Why isn't this the biggest story in politics right now?

[bigtree]

Last edited Sat Sep 24, 2016, 09:40 AM - Edit history (2)

Dan Pfeiffer ?@danpfeiffer 10h10 hours ago
Can someone explain why this isn't the biggest story in politics right now? It would be if this was a Clinton aide. https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-s-intel-officials-probe-ties-between-trump-adviser-and-kremlin-175046002.html?soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma

U.S. intel officials probe ties between Trump adviser and Kremlin
by Michael Isikoff

____ U.S. intelligence officials are seeking to determine whether an American businessman identified by Donald Trump as one of his foreign policy advisers has opened up private communications with senior Russian officials — including talks about the possible lifting of economic sanctions if the Republican nominee becomes president, according to multiple sources who have been briefed on the issue.

The activities of Trump adviser Carter Page, who has extensive business interests in Russia, have been discussed with senior members of Congress during recent briefings about suspected efforts by Moscow to influence the presidential election, the sources said. After one of those briefings, Senate minority leader Harry Reid wrote FBI Director James Comey, citing reports of meetings between a Trump adviser (a reference to Page) and “high ranking sanctioned individuals” in Moscow over the summer as evidence of “significant and disturbing ties” between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin that needed to be investigated by the bureau.

____ U.S. officials have since received intelligence reports that during that same three-day trip, Page met with Igor Sechin, a longtime Putin associate and former Russian deputy prime minister who is now the executive chairman of Rosneft, Russian’s leading oil company, a well-placed Western intelligence source tells Yahoo News. That meeting, if confirmed, is viewed as especially problematic by U.S. officials because the Treasury Department in August 2014 named Sechin to a list of Russian officials and businessmen sanctioned over Russia’s “illegitimate and unlawful actions in the Ukraine.” (The Treasury announcement described Sechin as “utterly loyal to Vladimir Putin — a key component to his current standing.” At their alleged meeting, Sechin raised the issue of the lifting of sanctions with Page, the Western intelligence source said.

U.S. intelligence agencies have also received reports that Page met with another top Putin aide while in Moscow — Igor Diveykin. A former Russian security official, Diveykin now serves as deputy chief for internal policy and is believed by U.S. officials to have responsibility for intelligence collected by Russian agencies about the U.S. election, the Western intelligence source said.

read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-s-intel-officials-probe-ties-between-trump-adviser-and-kremlin-175046002.html?soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma

(Interesting read) The Mystery of Trump’s Man in Moscow
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/09/the-mystery-of-trumps-man-in-moscow-214283

[spanone]

1. K&R...

[RKP5637]

2. K&R!!!! n/t

[Little Star]

3. k&r

[meow2u3]

4. K&R for visibility

[LS_Editor]

5. Nixon, Reagan, now Trump. Treason is popular with GOP Presidential candidates.

[Fast Walker 52]

6. that is for damn sure

[Roy Rolling]

12. The winning formula

After voter ID and hacking democrats, conspiring with foreign powers against the sitting president is the GOP strategy.

[lewebley3]

28. Trump is a traitor to this country! He is giving his CIA briefings to Putin

[Fast Walker 52]

7. maybe it will be, but generally, as we well know-- IOKIYAR

[PatSeg]

8. K&R

[napkinz]

9. K&R

[kentuck]

10. Why isn't Comey doing his job on this?

Is he trying to run out the clock until after the election?

[bigtree]

14. we've seen investigations initiated in this time span before

...but little or nothing about even the existence of an investigation is normally revealed. Do we know just what the Justice Dept. or the FBI are doing on this?

I wouldn't think they're flat-footed or sitting on their hands. They have to be somewhat concerned about interjecting themselves in the election with an incomplete investigation.

What we can say for certain is that a president trump would face a barrage of inquiries, both congressional and law enforcement; likely leading to an impeachment.

[kentuck]

18. Cannot depend on impeachment with a Republican House and Senate.

I doubt that it would ever happen?

[bigtree]

22. charges would come first

...the response from all quarters would be withering.

But, my point was more of a prohibitive one regarding his candidacy.

