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Saturday August 5th – Open Thread

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 †

*UPDATES*: Special Briefing – Brett McGurk Updates on D-ISIS Campaign…

UPDATE: After popular request, I finally received a copy of “the map” McGurk is using and added it to the transcript to make it easier. /SD
Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS Brett McGurk follows up on the “around the globe” update speech delivered by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. With this update McGurk explains the current status of the D-ISIS campaign in Syria and Iraq. (additional emphasis regionally) WATCH:


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[Transcript] MS NAUERT: Good to see you back. I know, it’s Friday late in the day, summertime. So you all get good camper awards for coming in today. Thank you so much for being here on this Friday. We have our Special Presidential Envoy to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, Brett McGurk, who’s here with us. I know you heard from Brett just a couple weeks ago at the end of the ISIS – D-ISIS coalition meeting here in Washington. And so Brett wanted to come in today to provide you all with an update as to where things stand in the campaign.
So without further ado, Brett’s here with that.
MR MCGURK: Thank you. Okay, thanks everybody for coming. I thought what I’d do today – you heard from the Secretary for a kind of trip around the world six months in here since he arrived about everything going on in the world and the activity here at the State Department. And what I thought I’d do is drill in a little bit more on what he discussed about the very important – one of our key priorities here at the department, about the campaign against ISIS.
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Reports: HR McMaster Entirely Safe as National Security Adviser…

After spending 72 hours looking specifically at the motives of those pushing almost identical paragraphs including the catchphrases: “holdovers”, “purging loyalists“, “unfettered access” and “Caroline Glick“; it comes as no surprise to hear the administration perceives the anti-McMasters crowd as having “jumped the shark”… “reached too far”, and  “exposed their agenda” etc.
Ironically HR McMaster appears to be safer than ever in his position as National Security Adviser not specifically because of anything he has done, but as an actual outcome of the piranha approach taken by his detractors.  The severity of his opposition’s group-think actually exposed the common denominator.

“General McMaster and I are working very well together.  He is a good man and very pro–Israel. I am grateful for the work he continues to do serving our country.”

~ President Donald Trump, August 4th, 2017


HR McMaster might not get the Afghanistan policy outcome he prefers, but his position as NSA appears safe; and we won’t have to go to war against Iran to appease his opposition.  This looks like a genuine win/win/win.  Bannon wins on Afghanistan policy; McMaster wins on Iran policy; America-First wins because we’re not going into another war in either Iran or North Korea.  Perfect.

WASHINGTON […]  John Kelly, Trump’s new chief of staff, has told McMaster he supports him remaining as national security adviser, Politico reported, citing two unnamed senior White House aides.

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Stunning Leverage Created by President Trump Over Little Dragon – Draft U.N. Security Council Resolution Targets N-Korea Economy…

U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley is structuring a U.N. Security Council resolution toward North Korea by targeting a ban on DPRK exports.  This approach is in line with the larger Trump strategy to leverage economic sanctions as pressure on North Korea to stop advancing military expansion and nuclear weapons.
However, how President Trump has set Nikki Haley up for success on this resolution is something for the history books to write about:

♦First: A review of the possible enhanced sanctions against N-Korea should be incorporated with the larger issue of policy toward the DPRK’s enabler, China.  President Trump, Secretary Mnuchin and Secretary Ross have positioned a severely consequential trade reset between the U.S. and China.  [Trump and Ross delayed an announcement on trade sanctions against China which was scheduled for today.]
♦Second: The enhanced U.S. energy export initiatives, in conjunction with lower oil prices, an outcome of U.S. energy policy and a mutually beneficial relationship between President Trump and Arab states in the GCC, have severely weakened the economic position of Russia.
Russia’s energy export economy is dependent on energy prices remaining high. President Trump has brilliantly worked the geopolitical economic relationships to leverage influence over a large portion of the Russian economy.
Combine these two points and you discover the leverage President Trump’s team has created.
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Look Familiar? Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer Reveals Democrat 2018 Message "Better Deal"…

Chuck Schumer reveals the economic campaign priorities for 2018.  Look familiar?

