Media frenzy re Trump obscures frightening national security implications

Although General McMaster serves as President Trump’s national security adviser at the pleasure of the president, he is a man of unblemished reputation and unusual credibility. His words deserve our attention. . .

Bookworm Room  "The frenzy about Trump’s alleged leaks is hypocritical after the pass given to Hillary and, worse, it obscures truly important national security concerns.

This tweet says so much about the attack on Trump. National Security is not high on its list.

"How many things are wrong with the progressive left going to Defcon One over the claim made in the Washington Post that “Trump revealed highly classified information to Russian foreign minister and ambassador“? I count at least three:

"One, the hypocrisy meter just pegged at a new world record as progressives, who saw nothing at all wrong or illegal when Hillary, Huma, and company made an utter mockery of our intel security laws, now find the alleged violation of the same laws in a single, discrete instance to be a “high crime” worthy of impeachment.

"Two, this was not a violation of our national security laws.

"Three, the people at this meeting were President Trump, National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster, Sec. of State Tillerson, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak.  No one else was in attendance.  And yet, news of what happened at this meeting leaked to the press in near real-time.  I can see no reason why any of the the people in attendance at the meeting would do so.  That is breathtaking.  There is a real, present threat to our OPSEC that must be addressed immediately." . . .

FBI Deputy Director Snaps: In Anti-Trump Tirade, McCabe Professes Hatred for U.S. President to FBI Colleagues

Language advisory:

TruePundit

"Senior intelligence sources said that embattled FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe openly professed his disgust for President Donald Trump at a senior staff meeting while loosing his cool demeanor in the process.

"McCabe, the second in charge of the FBI, ranted at a staff meeting a week after Trump’s inauguration (approx Jan 27) about the newly sworn-in president, catching many FBI agents off guard with his anti-GOP vitriol.

"At the meeting, when a subject came up dealing with a request of the FBI made by then-National Security Advisor Michael Flynn dealing with the National Sheriff’s Association, McCabe told the packed conference room: “I hate Trump.”

"Flynn’s request for cooperation from McCabe and the FBI was likewise tabled, sources said. Flynn has since been sacked and was forced to resign largely due to the FBI’s conduct.

"These additional troubling revelations about McCabe come a day after True Pundit exposed the deputy director as a partisan FBI agent apparently waging his own liberal-infused domestic political policy and who took part in secret meetings to derail Flynn and Trump. That in-depth story is here.". . . 

Hat tip to Adele Bloom at  Guardian Eagles

With Trump's Scandals, There's Still No There There

National Interest

"Think back to the last time a president was impeached for obstruction of justice. Did Richard Nixon come to mind? If so, think again. Nixon was never impeached. The president you should imagine as you read about Trump’s troubles with the FBI is Bill Clinton. President Clinton obstructed justice in an absolutely clear and classic sense of the term: he lied under oath to pervert the outcome of a trial. But how many of the people clamoring for Trump’s impeachment today would defend the impeachment of Bill Clinton nearly twenty years ago?

"Democrats and a certain segment of thought leaders who deem themselves the custodians of political decency have been musing about impeaching Trump since the day of his inauguration—or even before. It’s become an idee fixe. Now their hopes fly high on the revelation that fired FBI director James Comey wrote a memo recording that the president asked him to drop the bureau’s investigation of former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn. Right after Flynn’s resignation in February, according to reports of the memo, the president told Comey, “I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go.”

"The president should not meddle in FBI investigations like this. Whether such meddling constitutes obstruction of justice in a legal sense, however, is a separate question. Trump did not order Comey to shut down the investigation of Flynn, which is still ongoing. And Comey did not react the way an FBI director might be expected to act when given an unconscionable or illegal order: Comey did not resign, and he does not appear to have contacted Congress to claim the president was acting illegally. He merely shared the memo with a handful of associates and then filed it away, to be brought to light months later, only after his career setback." . . .

