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DetlefK

(16,423 posts)
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 07:46 AM Jan 2018

Imagine if Mueller starts flattering Trump with compliments during the interview.

"I know, Mr. President, Sir, you've gotten a lot of flak about this investigation, but I can assure you that we want to wrap it up as fast as possible. Your victory was one of the biggest in US-history and it's important for our country to get back to normal."

What happens if Trump gets comfy and starts regaling Mueller with his tales?
31 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Imagine if Mueller starts flattering Trump with compliments during the interview. (Original Post) DetlefK Jan 2018 OP
Great question! GetRidOfThem Jan 2018 #1
mueller has a nice smile i imagine he will attempt to put trump at ease... samnsara Jan 2018 #2
+1 dewsgirl Jan 2018 #3
Experienced... machoneman Jan 2018 #5
I pray we eventually get to see this. His attorney's have to be losing their minds. dewsgirl Jan 2018 #21
Judging from what I've seen of their performance so far, too late RandomAccess Jan 2018 #30
Well said! NT Ilsa Jan 2018 #9
Excellent characterization. dchill Jan 2018 #10
Trump is so nuts he'd admit to being a serial killer if Mueller flatters him enough. Vinca Jan 2018 #4
+1 dewsgirl Jan 2018 #31
I use to do investigations in the Navy Farmer-Rick Jan 2018 #6
Which of course the opponents (within Intel) of waterboarding tell us too. More likely to get a OnDoutside Jan 2018 #18
Yeah, real investigators know torture is Not done to get at the truth Farmer-Rick Jan 2018 #20
On a side note, my cousin's third cousin on his mother's side OnDoutside Jan 2018 #26
Score a yuuuuge win for Mueller TheCowsCameHome Jan 2018 #7
All Mueller has to say is: nuxvomica Jan 2018 #8
OMG So right SayItLoud Jan 2018 #12
"We know that you're just a puppet of the real mastermind." DetlefK Jan 2018 #14
Mr. President do you have any questions? SayItLoud Jan 2018 #11
Mueller and his people are experienced interrogators Sam McGee Jan 2018 #13
Read that story about the two lawyers, too. DetlefK Jan 2018 #15
Donnie doesn't know what Mueller knows. Donnie NoMoreRepugs Jan 2018 #16
Some diet cokes, Big Macs and ice cream couldn't hurt either.... Historic NY Jan 2018 #17
Unlikely that Mueller will be conducting the interview. writerJT Jan 2018 #19
That's what they do... The Conductor Jan 2018 #22
Yep. And here is an amazing example of how it can be done. writerJT Jan 2018 #23
My, what big hands you have, Mr Trump C_U_L8R Jan 2018 #24
LOL. Seems as if you've read excerpts from Fire and Fury. PatrickforO Jan 2018 #25
i pity his lawyers. unblock Jan 2018 #27
What's worked in the past is to just get Trump talking Johonny Jan 2018 #28
I envision Columbo pretending to be obsequious and adoring hvn_nbr_2 Jan 2018 #29

samnsara

(17,572 posts)
2. mueller has a nice smile i imagine he will attempt to put trump at ease...
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 08:14 AM
Jan 2018

...and trump will roll over for his belly to be scratched.

machoneman

(3,955 posts)
5. Experienced...
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 08:56 AM
Jan 2018

Interviewers on Mueller's team will have well rehearsed questions in hand that were thoroughly researched. Yes, they will at times totally depart from a serious line of questioning to flatter and distract Trump...before quickly switching back to the real issues. These and other tricks will be used to disarm especially an expected combative subject in order to get to the real truths.

Here's a helpful link about Federal investigations. Note the techniques they use to get to the subject like an early morning raid where they aren't fully awake or aware. In Trump's case, I do hope they schedule his testimony late in the day (sundowners / Alzheimer where they aren't sharp) to confuse him.....into accidentally get him to tell the truth!


http://www.burnhamgorokhov.com/criminal-defense-resources/federal-criminal-process/federal-investigations-what-everyone-should-know

dewsgirl

(14,961 posts)
21. I pray we eventually get to see this. His attorney's have to be losing their minds.
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 10:22 AM
Jan 2018

Meanwhile he is oblivious, it makes me wonder what he is being shielded from.

 

RandomAccess

(5,210 posts)
30. Judging from what I've seen of their performance so far, too late
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 08:08 PM
Jan 2018

They seem basically incompetent to me.

Farmer-Rick

(10,072 posts)
6. I use to do investigations in the Navy
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 09:03 AM
Jan 2018

Nothing real serious but it always amazed me how people would spill their guts if you pretended to be their friend. To the point of implicating themselves in (minor) crimes. Who needs torture, most people will tell you all you need to know if you pretend to like them.

OnDoutside

(19,908 posts)
18. Which of course the opponents (within Intel) of waterboarding tell us too. More likely to get a
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 10:09 AM
Jan 2018

better reaction by treating people with respect.

Farmer-Rick

(10,072 posts)
20. Yeah, real investigators know torture is Not done to get at the truth
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 10:20 AM
Jan 2018

It's done to get people to admit to something they did Not do.

Despite what tv shows are constantly trying to convince us of. Beating people up or water boarding suspects will Never get you the truth.

