Michael Cohen substantiated 99% of what's needed to prove Trump's hush money reimbursement scheme—and so far, Cohen held his own under the weak defense counsel's cross-exam.
Ben mentions 45 acting like a 5 yr old and then I see the play in kid terms: Biden and 45 in an egg/spoon race; would trust our democracy in Biden's comparably stable hands vs 45's accordion playing mitts. He'd drop his egg right off, then blame it for being illegal.
So is Wittes saying that the finance guy isn't called by the prosecution because they think he might lie and the defense won't call him because they think he might tell the truth? In the meantime he sits in Rykers waiting until he can collect on a severance package? What a strange environment we are in.
I think Trump is falling asleep and occasionally faking it for plausible deniability. He shows too many signs of dementia in the language category to be completely free of other symptoms such as falling asleep during the day. Trump also needs constant stimulation which would only exacerbate the sleep issue in a setting in which he can't amuse himself at will. I suppose that's why his attorney's are trying to keep him occupied with things to read.
Both Ben Wittes and George Conway have confessed to falling asleep during the proceedings of this trial. They don't think anything should be read into Trump's falling asleep. A lot of reporters dozed off during the questioning about details of the legal documents.
Trump's the defendant not part of the audience. I've had trouble staying awake as a juror during boring testimony and our judge nodded off at one point. That was a civil trial. In the criminal trial no one fell asleep, especially the defendant. He was riveted and consulting with his attorneys all the time. I could buy it maybe, if Trump fell asleep once or twice, but this is every day and multiple times a day. There's something going on. They either have him drugged, or he's sleep deprived, or it's part of his multiple cognitive issues.
I agree with Tim that money in politics particularly big donor money is becoming less important. (Which is something I wished for but like more primary challengers which monkey's paw like has just made everything worse)
One really smart thing that the Biden team has done by casting Trump as a fundraising loser is that its goaded Trump to overcompensate to catch up.
And Trump being Trump does this in the stupidest and sleaziest way possible. (Like offering regulatory cuts if oil executives raise a billion dollars for his campaign.)
And I've listened to enough of The Focus Group to know that this aspect of Trump is the most worrisome for soft Trump voters. (The idea that Trump will screw them over to help himself.)
How can the Uber rich support Trump? The stock markets thrive on stability. Trump is an agent of chaos; a total loose cannon. He will pull out of NATO, place tariffs on a whim, and, at the drop of a hat, turn on any industry if he sees it as being in his own interest. He will send the economies of the world into downward spirals. His decrees to block ALL vaccine mandates guarantee the US an epidemic of measles, or polio, of whooping cough,... He plans to destroy the ACA. How is any of this good for the economy?
Corporations generally have no moral code but "Make more money." So why do they support Trump and other MAGAs? I understand they want deregulation. But the cost of getting that with him could bankrupt them.
You're thinking about this wrong. It's not about what they hope Trump will do FOR them. It's about what they fear he will do TO them if they don't donate. It's extortion.
If I were a juror, here’s what I would find problematic about Trump’s defense trying to paint Michael Cohen as a liar. Basically they’re saying “Cohen is a liar; he lied when he said Trump did nothing wrong.” How is this helping the defense?
Tim, your music choices are beyond…..who is/are the artist(s) today. Just gorgeous!
The Mullins book sounds great, but my frustration level at the corruption inside the beltway is already near 11 (10 being the highest mark)
I will however disagree with his notion that Trump would keep Lena Kahn. He doesn’t give a rat’s ass about antitrust legislation. He doesn’t care about anything but staying out of court/jail.
I can't decide what's worse. Mike Johnson defending Trump while he's being tried for something that involves cheating on his wife with a porn star (guess Covenant Eyes doesn't see that!) or Tuberville fretting about Trump's mental anguish, like he's not from the "fuck your feelings" party. I guess Trump's feelings are different!
Bruce, how would that work? Any policies Trump could enact to punish the very rich would affect him.
They worry - reasonably - that Trump would use the DoJ or the IRS to harass them. It's the sort of thing his idols Erdogan and Orban do.
Ben mentions 45 acting like a 5 yr old and then I see the play in kid terms: Biden and 45 in an egg/spoon race; would trust our democracy in Biden's comparably stable hands vs 45's accordion playing mitts. He'd drop his egg right off, then blame it for being illegal.
So is Wittes saying that the finance guy isn't called by the prosecution because they think he might lie and the defense won't call him because they think he might tell the truth? In the meantime he sits in Rykers waiting until he can collect on a severance package? What a strange environment we are in.
Well put
I think Trump is falling asleep and occasionally faking it for plausible deniability. He shows too many signs of dementia in the language category to be completely free of other symptoms such as falling asleep during the day. Trump also needs constant stimulation which would only exacerbate the sleep issue in a setting in which he can't amuse himself at will. I suppose that's why his attorney's are trying to keep him occupied with things to read.
Both Ben Wittes and George Conway have confessed to falling asleep during the proceedings of this trial. They don't think anything should be read into Trump's falling asleep. A lot of reporters dozed off during the questioning about details of the legal documents.
