When I readthis Washinton Post storyI thought “what if what is happening in the United States was happening in Russian?” What if Putin was in charge of theRussian spy agency equivalent of the CIA or FBIand he had a president of Russia who was a doppelganger of Donald Trump”
“The Apprentice: Trump, Russia and the Subversion of American Democracy” by Greg Millerwww.washingtonpost.com/...
The chapter from “The Apprentice” by Greg Miller (about the author) published in the Washington Post describes how on his second day in office Trump went to the CIA and stood in front of the hallowed wall of stars for fallen agents and gave unscripted remarks. Consider what Putin as a head of the Russian equivalent of the CIA would have thought about this in a new president came to his headquarters and this happened:
Absorbed in self-adulation and grievance, Trump was blind to a stunning array of problems, some in plain view from the CIA stage: the failings of a national security adviser he’d insisted on hiring despite warnings; the existence of a larger agency workforce beyond this clapping, self-selected crowd that would be profoundly disturbed by his vainglorious performance; the fragments of intelligence being assembled several floors directly above him in Russia House that would help expose a web of connections between his campaign and Moscow, and feed into investigations that would threaten his presidency.
Trump’s ability to see these perils was impaired by his own unfamiliarity with the norms of governance, his insecurity and self-regard. Other presidents had varying levels of these traits, but none had ever possessed such a concentrated combination. These qualities had been on display from the start of his campaign. But now, against a backdrop that symbolized the profound burden of presidential responsibility, his shortcomings seemed suddenly and gravely consequential.
Of course, if Putin was really in charge of one of the primary Russian intelligence agencies he would have been compiling intelligence about all the possible politicians within his own government who could end up as the president. It may not be our way, but I am sure it was the Russian way before Putin became president.
Let’s say Putin decided to give the new president the benefit of the doubt and wait to see how he governed.
Then over time the new president attacked the intelligence community run by Putin repeatedly and relied on the Russian equivalents of Sean Hannity, Lou Dobbs, and Jeanine Pirro (not that there are any Russian counterparts to these people) who told him that the Russian spy agencies were part of a deep state out to undermine his authority.
What if the Russian president demanded that top-secret documents which could compromise investigations and put agent’s lives in danger?
What if, in an interview with the media he said“I hope to be able revealthe corruption of the Russian intelligence community and make this one of my crowning achievements by exposing something that is truly a cancerin our country.” (see Interview with The Hill)
Finally, after an exhaustive investigation, what if Putin decided that he could prove that the president of Russia had conspired with the United States?
What would Putin have done?
President Trump should thank his lucky stars that he is the president of a constitutional democracy.
The master of distraction is trying to turn attention away from the #KreepyKav hearing with this:
One Russian insider whom I cannot name has emphasized that Trump is merely a tool to Putin’s determination to cause chaos in America.
As long as America stays locked within its domestic political turmoil, its role on the world stage is diminished and, reciprocally, Russia’s is enhanced. This analyst suggests that, if Democrats win the House of Representatives in November, Putin will release such damning information on Trump that the new Democratic House will be forced to draw up articles of impeachment.
With a Senate that may still lack a two-thirds majority to convict given the Republicans are expected to hold onto more than a third of the seats, such a release would tie up the United States in domestic knots for at least a year and a half, perhaps two — right up until 2020.
This political immolation would be Trump’s last service as a stooge of Putin’s.
This was my original story. I wrote it last night but thought of a better subject (above)
Not online - I posted the editorial below instead
By a “real wife” I mean a wife who would give him wise counsel and rein him in from acting on his worst impulses, someone like Edith Bunker. Can you imagine how horrible Archie would have been without her?
A real wife, a good wife, is a helpmate, a life partner who knows your foibles and can keep you from acting like an asshole. She would protect her husband from his worst angels by functioning as his better angel.
Yesterday was a perfect example.
If Trump had a real wife:
he never would have made those obnoxious insensitive Tweets
he would have allowed her to help him craft what would be seen as a heartfelt presidential Tweet, a somber sincere testimonial to the lives lost and the heroes of 9-11.
he wouldn’t have made the spectacle of himself when he raised his fists after disembarking from Marine One in Spartanburg. If one photo, this one which has gone viral, could bring down a presidency it might be this one.
he wouldn't have made that outrageous statement about how well he handled the aftermath of the hurricane in Puerto Rico (watch the infamous video of Trump throwing paper towels to victims of the hurricane in a disaster relief distribution center at Cavalry Chapel in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Oct. 3, 2017)
That is just from yesterday.
He also would have totally ignored the anonymous NY Times OpEd. I could go on, and on, and on.
If Trump had a real wife he wouldn't be proving that he has the empathy of a garden slug. Instead, she would be giving him guidance and his behavior wouldn't demonstrate that all the things being said about him are true.
Perhaps if Trump had a real wife he would never wonder whether she married him for his money and stays with him for the sake of appearances. They would be sleeping in the same bed and maybe he wouldn't be acting out his sexual frustration by rage Tweeting early in the morning. If he felt loved physically and emotionally he might not feel compelled to brag about how great he was all the time.
We’re lucky Trump doesn’t have a real wife. All he has is Melania. She’s not going to say “Oh, Archie!” when he’s about to go “Archie Bunker” and he now to say affectionately "You know somethin', Melania? You're a pip. You know that? A real pip."
U.S. President Donald Trump throws rolls of paper towels to a crowd of local residents affected by Hurricane Maria as he visits a disaster relief distribution center at Cavalry Chapel in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Oct. 3, 2017. Jonathan Ernst / Reuters
A real life would just make him better at feigning empathy. We’re lucky there’s nobody in his orbit to stop him from acting like a vain uncaring blowhard, not a real wife, not a first daughter, not even a second daughter.
This is good for us. He will keep acting like someone who is better at throwing paper towels than at being president.
This was my original story. I wrote it last night but thought of a better subject (above)
