It’s not a “false smoking gun,” it’s a federal crime committed openly that also implicates Barr. Stop parroting Tr666p’s deranged propaganda.

@2 Hey, the gave a Nobel Peace Prize to Obama right before he escalated drone strikes in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

I, for one, would like to see a ring grow successfully around a carrot. Or a ring growing inside a carrot. Or just a ring grow anywhere. But I'd be satisfied with a carrot growing inside of a ring, I suppose.

This is not politics as usual.
This is far outside the bounds of legality and ethical norms.
Unprecedented in American history for an American president to strong-arm a foreign leader into smearing a political opponent.
Any Republican with even a sentimental attachment to such concepts as duty and honor should be requesting Mr Trump to resign.

"Hey everyone, do you love fast food, but hate that restaurants just do not violate your privacy or keep detailed records of your identity and preferences? Come on down to Mickey D's, where we will keep a photo of your license plate and face on file forever!"

@6 Why do you hate capitalism?

(Please post all rebuttals on Facebook)

"Black BMW is armed and angry: There were reports last night of a car shooting at other cars on the Seattle northbound I-5. One driver said a black BMW zoomed aggressively passed him and then fucking shot at him!"

Nathalie, why do you have to repeatedly refer to it as a "black BMW"? If the BMW had been white, would you have referred to it as a "white BMW"? There seems to be a certain amount of racial profiling of German cars going on here.

Signed,
Tongue as far in my cheek as Nathalie's tongue is in her cheek

P.S. "But, she showed me this clip from the Ukranian Voice competition. And, well, this 10-year-old Ukrainian girl is a force of nature...." This is yet another occurrence in the press in recent days of the misspelling "Ukranian," and yet another occurrence of this misspelling in the same story as the correct spelling "Ukrainian."

I think reporters are doing this deliberately just to annoy those of us who are paying attention. Or they're doing this subconsciously to annoy us. Either way, I'm annoyed. And obviously easily annoyed.

Signed,
Never been guilty of the typo du jour

P.P.S. At least I can give Nathalie credit for referring to Ukraine as Ukraine and not "the Ukraine." Hey, "The Ohio State University"--I'm lookin' at you.

Lookin like Mitt is poised to lead the "New" Republican party after all this is over.

Trump could easily survive this but he wont. If he survives it will be in spite of not because of himself. He could come out in favor for the striking GM workers and give them health insurance. He'd be a hero and win Michigan but his donors wouldn't like that so he wont.
The only thing he has going for himself now is that he knows how to spot a sucker. He's going to have to get a lot more racist if he wants to save himself without actually helping any Americans.

@ 5,

There’s no chance of that happening. RepubliKKKans luuuuuvvve Prezirapist AntiChrist because they’re just as cruel, kleptocratic, immoral, corrupt, and criminally insane as he is—the only difference is that he’s such a brazen spiteful moron that he blurts out the quiet part in front of the cameras.

"oceans are expected to rise three feet by the end of the century if global temperature rise isn't halted"

Due the instability of marine based icesheets the uncertainly is very large so it's important to note that the 95th percentile value is ~8 feet. Do you feel lucky, punk?

If you haven't seen Greta Thunberg's full climate summit address (~4 minutes), it's well worth doing so as she expresses with clarity the discrepancy between he seriousness of the challenge we face and the lack of action from elected officials:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW3IQ-ke43w

/future headline/

“Tr666p Vows to Attack US if 2020 Election Decided by Americans”

@15 She's 16. If she'd made a significant contribution to Physics or Chemistry, you wouldn't be bitching about her age. The 2014 Nobel Peace Prize went to a 17-year-old.

@3 Seems pretty jealous that he is outsmarted by a sixteen year-old whose English is 2nd language.

