back to article Lordy! Trump admits there are no tapes of his chats with Comey

President Trump has, in a tweet-burst today, backtracked on his earlier menacing claim that he may have secretly recorded his meetings with then-FBI boss James Comey. ...whether there are "tapes" or recordings of my conversations with James Comey, but I did not make, and do not have, any such recordings. — Donald J. Trump (@ …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    is this because of the constant negative press covfefe?

    Sure he doesn't have the recordings, he gets the Russians to do that for him.

    This is sarcasm by the way but it could actually be true and that's the scary part.

    I'm not sure what's real anymore, I think I'll just sit down and watch Horizon later about the end of the universe with a nice cup of tea and a couple of hob nobs. That'll take my mind off all this.

    1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge

      Do you want your soma served dissolved in a cold martini, sir?

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Sure he doesn't have the recordings, he gets the Russians to do that for him.

      This is sarcasm by the way but it could actually be true and that's the scary part.

      No it couldn't, because that's neo-Mccarthyist nonsense. When the Soviet Union collapsed the world realised just how weak a regime it really was. Russia is significantly weaker still, by comparison, today.

      But by all means, carry on believing that Trump is a Russian plant and that the mastermind Vladimir Putin managed to remotely reprogramme the brains of tens of millions of Americans to vote for him. After all, the world is oh so much simpler to comprehend when there's a scary bogeyman on which to rally against and apportion blame.

      1. PhilipN Silver badge

        I believe it could. Russia is strong in IT. Sure some of their best people have gone to Israel but there are plenty left behind.

        This is the New Great Game.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Mushroom

        Neo-Mccarthyist nonsense

        When the Soviet Union collapsed the world realised just how weak a regime it really was. Russia is significantly weaker still, by comparison, today.

        I think you are confusing economically weak with militarily, politically or technologically weak. Whilst Russia has serious economic problems, it is still a powerful country controlled by a powerful leader. I don't see people writing off North Korea as threat just because it has a GDP smaller than Trinidad's.

      3. aqk
        Devil

        In comprehension, simplicity is not just the only thing, it's EVERYTHING!

        After all, the world is oh so much simpler to comprehend when there's a scary bogeyman on which to rally against and apportion blame.

        Thank goodness we KNOW that this isn't the case with Hillary! She is indeed a servant of the anti-christ, and, with her husband, is amassing a great fortune through the the crooked Clinton Foundation that soon will be turned over to Satan; perhaps with a goodly portion going to Vladimir Putin.

        Why is she still running free? LOCK HER UP, Donald! Before it's too late!

        1. Florida1920

          Re: In comprehension, simplicity is not just the only thing, it's EVERYTHING!

          LOCK HER UP, Donald!

          Whataboutism is so boring.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The Truth?!

    Given his track record of mendacity, idiocy, buffoonery, etc., there is no simple verification of that the contents of these tweets is actually true. This also applies if the tweets were written by a lawyer for him.

    1. Someone Else Silver badge
      Coat

      Re: The Truth?!

      How can you tell Trump's lying?

      He's breathing.

      1. Mark 85

        Re: The Truth?!

        I'll take your Trump bash and add: "It's not just him. It's ANY politician."

      2. oldtaku Silver badge
        Black Helicopters

        Re: The Truth?!

        > How can you tell Trump's lying?

        Trump is beyond lying. That implies some sort of sense of right and wrong, fact and fiction.

        He just says whatever he wants to be true right this minute - it's pure bullshit, not even truth or lie, and he probably even believes it at the moment. Ask him tonight and you'll get a different answer that's just as true for him at this minute.

        Why does it matter? Well, you can at least deal with liars once you identify them. You certainly can't believe Trump saying there aren't any tapes - there might be tapes but now they're inconvenient so he is willing them out of existence.

        1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

          Re: The Truth?!

          "there might be tapes but now they're inconvenient so he is willing them out of existence."

          He only said he didn't make any tapes, nor does he have them. That still doesn't preclude someone else making a recording and keeping it at Trumps behest, either specifically in this case or simply as a matter of course. It does all rather sound like lawyer-speak and out of character for a TrumpTweet.

    2. Graybyrd
      Facepalm

      Re: The Truth?!

      My son (brainwashed by drive-time talk radio) has simplified all this for me:

      ALL the news is fake; there is nothing credible. Not only that, but the TRUE news is never reported. Big Liberal Media suppresses the truth. But if it WERE reported, all of that new news would be fake, too.

