Comey Senate Intelligence Committee Testimony Thread

[Virginiá]

Is that not believable though? That isn't to say that his underlings like Flynn are necessarily guilt-free, but from what I can gather, President Trump seemed oblivious that a request such as the alleged one he made falls far away from his powers to grant pardon or clemency. There is a reason why Comey can't really obtain proof of intent after all?

How can a person be so stupid as to think asking the head of the FBI to end an investigation into them, and then firing them for not listening, was not against the law? I'm sorry but I don't buy that. That is basic common sense, and if he is literally that dumb, he needs to be removed from office on that count alone.

I think the more likely reason was that Trump knew, and he just didn't care. He probably didn't think it would ever come out. Either that, or he didn't even think that far ahead, which I guess makes him stupid as well.

I don't get why any Trump supporter would even want someone that inept running the country.

[Virginiá]

I think he is that stupid.  Why else would he admit to Lester Holt in public that he was thinking Russia when he fired Comey?  Again, I'll quote from that Chait piece on this from last month:

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/05/trump-firing-comey-biggest-political-crisis-since-watergate.html

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What if it is the case that he's just too impulsive, and not too stupid to understand what was going on? I mean, don't get me wrong, I do think Trump is pretty stupid in a lot of matters, but think about it: is it really possible that no one told Trump the legal issues of what he was doing with Comey both before and after? As I understand it, Bannon and Reince were telling him it was going to explode in his face, and I have to think at some point, either from them or other aides/lawyers, that someone told him that it might be against the law.

Of course, that is me assuming things, but it's hard to see it not coming up at least once. Trump is famously impulsive, and his obsessive need to always feel in charge and aware of what is going on makes him do ridiculous things.

Either way, whether it is pure stupidity or impulsiveness, a man that out of his depth has no place in the oval office if you ask me.

[Virginiá]

McCain's entire line of questioning was pathetic.

I really think he's ill.

No offense to the man, but in many of his pictures over the past couple years, he looks ill. Probably just a natural part of being 80 and busily working as a US Senator, but still.

He really should have called it quits last year instead of running again.

I've come to the conclusion that Trump needs to resign for his movement to live. I don't think he's guilty of anything, but it is clear that they're going to drag this out to the point it'll kill everything we've accomplished by death by a thousand paper cuts.

I call it the Obama treatment!

[Virginiá]

If Trump doesn't win this one, the conservative movement is finished. All your chips are in. All of them. He won't win if he, the Republican Party and conservatives in general do not counterattack those carrying out this witch hunt. If conservatives do bring to light as often and as publicly as possible the dishonesty, the disingenuousness and the lack of integrity of the various swamp creatures and SJWs carrying out this particular witch hunt then they may as well give up.

The movement must really be in trouble if your last best hope is Donald J. Trump.

[Virginiá]

So, they're accusing Comey of having committed perjury today.

It's a good thing then that the word of Trump (and by proxy, his lawyers) is pretty much worthless. I'm not a big fan of Comey, but he is by far more credible than Trump or anyone in his inner circle.

[Virginiá]

Trump gave the republican party the most electoral votes since 1988 and TD has the gall to claim he is leading to electoral annihilation.

Honestly, this would mean more if Trump hadn't lost the popular vote by over 2%, or millions of votes, and just barely eked out wins in WI/MI/PA. His wins there do not indicate the laying of a foundation for long-term GOP strength, and in fact if you applied the same Obama-era presidential trend, where in light of big issues during their first term, Trump's reelection effort would garner him less votes than his first, it would then be expected that Trump would lose reelection, even if just narrowly.

Trump is president now, so there is that, but I'm not sure it would be a good idea to look at the electoral map alone and conclude that he did the GOP a favor. I think what is more likely is that Trump has damaged the Republican Party, and could very well end up bleeding them out downballot over the next 2 federal elections - conveniently right before the next round of redistricting, which is something the GOP badly needs to prop itself up in the face of unfavorable demographic trends.

[Virginiá]

Former GOP Congressman:

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What Ryan said really seemed more like a Mitch McConnell-thing - Mitch is supposed to be the one who shamelessly acts like the past never happened.

As for the statement, not sure if it was already posted here:

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Which is such a lie that it is almost comical. As Inglis said, the modern Republican Party actually did impeach a Democrat for less.

[Virginiá]

www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-ratings-idUSKBN1902X6

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edit (7:13pm):

http://www.politico.com/blogs/on-media/2017/06/09/james-comey-testimony-tv-ratings-239368

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So including online views (even if only partial), 18 + 2.7 + 26 = 46.7 million

That is a lot of eyes! I wonder what his Gallup approval ratings will be through the weekend.