"You Can't Go Any Lower": Inside the West Wing, Trump Is Apoplectic as Allies Fear Impeachment

[highplainsdem]

Source: Vanity Fair

Until now, Robert Mueller has haunted Donald Trump’s White House as a hovering, mostly unseen menace. But by securing indictments of Paul Manafort and Rick Gates, and a surprise guilty plea from foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos, Mueller announced loudly that the Russia investigation poses an existential threat to the president. “Here’s what Manafort’s indictment tells me: Mueller is going to go over every financial dealing of Jared Kushner and the Trump Organization,” said former Trump campaign aide Sam Nunberg. “Trump is at 33 percent in Gallup. You can’t go any lower. He’s fucked.”

-snip-

As Mueller moves to interview West Wing aides in the coming days, advisers are lobbying for Trump to consider a range of stratagems to neutralize Mueller, from conciliation to a declaration of all-out war. One Republican explained Trump’s best chance for survival is to get his poll numbers up. Trump’s lawyer Ty Cobb has been advocating the view that playing ball will lead to a quick resolution (Cobb did not respond to a request for comment). But these soft-power approaches are being criticized by Trump allies including Steve Bannon and Roger Stone, who both believe establishment Republicans are waiting for a chance to impeach Trump. “The establishment has proven time and time again they will fuck Trump over,” a Bannon ally told me.

In a series of phone calls with Trump on Monday and Tuesday, Bannon told the president to shake up the legal team by installing an aggressive lawyer above Cobb, according to two sources briefed on the call. Bannon has also discussed ways to pressure Congress to defund Mueller’s investigation or limit its scope. “Mueller shouldn’t be allowed to be a clean shot on goal,” a Bannon confidant told me. “He must be contested and checked. Right now he has unchecked power.”

Bannon’s sense of urgency is being fueled by his belief that Trump’s hold on power is slipping. The collapse of Obamacare repeal, and the dimming chances that tax reform will pass soon—many Trump allies are deeply pessimistic about its prospects—have created the political climate for establishment Republicans to turn on Trump. Two weeks ago, according to a source, Bannon did a spitball analysis of the Cabinet to see which members would remain loyal to Trump in the event the 25th Amendment were invoked, thereby triggering a vote to remove the president from office. Bannon recently told people he’s not sure if Trump would survive such a vote. “One thing Steve wants Trump to do is take this more seriously,” the Bannon confidant told me. “Stop joking around. Stop tweeting.”

-snip-

Read more: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/11/the-west-wing-trump-is-apoplectic-as-allies-fear-impeachment

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Must-read article.

It also has the scoop that Trump is now blaming Jared Kushner for the decisions he made firing Flynn and Comey. That's being discussed now on MSNBC. The article's author, Gabriel Sherman, is on. But with only four paragraphs allowed here, I quoted the ones most relevant to the headline.

[tanyev]

1. Mmmm. Schadenfreudelicious.

[fierywoman]

13. Or as Colbert said: Papadopolicious!

[gibraltar72]

2. Are you

happy to see me? Or are you wearing a wire?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

3. Even at this stage, tRump might not survive a Cabinet vote against him on 25th Amendment grounds.

Worst President Ever.

[highplainsdem]

5. I remember reading elsewhere that Bannon was worried about the 25th Amendment. Trump didn't know

what it was.

[lagomorph777]

22. A few weeks ago Bannon told Turd he has a 30% chance of surviving 25th Amendment

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/10/donald-trump-is-unraveling-white-house-advisers

[FakeNoose]

14. That's saying a lot too

Trump's cabinet would presumably all be out of a job if they voted for the 25th Amendment. Personally I'd love to see that scenario play out, but it's a long shot. For one thing, we'd have to assume that Pence would come in as #46.

More likely the Congressional impeachment process will begin a slow rumble, especially if the GOP does badly next year.

Meanwhile Bobby Three Sticks, keep up the good work!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

16. Voting to 25th tRump might be easier than resigning and might be seen as more honorable. . . nt

[treestar]

42. they might be willing to be out of a job

it's probably so stressful working there that quitting might describe it better.

[angrychair]

17. I have to disagree

This cabinet is the worse in modern history, if not in all of US history.
They are the saddest group of unqualified, narcissistic, ass-kissing sycophants I have ever seen.
You could never get a plurality to vote to impeach trump because:
1) it doesn’t make the investigation go away

2) the investigation will still likely ensnare or deeply tarnish Pence and others in the cabinet, making them completely ineffective.

