The 45th POTUS - Donald J. Trump

[Strat]

This line of questioning by McCain is completely incoherent. It's awkward to watch.

Very odd.

I was also confused. I think he was basically playing to his base by trying to illustrate and/or rule out a double standard, re: Hillary's investigation vs. any investigation of Trump. But it was so poorly executed.

So McCain pussed out?

[tragabigzanda]

This line of questioning by McCain is completely incoherent. It's awkward to watch.

Very odd.

I was also confused. I think he was basically playing to his base by trying to illustrate and/or rule out a double standard, re: Hillary's investigation vs. any investigation of Trump. But it was so poorly executed.

So McCain pussed out?

Assuming my read is correct, I wouldn't see it that way. Forgetting for the moment that I hate the GOP's basic platform, consider McCain's position: a lifelong leader of the party grappling with the pull between their historical base and the new blood brought in by Trump. The party leaders need to appear to be simultaneously committed to their traditional values, but also on board with #MAGA. So as a matter of prudence, I can see why he might want to get it on record that Comey and the committee were pursuing this inquiry with non-partisan diplomacy. If Trump gets impeached, it strengthens their argument that the GOP remains healthy and intact apart from Trump; if Trump stays, it positions the GOP leaders as having gone to bat for Trump.

I realize this is pretty thin based on the rambling course the McCain's questions took, but I think this is where he was trying to go.

[Strat]

This line of questioning by McCain is completely incoherent. It's awkward to watch.

Very odd.

I was also confused. I think he was basically playing to his base by trying to illustrate and/or rule out a double standard, re: Hillary's investigation vs. any investigation of Trump. But it was so poorly executed.

So McCain pussed out?

Assuming my read is correct, I wouldn't see it that way. Forgetting for the moment that I hate the GOP's basic platform, consider McCain's position: a lifelong leader of the party grappling with the pull between their historical base and the new blood brought in by Trump. The party leaders need to appear to be simultaneously committed to their traditional values, but also on board with #MAGA. So as a matter of prudence, I can see why he might want to get it on record that Comey and the committee were pursuing this inquiry with non-partisan diplomacy. If Trump gets impeached, it strengthens their argument that the GOP remains healthy and intact apart from Trump; if Trump stays, it positions the GOP leaders as having gone to bat for Trump.

I realize this is pretty thin based on the rambling course the McCain's questions took, but I think this is where he was trying to go.

And this is why i no longer respect McCain. He ain't going to be around for the bullshit of MAGA platform much longer. Trump humiliated him. He should stand for basic conservative principles and take this ass hand down.

I didnt sleep a wink last night. 5

[Anders]

This line of questioning by McCain is completely incoherent. It's awkward to watch.

Very odd.

I was also confused. I think he was basically playing to his base by trying to illustrate and/or rule out a double standard, re: Hillary's investigation vs. any investigation of Trump. But it was so poorly executed.

So McCain pussed out?

McCain asked if they were investigating Hillary. Comey said the Clinton e-mail investigation was closed. McCain seemed to hear this as that they had closed an investigation on Hillary in the Russia case, and he felt this was a double standard by the FBI. Comey seemed confused by this. After a few more comments by both, the misunderstanding did not go away.

[digster]

I mean, I just meant it in the sense beyond partisan agenda, he literally seemed confused, to the point where it was uncomfortable. He seemed to think the Clinton investigation and the Trump investigation were the same investigation, or were being investigated for the same thing.

[Anders]

[Norah]

This line of questioning by McCain is completely incoherent. It's awkward to watch.

Very odd.

I was also confused. I think he was basically playing to his base by trying to illustrate and/or rule out a double standard, re: Hillary's investigation vs. any investigation of Trump. But it was so poorly executed.

So McCain pussed out?

McCain asked if they were investigating Hillary. Comey said the Clinton e-mail investigation was closed. McCain seemed to hear this as that they had closed an investigation on Hillary in the Russia case, and he felt this was a double standard by the FBI. Comey seemed confused by this. After a few more comments by both, the misunderstanding did not go away.

I was listening on the radio and for a moment I didn't believe it was McCain, even though it sounded like him. It was that dense.

[McParadigm]

I mean, I just meant it in the sense beyond partisan agenda, he literally seemed confused, to the point where it was uncomfortable. He seemed to think the Clinton investigation and the Trump investigation were the same investigation, or were being investigated for the same thing.

