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babylonsister

(170,963 posts)
Fri Feb 17, 2017, 07:45 AM Feb 2017

Trumps Public Humiliation

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/war_stories/2017/02/robert_harward_turned_down_trump_now_others_can_too.html

Trump’s Public Humiliation

By rejecting the national security adviser job, Robert Harward gave cover to every professional who wants to turn the president down.

By Fred Kaplan


Donald Trump isn’t accustomed to hearing prospective underlings say “No.” So it came as a shock when retired Vice Adm. Robert Harward—his first choice to replace Michael Flynn as national security adviser—told the president he’d have to think about the offer. It must have been a double shock when, a few days later, Harward turned him down flat.

snip//

Trump may now have a hard time filling the position with anyone whose qualifications or prominence would help calm the jitters of allies worldwide—and foreign-policy specialists here—who are wondering what the hell is going on with this president. At the moment, retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, a competent administrator who had been the NSC’s chief of staff, is the acting national security adviser, and it may be that Trump will have to settle on him as the successor.

Three weeks into his term, Trump heads a White House with three or four vacant power centers. He has no national security adviser, a half-full NSC staff, hollow Defense and State Departments (where Trump has yet to nominate any deputy or undersecretaries), and the secretaries heading those departments—Mattis and Rex Tillerson—who, however smart and talented they may be, have never run a federal agency.


At his wild and woolly press conference Thursday afternoon, Trump twice insisted that his administration was “a fine-tuned machine.” It was a risible claim then. A few hours later, after news broke that a retired vice admiral and former Navy SEAL didn’t want to work for him, not even in one of the most vaunted jobs in the White House, the claim careened into total absurdity.
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Trumps Public Humiliation (Original Post) babylonsister Feb 2017 OP
I read Robert Harwood called it a "shit sandwich".. perceptive Cha Feb 2017 #1
now he just needs to wet himself.... samnsara Feb 2017 #6
"Oh Trump, can't you go five seconds without humiliating yourself?" TrollBuster9090 Feb 2017 #12
Is he a Spinal Tap fan? Initech Feb 2017 #26
I think the whole Trump experience has been a shit sandwich... PatrickforO Feb 2017 #30
Who in his right mind wants that stain on his or her career? pinboy3niner Feb 2017 #2
At this point two types rpannier Feb 2017 #31
this can only cause a downward spiral-- there's no confidence in the Trump presidency Fast Walker 52 Feb 2017 #3
And become a patsy for the admins DK504 Feb 2017 #23
They are just waiting mgardener Feb 2017 #4
39% approval rating GeoWilliam750 Feb 2017 #5
I think the backwash is the bottom 28% of this country. Lucky Luciano Feb 2017 #14
I think Bush II bottomed at about 33% rpannier Feb 2017 #32
Maybe Donald's friend Putie can recommend a replacement for Flynn Martin Eden Feb 2017 #7
The Word Humiliation Is Not Part Of 45Pee's Vocabulary...nt global1 Feb 2017 #8
It is and then he sets out to ruin those responsible. He's said as much. SammyWinstonJack Feb 2017 #9
He used to be able to ruin folks greymattermom Feb 2017 #16
Don't know anything else about Harward, but good on him for this. tanyev Feb 2017 #10
Just such a liar vlyons Feb 2017 #11
The posts that are filled..... dawnie51 Feb 2017 #13
He promised jobs to his deplorable voters.. mountain grammy Feb 2017 #15
I'm just hoping Trump will have had enough and just resign. Nitram Feb 2017 #17
Yes I approve your message too...and DippyDem Feb 2017 #18
ooooo!!!! pick me!!!!! I'll do it!!!! mikelewis Feb 2017 #19
That Presser did it for him, I'm sure. Ligyron Feb 2017 #20
yeah, good point. Fast Walker 52 Feb 2017 #25
Did it really? Didn't know that, about the timing. ... Honeycombe8 Feb 2017 #36
It was as good a time as any. Ligyron Feb 2017 #39
Normal people don't want to work for a crazy asshole. dalton99a Feb 2017 #21
Take your job and shove it. nt oasis Feb 2017 #22
..and no one would perform at his inauguration. First clue. joanbarnes Feb 2017 #24
Drumpt has set sail on the good ship Titanic and we are all in steerage. kairos12 Feb 2017 #27
If it takes Harward zentrum Feb 2017 #28
Very quietly, 2/3's of his Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.... Brother Buzz Feb 2017 #29
I have to assume that the former Admiral still has friends DefenseLawyer Feb 2017 #33
Exactly. nt SunSeeker Feb 2017 #35
Why did tRump announce this guy... SHRED Feb 2017 #34
Far more urgently needed than a National Security Adviser: DFW Feb 2017 #37
I heard someone last night saying that Betrayus was also going malaise Feb 2017 #38
"a fine-tuned machine."... Javaman Feb 2017 #40