@15- I disagree.
If current scientific projections are correct, then the effects of global warming compound over time, disproportionately affecting the youngest the most.
Since any call to current leaders to sacrifice to address the problem is, at basis, a moral argument, then a young person is as good a candidate to make that argument as a credentialed older person.
History provides several examples of young people leading moral crusades, and even, in the case of Joan of Arc, leading military campaigns.
Her evident gravitas and command of the spotlight, coupled with her lack of appeal to violence or extra-legal measures, make her a fine candidate for a Nobel Peace Prize.

Why do "conservatives" get so mad when someone else gets something. Seriously, ya'll never stop squealing about who got a "Blue checkmark" or what shitty TV show got an Emmy. If I ever give more than 10 seconds of serious thought to the shit you get worked up about I'd have my house checked for a gas leak.

Attention Media: STOP CALLING IT A TRANSCRIPT! It's not a word-for-word replication of the conversation; what Trump has provided is a summary of notes and recollections from people who were supposedly listening to the call. Gee, do you think it could have been selectively curated and edited?

This is the same bullshit that we went through with the Mueller report - Barr's "summary" of it became the public's understanding of the report, and the actual content and conclusions got obscured.

If you keep calling it a transcript, you're giving it more credibility than it deserves. Cut it out!

@8 "The Ohio State University" is legally the name of the institution. Get over yourself. You get a demerit for not knowing that.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&id=E6F1C42F1467DA43C598A2FABCA40D042B67736B&thid=OIP.nEeAMT2mxmmTMzdX8KmWQwHaHM&mediaurl=https%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fen%2Fthumb%2Fe%2Fe1%2FOhio_State_University_seal.svg%2F1200px-Ohio_State_University_seal.svg.png&exph=1166&expw=1200&q=ohio+state+logo&selectedindex=8&ajaxhist=0&vt=0&eim=0,1,2,6

Honestly I wish we could abolish the Nobel Peace Prize. Hitler and Stalin were both nominated for it. War criminal Henry Kissinger has one, and he's got the blood of millions on his hands. Aung San Suu Kyi has one, and she's overseeing a genocide. It's a worthless prize.

Obama won it for winning an election. Afterwards, he expanded the drone program to kill civilians extrajudicially (including American citizens abroad) and also escalated US military involvement in Libya, Syria, Yemen, and also expanded ICE and their concentration camp system to what Trump uses today, and also never closed Guantanamo, and also expanded CIA black sites, and also deported over two million people.

It's a stupid prize. It means nothing. This isn't Greta's fault, but winning it is just embarrassing. Causes all sorts of dumb attention and controversy as well. And there's no way for the winner to respond that doesn't make them look like a bit of a tool.
...
Biden did the (illegal) stuff Trump tried to (illegally) investigate, right? It seems a weird thing for the Dems to focus on since Biden is one of their candidates.

Greta isn't trying to solve the problem. That's not her job, she's 16. She's calling on the experts and the powerful to do their jobs, and she's building an international movement of young people to make demands. It's good to bring people together to state their demands. She has a platform and a spotlight, and she's using it to make a moral argument backed by the masses. That's all good.

Of course she will get criticism and of course some of the concerns about strategy and celebrity are valid. But there's no "right" way to do this sort of thing. ANYTHING you do will get criticism. If you disrupt infrastructure, they criticise. If you protest business meetings, they criticise. Apparently the only thing that is not criticised is to sit at home and keep your mouth shut, go on about your day/job as if nothing is happening.

Greta is generally a force for good. If you think you have a strategy that is more compelling and has better results, by all means put it into practice or join others who are doing that.

I think it's delightful how the Left went to a 16 year old kid who acted like a 10 year old spoiled brat who didn't get their way in the grocery store. She even pouted like one too! I know I'm not taking climate change seriously any longer!

@24 Well they gave it to Kissinger once also. And let's not forget it is named after the guy who invented dynamite.

@31
The Nobel Prize includes a cash prize of 8 million SEK (about US$1.1 million).

