Chief Of Staff Mick Mulvaney publicly acknowledges there was a quid pro quo with Ukraine: "We do that all the time. Get over it."

Skunk · Oct 17, 2019

Everybody Lies said:
Rudy does it in interviews on CNN and Fox. He isn't doing that from the podium of the White House press room. That distinction matters a difference and I should have been clearer in what I meant.

I agree, and I suspected that might have been the intended distinction. Still, it depends on how you look at it, a press secretaries job is certainly to spin or omit negative information, but a criminal attorney probably shouldn't be appearing on news opinion shows at all; and yet, there he is, occasionally leaking substantially compromising information on national television.

Maxim726x · Oct 17, 2019

Uhh... What?

Mulvaney is not an idiot. Trump is for sure, but why would he just come out and admit to committing a crime?

I'm so lost.

ultracal31 · Oct 17, 2019

Tovarisc said:
"We don't want part of this"

https://twitter.com/Acosta/status/1184914782253699072

Trump later on: "I don't know who Mulvaney is, you'll have to talk to my chief of staff"

Tunichtgut · Oct 17, 2019

They can do whatever they want, some people with bitch about it on the internet, and tomorrow they continue doing their shit as usual. Who cares anymore!

lenovox1 · Oct 17, 2019

ChaosXVI said:
I just don't understand this...they've literally admitted to committing a crime. A pretty big crime. A crime infinitely more severe than anything Nixon or Clinton did. What more could it possible take for the Republicans to stop this? Or at the very least, for the Democrats in the House to at least Impeach him?

Oh, he's getting impeached. Pelsosi wouldn't have even started the investigation if she didn't have the votes. But and still, they need to gather evidence for the Senate trial.

Contramann · Oct 17, 2019

Yerffej said:
Seeing tweets about the DOJ saying Mulvaney is wrong on this. They can't get their messaging straight. What a shit show.

Because they don't have a unified message. As much as everyone is trying to make this seem like a huge shift into how the Administration will try to change the narrative, I get the feeling there is zero actual unified defense going on at the White House. I feel this was less "The WHite House is trying to normalize it" and more Mulvaney just looking out at the reporters and going "Eeeh, fuck it. I think I know how to defend this shit. I'll just act like it's no big deal." Notice he still, despite what he essentially said, refuses to attach Quid Pro Quo as a phrase itself to this.

Edit: sorry quoted the wrong person.

Golding · Oct 17, 2019

[QU

Tovarisc said:
"We don't want part of this"

https://twitter.com/Acosta/status/1184914782253699072

PlanetSmasher · Oct 17, 2019

Civilstrife said:
Why do you think everyone needs to be in the capital to effectively protest?

Because nobody gives a shit about people protesting in New York or California anymore. As long as the racist hordes control a voting bloc of states large enough to win an election, we have to interrupt the system of government at the national level to enact change. And even then, the Republicans won't care.

Really, the only thing that will change things is Republican voters growing a brain and a spine and forcing their representatives to act. And they will never do that.

Deleted member 43 · Oct 17, 2019

They are so fucking stupid.

This would not have had the traction to go the distance if they just shut the fuck up like any sane administration would have. But they just keep making it worse for themselves.

They are talking this administration out of the White House.

B-Dubs · Oct 17, 2019

PlanetSmasher said:
America is a capitalist society and people will lose their homes if they dick around on the National Mall accomplishing nothing for days and weeks at a time. The country is set up in such a way that sustained protest ISN'T POSSIBLE.

Even if it was, this still assumes good faith on the part of the GOP. Which we all know is crazytalk.

Maxim726x · Oct 17, 2019

Matt said:
They are so fucking stupid.

This would not have had the traction to go the distance if they just shut the fuck up like any sane administration would have. But they just keep making it worse for themselves.

They are talking this administration out of the White House.

Is he trying to sink it?

What other possible explanation is there? Mind-blowing.

PlanetSmasher · Oct 17, 2019

Maxim726x said:
Is he trying to sink it?

What other possible explanation is there? Mind-blowing.

The simplest explanation: they're just that stupid AND just that spiteful.

thefit · Oct 17, 2019

Maxim726x said:
Uhh... What?

Mulvaney is not an idiot. Trump is for sure, but why would he just come out and admit to committing a crime?

I'm so lost.

He actually hates Trump, it's known. But I still don't get it either.

