Trump Cabinet confirmation hearings **live commentary thread**

[Devout Centrist]

Can't believe that someone who voted against the Violence Against Women act will be our next Attorney General.

A guy who bragged about committing violence against women will be our President.

Once again, Americans get overestimated.

[Devout Centrist]

These shrieking purple haired chicks need to realize that heckling Congress never works.

Joe Wilson sure got punished harshly *nod*

[Devout Centrist]

Rubio just came back... trying to get Rex Tillerson to agree that Saudi Arabia and the new leader in the Phillipines are terrible human rights violators.

Has he become a Democrat?

You had to have watched other confirmation hearings before this one.  There's always a few who need to put on a show for the cameras.  It's just sport.  I doubt he cares about half of what he's asking.  But if this thread was national news, the Rubio mentions and faux Rubio love would have him grinning ear to ear.

If Rubio truly has  set of balls, he'll vote, no.  We'll see.

Balls? Rubio?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[Devout Centrist]

Tillerson's responses on the Ukrainian question concern me; I think he is too anti-Russia and too similar in his stances to #NeverTrumpers McCain and Graham. I would not vote for him if I was Senator, and would plead for a more acceptable candidate, such as Rohrabacher. But if I knew for certain Tillerson was lying (which is certainly possible), then I would vote for him.

I think Tillerson is an acceptable candidate for who he is, but not for his answers.

Oh my god I hope you're not serious...

[Devout Centrist]

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-I very much am. When Tillerson denies Russia's rightful claim over Krim and says "I would have recommended that the Ukraine take all of its military assets it had available, put them on that eastern border, provide those assets with defensive weapons that are necessary just to defend themselves", that is a recipe for worsened relations and greater confrontation. Ukraine is not a part of NATO; it is a loser country

Oh. I see.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDnj-PV1-tc

[Devout Centrist]

Both Corker and Romney would be confirmed ~97-0. There was no reason Trump needed to use Tillerson.

-Nope. Both would have substantial Democratic opposition and neither has as much experience negotiating with foreign countries as Tillerson. Romney, to my knowledge, doesn't have any such experience at all (except for being a Mormon missionary in France, which is underwhelming), making him an easy Democratic target for this. If we're only going to look at people with carbon-copy views on the issues, it's best to appoint the guy who has the most experience at negotiating and winning overseas.

Obviously, Rohrabacher would be best overall, as he is on record supporting Trump and has broad agreement with his foreign policy views. Tillerson, Corker, and Romney are not in broad agreement with Trump's foreign policy views.

Do you know how confirmation works or what?

Bob Corker is widely respected across the aisle for his foreign policy experience.

[Devout Centrist]

McCain says he'll vote to confirm Tillerson:

https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/823179101796081665

Spineless coward. Graham genuinely surprises me. Oh well, I'll toss him on the list with McCain and that idiot Marco Rubio.

[Devout Centrist]

SHOCKING!

[Devout Centrist]

https://twitter.com/SarahMMimms/status/826450051434176515

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Putting my personal biases aside, they look really bad when they keep on delaying his nominees. This is going to stick with them during midterms and Trump voters won't forget it.

Wow. Are you really that blind?

Sorry I don't mean to be rude, but we just saw it LAST YEAR and the party doing it won.

[Devout Centrist]

"DeVos questionnaire appears to include passages from uncited sources"

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/devos-questionnaire-appears-to-include-passages-from-uncited-sources/2017/01/31/50577dec-e7be-11e6-b82f-687d6e6a3e7c_story.html?utm_term=.e7037693764f

ARE YOU F**KING WITH ME?!

[Devout Centrist]

Politico: Collins is leaning no on DeVos

Let's see if she has a spine

[Devout Centrist]

If DeVos ends up being 50-50, with Pence as the tie-breaking vote, surely Republicans know the backlash they're going to face for that...

Anyone who is going to be extremely upset over devos being confirmed as education Secretary is already a hardcore democrat, odds are we hear very little about her if she gets confirmed

Devos is just so utterly incompetent and so clearly motivated by donations. She doesn't have the credentials for the job.

[Devout Centrist]

If DeVos ends up being 50-50, with Pence as the tie-breaking vote, surely Republicans know the backlash they're going to face for that...

Anyone who is going to be extremely upset over devos being confirmed as education Secretary is already a hardcore democrat, odds are we hear very little about her if she gets confirmed

Devos is just so utterly incompetent and so clearly motivated by donations. She doesn't have the credentials for the job.

Every cabinet has patronage appointments unfortunately but this is a position that has very little power in a department that is controlled mostly by mid-level bureaucrats.

Yeah, but does it have to be this obvious? Make her ambassador to some county and call it even.

[Devout Centrist]

RAND PAUL VOTES NO

HOLY F**KING SH*T

[Devout Centrist]

False alarms everyone

[Devout Centrist]

Bye Bye Flake, I'll gladly vote you out of office now.

[Devout Centrist]

I expect Heller and Flake to get a lot of backlash for their votes.

It was a mistake for me to ever think these idiots ever had anything close to a backbone. I won't forget this.

[Devout Centrist]

Good, glad she was confirmed. Democrats engaged in so much damn character assassination on this confirmation hearing. not only on DeVos but on all education advocates who supported charter schools or private vouchers.

She's patently an idiot. If anything, vouchers and charter schools will be discredited when she's done.

[Devout Centrist]

Manu Raju ‏@mkraju  10m10 minutes ago
Sen. Collins, Murkowski, Scott and Isakson all withholding judgment on Puzder's nomination after he revealed he hired undocumented immigrant


I'm guessing this will either end up similar to Tillerson (people pretend they are concerned and then vote Aye anyway), or Puzder may pull out.

He'll sail through anyway. F**king pieces of sh*t.

[Devout Centrist]

Final vote is 53-47. Manchin voted to confirm.

MANCHIN'S JUST TRYING TO BE POPULIST

[Devout Centrist]

You Manchin haters do realize that he's voting exactly the way that appeases the  majority of his constituents, right?

How does voting for a former Goldman Sachs executive accomplish this?

[Devout Centrist]

You Manchin haters do realize that he's voting exactly the way that appeases the  majority of his constituents, right?

How does voting for a former Goldman Sachs executive accomplish this?

Dude I don't know, but do you really think he wants to commit political suicide by voting for cabinet picks his voters all hate?  Sure he may make a principled stand and vote his own way once or twice but not on all the picks.

I kinda doubt voting against the likes of Mnuchin would really hamstring his career. Manchin has been able to build his credibility on defying both parties and generally being a populist. How the hell is his challenger going to nail him to a wall for voting against some elitists?

And no, I'm not suggesting he should vote down everyone or even a majority, but at a certain point you have to do wonder how much this vote really matters.

[Devout Centrist]

McCain to vote NO on Mulvaney

RINO

Hopefully this isn't serious

[Devout Centrist]

In any case, from a 2018-related point of view, I can understand Manchin and Heitkamp vote.

The WV Mountain Party will presumably attack Manchin a lot for voting for Pruitt.

Lol they'll get nowhere