(LINK)

Essentially the “Better Deal” plan is to copy, identically copy, President Trump’s MAGAnomic economic and trade policy.   Heck, the only thing missing is +”Build a Wall”.
It’s enough to make you wonder if Schumer copied his homework.
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MAGAnomics – U.S. Economy Created "Unexpected" 209,000 Jobs In July…

The U.S. economy added 209,000 jobs in July exceeding expectations and forecasts by over 25,000.  The measured unemployment rate dropped to 4.3%.  The number of employed Americans hit 153.5 million, the highest since February 2009.  Year-over-year measures of wage rates remained at 2.5%; however, additional private sector jobs analysis shows wage rate growth substantially higher than fed measures.

Media economists say: “It’s difficult to find anything really negative in the report.” But they sure are trying…

(Via CNBC)  The U.S. economy continued a strong summer, adding 209,000 jobs in July while the unemployment rate fell to 4.3 percent, the lowest since March 2001, according to a government report Friday.

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AG Jeff Sessions Announces: "Just Don't Do It" Leak Prevention Initiative…

A visibly angered U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions gave a passionate press conference earlier today to announce a stunning new anti-leak initiative: Mr Sessions has asked leakers to stop.
Additionally, during the much heralded press conference with Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, Attorney General Sessions warned those who leak classified intelligence he is now talking to senior officers within the intelligence community.
The incredibly harsh “just don’t do it” program, as launched by an obviously angered Sessions, includes three seismic measures.  They are:

♦First – A jaw-dropping appointment of Rod Rosenstein to monitor the intelligence community for possible leaks.
♦Second – A strong conversation with the NSA (Mike Rogers) about possible help stopping leaks.
♦Third – A  stern review of DOJ policies toward leak investigation standards.

The DC-based intelligence leaking community has officially been put on notice. No-one expected the Attorney General to go this far.  The “Just Don’t Do It” request has stunned and visibly shaken the anti-Trump forces in Washington. According to several DC officials, and sources who know a guy in Starbucks, “no-one is safe now”.


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FULL Transcript Below:
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Republican Senate Blocks President Trump From Recess Appointments…

And remember, there are some people who think the “UniParty” isn’t real. Meanwhile, republicans led the way in the Senate to initiate a rules process blocking President Trump from recess appointments during the upcoming Senate break.   The pro-forma session process requires all Senators to agree to the rules maneuver; they did.
There are over 100 Trump nominations awaiting confirmation from the Senate.  The Senators will not return until after Labor Day.

WASHINGTON DC – […] Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), doing wrap up for the entire Senate, locked in nine “pro-forma” sessions — brief meetings that normally last roughly a minute.
The move, which requires the agreement of every senator, means the Senate will be in session every three business days throughout the August recess.

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August 4th – 2017 Presidential Politics – Trump Administration Day #197

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.

trump-president-3

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

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

Sarah H Sanders Twitter @SHSanders45

Sara Carter Discusses McMaster-Rice Conspiracy Theory With Sean Hannity…

Newly formed Circa News agent Sara Carter (Sinclair Media Group) appears on Sean Hannity to discuss her ongoing campaign against Trump’s National Security Adviser HR McMaster.
As we pointed out yesterday, the entire Sara Carter presentation of a letter from current NSA McMaster to former NSA Susan Rice appears to be a propaganda narrative. –DETAILS HERE–  Toward that end, Carter appears with Sean Hannity and misleads the audience about McMasters letter to Susan Rice.
Notice at 02:00 of the video Carter states Susan Rice has access to classified intelligence.  Technically this is correct, but only to historic intelligence work-product that Susan Rice previously saw or created.  Rice’s access is time-restricted. Carter infers Rice has access to current intelligence, which is entirely false; she does not.  Watch:


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Again, here’s the actual letter from McMaster to Rice. You can clearly see the time-restriction on the authorization memo.
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