Deleted member 41638 · Oct 17, 2019

Heard Hannity talk about this on his show today. Pretty much excused the entire thing because Trump is fighting for America and against corruption. So I guess the Republican motto going forward will be "The end justifies the means" so much for being the law and order party.

Maxim726x · Oct 17, 2019

PlanetSmasher said:
The simplest explanation: they're just that stupid AND just that spiteful.

Mulvaney is a lot of things... A craven opportunist, for certain. But he's not dumb.

Maybe they just don't give a shit anymore? Instead of trying to fight back against it, just admit it and see what happens? He'll never get removed from office even if he admits to a crime... Maybe the plan is to say 'Yeah, I broke the law. But that law is stupid! Everyone does it!'

EhieYovach said:
Heard Hannity talk about this on his show today. Pretty much excused the entire thing because Trump is fighting for America and against corruption. So I guess the Republican motto going forward will be "The end justifies the means" so much for being the law and order party.

It was only a matter of time. Just didn't think we'd get here so soon... The investigation is just beginning.

CascadingOCDuty · Oct 17, 2019

Republican trash all over the floor. Smearing their shit and vomit on the walls as they go. Who would want to be associated with the GOP after this? They will be rebuilding their brand for a generation if gerrymandering fails.

shadowsdarknes said:
Americans are so convinced that the rule of law and our institutions are always going to work. So if the White House openly admits to doing something, many will look at that statement and think

"Well if they admitted to doing it, it can't possibly be that serious. Nobody important is in trouble"

I appreciate those that watch this, because it seems like mind-poison to me. To constantly take in lies as fact has probably broken many in ways we will not know for years.

Pai Pai Master said:
I'm so very tired of all this. You have an admission of guilt now. Please just end it Dems.

Imagine thinking this is not about the Republicans.

CreepingFear · Oct 17, 2019

The closest I've ever felt to "sense a disturbance in the force" was election night 2016. I don't think we can reverse this. I'm going to get as much pleasure out of the rest of my life as possible, but I know a lot of people are going to suffer and die because of these awful greedy hateful selfish people and their followers.

LGHT_TRSN · Oct 17, 2019

Someone should tell Mick that according to previous administration officials, we do not, in fact "do this all the time."

TheGreatMightyPoo · Oct 17, 2019

Maxim726x said:
Uhh... What?

Mulvaney is not an idiot. Trump is for sure, but why would he just come out and admit to committing a crime?

I'm so lost.

Maybe to "nip it in the bud" before it inevitably comes out in testimony???

Not sure.

Shelbyville Milhouse · Oct 17, 2019

Man, I remember when I was a kid and thought politicians were just really smart boring people that cared for others.
And not complete idiots falling upwards to immense power and then being thrown out because photos of them jacking off to an anime pillow are released.
Good times.

UltimateHigh · Oct 17, 2019

so very punchable.

Kaversmed · Oct 17, 2019

What an absolute clusterfuck this fucking administration is.

Deleted member 43 · Oct 17, 2019

Maxim726x said:
Mulvaney is a lot of things... A craven opportunist, for certain. But he's not dumb.

Maybe they just don't give a shit anymore? Instead of trying to fight back against it, just admit it and see what happens? He'll never get removed from office even if he admits to a crime... Maybe the plan is to say 'Yeah, I broke the law. But that law is stupid! Everyone does it!'

It was only a matter of time. Just didn't think we'd get here so soon... The investigation is just beginning.

He probably just broke at that moment. I've seen it happen before to politicians under much less stress, usually for much more trivial things...

The pressure of lies and desire to tell the truth, especially when the lie was not something you ever wanted to be involved with in the first place, does tend to get to people.

Unless they are actual sociopaths.

cakely · Oct 17, 2019

Tovarisc said:
"We don't want part of this"

https://twitter.com/Acosta/status/1184914782253699072

I mean, obviously.

Get over it.

Deleted member 11413 · Oct 17, 2019

Civilstrife said:
Why do you think everyone needs to be in the capital to effectively protest?

They don't, but those are the types of protests being directly compared. Also the impact of a protest in the capital on the administration is much more significant than a protest thousands of miles away in a city with local government that largely supports the message of the protests. It's much easier for Europeans to go to their capital and protest directly against their central government than it is for most Americans. Similarly, it is easier for Americans to go out and protest their government than it is for Chinese people to protest theirs, since as Americans we have rights that Chinese citizens don't enjoy. Every society is different.

