John Adams

I've been saying this for pages. They can't see way their noses in this. Biden can go down too. But the current thread is about trump.

I'll simplify this for you because you're a simpleton. -Trump withheld the $400 million. -Trump made the call. --- Trump brings up US financial support for Ukraine as the first order of business after congratulations (think Zelensky wasn't docused on the $400 million that was being withheld?) --- Trump then presses Zelensky to look into Biden. - Trump later releases aid under pressure from Congress That's not a good story, and it's all incontrovertible. You'd be having a cow if Obama did something like this to Trump. Oh wait. I have seen your cow. Trump was the owner pressuring his contractor for more work before the final payment. <-that should be the Dem narrative. DR: Can you get that out on your wire service to your legion of followers?

It wasn't subtle. He was the owner withholding payment to the contractor until he asked for something else. He was doing something he's done a million times. And maybe there's a reason he wasn't explicit. He knew the line and probably because he didn't cross it explicitly (he brought up how generous the US is, then asked his favor of digging up dirt onBiden), he's going to avoid impeachment. And the Dems were idiots not to wait to read the transcript. But if you somehow think Trump didn't withhold the aid, remind Zelensky that the US had the aid to give, then asked his only favor...you're nuts. Because that's exactly what happened.

He was reported as being wary of running this time around and I'm too lazy to look up the exact quote but I remember it pretty closely, "They are going to bring up my boy." I remember it because of the "my boy" part. Not breaking, and he knew it was coming.

You can read the notes from the call. You don't need more sources unless there's more to reveal. -Trump withheld the $400 million. Despite some stupid board assertions to the contrary, even Trump says he withheld it: " I’d withhold again and I’ll continue to withhold until such time as Europe and other nations contribute to Ukraine because they’re not doing it." -Trump made the call. --- Trump brings up US financial support for Ukraine as the first order of business after congratulations and you better believe Zelensky is keyed in to getting that $400 million in aid (even DR now can't refute that Trump raised it first...the WSJ even spins its headline to note Trump reminded Ukraine president about U.S. aid before requesting probe ) --- Trump then presses Zelensky to look into Biden. - Trump later releases aid under pressure from Congress Outright quid pro quo on the call, no. Pressure applied to get what he wanted for Ukraine to investigate his top rival (and there was no other ask by Trump on the call), of course. Anyone who has been in business would recognize the tactic: 1) Withhold the final payment (something Trump is legendary for). 2) Ask for something because you have the contractor by the balls.

Umm, who?

Working out perfectly for Trump to win. Even though none of this will ultimately stick to Biden, the damage is done that his name is coming up. Dems are not going to blindly stick with him. There's a reason for the cliche, "Democrats fall in love, Republicans fall in line."

Congratulations on the Emmy nomination. Could be toxic for more people than Biden.

Above is everything Zelensky said before Trump brought up money. Zelensky brought up money and funding after Trump said the above: Hurts to be so wrong, doesn't it? You wouldn't care because your narrative is set but you were wrong about this. You can admit it. Really you can.

Don't be an idiot and question the transcript. No one doctored it. It's not a literal word-for-word reading but it's going to be close enough. I can guarantee you that Zelensky ain't releasing his recordings--he knows where his bread is buttered.

The global civil war and all...and you're at the center of it with all your insights picked up far and wide. You are the hero of your own story!

I love that you don't think this in any way relates to money, from the president of the United States. What the &*%^ else would he be talking about, bringing quartered oranges to Baron's next soccer game in Kiev? Trump: Well it's very nice of you to say that. I will say that we do a lot for Ukraine. We spend a lot of effort and a lot of time. Much more than the European countries are doing and they should be helping you more than they are. Germany does almost nothing for you. .. the United States has been very very good to Ukraine. I wouldn't say that it's reciprocal necessarily because things are happening that are not good but the United States has been very very good to Ukraine. Just let it slide for your own good. Trump brought up money first, and I corrected you. It's not impeachable that he did, but you can bet that funding was on Zelensky's mind.

And I think Tiberius is arguing that because it's not a recording, it's not a transcript. Lots of idiocy. We know what was said on the call. I don't question that. More to come but if it's not a lot more, the Dems got way out over their skis. Trump acted like a 3rd world despot but mostly because he's an idiot. And he probably did what he usually does, went to the line (we give you guys lots of love!) knowing he could go over if he just chose the wrong word, and made sure not to. Unless there's more to come, this is not a nothing-burger (Russian collusion was a nothing-burger...obstruction was less so), but it's not an impeachment-burger either.

