Trump the Autocrat.

[firstfloor]

Think Richard Jewell, and you'll understand why the presumption of innocence is so important.

[Jim B.]

People like him because
1. He really pisses off the liberals
2. He does what he says he will do
3. He isn't Hillary
4. He put two conservatives in the SCOTUS

Charismatic usually refers to someone with a charming presence, a smooth talker. That ain't Trump. I don't know of anyone who really likes his personality or the way he acts.

He put two conservatives on the SCOTUS, except that one was stolen from Obama. I forgot, with the right, it's "might makes right." The ends justify the means.

If Mussolini had appointed conservative judges (and I'm sure he would would because he was as astute a political opportunist as Trump), he would have filled all your criteria also. Arenas all around the country would be filed right now with rednecks proudly wearing "Il Duce" caps.

[Teallaura]

Despite the right-wing mantra on this - Mueller DID get it done. No explicit Russian collusion (but plenty of taking advantage of the Russian's activities, which is not illegal but SHOULD be a cause for concern for all of us and should be a political bombshell), and multiple documented instances of potential obstruction of justice. Meanwhile, the investigation did NOT touch on multiple other issues (conflicts of interest, campaign finance, post election finance, potential foreign compromise, emoluments, pay-to-play, etc.). What was NOT investigated under the mandate of the special prosecutor remains to be investigated. Let the investigations begin. I would very much like to see all of Trump's garbage hauled out into the sunlight.

But if you are right, and Trump actually did nothing wrong, then you should welcome these investigations. They will shine a spotlight on an ethical and upright president and all but guaranty the Democrats will lose both houses and the executive branch in 2020.

Somehow - I think we all know there is dirt there. There is simply too much smoke.

No, if there were actual obstruction, the investigation had plenty of time to demonstrate it. It didn't find what it was looking for and didn't find proof of obstruction - and there's good evidence that it was nothing but a partisan hack job. No, the issue isn't whether or not Trump is dirty - it's just how dirty are the Democrats? That investigation is ongoing - and there is no point in continuing the nonsensical investigations into Trump's evidently magical 'obstruction' that failed to obstruct.

[JimL]

I guess you missed the part where two committee members challenged Mueller to name the legal code that gives a prosecutor the authority to "exonerate" the subject of an investigation, and Mueller couldn't answer! This ridiculous idea that it is a prosecutor's job to "exonerate" turns the entire notion of "innocent until proven guilty" on its head.

Try to focus on the substance of the report, MM, not on the minutiae that helps your conscience. Mueller made clear that Trump obstructed justice numerous times, he lied to the prosecutor, he tampered with witnesses, he deleted evidence, he fired and tried to fire those charged with carrying out the investigation. You know as well as I do, that anyone doing these things, other than a sitting president would be indicted. Mueller explained ad infinitum why he didn't do any of those things, why he didn't indict, didn't charge, and didn't exonerate. he also made clear that Trump is lying to the nation when he says that the report, the investigation totally absolves him of collusion or obstruction. And the evidence is perfectly clear, for all those with eyes to see and ears to hear that is, that Trump, and many in his administration are guilty as sin. But even should you be unable to overcome your biased brain concerning the substance of the report, that somehow none of Trumps actions were criminal, you should at the very least be able to recognize that they were unethical, unpatriotic, disrespectful of the law and unbefitting of the President of the U.S. On second thought no, I don't think you are capable of that either.

[Teallaura]

Does it give any of you Trump supporters even a moment's hesitation when Trump says on several occasions that Article 2 gives him the power to do anything he wants? What if Obama or President Hillary Clinton had said that? In all honesty, what would your reactions have been?

Does he act on it? Not that I can tell. Says something stupid? Yep, pretty much daily - no, doesn't scare me nearly as much as a party so off the rails that it seeks impeachment before the guy even takes office.

[Mountain Man]

You mean like Rachael Maddow with one phony "Russian collusion" bombshell after another?

[Cow Poke]

Does it give any of you Trump supporters even a moment's hesitation when Trump says on several occasions that Article 2 gives him the power to do anything he wants?

Though not a Trump supporter, I'll be happy to answer that --- a LOT of what Trump says concerns me.

What if Obama or President Hillary Clinton had said that? In all honesty, what would your reactions have been?

Then that would have been totally OK!

[Mountain Man]

Mueller made clear that Trump obstructed justice numerous times...

Mueller also made it clear that "we did not reach a determination as to whether the President committed a crime."

If a prosecutor told that to a judge, he'd say, "Then why are you wasting my time? Get out of my courtroom!"

[Teallaura]

He put two conservatives on the SCOTUS, except that one was stolen from Obama. I forgot, with the right, it's "might makes right." The ends justify the means.

If Mussolini had appointed conservative judges (and I'm sure he would would because he was as astute a political opportunist as Trump), he would have filled all your criteria also. Arenas all around the country would be filed right now with rednecks proudly wearing "Il Duce" caps.

You must have missed most of the beginning of the Obama 'but we won' administration, huh?

The power lay with the Senate - I'm not actually adverse to tightening up the requirements so they don't drag it out again - but the reality is, the Senate was perfectly within its rights.

We put up with eight years of Obama - not without grumbling, I grant - but without calling him Mussolini or Hitler. So, sour grapes? Yeah, got it.

[Cow Poke]

Until Trump is indicted/impeached, he is legally innocent....

You might want to slow your roll on that a tad... he doesn't need to be indicted to be impeached, and impeachment does not remove him from office. You know this, I think you're just being careless.

The House votes to impeach (similar to indictment) and the Senate votes for removal - not necessarily a criminal conviction. He could still be "legally innocent" even if impeached and removed.

[Cow Poke]

Try to focus....

I just love the irony.

[Cow Poke]

Mueller also made it clear that "we did not reach a determination as to whether the President committed a crime."

If a prosecutor told that to a judge, he'd say, "Then why are you wasting my time? Get out of my courtroom!"

And no judge in his right mind would say, "well, hold on then, you're EXONERATING him?"

[One Bad Pig]

He put two conservatives on the SCOTUS, except that one was stolen from Obama. I forgot, with the right, it's "might makes right." The ends justify the means.

Assuming, for the sake of argument, that your accusation is true, the left is hardly innocent in that area.

If Mussolini had appointed conservative judges (and I'm sure he would would because he was as astute a political opportunist as Trump), he would have filled all your criteria also. Arenas all around the country would be filed right now with rednecks proudly wearing "Il Duce" caps.

Mussolini was a pinko commie in his yoot, and didn't move especially far from that as he aged. If you're looking for a modern day equivalent to the brown shirts, look no farther than antifa; for a group that's allegedly "anti-fascist" it sure borrows quite a bit of its modus operandi from them.

[Cow Poke]

Assuming, for the sake of argument, that your accusation is true, the left is hardly innocent in that area.

And they actually opened that barn door.

[firstfloor]

You mean like Rachael Maddow with one phony "Russian collusion" bombshell after another?

What you really need to take onboard is that Mueller said this was no witch hunt. So, who benefits when POTUS says the opposite. Answer: The Russkies. Why does Trump work so hard to keep the pressure off Putin?