Yerffej · Oct 17, 2019

Contramann said:
Because they don't have a unified message. As much as everyone is trying to make this seem like a huge shift into how the Administration will try to change the narrative, I get the feeling there is zero actual unified defense going on at the White House. I feel this was less "The WHite House is trying to normalize it" and more Mulvaney just looking out at the reporters and going "Eeeh, fuck it. I think I know how to defend this shit. I'll just act like it's no big deal." Notice he still, despite what he essentially said, refuses to attach Quid Pro Quo as a phrase itself to this.

Edit: sorry quoted the wrong person.

Just imagine if they were the well oiled, criminal organization they wish to be. Proper fucked.

Jordan117 · Oct 17, 2019

Mulvaney is such a scumfuck. This is the same sociopath who stood at that podium and said they were totally right to cut school lunch programs for poor kids from the budget because there wasn't enough evidence it had a sufficient economic impact.

Deleted member 6562 · Oct 17, 2019

So it went from "NO QUID PRO QUO" from the GOP for days after we learned about to "yeah we did it, get over it"?

Steel · Oct 17, 2019

Maxim726x said:
Uhh... What?

Mulvaney is not an idiot. Trump is for sure, but why would he just come out and admit to committing a crime?

I'm so lost.

Who said Mulvaney isn't an idiot?

Deleted member 721 · Oct 17, 2019

wow that was easy

Torpedo Vegas · Oct 17, 2019

Should they really be using the elections have consequences line? I don't think it mean what they think it means. It's like they are admitting they are fucking up and never should have been elected. Trumps president, so here's your punishment, elections have consequences.

TokyoJoe · Oct 17, 2019

Tunichtgut said:
They can do whatever they want, some people with bitch about it on the internet, and tomorrow they continue doing their shit as usual. Who cares anymore!

That's a exactly what he said.

Christian · Oct 17, 2019

From "no quid pro quo!" to "we do it all the time! Big deal!" in like two weeks. The bones in my neck have turned to powder from the severity of the whiplash.

PlanetSmasher · Oct 17, 2019

Torpedo Vegas said:
Should they really be using the elections have consequences line? I don't think it mean what they think it means. It's like they are admitting they are fucking up and never should have been elected. Trumps president, so here's your punishment, elections have consequences.

It's kind of amazing, they're actually saying that Trump never should've won.

Civilstrife · Oct 17, 2019

PlanetSmasher said:
Because nobody gives a shit about people protesting in New York or California anymore. As long as the racist hordes control a voting bloc of states large enough to win an election, we have to interrupt the system of government at the national level to enact change. And even then, the Republicans won't care.

Really, the only thing that will change things is Republican voters growing a brain and a spine and forcing their representatives to act. And they will never do that.

I hear what you're saying, but it sounds like you are suggesting that there is no line that can be crossed that would cause massive sustained protest.

if Trump actually did shoot a room full of people on national television and the entire Republican party stood up for him, that wouldn't cause a massive sustained response?
My point is, there is a line. But for some reason, most Americans don't seem to think admitting to a high crime is it.

julian · Oct 17, 2019

xbhaskarx said:

This is the new line they're drawing? Lol. "We were just investigating the DNC!"

PlanetSmasher · Oct 17, 2019

Civilstrife said:
I hear what you're saying, but it sounds like you are saying that there is no line that can be crossed that would cause massive sustained protest.

if Trump actually did shoot a room full of people on national television and the entire Republican party stood up for him, that wouldn't cause a massive sustained response?
My point is, there is a line. But for some reason, most Americans don't seem to think admitting to a high crime is it.

I am saying that. I don't think there is a line that would cause massive sustained protest because it's not possible to sustain massive sustained protest in the continental US. You would need a constant revolving door of protesters and there simply are not enough people in the country to do that.

It's not possible. It's never going to be possible, not with our land mass as decentralized as it is, and not with our population as dumb, racist, and spiteful as it is. We need to convince the Republicans to act, and as long as they have the MAGA Hordes to support them they will never move an inch. They don't care.

Loxley · Oct 17, 2019

Weird flex but okay.

MalcomFleX · Oct 17, 2019

Time for all those republicans House and Senate members to change their "What proof do you have of a quid pro quo?!" defense.