President Zelenskyy: Well yes, to tell you the truth, we are trying to work hard because we wanted to drain the Swamp here in our country. We brought in many many new people. Not the old politicians, not the typical politicians, because we want to have a new format and a new type of government. You are a great teacher for us and in that. The President: Well it's very nice of you to say that. I will say that we do a lot for Ukraine. We spend a lot of effort and a lot of time. Much more than the European countries are doing and they should be helping you more than they are. Germany does almost nothing for you. All they do is talk and I think it's something that you should really ask them about. When I was speaking to Angela Merkel she talks Ukraine, but she doesn't do anything. A lot of the European countries are the same way so I think it's something you want to look at but the United States has been very very good to Ukraine. I wouldn't say that it's reciprocal necessarily because things are happening that are not good but the United States has been very very good to Ukraine. Quick question DR: How many times have your posts today been picked up by journalists? Is your Q rating up? Pulling for you guy.

Here's what I knew and said before the transcript, repeated many times so even someone as dense as you would have a chance at getting it: I've now read the transcript. It's troubling that our president directly pressured another country's president to investigate his leading political opponent. He withheld the funding before the call. He brought up the funding in a roundabout way on the call. There's a lot of smoke there. Maybe there's more to come, maybe not. Reserving judgment but I maintain my position all along that the Dems jumped the gun here--they should not have initiated impeachment unless and until they were pretty certain of success.

You're a dingbat. You can't question him this very second. He's going to get questioned. Relax brother. I know you like the urgency of "tomorrow" and "It's all going to happen next week," but it won't be too much longer until we hear from him. The fact that you, DR with all your followers across the globe who copy and share your thoughts as you say, don't yet know is not something most of us are worried about. It's coming. Have a cup of coffee and by about the time you're done, his name will be out.

You're living in the moment of this inquiry Mr. Knee-jerk Twitterbot. We will all know who this is. You use "anonymous" like it's an "anonymous" news story. This person's identity is known by a lot of people right now in government and the media. They are working out a deal now to get him to testify. Just let the process run.

The source here isn't anonymous. Just unknown to you and me (so far). You often say things like this to fit your narrative.

You'd love for me to be a TDS nutjob. That makes your pea brain easily do black/white thinking. You see TRUMP and your heart swells with all the goodness it represents and you see DEMOCRAT and it's the orc army of evil. Life is not that simple. Lift some weights with your brain and break out of the black/white narrative. There is some smoke here. At the very least, we know that Trump withheld earmarked money, his attorney admitted he pressed Ukraine about Biden (he also denied it--Trump may throw Rudy under the bus soon--the guy is a mess), and Trump had two calls. What more we don't yet know. I suspect that the call will show him pressuring the Ukies to investigate [something...not sure if Biden will be mentioned by name], but not show the quid pro quo link of the money he withheld before the call and released when Congress got up his ass about it. The Dem impeachment is absurd and not warranted (yet, if ever).

A distilled clip of the risk the Dems are taking, especially in advance of more coming out.

u 2 no red gud Trump before country!

I have said the impeachment is stupid because there is a lack of info. I've said we need to read the transcript and complaint. There is smoke now and some fire but not enough to reach any conclusion. Let me help you since you sometimes struggle: U no read gud

Or it is someone trying hard to spin this and other stories quickly. We will see what comes out.

Interesting to see the reporting that the whistelblower's complaint has more conduct in it than the July 25 call. Not sure if Trump's "openness" is him just trying to get ahead of the story or if he really did no wrong. But the complaint and at least the July 25 transcript will be on the table quickly, and I'm sure Trump would like to be the one spinning it first. His twitter-fingers are at the ready! I took my daughter to Taylor Swift a couple years ago too. Best part about that concert was zero lines in the men's room and the usual beer concessions were selling ice smoothies. Different crowd than an Eagles game!

The Dems are against nuclear because they think it's too dangerous. That's idiotic given how clean and safe it is relative to almost every other power source, but that's the reason. It has nothing to do with "If they really believed that man-made global warming was an existential crisis they'd be tripping over their own feet to switch to nuclear energy ASAFP," which I think you know, but I don't want to give you too much credit.