Comey Senate Intelligence Committee Testimony Thread

[The_Doctor]

TD, as an aside, are you hoping a democrar wins is in 2020?

Not sure the relevance but no. I clearly dislike the Democratic Party and the liberal ideology as a statist ideology that reduces freedom. I don't want to vote Democratic in the slightest in a normal situation (which this is not). Ideally I would hope Kasich or Pence (if cleared) becomes the Republican nominee and dispatches whoever the Democrats put up.

If Trump is on the ballot I'm hoping for him to lose the nomination and barring that a one term Democrat. That's my ideological preference.

Contrary to what you think I don't want a Democratic victory. And in fact Trump is a great benefit to the Democratic Party's mid to long term fortunes 4-8 years out.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

EnglishPete, you're not even American lmao.

The movement is bigger than Trump. We'll just come back with someone else in 2020 if Pence goes globalist. EnglishPete is missing that point.

[Santander]

MUH FREEDUMB

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

From the statement of Trump's lawyer:

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So, they're accusing Comey of having committed perjury today.

Also

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Haha there is nothing illegal about disclosing a conversation with the President as long as it wasn't regarding classified materials, which this clearly wasn't.

Once again, Trump & Co. demonstrate their stupidity.

While this does give good feels to the President and his cult, it's a failure in big ways.

For one, it gives the appearance that the WH agrees that Comey's statements are damaging to the President. They're a "big deal" in Trumpspeak. They're giving Comey the same kind of help the media gave Trump during the election.

Another is that it makes the WH look powerless. This isn't going to stand up legally, and even if it did, it's not going to silence Comey or remove his testimony. There's a line about never giving an order you know won't be obeyed. The Trump WH is like a toddler throwing a tantrum - they're just making themselves look bad (but letting themselves feel good in the short term).

[ProudModerate2]

TD, as an aside, are you hoping a democrar wins is in 2020?

Stop derailing the thread as always.

Why don't you ever call out ProudModerate2?

Because there is nothing ProudModerate2 has gone off topic with.
But you on the other hand ....

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

The irony of this is that actually one reason I want to remove Trump is to save the Republican Party from electoral annihilation and to atop the left from riding this into power.

Heh.  I see that as probably the sole upside to President Trump.

With a little bit of luck and a some sense from the American public, the GOP will join the Whigs (and other, less savory political parties) on the ash-heap of history, largely due to Trump.

(It's probably too optimistic, but without Trump there would be no chance of it happening.)

[Middle-aged Europe]

John McCain has released a statement on his odd behavior in the committee:

[Matty]

Trump gave the republican party the most electoral votes since 1988 and TD has the gall to claim he is leading to electoral annihilation.

LOL

Ironically, to save alabama football, I want to fire nick saban!

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Is that not believable though? That isn't to say that his underlings like Flynn are necessarily guilt-free, but from what I can gather, President Trump seemed oblivious that a request such as the alleged one he made falls far away from his powers to grant pardon or clemency. There is a reason why Comey can't really obtain proof of intent after all?

How can a person be so stupid as to think asking the head of the FBI to end an investigation into them, and then firing them for not listening, was not against the law? I'm sorry but I don't buy that. That is basic common sense, and if he is literally that dumb, he needs to be removed from office on that count alone.

I think the more likely reason was that Trump knew, and he just didn't care. He probably didn't think it would ever come out. Either that, or he didn't even think that far ahead, which I guess makes him stupid as well.

I don't get why any Trump supporter would even want someone that inept running the country.

He's their inept fool and they know his failure will likewise be theirs. They'll look like idiots and be discredited forever should he fail spectacularly. They have no choice.

You supported a candidate who obstructed justice during the campaign. I supported one who allegedly obstructed justice after the fact. I don't have one regret about my vote and I'd do it all over to keep that nasty woman who pimped out the State Department out of the White House. The deplorable aren't finished, but our leader may be.

[Yank2133]

Trump gave the republican party the most electoral votes since 1988 and TD has the gall to claim he is leading to electoral annihilation.

LOL

Ironically, to save alabama football, I want to fire nick saban!

They are going to lose the house next year.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Trump gave the republican party the most electoral votes since 1988 and TD has the gall to claim he is leading to electoral annihilation.

LOL

Ironically, to save alabama football, I want to fire nick saban!

