James Comey ABC interview with George Stephanopoulos viewing thread

I don't like Comey. He can rot in hell for all I care

I wonder how many WH staffers will be glued to TV tonight.

I'm glad comey was fired. He's a self-aggrandizing hack who cursed us with Cheeto. BUT I'm also glad he is bashing Trump

I'm having a small viewing party and have literally made three flavors of popcorn.

I far from love Comey but, as OP said, I want to see him troll Trump hard.

I hope they all devour each other.

R4 what flavors? lol

God, I hope twitter goes down tonight if only so Trump can blow a blood vessel not being ably to tweet.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Deplorables are trying hard on twitter to get people to watch Fox "News" latest nut job Mark Levin's show instead. Hilarious. I hope the Comey ratings are as big as Stormy Daniels on 60 Minutes a couple weeks ago

Fuck Comey, he is the main reason the US and the world is in danger.

I hope Stephanopoulos grills him on interfering with the election by opening up Hillary Clinton's email case 10 days before the election. If he gets away with this, future FBI directors will too.

Comey is a piece of shit who put the screws to Hillary Clinton at the last minute and was partially responsible who her defeat. The only thing he has left now is to shill his book. Get lost Comey!!

So glad we all agree on comey! other democrats never get me like my fellow gays

He was horribly bullied as a kid and I think he was triggered by the insults Trump has leveled at him, both on a personal level, and the trashing of his professional reputation, and he made a mistake by getting into a pissing contest with Trump by stooping to his level with the comments about his appearance. We all know what Orange Julius Caesar looks like. The stuff of nightmares. No need to go there. I want to hear about the rogue agents who leaked classified info, some of it untrue, to their pal Giuliani and if they forced Comey's hand in making a statement about Hillalry's e-mails and the investigation.

He was worried about HILLARY being perceived as illegitimate?? What about the impact of Trump's pee tapes?

The pee tape is real

Because he, like most of us (including the Trump family, I bet) thought there was no way in hell we lived with so many fucking idiots.

I want to know why a July 2016 FBI investigation on the Trump campaign's ties to Russia was kept secret from the public when so much else was broadcast far and wide..

Yeah, he looks real unpopular.

Fuck Comey! His ass getting fired was the best outcome because 1) it triggered the special council to investigate Orangetan 2) Comey got his karma right back.

R18, going through your link is it just me or young Comey had a little bit of gayface™ ?

Trump’s tweets about Comey are despicable and un-presidential. He had disgraced the office beyond belief.

As much as I hate comey he's like 6'5 or something. He could hit it

6'8

is there a pic of Georgie and Jimmy standing next to each other? would be hilarious

Thanks r23 Ya he could pound me. But very glad he was fired. It's the only thing I've ever supported Trump on. Though obviously for different reasons than him. But I'll take what I can get

Comey is 6' EIGHT. And there is some incident in his past when he had a gun held to his head as a child or teenager....?

But if he says "Lordy!" ONE TIME, I am switching off!

Oh, and one more thing: the infamous "pee tape" occurred because Trump had wanted the hookers to pee on the "mattress Obama slept on" - (Obama went to Moscow in 2009) which sounds EXACTLY like something like Trump would want to do !!

I never bought that email stunt Comey pulled on Hillary Clinton.

Conveniently Comey forgot to check the laptop of Hillary's first aide's husband. A guy already under investigation for sex offences towards a minor for years. And it doesn't take 8 days to search for new emails on a laptop, with today's technology you can do a search within a few hours.

The whole arguments Comey presented to open up the email investigation just stink.

I suspect he also had personal reasons to hurt Clinton. I doubt she would have kept him as FBI director anyway, not when he was the guy who investigated her in the first place. Given Comey's connection to the conservatives in the NY FBI branch and to Giuliani, I am sure Clinton had planned to replace him. Never understood why Obama appointed him and I certainly didn't understand why he backed Comey, saying he trusted Comey's decision.

This is all rotten stink.

Lmao I actually started using Lordy on data lounge after I heard him say it. It just rolls off the tongue!

Trump has already been ranting today about Comey:

[quote]Slippery James Comey, a man who always ends up badly and out of whack (he is not smart!), will go down as the WORST FBI Director in history, by far!

God, he really is so fucking predictable. He's so problem child-like in his mentality. So simplistic. It's like when a little kid who doesn't get the toy he wants telling his mommy he hates her and she is the meanest and worst mommy ever born. Trump has that same, underdeveloped mindset.

Trump supporters are such idiots - really, there's nothing more you can say about them. You lurk here, I know, so I'll repeat it: You're idiots. You're the biggest idiots if you think my response means "triggered" or "snowflake" or whatever other nonsense you use to justify a genuinely stupid man who talks and thinks like a petulant 5yo.

It's so embarrassing and disgraceful.

Let's hope that Trump focuses on Comey and leaves Rosenstein alone. I mean Comey needs to to talk on TV since that retard Trump doesn't read.

R31, you act like the MFer doesn't have ADD. He'll focus on Comey for five second and then move onto Rosenstein

R32 i agree but there's a distinctively childish nature to Comey's comments that is like catnip to Trump.

Every orange tweet is a little encapsulated projection of the truth about himself. When you understand that, it all makes sense.

Ugh, can someone promise to give a rundown? I just can't watch this. While it's always great to hear someone bash Trump, I'm so not liking the lionizing of this man. I believe him that he thought Hillary was going to win (I think Putin, Trump and most of the GOP thought she would as well) but I'm 100% certain he was full on board with his fellow GOP scum to cripple her presidency under the weight of bullshit scandals before it even started.

His plan worked too well, and like everyone else who sells his soul to the benefit of that asshole, Trump turned on him anyway.

I don’t like Comey either and am surprised he rose as high in the FBI as he did. Glad “he’s a leaker”, though.

Meanwhile, Trump raved about Comey long after Comey had anything to do with Hillary, and then, only then, after Trump grew to fear Comey, did Trump fire Comey, allegedly for his treatment of Hillary. That’s an appealing, bald-faced lie. The sequencing is important:

Comey relates the business with Hillary-related emails, immediately before the election.

President Trump calls Comey over, in the White House, with photographers, to praise him.

Trump asks for Comey loyalty, starts to fear Comey, fires him, citing how Comey treated Hillary.

I'll be surprised if ABC doesn't milk this for everything they can - tons of commercials and dragging out the important questions.

That's smart producing r37

I can't wait for the late-into-the-night endless tweet rage from our esteemed POTUS.

STARTING NOW BITCHES

I love George S. He's so cute.

George S is a very handsome daddy. He looks held up so well. Not that unusual for Greeks

lol the orange color, the whites under the eyes, the too long tie

James Comet trashing Trumps appearance isn't a great look to be honest. Hope they move on quickly

He's so short. He could fit into of the bags under Comey's eyes.

Is Comey wearing Michael Cohen's ugly jacket?

so far they're starting with the stuff we've already heard in clips

Yes r44, because god knows Trump never personally insults people...

what do we know about Allendale, NJ?

Being like Trump is NOT flattering r48. We DON'T want people to think of them as equal

Let’s remember who we hate most of all.

If there is any left over, then by all means, carry on.

Comey's dressed far too casually for this. He should be wearing a dark suit and a good, dark-colored tie. The blue shirt/jacket and open collar make him look far too casual.

What happened when he was 16? I missed that part because I was reading another thread and half paying attention.

Stephanopolous.: How weird was that? Comey: Really weird.

...great journalism, George. *rolling eyes*

Trump and Comey are basically two of a kind, and both are attacking one another in their own charming little way. Comey was smart enough to write a book, so he does appear to be the saner of the two, while childish Trump continues with his daily 3:00 a.m. press briefing on Twitter.

A little bit of Prep H would have shrunk those under eye bags.

Let's hope Babs hangs on long enough so they don't have to interrupt this with BREAKING NEWS of her passing.

R53 armed intruder at his family's home no one was hurt though

[quote]what do we know about Allendale, NJ?

In the 2000 census the median income for a household in the borough was $105,704, and the median income for a family was $113,390.

[quote]A little bit of Prep H would have shrunk those under eye bags.

It would have to be the Canadian version. The US version no longer has the really good stuff.

What's up with the dumb yellow stitched buttonhole?

Thanks, R58. Much appreciated.

Glad George asked about right winger claim about Comey writing the "she's not guilty" letter before the investigation was done. It's as we thought. He already had a feeling based on evidence there wasn't anything there

Comey needed a better makeup guy.

Man I miss Hillary. I feel a pang everytime she's on screen. And it just makes me hate Comey each time

at least Comey said out loud that the Obama administration was not protecting Hillary

ding ding ding!

refuting Trump and Fox claim that investigation was started by Steele dossier. Again it was Pappadopolous flapping his mouth in a bar

Agreed r65 I appreciated that part. I wish he had said it during the election though. He liked to slyly imply that Lynch was corrupt. I assumed to boost himself. Now he says he doesn't know. Ugh

Terrible editing on this so far. Too much interspersing narrative with the interview. Just ask questions and let him talk and ask follow-up questions. It's not that hard. This is terrible TV.

I found a free internet livestream!

Waaaay too much time on Hillary and emails.

It's a mistake to have all the news clips just he George S. ABC has many fine anchors they can Co-promote with this

He's never taken questions on this r70 these are important questions

And now they're imploring us through graphics to go to abc.com to see more of the interview! Just play the damn interview with minimum edits.

[quote] R41: I love George S. He's so cute.

I have his autographed picture, from his early Clinton years,

Comey CANNOT admit he was wrong. George is asking good questions and follow ups. This I'd him at his ugliest. It's why his reputation has taken such a hit. Fuck him. Everyone but Comey says it was wrong. JEFF SESSIONS when Comey released this went on TV to say this must be huge and will definitely lead to indictments because an FBI director would never do something like this otherwise. Guess what? It was NOTHING

George Stephanopoulos standing next to Bill Clinton.

based on his answer about Hillary's emails, it really makes no sense for Trump or his supporters to think Comey was helping Hillary when he decided to reopen her investigation.

These guys are boring. it's not the material it's just the way these two drone on in their monotone voices. I'm having trouble staying focused on the interview.

I love George and his voice. Everything about him. He's maybe one of my top 5 celebrity crushes.

I'm know; I'm crazy.

Comey TOWERS over Trump. Trump's doctor may want to redo that BMI calculation that checks for obesity.

They have to stop with the "exclusive" crap because he has a book to sell and this won't be his only interview.

oh god...why did they interview Comey's wife? More fodder for the right to claim Comey is biased against Trump even though he obviously wasn't

This interview makes me want to puke. Comey should have fallen on his sword and taken blame for his part in HRC’s loss. But he’d have to admit the double standard he applied to her and reporting her shit while turning a blind eye to everything DT and his cohorts did pre-election.

The background info makes it seem like Comey is gunning to be a real celeb. And his repeated book plugs make him seem like an even bigger sellout.

Hmm... sitting here thinking that if George S did not get this interview who else could do a good job? The only name coming to me is Martha Raddatz

I know Comey and I like Comey. DL doesn't understand him but it doesn't matter.

Comeys wife supported Hillary? I’d divorce him. Couldn’t bang a guy who played such a big role in screwing this country.

I wanted Ari to interview him so that at least I'd have something to look at.

Norah O Donnell could do it. Jake Tapper. Probably a few others.

Martha Raddatz > George S.

John Dickerson, Jake Tapper, and Chris Wallace (I know I'm going to be flamed for that last one) would all do well, I think.

Ah! Jake Tapper! Good choice.

Tapper interviews Comey this Thursday.

I think a lot of these questions are silly, but I love that right now -without doubt- Trump just busted a blood vessel about being called a liar about his stupid inauguration size.,

What about the triple team of MSNBC's Yasmin Visoogian, Anal Hadeen and Lewis Burgdorf?

He agreed to "honest loyalty" oh boy he's stepping in it now

George Stephanopoulos looked good with a beard, and I rarely like beards.

Jake is interviewing him on Thursday (Jake said today).

[quote]Chris Wallace (I know I'm going to be flamed for that last one)

Get the torches, everyone! We have work to do!!!