"The evidence suggests Biden actually may have placed his son in legal danger by advocating for the prosecutor’s removal because he was widely accused of stymying anti-corruption efforts in Ukraine — replacing him could have led to further investigations into a company Hunter Biden had ties to."
https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/policy-and-politics/2019/9/23/20879611/joe-biden-hunter-biden-ukraine-corruption-prosecutor-burisma-donald-trump-whistleblower-complaint

Biden did nothing illegal.
Trump definitely did something illegal, even the doctored "transcript" that was released shows that.

@32 What an intelligent response.

I'm serious. Best I can tell, Obama admin were working with the new US/IMF backed Ukrainian government, actively involved in campaigns and various businesses. The US does this everywhere of course. Hunter took a position on the Burisma board (which also consisted of former CIA counter terrorism directors)- apparently his main qualification was being Biden's son. He got paid millions of dollars around the same time that Zlochevsky fled the country due to investigations of corruption and money laundering.

I'm not saying it's illegal since these people make the laws, but I think it's not super strategic for Dems to repeatedly draw attention to accurate info revealing just how corrupt they are, with their hands in every pot around the world. It's like what they did with Hilary's emails- saying she lost the election because of the hack/leak without ever taking into consideration that voters were also legitimately disgusted by the totally accurate information released about her in those emails.

Like if I steal money and then you later snatch my purse and spend it, I could report you to the cops for robbing me but I'd have to first admit that I, too, am a criminal.

@Adam, yeah it's probably not illegal to make 50K a month sitting on a board of a foreign and mafia-related natural gas company even if you have no qualifications in that area and even though your father is the VP and the man directing US policy and business practices there and even if former CIA directors are also on the board with you and even if they are being investigated for corruption (as you point out). This is how international capitalism works, they make the rules and I believe you that he probably didn't break any laws. But it's still glaringly corrupt and disgusting and shows how the Democratic establishment works, a very ugly picture, and it seems to really weird that this is what Pelosi, et al, would choose to shine a spotlight on when Biden is their man. You'd think they'd sweep it under the rug and go after Trump for any of the other dozens of illegal things he's done or conflicts of interest he has.

My take-away is that they are all so corrupt that I want to get rid of all of them, Pelosi and Biden too. I can't imagine this would inspire confidence in the Democratic party.

But yes, what Trump did is illegal so if impeachment works, good riddance. I doubt it will work though. I think it's hilarious though that Trump has enough faith in Giulliani of all people as to do such blatantly illegal shit as this- these guys are just so fucking stupid.

@39
The point is, Biden wasn't acting to protect his son.
In fact, his actions could have had serious negative legal consequences for his son.

Biden did the right thing, he did his job.

And please remember that Joe Biden is not responsible for his son's actions.

@39: Joe Biden is the left-leaning Boomer wet dream, they see all of their twilight hopes and dreams in his wrinkled, child-sniffing face. He tells rambling, likely false stories of himself as a tough guy setting things to rights, just like they are in their fantasies.

This is why he can admit to blatant quid pro quo on tape, and aging liberal Boomers will still defend him to the death. They want another half-senile Boomer president who is just like them so badly before they die.

@29, my bad. I didn't realize it was THE Ohio State University, although you must admit it's lame that TOSU tried to trademark the word "The."
https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/14/us/the-ohio-state-university-trademark-trnd/index.html

@Adam, I don't personally give a single shit about Joe Biden or his son or who is responsible for what or if this or that was technically legal or illegal. If it brings down Trump, good.

What I'm saying is that the entire case highlights how the political establishment of our country, including the Democrats, including their candidate against Trump, is up to their eyeballs in international corruption. The pipeline politics in the Ukraine, Central Asia, Syria, etc, the arrangements with the Saudis, the mafia connections, the interference in foreign elections, etc- the whole thing is mind bogglingly corrupt. That Biden's son could make millions of dollars in just a couple years, along with a CIA director and mafia members, working for a natural gas company under an administration supported by Obama and his dad- yes that demonstrates just how corrupt this establishment is. I want people in power who are not associated with it at all.