We lost the popular vote. It was no landslide. We can do better.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Oh and Trump's lawyers and aides will be believable if we get them under oath to swear Comey is unequivocally wrong. They should offer to swear out that statement in testimony to Congress. Until then they're full of it because at this point only one side has sworn under oath.

Showboat swore an oath did he. I guess that makes him super duper trustworthy.

Compared to the other side that didn't swear on oath in their statements? Yep.

     People lie under oath all the time. I don't necessarily disbelieve Comey, but I am convinced at this point of something I have suspected since last October; namely, that he is a compulsive attention seeker. That tendency casts doubt on much of what he says.

Surely this describes Trump more than Comey.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Oh and Trump's lawyers and aides will be believable if we get them under oath to swear Comey is unequivocally wrong. They should offer to swear out that statement in testimony to Congress. Until then they're full of it because at this point only one side has sworn under oath.

Showboat swore an oath did he. I guess that makes him super duper trustworthy.

Compared to the other side that didn't swear on oath in their statements? Yep.

     People lie under oath all the time. I don't necessarily disbelieve Comey, but I am convinced at this point of something I have suspected since last October; namely, that he is a compulsive attention seeker. That tendency casts doubt on much of what he says.

Surely this describes Trump more than Comey.

Comey picks and chooses what he wants to leak/do in order to max out on publicity. Trump does what he's always done (Tweet) and the media freaks out. Comey gets wanted attention. Trump gets unwanted attention. Huge difference.

[EnglishPete]

EnglishPete, you're not even American lmao.

I thought we were all supposed to see ourselves as citizens of the world now? Is that wrong? LOL

The founders of the American nation, the settlers of Jamestown and Plymouth colony, were English so America is a closely related nation to Britain as well as being the most important country on earth. Its   not surprising that Brits should take an interest in what happens in the US.

[Virginiá]

Trump gave the republican party the most electoral votes since 1988 and TD has the gall to claim he is leading to electoral annihilation.

Honestly, this would mean more if Trump hadn't lost the popular vote by over 2%, or millions of votes, and just barely eked out wins in WI/MI/PA. His wins there do not indicate the laying of a foundation for long-term GOP strength, and in fact if you applied the same Obama-era presidential trend, where in light of big issues during their first term, Trump's reelection effort would garner him less votes than his first, it would then be expected that Trump would lose reelection, even if just narrowly.

Trump is president now, so there is that, but I'm not sure it would be a good idea to look at the electoral map alone and conclude that he did the GOP a favor. I think what is more likely is that Trump has damaged the Republican Party, and could very well end up bleeding them out downballot over the next 2 federal elections - conveniently right before the next round of redistricting, which is something the GOP badly needs to prop itself up in the face of unfavorable demographic trends.

[Santander]

Oh and Trump's lawyers and aides will be believable if we get them under oath to swear Comey is unequivocally wrong. They should offer to swear out that statement in testimony to Congress. Until then they're full of it because at this point only one side has sworn under oath.

Showboat swore an oath did he. I guess that makes him super duper trustworthy.

Compared to the other side that didn't swear on oath in their statements? Yep.

     People lie under oath all the time. I don't necessarily disbelieve Comey, but I am convinced at this point of something I have suspected since last October; namely, that he is a compulsive attention seeker. That tendency casts doubt on much of what he says.

Surely this describes Trump more than Comey.

Trump just likes being a shiny object.

Comey thinks he's a sheriff bringing truth and justice to the Wild West. His type of attention-seeking happens to be productive, but is also filled with arrière-pensées.

[ProudModerate2]

EnglishPete, you're not even American lmao.

I thought we were all supposed to see ourselves as citizens of the world now? Is that wrong? LOL

The founders of the American nation, the settlers of Jamestown and Plymouth colony, were English so America is a closely related nation to Britain as well as being the most important country on earth. Its   not surprising that Brits should take an interest in what happens in the US.

If EnglishPete is any example of "the English" during the days of "Jamestown and Plymouth colony," I understand now why we kicked their arse in the colonial days, and booted them into the ocean to swim back across the Atlantic.

[The_Doctor]

Trump gave the republican party the most electoral votes since 1988 and TD has the gall to claim he is leading to electoral annihilation.

LOL

Ironically, to save alabama football, I want to fire nick saban!

If you are going to attack me stop at least spouting like the r/The_Donald and taking your talking points from there.