I’ve seen George in person. He’s like 5’2” at best.

he looks good in the blue but his face...so fucking ugly. he looks like he drinks A LOT!

that is absolutely insane that even at a private dinner with just Comey, Trump was lying about his inauguration crowd size. This proves it's not just for the cameras

I'm pissed about the shrimp scampi. Eat on your own goddamn dime.

Rachel will interview Comey on Thursday as well

I was their first choice, but I had a planned vacation.

Hence, the reason I hate these networks who use "exclusive." What the fuck is exclusive about it when they ALL interview him? What aspect of it is exclusive? They do it all of the time with these interviews.

the fallout from this interview will be that Comey is still going to be bashed to hell by both sides. He's not making himself look any better but it's still interesting for me to watch

[quote]that is absolutely insane that even at a private dinner with just Comey, Trump was lying about his inauguration crowd size.

That's very typical. Trump lives in his own reality

Trump's a narcissist, R101. Why would you think his behavior was just an act?

it's damning that Trump said I expect loyalty. Then Comey said I'll give you honesty then Trump came up with a "compromise" of "honest loyalty".

Trump cannot be defended on that part.

That's it right there. "His own reality" to the point that he lies about things that are so meaningless. He can't help himself.

That lying fat fuck.

wow, i'm impressed comely was wearing nice chelsea boots! stylish! still think his eye bags are so ugly, he should fix it!

George Stephanopoulos always reminds me of the pocket gay guy that Leo set up on a date with Will.

I think Comey overthinks things a lot which caused him to not make the best decisions all the time

Hannity attacking George tonight:

So @GStephanopoulos Did @HillaryClinton break laws. Yes or no? Simple question. Also who did you vote for @GStephanopoulos ?

So @GStephanopoulos Tell your viewers what evidence you have that their is Trump/Russian collusion. George after all your years working for the Clintons, why should people believe you are fair and balanced and objective on matters involving Clinton?

Question for @GStephanopoulos, did @HillaryClinton break the law when she mishandled and destroyed classified, top secret, and classified info? Did HRC obstruct Justice when she deleted 33,000 emails, acid washed hard drive and break up devices? Really George? No crime?

So @GStephanopoulos Clinton’s press secy talking to the FBI head about Hands size, tanning bed, Ties, hookers in Moscow, and he NEVER VERIFIED THE DOSSIER. He never did HIS JOB. He doesn’t know if dossier is true, but it was used in a FISC application. #ComeyDisgrace

Comey confirms again Trump asked him "to let it go" referring to Flynn

You know that George S. Is hung like a gerbil.

We haven't learned anything new. Have we?

Obstruction of justice!

That's right, Sean, drink up that fat fuck's old cum, you whore. Swallow like a good girl.

Comey dropped the ball when he said he’d handle the HRC email disclosure the same. Please. Admit you fucked up bigly and that you fucked our country in the process.

I don't care if George is hung. He's adorable. And I love short men. Call me, George!

I'm not convinced Trump knew it was improper for him to discuss what he did with Comey. He's pretty fucking stupid.

Comey just said there was evidence of obstruction of justice

YES

Comey will never admit he was wrong

The Sean Hannity that goes to visit Trump at Mar-a-logo? That has dinners with Trump at the White House? That probably licks Trumps ass after he takes a dump?

Doesn't matter if he knew R122. Ignorance of the law is not an excuse for violating it. That is well established

R122 but as Comey said, Trump knew enough to kick everyone else out of the room

Hannity would pick the corn out of Trump's shit and claim it was solid gold nuggets.

I love Comey's blazer!

I also never rule out that Trump knows he’s lying about his talk with Comey. He’s a dumb guy who rambles incoherently about stuff he knows nothing about. Hard to keep track of shit you say about stuff you don’t even understand. And he doesn’t understand how our government and legal system work.

Hmm... I have that little ottoman next to Comey. It's from Target & the top comes off & has a wood tray inside. There's storage space in there.

R115 lmfao what a fucking idiotic piece of shit. He keeps acting like Hillary is President. His attempts to deflect on her are pathetic

Oh of course R122 thats how mafia bosses do it all the time.

Especially when they have much to hide.

R129, check out his shoes too, very nice chelsea boots.

Trump loves to fire people without telling them, what the fuck???????????????

WOW Stormy will be on The View tuesday and then Comey wednesday! This is going to be a terrible week for Trump. Comey all over the airwaves and a bit of Stomry too plus more bombshells to come about Cohen

Now an important question: If billionaire Tom Steyer wanted you, would you want him?

I will actually be shocked if Hannity’s hands are clean in all this Trump/Russia stuff. He at least knows stuff and what he knows probably isn’t good. Because Trump is a complete moron who can’t keep his mouth shut around loyalists and ass kissers like Sean.

eew fuck ABC airing an ad for Roseanne. Fuck everyone on that show including Gilbert

[quote]I'm not convinced Trump knew it was improper for him to discuss what he did with Comey. He's pretty fucking stupid.

Which is precisely why he has no fucking business squatting in the WH right now. He doesn't even know the most basic do's and don't of being god damned president of the United States

r127 "consciousness of guilt" -- the hardest part of obstruction is proving it was done with "corrupt intent" and stuff like clearing everybody out of the room can be read as evidence for consciousness of guilt. He knew it was wrong, in other words.

[quote] If billionaire Tom Steyer wanted you, would you want him?

I would marry him if there was no prenup.

R138 Hannity might be in trouble for communicating with Assange online.

Sean Hannity does not understand the difference between a talking head and an actual journalist, Fucking asshole.

Ha! I knew it!!! He loves the booze!!!

Trump asked Sessions and Pence to leave the Oval Office, leaving Comey in the room alone. I would guess that both Sessions and Pence knew exactly what Trump was going ask of Comey. They knew it was wrong, probably advised Trump that it was wrong, told him they didn't want any part of it. Trump did not take the advice.

[quote]Slippery James Comey, a man who always ends up badly and out of whack (he is not smart!), will go down as the WORST FBI Director in history, by far!

Of course he will, he enabled the worst president in history, by far.

so DL stylists! What brand of clothing is comey wearing?

"This Rusher thing"

Why does the FBI jet have red wine? Taxpayer paid for wine?

R149 lol

Comey maintains what he gave his friend was unclassified info not classified as right wingers have been saying

wow, did you see comey's hands?? They are HUGE!!! Trump must be sooo jealous and had him fired!

the memos I mean

wow, how hung do you think comey is?

Wonder what size shoes Comey wears? 14's or 15's?

[quote]Why does the FBI jet have red wine? Taxpayer paid for wine?

Because when you're hunting for a guy killing fat women for their skin, you need to unwind sometimes.

[quote]wow, did you see comey's hands?? They are HUGE!!!

And, so are his feet!!!! I'm getting twitchy!

haha right wingers are going to hate that Comey said "it's possible" that Trump is compromised by the Russians

Comey is probably has at least 8 inches but that doesn't excuse his conduct

[quote] Because when you're hunting for a guy killing fat women for their skin, you need to unwind sometimes.

You are incredibly naive if you think the agents that actually do the hunting get to fly on a private jet.

so what do we think of Comey's explanation that he didn't announce the investigation into the Trump campaign because at the time they thought it only involved a small group of people and didn't include Trump? Whereas obviously Hillary's emails involved Hillary herself

It does at the DL, R160.

You queens can have Comey and his dong. His decisions make him repulsive to me.

George, on the other hand...

Should George or anyone else ask Comey who he voted for?

Honestly, I think a lot of this is nonsense, but it's the kind of nonsense that will drive Trump crazy and that's what's satiating me.

[quote]I suspect he also had personal reasons to hurt Clinton.

It would appear so. It would also appear that he is very thin skinned and takes any perceived slight personally.

In 2001:

- "[italic]FBI Director James Comey[/italic]—blamed by many Democrats for costing Hillary Clinton the presidential election last year—[italic]was excited about pursuing a criminal investigation into President Bill Clinton's most controversial pardons more than a decade ago, newly released FBI files show.[/italic] A FBI memo about the grand jury investigation into Bill Clinton's last-minute pardons of fugitive financiers Marc Rich and Pincus Green says that when Comey was about to take over as the U.S. Attorney in Manhattan in 2001 he expressed strong interest in the case.

Comey’s keen interest in the pardons of Rich and Green is understandable given that as an assistant U.S. attorney in New York in the late 1980s and early 1990s, he headed up the investigation and prosecution of the two men on charges of tax evasion and evading U.S. oil sanctions on Iran.

[italic]“I was stunned when President Clinton pardoned them,” Comey said in a 2008 letter to Congress.[/italic]

[bold]Comey took over the investigation of the pardons in 2002[/bold] when U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White, who launched the pardon probe, left the government. Comey left for Washington in 2003 when he was named deputy attorney general. The probe was finally closed down in 2005 by interim U.S. Attorney David Kelley, four years after it began.

In 2016:

- Hillary Clinton campaign aides cried foul in early November after a smaller [bold]set of 129 pages of records related to the FBI’s investigation of the pardons were posted on the law enforcement agency’s website just days before the election.[/bold] FBI officials said the records were part of a routine response to Freedom of Information Act requests regarding the Clinton Foundation.

Then you have this:

[quote][bold]I have never met Hillary Clinton, although I tried.[/bold] When I became the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York in January 2002, I asked my assistant to arrange an introduction to the state’s junior senator."

[quote][bold]"After a number of attempts and multiple messages with Clinton’s office, we gave up. It wasn’t a big deal at the time, but I found it odd. To this day, I don’t know why the meeting never happened."[/bold]

[quote]"The unreturned messages in early 2002 [may have been] due to the fact that my office was then supervising an investigation into Senator Clinton’s husband’s pardon of fugitive oil trader Marc Rich."

The deplorables can't watch this anyway -- it's on opposite the country music awards.

R165 - He didn't vote.

He's unfit. LOLOLOL The shit hits the fan.

R168 makes a good point.

I love you, R168

ugh Comey just said Trump is above average intelligence

I don't believe that

I think Trump is clever at scamming people but intellectually he's an idiot

“He’s not morally fit to be President” ... that’s going to spark a tweet rage tomorrow.

R169 McCabe said he didn't vote, but I hadn't heard if Comey voted or not.

Has Comey learned nothing? What makes him the arbiter of morality? He's the ex-director of the FBI, not the fucking pope.

R175 - He said so at the beginning of this interview.

R175 George asked Comey if he voted and Comey said as FBI Director he didn't vote

R176, he's trying to tell us what a scumbag Trump is in a roundabout way.

CNN is doing a post-interview special now if anyone cares

Trump is unfit morally? I want to laugh sooo bad ! and Hillary is moral? I want to throw up LOL

Comey seems like he likes to stir the pot just because. He is reminding me of Parker Posey as Dr. Smith in Lost in Space.

Well, Trump is smarter than nearly every single person who voted for him. There are a lot of really dumb people in this country. Having been a DA and AUSA, Comeys probably seem a lot of very dumb people. Trump is a crook and con but he’s smart enough to have gone this long without getting caught.

I hope someone this week asks Comey what he thinks in regards to the Scooter Libby pardon.

But it's not for him to say, just like it was not for him to say if he thought HRC was "extremely careless" or if he thought HRC would be "illegitimate" if he didn't break decades of DOJ protocol. He makes me so angry.

Thanks, R180!

R176, regardless of your view of him, between Trump and Comey, I'll take Comey every fucking time.

Morally unfit! Yassss, drag him hunty!

This is some fine straight-man bitchiness.

Yes, Comey is a shit stirrer. Needs to put himself into all possible messes.

And I despise Trump but the jabs on Trumps appearance, etc are only giving fuel to DT’s base.

cmon!!! all politicians LIE!!! Is he living in lala land?

I share your "ugh"and assessment R173. You can tell from his language, decisions he does not have e high intelligence.

Plus, you know Cheeto is going to highlight that.

Too much vodka will do that to you Boris at R181.