It might make a difference to you that, in the end, Joe Biden supported the investigation into Burisma despite the fact that his son made millions from them. It makes no difference to me- what matters is the fact that they are so entrenched in this system in the first place. And while Hunter's actions are not his dad's responsibility, it's just a fact that he has those jobs in the first place because of his dad's connections. Their family is personally enriched by it. The only difference between them and Trump is that they work within the legal system (IMF is a legitimate mafia) while Trump worked outside it. I'll take it if it gets rid of Trump, but it doesn't inspire confidence in Biden nor the Dems. And it seems politically stupid to highlight how these very well-connected elites make their money, making millions on networking and sitting about doing nothing, dictating foreign policy based on what's good for business. Surely the Dems are aware that voters are sick of this shit? But I'm probably wrong about that- libs seem to have no problem with how the world works so long as their side is in power. They'll probably rally behind Biden now.

@41
I'm definitely not a Biden supporter, but I can tell the difference between fact and fiction.

You should give it a try sometime.

@41 Yes that's true, but it wouldn't surprise me if younger libs fall in behind him too and then show him as a hero for taking on Trump.

What are the chances that impeachment will actually go through the Senate? Seems like they'd need to get all the Dems and Inds on board plus several Reps, right? I can't see that this is possible?

@43
I agree that the status quo is fucked up.
The dems are basically paid by their wealthy donors to lose to the republicans.

Unless we get big money out of politics nothing will change.
We will be stuck choosing the lesser evil.

Granted, I don't know a whole lot about impeachment, just what a couple articles have reported and what I remember from Clinton, but they need 2/3 majority in the Senate to find him guilty right? Every one of the Dems plus Bernie and King. Would every Dem find him guilty? Joe Manchin? But let's assume they all do. That brings us up to 47. A 2/3 majority is 67 right? So they need 20 Republicans to find him guilty. Even if you include all the never-Trumpers and all the GOP that jumped ship during the border wall funding vote, that still only gives you like a dozen. They'd have to pick up 8-10 hardcore Republicans. There's just no fucking way that's going to happen. It's delusional.

I wonder if what's really going on is just a ploy to set the narrative for the primary season- it will be all about Trump v Biden and impeachment of Trump long before January, and that's what will grab most people's attention. Libs will get on board, status quo ensured, no Warren, no Bernie, fewer conversations about Medicare For All or how we are sending troops to Saudi Arabia, etc. Just poor Biden, his family attacked unfairly by Trump, finally now we can impeach the motherfucker. And of course it will go nowhere.

@45
I have no idea why anyone would support Biden.

He's tried running for president before, and he has a history of failing.

I would prefer someone more progressive myself.
I've been a lifelong independent, but I know I'll be voting for whoever gets the democratic nomination.

@47
You may be on to something.

The establishment would definitely love to change the conversation.

Yes good point. They are paid to lose to the Republicans. I'd say that's cynical but mostly true.

I think the truth is that they would like to win, but it's not their primary goal. Their first goal is to maintain the status quo that personally enriches them and their donor base and their networks. There are two ways to do that: having an establishment candidate who wins to GOP (be it a Hillary or a Biden or an Obama or a Pelosi) or having an establishment candidate who loses to the GOP (even if it's Trump). They might prefer that THEIR establishment candidate wins, but their second choice is a Republican win over a non-establishment Dem who might actually upset the status quo.

That's what seems so cynical to me about this impeachment stuff. It's the elites closing ranks around one of their own and protecting the way global capital operates, anti-democratic and destructive as that might be. Like I said, if it really does get rid of Trump, then I'll take it as a first step and a lesser evil, but that seems impossible. Like, totally delusional to even consider. So focusing on this- what's the point? It's about defending the right of establishment capitalists to run the world like their personal wealth-generating machines. What they are really angry about is Trump trying to expose that system for his own personal gain. The fact that Trump does it in such a stupid fucking way (Giuliani of all people!) - jeez these rich motherfuckers are such idiots. It's enough to make you cry. Or laugh. I don't fucking know.

