President Donald Trump

[B-Fly]

Yeah, this kind of thing is not acceptable at all...you can publicly denounce the action by Trump, lay out the reasons that you think that it's wrong, and even keep close contract with your former peers. But rouge "diplomacy" should be denounced in a situation like this...not cool.

Agreed. Kerry has freedom of speech and association here to a degree, but his conduct here seems very improper to me.

[chancellor]

Did I just wake up from a coma? When did John Kerry become President-elect or get re-appointed as Sec of State? And, if this were someone from Trump’s President-elect team, we’d be pretty upset about this, wouldn’t we? In fact, we’d probably start an investigation or something. All smarminess aside, and I don’t know if he is getting anything of any value or compensation (he’s rich) or if this is just shadow (or is it shadowy) diplomacy, but is everyone really good with this? As the article mentions he seemed pretty upset when GOP congress members wrote an open letter stating they were not supportive of the accord he was negotiating when he was negotiating it.

If I were a Trump advisor, I'd recommend dropping a Logan Act or two charge on him.

[Bernie Brewer]

If I were a Trump advisor, I'd recommend dropping a Logan Act or two charge on him.

What’s the point? It would be grandstanding as there have been few if any individuals charged under this arcane and archaic law. What I find stunning (not really) is that MSM media hasn’t call Kerry on this more vociferously.

[nullnor]

this might be a lame attempt at an excuse, i haven't followed the story, but what if there was a moderate faction in Iran and a hardline one. and Kerry was trying to keep dialogue open with the moderate one? i don't really think there are 2 factions, but im just say'n. i guess i can see him going rogue since he was the one putting a lot of effort into the deal. it's pretty impossible to defend Iran's actions and behavior. im relieved Iran and Iraq didn't keep attacking the Kurds in Iraq.

[nots]

What’s the point? It would be grandstanding as there have been few if any individuals charged under this arcane and archaic law. What I find stunning (not really) is that MSM media hasn’t call Kerry on this more vociferously.

This.
Pathetic move by Kerry but it would be pure grandstanding to go after him. MSM is what it is I guess, but no way the GOP should go Logan Act here

[Hornsby]

And so it begins...

North Korea is threatening to cancel its upcoming summit between leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump over South Korea-U.S.military drills.

North Korea has also canceled high-level talks with South Korea that were scheduled for Wednesday local time over those same drills.

"If the U.S. and the South Korean government thinks that the improvement of North-South relationship and the U.S. talk made possible by our leading and generous efforts and actions as a pardon to open play-with-fire fuss like this war drill anytime, there is no greater misjudgment than that," North Korean state media agency KCNA said in a dispatch.

"We have no choice but to stop the North-South high-level talk scheduled for the 16th under the ugly circumstances where there is indiscreet North-invading war fuss and fight rampage," KCNA said. "... The U.S. must contemplate on the fate of the scheduled Korea-U.S. head meeting with the provocative military situation created with the South Korean government.

"We will keep sharp eyes on the U.S. and the South Korean government's future attitude."

https://abcnews.go.com/International/north-korea-threatens-withdraw-summit-trump-report/story?id=55184033

[Bernie Brewer]

And so it begins...



https://abcnews.go.com/International...ry?id=55184033

Whelp! Whatcha gonna do? Maybe John Kerry can jump in here on North Korea’s behalf.

I have by this time tomorrow that Trump rolls out a “little Rocket man” quip in the office pool. Who wants the over?

[Hornsby]

Whelp! Whatcha gonna do? Maybe John Kerry can jump in here on North Korea’s behalf.

I have by this time tomorrow that Trump rolls out a “little Rocket man” quip in the office pool. Who wants the over?

LOL...no way BB, I'm not taking that bet. He'll stew all night and won't be able to keep his little digits off his phone...

[swampdragon]

and I wouldnt take the bet that this is going to happen - I have insisted that it would never happen since the idea came out of president* mouth

[cardboardbox]

And so it begins...



https://abcnews.go.com/International...ry?id=55184033

Well now we know which one out of KJU and Trump is more unstable. At least we got something out of it.

[B-Fly]

Well now we know which one out of KJU and Trump is more unstable.

Setting the bar real high there, eh?

[revo]

Hmmmmmm....


In March, the Dept of Commerce fined ZTE, a Chinese-telecom company accused of breaking sanctions and doing business with North Korea and Iran, $1.2 Billion and banned American companies from working with them for 7 years. On Monday, Trump tweeted that he was going to help them -- 'Saving Chinese Jobs!!" -- and instructed the Dept of Commerce, which is an INDEPENDENT entity and does not report to him, to take it easy on them. Yesterday, it was revealed the Chinese government made a $500m loan to a company working with the Trump Organization on a theme park in Jakarta.

[heyelander]

Hmmmmmm....


In March, the Dept of Commerce fined ZTE, a Chinese-telecom company accused of breaking sanctions and doing business with North Korea and Iran, $1.2 Billion and banned American companies from working with them for 7 years. On Monday, Trump tweeted that he was going to help them -- 'Saving Chinese Jobs!!" -- and instructed the Dept of Commerce, which is an INDEPENDENT entity and does not report to him, to take it easy on them. Yesterday, it was revealed the Chinese government made a $500m loan to a company working with the Trump Organization on a theme park in Jakarta.

That's how business gets done! Good for him, sticking it to the government and getting some for himself.

[Hornsby]

It's just fucking exhausting trying to keep up with all the bullshit these people bury us all in. Today Trump admitted that he paid Stormy Daniels (through Cohen) to keep quiet. He also apparently called some undocumented immigrants "animals"at a roundtable discussion. The administration said that not only would they split up families who get caught crossing illegally, they'd keep the children in WAREHOUSES on a military base. Then there's NK, and more details on the 2016 meeting at Trump Tower...and the ZTE deal.

Any one of these things would have been a weeks long scandal under another President...now, it's so damn common it barely rates mention.

[Bernie Brewer]

It's just fucking exhausting trying to keep up with all the bullshit these people bury us all in. Today Trump admitted that he paid Stormy Daniels (through Cohen) to keep quiet. He also apparently called some undocumented immigrants "animals"at a roundtable discussion. The administration said that not only would they split up families who get caught crossing illegally, they'd keep the children in WAREHOUSES on a military base. Then there's NK, and more details on the 2016 meeting at Trump Tower...and the ZTE deal.

Any one of these things would have been a weeks long scandal under another President...now, it's so damn common it barely rates mention.

Ya know. I really hate “defending” the guy, but some of this is in fake news or at least twisted/distorted news. I don’t believe he “admitted” he paid Stormy Daniels and if he did please show me where this is specifically admitted to. He noted on his annual 2017 financial disclosure that he reimbursed Cohen for expenses, which people rightly or wrongly have assumed was for buying an NDA with Stormy Daniels. His attorney indictated that he reimbursed Cohen for this among other things. But I think the “hush money” comment is a bit of editorializing by the writer.

From CNN:

The document did not explicitly state what the payments were for. But Trump's lawyers have previously said that Trump reimbursed Cohen for the $130,000 hush money payment he made to porn star Stormy Daniels.
Daniels has alleged she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006, a claim he denies

As for the “animals” comment on immigrants, it was during a discussion with County Sheriffs in which they discussed their frustration with the conflict between federal and local laws regarding criminals who are in the country illiegally, specifically MS-13 members. Trump called them animals. But yet again, YMMV.