Trump's attacks could leave him friendless if impeachment comes

[webfact]

Trump's attacks could leave him friendless if impeachment comes

By Richard Cowan

 

U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to speak to the media about infrastructure and respond to questions about the violence, injuries and deaths at the "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville in the lobby of Trump Tower in Manhattan, New York, U.S., August 15, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque - RTS1BXRQ

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump has stepped up his attacks on Republican senators, an approach he may regret if he is someday impeached and the Senate has to weigh charges against him stemming from an investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election.

 

More than half of the 11 Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which would be central to any proceeding to remove Trump from office, have tangled with the Republican president, including on Thursday when he fired off early-morning tweets.

 

In one Twitter series, Trump called Senator Lindsey Graham "publicity seeking" and said he "just can't forget his election trouncing" in the 2016 presidential race. Trump also assailed Senator Jeff Flake, another Republican critic, as "a non-factor in the Senate," adding, "He's toxic."

 

Flake and Graham are members of the Judiciary Committee, whose Chairman Chuck Grassley has urged Trump to tone it down.

 

"He should be 100 percent sticking to ideas and forget about personalities," Grassley said on Friday when pressed on whether Trump might find himself without the friends in Congress he would need to defend himself in an impeachment proceeding.

 

For his part, Grassley said his views would not be coloured by past presidential sniping.

 

"Let's say the House of Representatives impeached the president of the United States. Then I'm a juror," Grassley said. "The Senate is the jury that decides whether he should be impeached. The jury is supposed to be impartial."

 

LITTLE TRACTION

 

There is little serious talk being heard in Congress about removing Trump from office.

 

Two House Democrats have introduced an article of impeachment alleging obstruction of justice by the president in connection with an ongoing investigation of possible ties between his 2016 campaign and Moscow.

 

But Republicans control the House, as well as the Senate, and the article of impeachment has gained little traction.

 

Under the U.S. Constitution, the House of Representatives can vote to approve an impeachment measure. If that happens, it goes to the Senate, which acts as a jury and weighs the charges in the House measure. A two-thirds Senate vote is needed for conviction. Approval leads to removal from office.

 

Two presidents have been impeached by the House: Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998. Neither was convicted by the Senate. President Richard Nixon, facing almost certain impeachment over the Watergate scandal, resigned in 1974.

 

In the Clinton impeachment fight, the committee was a resource for the full Senate and could play a similar role in any future trial.

 

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

 

'TRUMP NEEDS FRIENDS'

 

Having friends would help any president facing impeachment, said Charles Brain, a White House liaison to Congress during Clinton's impeachment.

 

Without such friendships, Brain said, lawmakers "can just be quiet," refusing to share information with the White House and letting attacks on the president gain momentum.

 

Besides Flake and Graham, Trump has had run-ins over various issues before and after his election with Republican Senator Ted Cruz, and other Judiciary Committee members, including Grassley, John Cornyn, Orrin Hatch, Thom Tillis and Ben Sasse.

 

The president has also at times attacked Republican senators not on the committee, including Mitch McConnell, John McCain, Marco Rubio, Rand Paul and Lisa Murkowski.

 

Special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating whether Trump's campaign colluded with Russia to influence the election. Grassley's committee also is looking into the matter, as are other congressional panels.

 

The Kremlin denies any election interference. Trump has dismissed the Mueller probe as a "witch hunt" and denies any collusion. In the end, Mueller could end up clearing Trump and his aides of any wrongdoing.

 

If not, at least two questions will loom large in a possible impeachment inquiry, said senior fellow Elaine Kamarck of the liberal-leaning Brookings Institution think tank.

 

One would be about the severity of any possible charges. Another, she said, would be "do you have friends, do you have people who believe in you and want to save your presidency?"

 

(Additional reporting by Jonathan Oatis in New York; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Howard Goller)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-08-18

[darksidedog]

41 minutes ago, webfact said:

Trump's attacks could leave him friendless if impeachment comes

I believe the headline contains two mistakes. The word "could" should be replaced by "will" and "if" by "when."

[selftaopath]

45 deserves NO friends. He is a pathological LIAR, and more despicable than any elected official in U.S. history. He has absolutely NO redeeming qualities. 