Removing trump this way is symbolic at best, an admission of guilt at worse and likely to do nothing to stop what is already happening.

[yurbud]

19. the only way Pence would be better is he might have a slightly better grip on reality and

be constrained by it more than Trump is.

That is, he could imagine the possible consequences if he over-reaches for his masters and the public doesn't like it.

Trump lacks that level of insight.

[angrychair]

28. I doubt it

Pence want to “hang all the gays” and is anti-choice and wants attacks the rights of women and the LGBTQ and would happily criminalize their every action

[yurbud]

47. good point though Pence has some knowledge of the legislative process to get it done

[Phoenix61]

4. Of course he's blaming someone

It couldn't possibly be his fault. It's awesome if it's Jared, who I believe, will flip on Twitler in a New York minute. Jared has too many financial problems to be able to handle a long investigation.

[highplainsdem]

6. After his father's imprisonment, I'm sure Jared would be happy to take a plea deal to avoid or

shorten a prison sentence.

[SeattlePop]

7. Resign Now Trump At Least You Can Golf For A While

You can even meet your lawyers on the golf course.

No need to deal with the stress any more.

Once your goose is cooked, why stick around Donald?

Just leave.

[groundloop]

8. Now blaming Kushner - no surprise there since 45* is incapable of taking responsibility for anything

I used to work for someone like that. The bastard badly messed up a bid then expected me to find a way to bill the customer for work which we actually didn't perform, fired me when I said I couldn't do that. He'd fit into 45*s inner circle very well.

[highplainsdem]

10. Trump said just this morning he'll blame Mnuchin and Cohn if tax reform fails. Joking, haha, but

not really. He will blame them, and others.

And like you, I've known people who couldn't take responsibility for anything. Maddening to deal with.

[DownriverDem]

9. It's all about trump

How in the hell would trump get his poll numbers up? Everything he wants to do is against what the majority of Americans want. If he ditched the repubs and went with the Dems, then maybe his poll number would go up. Of course trump would have to undo all those nasty executive orders due to his obsession with undoing all things Obama.

[BigmanPigman]

29. I don't think even going with the Dems

would save his ass from Mueller and the investigation. They have his taxes and money trail so now it is a matter of time to see how many laws he actually broke. Of course the GOP House wouldn't impeach him since they are in his pocket now.

[LiberalLovinLug]

43. A false flag operation?

I see some military expedition as his last resort, that I'm sure he has in the wings. Because it is an amazing phenom that happens in the US especially, when war is declared. Everyone must get "behind the troops". Whether the expedition is valid or not. Whether supporting might be better interpreted as not putting them in harms way for a bogus wag the dog. Always astounded how so many so called moderates, independents, and even conservative minded Democrats seem to always be caught up in that kind of phony nationalism. All it would take is some new bigger attack attributed to ISIS, against American diplomats or soldiers, that could be originated from some hostile state, for Trump to seize the moment. It would be a great opportunity as well to push through even greater voting restrictions, clamp down on immigration more.

[Turbineguy]

11. Conspiracy against the United States

Would that include keeping an illegally elected president in power?

[steve2470]

12. my humble predictions

1- Trump is an immature child in a 71 year old body, stipulated.

2- He won't be able to wait for the whole investigation to play out, because, drumroll, he's guilty as hell I think.

3- He will fire Robert Mueller, gambling that the Republicans won't join Democrats in impeaching him

4- If he fires Mueller, some Republicans will never vote for impeachment, but enough will to reach the thresholds in both the House and Senate. He is toast if he fires Mueller. I really think he will.

5- Trump will see he is going to be impeached, so he will resign at the last minute and blame everyone and their dog for conspiring against him, blah blah blah.

[FakeNoose]

18. Pretty good guesses here

For #3 -
Trump can't fire Mueller directly, but he can compel Rosenstein to fire him. Rosenstein can either play along and fire Mueller, or refuse in which case he will be fired. Someone else will take his place and Trump will make sure it's someone who's willing to fire Mueller.

Once Mueller gets fired, he will immediately be rehired by the Senate Judiciary Committee as the special prosecutor and he will continue his work without missing a beat. All the evidence, indictments, testimony, etc. will still be in place. However Trump will not be able to fire Mueller a 2nd time, because he'll be working for the legislative branch not the executive.

Your other statements are accurate, IMO. Good job!

[steve2470]

20. thanks, you are correct about the firing procedure of course

I didn't think of the SJC angle, good thinking!