Yes, we're doing so well right now as a party, with a President under investigation, a 38-58% approval rating on average, and a guy who lost the popular vote. He received a lower share of the popular vote than every other Republican Presidential winner since 1968. We're also the most divided as a party despite having Congress. That's because our President is an idiot who can't lead, who can't organize the party, and who who half asses things.

Also, 304 electoral votes isn't that much better than W. Bush's 286 and he won the popular vote by 2.5%. Stop pretending this is some great massive victory and that Trump is some realigning President. He isn't. He underperformed among the fastest growing segments of the electorate and everyone thought he would lose. He's not an electoral genius.  Also we received the lowest margin for a winning Presidential party in the House - a 1% win, compared to 2.5% in 2004 and better in the past. Don't pretend your man didn't underperform any winning Republican like John Kasich.

I warned consistently that Trump's Administration would lead to a long term wreckage for the Republican Party. So far, between his incompetence, Russian links, the attempts to obstruct justice, and to taint us all with his various misdeeds and stupidity, that prediction is working out very well.

You want to pretend Trump's White House is going to work out, sure, by all means pretend. But don't take a leak on my leg and tell me it's raining. Don't tell me that a President who's campaign under criminal investigation is going to be just fine.

Believe me, it's not me wrecking the GOP. It's you and your Trumpist ilk (Sanchez, this isn't directed at you) who are helping cement the image of the GOP as deeply unpopular. You and the Trumpists basically handed the Democratic Party a Republican President they would cook up in a Frankenstein factory and endowed that President with every single walking talking stereotype of a Republican.

Don't blame me for this mess. I was the one who voted Cruz and told every single Republican in 2016 that voting for Trump was a death sentence for our party.

In fact, take ownership of this mess and admit the President has created 99% of his own messes and led us to this day where a former FBI Director is alleging obstruction of justice. YOU voted for this with both arms and jumped straight into the ditch.

Either do that or at least take the time to make a good rebuttal instead of whining to me about my opposition to Trump because I predicted that he would make a giant mess of things (which you perfectly well knew was coming; don't blame anyone but yourself).  

EDIT: Oh, and every GOP Presidential family opposed Trump. The Reagans and the Bushes and even McCain and Romney didn't endorse Trump for Election Day. McCain withdrew his endorsement. So I'm in very good GOP company.

[pbrower2a]

This is devastating testimony. Whatever positive image the President may have had among those who like his agenda, he has left too many questions of his fitness as President.  

[Nyvin]

This is devastating testimony. Whatever positive image the President may have had among those who like his agenda, he has left too many questions of his fitness as President.  

Yeah, their best defense is quickly becoming "Well...Trump was too stupid to realize what he was doing!"

Which is just pathetic.

[ProudModerate2]

.... (trump) has left too many questions of his fitness as President.  

To anyone who had connecting brain cells, this was clearly evident from when the orange-haired clown was campaigning.
But yet (and sadly) .... here we are.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

The dow has risen 80 points over the course of the testimony.

That's telling.

That people thought it made it more likely that Trump would go and that the do-nothing GOP might pass something?

Or maybe that people thought this would ensure that the GOP would not be able to put anything damaging to the economy into law?

Or most likely, 80 points on the Dow these days is statistical noise. Even if it were significant, there's plenty of reasons one could plausibly give for the effect.

[GeorgiaModerate]

The dow has risen 80 points over the course of the testimony.

That's telling.

That people thought it made it more likely that Trump would go and that the do-nothing GOP might pass something?

Or maybe that people thought this would ensure that the GOP would not be able to put anything damaging to the economy into law?

Or most likely, 80 points on the Dow these days is statistical noise. Even if it were significant, there's plenty of reasons one could plausibly give for the effect.

Indeed, as it's now given up those gains (-0.27 as I type this).

[The Dowager Mod]

Keep it on topic people.

[EnglishPete]

EnglishPete, you're not even American lmao.

I thought we were all supposed to see ourselves as citizens of the world now? Is that wrong? LOL

The founders of the American nation, the settlers of Jamestown and Plymouth colony, were English so America is a closely related nation to Britain as well as being the most important country on earth. Its   not surprising that Brits should take an interest in what happens in the US.

If EnglishPete is any example of "the English" during the days of "Jamestown and Plymouth colony," I understand now why we kicked their arse in the colonial days, and booted them into the ocean to swim back across the Atlantic.

America isn't a nation that was conquered by the English and that later regained its independence. It is a nation that was founded by, mostly, English and Scots settlers who gained their independence. Not the same thing.