Cha

(295,909 posts)
1. I read Robert Harwood called it a "shit sandwich".. perceptive
Fri Feb 17, 2017, 07:52 AM
Feb 2017

Vice Admiral.

I thought his "public humiliation" was going to be his presser.. you know, the one where he humiliated himself. That too.

PatrickforO

(14,516 posts)
30. I think the whole Trump experience has been a shit sandwich...
Fri Feb 17, 2017, 09:41 PM
Feb 2017

for the American people. Our misguided Electoral College elected a madman, and now we the people must try our best to get out of it.

rpannier

(24,304 posts)
31. At this point two types
Fri Feb 17, 2017, 10:06 PM
Feb 2017

1. Those who crave being at or near the center of power and would sell out everyone and everything to get it. They will be able to say, "I was the Secretary of..." Even if it turns into a disaster, they will have made their contacts, greaed the wheels and made their money
2. Those who see a catastrophe and feel they have to do something to slow and stop it before it blows up

Lucky Luciano

(11,242 posts)
14. I think the backwash is the bottom 28% of this country.
Fri Feb 17, 2017, 10:06 AM
Feb 2017

No matter what, W would never go below 28%. So sub-30 means he is done in my view.

rpannier

(24,304 posts)
32. I think Bush II bottomed at about 33%
Fri Feb 17, 2017, 10:09 PM
Feb 2017

Hair Douchengroper has fewer supporters, but they're far more ravenous
I say he bottoms at 31 and doesn't drop below that until they either die off or realize the jobs aren't coming back
That would be in 2018-9. If he lasts that long

Martin Eden

(12,802 posts)
7. Maybe Donald's friend Putie can recommend a replacement for Flynn
Fri Feb 17, 2017, 08:35 AM
Feb 2017

Heck, Donnie doesn't even need a National Security Advisor, since he already knows more than the generals.

greymattermom

(5,751 posts)
16. He used to be able to ruin folks
Fri Feb 17, 2017, 10:07 AM
Feb 2017

but he has no idea what power the folks he's dealing with now really have. I'm sure it's much more than a real estate dealer has.

vlyons

(10,252 posts)
11. Just such a liar
Fri Feb 17, 2017, 09:14 AM
Feb 2017

Didn't everyone here at DU tell the world that Traitor Trump is a pathelogical liar? We told you that every thing he says, everything coming out his mouth is a lie. A liar going back decades. Pathetic. Trump's presser yesterday was like Nero fiddling while Rome burns. Everyone who saw it knew he was lying. Was even called out on some of his lies. Pathetic and erratic.

dawnie51

(959 posts)
13. The posts that are filled.....
Fri Feb 17, 2017, 09:29 AM
Feb 2017

are filled by unqualified money grubbing corporates who have ZERO interest in public policy and TOTAL interest in filling their pockets with public money. No one who gives a shit about the country would EVER work for this buffoon, and everyone knows it.

mountain grammy

(26,571 posts)
15. He promised jobs to his deplorable voters..
Fri Feb 17, 2017, 10:07 AM
Feb 2017

how about hiring them? They probably wouldn't do any worse that the oligarchs he's choosing.

