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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsInside the tense, profane White House meeting on immigration (must-read from WaPo tonight)
Lawrence O'Donnell just read some of this article:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/inside-the-tense-profane-white-house-meeting-on-immigration/2018/01/15/13e79fa4-fa1e-11e7-8f66-2df0b94bb98a_story.html
The president then asked if Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), his onetime foe turned ally, was on board, which Durbin affirmed. Trump invited the lawmakers to come visit with him at noon, the people familiar with the call said.
But when they arrived at the Oval Office, the two senators were surprised to find that Trump was far from ready to finalize the agreement. He was fired up and surrounded by hard-line conservatives such as Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who seemed confident that the president was now aligned with them, according to one person with knowledge of the meeting.
Trump told the group he wasnt interested in the terms of the bipartisan deal that Durbin and Graham had been putting together. And as he shrugged off suggestions from Durbin and others, the president called nations from Africa shithole countries, denigrated Haiti and grew angry. The meeting was short, tense and often dominated by loud cross-talk and swearing, according to Republicans and Democrats familiar with the meeting.
Trumps ping-ponging from dealmaking to feuding, from elation to fury, has come to define the contentious immigration talks between the White House and Congress, perplexing members of both parties as they navigate the presidents vulgarities, his combativeness and his willingness to suddenly change his position. The blowup has derailed those negotiations yet again and increased the possibility of a government shutdown over the fate of hundreds of thousands of young undocumented immigrants known as dreamers.
This account of the events surrounding Thursdays explosive meeting is based on interviews with more than a dozen White House officials, Capitol Hill aides and lawmakers.
-snip-
Attendees who were alarmed by the racial undertones of Trumps remarks were further disturbed when the topic of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) came up, these people said.
At one point, Durbin told the president that members of that caucus an influential House group would be more likely to agree to a deal if certain countries were included in the proposed protections, according to people familiar with the meeting.
Trump was curt and dismissive, saying he was not making immigration policy to cater to the CBC and did not particularly care about that blocs demands, according to people briefed on the meeting. Youve got to be joking, one adviser said, describing Trumps reaction.
-snip-
But some White House officials, including conservative adviser Stephen Miller, feared that Graham and Durbin would try to trick Trump into signing a bill that was damaging to him and would hurt him with his political base. As word trickled out Thursday morning on Capitol Hill that Durbin and Graham were heading over to the White House, legislative affairs director Marc Short began to make calls to lawmakers and shared many of Millers concerns.
-snip-
In the late morning, before Durbin and Graham arrived, Kelly who had already been briefed on the deal talked to Trump to tell him that the proposal would probably not be good for his agenda, White House officials said. Kelly, a former secretary of homeland security, has taken an increasingly aggressive and influential role in the immigration negotiations, calling lawmakers and meeting with White House aides daily more than he has on other topics. He has very strong feelings, in the words of one official. But hes not a lone voice. Trump in recent weeks has also been talking more to conservatives such as Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) on immigration, these people said.
-snip-
By Thursday evening, many White House aides were concerned that the story was exploding beyond the usual level for a Trump controversy, but they carried on with their plans for the night: a send-off for Deputy National Security Adviser Dina Powell, a former Goldman Sachs executive and ally of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. Nearly every top official ducked into the exclusive Italian restaurant Cafe Milano in Georgetown to toast Powell. There was little effort to significantly push back on the story that night because aides knew that Trump had said it and that the president wasnt even too upset, according to people involved in the talks.
-snip-
Laurian
(2,593 posts)Again. Remember when many thought he'd keep Trump on an even keel?
tblue37
(65,408 posts)sfwriter
(3,032 posts)"In the late morning, before Durbin and Graham arrived, Kelly who had already been briefed on the deal talked to Trump to tell him that the proposal would probably not be good for his agenda, White House officials said."
OK, Kelly wants to play chicken, let's go.
Laurian
(2,593 posts)I think weak, lazy Donald will do anything Kelly tells him to do rather than engage in any deliberation needed to make a decision himself. The more I see of Trump, the more I believe he just doesn't give a shit about anything and is happy to let others make decisions for him.
sfwriter
(3,032 posts)...a few "President Kelly" editorials and he'll be gone.
Cha
(297,322 posts)is Lying for trump.
And, why Lindsey Graham is backing Sen Durbin's version of what happened.
Next time arm yourselves with a recording device, Dems.. if they'd let you get in with it.
kacekwl
(7,017 posts)He is lead around by many other treasonous pricks . He's too dumb policywise to care.
Stinky The Clown
(67,808 posts)Bleacher Creature
(11,257 posts)It's all a game to him. So when Durbin and Graham struck a deal with each other, all he knew was that it was technically bipartisan and could give him an elusive "win." The policy itself means nothing to him. Even the stupid wall is meaningless to him, although the simplicity of the idea allows him to pivot back to it if he ever feels like he's offended the hardliners.
ginnyinWI
(17,276 posts)All he wants to know is, "how are the (my) ratings?" As per the Wolff book, he calls his billionaire buddies in the evenings to see how the day has played with them. So needy!
Everything he says or does is to get media attention and approval. Especially approval, since he feels he has been treated more unfairly than any other President, ever! Doesn't see that it needs to be EARNED. You don't get it for being an idiot.
And yes, actual policies don't matter. Details confuse and bore him. Anything not centered on himself bores him.
Besides all this, I think dementia is creeping into the equation. Being so self-contradictory is a sign. He doesn't remember what he agreed to the day before so starts over.
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)He literally takes the position of the last person he talks to. So it is typical that he said yes to Durbin, and got his mind changed before Durbin arrived at the WH.
We have been told this, over the past months, but I honestly could not grasp how the hell that could be so, until the book confirmed it. The guy is a shallow as a puddle on the floor.
Dina Powell is described in the book as a well known wealthy socialite who is known for helping people like Ivanka access the
who's who of upper crust society, making introductions, giving valuable information, etc. Very much a key person for Ivanka learning how to be with the "right" people, in the right places, etc.
IluvPitties
(3,181 posts)murielm99
(30,745 posts)They seem very concerned about his "base." And who are they? Tiki-carrying extremists? Out of work people who hate everyone they think has ever slighted them? Who else? Are there any honest conservatives left?
I think their so-called base is shrinking daily.
nolabear
(41,987 posts)Kelly and Miller. Jesus.
TrogL
(32,822 posts)He has such poor affect that he's endlessly malleable.
benld74
(9,904 posts)Then add in the large foreheaded guy
And you got the trifecta of racists
dalton99a
(81,516 posts)The idiot doesn't know his ass from the ground
SergeStorms
(19,202 posts)who's governing for 30-35% of the American people, and everyone else can go take a hike.
On November 6th the 65-70% of Americans NOT represented by this administration must make their voices heard.
Democrats and Independents MUST take back the House and Senate so we can stop those bastards in the White House from poisoning this country with their racism, xenophobia, and class warfare any further.
Then the assclowns in White House can sit and spin on their fascist agenda. Let's give them a taste of what it's like to be helpless in the face of power. THE PEOPLE'S POWER!
sinkingfeeling
(51,460 posts)reasons. No refugees. No keeping families together. No lottery entrants. He is urging the orange a**hole to cut legal immigration by 50% and do it based on 'skills'. He also demands all people who entered the US illegally be deported, no exceptions.
highplainsdem
(49,004 posts)Roland99
(53,342 posts)whether he should be glad or mad about how things are progressing.
Complete and utter tool.