WH staffers "audibly gasped" when news broke of today's WaPo story that Trump asked intel officials

[MelissaB]

Sources: WH staffers "audibly gasped" when news broke of today's WaPo story that Trump asked intel officials to deny #TrumpRussia collusion.

Link to tweet

[Alice11111]

1. If they aren't complicit, they should leave fast.

I guess someone needs to stick around to do some leaking.

[riversedge]

2. yes, I am enjoying these WH leaks.

[Alice11111]

3. I think that is probably why they fired the WH usher. Even if

she had been a leaker, there are obviously others. I bet some are working w the FBI by now. My own speculation.

Such hubris, I must add, only DT would think, as an outsider, he could insult intelligence, and so many people and institutions, and take on DC.

[sharedvalues]

6. Yes. GOP and Dems alike say "Quit"

https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2017/05/18/if-you-work-for-trump-its-time-to-quit/
If you work for Trump, it’s time to quit
After the Comey firing and the Russia intel leak, the I’m-taking-one-for-the-team ship has sailed.
By Rick Wilson May 18
Rick Wilson is a Republican consultant and a Daily Beast columnist.


https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/16/opinion/free-advice-to-trump-aides-quit-while-you-can.html
Free Advice to Trump Aides: Quit While You Can
By MICHELLE GOLDBERG

[Alice11111]

9. Thanks for links."I'm taking one for the team," ship has sailed

[Scarsdale]

31. Did they gasp

because it was revealed. or that he said it?? Surely they can not be shocked by anything reported about the orange lump any more?

[Hekate]

34. Those articles are both stunning. There's an old street in my town called Salsipuedes...

Get out if you can.

[barbtries]

37. way the hell back in 1974

I camped in an area between Tijuana and Ensenada on the coast of Baja California called Salsipuedes. I just googled it to be sure; people aren't allowed there any more since 2007. I guess it's been developed as a tourist spot; at the time you had to drive down a dirt road that was only about as wide as my VW and pay a kid a couple bucks to stay there. no facilities or anything. i was so young then. i'm older than that now.

http://www.savethewaves.org/salsipuedes-baja-mexico-access-closed/

[Hekate]

51. This is Santa Barbara in Alta California. There was a Rancho back in the old days...

...that was positioned back of some twisty canyons: Rancho Salsipuedes. How this relates to the modern street I can't tell you, but maybe the road out ultimately ended up in the Spanish settlement that in time became the American city.

Glad you enjoyed your campout!

[Alice11111]

44. Good word

[Honeycombe8]

53. Wow. Those are two very strong, blunt articles. A direct appeal to Trump aides. Wow.

I'm just floored. I've never read any article about the Presidency like those.

[cstanleytech]

17. If any are complicit though they had best get some good attorneys and look at trying to get

a plea deal before the stampede starts.

[Alice11111]

19. Evidently, DT'S talking to or hired a herd of DC lawyers

He probably wants to conflict out the good ones, so they won't oppose him. I'm wondering how he is doing all of this on his trip, or maybe he did it before leaving. He risks waiving client privilege by having someone do it for him.

[Scarsdale]

32. This would explain

his exhaustion!!

[Alice11111]

38. Maybe that was so he could talk to lawyers...

Very stressful...on the global stage, even for a younger person.
His age, health, temperament...and instead of getting "home" to catch up on Rest, he walks into a firestorm, of his own making, will take its toll. Of course, he sees himself as the victim.

He's obviously a chaos junkie, if not a controlled coke user, but he looks really bad, and seems kind of out of it.

[Ligyron]

43. They're going to tell him to shut his trap and take away his Twitterer.

That won't be fun for any of us ... or for him.

He probably won't heed their advise anyway. Right?

[Alice11111]

45. It seems they may have taken his phone. I agree, he will

eventually break out. He always does. It must be a challenge to be around him and keep him from tweeting.
I envision the whole family dealing with a loud, unruly 2 year old w ADHD, and they are constantly tripping all over themselves to try and grab his phone.

What Melania must be seeing and hearing probably turns her stomach to the point she can hardly help being dismissive in public. Now that she is having to share a bedroom with him, who knows what she has to deal with, plus she is probably told not to let him get a phone. Maybe, she is one of the leakers.

[Ligyron]

49. Oh, that's right, I didn't think about that!

Now she HAS to sleep with him so wonder she knocks his hand away. You just know he snores too.

[Alice11111]

50. His snoring probably makes her feel safe for the moment,

as opposed to the alternative.

