That was the most pathetic display of weakness I have ever seen in an American President overseas

[Recursion]

Shocking. Revolting. He could have physically licked Putin's shoes and it wouldn't have made it worse.

Once upon a time, Republicans at least projected moral clarity overseas, even if they undermined it with their actual actions. Not anymore. I'm just imagining Reagan saying, "Mr. Gorbachev, we are both to blame for this wall".

Jesus we're going to be digging ourselves out from this hole for the rest of my life...

[G_j]

1. Dan Rather:

—-
With the sound off, or the sound on, it didn't matter. From body language, to post-summit statements, to the optics, to the desperate handshakes, Putin was running this show - relaxed and in charge. Trump looked weak and desperate. Unbelievable. American power has been weakened.

[erpowers]

5. Putin Has Something On Him

Does this make you believe more that Putin has something on Trump? Why would Trump look "weak and desperate" if Putin does not have something? The only other thing I could think of it that Putin and other dictators make Trump think of his dad and Trump was never able to get over an unhealthy fear of his dad.

I was talking to a family member yesterday and said maybe Trump love of dictators comes from his relationship with his dad. I had heard that his dad was emotionally abusive. I wondered if Trump loved dictators because he saw them as strong men who could have stood up to his dad. Is there any chance that Trump sees a great deal of his dad in Putin and that makes Trump extremely scared and weak when in the presence of Putin.

[dalton99a]

6. +1

[True Dough]

2. Remember when?

[erpowers]

3. I Disagree

I only disagree with you on the part about "digging ourselves out from this hole for the rest of my life". Unless you will not live past two years I think we will get out of this before you die. We will be out of this hole once Trump gets out of office. The rest of the world understands Trump does not represent all of America. They believes what they are seeing in Trump is not truly America. They probably believe this is partly the result of Putin's meddling in our Presidential election. Most likely the world will never forget these years, but I do not think they will hold it against us for many years. We just have to make sure that no matter what damage Trump causes he is not followed by another Trump. The world will forgive us for one Trump. They may not forgive us for two Trumps especially if they come back to back.


I now realize you may have been exaggerating with your "hole" comment, but I still think the world will not hold Trump against us for very long if we get rid of him. On the other hand, he and his kids may never get out of the hole Trump has dug for them. The world may never forgive Trump, or his kids for what he is doing around the world.

[Recursion]

4. Damage to credibility doesn't work that way, unfortunately

Europe is already having to recalculate their relationships based on the fact that we have proven the US can betray its alliances this suddenly, which means they have to factor that in. And that changes a lot.

[Johnny2X2X]

9. Agree

Trump is a reflection of the the worst in America, that part of America isn't gone when Trump leaves office. The threat that we'll elect another monster like Trump will take generations for the world to get over.

[haele]

7. The problem with your premise is Trump is the front man.

You also need to get rid of the Russian Money and the mobsters/American Oligarchs who have embedded themselves into the system - or you'll keep ending up with another corporate stooge (McConnell/Ryan), or Federalist Society flunkey (Gorsuch/Roberts), or a "fellow-traveler" Evangelical (Pence) who is will turn a blind eye to those with more money than sense of morality in the name of Greed.
Hundreds more people than Trump have to go to jail for this to get cleaned up. And those people have already set themselves up to be above the law by virtue of their money and pre-placement of high level government positions.
There didn't need to be a conspiracy. There just needed to be a "wink and nod" quid pro quo between business interests and government going on since the Reagan era, courtesy people like Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Watts, etc...

Haele

[0rganism]

8. "if we get rid of him"

aye, there's the rub