Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

genxlib

(5,896 posts)
Tue May 7, 2024, 05:03 PM May 2024

Missing the Point on Stormy

Amidst all of the lurid details and hopefulness that TFG will get his due, I fear that people are missing the significant underlying point.

Yes, he is a scumbag. We know that.

Yes, he manipulated the system to try and buy silence to effect an election. We know that.

But the underlying problem here is far more fundamental than that.

He had something to hide. Something that was worth a lot to hide. People with secrets are compromised and can be extorted .

She could have asked him for anything...state secrets, pardons, a high ranking position, green cards. She had him by the ballsack and could have demanded things a lot more damaging than money.

People who have secrets are dangerous because they will do unethical things to keep them a secret.

To be honest, I was pissed at Bill Clinton for this too. I didn't care that he was getting blown in the Oval Office. I cared that he was compromising himself in ways that made him vulnerable to extortion.

30 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Missing the Point on Stormy (Original Post) genxlib May 2024 OP
Having gone through the clearance process myself, I know. And agree. unblock May 2024 #1
And trump never had to go through the clearance process. This makes no sense to me. erronis May 2024 #13
Unfortunately, from a constitutional perspective, it makes no sense. unblock May 2024 #23
I even got contacted and gave Tree Lady May 2024 #15
Agreed. As Peter Strzok said, he is compromised. nt Ilsa May 2024 #2
She took the money because she was afraid they would kill her BWdem4life May 2024 #3
Try again. H2O Man May 2024 #8
It's what I read. BWdem4life May 2024 #25
Politically more damaging: Calling a woman "horseface" Frasier Balzov May 2024 #4
he called her that today???? johnnyfins May 2024 #20
No, I guess not. Frasier Balzov May 2024 #24
Post removed Post removed May 2024 #5
Post removed Post removed May 2024 #6
Russian intelligence service . . . AverageOldGuy May 2024 #7
Truth is DENVERPOPS May 2024 #9
Echo this. Perhaps someday we will learn a bit about putin's grasp on the venal US politicians. erronis May 2024 #14
Epstein probably did that to all sorts of people IronLionZion May 2024 #10
Yesterday I read Nauta had TSDs on his phone Captain Zero May 2024 #29
Agree emphatically. 58Sunliner May 2024 #11
I love Bill, but he kinda thinks with the johnnyfins May 2024 #21
"She could have asked him for anything.". .Did she, in fact, initiate niyad May 2024 #12
What I Heard Was that Karen McDougal Was Really in Love with Donnie... panfluteman May 2024 #16
Agreed. Though this is actually a well documented concern with Trump. Caliman73 May 2024 #17
K&R spanone May 2024 #18
well the main point for me is: what type of SICK FUCK proceeds to have sex ecstatic May 2024 #19
someone who is only in it johnnyfins May 2024 #22
Rape isn't about sex - it's about power/control. nt TBF May 2024 #30
the general dishonesty. elleng May 2024 #26
Unfortunately the jury can't convict Trump for being dangerous... Silent3 May 2024 #27
Right, but 'the particulars of the case' are significant enough to cross the line to elleng May 2024 #28

unblock

(55,116 posts)
1. Having gone through the clearance process myself, I know. And agree.
Tue May 7, 2024, 05:11 PM
May 2024

This is *exactly* the kind of red flag they look for in deciding who can be trusted with classified information and who can't. Donnie cares intensely about his image *and* constantly puts himself in situations that would damage his image if they were made public.

This makes him easily manipulated (completely aside from the obvious ego-based manipulation) and readily extorted. You cannot trust someone like that with classified information, never mind the powers of the presidency.

erronis

(19,699 posts)
13. And trump never had to go through the clearance process. This makes no sense to me.
Tue May 7, 2024, 07:21 PM
May 2024

Every candidate for president, vice-president, top administration officials, and congress should have to have at least a SECRET clearance.

That would quickly rid us of many of the qanon/repuglicons and some of the democrats who act more like the little greedy bastards.

unblock

(55,116 posts)
23. Unfortunately, from a constitutional perspective, it makes no sense.
Tue May 7, 2024, 09:10 PM
May 2024

Can't have a few bureaucrats vetoing who can be president.

Now, candidates should be required to do things take certain tests, make certain disclosures, etc., and the results should be published widely.

But then, Donnie made it clear who he was by refusing to release his taxes, and the media just said wow what a bold norm-breaker now let's move on instead of saying hey, fraud alarm bells.... and shocker, now he's on trial for fraud.

Tree Lady

(12,385 posts)
15. I even got contacted and gave
Tue May 7, 2024, 07:29 PM
May 2024

out info when my son n law was working at Pentagon.

I think we need to change qualifications for president that you must pass security for classified info and at least two years in some type of elected office so you know what its all about. Not rich or famous only.

BWdem4life

(2,508 posts)
3. She took the money because she was afraid they would kill her
Tue May 7, 2024, 05:20 PM
May 2024

That's not exactly having him by the balls

Frasier Balzov

(4,356 posts)
4. Politically more damaging: Calling a woman "horseface"
Tue May 7, 2024, 05:22 PM
May 2024

What a rude and stupid thing to keep doing.