Trump's the defendant not part of the audience. I've had trouble staying awake as a juror during boring testimony and our judge nodded off at one point. That was a civil trial. In the criminal trial no one fell asleep, especially the defendant. He was riveted and consulting with his attorneys all the time. I could buy it maybe, if Trump fell asleep once or twice, but this is every day and multiple times a day. There's something going on. They either have him drugged, or he's sleep deprived, or it's part of his multiple cognitive issues.
I agree with Tim that money in politics particularly big donor money is becoming less important. (Which is something I wished for but like more primary challengers which monkey's paw like has just made everything worse)
One really smart thing that the Biden team has done by casting Trump as a fundraising loser is that its goaded Trump to overcompensate to catch up.
And Trump being Trump does this in the stupidest and sleaziest way possible. (Like offering regulatory cuts if oil executives raise a billion dollars for his campaign.)
And I've listened to enough of The Focus Group to know that this aspect of Trump is the most worrisome for soft Trump voters. (The idea that Trump will screw them over to help himself.)
How can the Uber rich support Trump? The stock markets thrive on stability. Trump is an agent of chaos; a total loose cannon. He will pull out of NATO, place tariffs on a whim, and, at the drop of a hat, turn on any industry if he sees it as being in his own interest. He will send the economies of the world into downward spirals. His decrees to block ALL vaccine mandates guarantee the US an epidemic of measles, or polio, of whooping cough,... He plans to destroy the ACA. How is any of this good for the economy?
Corporations generally have no moral code but "Make more money." So why do they support Trump and other MAGAs? I understand they want deregulation. But the cost of getting that with him could bankrupt them.
You're thinking about this wrong. It's not about what they hope Trump will do FOR them. It's about what they fear he will do TO them if they don't donate. It's extortion.
They think he will break things only enough for them to exploit opportunities. Profits will exceed costs, they wager.
Tim,
From where the hell did you grab "Same Bat time, Same Bat Channel"?
Obviously used by your parents from the teenage Boomer days.
BTW - Get extro music!!
Reruns !
The show was so much fun for we teens of that era...the silly wit, over-the-top dialog, and ridiculous costumes had us coming back for more each week.
And our parents watched because they remembered most of the actors making villain-of-the-week appearances.
A friend's teen aged son saw that Batman and couldn't get over how awful it was. "Can't believe you actually liked this Dad!"
Sounds like something my 30-something daughter said upon watching some of my old fare.
;--)
If I were a juror, here’s what I would find problematic about Trump’s defense trying to paint Michael Cohen as a liar. Basically they’re saying “Cohen is a liar; he lied when he said Trump did nothing wrong.” How is this helping the defense?
Mike Cohen may be a liar and sack of shit, but he did it all for Trump. Bryan Addams wrote a song long ago; "Everything I do, I do it for you".
Tim. Here’s the quote, attributed to John Wanamaker: “
I am convinced that about one-half the money I spend for advertising is wasted, but I have never been able to decide which half.”
Thanks
Tim, your music choices are beyond…..who is/are the artist(s) today. Just gorgeous!
The Mullins book sounds great, but my frustration level at the corruption inside the beltway is already near 11 (10 being the highest mark)
I will however disagree with his notion that Trump would keep Lena Kahn. He doesn’t give a rat’s ass about antitrust legislation. He doesn’t care about anything but staying out of court/jail.
Bon Iver, The Wolves.
I update this playlist every day it’s in chronological order of when each song was used in the pod. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0dApY6YT48kTh6j9xFDQch?si=myQtiB_6Q0mbKOeus-nMdA&pi=u-Rj_KvnzTRlyI
I’m here hoping for an answer to the music question. Artist notes at the end of the episodes would be great!
I can't decide what's worse. Mike Johnson defending Trump while he's being tried for something that involves cheating on his wife with a porn star (guess Covenant Eyes doesn't see that!) or Tuberville fretting about Trump's mental anguish, like he's not from the "fuck your feelings" party. I guess Trump's feelings are different!
Ben Wittes! Superb moment- be comfortable with our contradictions 🤣
Tim at 10:15: "Is it possible to make this a type of 'bank-shot' for voters?"
Masterful description. Also suggests our great orator has the Denver Nuggets on his mind.
And Jokic's touch.
Ben says he didn’t think Mike Johnson was going to say things about the judge’s daughter.
Mike “hold my beer” Johnson:
“Among the atrocities here, the judge’s own daughter is making millions of dollars doing online fundraising for Democrats,” Johnson said.
(From Rolling Stone article “ Trump’s GOP ‘Surrogates’ Take Turns Bashing Judge’s Daughter”)
Sigh. Why do they throw their souls away for Trump?
Your assuming any of them developed souls to begin with. I have my doubts.
"I do have a lot of surrogates and they are speaking very beautifully."
But it seems that Trump getting money from his chump followers is A-okay.
In cross-examination, Trump's lawyer asked Stormy Daniels, "You’re celebrating the indictment by selling things from your store, right?"
Daniels responded, "Not unlike Mr. Trump."
Because "Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely'. *Lord Acton
Among the atrocities here, the Supreme Court Justice's own wife is making millions of dollars doing fundraising for Trump....
Funny how it never matters when it's Republicans doing it.
"Parody is dead". * Charlie Sykes
💯