Something is going on at the White House.

[kentuck]

How can one not notice the changing of the guard since General Kelly took away Jared Kushner's security clearance? Donald Trump is working overtime trying to put sycophants into positions around him. He wants them to protect him from the law.

This is a time that he wants people in position that he thinks he can control. He felt that he could not control Rex Tillerson and he fired him. He believes that Pompeo will protect him, so he puts Pompeo in Tillerson's job. A lot of changes are going on around the White House at this time. And we might expect more in the next few days.

There is a fear and paranoia in the Oval Office. Donald Trump is running scared. He is unpredictable, such as when he announces a meeting with Kim Jung Un of North Korea. It surprised and shocked everyone!

Meanwhile, the Republicans continue their winter hibernation.

[madaboutharry]

1. The republicans are going to own this madness.

Trump is like one of those inbred European kings running around the palace acting like a madman. And when he goes down, the enablers and sycophants are going to go down with him. The American people are getting sick of living in crazy town. And they are going to turn on them. It would almost be fun to watch if it it wasn't so terrifying.

[fierywoman]

2. "It would almost be fun to watch if it it wasn't so terrifying." -- ain't it the truth!

[OnDoutside]

12. But will they ? I don't see enough calling out of Republican treason.

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. It's called bunker mentality.

A well known stage on the road to the end.
totally perfect for a Downfall parody.

[dawg day]

4. And that John McEntee....

Practically thrown out of the White House... then immediately hired by the campaign.
Kelly fired him, I guess, and then Trump angrily retaliated?

Now Trump is trying to get Sessions to fire Andrew McCabe, though he's already going to retire-- just to deprive him of pension? I don't think that's going to go over well with his "base", who might finally understand that Trump is just like the worst boss we all have had.

[Control-Z]

6. No, he's worse. eom

[Leghorn21]

7. Actually, dawg - the base hates Mr. McCabe, because his wife ran for the state senate in VA -

as a Democrat.

From Newsweek, Jan. ‘18:

“President Donald Trump reportedly lashed out at Andrew McCabe, who stepped down as the deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Monday, during a phone call in May 2017 when the president suggested that McCabe ask his wife how it feels to be a loser.”

So....
Oy

[struggle4progress]

5. Bread and circus

[Grammy23]

8. Since the beginning the Repubs hated tRump. Wanted nothing to do with him.

Then it became apparent he was going to be their nominee one way or the other. So they embraced him .... kinda, sorta. I think they thought they could control the situation and him. But the truth is many of them have their own sins to cover and tRump knows it. So they can’t exactly blow the whistle on tRump, although obviously, things are off the rails in the White House. They are juggling hand grenades trying to figure out how to get this hot mess straightened out, but their own hides are in this. So what to do? I suspect their behind closed door meetings are ...shall we say? .... interesting?

They have backed themselves into a corner with no graceful way out. And their master (Putin) is staring them in the face, daring them to reveal all. tRump is no help and has created havoc that they cannot fix easily.

At some point it will all fall apart and we will see where the chips fall. But until then, we are gonna see a lot of stalling and legal maneuvering to try to delay the inevitable. Thankfully, there seem to be enough Democrats that have no intention of going away quietly and allowing tRump to run amok indefinitely.

[Tatiana]

9. This feels like the beginning of his undoing.

The new people he is putting in are going to turn on him and make a power play to, perhaps, put Pence or Ryan in executive power. Ryan has the look of someone who is moving on from Congress. He may have his eyes on the White House...

[kentuck]

15. He looks like a man near panic...

He finally realizes that they have the power to take him down. For the first time in his life, there may be consequences for his actions.

[Hortensis]

16. Actually, his current seeming new confidence is

making me a little nervous.

He appears to be very pleased with himself these past couple of days. He's afraid of but still believing he can beat the investigation. And he's looking forward to turning the presidency into two years of rallies of cheering rabble. He clearly doesn't know there will be no second term.

How will he react when he is shot down off this current high? This time it'll occur without most of his old whisperers to coax him down off the walls.

[kentuck]

17. That is all a defensive veneer...

When he smiles as if everything is right with the world, the shit is bad.

(On edit) I agree that he still thinks he can beat this investigation. But, first of all, he has to surround himself with people that he feels comfortable around. We will continue to see him fire people who are not sufficiently loyal.

[Hortensis]

20. Honestly, he's a bundle of delusions, misfiring

neuron connections, and bad character traits. I have no problem believing he was as frightened as you say last week and deluded into absurdly untethered confidence this one. I noticed how newly happy and confident he looked and sounded a couple days ago and only afterward heard DC commentators describe it and explain why. He thinks he's gotten the hang of this president job and is back in control, the disloyal ones he never liked mostly out, and people he wants in.

it's profoundly delusional and completely unsustainable, of course. Something will happen to frighten and enrage him, maybe a number of them. But this man is hugely powerful and likes to hurt people even when he's in a good mood. How about when fear is once again a scratching, biting monkey on his shoulders and this high gives way to one of his dangerous rages, perhaps a really big one?

[kentuck]

21. That's the cloud that hangs over all of us...

all of the time.

[Hortensis]

22. Yup. Apparently over no one more than his staff.

[kentuck]

24. Everybody that works for him is humiliated and destroyed..

Everybody.

[Hortensis]

26. :) I'm hoping the destruction comes after all this.

Apparently a lot of them rotate over to the campaign, being referred to as a halfway house, so they're protected temporarily from having to market themselves in the real world.

[Angry Dragon]

10. just think if he was a drinker

[Laffy Kat]

13. But instead sounds like he may enjoy a little nose candy.

If so, that's bad, too.

[Hortensis]

23. Doubt very much this babbling collection of

bad character traits who surrounds himself with the same could keep substance abuse secret.

[TwistOneUp]

11. The news says, Trump is going to make big staffing changes...

WTF has he been doing? Big staffing changes? There's no one left!

[struggle4progress]

14. When that great ship went down

[GoCubsGo]

18. It's not "hibernation."

It's "complicity." The republicans are not hibernating. They are wide awake, and they' majority of them are fine with all of this.

[kentuck]

19. But, unfortunately...

The Republicans control the levers of power that would normally hold them accountable. There is not a lot that Democrats can do at this time. They are an ignored minority.

For example, if he fires Jeff Sessions, what can the Democrats do about it? If he fires Rod Rosenstein, what can Democrats do? I think he is in the process of "cleaning house".

[Hortensis]

25. Yes. We're not completely helpless, but for now

the press are more powerful players in our system of checks and balances, and neither they nor we can currently check.

COUNTDOWN TO MIDTERMS: 235 days, or 33 1/2 weeks.

It may seem too far off for us, but it's more like watching an oncoming express train to McConnell and Ryan.

Speaking of, a new Democratic PAC anti- Ryan ad is about to be released. It'll be on national cable for a week, and also local stations in Ryan's district. I guess it's one of those that are aimed at the gut, supposed to be a much better delivery system than appealing to intellect. As long as it works.

PowerPost: Paul Ryan takes center stage in new ad from Democratic super PAC
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2018/03/15/paul-ryan-takes-center-stage-in-new-ad-from-democratic-super-pac/?utm_term=.6682f2ae8352