Frasier Balzov

(4,356 posts)
24. No, I guess not.
Tue May 7, 2024, 09:17 PM
May 2024

The prosecutor must've have made her read his earlier comment about her out loud on the stand.

Not a new incident.

Response to genxlib (Original post)

Response to genxlib (Original post)

AverageOldGuy

(2,584 posts)
7. Russian intelligence service . . .
Tue May 7, 2024, 06:43 PM
May 2024

. . . figured that out years ago. He is what the intell community calls an "unwitting asset" -- and they are the most dangerous.

DENVERPOPS

(12,180 posts)
9. Truth is
Tue May 7, 2024, 06:57 PM
May 2024

that Putin was grooming and collecting Kompromat on Trump and Many other Republican Politicians for decades.

Truth is that the U.S. Government rejected (For major causes) Top Secret Clearances for Ivanka, Jared, etc etc etc and they got them anyway.....

The Intelligence community, even before Trump was out of office, no longer provided their daily intel briefings to Trump, nor his spawn.
Former Presidents customarily continue to get the intel for a year? after they leave office, and the Intel Community said NO WAY.....What do you think they knew, that the citizens of the U.S didn't know, about what was going on with the Intel by Trump and his spawn/??????

I would love to know what Putin has on Trump, (and also Lindsay Graham, as well as other top Republicans).......I will bet it is juicy and way way way way beyond despicable or deplorable............. Certainly something soooo sickening that it would turn off his 70 Million supporters.......

His supporters could care less about whore mongering, infidelity, homosexuality, so what does Putin have that they would be scared to death he might reveal.........Think about it.........

erronis

(19,699 posts)
14. Echo this. Perhaps someday we will learn a bit about putin's grasp on the venal US politicians.
Tue May 7, 2024, 07:23 PM
May 2024

Obviously we are an easy mark. Perhaps because we no longer are required to study history.

IronLionZion

(48,840 posts)
10. Epstein probably did that to all sorts of people
Tue May 7, 2024, 06:59 PM
May 2024

which is why they had to shut him up permanently.

Trump could easily have been extorted already by foreign adversaries. His administration was full of leaks, he would verbally spill classified info to Mar-A-Lago guests, keep classified documents unsecured, etc. The Trump years saw an unprecedented amount of cyberattacks successfully hit US government institutions and a effing insurrection at the Capitol. Let's not forget his first impeachment over Ukraine. And everyone in his orbit is apparently crooked and corrupt.

But yes, we can always trust the twice impeached porn star hush money dude with countless bankruptcies and indictments.

Captain Zero

(7,862 posts)
29. Yesterday I read Nauta had TSDs on his phone
Wed May 8, 2024, 07:11 AM
May 2024

The only way he would get those would be from Trump and MaraLoco. Walt Nauta is a Russian Agent. Or a flunky waiting to grift. He is with Trump constantly.

niyad

(123,726 posts)
12. "She could have asked him for anything.". .Did she, in fact, initiate
Tue May 7, 2024, 07:13 PM
May 2024

a demand for money? That is something I have never seen addressed. Did she ask for money, or did RAPIST-TRAITOR** voluntarily offer it to her to cover up his actions?

Same question about Karen McDougall.

Caliman73

(11,767 posts)
17. Agreed. Though this is actually a well documented concern with Trump.
Tue May 7, 2024, 07:43 PM
May 2024

All politicians have "something to hide". One of the reasons I have been hesitant to run for office locally is concern for dirt that might be dredged up or made up. Not that I have tons of skeletons in my closet, but the intrusion into people's private lives is horrible.

Trump likes to think that he is unique, as in special and gifted. He isn't. The only thing that sets him apart in any positive way in his life, was that he was born to wealth. He is unique however, in that he is SO DAMAGED and SO NEEDY that he us uniquely susceptible to being compromised. It doesn't even really stem from all the horrible shit that he has done either. Most people know he is a scumbag and has likely done worse that what is being exposed. The problem is that to Trump, his IMAGE is his only concern. Trump doesn't require blackmail to give up state secrets, the only thing he would really need would be for something to benefit him in some big way. Putin was able to play him easily and the Chinese had him begging and trying to exhort the Congress to take one of the tech companies off the bad list because they (the Chinese) buttered him up and probably offered to spend bunches of money at Trump properties.

Like I said, people have secrets. What Trump lacks is what makes him unique. He lacks any integrity or ethics.

ecstatic

(34,771 posts)
19. well the main point for me is: what type of SICK FUCK proceeds to have sex
Tue May 7, 2024, 08:05 PM
May 2024

with someone who reminds them of their child? That is really disgusting.

 

Silent3

(15,909 posts)
27. Unfortunately the jury can't convict Trump for being dangerous...
Wed May 8, 2024, 05:07 AM
May 2024

…so they can only go by the particulars of the case as related to the charges at hand in the trial, for which Trump’s exposure to blackmail is irrelevant.

There’s plenty to pick from to when it comes to clear signals Trump should never be, and should never have been, in a position of great power.

elleng

(139,449 posts)
28. Right, but 'the particulars of the case' are significant enough to cross the line to
Wed May 8, 2024, 05:11 AM
May 2024

GUILTY, imo.

The judge's instructions will be critical.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Missing the Point on Stor...