[lagomorph777]

24. Mueller has surely set up a dead-man switch

which will unleash a torrent of dirt on every RePutin in Turd's orbit, 5 minutes after a Mueller's firing. They will have roasted their own nuts.

[FakeNoose]

26. Maybe he'll release the pee tape ;-)

I say that in jest because I don't believe Mueller would ever release any real evidence.

But you KNOW Trump is terrified of that because that's exactly what he would do if the tables were reversed.

[byronius]

27. Dude does seem to have major planning skills. Monday's timing was truly excellent chess.

I think you're right. Plus, they've staked out the pardon argument.

[bucolic_frolic]

15. Yes, we really should subvert criminal justice to poll numbers

it would make many crimes have an element of legitimacy

[lagomorph777]

21. The establishment has proven time and time again they will fuck Trump over,

sez the big flycatcher.

I sure hope so; it would shave a year off the schedule.

[angrychair]

23. This article shows republicans are as tone-deaf as he is

That they have any actual idea how to improve 45IQ’s poll numbers.
In their world, destroying healthcare, massive tax cuts that benefit the rich and building a wall and blaming immigrants is how they think they are “on the right track”, never realizing that this is the opposite of what people actually want.


They spent years attacking the ACA and the Democrats’ tax policy but when they hold all the cards, they reveal that, despite complaining for years, they never actually developed a plan or have any idea how to actually do any of that shit they talked about nonstop for years.

The gOP is intellectually dead, no actual plan or even ideas, that will actually fix anything. They are corrupt and evil to the core and only understand hate, fear and discord.
I hope is that this investigation will finally break them and put them out in the cold.

[LudwigPastorius]

25. Gee, who would have thought that hiring a son-in-law (with zero real-world political or...

policy experience) to advise you on how to do the hardest job in the world...was a bad move?

[CatMor]

31. To advise someone who also has zero real-world...

political or policy experience.

[hatrack]

30. "Stop tweeting"

Uh, OK.

[Cold War Spook]

32. Blame the Jew.

Not the first time it has been done.

[calimary]

46. There is that, too.

Just stinking up the joint beyond all imagining. A Vanity Fair article out earlier today has the title "You Can't Go Any Lower": Inside the West Wing, Trump Is Apoplectic as Allies Fear Impeachment
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/11/the-west-wing-trump-is-apoplectic-as-allies-fear-impeachment

The quote "you can't go any lower" in this case refers to how far trump has fallen in the latest Gallup poll (30%). But he can beat that, for sure, both poll-wise and just in general. ANY time we've heard it said (or said it ourselves) that he can't go any lower, he finds a way to do exactly that!

[Aviation Pro]

33. "Contested and checked"

Da fuck. Criminal activity is not, "contested and checked," it is prosecuted with extreme fucking prejudice. I can't wait for that alcoholic Nazi to be thrown into Gen Pop and beaten every day until he expires.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

40. Yes, please.

Bannon opining and advising on anything is a travesty. No one should be listening to that vermin-infested candidate for forced detox.

[keithbvadu2]

34. If Trump was elected with Russian collusion, then so was Pence.

[HopeAgain]

35. Expect him to jump all over this terror attack...

Fear is what got him elected, fear is what they will try to use to raise his ratings. Bannon has undoubtedly already told Trump to jump all over the fact that they finally got the Muslim terrorist they have been waiting for.

A good fight with the courts, demands congress protect the American people, anti-Muslim dog whistles, expect it all.

[NBachers]

36. I expect moves to try and neutralize Muller.

[Honeycombe8]

37. Trump blaming Kushner or anyone else for Trump's firing decisions of Flynn & Comey?

Oh, he wouldn't do THAT. You know the buck stops with him. He takes responsibility for his decisions.

(sarcasm)

[jmowreader]

38. Please tell me this is supposed to be a pun

"Trump’s lawyer Ty Cobb has been advocating the view that playing ball will lead to a quick resolution."

[C Moon]

39. "Stop joking around. Stop tweeting."

That's not joking around: that's who Trump is. He's stuck on himself, so he Tweets insane things/lies when his ego is hurt.
Is Bannon seriously dumb enough to believe Trump has a "normal" side.

[onetexan]

41. LOL it's like trying to put the genie back in the bottle

in this case this genie is crazy and unpredictable as hell. He might as well resign and get it over with, but of course his ego won't let him. He'll go out kicking and screaming, and i hope they'll drive him to an asylum.

[Yavin4]

44. "to shake up the legal team by installing an aggressive lawyer above Cobb" -- too bad Johnny Cochran

is dead.

[muriel_volestrangler]

45. Kick (nt)