Sho_Nuff82 · Oct 17, 2019

NEW - A senior DOJ official has now provided this statement to reporters further distancing the department from Mulvaney's comments: "If the White House was withholding aid in regards to the cooperation of any investigation at the Department of Justice, that is news to us."

First WH counsel, now the DoJ has to cover their asses because they confidently came out and said this wasn't worth investigating.

Edit: you also see the ouroboros of corruption at play here. Because Barr has announced the DoJ is officially "looking into" the origins of the Russia probe, the rest of the admin uses that announcement as carte blanche.

RiOrius · Oct 17, 2019

Maxim726x said:
Uhh... What?

Mulvaney is not an idiot. Trump is for sure, but why would he just come out and admit to committing a crime?

I'm so lost.

IANAL, but my understanding is that a foreign policy quid pro quo is not in and of itself a crime. "Turn off your centrifuges and we'll stop sanctioning you" is a quid pro quo, for instance. Foreign policy is all about (and this phrase now has a foul taste, but it's the best I've got) making deals like that.

So apparently Mulvaney's take on the situation is that it was a quid pro quo, but for legitimate foreign policy reasons of investigating political corruption, and if it just so happens to benefit Trump's chances of winning the election, well gee ain't that a crazy random happenstance.

Keep hammering the "Hunter Biden is corrupt and we're just taking out the trash!" message, Trump's supporters just might buy it.

Sho_Nuff82 · Oct 17, 2019

Civilstrife said:
I hear what you're saying, but it sounds like you are suggesting that there is no line that can be crossed that would cause massive sustained protest.

if Trump actually did shoot a room full of people on national television and the entire Republican party stood up for him, that wouldn't cause a massive sustained response?
My point is, there is a line. But for some reason, most Americans don't seem to think admitting to a high crime is it.

In this country, it honestly depends on who he shoots and what the talking heads said were the reasons.

There is no line for about 30% of the electorate, that is factually true.

The gears will turn slowly, but people will be defending this latest outage in the coming hours and days with a unified message. The Republican party cannot wholly betray Trump anymore than they could wholly denounce white nationalism or evangelicals.

Exile20 · Oct 17, 2019

If this whole administration is not in jail by the time this is over, fuck the democrats.

astroturfing · Oct 17, 2019

maybe Mulvaney lost it when Trump humiliated him in front of cameras for coughing lol.

Lunar15 · Oct 17, 2019

So like what are we waiting for?

Civilstrife · Oct 17, 2019

PlanetSmasher said:
I am saying that. I don't think there is a line that would cause massive sustained protest because it's not possible to sustain massive sustained protest in the continental US. You would need a constant revolving door of protesters and there simply are not enough people in the country to do that.

It's not possible. It's never going to be possible, not with our land mass as decentralized as it is, and not with our population as dumb, racist, and spiteful as it is. We need to convince the Republicans to act, and as long as they have the MAGA Hordes to support them they will never move an inch. They don't care.

Ok,
I'm glad I understand your position.
I do think you're wrong though.
According to the 3.5% rule, I think there absolutely are enough people to make a real change.

And I really have to disagree that your president murdering someone on live television wouldn't elicit such a response.

CopperPuppy · Oct 17, 2019

The last month: "There was no quid pro quo."

Today: "Was there quid pro quo?" "Yes."

PlanetSmasher · Oct 17, 2019

Civilstrife said:
Ok,
I'm glad I understand your position.
I do think you're wrong though.
According to the 3.5% rule, I think there absolutely are enough people to make a real change.

And I really have to disagree that your president murdering someone on live television wouldn't cause such a response.

Trump bragged about not losing voters if he murdered someone on live TV BEFORE he was elected and shit's worse now than it was then.

ultracal31 · Oct 17, 2019

CopperPuppy said:
The last month: "There was no quid pro quo."

Today: "Was there quid pro quo?" "Yes."

Tomorrow: "here's the evidence of the quip pup pro. Let's move on now..."

Steel · Oct 17, 2019

Exile20 said:
If this whole administration is not in jail by the time this is over, fuck the democrats.

What? It's not up to the dems whether they end up in jail.

Chief Of Staff Mick Mulvaney publicly acknowledges there was a quid pro quo with Ukraine: "We do that all the time. Get over it."

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