[uponit7771]

16. +1

[lewebley3]

29. Comey should do a press conference telling congress that they need hearings!

[uponit7771]

51. Comey is too busy trickling out Clinton emails that show nothing

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

11. I'm beside myself, how is Trump even being...

allowed to run for office?
How can he possibly get a security clearance?

I know it's too late. But I feel something must be done about this and I just don't mean voting for Ms.Clinton. That's a given.

[malthaussen]

23. Does the president even require a security clearance?

I don't know the law on this, I have a feeling it has never been mooted. Probably the president is ipso facto cleared for all levels.

One would think there is no way Mr Trump would get a security clearance at any level higher than Confidential, but I'm not in the business of determining clearance.

-- Mal

[getagrip_already]

35. The president has the power to declassify anything...

At any time. They don't normally do it though.

Btw, hrc also had this power for issues under the influence of the state Dept. She could say anything wasn't classified, but that never gets brought up in the email debate.

[Nay]

13. Duh -- It's OK if you are a Republican! Didn't you know that??

[BSdetect]

15. The biggest laugh

This country is facing a political nightmare.

There is no way the GOP should be allowed to stop a SCOTUS nomination.

They want to deregulate AGAIN even more than before.

And the candidate they selected is a moron who love our foes, not to mention a scam artist, tax evader and general liar with no composure whatsover.

WTF

[napkinz]

17. everything about Trump just drops off the radar ... the MSM suck

TWICE Encouraging Assassination

Encouraging Foreign Espionage

Bondi-Bribery/Foundation Scandal

Comment That African-Americans Have NEVER Been Worse Off In Our History

Failure To Release His Tax Returns

Birtherism

[lordsummerisle]

53. ^^^

[Sancho]

19. Needs to get on TV or national radio...

before the debate would be really cool!

[LakeArenal]

20. Not a story because it reflects badly on Trump..DUH!

[malthaussen]

21. What's really sad about it is...

... all of these investigations take time. Lots of time. There is no way, even in the most perfect of worlds, that Mr Trump is indicted for any of this before the election. Even if an indictment could be processed at such lightning speed, there is no way the resultant trial would be finished before the election. (And of course, we're stipulating that an indictable offense can be discovered to begin with, which is pure speculation)

Since Mr Trump's supporters really don't care about anything he does or is suspected to do, this would have no effect on them anyway. Though I find it hard to believe that any sapient being could, as yet, have no opinion on the upcoming election, it would be useful, in the case of such people that do exist, to have this knowledge prominently available to help them make up their soi-disant minds.

-- Mal

[Missn-Hitch]

60. Hear, Hear. I would say there is 8, maybe 10%

of the Orange Menace supporters that CAN be swayed with these revelations - which is good. IMO.

I am convinced HRC woefully underestimated the number in the basket.

Cheers.

[pangaia]

24. It is not a big story for the same reason

the Nazi army running around in FORD trucks was also not a big story, or that Zyklon B was supplied by STANDARD OIL, or..........

[Missn-Hitch]

61. I like the way you think. Cheers!

[UCmeNdc]

25. There is much more here.

You just do not know the half of it.

Russia is playing the US.

[napkinz]

26. Joy Reid covering the story now on MSNBC

[Farmgirl1961]

55. That's great -- but what about the rest of them??????

This should be front and center and there should be a demand for an immediate investigation! What are the Dems doing about it?

[Gabi Hayes]

27. Hey! Isikoff! why don't you ask Kellyanne Conway's husband

to put some of his elves to work

maybe they can ferret out some answers

you are one of the main instigator/perpetrators of the 25 year old Clinton scandal industry

fuck you forever

[Ilsa]

30. I'm sure someone in the MSM is working on a false equivalancy right now.

Some unpaid citizen with a Clinton/Kaine yard sign in Hoboken has a second cousin from Crimea. In the gop's eyes, it's the same.

[smirkymonkey]

31. K&R

[niyad]

32. we know why.

[Patiod]

33. Because the far right admires Putin

and his anti-gay ultra-nationalist rhetoric? Because they think THAT'S the right way to lead a country? Because they would be fine with a leader who mowed down all their rights so long as their twisted perception of the 2nd amendment doesn't feel threatened?