How many cheeseburgers do you think asshole has downed so far since the interview aired?

overall the interview was tame but Comey saying there's some proof of obstruction of justice is HUGE

[quote]Trump is unfit morally? I want to laugh sooo bad ! and Hillary is moral? I want to throw up LOL

You really are stupid. Who in the hell cares what you think of Hillary, idiot? I don't even like her, but my God, have you fucking Trump cultists sacrificed every last brain cell to the point that a man who lives and breathes immoral to the point he brought his god damned mistress on the family vacation, is something you think is up for debate?

Does he still eat cheeseburgers? I thought he is eating salads now? per doctor's orders.

Comey just does not seem that smart to me in the way he's answering the questions... unless it's an act (his "golly gee" crap). I am amazed he had the career that he did. I suppose the old line about the CIA being the brains and the FBI being the braun is still true.

FF for R81.

Seriously, man. You're still pushing the "lesser of two evil" nonsense?

Not R81. You're cool.

R181, on the other hand...

They are all morally unfit to be president! The clintons are not morally fit either, you could argue about the "donate and you get a meeting", clinton's lies regarding whores etc.

Nobody is morally fit.

I'm watching CNN and all I see is their plastic surgery.

Ha, R199. I was about to respond because I'm thinking "WTF?"

i can't believe he's trying to sell a movie deal? wow....

he definitely hates Trump for the way he's fired.

Say it isn't so....

I missed the Carrie Underwood debut of her new song and her new face.

It was probably about as eventful as Comey's scathing interview.

And why does spell check insist on changing Comey's name to "Comet?"

R168, I like country music. Have for years.

Come on, R204. Let's be honest, you're a rarity if you're both liberal and a country music fan.

In the picture of Bill Clinton and George, Stephanopoulos looks like Michael J. Fox.

Why does CNN have that odd-face Trump spokesperson on who knocked up the Trump Russian-American lawyer gal?

too many people on CNN panel has cheek implants.ugh

I haven't watched CNN in years, thanks for reminding me why, R207

R197, you are not the brains because you can't spell brawn.

I think the problem with R197 is that he watches too many movies and imagines most FBI agents the way Hollywood creates them.

Both sides are going to hate Comey more.. I hope he keeps giving interviews but really his quest to save his reputation is going to fail.

Comey lives in squalor, I'm kind of shocked...

Comey has an uptalk habit? It's not every sentence, but it's there? I hope I'm not imagining things?

ide do comey in a heart beaat

big cock n big ass

mmm

I'm going to trigger someone by posting this, but Seth Abramson had a good list of questions that interviewers should ask Comey:

FIVE PITHY COMEY QUESTIONS

1 When did you learn of the emails on Weiner’s PC?

2 Why not ask Huma for permission to search?

3 Why did you doubt the FBI could check the emails by 11/8?

4 Why did your pledge to Congress trump FBI rules?

5 Did field office leaks inform your actions?

The longer version of the questions:

[quote] Comey lives in squalor

Why do you say that? I haven't seen the interview, did they show where he lives?

Old man face though r215. I'd need a paper bag

R213 must be Hillz.

The "problem" with me, R211, is that I know *ACTUALLY* intelligent people & I am around them all the time. If you did too, you'd know what I meant regarding the way the speaks.

And I use a Braun razor, R210, so that spelling came to mind first. I know how to spell brawn. It's a typo - get over it. You forgot your "oh dear".

Why are you two cunts defending the man who handed the election to Trump, by the way? Hmm?

Squalor??? His friggin house was in Town and Country.

Lol that was pretty funny r219

I love it when some of you queens see plastic surgery everywhere. Nobody on CNN has "cheek implants." Cheek implants are rarely even done anymore with filler. They are placed right beneath the most important nerve in the face & surgeons loathe doing them. Dana Bash is the only one whose long horsey face is full of filler. The rest just don't look good on HDTV.... but do educate me about their "SURGERY"

Comey is actually very intelligent. I read his undergraduate thesis and even then he was bright

Honey, I'm not even going to bother with that grammatical mess ya got going up there, but "actual" intelligent people know that real FBI-types aren't these charismatic, over-the-top characters. They're boring guys like Comey.

Writing a thesis in Religious Studies is not a high bar.

Chuck Todd MSNBC, you illiterate wannabe, remember this? You fuckers normalized and gave us tRump. Gonna look good to see it all implode. Da! Comey or not... going to happen. History will remember them all with disdain and anger and truth.

Honey, why are you conflating "charismatic" and "over-the-top" with intelligence, r225? I never said he lacked those two attributes (though he does).

The dumbest man I ever knew got a PhD in Religious Studies.

Actually, R213 sounds more like someone who would live in a place where everything was dipped in gold-plating

R228, my point is that you expect him to sound as if he's sitting at the Algonquin Round Table. He's an FBI guy, so what exactly did you expect him to sound like? I don't doubt he knows the law like the back of his hand, so what exactly did he say that made him sound "dumb"?

And if anything, he just sounds like a total bore and square, but if he were made to recite laws, I don't doubt he could.

R231 I agree with you. Although if you want to talk philosophy with Comey, he has an impressive grasp of the topic

DL loves to scream cheek implants and pec implants!

Why are you inserting your made-up beliefs about what I expect smart people to sound like? I never said anything about expecting THOSE attributes out of him. Let me be clear: I went to Top 10 schools for undergrad & grad. I had plenty of near-genius professors who, after 5 minutes, I could easily tell were incredibly intelligent. The same is true of many peers I had then and now. Their other personality attributes (again - OTHER attributes) were often boring, quiet, and dull. That is unrelated to intellect & why you're dragging in "Hollywood stereotypes" and conflating that with intellect is bizarre.

I can't do a full analysis of this & I'd have to watch it again to catch every example (of which you wouldn't understand, as per above) but this is basically what I see. His responses don't take the entirety of situations into account. He is very linear - to a fault. He can't seem to see a variety of problems that his behavior can and did cause. His grasp of cause and effect of a larger situation seems almost secondary to his own egocentric view of his own role in that situation. He can't seem to connect dots that a first year FBI analyst should be able to connect.

And at the end, he calls Trump a man of high intelligence. If he was serious about that, that is some disturbing shit.

I bet Trump hasn't tweeted yet because his blood is boiling and it's affecting his ability to properly tweet.

And this is nothing new. When he said "golly gee - if my press conference about Hillary's emails 7 days before the election affected the results, I'd be nauseous" is another example of some kind of limited thinking he has going on - if that wasn't an act, as I said in my first post.

Maybe he stroked out.

And l don't mean his dick.......

[Quote] I went to Top 10 schools for undergrad & grad. I had plenty of near-genius professors who, after 5 minutes, I could easily tell were incredibly intelligent.

Ratings should really make tRump shit orange.

R235, but what you see as a lack of intelligence is what I see as socially-awkward. I think he's very book smart but a very poor communicator. I think he knows what working for the FBI entails and to abide by the law. I don't doubt for a second that he isn't an intelligent man. I just think he never expected to be put in this type of position where he had to answer questions about the most ridiculous clown to ever hold the presidency.

is piggy seething?

R238 , from your lips to God's ears.

OOPS! The story just dropped:

Another white collar lawyer turns down Trump

Another white collar lawyer has turned down the opportunity to represent President Donald Trump, citing an unidentified conflict, as the President struggles to add to the legal team representing him in the special counsel investigation.

People close to Trump contacted New York attorney Steven Molo, a former prosecutor who specializes in white collar defense and court room litigation, in recent weeks following the departure of attorney John Dowd from Trump's personal legal team.

Molo is only the latest attorney to receive an invitation to help Trump during special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into the 2016 campaign and any possible dealings with Russia. Other lawyers who declined to join Trump's team include former US Solicitor General Ted Olson; Emmet Flood, who's worked for multiple presidents; Robert Bennett, Bill Clinton's attorney in the Paula Jones litigation; and Bob Giuffra, of Sullivan & Cromwell.

At least he realizes that ego and self-righteousness are his vices. But it is unsettling because it fits right in with the mistakes he made in his announcements in the email investigation.

"GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: As you say, no one's perfect. What's James Comey's rap on James Comey?

JAMES COMEY: How much time do you have? Yeah. My rap on myself is that-- is that ego focus. That I-- since I was a kid, I've had a sense of confidence. That I know I'm good at certain things. And there's a danger that that will bleed over into pride, into not being open minded to the fact that I could be wrong and other people could have a better view of it.

And so I think that's my primary worry about myself, is an overconfidence that can lead to that-- that pride, that closed mindedness. I've tried to guardrail that my whole life. First of all, by marrying someone who will tell me anything at any time. But then also surrounding myself with people who will cut through that and say-- "No, no, no, no. Slow down. Have you thought about this? Have you thought about that?"

Can you imagine turning down the opportunity to be legal counsel to the President of the United States? That's how badly he's essentially ruined the presidency.

r241 - nearly every prof I ever had is socially awkward. And like I said, they don't talk this way. They can take any piece of data and slice and dice it a million ways to prove any point. Ok, you think he's smart. I don't. I got like 5 WWs on those statements... but whatever. We will agree to disagree there. So the next question is, how could he rise that high being such a bad communicator then?

It just makes me think that in these kinds of jobs, 1/2 of the battle is showing up & playing office politics long enough to get to the top. Maybe 9/10ths.

Donnie should call OJ Simpson for a lawyer referral.

Trump wishes Putin was close so they could make sweet tender lover and Putin could put in his giant schlong into Orange Gorilla's mouth and then anus

lol you have to have "good communication skills" to apply for a job at the Gap. But FBI - doesn't matter. The top of the top is socially awkward.

I can't believe Mueller has been going at this for 11 months. I didn't remember when it all started. Jesus.

[quote]I got like 5 WWs on those statements.

Congratulations. When you get to 10, you'll be receiving a gift card for Edible Arrangements

We'll agree to disagree

Lol Putin has a teeny dick r249

wish he were my daddy : so smart n hot and a good man.

he mus have so much guilt bout givin trump to the country with that announcement bout Hillary jus fore the election, well, he fukd up, but I still luv the guy.

[quote]Comey maintains what he gave his friend was unclassified info not classified as right wingers have been saying

When Rachel Maddow read from Dana Boente's notes about what Comey told him about the meetings with Trump the other night, she also showed a letter from (I forgot which, DOJ or FBI) some official saying the notes are to be considered not classified material. If Boente's notes are unclassified, Comey's are too.

The Trump camp wants to make giving the press any kind of government document or unclassified info to be "leaking", regardless if the person is authorized to make this decision.

We don't do text-speak here at the DataLounge, r254. Thank you for your understanding.

Anybody reading this - please - turn on Fox just for a minute - you're not gonna fucking believe what they're doing.....

What are they doing, R257?

Fox is probably nailing Comey to the cross.

I swear I don't even know what channel FOX is on; that's how long it's been since I even had it on. What's going on?

I bet Trump is dying to say something unkind about Comey's wife's appearance. I just know it.

[quote]Fox is probably nailing Comey to the cross.

So a day that ends in "y"

Showing the pee tape? Hannity bottoming for Limbaugh?

Why? Comey is the reason they have their pick in the WH. He even said Trump was smart!

The house they showed was where he grew up in Jersey, not his current home.

Squalor 🙄🙄🙄

r259 Hopefully Comey's cock is nailing The mooch at the same moment

WOW, good find R167

I always suspected Comey to not want Hillary Clinton to win.

I think he didn't particularly want either of them (Hillary or Trump) to be president.

Yes, isn't it interesting that on Nov 1, 2016 the FBI released a bunch a documents relating to Comey's investigation of Bill Clinton pardons dating to 2005, R266? It's almost like they did not want to leave anything to chance.

Fox is having a special "Trial of James Comey" and they're discussing Hillary's emails. They have a 5 person panel of their usual Fox-scumbag-deplorables. I think I hate Gregg Jarret the most, and he is so fucking ugly!

CNN had their Trump apologist on and I can not take that.

[quote]You know that George S. Is hung like a gerbil.

George S. is also rumored to be uncut, unfortunately.

Jesus, does any FOX viewer have an IQ above two digits?

R270, I no longer watch any network news and I feel a lot saner for purging my diet of all talking heads. You really learn nothing from any of them.

