Important Stuff – Watch how the actual (non fake) news cycle from the administration rolls out in coordination with President Trump’s trip to the mid-east.  There’s a larger, coordinated, geopolitical strategy message being sent to the world by the peace coalition President Trump has assembled over the past four months…

WASHINGTON DC – Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is crediting changes in tactics ordered by President Trump for increasing the pressure on the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, and leaving the beleaguered fighters with no avenue of escape.

“He directed a tactical shift from shoving ISIS out of safe locations in an attrition fight to surrounding the enemy in their strongholds so we can annihilate ISIS,” Mattis said Friday during a Pentagon briefing on the counter-ISIS campaign. (more…)

Always remember the basic rule that has been proven accurate 100% of the time:

♦ When the CIA wants to leak a damaging story they coordinate with the Washington Post and ABC. (and vice-versa).
♦ When the State Dept. or FBI/DOJ wants to leak a damaging story they coordinate with CNN and the New York Times. (and vice-versa)

This consistent pattern has NEVER been broken.

There is also a particular transparency here, yet again, with regard to media timing and intent.  The Washington Post (3:03pm) and New York Times (3:00pm) are attempting to frame the anti-Trump ‘muh russia‘ narrative as he departs on his first overseas trip.

Dual benefits for antagonistic media and political opposition:

♦ Trump team is out of country and unable to defend administration on-camera, while frenzy ensues 24/7 in U.S corporate broadcast media, and ♦ Trump team becomes relentlessly questioned by traveling press corps abroad on domestic controversy, diminishing Trump international status and pushing the weak/damaged Trump image toward the host nation optic.

It’s how they roll.  Again, check out the timing:

(more…)

Nothing makes the perpetually depressed liberal gnats more angry than beautiful people enjoying a fun, happy and beautiful life.  So you can just imagine the level of apoplectic rage today brings as President Trump and First Lady Melania, together with Ivanka Trump and Jerrod, depart for their first overseas trip.

Oh, the ‘splodey heads are deliciously epic.

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(more…)

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein briefed congress earlier today and firmly stood by the recommendation he wrote that outlined James Comey’s ineptitude and inability to be an effective FBI Director.

Deputy Rosenstein’s recommendation was part of the portfolio President Trump cited in reference to his decision to fire FBI Director Comey.

Here’s the text of the opening statement made to congress earlier today:

Good afternoon. I welcome the opportunity to discuss my role in the removal of FBI Director James Comey, although I know you understand that I will not discuss the special counsel’s ongoing investigation. Most importantly, I want to emphasize my unshakeable commitment to protecting the integrity of every federal criminal investigation. There never has been, and never will be, any political interference in any matter under my supervision in the United States Department of Justice.

Before I discuss the events of the past two weeks, I want to provide some background about my previous relationship with former Director Comey. I have known Jim Comey since approximately 2002. In 2005, when Mr. Comey was Deputy Attorney General, he participated in selecting me to serve as a U.S. Attorney. As a federal prosecutor, he was a role model. His speeches about leadership and public service inspired me.

(more…)

Long time CTH readers will note we extended well over a year of benefit-of-the-doubt to the motives of former FBI Director James Comey with regard to the severity of his politicized nature and disposition.  Throughout the entire Clinton investigation we remained ambivalent to Comey’s motives.

Indeed it wasn’t until after the Pulse nightclub terrorist attack when Comey obtusely noted the FBI had been contacted (prior to the attack) about the sketchy behavior of Omar Mateen by a ‘random concerned citizen’ -and our finding that the actual ‘citizen’ was the far more substantive St Lucie county sheriff Ken Mascara– that we recognized how far Comey was willing to go to save his political face.

Yesterday, a friend of James Comey by the name of Benjamin Wittes, editor and writer for lawfare blog, now steps out and admits he was one of the primary sources for the New York Times Comey Memo article (Michael Schmidt); and in so doing outlines the severity of the political nature of the former FBI Director:

[…]  I called Schmidt Friday morning after reading his earlier story, which ran the previous evening, about Comey’s dinner with President Trump and the President’s demands at that dinner for a vow of loyalty.

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In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

President Trump Twitter @POTUS / Vice President Pence Twitter @VP

Sean Spicer Twitter @PressSec

Very disturbing CCTV video assembled from the scene(s) near Times Square in New York, shows the deliberate and intentional attack of the driver. The driver was identified as 26-year-old Richard Rojas from the Bronx.  His vehicular rampage killed an 18-year-old girl and seriously injured 22 others when he drove through crowds near Times Square.

There is ZERO possibility of this being an “accident”.  Nor was this a DUI or DWI event.  The driver made a U-Turn and intentionally drove on the sidewalk for four blocks specifically targeting the largest possible groups and crowds, steering toward them and accelerating.  It’s actually a miracle more people were not killed.  This video is far, far more graphic than the Nice, France terrorist attack.  This video also removes any doubt this was anything except an intentional and deliberate targeting of people.

The video is below.  WARNING – It’s disturbing.  You cannot ever unsee it.

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Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

Sip slowly, this explainer was hard to write.   There is a considerable amount of perplexed frustration following on the heels of Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin testifying to the Senate Banking Committee earlier today and specifically saying:

02:20 Glass-Steagall? “we do not support a separation of banks from investment banks, we think that would have a very significant problem on the financial markets, on the economy, on liquidity; and we think that there is proper things that potentially we could look at around regulation, but we do not support a separation of banks and investment banks.”

That statement runs counter to the Trump administration’s prior policy statements outlining a preference for a reinstatement of some form of “Glass-Steagall” regulatory separation between commercial banking and investment banking.

In essence when combined with the totality of Mnuchin’s testimony before the committee, Mnuchin is saying the current “too big to fail” (‘too big to succeed’) issue has created a problem for lending liquidity.  Specifically, if divisional separation is required – the banks best interests would naturally put the investment division ahead of commercial lending and the liquid capital within the overall economy would shrink.

I think we have a handle on what the administration is doing based on the executive orders signed and explained earlier.  Bear with me…

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WHITE HOUSE – Mrs. Melania Trump is pleased to announce some of the stops on her first foreign trip as First Lady of the United States of America.

On Friday, May 19, 2017, the First Lady will join her husband President Donald J. Trump on an eight-day, five-stop trek to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Israel, Rome, Brussels, and Sicily, returning to Washington, DC, on Saturday, May 27, 2017.

The First Lady will join her husband throughout each day, but will also participate in many of her own events. In the latter part of the trip, Mrs. Trump will attend spousal programs at the NATO and G-7 summits.  She will conclude the trip by delivering remarks to United States military personnel and families in Italy.

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