Ukraine - somebody explain to me

[frank ryan]

It did matter who they picked. Heir apparent Hillary Clinton was way too hated by the general population. Biden in 2020 was the right candidate and he won. 2024 Biden was a disaster and Kamala Harris became defacto candidate late in the process blocking any other potential candidates before they could get started. And it couldn't have gone worse.

My point is the Republicans ran a historically awful candidate 3 times. Yes, he was defeated once, but he should've never gotten through the primaries, even once. Democrats being the defecto adults in the room hasn't worked. And awful Hillary Clinton likely would've won if overly eager didn't feel such an urgent need to update Jason Chaffetz on a nothingburger development in one of the excessive investigation into something Clinton theoretically did. Chaffetz channelled his inner gossip girl and threw that out there right away. Absent that stuff Hillary wins.

That's despite the Julian Assange/FSB hacker operation to drip release info to dump harmful info on Wikileaks. The democrats can't right the republican ship. McConnell should've pushed for Trump's impeachment.

[frank ryan]

I don't know where to stick this, but I think it is a worthwhile read. It's a good snapshot of Russian's hybrid warfare in Africa. It's been insanely effective, and they've been doing this here. It also does a good at explaining what is contributing to Russia's ascendancy in former areas of Western influence.

[Jeff Lebowski]

This whole mess is heartbreaking to me. What an epic disaster.

[frank ryan]

This whole mess is heartbreaking to me. What an epic disaster.

Can we all admit Trump is in the tank for Putin at this point. There is no other explanation. To use MAGA speak, Trump and Vance are cucks for Moscow. I wish
Zelenskyy was our POTUS

[Shaka]

You're the second person to fall for this. He's quoting Shaka.

I agree with myself. BTW, I knew DHole was refering to me.

I thought it was an unfortunate exchange. Five minutes should have happened in front of the press and the rest behind closed doors. After watching the whole thing it's frustrating that for most of the press conference things were ok and then went off the rails. I think Zelensky screwed up and is in over his head. However, Trump and JD could have de-escelated the exchange.

I'd like to punch the guy that was hassling Zelensky about his clothing.

I've been flipping back and forth between CNN and Fox News an the rhetoric from both sides is a bit ridiculous. Evidently Trump is still going fund Ukraine in spite of the exchange. My guess is that they will come together and do a deal.

For the most part I agree with this guy who is certainly not a Trump shill. I do not agree that Zelensky should step down or that things can't be fixed.

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[PaloAltoCougar]

I agree with myself. BTW, I knew DHole was refering to me.

I thought it was an unfortunate exchange. Five minutes should have happened in front of the press and the rest behind closed doors. After watching the whole thing it's frustrating that for most of the press conference things were ok and then went off the rails. I think Zelensky screwed up and is in over his head. However, Trump and JD could have de-escelated the exchange.

I'd like to punch the guy that was hassling Zelensky about his clothing.

I've been flipping back and forth between CNN and Fox News an the rhetoric from both sides is a bit ridiculous. Evidently Trump is still going fund Ukraine in spite of the exchange. My guess is that they will come together and do a deal.

For the most part I agree with this guy who is certainly not a Trump shill:

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I think Hanania is more deferential to Vance than Vance deserves, and also fails to appreciate the frustration Zelensky must have felt by, among other things, Trump's continued exaggeration of the amount the U,S. has provided (very substantial, to be sure, but less than half what Trump claims, contradicting his own State and Defense Department numbers, but Trump historically has preferred Russian talking points to his own intelligence agencies), Trump's dismissive comments about help from other countries, Trump's weird reluctance to say anything negative about Putin, much less condemn the invasion and the atrocities Russia has committed (just talking about losses on both sides and refusing to side with Ukraine on the question of responsibility), the U.S. opposition to the internationally supported UN resolution condemning the Russian invasion and atrocities inflicted on Ukraine, and several other false statements by Trump, not to mention that idiot reporter who criticized Zelensky's clothing. Must have been exasperating for Zelensky.

I, too, wish that Zelensky had been able to bite his tongue (which he had to have been gnawing on for much the first 40 minutes), but I understand his frustration with Trump and Vance. History will not judge them kindly.

[frank ryan]

Richard Hanania is smart, and he isn't afraid to occasionally differ from Trump, but he is one of the authors of Project 2025 and has some spouted some fascistic shit.

[USUC]

Richard Hanania is smart, and he isn't afraid to occasionally differ from Trump, but he is one of the authors of Project 2025 and has some spouted some fascistic shit.

His past is pretty wild for sure. I seem to agree with a lot of him lately, but I always have it in the back of my mind that this could all just be a rehab to his image move. But I agree a lot with him lately for sure.

[Shaka]

Hugh Hewitt had a pretty good take as well. I think Zelensky is going to confer with his advisors, tuck his tail between his legs, and reach out.

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[Shaka]

Rubio with an interesting look behind the curtain. I tend to think he will end up being a good Sec State.

[Bo Diddley]

So if Trump is the master deal maker, how come nothing got signed with Ukraine?

[Maximus]

Rubio with an interesting look behind the curtain. I tend to think he will end up being a good Sec State.

Oh please, if you're laking Z then you're a puppet rubio.

[Northwestcoug]

Rubio gave the game away when he said Russia has more meat to grind in the war. If that’s the case, what incentive do they have to stop the war, other than to keep the territory they stole and keep Ukraine out of NATO? I mean we can all see where this is going. In exchange for a ceasefire, Russia gets what it wants.

This public pleading with zelensky to apologize and thank Trump is just embarrassing. Vance, Graham, and Rubio, all previously thought of as serious people, are broadcasting to Zelensky what he will have to do to get back in Trump’s good graces. As if he hasn’t thanked the US many times before.

[frank ryan]

Rubio gave the game away when he said Russia has more meat to grind in the war. If that’s the case, what incentive do they have to stop the war, other than to keep the territory they stole and keep Ukraine out of NATO? I mean we can all see where this is going. In exchange for a ceasefire, Russia gets what it wants.

This public pleading with zelensky to apologize and thank Trump is just embarrassing. Vance, Graham, and Rubio, all previously thought of as serious people, are broadcasting to Zelensky what he will have to do to get back in Trump’s good graces. As if he hasn’t thanked the US many times before.

Vance straight up sounded like a Karen doing that.

[PaloAltoCougar]

I wonder if, after yesterday's meeting, Rubio and/or Vance called Zelensky and said (would be true for either of them), "I spent years criticizing Trump for the narcissistic blowhard that he is. But when I realized the only way I could get ahead was to suck up to him, I changed my tune and I got what I wanted. True, he continues to say I kissed his ass, but frankly he's right and it was worth it to get what I wanted. Ass-kissing is far more important to him than any principle. So pucker up, Vlad."