[triron]

4. wow

[Scurrilous]

5. K&R

[sharedvalues]

7. The Nixon parallels are delicious

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/5/15/15627284/trump-comey-firing-obstruction-justice-nixon-watergate

Donald Trump has committed the exact offense that forced Richard Nixon to resign

[NCjack]

8. Sad realization: "OMG -- the Democrats are right about him!" nt

[Beartracks]

15. Too bad they won't recognize moral bankruptcy of whole GOP.

I bet most Republicans who finally conclude that Trump really is an ignorant, egotistical buffoon will still think the GOP and its anti-American policies and priorities are still A-OK (because of course they don't seem to think that crap is anti-American for some reason).

=====================

[vlyons]

27. You got that right!

Well almost right. Moral bankruptcy implies that republicans ever had any morals to begin with. The whole damn party should be indited in RICO charges. It's a vast criminal conspiracy.

[NCjack]

29. First comes the realization that their leader lied to them about

his relationship with Putin. That causes a critical examination of everything #45 and the Repugs have told them. For some issues, it may take years to work through.

[Beartracks]

41. But these are not patient people.

They thought Trump would have the coal industry thriving by the end of January, ffs.

=================

[NCjack]

42. I hope most aren't patient and turn against the GOP in '18 and '20.

[Beartracks]

47. But that's kinda my point.

Republicans are masters of disconnect. Many will probably focus their disappointment on Trump rather than the GOP at large, because they will foolishly not see that Trump is not some weird outlier but rather is a symptom of their party's problems. Thus, they will keep voting for Republicans even though the results continue to be disastrous.

=================

[Alice11111]

48. I don't think his base supporters have "realizations."

Most of them like him for what he is, a fucked up blowhard bloke in a bar, as hard to accept as that is. If the sexual predator tapes and his own lips didn't do it, it will take something personally cataclysmic. Maybe, as they die without services or insurance, lose their jobs, or their kids can't go to college, they might get it. I think they will blame Obama though.

[Alice11111]

46. That is not hyperbole.

[SaschaHM]

10. There needs to be some Pence bombshells too.

I'd take a President Paul Ryan getting blocked consistently by Congress as he tries to create some type of Ayn Randian Utopia over Pence using executive orders to transform us into a theocracy.

[Eyeball_Kid]

11. It's president Hatch, Sascha.

Ryan and Pence are in big trouble.

[BobTheSubgenius]

14. I've been looking towards Hatch for some time now.

Remember when Orrin Hatch was scary right wing fringe guy? That seems so quaint now.

[Alice11111]

20. Tough call, but I would take Pence over Ryan. He can be more easily beaten,plus he may go down w the

Ship anyway. Paul Ryan wants to see as many people die and suffer as he can. That's what turns him on.

DT'S budget plan is his best dream. Even the RW conservative caucus is expressing doubts about starving the elderly.

[Skittles]

21. it's like picking the better Menendez brother

[progressoid]

24. +1 - like a reverse Sophie's choice.

[Thinkingabout]

12. This information has to be given a little at a time, if it was delivered at one time we would be

overwhelmed. We have to let some soak in everyday.

[sandensea]

13. And just wait until they learn Cheeto will be facing treason charges.

Hope they have plenty of Percocet on hand.

[world wide wally]

16. As the Confederate Army said, "Best git while the gittin's good"

[PNW-Dem]

18. Maybe they will put up a Confederate statue of Trump...

[BigmanPigman]

22. I heard that some want the Donald to pay for their legal fees.

Good luck with that. He ripped off a ton of builders at his various properties and they lost their own businesses due to him. He's always been out for himself. His staffers knew what a crook he was when they took the job. It's their choice. No boo hoos from me.

[Hekate]

23. The smart move about now is to abandon ship if you're a staffer...

Just walk out. For a lot of them, this is not what they signed up for.

[Vinca]

25. If they stay, they risk financial ruin from lawyer's fees - at the very least.

[RobinA]

26. The Smart Move

would have been not to be on the ship in the first place. If they signed up to be on a Trump staff, this IS what they signed up for. If they are Obama leftovers I have a little more sympathy, however, they should be well into their job search by now. It's been six months.

[Hekate]

30. There are no Obama holdovers in the West Wing, to the surprise of the Trumpites...

...who arrived on Day One asking "Where are all the worker bees?" Apparently the only department they didn't think they'd have the pleasure of hollowing out was the one that affects them personally every day -- they didn't know that West Wing staff are brought in new with each administration.

[Scarsdale]

33. Correct

There were no staffers to show them where the light switches were!!

[Alice11111]

39. There was the usher he fired a couple of weeks ago.

[underpants]

28. Meme

[Alice11111]

40. !!!

[zentrum]

35. Yeah, but did they gasp...

....because they just found out he did it or because they just found out he got busted for doing it?

[bucolic_frolic]

36. He who gasps last gasps best

[Honeycombe8]

52. Wow. Who's leaking this stuff? The leakers are definitely insiders.

And Trump thought it was intelligence agents, all this time.