Democrats project their own Soviet betrayals on Trump

James Lewis  "Democrats acted in close collusion with the Soviet Union when Lenin, Stalin, and all the other Red totalitarians were in power. In some cases, leftists betrayed US national security secrets to the Soviets, the most famous being the atom bomb secrets.  Today, Democrats are accusing Donald Trump of plotting with Vladimir Putin to steal an election. They have convinced themselves that Trump is giving away national security secrets, right in the Oval Office. 

"This is in fact what Bill Clinton did by re-classifying US missile launching secrets to become non-secrets, allowing them to be sold to China. It is also what Hillary may have been doing with Huma Abedin (from the Muslim Brotherhood family) and letting her email server be so easily hacked that any knowledgeable foreign power could get the US SecState’s confidential information. Hillary took Muslim Brotherhood money through the Clinton Foundation, and now we know that Bill and Hillary were both involved in a Russian buy-out of 25% of US uranium sources. 

"During the Cold War, when conservatives criticized Soviet Russia, they were viciously slandered by liberals. Americans in the Cold War always had two great enemies: The Soviet Empire and the domestic left. If you doubt it, look back at Vietnam, Korea and other big flare-ups in the Cold War. The left was always 100% predictable. 

"If Democrats had a conscience, it would sink them from their weight of guilt. Fortunately, their media dominance can block out a whole century of pro-totalitarian agitation and propaganda The left is utterly deaf, dumb and blind, most of all to their own guilty collusion with Marxist totalitarianism wherever it spread." . . . 

WaPo Newsroom Celebrates 'Russia-Leak Scoop' Going Viral

I'm sure they dislike President Trump, but don't you think any other Republican president will receive the same treatment and equal contempt? TD

Daily Wire

"Glenn Kessler, a “fact-checker” at The Washington Post, noted the celebration at his employer’s newsroom, comparing it with the news media’s push of the “October Surprise” 2005 Hollywood Access video during 2016’s presidential campaign season:" . . .

"In January, The Washington Post adopted a new slogan featured on its published newspapers and website: “Democracy Dies in Darkness:"

"The Washington Post and The New York Times present themselves as politically objective and non-partisan news media outlets. Both enjoy business relationships with cable news networks as well as ABC, CBS, and NBC. 

H/T Mollie Hemingway of The Federalist and Fox News Channel. And to Adele Bloom at Guardian Eagles

Rich Terrell

The White House Responds to WaPo Report Trump Revealed Classified Info to Russians

“ 'The story as reported is false,” McMaster said at a very brief appearance in front of the White House Monday. “At no time were intelligence sources or methods discussed and the president did not disclose military operations that were not already known.' "

‘SNL’ Fat-Shames Sarah Huckabee, and Feminists Go Silent

"The show mocks a woman's weight, her speech, and of course her politics — how low can these people go?"

 

But...but, how can this be? Liberals are nice people who provide safe spaces to protect snowflakes from any unpleasantness. TD

Lifezette  "The latest episode of “Saturday Night Live” took on its usual targets: Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary (played by Melissa McCarthy), and President Donald Trump, played by Alec Baldwin. But the show also had Sarah Huckabee Sanders in its sights and used questionable means to mock the principal deputy White House press secretary.  

"In a sketch that showed McCarthy’s Spicer retaking his podium at a press briefing, Huckabee is shown as clumsy and dumb, with a particularly over-the-top Southern accent. She’s also seen midway through the sketch, coming from backstage munching on an apple." . . .

The video is there; I just didn't want to post it. TD

THE MEDIA CAN’T STOP ASKING DEMOCRAT GUESTS IF THEY’RE READY TO IMPEACH TRUMP

Grabien  "Objection! Leading the witness, your honor!

"Since the Washington Post's report Monday that President Trump shared classified information with the Russian ambassador during an Oval Office meeting last week, the major media seems to smell blood in the water. Over the last 24 hours, almost every interview with Democratic politicians has included a question about whether we're getting closer to impeaching the president.

"CNN's Wolf Blitzer is leading the charge, bringing up impeachment three separate times Tuesday evening alone.