R271, I'm not so sure about that. I mean he was born here.

I didn't see anything wrong with the interview, Comey certainly deserves to trash Trump, everyone should...the lowlife pig needs to resign.

Comey is not a leakier in the traditional sense, so I don't know how you think he is more of a leaker than asshole Trump?

Thanks for getting Trump elected asshole.

u and ur October surprise...

creep

He did something awful to Hillary but remember, he is a Republican...they are all pretty scummy people, he is the least scummy.

I've watched some clips of the interview. The way Comey carries himself; the soft intonation and the delivery of his conclusions, the still body language, the careful earnestness; it all points at the big cross strapped to his back.

[quote]I think he didn't particularly want either of them (Hillary or Trump) to be president.

It's clear who he wanted less.

Trump now faces Comey's moral assault

Jeez, guys, ever heard of a neck lift?

It wouldn't kill ya.

Do you think the Russians have something on Donald Trump?

JAMES COMEY: I think it's possible. I don't know. These are more words I never thought I'd utter about a president of the United States, but it's possible.

I can't believe this was a 5 hour interview compressed to 1 hour. Wtf else did he say?? Maybe that's why he seemed a little tired or just not "connecting" certain events, if it dragged on for 5 hours.

Comey learning Trump met with Russians in the WH:

COMEY: Wow, was my reaction. First of all, what are the Russians doing in the Oval Office?... as a counter intelligence person I'm thinking, "That's crazy--" w/o any Americans being present

[quote]You know that George S. Is hung like a gerbil.

It is has been often reported here by gymgoers in DC and NYC that George is not shy in the locker room and has a big dick.

Did GS ask Comey why, exactly, he thought it was acceptable to announce the FBI investigation into the nothing emails related to HC, but decline to mention even in passing that they were investigating Trump/Russia since the summer? And no, "because I thought Hillary would win" is not an acceptable answer. Why wasn't he afraid that his failure to disclose the FBI Investigation into Trump would make him an "illegitimate president"? If an interviewer doesn't hold Comey's feet to the fire on this I'm not interested. Enough with being polite to this disingenuous asshole. The only answer posted here he gave which impressed me was the self-knowledge about his own ego and pride. Shame he has not, apparently, used that insight to adjust his own behaviour.

R241, You don't get it, either. The points made by r235 have nothing to do with the mere act of "communication." They assess Comey's insight and foresight, aka, "seeing the larger, non-Comey-centric picture."

Comey's claims to be, essentially, above politics are not credible.

Even Elliot Ness probably didn't possess Comey's smug attitude of moral rectitude.

Finally, I found his detailed comments relating to Trump's physical appearance a tad creepy.

R284, I guess James skipped the debate wherein HRC outright called Trump "Putin's puppet."

Comey did not let politics enter into his decision making. The fact that he acknowledged that he thought Hillary would win me and said he was not living under a rock. Also the fact that he informed Congress as he promised about his investigation is no reason to criticize the man. The fact that a confidential piece of Correspondence was released buy a congressperson is worthy of criticism.

It's really difficult to express yourself in English when Russian is the language you speak mostly, right R289.

[quote]The deplorables can't watch this anyway -- it's on opposite the country music awards.

Is it me or does it seem like there’s a country music award show on every month?

The media continues to make money off of Donald Trump -- they need (and create) drama so they can get people's attention. You think they are going to give up on that, even if Trump resigns or gets impeached? We are likely to have more candidates like Trump in the future.

Leaders in the media consider themselves business people first, citizens second (if at all).

His body lingo: seems to have issues.

fraid to speak his mind

son bitch got trump elected with his fukin pre election bullshit

will live in infamy and guilt.

Can't wait to see what this week has in store for us!

George sucked bullets as an interviewer

david muir woulda been gr8

[quote]The media continues to make money off of Donald Trump -- they need (and create) drama so they can get people's attention. You think they are going to give up on that,

I generally agree with you but there has been a change. In my opinion, the media is now having a "uh-oh" moment! They realize they have gone too far with the scenario that you described before and can see that the nation is truly in danger because of Trump and his enablers. Also, the way that Trump is attacking the media (and to some degree that is working) has shaken them.

The cowardly head of our FBI admitted he was actively trying to blend into the blue curtains in the Oval offfice. Somewhere JJ. Edgar Hoover is rolling in his grave. The man is a laughingstock. and needs to just go away in disgrace.

trump should be ousted

but I don't get comeys tepid attitude to it all

wish he had come out guns a blazin....seems very shy/passive.

someone butch it up and throw trumps ass out!

R292 The media doesn't need to create drama Trump does it by himself all they have to do is report it. Trump has made their jobs much easier.

R289, Try harder.

He's free! He's free!!!!

Donald J. Trump Verified account @realDonaldTrump @realDonaldTrump

Comey drafted the Crooked Hillary exoneration long before he talked to her (lied in Congress to Senator G), then based his decisions on her poll numbers. Disgruntled, he, McCabe, and the others, committed many crimes!

R282, So the media just discovered the profit motive when Trump declared his candidacy?

Trump's neck looks like a vagina..

How does Trump get away with his slander and libel?? Comey and McCabe "committed many crimes"??!

r304, I'm still wondering why Hillary hasn't sued tRUMP for defamation for all the "crooked HIllary's" he keeps throwing at her..

She's no longer in politics, can't she sue as a private citizen?

[quote]Finally, I found his detailed comments relating to Trump's physical appearance a tad creepy.

"His tie was too long, as it always is."

That really stuck out, I don't know why. We all know people are not supposed to be orange or dyed platinum blonde in their 60s. But that tie thing is just "off."

Maybe that's why deplorables imprint on him--"Here's someone else who doesn't know how to dress."

[quote]How does Trump get away with his slander and libel?? Comey and McCabe "committed many crimes"??!

I was wondering about that . I know the libel laws have a high standard, but I would have to think at least arguably Trump has crossed that line.

Why the hell was Comey excited about investigating the LEGAL as per the US Constitution pardoning of Marc Rich by President Clinton??

The criminal might have been unsavory---many are---but the fact that Comey wanted to tear into Clinton's pardon reveals two things:

1. Comey is not only partisan; he is anti-Clinton.

2. Comey doesn't revere the rule of law as much as he would like us to believe.

He can throw shade at Trump's hair, hands, and tan; he can tell stories of his childhood home intrusion Bruce Wayne-to-Batman epiphany; and he can tap-dance around his pre-election anti-FBI Policy decisions;

but Comey can never, ever make it better.

Even now, he is simply hawking a book (unless I missed all his commentary on the depredations of the current Mal-Administration, including the most recent unconstitutional strikes against Syria).

Typical Republican. Comey probably thinks "morally unfit" refers ONLY to sexual behavior, not anything to do with pride, avarice, sloth, wrath, gluttony, or impoverishing the poor, keeping health care from the infirm, etc. Let alone the betrayal of our democracy with Russia.

R95, I agree. The interview was underwhelming.

R309 here. My above comment was for R295.

Trump should be thanking Comey for helping seal his win.

[quote]Also the fact that he informed Congress as he promised about his investigation is no reason to criticize the man.

When did he promise Congress this? Lanny Davis has said he created no obligation to inform Congress in his July testimony and if he continues to call it an obligation at this point, it's an outright lie.

It has all been so sad to watch. Members of the D.C. political press are all very smart and absolutely steeped in the arcana of Washington politics. All of which makes them almost useless against Trump. They only see him through their own experience, but it doesn't apply to him. He is a show business grifter. Michael Avenatti, coming from Hollywood, understands him far better than does any of the reporters on the D.C. beat.

Trump did not order Sessions and Pence out of the room because he knew his private conversation was 'wrong' and what he was asking was 'wrong.' That's the D.C. analysis. Trump ordered them out so he could deny the entire conversation, if he later chose to do so. That's why he sends no emails. That's why he does not text. 'No, I never said that. No, it did not happen. Fake news.' He can agree to anything with you, privately, and later call you a liar, publicly. Pure show business. Avenatti gets it. The Washington press does not.

Comey is a total cunt. His good golly stuff makes my skin crawl. I wish someone would beat the shit out of him. What I find so bizarre about this whole election situation is that everyone sane agrees that Trump totally cheated and stole the election/the election was fucked by Russia. Yet the greatest remedy anyone ever hopes for is to have him impeached and be replaced by his equally bullshit VP. Why does no one ever suggest that Trump be impeached and replaced by the person he stole the election from, namely Hillary Clinton?

Well, R314, that would be because the rest of us were paying attention in high school and understand that our law and our system of governance does not in any way provide for your suggested remedy. That would be why no one ever suggests such a thing.

R313 except we have him on the record saying he fired Comey because of the Russia thing.

comey such a pussy....

WHY HE NO KICK TRUMPS ASS HARD??

He's an asshole for not taking any kind of responsibility. He was clearly railroaded and sabotaged by the likes of Guliani, but he refuses to acknowledge that certain people, with certain agendas, (some within the FBI) fucked things up bigly and he lost control in the pivotal weeks and days before the election. His ego is as much to blame for Trump as POTUS as Putin and the GOP.

R318 And the Susan Sarandon-types who fostered the "HRC is just the lesser of two evils" ethos within the progressive left.

and HRC herself, who didn't run the greatest campaign.

And yes, I voted for her.

[quote]and HRC herself, who didn't run the greatest campaign.

Could you elaborate on that a bit more? What was wrong with her campaign?

ABC must have had a bunch of lawyers go over the Comey tapes before they edited them. They certainly could have put more than one hour on television. It makes me wonder if a lot of the tape is unusable for legal reasons, or because Mueller asked them not to broadcast a lot of it.

If you watch what Comey said, it looks like a lot of his remarks are governed by legal caution, like he “didn’t know” if Trump is compromised. Of course he does. He just couldn’t prove it then. Mueller can, months later. What Comey said and what he believes are two different things. He knows what happened, he just can’t say it. If he has a brain in his head he consulted with a lawyer or somebody from the Mueller team before he said anything. And if Trump’s lawyers have a brain between them, they will subpoena those tapes and try to rip them apart.

My guess is the rest of the hours consist of speculation, unsubstantiated accusations and a bunch of stuff that would make Trump try to find a way to shut ABC down. ABC was protecting themselves.

The “tiny hands” stuff was probably filler. That whole interview was really bad judgment. Comey may have hurt his book more than helped it. And if this is what the book was about he needed an editor badly. You don’t write a book like that and say, “Is Trump guilty? Gee whillickers, I don’t know.” He needed to spend more time on knowable facts and less on idle speculation.

R322, the transcript of the entire 5h interview is on the ABC News website.

Fuck off, R320, she beat Sanders by 4 million in the primary and Trump by 3 million in the general (and that is with disinformation campaigns that we are discussing here in addition to actual vote-hacking).

Agree, R313.

While Comey can make a mistake we have to remember that he is a lawyer and a career law enforcement agent. I don't believe that he is going to do anything to jeopardize Mueller's case. Now, with that in mind, you have to remember that he is trying to sell books too. I'd say a good publisher is working here too. The publisher is controlling what he can say and controlling the ebbs & flows of info.

Somebody is working at ABCNews because they have Stormy Daniels on Wednesday (exclusive and only interview she will do), and Comey on Thursday. Both appearing on "The View" which is heavily watched.

She beat Sanders by 4 million in the primary and Trump by 3 million in the general, but she still lost the election.

There were key states in which more could have been done. Opportunities were lost. And, yes, I understand that she had a LOT of shit thrown at her by James Comey. But politics is about power and power is unforgiving. You can't lose and claim to have run a successful campaign.

[quote] You can't lose and claim to have run a successful campaign.

Of course you can. When it turns out that Russia fucked with the end results of the election.

There were three good things to come out of Comey's firing: (1) he got punished for his mistake about the Hillary emails so close to the election day; (2) Trump looks like he was obstructing justice and his statements thus far support this fact; and (3) a Special Counsel was called to investigate Russian meddling in the election.

Comey was an asshole but his dismissal was a godsend to the country.

[quote]Finally, I found his detailed comments relating to Trump's physical appearance a tad creepy.