OnDoutside

(19,908 posts)
26. On a side note, my cousin's third cousin on his mother's side
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 10:49 AM
Jan 2018

taught military how to defend against interrogation techniques like waterboarding, when he was in the USAF, and also iirc blew the whistle on Bruce Jessen who wrote the terror interrogation manual under the Bush Administration.

nuxvomica

(12,366 posts)
8. All Mueller has to say is:
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 09:11 AM
Jan 2018

"We don't know who's behind this whole Russia thing but we do know he's some sort of mastermind genius type, somebody with a really good brain and definitely not obese or with small hands."

 

Sam McGee

(347 posts)
13. Mueller and his people are experienced interrogators
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 09:39 AM
Jan 2018

Trump has never encountered anything like this before. Never.

He is accustomed to either (1) controlling the situation, or, (2) having Roy Cohn at his elbow to control the situation.

He's never been in front of the people/person who nailed John Gotti, who nailed one organized crime figure after another, who nailed Russian mobsters, who nailed crooked bankers . . .

Making the subject of the interrogation comfortable, playing to his weaknesses, setting up traps are all part of the process. Trump's shit is weak. And they will have it all on video.

Remember -- I don't have a link to this story, will try to find one -- years ago some of Trump's lawyers gave a deposition in a case against him. They revealed that, after dealing with Trump for a short while, they established the practice of having two or more attorneys meet with Trump because he lied so readily, changed his story from minute to minute, they needed at least one more person in the room to keep track of Trump's bullshit.

NoMoreRepugs

(9,260 posts)
16. Donnie doesn't know what Mueller knows. Donnie
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 10:00 AM
Jan 2018

and his lawyers aren't smarter than Mueller and his team. Donnie's continuous criticism of the intelligence services has led me to believe they are working overtime to assist Mueller and his team to look into the correct closets of impropriety. This could be a watershed moment for our Democracy.

Fingers are crossed and breath is being held.

Historic NY

(37,449 posts)
17. Some diet cokes, Big Macs and ice cream couldn't hurt either....
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 10:06 AM
Jan 2018

where's Ben & Jerry's...they need a no collusion flavor.

writerJT

(190 posts)
19. Unlikely that Mueller will be conducting the interview.
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 10:12 AM
Jan 2018

He will probably do what most Special Counsels (and Independent Counsels like Starr) have done and hand it off to members of his team that specialize in the areas they want to explore. Mueller will be there but probably more in an observational capacity.

But your point is interesting and a good lawyer will try alignment as a tactic to loosen up the witness. Trump is dumb enough, and narcissistic enough, to fall for it.

The Conductor

(180 posts)
22. That's what they do...
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 10:37 AM
Jan 2018

Ever see a real police interrogation? Not the fake high tension junk on TV shows or in movies; the real deal with a real suspect. The interrogators entire job is to get into the head of the suspect, say whatever will bring them out, whatever will keep them talking. A really common ploy is to tell the suspect they have some kind of very strong evidence - real is better, but made-up is surprisingly OK. Then they say something on the order of, "We know you didn't mean for things to go this way, and this is your one chance to get your story out and on the record so everyone knows that. Amazing how often that leads to the suspect spilling everything you could ever know about them, right down to their mother's shoe size.

The FBI already has good evidence, and Trump's vanity and arrogance would be an access point to everything he knows. And the FBI people are the best interrogators in the business; smart enough to act dumb and let a suspect hang themselves with their own testimony.

C_U_L8R

(44,897 posts)
24. My, what big hands you have, Mr Trump
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 10:40 AM
Jan 2018

And what lovely golden locks
I bet with your healthy stature...
you must weigh under 239lbs.
You're the best witness we've ever had,
the smarterest !!!

PatrickforO

(14,516 posts)
25. LOL. Seems as if you've read excerpts from Fire and Fury.
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 10:45 AM
Jan 2018

Apparently Cheetoh is very easily manipulated, but only for short periods. He tends to support the ideas advanced by the last person who spoke to him. But then if someone else says something different, he will be on a whole new track.

He doesn't really HAVE any vision. He truly does manage by chaos, play people against each other, and is easily flattered.

You know, if there is still even a small modicum of justice in this oligarchy that used to be a republic, Trump will go down, and will take pretty much the entire GOP with him. This Russia thing is getting bigger every day.

unblock

(51,974 posts)
27. i pity his lawyers.
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 11:24 AM
Jan 2018

well, to a point. i strongly believe everyone deserves good legal advice, even vile people accused of despicable crimes.
on the other hand, i rather suspect that donnie's lawyers are not merely giving the good legal advice everyone deserves, but are also aiding and abetting abuses of the system, if not outright crimes.

that said, i don't envy anyone trying to convince donnie to just shut up and only say "i don't recall."

it's rare to see someone so readily, obviously, and easily manipulable, especially in national politics.


i foresee lawyers saying "we need to take a quick break for a few minutes".

*a lot*.

Johonny

(20,685 posts)
28. What's worked in the past is to just get Trump talking
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 11:30 AM
Jan 2018

he's the same way in front of a lawyer as he is anywhere else. He lies pointlessly. Talks in loops. Contradicts himself... getting Trump to talk about himself is easy. It's not clear Trump's lawyers are going to let him anywhere near Mueller though.

hvn_nbr_2

(6,481 posts)
29. I envision Columbo pretending to be obsequious and adoring
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 01:18 PM
Jan 2018

For anyone old enough to remember Columbo.

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