James Clapper (DNI): U.S. intel has not verified accusations against Trump

[Cashew]

Conservatives believe what Clapper says now? The dossier is real. The explosive facts about Trump's hotel activities contained within are unverified. That doesn't mean it's necessarily fake. They could very well be real, it could very well be false, but it hasn't been proven either way. So it can't be said to be fake in either case. The author of the memo, however, is not anonymous, has a good reputation, and has provided significant, authentic information in the past.

If there is even a chance it's real, this is a major problem, since our CIC is compromised to a foreign superpower. The best thing to do would be to get it all out now.

Nope, The burden of proof always falls on the accuser.

[Cashew]

Conservatives believe what Clapper says now? The dossier is real. The explosive facts about Trump's hotel activities contained within are unverified. That doesn't mean it's necessarily fake. They could very well be real, it could very well be false, but it hasn't been proven either way. So it can't be said to be fake in either case. The author of the memo, however, is not anonymous, has a good reputation, and has provided significant, authentic information in the past.

If there is even a chance it's real, this is a major problem, since our CIC is compromised to a foreign superpower. The best thing to do would be to get it all out now.

Nope, The burden of proof always falls on the accuser.

Right, so anyone who accuses it of being fake has to prove that it is.

[Cashew]

Conservatives believe what Clapper says now? The dossier is real. The explosive facts about Trump's hotel activities contained within are unverified. That doesn't mean it's necessarily fake. They could very well be real, it could very well be false, but it hasn't been proven either way. So it can't be said to be fake in either case. The author of the memo, however, is not anonymous, has a good reputation, and has provided significant, authentic information in the past.

If there is even a chance it's real, this is a major problem, since our CIC is compromised to a foreign superpower. The best thing to do would be to get it all out now.

Nope, The burden of proof always falls on the accuser.

I'd normally agree, except the people now screaming "FAKE NEWS!" spent the last year saying, "Who knows what sinister things could be in Hillary's missing emails. Better lock her up!" Those people should not now be allowed to hand wave this away. In this case I think the burden of proof has to be at least in some small part on the coward who refuses to release his tax returns.

I sympathize entirely with what you are saying, the Republicans deserve a reckoning after having demonized president Obama to a comical degree. Don't expect me to join in though.

As for the tax returns, It won't so you much good to press with that, Trump has sadly normalized that kind of behavior.