First, where is the lie in how he describes Trump?

Second, these are 1-2 sentences in 300+pages of a memoir book, not a grand jury testimony. It's weird that the press is outraged so much about that.

To add to R308, remember when Comey lied to the Senate about thousands of emails being on Weiner's laptop? Because he was still trying to make HRC look bad?

The man is a fraud. I wish more people saw that.

R327, The only reason that I asked you to elaborate is because I've grown very tired of people snapping on Hillary and yet they can't cite specific reasons. I do the same thing to Trump supporters or those who say Trump is better than Clinton. When you ask them why they can't tell you anything specific. Here's my take on the Clinton campaign;

-They were too smart for their own good. They believed that campaign could be won by the numbers and did not pay enough to "passion" while campaigning.

-Whoever thought that it was a great idea for HRC to give only one policy speech on an issue and then post a detailed program initiative about it on her website was stupid and don't know Americans. We don't read.

-HRC made the SAME mistake that she did in 2008. Oh, yes! She tried to hide it but it revealed itself towards the concluding weeks. HRC felt that she was entitled to the position and therefore would not and did not campaign as if her life depended upon it.

-While she definitely should have been very cautious of the press she did not manage and manipulate them well. HRC should have been much more open and forceful with the press, in my opinion.

Comey comes across as a no-drama guy--very measured and calm.

This as opposed to Trump, with his "Comey is a slimeball!" tweets

I wonder which America will respond to.

[quote]and HRC herself, who didn't run the greatest campaign.

[quote]You can't lose and claim to have run a successful campaign.

A good campaign and a successful campaign are different things. There are plenty of sports games/matches in which the losing team/player played well but lost.

I'm still trying to figure out if/how she could've campaigned to convince those who didn't trust her - even before the campaign began - that she would be a good president. The thought crossed my mind that maybe she should've just owned the distrust. Been like, "Hey everyone; I know you hate me, I know I annoy you; but I actually care about this country and know what I'm doing, so give me a chance. I may annoy the eff out of you, but I promise I'll find ways to make the government help make your life better."

Apologies to everyone for my bad postings! I'm tired. I'm not proofreading. I'm seeing the words in my head and I thought with my eyes but somehow they're not making it to the posting/paper! LOL!!!

[quote]HRC felt that she was entitled to the position and therefore would not and did not campaign as if her life depended upon it.

R332, I don't disagree with the general idea behind most of your list, but this one irks me sooooo much, and I've heard it a lot. What did she do that makes you think she felt entitled?

[quote][R332], I don't disagree with the general idea behind most of your list, but this one irks me sooooo much, and I've heard it a lot. What did she do that makes you think she felt entitled?

She did not campaign as if her life depended upon it. That she had a passion for what she wanted to do for the country or for a specific niche. You see... Barack Obama was DEEPLY affected by the death of his mother and all of the pain and aggravation that she went through prior to her death. He didn't want to see that again and he didn't want others to experience it either. We felt his passion for healthcare.

HRC says that her interests (and I believe her) lies with the issues that affect children and women. I didn't see it. Yep! It's all on her resume but I didn't see it and I definitely didn't feel it. As for women, she just came across to me as thinking "that's a given" coalition for her. I still say Democrats REALLY need to analyze why white educated and uneducated women went for Trump over Hillary--ESPECIALLY given how Republicans have attacked women's rights issues. There was something VERY wrong someplace, somewhere.

[quote]What did she do that makes you think she felt entitled?

R332 can't get over the fact that Hillary Clinton was a female candidate who didn't act submissive to her male opponent.

[quote][R332] can't get over the fact that Hillary Clinton was a female candidate who didn't act submissive to her male opponent.

What? I come from a family of very strong women. My mom was the only one in her family that did that "Until death us do part" mess. Most of the women in my family had their children by the same man and then got rid of the dead weight to go on and buy their houses, build businesses, etc.

I was quite ready and welcoming of a Hillary Clinton. BUT, not because she gave me her own vision to believe in but she said it would be 4 (possibly 8) more years of Barack. I was good with that! Yet, here's my point; To this day I don't know what the Hillary Clinton vision is/was. Do I think that she could do the job? Yep! From an operational view. But, what was her vision?

Her message was We are Stronger Together. Which is so true and so pertinent to this time of deep partisan and intraparty division. People didn't get that message from her when she repeatedly said it and made it her campaign slogan, and I don't think it's because she didn't say it enough or feel it enough or campaign hard on it enough -- it's because no one listened to it.

The press was merciless on HRC while they let Trump skate! While I understand HRC maintaining composure and showing her strength in being able to take and endure pressure, the coverage wasn't fair. She could have told and then challenged the press on more than a few times about the uneven coverage. She definitely should have told Andrea Reynolds to go and get a dildo to shove up her ass.

[quote]Her message was We are Stronger Together.

No, honey. That's a slogan.

She needed a vision. For example; The USA will be the tech leader of the world under my guidance, etc

[quote]Barack Obama was DEEPLY affected by the death of his mother and all of the pain and aggravation that she went through prior to her death. He didn't want to see that again and he didn't want others to experience it either. We felt his passion for healthcare.

You think BO campaigned harder than HRC? He himself told her this time around to work hard but work smart - implying that she needed to campaign smarter, not harder. She felt entitled and didn't campaign like her life depended on it? She campaigned through pneumonia, and then was accused of being secretive about her illness and physically unfit to be president.

LIke I said, I agreed with the general sentiment of many of your points, but I just don't agree with the idea that she didn't campaign hard enough.

[quote]Which is so true and so pertinent to this time of deep partisan and intraparty division.

That definitely should not have been her vision. Look... you have had people going after this woman for nearly 30 years. People hate this woman and they don't know why but they do. She is NOT the one to bring everyone together around the camp fire to sing kum-by-yah. UNLESS... she could have found a shared and common goal.

Se he never did. At least not one that I'm aware of.

[quote]The USA will be the tech leader of the world under my guidance

You think that would've caught on? By the way, she repeatedly said that clean energy was an industry ripe for America's leadership and that we could become the world's clean energy superpower.

YES, R34! I used to wish that trump would stop tweeting, but now... I hope he keeps on doing it, as it really reveals what a stupid ass he is. It shows his true character, piece by piece. Hopefully some people, who voted for him, will eventually be turned off by this. His hard core, brainwashed zombies I have no hope for.

[quote]By the way, she repeatedly said that clean energy was an industry ripe for America's leadership and that we could become the world's clean energy superpower.

There's a BIG difference in what "we could be" rather than what "we will be".

[quote]Comey comes across as a no-drama guy--very measured and calm.

[quote]This as opposed to Trump, with his "Comey is a slimeball!" tweets

[quote]I wonder which America will respond to.

If you're low-life trash who thinks it's presidential to sound like a Springer guest, you know the answer.

[quote]That definitely should not have been her vision. Look... you have had people going after this woman for nearly 30 years. People hate this woman and they don't know why but they do. She is NOT the one to bring everyone together around the camp fire to sing kum-by-yah. UNLESS... she could have found a shared and common goal.

I disagree. This country needs someone to bring us back together. HRC repeatedly cited the times she has found common ground with people with whom she has wider general political disagreements.

Whatever. She didn't convince you or the general American public, and I'm clearly failing to do it as well. I just wish she could've had a chance to show people who said she had no vision, no plans, felt entitled, etc., etc. what she could've achieved. I think she would've pleasantly surprised a lot of her skeptics if she had just had a chance. I think I will regret this for a long long time.

[quote]People hate this woman and they don't know why but they do.

Never underestimate the power of propaganda.

There's a cottage industry going on 30 years now where people have made lots of money over their conspiracy theories about the Clintons. It's very profitable, so why would it stop?

Leni/R350: YAASSS QUEEN!

I knew it was propaganda when it was going on, and it was so difficult to not be able to counteract it.

[quote] Whatever. She didn't convince you or the general American public, and I'm clearly failing to do it as well.

R349, I'm not the poster you were addressing, but I'm glad you phrased it that way because you're half right in my case. She convinced me, and I thought she could convince the general public, and she did if we look at the popular vote. But the general American public is swayed too easily when it comes to her.

[quote]Whatever. She didn't convince you or the general American public, and I'm clearly failing to do it as well.

No, she didn't. I mean I voted for her but I was not an enthusiastic voter.

[quote] I think she would've pleasantly surprised a lot of her skeptics if she had just had a chance.

That would have been a surprise. Keep in mind, I never question if she could do the job AND do it well! But, I just didn't think she had it in her to "move the needle" so to speak of the country to the next level. I just didn't see it. I just didn't feel it.

I'm glad Comey was fired and I'm glad he's attacking trump. Adds more drama to this shit show, which adds stress to Trump and anything that stresses Trump is fine with me.

The enemy of my enemy is my temporary ally

It's hurting. The invective and frothing rage coming fro trump is very telling.

I like Hillary and I think she would have made a good President. However, I don't look at her with rose-colored glasses. I can see that mistakes were made on her campaign and she has said so herself. She has also stated that she's not a natural campaigner like Bill.

Hillary spent too much time on attacking Trump when she should have spent more time on her policies and how she would help the middle class and the working class. She also over prepared for the debates when she should have been on the campaign trail in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois etc...She's damn bright but her husband won on "it's the economy, stupid" and she should have done the same thing. People want to hear what you'll do for them and how you'll make their lives better.

Anyone with half a brain knew that Trump was going to be a disaster. "Shaking things up in Washington" shouldn't mean "burning down the house". The Orange Menace is walking, talking and tweeting moron.

The Repugs hate propagana for twenty odd years, the Russian meddling, Comey's October surprise certainly didn't help her either.

[quote]She did not campaign as if her life depended upon it. That she had a passion for what she wanted to do for the country or for a specific niche.

Passion is, in my opinion, very subjective. I don't perceive Obama as a passionate person. I think he is a very determined and focused person, with an outward laid back or calm demeanor.

Clinton carries a shield and comes off distant, but I don't think her convictions and dedications are any lesser than Obama's. I would say that she is very thoughtful, a characteristic that can't come across in large public settings, only in smallish gatherings (according to those who met her in person).

[quote] That would have been a surprise. Keep in mind, I never question if she could do the job AND do it well! But, I just didn't think she had it in her to "move the needle" so to speak of the country to the next level. I just didn't see it. I just didn't feel it.

I find it peculiar that you should assume that when her work as FLOTUS, as Senator and SOS show her as wanting to leave a personal mark and not just follow the footsteps of her predecessors.

[quote]She also over prepared for the debates when she should have been on the campaign trail in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois etc..

I think part of the problem is that a lot of the people living in those states want to be lied to about their jobs coming back and Trump did just that.

[quote]Why does the FBI jet have red wine? Taxpayer paid for wine?

Some guy who was on the plane said it was a personal bottle Comey had got in LA for his planned overnight there. Said he normally had room-service dinner when out of town so the protective agents could go out, and this was cheaper than ordering a room-service glass of wine at the hotel. So he pulled it out of its luggage and cracked that sucker open. Noted there are no wine glasses on the jet because there usually isn't wine there either, hence the coffee cup.

These are some interesting inconsistencies that came up during the interview (I'll partially quote from a Twitter thread).

[quote]Comey said last night that there were hundreds of thousands of Hillary Clinton emails on the server. He said it in his Congressional testimony, it was wrong, and the record had to be corrected. Yet he asserted it again. tt [italic]This is from ProPublica:
 Update, May 9, 2017: On Tuesday, the FBI sent a letter to Congress correcting inaccurate congressional testimony by Director James Comey, six days after he mischaracterized what the FBI discovered on Anthony Weiner’s laptop. The bureau addressed the matter in a two-page letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee from its congressional liaison, explaining that it was “intended to supplement” Comey’s testimony, by providing “the full context of what was reviewed and found on the laptop.” In it, the FBI acknowledged that only a “small number” of more than 49,000 “potentially relevant” emails found on Weiner’s laptop had been forwarded from Clinton deputy Huma Abedin to Weiner, her husband, not hundreds or thousands as Comey had stated. The FBI said just two of those messages contained classified information. The letter was issued shortly before Donald Trump issued his own letter firing Comey, accompanied by a Justice Department memo detailing the FBI director’s “serious mistakes” in handling the Clinton email investigation.[/italic]

[quote]Comey says in the book that he can't discuss one of the reasons he held the press conference because “the source and content of that material remains classified as I write this.”

