President Trump: Making America Great Again...

[SCcoug]

I'm not a big fan of Sessions and think there is plenty to investigate in Trump's Russian connections but people are getting over their skis with talk of perjury and resignation. He should recuse himself on the Russian stuff but I haven't seen anything worthy of resignation or perjury yet.

[frank ryan]

The explanation that I saw was a division of duties. He met with Russian ambassadors as well as others in his capacity as a Senator, not in his capacity as a Trump associate. I really don't care enough to evaluate if that is a good explanation or not.

He met with him more than once. One time was when he had also interacted with other ambassadors. If it was Lynch or Holder I suspect you'd care enough to investigate.

[BlueK]

I'm not a big fan of Sessions and think there is plenty to investigate in Trump's Russian connections but people are getting over their skis with talk of perjury and resignation. He should recuse himself on the Russian stuff but I haven't seen anything worthy of resignation or perjury yet.

He should recuse himself from the Russia investigations, especially now. It looks worse for him at this point if he doesn't.

[Topper]

He met with him more than once. One time was when he had also interacted with other ambassadors. If it was Lynch or Holder I suspect you'd care enough to investigate.

I'm self-aware enough to admit that maybe I would. I'll let you be morally outraged so that you may appease your social guilt and desire for revenge.

[Topper]

He should recuse himself from the Russia investigations, especially now. It looks worse for him at this point if he doesn't.

It would be logical and easy for him to do. On the other hand, in this chess game giving in may not be what the administration wants to do. I don't care because I don't like Sessions as AG.

[imanihonjin]

This is the question that has everyone worked up?

“[have you] been in contact with anyone connected to any part of the Russian government about the 2016 election, either before or after Election Day?”

Sesssions answered "no". And all we know is that he met with an Ambassador but we have no idea what that meeting was about and whether this was a meeting that was done in connection with his role as a senator and member of the armed forces committe? Sheesh, talk about a nothing burger (at least with what we have so far, if there is more I hope it comes to light but so far this is a nothing).

[Commando]

This is the question that has everyone worked up?



Sesssions answered "no". And all we know is that he met with an Ambassador but we have no idea what that meeting was about and whether this was a meeting that was done in connection with his role as a senator and member of the armed forces committe? Sheesh, talk about a nothing burger (at least with what we have so far, if there is more I hope it comes to light but so far this is a nothing).

Yeah why would he say no, then? Because he suddenly forgot? It slipped his mind that he met with a Russian Ambassador two times? Or is it because he wanted to avoid follow-up questions? Now it's imperative to follow up and see what is going on and those are questions that need answering now thanks to a careless candidate for Attorney General of the United States of America who lied under oath.

[PaloAltoCougar]

This is the question that has everyone worked up? ...

That was Leahy's question. I think Sessions' response to Al Franken's question is more problematic:

I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians.

I get that Sessions may have meant he had no communications with the Russians in his role as a surrogate, but he should have been more clear. This is in the "It depends what your definition of 'is' is" territory. I don't know if Sessions was just stupid, or was deliberately obfuscating, but he should have been forthcoming about having met with the Russians, and that it was solely on foreign affairs and military matters, similar to other meetings he had with reps from other nations. That would have been perfectly acceptable. I haven't seen anything yet that would require him to resign, but he ought to recuse himself and let a truly independent investigator take over.

[imanihonjin]

Yeah why would he say no, then? Because he suddenly forgot? It slipped his mind that he met with a Russian Ambassador two times? Or is it because he wanted to avoid follow-up questions? Now it's imperative to follow up and see what is going on and those are questions that need answering now thanks to a careless candidate for Attorney General of the United States of America who lied under oath.

Because the question was significantly narrowed by the end of the question ("about the 2016 election, either before or after Election Day?").

[creekster]

That was Leahy's question. I think Sessions' response to Al Franken's question is more problematic:



I get that Sessions may have meant he had no communications with the Russians in his role as a surrogate, but he should have been more clear. This is in the "It depends what your definition of 'is' is" territory. I don't know if Sessions was just stupid, or was deliberately obfuscating, but he should have been forthcoming about having met with the Russians, and that it was solely on foreign affairs and military matters, similar to other meetings he had with reps from other nations. That would have been perfectly acceptable. I haven't seen anything yet that would require him to resign, but he ought to recuse himself and let a truly independent investigator take over.

What was Frankens question?

I agree that he should recuse himself. How can he not recuse himself?

[creekster]

Yeah why would he say no, then? Because he suddenly forgot? It slipped his mind that he met with a Russian Ambassador two times? Or is it because he wanted to avoid follow-up questions? Now it's imperative to follow up and see what is going on and those are questions that need answering now thanks to a careless candidate for Attorney General of the United States of America who lied under oath.

His answer was direct and complete and, assuming that he never spoke about the 2016 election, answered the question precisely. If Leahy wanted to know about ANY contacts with the Russians then he should have asked about the Russians. Does Sessions have a duty to help Leahy with the breadth of his inquiry?

[imanihonjin]

That was Leahy's question. I think Sessions' response to Al Franken's question is more problematic:



I get that Sessions may have meant he had no communications with the Russians in his role as a surrogate, but he should have been more clear. This is in the "It depends what your definition of 'is' is" territory. I don't know if Sessions was just stupid, or was deliberately obfuscating, but he should have been forthcoming about having met with the Russians, and that it was solely on foreign affairs and military matters, similar to other meetings he had with reps from other nations. That would have been perfectly acceptable. I haven't seen anything yet that would require him to resign, but he ought to recuse himself and let a truly independent investigator take over.

Ah, I agree, that question is more problematic. However, if that is it, and I am willing to see what else there is, I still don't know if that is enough to recuse as the question asked was around the Trump campaign and contact with the Russians. I agree he should have been more forthright.

[Commando]

His answer was direct and complete and, assuming that he never spoke about the 2016 election, answered the question precisely. If Leahy wanted to know about ANY contacts with the Russians then he should have asked about the Russians. Does Sessions have a duty to help Leahy with the breadth of his inquiry?

No, but this isn't a criminal investigation, it's an inquiry as to fitness for an appointment by exploring conflicts, etc. His candor is expected. Like I said- he could have wrapped it up at the hearings rather than evade or shut down the line of questioning.

[PaloAltoCougar]

What was Frankens question?

I agree that he should recuse himself. How can he not recuse himself?

"If there was any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of this campaign, what would you do?"

http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/02/politi...ing/index.html

[BlueK]

Trump’s Use of Navy SEAL’s Wife Highlights All the Key Ingredients of U.S. War Propaganda
<https://theintercept.com/2017/03/01/...ar-propaganda/>

President Trump is going to turn out just like President Obama before him (wrt to condemning our foolish foreign entanglements): All talk, no walk.

I thought of you when I found this article. It's starting to look like Trump is probably going to be a lot more hawkish in general than he talked during the campaign.

North Korea:
https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/t...085908841.html