"During an interview with Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) about a New York Times report alleging Trump asked former FBI Director James Comey to drop the agency's investigation into General Michael Flynn, Blitzer asked hopefully, "Are we getting closer to the possibility of yet another impeachment?"

"Blitzer also flatly told Sen. King that if the Times' report is accurate, it's "an impeachable offense," not even phrasing the statement as a question.

"Moments later, Blitzer asked Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) if the New York Times report would provide enough ammunition for impeachment proceedings against Trump. "Is that impeachable if it is an obstruction of justice?” Blitzer asked.

"And that's just Tuesday night. 

"As the montage above shows, many in the media are frequently attempting to bait their Democratic guests into calling for impeachment proceedings. " . . .

But wait! What about Obama?
Guests Remind NBC, CNN: Obama Gave Classified Intel to Russia

FLASHBACK: Obama’s CIA Director Leaked Top Secret Bin Laden Raid Intel To Hollywood  And the media was silent!

So for two days, members of the media are insisting that Trump shared national security secrets with Russian officials despite top intelligence officials’ insistence that these anonymously sourced reports are false. Yet when the Obama administration actually shared classified information about military actions and secret cyber attacks, it received very little attention. No wonder a vast majority of Americans dislike the media and think they are carrying out a partisan agenda.

Obama Admin, Panetta Blurted Out Classified Intel on Bin Laden Raid — and People Died

. . . "As Breitbart News noted in 2013, a Pakistani report on Dr. Afridi reportedly concluded “Dr. Afridi was implicated by a ‘statement by the U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, who was the CIA Director when May 2 happened, confirming the role of Dr. Afridi in making the U.S. assassination mission a success.'”

"Panetta did not reveal that critical intelligence in a private meeting with a foreign emissary, but to the entire world, on CBS News’ 60 Minutes.

"Even worse was the Obama White House’s decision to reveal that it was U.S. Navy SEAL Team 6 that carried out the bin Laden raid." . . .

Ann Coulter, Berkeley, and YAF

"Of course, no apology will be forthcoming from Ann. It is simply up to conservatives to see through her selfish motives and continue to support the Young America’s Foundation. If we do not, the result will be less rather than more conservative speech on our nation’s campuses."

Mike Adams

"Occasionally, my liberal friends who despise Ann Coulter will bring up her name in my presence – as if they are defying me to defend her. On those occasions, I always offer up a partial defense of Ann. I tell them she is brilliant – so much so that she could have been the next William F. Buckley. But I also add that her almost pathological need for publicity has badly damaged her credibility over the years. On occasions, it has also damaged the conservative movement. More recently, it has inflicted damage on some friends of mine who run an organization to which I am deeply indebted." . . .

. . . 

"After it became clear that Berkeley administrators had decided that they would not assign a room in time for students to promote the event, Coulter decided to take matters into her own hands. This involved going to the press without consulting her student hosts. In a series of media interviews, she announced that she was going to appear at Berkeley even though they had assigned no lecture hall. Her plan was to appear at Berkeley’s Sproul Plaza and do an open-air speech with a megaphone. This was a serious error in judgment on Coulter’s behalf for at least two reasons:" . . .

We await Ms. Coulter's response, perhaps in one of her Wednesday columns.

Mcmaster's Denial

Power Line  "General McMaster emerged from the White House last night to read a statement denying the gist of the bombshell Washington Post story by Greg Miller and Greg Jaffe posted earlier yesterday evening. The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal have reported companion versions of the story.

"Although General McMaster serves as President Trump’s national security adviser at the pleasure of the president, he is a man of unblemished reputation and unusual credibility. His words deserve our attention. This is McMaster’s statement in its entirety:

A brief statement for the record. There is nothing that the president takes more seriously than the security of the American people. The story that came out tonight as reported is false. The president and the [Russian] foreign minister [Sergey Lavrov] reviewed a range of common threats to our two countries, including threats to civil aviation. At no time — at no time — were intelligence sources or methods discussed and the president did not disclose any military operations that were not already publicly known. Two other senior officials who were present, including the secretary of the state, remember the meeting the same way and have said so. Their on the record accounts should outweigh those of anonymous sources. And I was in the room. It didn’t happen. Thanks, everybody.