[quote]But in the interview tonight he admits that this classified information was in fact Russian-manufactured fake emails that falsely made it look like AG Lynch was keeping the Clinton Campaign in the loop.

[italic]GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: So that's one reason that the Justice Department is compromised. What's reason number two?

JAMES COMEY: Reason number two. And I have to talk about it very carefully. Classified information came into the possession of the U.S. intelligence community in the early part of 2016 that indicated there was material out there that raised the question of whether Loretta Lynch was controlling me and the F.B.I. and keeping the Clinton campaign informed about our investigation. Now, I don't believe that. And I don't believe that's true. But there was material that I knew someday, when it's declassified, and I thought that would be decades in the future, would cause historians to wonder, "Hmm, was there some strange business going on there? Was Loretta Lynch somehow in -- carrying water for the campaign and controlling what the F.B.I. did?"

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Did you investigate it?

JAMES COMEY: We did.

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: And what did you find?

JAMES COMEY: Found no indication that it was true.

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Boy. So-- so-- so you find no indication this is true. And yet-- you write that this is the reason you went out on your own--

JAMES COMEY: One of the reasons.

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: One of the reasons. Doesn't that cast a cloud over the attorney general, an unjustified cloud over the attorney general?[/italic]

[quote]Setting aside the questions of why if he says it's classified in the book he can suddenly talk about, the idea that people might believe a Russian disinformation campaign is a preposterous argument for why it made more sense to break with DOJ policy and hold a press conference.

[quote]I find it peculiar that you should assume that when her work as FLOTUS, as Senator and SOS show her as wanting to leave a personal mark and not just follow the footsteps of her predecessors.

I don't want to derail this thread or piss people off because they feel that it isn't on topic--but in many ways it is... The following is what remains in my mind about Hillary Clinton and her accomplishments:

FLOTUS: She took on the arduous task of tackling healthcare. She failed. This was not because of her ability but the HUGE money that was up against her. Anything else as FLOTUS I'm not aware of. BUT THAT WAS HUGE!!!

Senator: She won the position being an outsider.

SOS: She successfully carried the message of Barrack Obama and repaired many international relations.

Specific and explicit accomplishments? I don't know really any besides healthcare. However, it was through her various positions that she held that I knew that she could do the job.

[quote]He was asked tonight why if he thought AG Lynch was compromised he didn't just go to her deputy, Sally Yates. Yates has an impeccable reputation. This wasn't just another option, this was the obvious next step if you are trying to act without bias and within Department protocols. He couldn't answer the question.

[italic]GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: No, but there's a third route. You-- you-- you push her to recuse and then it goes through the normal Justice Department channels. The deputy AG, Sally Yates, makes the decision, makes the announcement?[/italic]

[italic]JAMES COMEY: Sure, maybe. Maybe. And-- and I-- I suppose a reasonable person might have done that. But my judgment was she's just announced publicly that she's not going to recuse herself. And she'll accept my recommendation that of the career prosecutors. And so what more is there to do at that point?[/italic]

[quote]Last night Comey said of the October 28th letter that he notified Congress (something he was not in fact obligated to do) because he thought Hillary Clinton was winning.

[italic]GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: But-- but at some level, wasn't the decision to reveal influenced by your assumption that Hillary Clinton was going to win? And your concern that she wins, this comes out several weeks later, and then that's taken by her opponent as a sign that she's an illegitimate president?[/italic]

[italic]JAMES COMEY: It must have been. I don't remember consciously thinking about that, but it must have been. 'Cause I was operating in a world where Hillary Clinton was going to beat Donald Trump. And so I'm sure that it-- that it was a factor. Like I said, I don't remember spelling it out, but it had to have been. That-- that she's going to be elected president, and if I hide this from the American people, she'll be illegitimate the moment she's elected, the moment this comes out.[/italic]

[quote]Yet he also says in the interview that a when a DOJ official raised concerns that his actions in October could elect Trump, that considering anyone's political fortunes would be the end of the FBI and DOJ's reputations.

[italic]GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: If you knew that letter would elect Donald Trump, you'd still send it?

JAMES COMEY: I would. I would. In fact, that was a question asked by one of my best people-- a deputy general counsel in the FBI who is a very thoughtful and quiet person, who didn't speak a lot. And that-- that morning we were making that decision, she asked, "Should you consider that what you're about do to may help elect Donald Trump president?" ttAnd I paused, and then I said, "Thank you for asking that question. That's a great question. But the answer is not for a moment because down that path lies the death of the FBI as an independent force in American life. If I ever start considering whose political fortunes will be affected by a decision, we're done. We're no longer that group in America that is apart from the partisans, and that can be trusted. We're just another player in the-- in the tribal battle."[/italic]

[quote]These are damningly contradictory statements. The FBI's reputation is worse than it has been in decades, maybe ever. He was correct in his prediction. The difference seems to be that he didn't think acting against Hillary Clinton would change her "political fortune."

R354, I was commenting on this part of your post upthread: "But, I just didn't think she had it in her to "move the needle" so to speak". And the funny thing is, in your post at R363 you describe her as anything but status quo.

Hmm... I don't think you have that right, R365.

The one thing that I'm personally impressed with HRC is her fight for healthcare even though she lost. I can't remember anything else notable that she did as FLOTUS (I mean... like that was enough, though) unlike Michelle Obama who I can tick off a lot of things that she has done. And, that's not because it is recent.

As Senator, HRC won an election. Okay... What's notable?

SOS; The boss gets the credit. She just executed the boss' agenda. And?

He robbed us of Hillary. The gays should hate him.

Just off the top of my head, R366, Clinton's work at the state level increasing educational standards and enrichment for the most vulnerable children and her work as a private citizen tackling juvenile justice and school segregation; work on the national level turning the healthcare disaster into healthcare for kids; work on the international stage negotiating high level treaties in hot spots like the Middle East and with Russia and her centering the rights of women and girls at the heart of our foreign policy.

You can paint Clinton any color you want, but you would be disingenuous to paint her as someone lacking real life accomplishments.

It's not productive to have this conversation now, I agree.

[quote]I don't want to derail this thread or piss people off because they feel that it isn't on topic--but in many ways it is

I just looked up your responses on this thread and you are the sole poster who keeps bringing up Clinton's qualifications.

BTW, this type of nitpicking that just shows your complete bias, regardless of your vote in the election:

[quote]By the way, she repeatedly said that clean energy was an industry ripe for America's leadership and that we could become the world's clean energy superpower.

[quote][bold]There's a BIG difference in what "we could be" rather than what "we will be".[/bold]

What is your list of things Michelle Obama has done?

FLOTUS: -After health care reform failed, she was involved in getting the Children's Health Insurance Program passed, which continues to this day. -Elizabeth Warren credits HRC for getting WJC to veto the bankruptcy bill of 2000 - his final veto.

SENATOR: - Wrote the bill to get healthcare coverage for 9/11 first responders.

SOS: (if she's blamed for Benghazi and Libya, she ought to get some credit too) - Called for raid on Osama bin Laden (an apparently contentious debate among Obama's advisers). - Helped implement the international sanctions against Iran that helped get them to the negotiating table.

I agree it's not helpful to have this conversation among Democrats at large, but within her gay following, I find it therapeutic. I'm still so mad about the election.

[quote]It's not productive to have this conversation now, I agree.

I do worry, though, that the people hoping for Bernie 2020 might be underestimating how much anger there still is among HRC supporters (like myself) - and how much there still will be if they think they can sweep what happened in 2016 under the rug. If Bernie wants to make a run for it in 2020, he really should start reaching out to the disaffected HRC voters immediately after the midterms because repairing that relationship is going to be really difficult (if it's even possible).

But getting back to the topic...

George S. is still eminently fuckable.

I have done a lot of thinking and absorbing all this campaign information, Comey, and the Steele dossier/Fusion GPS. Here is my official tinhat theory; tell me what you think.

FBI and Comey received the dossier/information on Trump and freaked the fuck out. They (and now Mueller) knew/know a hell of a lot more than what is being shared, and knew it well before the election. I think there was collusion on an epic scale, that Trump was/is being blackmailed, and that he is guilty of money laundering, tax evasion, and straight up treason. But...if he went back to being a private citizen, he could Throw his firewalls back up. His lawyers, his mob connections, his NDAs....everything that has kept him out of prison for the last 40 years.

He had to be elected President for them to bring him down. So they released the bullshit on Clinton's emails 9 days before the election, knowing full well how close things were. That, and/or they allowed the tampering that landed him in the White House.

That done, they are proceeding with bringing him down. On some level, though Trump is an idiot, people surrounding him saw this coming (Manafort, Sessions, various Senators), and so Comey was fired. The rest is history.

It is chilling to think that the FBI swung the election for the sole purpose of bringing down Trump, but in the end it is probably for the best.

No, I am not smoking anything and no, I don't live in my mom's basement. But I really do think that is what is going on.

Thoughts?

Sorry R373...

[quote]I just looked up your responses on this thread and you are the sole poster who keeps bringing up Clinton's qualifications.

That's not true, R369. But, before I go on, let me point out that a few you have a really, really, sick issue and problem. And, that's "The Need To Know". Many of you cannot carry on a civilized conversation or you're unable to distinguish between conversations and therefore you will actually waste time trying to find out who someone is and how many times they post on some thread like Datalounge? Are you kidding me? Have you no life?

I first asked someone about HRC at R332 and have been engaging with others since that time... either one other person or 3 different people, I don't know. But, is that or isn't that allowed? Tell me. Because I don't know. Am I allowed only one posting and then I should move on?

[quote] She needed a vision. For example; The USA will be the tech leader of the world under my guidance, etc

She was pragmatic and realistic. Trump just uttered buzz words like "I will build a wall" and "Drain the Swamp" and, of course, "MAGA!". Given what we know now Trump proved that he has no vision either and outed himself as the common conman he is by telling his audience what they want to hear and don't make good on it.

He appealed to the lowest common denominator. And the media loved him for it, because ratings! Hillary Clinton? Booooooring! No real soundbites, no catchy buzz words, no trash talk, no sex appeal, nothing! Of course IF she would have gone down that path the Republican owned media would have called her The Whore of Babylon for being so undignified.

Hillary Clinton having a vision? The Republicans would have called her crazy and delusional.

Hillary Clinton showing passion? Bitch is a feminist dyke!

Part I

Does Putin have secret sex tapes of Trump with some cheap Russian hooker? Is there a Playboy Mansion in Russia?

Wouldn't it be lovely . . . . . . . . . . .

[quote]What is your list of things Michelle Obama has done?

Vhateverrr she do, I do eet verst. She copy me.

R378 Trump knows what he did with the Russian hookers he wanted Comey to investigate to see if the Russians really did have something on tape as the Russians have alluded to. For Milania of course to set her mind at ease.

It's crystal clear that it's not about sex because that doesn't mean shit. You guys have to stop focusing on the sex/pee nonsense because we all know he's a pig in that dept. It's business dealings/laundering.

[quote]She was pragmatic and realistic. Trump just uttered buzz words like "I will build a wall" and "Drain the Swamp" and, of course, "MAGA!". Given what we know now Trump proved that he has no vision either and outed himself as the common conman he is by telling his audience what they want to hear and don't make good on it.

Oh, but he did have a vision! Sorry, it's me again R369 posting. Just skip over it...

Trump's vision was to return the USA to the good ole days of the 1950's. You know... Andy Griffith, Aunt Bea, Buicks, Jim Crow, No blacks or other minorities, etc! Also, to get rid of those who were not successful in making that happen for them. The ones who caved. The ones who could not get the Black guy or....HER! Trump, most definitely had a vision!

R330, Where did I say or even imply Comey's observations of Trump were lies? Do you think "creepy" is a synonym for "lie"?