[bartender100]

He is a Billionaire, he will always have "friends"

[Dave67]

He's making the people of the USA look stupid, worked with a few USAians and found them to be decent, friendly people, 

 

Trumps vindictive and spiteful tweets leads me to believe the man had a massive chip on his shoulder and should be nowhere near sharp objects let alone a nuclear arsenal (Had to spit after writing Arsenal)

[Dave67]

Trump getting caned by the World press

 

http://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/World+News/North+America/USA/Donald+Trump

[USPatriot]

Good luck.  The liberals will be losing the next election. The world new section is more like the anti trump section.

[tonray]

3 minutes ago, USPatriot said:

Good luck.  The liberals will be losing the next election. The world new section is more like the anti trump section.

How did that go in The Netherlands and France ? When the tide turns you better get on your water wings mate.

[USPatriot]

1 minute ago, tonray said:

How did that go in The Netherlands and France ? When the tide turns you better get on your water wings mate.

No water wings needed, ill be on the beach watching the democrats eat each other

[tonray]

1 minute ago, USPatriot said:

No water wings needed, ill be on the beach watching the democrats eat each other

Seems like most of the cannibalism is being done on the right these days.....

[Dave67]

 

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/159801/ph-eligible-us-devt-grant-2018

 

Under trump Philippines elegible for a develpment grant

 

 Money for Duterte to carry on murdering drug addicts

Edited August 18, 2017 by Dave67

[Briggsy]

The Republican Senators and Representatives are for the most part spineless and easily cowed. Trump has discovered this and made them his bitches. Their cowardice is pathetic.

[Dave67]

 Worth watching the full 9 minutes. The speech made by Trump during campaign praising an atrocity against Muslims that actually did not happen, trump has shockingly referred to the non event in a tweet concerning the terrorist attack on Spain. gave me the creeps

 

http://www.rawstory.com/2017/08/watch-cnns-bolduan-tells-trump-surrogate-at-some-point-the-president-needs-to-act-literally-and-seriously/

[Silurian]

13 minutes ago, Dave67 said:

The speech made by Trump during campaign praising an atrocity against Muslims that actually did not happen, trump has shockingly referred to the non event in a tweet concerning the terrorist attack on Spain. gave me the creeps

 

By now, there are two realities. One is based on facts and the real world. The other reality is the one inside Donald's head. If the man-child "POTUS" believes it to be true, then it is true no matter what the "fake news" says otherwise.

 

 

[boomerangutang]

Trump will not be 'friendless.'   He's got Russkie agents who like him, not least because he's a great depository for laundered funds.  He's got mafia buddies in NYC who love the no-bid contracts they get from him - with money paid under-the-table.   He's got thousands of fans who will back him, no matter if he tossed babies in a bush shredder.  His family, same-same, will jump with him into the cesspool of hell.

[tonray]

I certainly hope we can rid ourselves of this 'cancer' on America before 2020, but I am not hopeful. The Dems are hapless and our friends on the other side of the aisle are spineless. I fear that our best hope is a challenge candidate against Trump in the primaries but it would likely need to be someone who did not run against him last time, I am hoping Romney can take up the mantle of a moderate Republican with a real business background and get support. Getting past the primaries is key though, but in 2 years if all those promises are still unmet I believe finally the Trump  voters will relent and support another Republican, they will never support a Dem.

[craigt3365]

1 hour ago, USPatriot said:

Good luck.  The liberals will be losing the next election. The world new section is more like the anti trump section.

The world news section looks like that because of Trump's BS. It's all his fault. Sad his supporters try to blame others for this. Time to accept responsibility.

[craigt3365]

1 minute ago, tonray said:

I certainly hope we can rid ourselves of this 'cancer' on America before 2020, but I am not hopeful. The Dems are hapless and our friends on the other side of the aisle are spineless. I fear that our best hope is a challenge candidate against Trump in the primaries but it would likely need to be someone who did not run against him last time, I am hoping Romney can take up the mantle of a moderate Republican with a real business background and get support. Getting past the primaries is key though, but in 2 years if all those promises are still unmet I believe finally the Trump  voters will relent and support another Republican, they will never support a Dem.