"As I say, McMaster’s statement appears in the form of a denial. However, close readers such as Josh Marshall and Stephen Green variously explicate the text. The Wall Street Journal reports that President Trump is tweeting his own comments on the story this morning.

"It was reasonable to hope that McMaster’s statement was accurate in its general sense and not only by closely parsing his words or taking advantage of their ambiguity, but it appears that a close reading is in fact warranted if not necessary."

You may recall a young McMaster from his narration of the greatest tank battle in Iraq:

Seth Rich, slain DNC staffer, had contact with WikiLeaks, say multiple sources

Fox News   "The Democratic National Committee staffer who was gunned down on July 10 on a Washington, D.C., street just steps from his home had leaked thousands of internal emails to WikiLeaks, investigative sources told Fox News. 

"A federal investigator who reviewed an FBI forensic report -- generated within 96 hours after DNC staffer Seth Rich's murder -- detailing the contents Rich’s computer said he made contact with WikiLeaks through Gavin MacFadyen, a now-deceased American investigative reporter, documentary filmmaker, and director of WikiLeaks who was living in London at the time.

Did he or didn't he? Murdered DNC staffer Seth Rich 'had WikiLeaks links' according to private investigator  ". . . 'The police department nor the FBI have been forthcoming,' Wheeler told Fox News in a report to be aired today. 

" 'They haven't been cooperating at all. I believe that the answer to solving his death lies on that computer, which I believe is either at the police department or either at the FBI. I have been told both.'

"Mr Wheeler claimed sources have given him 'confirmed' evidence that Mr Rich was in contact with WikiLeaks while a DC police insider has told him they were 'told to stand down on this case'. 

"But in a statement from the family sent to BuzzFeed, the family said: 'we see no facts, have seen no evidence, we have been approached with no evidence and only learned about [Wheeler's claims] when approached by the press.' . . .

Anti-Jihad crusader Robert Spencer poisoned in Iceland

Thomas Lifson  "Political violence by leftists is on the rise, not only in the United States but in Iceland as well, it appears. Robert Spencer, who has devoted his life to combatting the global jihad, was poisoned by a political antagonist, it appears. Writing in Front Page Magazine, he reports on his brush with assassination:

Last Thursday, I gave a lecture on the jihad threat at the Grand Hotel in Reykjavik, Iceland. Shortly thereafter, a young Icelandic Leftist registered his disapproval of what I said by poisoning me.

It happened after the event, when my security chief, the organizers of the event, and Jihad Watch writer Christine Williams, who had also been invited to speak, went with me to a local restaurant to celebrate the success of the evening. 

At this crowded Reykjavik establishment, I was quickly recognized. A young Icelander called me by name, shook my hand, and said he was a big fan. Shortly after that, another citizen of that famously genteel and courteous land also called me by name, shook my hand, and said “F**k you.” 

The anti-Trump press has degraded their institution

Real Clear Politics via Lucianne   "FNC´s Tucker Carlson rips MSNBC hosts Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough for their unprofessional comments about Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway and says the incident is an example of the "hysteria" gripping much of the mainstream media. TUCKER CARLSON: His critic in the media often say that Donald Trump is diminishing the American presidency... But it is also true that in covering Trump the way they have, many journalists and have degraded and humiliated themselves. There are countless example, but watch this one..." More at the link.

The Media-Democratic Party Suicide Pact  . . . "The Democrats in Congress dutifully follow suit like Pavlov's dogs.  They care not a whit whether their charges are based in fact.  Hence, "fake news."   The mainstream media folk invented it, this "resistance," and they are running with it, day after day after day.   They devised the game plan, and they are sanctimonious in their defense of it.  Like the Russia meme they keep peddling, they go at it from every angle in the pitiable belief that they can convince the American people that they elected the wrong person." . . .   Patricia McCarthy

Case in point:
CNN Devotes Two Segments to Trump’s ‘Executive Privilege’ for Eating Two Scoops of Ice Cream