I'm not bothering to look up my post number.

R333, I think Comey comes across as a disingenuous jerk who wants to deny his responsibility, however partial, for helping to elect Trump, with his, Comey's, DELIBERATE flouting of FBI policy at THE perfect time for the Trump campaign. Comey's October Surprise.

But IF this guy who doesn't have a mirror (um, he's mocking the appearance of the skin around TRUMP'S eyes?!) truly believes his assertions of innocence, then he is not very...deep.

R378, OF COURSE Putin has tapes!

R381, You misapprehend. We know what's the impeachable stuff, the money-laundering (hotels, golf courses, foreign banks), the Russian Mob aka government's election hacking with, probably, Cohen's connivance, etc.

But it's BOTH the Russian Mob's "loans" and "investments" in Trump properties AND the recorded honey-trap antics that have placed Trump in Putin's thrall.

And, of course, the attendant threats. Very serious threats. Trump got that message loud and clear early on. When the Russians wanted to meet privately with him, they did. Etc. Examples abound.

Russia poisons people on NATO nation streets. Russia shoots down regularly-scheduled passenger jets (KAL 007 and the Ukrainian plane). Russia supports Assad.

Trump is a very, very frightened man.

[quote]Oh, but he did have a vision! Sorry, it's me again [R369] posting. Just skip over it...

Why should I care if you post or no?

[quote]That's not true, [R369]. But, before I go on, let me point out that a few you have a really, really, sick issue and problem. And, that's "The Need To Know". Many of you cannot carry on a civilized conversation or you're unable to distinguish between conversations and therefore you will actually waste time trying to find out who someone is and how many times they post on some thread like Datalounge? Are you kidding me? Have you no life?

I guess that bit of rant was meant for me. Talking about having a sick issue and a problem when you get so worked up over an anonymous post. Get a life indeed.

Oh, and r381, one William Jefferson Clinton might beg to differ about the importance of sexual dalliances and the testifying under oath about same.

R373, interesting theory.

But why not take him down on a state level? Surely the state of NY could have done the same thing.

From my POV, and perhaps you agree, law enforcement and the Intel Community have known about Trump’s money laundering for decades. That’s what Donald Trump does. He washes money for despots. The man hasn’t had a legitimate business for DECADES. That’s old news.

Even before he came into office, it was widely rumored that he had deep connections with mafiosos, and the like.

Bringing down a president is not easy. And it’s a timely, meticulous process. There’s too much at stake to set him up for this kind of fall. It would have been less expensive, Andres’s time consuming to do it as a private citizen.

I know your theory hinges on him having to become POTUS in order to access his information, but I disagree.

Great theory, however.

Start the manuscript. or screenplay. George Clooney can play Mueller!

DL fave Ari Melber on Comey's inability to own his mistakes and stop making them.

Hillary was a weak presidential candidate, despite her considerable strengths. First of all, she's not a natural politician. Secretary of State was perfect for her. She should have gone out on that high note. But electoral politics have not been her friend. She showed her weakness in 2008. She should have won that one... but didn't. And boy, oh boy, she should have won 2016 overwhelmingly. But she didn't.

Her other big liability is that she has been in front of the public for so goddamned long. She could campaign all she wanted, but in her case, it just became MORE Hillary Clinton. If you liked her at the beginning, you still did. If you hated her from the start, that never changed, either. She is just sooooo well known at this point that a campaign, even the best one, wasn't going to change a lot of minds. That problem is enormous. And it proved insurmountable.

But she's smarter than almost anybody else. And she will work anyone under the table. She would not have weaponized the federal judiciary. But she's not a natural politician.

[quote] oh god...why did they interview Comey's wife? More fodder for the right to claim Comey is biased against Trump even though he obviously wasn't

Just watched it. I think his wife's support of HRC is critical to the campaign to rehabilitate his image. They don't care what Deplorables think but are obviously concerned that he will be remembered only as the rat who enabled Drumpf's election and sabotaged America.

[quote]But she's not a natural politician.

I think she is a natural politician, but she is not a natural campaigner.

[quote]Hillary was a weak presidential candidate

That entirely depends on what you consider a strong presidential candidate. tRump ended up being a strong presidential candidate. Would you say he is a good politician?

"But...if he went back to being a private citizen, he could Throw his firewalls back up. His lawyers, his mob connections, his NDAs....everything that has kept him out of prison for the last 40 years."

That's where it all falls apart, R373. Firewalls? That's terribly vague. Trump has never been to prison because he has never been indicted. He's a scummy business man, but do not discount how lax many of these financial laws really are and how underfunded are our prosecutor's offices. Do not discount the persuasive power of a campaign contribution.

Trump's greatest exposure is to civil suit. Someone he harms sues for redress. And after literally thousands of law suits, he knows how to win. Court is expensive. Very expensive. Plaintiffs fold. They can't pay to keep their cases alive. And when he loses or settles, plaintiffs' counsel undoubtedly has to go to court again and again to enforce their small victory. He has already started fucking with the federal court in the Cohen matter. OF COURSE he does not get to sift through the documents seized from Cohen pursuant to the warrant. It was a stupid request, almost certain to be denied. But he turns small defeats into victories by tweeting out the unfairness of it all. He can make himself a victim before you know what hit you. He knows how to squeeze publicity out of a turd.

The other part of your theory is that it would somehow be easier to 'take down' a President than to simply investigate and indict a white collar criminal. Trump has probably avoided indictment because he is so high profile. Prosecuting him would be a pain in the ass, with him howling out his wounds on Twitter every day. Once he became President, his profile can't get any higher. Ditto his ability to be a pain in the ass.

[quote]Her other big liability is that she has been in front of the public for so goddamned long. She could campaign all she wanted, but in her case, it just became MORE Hillary Clinton. If you liked her at the beginning, you still did. If you hated her from the start, that never changed, either. She is just sooooo well known at this point that a campaign, even the best one, wasn't going to change a lot of minds. That problem is enormous. And it proved insurmountable.

But this is why I am so angry at the Bernie folks who poisoned the minds of young voters - some of whom were only 10 years old in 2008 and might not have known that much about her other than her name. They came to believe that voting for HRC was voting against their conscience. This is so absurd in and of itself, let alone when the opponent is someone as ridiculous as DJT.

HRC was always going to have a hard time getting elected because of her long history. But DJT was a unique opportunity for her to get into office because he actually was/is really distasteful to a lot of Republicans; remember, he got fewer votes than Mitt Romney! I maintain that HRC would've been elected if the Bernie Sanders campaign hadn't (inadvertently) convinced many of his voters that HRC was FUBAR. Again, I don't think it was on purpose, but the campaign was fueled by anger toward her and what they believed she represents; and then it became a fire that Bernie himself couldn't put out.

He will be forever known as the man who gave the election to trump.

He is so shy and weird, maybe gay huh...

HUNG

Comey lost complete credibility with me when he said that Trump is not mentally ill and is very intelligent.

I think Comey said "above average" intelligent, which is a total insult to Dumpf who thinks he has "one of the best brains".

[quote]Hillary was a weak presidential candidate, despite her considerable strengths. First of all, she's not a natural politician.

I would believe that hadn't she won all three debates and if she hadn't been the most admired women in the US for 16 years in a row. She was winning in the polls, except for one time in July she was always ahead of Trump, sometimes more than ten points (as was still the case in August)

I think if you want to spin a certain narrative you can always come up with some lame arguments about 'Hillary wasn't liked', she was not a natural politician (which is totally wrong bc she lives and breathes politics)

Unlikable candidates don't win the popular vote by 3 million.

The debates have little to do with politics. That is Hillary being smarter and working harder than anyone to master all that material. She did herself in with her 'deplorables' comment. She told us all that's how she thinks of a huge part of the citizenry. And she was credible in her statement. A real politician would never make that error. Can you imagine Bill Clinton saying such a thing? I cannot.

Also, think back to Trump's disgusting and boorish behavior at the Presidential debates. If he could act like that and still have enough followers to win, then his opponent was not a good enough politician to make him pay. He acted like a pig, debate after debate. She should have found a way to capitalize on that.

I've always wondered with Bill Clinton was doing during the campaign. He really is a natural politician. Was he advising her and her campaign staff? Was he withholding???

Coney is an asshat, but he did state the truth and I do have respect for him in this regard:

“I don’t think he is medically unfit to be President – I think he’s morally unfit to be President.”

“A person who sees moral equivalence in Charlottesville, who talks about and treats women like they’re pieces of meat, who lies constantly about matters big and small and insists the American people believe it, that person’s not fit to be president of the United States, on moral grounds. And that’s not a policy statement. I don’t care what your views are on guns, or immigration, or taxes,” Comey said, insisting it’s far more important that “Our president must embody respect and adhere to the values that are at the core of this country. The most important being ‘truth.’ This President is not able to do that. He is morally unfit to be President.”

[quote]That entirely depends on what you consider a strong presidential candidate. tRump ended up being a strong presidential candidate. Would you say he is a good politician?

There's also a difference between being a strong candidate and a successful one. Trump won, but it had much more to do with circumstances beyond him than his own strength.

Obama was a strong candidate and politician, but he lacked in experience and it showed in his presidency. He didn't socialize with the Congress, and maybe that's how he kept it relatively low drama, but I don't think he forged pretty much any working relationships with Republicans, and as a result he was so detested across the aisle (in spite of being such a likable person). He also let the Democratic party wither, which ended up crippling his leadership ability with an obstructionist Congress dominated by Republicans.

Electoral politics really is just a stupid nationalized student council election that has far less to do with qualifications or how good a president the candidate would be than how much they are liked personally by the people.

[quote]I think if you want to spin a certain narrative you can always come up with some lame arguments about 'Hillary wasn't liked', she was not a natural politician (which is totally wrong bc she lives and breathes politics).

I agree with you. Clinton is a good politician if you believe that a good politician is someone who can bring two polarizing sides together and get them to come to an acceptable compromise, and get things done that way.

[quote]There's also a difference between being a strong candidate and a successful one. Trump won, but it had much more to do with circumstances beyond him than his own strength.

Clinton lost, but it had much more to do with circumstances beyond her than her own weaknesses. 100%

Why are we making this thread about Clinton, btw?

[quote] If he could act like that and still have enough followers to win, then his opponent was not a good enough politician to make him pay. He acted like a pig, debate after debate. She should have found a way to capitalize on that.

I believe his behavior was televised for millions of people to see. If those millions of people could not see how wrong and unfit this man was for President, I am afraid that there is nothing that Hillary Clinton could have done to make that more obvious. And if I remember it correctly, there is someone upthread who was claiming exactly the opposite of you - Hillary Clinton should have talked LESS about Trump. For some of you, no matter what she does or doesn't do, it seems to me it will always be the wrong thing.

Comey has no upper lip whatsoever. my grandfather was an Irish Catholic FBI agent, and those old bastards are just sanctimonious and incapable of nuanced thought. What makes Comey dangerous is what I have sometimes seen in dangerous doctors: he truly believes he is an incredibly good person always doing things for the very best reasons,

[quote]but I don't think he forged pretty much any working relationships with Republicans, and as a result he was so detested across the aisle (in spite of being such a likable person).

Nah. Don't put that on Obama. There was a strong coalition that took a sacred vow to never work with him and to be against him at all times. Obama was reaching out to Republicans so much that he nearly lost his own base! I think it was Michelle that had to get him back on track. But, with all of that look at all that he was still able to accomplish!

[quote]Clinton lost, but it had much more to do with circumstances beyond her than her own weaknesses. 100%

I agree. I don't think that any other politician in the history of this country had so much going against them! Yep, many have had it much rougher than others but the forces to stop Hillary were off of the charts! I believe it has definitely been our loss and that history will be kind to Hillary (big whoop!) but she is/was a missed opportunity. However, things happen for a reason.

I don't know why Comey didn't wait with publishing his book till Mueller was done with the investigation. From what Comey said, there was yet undisclosed information that he could not use. So why not wait to write a complete narrative of the events in the future.

R408, I think it has to with the OIG report coming out. He wanted to get his side of the story out first. If the OIG report on McCabe is any indication, it may not be particularly kind to Comey either (nor should it be).