[Missn-Hitch]

62. Yes, yes and yes.

Don't forget Jesus. Lots of that too.

[toddwv]

34. Because Big Media doesn't want Trump to fizzle out too soon.

They're raking in the ratings and let's face it: Trump is putting asses in the seats with his bombastic drivel.

[Hekate]

36. KnR

Oy

[calimary]

37. I'm actually surprised that it's Isikoff.

Fuck! Michael Isikoff??? Michael Isikoff is out there digging up dirt on a republi-CON?????? Hell just froze over.

I swear - I used to damn-near throw things at my TV when he was on, "reporting" on the Monica Lewinsky business almost as though he was wearing a bib, he was slobbering so badly. He'd be on camera with this snicker on his face, his delivery almost orgasmic with lascivious delight, going on and on about the sex scandal - I bet he found it hard to stand up after they'd go to commercial. I used to think, and say about him, that he couldn't investigate his way out of a paper bag unless there was a stained blue dress in there.

And then, after the Clinton administration ended, and we got the non-stop crimes (and WAR CRIMES) of bush/cheney, Michael Isikoff was NOWHERE TO BE FOUND. NOWHERE. It's like he disappeared. I felt such outrage - what, you only bother with sex scandals, asshole? You can't investigate anything unless it gets you all hard or something? You write your stories with your penis instead of pen-to-paper? You only investigate Democrats? Where were you when Newt was discarding one wife for a better-looking one, or when John McCain was discarding a damaged wife (from a car accident - who loyally waited for him throughout his POW days) for a prettier younger blonder one? Or when Dan Scumbag Burton was doing his high 'n' mighty thing against Bill Clinton while simultaneously banging some bimbo on the side AND getting her knocked up WHILE he was married to his wife? Or Mr. Holier-Than-Thou Henry Hyde and Bob Livingson and others were noodling around on their wives and leaving strings of broken marriages, children-born-out-of-wedlock, and multiple ruined lives behind them? Not a WORD about THEM??? No. You spent it all on Bill Clinton, you schmuck.

I'm really surprised that Michael Isikoff bothered with ANYTHING on Donald Trump. Seriously? He's been digging dirt on Donald Trump? Guess he must have run out of Democrats on whom to go snooping around...

I just lost all respect for Michael Isikoff. He'd sit there, on the air, and even his posture gave him away. He'd deliver his shit while looking kinda sidelong at the camera the way TV gossip queen Rona Barrett used to do. Sit slightly sideways so you're facing at an angle to the camera. But your EYES look back, straight to the camera, while your face is still aiming slightly sideways. So your body language conveys the REAL story - "hey, guys, guess what dirt I just found out sneaky-sneaky-winky-winky-rumor-rumor-gossip-gossip-scandal-scandal."

Drove me nuts. So Michael Isikoff actually decided to do his actual job for a change and investigate ACTUAL international skullduggery that a republi-CON nogoodnik is up to. Well, I'll be doggone...

Hell did indeed just freeze over.

[bigtree]

38. Isikoff is certainly a wonder

...but the stumper for me is how restrained the media has been with a candidate who's all but barred them from covering him and openly insults them.

I don't see how they could resist the scandals for so long, and have dragged their feet on bringing this inflated braggart down to size. The Trump/Russia connection looks to be the stuff Polks are made of.

I mean, why spend time inventing and repeating invented Clinton scandals when there's a spectacular reality show of a story glinting in their eyes like a brand new, shiny traffic cone?

[calimary]

48. It's really infuriating to see how much the media panders.

MAN - when the Washington Post got its credentials yanked by the Trump campaign, the thing to do was for the rest of the press corps (or is that corpse) to say was - "Okay pal, if you ban one of us, you're gonna get NONE of us. Let WaPo back in or none of us will cover you anymore."

That would have fixed things, I think. Yeah, sure, Pox Noise wouldn't have gone along with it, but what if every other media outlet DID? Get the White House Correspondents Association involved. Make a huge stink out of it.

But all they did was reward the bad behavior by NOT doing anything corrective. And they thereby reinforced and encouraged MORE bad behavior. The press corps should have responded with threats of a total news blackout.