Considering how things look now, there's no way Trump will win the Republican nomination. Impossible.

[Grouse]

1 hour ago, USPatriot said:

No water wings needed, ill be on the beach watching the democrats eat each other

Ooh! I say! Bit early for that sort of thing!

[tonray]

Just now, craigt3365 said:

Considering how things look now, there's no way Trump will win the Republican nomination. Impossible.

He still has overwhelming support on the Republican voter polls. Don't be confused with 34 % approval rating. He has over 70% support on the right and high 80s with the important electoral base in PA, OH, MI states he can use to gain Presidency again. 

[Grouse]

3 minutes ago, tonray said:

He still has overwhelming support on the Republican voter polls. Don't be confused with 34 % approval rating. He has over 70% support on the right and high 80s with the important electoral base in PA, OH, MI states he can use to gain Presidency again. 

How about the coal miners? All back at work now?

[tonray]

1 minute ago, Grouse said:

How about the coal miners? All back at work now?

The problem is when you sit at home unemployed all day and listen to Fox News all day drinking beer, reality does not matter. He has indeed done very friendly (but stupid) things to benefit the coal industry which is what they love. 

[craigt3365]

10 minutes ago, tonray said:

He still has overwhelming support on the Republican voter polls. Don't be confused with 34 % approval rating. He has over 70% support on the right and high 80s with the important electoral base in PA, OH, MI states he can use to gain Presidency again. 

That is what boggles my mind. How anybody could still support him. Incredible.

 

I understand why his fellow Republicans do. They've got no choice. But the average American? Why?

[klauskunkel]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Trump's attacks could leave him friendless if impeachment comes

Future Fake Friends 

[Dave67]

Nice one

[boomerangutang]

12 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

Considering how things look now, there's no way Trump will win the Republican nomination. Impossible.

I was sure Trump was going to lose in Nov, and was wrong. 

Don't underestimate the power of big money in US politics.  Plus, the other factors that got Trump elected: First; as Rep candidate, and later, as prez:

 

>>>  help from Russian agents and Wikileaks

>>>  help from tens of thousands of manic bloggers, in the US and elsewhere

>>>  lies, untruths, ridiculous promises, and more lies

>>>  trashing his opponents, with lies and childish name-calling

 

It's a sobering picture of how many American voters are so easily duped by a career shyster.  Either that, or his voters pine for the debilitation of the USA.

[tonray]

8 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

That is what boggles my mind. How anybody could still support him. Incredible.

 

I understand why his fellow Republicans do. They've got no choice. But the average American? Why?

Those that lack higher education are more easily brainwashed and watching Fox News and surfing Breitbart, Drudge, and Info Wars all day every day is what has made them into zombies, really these people are not even functioning anymore.

[Grouse]

14 minutes ago, tonray said:

The problem is when you sit at home unemployed all day and listen to Fox News all day drinking beer, reality does not matter. He has indeed done very friendly (but stupid) things to benefit the coal industry which is what they love. 

I heard Elon Musk resigned because of Trump's plan for coal fired cars ?

[impulse]

22 minutes ago, tonray said:

I certainly hope we can rid ourselves of this 'cancer' on America before 2020, but I am not hopeful.

 

I, on the other hand am praying he lasts through the first term.  I have never been a fan of The Donald, but I am a huge fan of the precedent he has set by becoming the first citizen president in my lifetime (in history?).  If he can hang on, he's opened the door for even better citizen candidates to displace career politicians whose major qualification is the ability to raise election money by giving the country away to special interests.  If he gets booted, the door slams shut again, a lot like it did after Perot's tragic run.  It took 30 years to get past that one...  

 

The USA can't take another 30 years of pork barrel politics of obstruction.

 

And as always, though I'm a fan of what he's done, I do wish it were just about anybody else who had done it.  But the ego and traits of his we're bashing (for good reason) are the very ones that pulled him through the election.  I just hope we survive 3-1/2 more years.

 

[impulse]

15 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

That is what boggles my mind. How anybody could still support him. Incredible.

 

I understand why his fellow Republicans do. They've got no choice. But the average American? Why?

 

They don't support Trump as much as they'd like to flush the Big DC toilet to purge the other choices.