I see, R409. Thanks.

And that's what everyone's missing. Comey's pretending this is a book about Trump. Pretty much everything we've heard about Trump is stuff we already knew. Everything else is him pontificating on Trump's appropriateness for office - and how exactly is he a better arbiter of that than any other intelligent person?

The big revelations are actually his reasoning behind skirting DOJ protocols to do the July conference and October letter. And he pretty much contradicts himself without even realizing it. All the commentators saying, "There really isn't anything new in here," are entirely focused on the Trump stuff. The big reveals are in his thought processes behind the email investigation.

[quote]How does Trump get away with his slander and libel?? Comey and McCabe "committed many crimes"??!

Yes.

It's very Unpresidential behavior.

Could you imagine any other President behaving like this?

Even George W. Bush wouldn't publicly slander & attack a former FBI director like this.

I was raised to pay a certain amount of respect to the POTUS, regardless of my political disagreements or disdain for him, so I was reasonably deferential to GWB, even though I was puzzled that such an idiot could be president (and disheartened that he could be re-elected). DJT is just an entirely different matter. I consider him to be a national embarrassment. He's President Shithole to me.

[quote]He acted like a pig, debate after debate. She should have found a way to capitalize on that.

She did find a way, she won all three debates. She wasn't the weak candidate you make her out to be. Without Comey, voter intimidation and possibly hacking voting machines she would have won. She was able to deal with Trump, but she was defenseless against the FBI and dirty tricks on election day.

You're not making any sense, R400.

Hate to say it, but Trump was right: Comey IS a NUT JOB. He's a MARY!!! with delusions about himself and the limits of his job role, who seemed unable to live with the fact that he was an FBI AGENT, not the AG, not a government official, not a judge, nothing. His job was to investigate, document, and keep his goddamn mouth shut. He took it on himself to step out of his job role and yap about HRC's emails because HE decided who was going to win the election, and thought it was HIS role to make sure they were "legitimate"?? Now with this book he's yapping in the most indiscreet, unprofessional manner, and for WHAT? He hasn't said a goddamn thing of any importance to saving the republic. He's a DRAMA QUEEN, a MARY!!! and NUT JOB!!!!

I agree R415, Comey acted extremely unprofessional and unethical when he opened up the email investigation 10 days before the election.

This has never happened before to my knowledge, that a FBI director intervened to influence the election. Comey clearly did this.

The very scary part is that if he gets away with it, the FBI could do it again in future elections.

I very much hope the OIG report addresses this issue.

[quote]Trump should be thanking Comey for helping seal his win.

Oh, he did. You don’t remember all that dick sucking after he won. He even pecked him on the cheek. It was pretty conspicuous.

🙅 Enough, already..............Comey and Georgie Boy on GMA again this morning!

I guess we haven't been punished.

This was Comeys big chance to punch trump in the ass hard, and he tip toed around it all, : weak, chicken, wtf?

The fbi aint sposed to interfere before an election, its written in their by laws! but he did, and he handed the prez to trump.

DOOSH

HOW COULD U NOT SEE WITH UR LIL PRE ELECTION EXPOSE HILLS HAD NO CHANCE

Washington Post views Comey:

In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God, and then, on Dec. 14, 1960, I, James Comey, was born. The initials, as Reinhold Niebuhr would tell us, are no coincidence.

I have been called a human humblebrag. I certainly couldn’t speak to the truth of that statement, except to say that where I come from, we don’t like bullies and their mean words. Bullies are mean and small, not like myself (I stand 6-foot-8, with a head of lush dark hair and eyes that pierce into the souls of everyone I encounter, like the eyes of a hawk who has read Reinhold Niebuhr (I wrote my thesis on Reinhold Niebuhr.)).

I would venture to say that I am the protagonist of my own life and perhaps the lives of many others. Certainly, no one else has as yet stood up to take on this grave responsibility, and it was my honor to rise to this challenge. It is a little embarrassing to describe myself: I stand, as mentioned, about 6-foot-8, like an oak with a firm sense of right and wrong and large, capacious hands. When I first seized Donald Trump’s, I took a mental note (and later, a physical note; I maintain scrupulous contemporaneous notes) that they had vanished into mine, like a dormouse curled up inside an oven mitt. But most hands do that when confronted with mine, except President Barack Obama’s, and — I hope — Reinhold Niebuhr’s, if we ever meet, in this life or the next.

Not to draw any parallels to my time as a prosecutor against the Mob, but when I met Donald Trump, one couldn’t help but note certain similarities. Donald Trump would frequently ask me if I would like to be “made,” but I made a point to fob him off with a joke, saying, “I think I’ve been made already, Donald Trump, by a far higher power, as Reinhold Niebuhr would suggest.” Donald Trump did not laugh at these jokes. He never once laughed in my presence. I think it is a grave danger to democracy for a man never to laugh.

After we met, I glanced over at Jeff Sessions to see what he thought of it all, and although he spoke not a word his pursed, pink lips seemed to say that he was a weak, small man with no gumption. He was pleading with me with his downcast eyes to do the right thing. With my eyes I said right back, I will. I always have. I never swerve from what I believe, and you can bet a shiny nickel that I never will, sir.

One rough patch in my life was when I kept making announcements about Hillary Clinton. In my defense, her facial expression had given me no clear command. She was a woman with a circular, smooth face and hair the color of Old Testament wheat. I am sad to hear that she has still not forgiven me. All that I can offer to her is the fact that Reinhold Niebuhr says that forgiveness is the final form of love. If that is not enough to persuade her, I do not know what to say.

I truly believed she would win, and I have never been wrong before. Nor have I ever done nothing wrong, ever, in my life. I once saw George Washington chopping down a cherry tree. He had a ruddy, weathered face and small moons beneath his eyes, I assumed from making use of a surveyor’s tools. “What are you doing there, George?” I said, according to my contemporaneous notes.

George Washington looked at me like a little boy caught with his hand in the candy jar. “Jim,” he said, “are you going to tell?”

“I’m going to count on you to do the right thing, George,” I said. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship, one that I treasure almost as much as my integrity. I treasure integrity above all things.

I kept trying to read the Constitution to Donald Trump, but he did not take to it. I gave out mints to all my staff with their copy of “Lean In,” and with those mints, I included a line from the Constitution. But when I tried to impart a lesson, he ate the wrapper and spat it out in my face.

OMG, R421 - that is savage. Thanks so much for putting the text here. I was laughing out loud, but I do feel a little bad for him because I'm sure he put an earnest effort into this book and, really, in trying to be a good guy his whole life. But wow. That was pretty hilarious.

Sure he is a self aggrandizing ego maniac who wears it all on his sleeve but a lot of people at the FBI liked Jim Comey. And even considering all of the previous, that doesn't make him wrong about Trump. He's just not the best messenger.

[quote]I can't believe Mueller has been going at this for 11 months. I didn't remember when it all started. Jesus.

To be fair though Trump has been going at this for 71 years, so Mueller has his work cut out.

[quote] This has never happened before to my knowledge, that a FBI director intervened to influence the election. Comey clearly did this. The very scary part is that if he gets away with it, the FBI could do it again in future elections.

And if it does hopefully the American people will do their best to use their own impressions about the candidates to determine who they want to vote for. You know like doing research into what their politics have been and who they have supported, what policies etc. Too many people rely on these talking heads opinions and this propaganda we are fed to make decisions. If we make the same mistake again by not doing our homework then we have no one else to blame. I get that there are a lot of uneducated people but there was a time, even when I was growing up, that people knew how to detect bullshit. They knew when something was off, they used their "horse sense" and it was usually right. These were not intellectuals, these were just regular folks like my ma and grandma. You used to not need a degree be able to pick apart when something coming at you was false. That can happen again if more folks just decide to really pay attention.

But, no one seems to acknowledge the INTENSE pressure on many people to so-call stop Hillary Clinton. I don't recall ever seeing this with any other candidate. Whether it's misogyny, partisan politics, or whatever else, there was an INTENSE campaign to stop her and this intensive pressure had to extend to those who others thought could make a difference.

[quote]My initials are J.C. I believe that’s no coincidence.

This is perfect. Thanks R421.

Deplorables protesting in front of B&N at Union Square before Comey's book signing. (Video courtesy of Nan Goldin.)

"Dirty cop on the take for Clinton cash!", "Dirty rotten pedofile!", "Leaker and a liar"...

One normal looking woman tells Nan "You look like you belong in a zoo."

426 Hillary is a hawk. There are those that believe she would have had us invading Iran and most certainly would have gone to war in Syria. She's not afraid of a "hot" war. The intelligence community do not want a hot war. I'm puzzled how most of those who support or actually love her have missed this crucial point, she is a hawk. There are also too many around her who would not be afraid to go to war with Russia. The IC knew Trump would never antagonize Russia and that meant that the situation in Syria would remain as controlled as possible.

As bad as Trump is, and he most certainly is the worst in many ways. Hillary is no prize. The fact that they are investigating Trump means they have him by the balls. They can pull his strings to some extent. They had no such stop gap with Hillary. The pillaging of the government and everything else we are experiencing with Trump would have gone on with Hillary. Maybe she would still be protecting the environment, MAYBE. Hillary is a conservative Goldwater Republican from waaaay back. Please lose the rose colored glasses that she would have been anything but, at best, a moderate Republican in her politics.

Now those that are capable of being awake to how bad things are now have an understanding of... how bad things are. With Hillary and the other assholes in politics it would have been death by a thousand cuts until we arrived at where we are now, it might have taken a while. This way it came fast and hard and now we see the picture. Rape the government, take from the people, police state, get rid of protections, keep people ignorant, destroy credibility in media, corruption that is pervasive. America = Russia. We now know what we are up against, if Hillary were in office too many of us would still be asleep.

[quote]426 Hillary is a hawk. There are those that believe she would have had us invading Iran and most certainly would have gone to war in Syria. She's not afraid of a "hot" war. The intelligence community do not want a hot war. I'm puzzled how most of those who support or actually love her have missed this crucial point, she is a hawk. There are also too many around her who would not be afraid to go to war with Russia. The IC knew Trump would never antagonize Russia and that meant that the situation in Syria would remain as controlled as possible.

The problem with your statement is that is based on a feeling that Clinton would go to war. And I have a feeling that your feeling is based on her Iraq war vote. And I believe that her Iraq vote has been blown out of proportion and used as a weapon, among many other weapons, to discredit her.

[quote]The pillaging of the government and everything else we are experiencing with Trump would have gone on with Hillary.

I have no idea how you can support that claim, but please try.

[quote]Maybe she would still be protecting the environment, MAYBE.

A woman who campaigned for big investments in clean energy? Really? Can I guess what your response to this may be? That she over promised like all politicians do?

[quote]Hillary is a conservative Goldwater Republican from waaaay back.

I'm impressed that you believe how something someone does in high school marks them for the rest of their lives. Do you apply the same high standards to all politicians and every person, including yourself?

[quote] With Hillary and the other assholes in politics it would have been death by a thousand cuts until we arrived at where we are now, it might have taken a while.

Again, this is a complete projection. Do you really think that Clinton would have given tax breaks to the rich, that she would work on cutting Social Security and Medicaid?

No 430 none of what I wrote are my feelings, what I wrote was based on things I've read. Speculation in various columns, opinion pieces and editorials.

Hillary is a hawk, no question.

Should have said "What I wrote are NOT my feelings..."

430 if you have been reading since 9/11 happened, hell even before that since Reagan, the objective has been to "get the government small enough to drown in the bathtub." Things I've read about for over 30 years are coming true. Trump is making all the wealthy Dem and GOP dreams come true. Hillary's politics are not traditional Democratic policy, neither were Obama's neither were her husbands. A true Democrat has not been in office since Jimmy Carter, everyone else's politics have been moderate Republican. Obama extended the tax cuts, Obama appointed a Monsanto exec to the FDA. Hillary runs deep with Monsanto ties. The list is long. Do some reading.

This may hurt book sales even further.

Rosenstein Told Trump He’s Not a Target in Mueller Probe, Sources Say