2018 November 29 ☆ Thursday

By Nancy Langley, Policy Choices
Originally published November 29, 2018 | 3:03pm

MOST RECENT UPDATE: NOVEMBER 29, 2018 |11:59PM
Updated as new tweets are posted and for clerical edits.

Morning Tweets

1st Tweet

General Motors

~ In what way is General Motors “counter” to other auto companies? What does “counter mean?

~ Where are steel plants opening? Which existing steel plants are renovating?

~ What car manufacturers have U.S. factories?

~ How many cars (and car parts) are made exclusively in any single country?

~ Which criteria are examined to determine whether an economy is “booming”?

~ Will those criteria vary across different interests? For example, will a person who works at minimum wage in retail consider stock market activities to be relevant to their personal economy? Does the personal, micro-scale of economic experiences compare to macro-economic trends in the same manner and direction?

2nd & 3rd Tweets

Mueller Investigation

~ Did Congress investigate Hillary Clinton’s actions in Benghazi?

~ Did Congress investigate Hillary Clinton’s usage of a private email server?

~ Was Hillary Clinton charged with any crimes by the Republican controlled Senate?

~ Which political parties controlled the

— Executive branch (Presidency + agency administrators) and the
— Legislative branch (Congress: House of Representatives + Senate)

– when the FBI investigated Clinton?
– when the Special Counsel was assigned to investigate Russian involvement in the outcome of the 2016 election?

~ What factual evidence would the president need to possess to insist that “crimes were committed by … Clinton and … Democrats”?

~ Would that factual evidence be the actual email messages that were hacked by Russia, and who asked by Trump to “find the 30k missing Clinton emails”?

~ If that is true, does that not suggest that Trump personally has knowledge of a wide range of illegal activities committed by multiple individuals, companies and Russian military operatives?

BEGIN QUOTE
When will this illegal Joseph McCarthy style Witch Hunt, on that has shattered so many innocent lives, ever end - or will it just go on forever? After wasting more than $40,000,000 (is that possible?), it has proven only one thing - there was NO Collusion with Russia. So Ridiculous!
END QUOTE

Summary description of former Senator Joseph McCarthy (R-Wisconsin)

McCarthy had no shred of evidence … Inhibited neither by scruples nor by logic, he lashed out in every direction … he distracted the public by striking out with still more sensational accusations … McCarthy was a totally unscrupulous demagogue.

Garraty, John A. and McCaughey, Robert A., The American Nation: A History of the United States: Sixth Edition, pp. 839-841.

The description of McCarthy’s actions does not describe an investigation that has resulted in (currently) criminal indictments against 32 individuals, companies and foreign military operatives.

In fact, that description more closely resembles the presidential style of Trump.

4th & 5th Tweets

Cancellation of Meeting with Russia

No formal steps to cancel the Summit with Putin have been made, according to MSNBC researchers who inquired following this tweet.

BEGIN QUOTE
Based on the fact that the ships and sailors have not been returned to Ukraine from Russia, I have decided it would be best for all parties concerned to cancel my previously scheduled meeting ... QUOTE CONTINUES IN NEXT TWEET

CONTINUE QUOTE
.... in Argentina with President Vladimir Putin. I look forward to a meaningful Summit again as soon as this situation is resolved.
END QUOTE

Evening Tweets

1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th Tweets
Book Promotions

With the exception of House Majority Whip Steve Scalise’s book, the rest of these are pro-Trump reads. My only reaction to this flurry of self-promotion is that it reminded me of something I used to laugh at on Saturday Night Live. Perhaps you remember the Stuart Smalley character (played by Al Franken) as well?

The president has had a rather difficult day today.

6th Tweet

WSJ Opinion Article about Pharmaceutical Companies

Tweet references an article in the Wall Street Journal titled, "Opinion | Sticking it to Pharma - With Competition".

7th Tweet

Planning for 2020 Re-Election / RNC Chair

BEGIN QUOTE
As RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel oversaw history defying gains in the Senate and unprecedented fundraising strength. I have asked her to serve another term for my 2020 re-elect, because there is no one better for the job!
END QUOTE

8th Tweet

Announces Flight Landing in Argentina

BEGIN QUOTE
Just landed in Argentina with @FLOTUS Melania!
#G20Summit
END QUOTE

9th & 10th Tweets

Mueller Investigation | Denial

Trump quotes Gregg Jarrett:
BEGIN QUOTE
"This demonstrates the Robert Mueller and his partisans have no evidence, not a whiff of collusion, between Trump and the Russians. Russian project legal. Trump Tower meeting (son Don), perfectly legal. He wasn't involved with hacking." Gregg Jarrett.
A total Witch Hunt!
END QUOTE

Trump quotes Alan Dershowitz.
BEGIN QUOTE
"Alan Dershowitz: 'These are not crimes. He (Mueller) has no authority to be a roving Commissioner. I don't see any evidence of crimes.'

This is an illegal Hoax that should be ended immediately. Mueller refuses to look at the real crimes on the other side. Where is the IG REPORT?
END QUOTE

Oddly enough, that is similar to how prominent Russians respond: it is all “fake”.

(Source: Footage comparisons of Trump responses side by side to a Russian spokesperson’s responses. – Sorry – it’s been a long day and I did not get the name of the Russian person being interviewed.)

11th Tweet

Comment about G20 Summit

BEGIN QUOTE
Arrived in Argentina with a very busy two days planned. Important meetings scheduled throughout. Our great Country is extremely well represented. Will be very productive!
END QUOTE