But they don't. A few of us tried it in radio years ago - when studios locked us out of the big interviews because we were "only" radio. We started pushing for a press boycott. NOBODY else responded, much less joined in. So it went nowhere. Nobody was willing to risk their precious fucking ACCESS.

bush/cheney did that to keep the press corps on its knees - by insinuating they'd lose access at those fancy cocktail parties and VIP events. So nobody wanted to rock the boat. Can't lose that precious fucking ACCESS! Same thing when the Washington CD GOP people complained about "The Young Turks" on MSNBC because they were "being mean to them" - asking tough questions and putting them on the grill. They complained to the network brass that they wouldn't come on for interviews if they weren't treated "better" - and it was Cenk and company that was sent packing. Shoulda been the CONS. But the MSNBC folks blinked. Whoever was in charge should have told schooled those spoiled brats that "you don't tell the press what to do. If you don't like it, go ahead and stay home. Do you know how many people want to get on our airwaves? Do you know how many people out there are clamoring, even begging, for some face time on one of our shows? Do you have any idea how many people, experts, VIPs, authors, analysts, and pols would give ANYTHING to be interviewed on one of our programs? Now we'll be able to oblige them. There's more fish in the sea than just YOU. We don't need you! You DO need US, though."

But no. White House Press CORPSE is what they are.

I hope the parents among them don't raise their kids that way...

[Skittles]

39. because Donald is not Hillary

Last edited Sat Sep 24, 2016, 06:56 PM - Edit history (1)

[cry baby]

40. Why, indeed!

Of course, by now, we all know the answer.

Teflon donald. He's so slimy that nothing sticks.

[annabanana]

41. no kidding!! I'm guessing they don't want to expose el Donaldo as a SUCKER

(at least not yet)

[napkinz]

42. come on MSM, do your job!

[DemoTex]

43. "Hell is empty, and all the devils are here."

Shakespeare, The Tempest

[El Shaman]

45. VP 5 and VP 7 Jacksonville Fla.

Two Turning and 2 Burning!!

[El Shaman]

44. Where's lil boy

Trey on this??

[WheelWalker]

46. My hypothesis is that T is a double agent

[Cary]

47. The self dealing from his foundation is equally bad

As is his Trump University scam, deadbeat business practices, racism sexism,...

And the lying and smearing of Hillary Clinton and President Obama is also equally atrocious.

[LostinRed]

49. Because it's trump not Clinton

Reverse it it would be

[Kablooie]

50. It's not big news because "It's just Trump being Trump"

It seems any illegal scandal or traitorous action has no bearing on his qualifications for president.

But Hillary had her own email server!
This completely disqualifies her for president!!!

...

The world just isn't normal anymore.

[Divine Discontent]

52. my problem with this is that the GOP doesn't CARE if they support a Russian govt aiding a-hole

they figure if he gets impeached for this, fine, a real politician, and super right wing, will become president.

The MORONS who are Drumf lovers and have his signs up by the handful in their yards around me don't care about his sleazy business dealings, or that he has millions of dollars in questionable dealings with Russia, and he smiles widely when he talks about Putin!!!!! These people are making it SUPER CLEAR to me how Hitler easily rose to power and the masses supported it.

[lordsummerisle]

54. K&R! n/t

[Bucky]

56. He's the Manchurian candidate

only instead of being hypnotized, he just got a few bank loans when no one else would give him credit

Too bad we don't have a Fox News on the left to push this narrative.

[world wide wally]

57. Because Trump has 20 other outrages to distract us?

[sarcasmo]

58. Explanation is right.

[Kathy M]

59. K&R n/t

[UCmeNdc]

63. Russia has others buried inside of Trump's campaign

He is not the only one.

[fmdaddio]

64. Make noise people!

I just did a search of the New York Times website.
Zero mention of Carter Page. I wrote the Times and CNN. This is no accident.
The NYT just endorsed HRC but does not cover this?
WE need to all copy every news outlet possible. Copy this story onto your Facebook page.
Email Krugman, Pierce, Get the word out!

[napkinz]

65. kick!

[Eleanors38]

66. Why? There must be a controversy about Kim Kardashian's butt.

[napkinz]

67. MSM failed to do their job and the polls reflect their failure to inform the voters!