I suspect the Republican plan was to come in with a lot of Clinton Qs alongside the other stuff, and Comey beat them to it by being as devestatingly blunt about that stuff as he was about Trump.

[malice]

McCain has been going senile for the last ten years, guys

[tragabigzanda]

Is John McCain ok?
http://theslot.jezebel.com/is-john-mccain-okay-1795928806#_ga=2.171974048.207639663.1496935436-416656398.1488222804

[tragabigzanda]

I watched McCain' bit again and I take it all back, he has no idea what he's saying.

[Jorge]

RM mayor Danny O'Malley chimes in:

If people are trying to understand what the hell John McCain was talking about. He is old and uninformed and doesn't know the difference between the email server issue and the Russian leak of Podestas emails. The email server and the Russian leak of those emails are completely separate investigations. Just felt the need to clear that up.

[Anders]

[McParadigm]

The weirdest thing about McCain's questioning is the fact that it is the most discussed part of the hearing on this message board.

[Strat]

Were you scratching your head during Senator John McCain's testimony today? You weren't the only one. It seems McCain found out that a lot of people were baffled by his line of questioning and his mistakes (such as saying President Comey). Here's a statement from the Arizona Senator:

“I get the sense from Twitter that my line of questioning today went over people’s heads. Maybe going forward I shouldn’t stay up late watching the Diamondbacks night games.
What I was trying to get at was whether Mr. Comey believes that any of his interactions with the President rise to the level of obstruction of justice. In the case of Secretary Clinton’s emails, Mr. Comey was willing to step beyond his role as an investigator and state his belief about what ‘no reasonable prosecutor’ would conclude about the evidence. I wanted Mr. Comey to apply the same approach to the key question surrounding his interactions with President Trump—whether or not the President’s conduct constitutes obstruction of justice. While I missed an opportunity in today’s hearing, I still believe this question is important, and I intend to submit it in writing to Mr. Comey for the record.”

[tragabigzanda]

The weirdest thing about McCain's questioning is the fact that it is the most discussed part of the hearing on this message board.

As thrilling as it was to listen to Comey's testimony and imagine Trump squirming, there wasn't a whole lot that felt especially new -- it mostly just confirmed what the narrative has appeared to be for a while now. Which more or less leaves us at the same place: will anyone actually do anything about it?

[tragabigzanda]

Were you scratching your head during Senator John McCain's testimony today? You weren't the only one. It seems McCain found out that a lot of people were baffled by his line of questioning and his mistakes (such as saying President Comey). Here's a statement from the Arizona Senator:

“I get the sense from Twitter that my line of questioning today went over people’s heads. Maybe going forward I shouldn’t stay up late watching the Diamondbacks night games.
What I was trying to get at was whether Mr. Comey believes that any of his interactions with the President rise to the level of obstruction of justice. In the case of Secretary Clinton’s emails, Mr. Comey was willing to step beyond his role as an investigator and state his belief about what ‘no reasonable prosecutor’ would conclude about the evidence. I wanted Mr. Comey to apply the same approach to the key question surrounding his interactions with President Trump—whether or not the President’s conduct constitutes obstruction of justice. While I missed an opportunity in today’s hearing, I still believe this question is important, and I intend to submit it in writing to Mr. Comey for the record.”

thanks Strat

[Norah]

The weirdest thing about McCain's questioning is the fact that it is the most discussed part of the hearing on this message board.

As thrilling as it was to listen to Comey's testimony and imagine Trump squirming, there wasn't a whole lot that felt especially new -- it mostly just confirmed what the narrative has appeared to be for a while now. Which more or less leaves us at the same place: will anyone actually do anything about it?

Comey orchestrating the leak to force the appointment of a special prosecutor was a big reveal.

[tragabigzanda]

The weirdest thing about McCain's questioning is the fact that it is the most discussed part of the hearing on this message board.

As thrilling as it was to listen to Comey's testimony and imagine Trump squirming, there wasn't a whole lot that felt especially new -- it mostly just confirmed what the narrative has appeared to be for a while now. Which more or less leaves us at the same place: will anyone actually do anything about it?

Comey orchestrating the leak to force the appointment of a special prosecutor was a big reveal.

Sure, but I don't see what impact that could have on a potential impeachment. Any blowback that might come from that would likely happen outside of such proceedings, wouldn't it?

[Jorge]

I think it's time to put this in OB where it belongs.