DippyDem

(658 posts)
18. Yes I approve your message too...and
Fri Feb 17, 2017, 10:41 AM
Feb 2017

Let him play golf whenever he wants and get his airplane back and pay for it out of his own pocket.

mikelewis

(4,079 posts)
19. ooooo!!!! pick me!!!!! I'll do it!!!!
Fri Feb 17, 2017, 10:46 AM
Feb 2017

I'll be great... the greatest... what's the position again... doesn't matter... Sign me up chief... I have no idea what I'm doing, I have an inherent distrust of the people I'll be Lording over and to top it off... I love Borscht. I'd willing sell out my fellow Americans... operative word being sell... and will follow whatever orders President Bannon orders; provided I don't have to be in the same room as him as he's disgusting to look at so I can only imagine what he smells like.

Ligyron

(7,592 posts)
20. That Presser did it for him, I'm sure.
Fri Feb 17, 2017, 12:38 PM
Feb 2017

His refusal occured just after that and who could blame him?

One of the scariest things I've ever seen on teevee.

Honeycombe8

(37,648 posts)
36. Did it really? Didn't know that, about the timing. ...
Sat Feb 18, 2017, 04:47 AM
Feb 2017

I'm surprised that the presser was a surprise to Harward, and that the long string of Trump lies and rants and off balance statements and actions wasn't enough to convince him.

Maybe he decided before, though, and it was announced after.

He made the right decision.

Ligyron

(7,592 posts)
39. It was as good a time as any.
Sat Feb 18, 2017, 09:34 AM
Feb 2017

Plus he didn't like the people Trump insisted remain in the NSC like Bannon. He expected, as most people would, that he'd be able to put his own folks in.

Also, who would want the job under those conditions? Now Betray us has truned it down too. Nobody wants to get Trump stink all over them. It would probably a career ender.

Brother Buzz

(36,214 posts)
29. Very quietly, 2/3's of his Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders....
Fri Feb 17, 2017, 09:17 PM
Feb 2017

quit on Wednesday.

10 Resign from Presidents Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/10-resig

by TRACI G. LEE
FEB 16 2017

Ten members of the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) submitted their resignation to President Donald Trump, NBC News has learned.

In the letter addressed to Trump and obtained by NBC News on Wednesday, the 10 members — approximately two-thirds of the commission — stated their objection to the president's "portrayal of immigrants, refugees, people of color and people of various faiths as untrustworthy, threatening, and a drain on our nation."

The letter, dated Feb. 15, lists several of the Trump administration's actions that the members say go against the commission's principles, including proposals to cut federal resources to sanctuary cities, repealing the Affordable Care Act, and banning refugees and travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries.

Members also met with former Deputy Secretary of Labor Chris Lu, and former WHIAAPI executive directors Kiran Ahuja and Doua Thor. via White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
Among the members who resigned are its chair and vice chair — Tung Thanh Nguyen, professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco; and Mary Okada, president and CEO of Guam Community College — and actor Maulik Pancholy, who told NBC News that the decision to leave was "an emotional and difficult" one.

<more>



Read more: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/10-resign-president-s-advisory-commission-asian-americans-pacific-islanders-n721386

 

DefenseLawyer

(11,101 posts)
33. I have to assume that the former Admiral still has friends
Fri Feb 17, 2017, 10:11 PM
Feb 2017

In military intelligence. He may know what many still only suspect.

DFW

(54,053 posts)
37. Far more urgently needed than a National Security Adviser:
Sat Feb 18, 2017, 05:16 AM
Feb 2017

Trump needs an emotional nanny--a National Insecurity Adviser, because he certainly has no shortage of insecurity.

Maybe they'll even need to form a National Insecurity Council, so he has a shrink on call wherever he goes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_President's_Analyst

malaise

(267,812 posts)
38. I heard someone last night saying that Betrayus was also going
Sat Feb 18, 2017, 06:07 AM
Feb 2017

to turn down the offer.
I loved how the Con's goons at the WH said that the offer to Harwood wasn't a real offer

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