@50
Trump exposes the corruption of the system while at the same time publicly benefiting from that system.
It's insane.
I don't understand how his supporters are able to maintain that level of cognitive dissonance.

@51 "Vote for me and I'll piss off the people you hate" has become a surprisingly effective campaign strategy.

Now with more sodium?! Sweet Jesus!!

"I don't understand how his supporters are able to maintain that level of cognitive dissonance."

I think I do. It's a fascinating thing, but it's not just Trump supporters. It's also Hilary and Obama supporters. (Now two necessary disclaimers: A yes, Dems are lesser evil and we have to vote for them over Reps. The main difference between the two here is that Dem supporters generally care about civil liberties while Trump supporters are fash-adjacent; B yes, also that Obama is personally flawless - in his personal life, his administration was scandal free and he probably never did anything illegal). But Hilary/Obama/Biden supporters AND Trump supporters have that cognitive dissonance in common. What it stems from is an inability to see the underlying structural problems. They think politics is about getting the good guys in and the bad guys out (they just disagree on who those people are) and do not conceive of politics as being about the control and distribution of resources. The media supports this narrative, and it serves the people at the top, regardless of political affiliation. Also, what Seattle in Alaska said. In short, a lot of these people just think of it like sports allegiance.

I can point out dozens of totally corrupt (from an ethical point of view) things that Hilary/Obama did, that Biden supports, that the Democrats continue to defend. It never sways liberals or gets them to consider their support for the establishment of that party. And I don't mean supporting them as lesser evil- there's a good case for that and I always vote blue. I mean libs who sincerely support these politicians. It's extremely frustrating. As frustrating as the support for Trump.

I learned that lesson young when we shut down the freeways in an attempt to stop the Iraq invasion and liberals complained about the inconvenience to their commutes. I'm not sure why they defend the system so much though- is it ignorance? Being naive? Thinking of politics as personal celebrity? Or an honest disregard for the lives of people around them?

Lately I've settled upon a lack of imagination. "This is how the world is" propaganda is very effective. People respond to whatever shiny thing is dangled in their face, they can't imagine that anything could ever be different than it is, it seems scary/difficult to actually take a stance, and anyway they honestly believe that the US is exceptional and that our government tries it's best and sometimes might make mistakes but not evil ones like those other governments. So from time to time you just have to root out the meanie corrupt individuals who make things bad- libs think this is Trump and his crew, conservatives think it's Clinton and her crew, etc. Both uphold the status quo.

McDonald's continues its decades-long cluelessness. Its executive now think more technology will help increase profits and restore it to the top of the fast food chain.

These brain-dead food industry zombies haven't yet figured out that the way back to success is to serve BETTER QUALITY FOOD.

Not just "duh", but duh to the 10th power.

Remember when New York City was flooded?

That. Every year. Not every 100 years.

For all coastal cities worldwide.

All of them.

Even us.

Oh, and the "transcript" is missing at least 16 minutes. Check the time notes. Say the words out loud in a normal conversational pattern and you're missing most of the "transcript".

Go, Greta Thunberg, GO!!! Congratulations on your well deserved Nobel Peace Prize!
@5 kallipugos: Agreed and seconded.
@10 & @14 Original Andrew: If the total pigfuckery that is the Err Of Trump / Pence doesn't end soon, methinks the Revolution in the U.S.will indeed, be bloody, with all the overwhelming criminal evidence. I say, throw Trumpty Dumpty, Dencey Pencey, and the entire GOP Evil Empire to the alligators, already. RepubliKKKans have created their own cesspool, escalated by their insane over-industrialization and catering to the fossil fuel industry. Thanks to GOP climate change deniers, Florida is 100% total swampland, waiting to swallow them up (ask anyone effected by Hurricane Dorian). Everything Trumpty Dumpty touches turns to shit. I look forward to Trumpty Dumpty's Great Fall. It can take the rest of the GOP with it, down in flames.

@58 Doofus in Shoreline: Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son. Take off that ridiculous MAGA fraternity cap before your head caves in.