US Election & Presidency

(11-02-2018 13:01 )HannahsPet Wrote:  In fact it was the FBI that made it known porter was never going to get security Clearance because of the Allegations so he has been handling classified information

There are multiple levels of security clearance and its not uncommon for new staff to operate under temporary clearance whilst they go through the formal clearance process. That lasts 180 days but can be extended for another 180 days (which it was in Porter's case and even that expired in mid January). In that period it is not expected that someone would handle the most secure level of documentation (the highest level is only held by a very small number of White House staff roles) The role Porter had was one of those roles which is why there is additional concern especially as the White House knew of the problem he was having getting clearance. In fact the question of why he was kept in role after the first 180 days when by then it must have been known he would not get clearance is pertinent.

The Democrats have asked for evidence about Kushner as well as he also was struggling to get clearance - his problem seems to also include missing out required info from his clearance request (others would call it lying!)

(10-02-2018 23:17 )southsidestu Wrote:  Trump does not have an opinion of his own or at least not one that he advocates,

He does have his own opinions, but luckily they often seem to be ones you don't like.

Quote:his opinion seems to match that of the last person he was in the room with.

They say that about Prince Charles, too.

Goodfella3041 Wrote:There's a difference between being biased and being 'fake' though.

The Daily Telegraph has always had a conservative bias, just as the Guardian has always leaned left, and we interpret them accordingly. Bias is unfortunate, but inevitable. I still trust them both to have a healthy and professional journalistic respect for the facts.

They don't when it comes to Brexit!

I would agree that Telegraph and Guardian seem fairly safe, unlike the more out-there lies of the Sun, the Mail and the Express.

I see Trump has tweeted that there were many signs that the Florida school shooter was mentally disturbed. Pity Trump removed the Obama regulation preventing mentally ill people getting gun licences then!

Also took a pot shot at the shooters neighbours and classmates for not reporting anything, it is remarkable how he just manages to find newer and newer lows

bet he had his tweet about mexicans ready to go when he thought the surname was cruz only to be a white guy

The heads of all US intelligence agencies: FBI, CIA, NSA, DIA, NGA & DNI are unanimous that Russia hacked the 2016 Presidential Election and will continue to hack future elections

Only a colossal idiot of biblical proportions would look to deny the expertise of the heads of The US's six separate intelligence agencies

Over to you Mr President

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/02/13/polit...index.html

Oh look, CNN. Well, that took 2 seconds

Quote:He also raised the prospect that the US could respond to election meddling with offensive cybercapabilities. "We do have some capability offensively to raise the cost for those who would dare challenge the United States' elections," Pompeo said.

OF COURSE they're going to say the wicked old Russians hacked their election. They can scarcely back out of it now.

After all, it was made quite clear before the election that it couldn't be rigged, and yet apparently it was after all.

Besides, as Pompeo says above, the threat of the Russians gives the excuse for more American snooping/hacking, which is of course not the exact same thing as the Russians are supposedly doing one bit, no sir.

Are you suggesting that the heads of the Intelligence agencies are lying about Russians hacking the elections so that they can justify a cyber attack on Russia in response to an attack that never actually happened?

Do you think that James Comey's initial investigation plus Robert Mueller and his investigation are complicit in this as well?

(15-02-2018 21:38 )Doddle Wrote:  After all, it was made quite clear before the election that it couldn't be rigged, and yet apparently it was after all.

I don't think anyone is suggesting that the Russians hacked voting machines or otherwise interfered directly in the election.

Nobody credible has even suggested that Russian interference was decisive in swinging the election to Trump who -- sadly -- won for a whole host of reasons.

The allegation has always been that the Russians meddled in another country's election by manipulating social media and news feeds with a view to swaying public opinion. It's the 21st century equivalent of dropping propaganda leaflets from an airplane. It's hardly decisive, but still not acceptable.

Trump is just paranoid that the mere acknowledgement of Russian meddling would challenge his legitimacy as president. ... and he drags his feet before taking any action to defend against it in future.

(But, of course, that is only reason #214 that he is a monumental dickhead that is unfit to be president. So in the grand scheme of things, I guess it's not that big a deal....)

it would also land him in jail