      There is a Deep State conspiracy. The Radical Liberal Leftist Industrial-Military-Socialist Elite Intelligence Operatives are conspiring against Trump. And succeeding.

      Trump is being stymied by a Minority Cabal of Recalcitrant Hard-Headed Republicans in the US Congress who are obstructing the Trumpian vision of Perfect Healthcare Delivery, Total Employment for All, Equitable Taxation, Right-Sized Government and a Return to Greatness for America.

      Wake me when it's over. It's time now for my nap.

      1. SolidSquid

        Re: The Truth?!

        That's gonna be one hell of a nap if you're not waking up until everything is over

        1. CrazyOldCatMan Silver badge

          Re: The Truth?!

          That's gonna be one hell of a nap if you're not waking up until everything is over

          "hey la, Rip van Winkle's got nothing on me, I'm a-going to sleep for a whole centuree.."

          (Bizarre things cross my mind on a friday afternoon. Must be the celebratory dead-cow[1]-inna-bun)

          [1] Actually dead-chicken-inna-bun today. But from the usual DCIAB vendor.

      2. Alan Brown Silver badge

        Re: The Truth?!

        "Wake me when it's over. It's time now for my nap."

        Sure, Mr van Winkle. Just make sure you're comfy.

    3. Charlie Clark Silver badge

      Re: The Truth?!

      It looks like his counsel has finally woken up to this fact. Nothing about the destroyer rammed off Japan or Syrian plane shot down.

    4. Roq D. Kasba

      Re: The Truth?!

      Considering he will lie about the weather in front of many, many scores of inauguration attendees and many more on TV watching live, there is clearly no filter or reference to fact whatsoever in his head.

  3. Version 1.0 Silver badge
    Unhappy

    It only gets worse

    I'm starting to think that it's so bad over here that if Travis Kalanick were to run for President of the United States things would actually improve and everyone would be happy again.

    What a friggin' train wreck.

    1. Blotto Silver badge

      Re: It only gets worse

      We only just dodged a likewise duff candidate this side of the pond, making promises he had no intention of paying for just to give the incumbent a bloody nose.

      When you have 2 poor choices then there really is no choice at all.

      I do wonder what kind of scary hell we'd be in if Hilary / Jeremy had won their respectives.

      1. Rich 11

        Re: It only gets worse

        making promises he had no intention of paying for just to give the incumbent a bloody nose

        You must have enjoyed yesterday's Queen's Speech, which St Theresa used to make it clear she was not going to go ahead with everything she'd promised in her election manifesto.

        If you can lambast one candidate for what you personally think he wasn't going to do, surely you'd feel compelled to lambast the candidate who has declared that she isn't actually going to do what she said she'd do?

        Do you feel cheated? Do you feel that your vote was gained on false pretences?

        1. Bernard M. Orwell

          Re: It only gets worse

          "surely you'd feel compelled..."

          Careful there, it almost looked for a second as though you expected logic and reason from a right-wing voter and we all know that doesn't work.

          1. CrazyOldCatMan Silver badge

            Re: It only gets worse

            expected logic and reason from a committed-to-any-platform voter

            There FTFY.

        2. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

          Re: It only gets worse

          "You must have enjoyed yesterday's Queen's Speech, which St Theresa used to make it clear she was not going to go ahead with everything she'd promised in her election manifesto."

          Remember that the Queen's Speech only covers 2 years of a 5 year Parliament (or so May hopes) so on that basis you wouldn't expect all the manifest to be in it. Whether the Parliament will last for 5 years and how long May will remain PM are matters that remain to be seen.

          Remember also that without an overall majority what a government actually achieves is going to be a compromise between the parties which form the consequent government and there's always going to eb something that gets dropped; just ask the Lib-Dems.

          And last but not least "Events, dear boy, events".

          1. Charlie Clark Silver badge

            Re: It only gets worse

            Remember that the Queen's Speech only covers 2 years of a 5 year Parliament

            It's supposed to be a longparliament to try and quell problems with a separate bill next year. But I think it was fairly clear that the Queen expects to be back soon enough, just hopefully not in Royal Ascot Week.

            1. Alan Brown Silver badge

              Re: It only gets worse

              "it was fairly clear that the Queen expects to be back soon enough"

              I wonder if she will dress as a Euro flag again though.

      2. gandalfcn Silver badge

        Re: It only gets worse

        "I do wonder what kind of scary hell we'd be in if Hilary / Jeremy had won their respectives."

        I suggest it would probably be far better that the hell hole lunatic asylum you no doubt voted for, didn't get and now gave to live laughing stocks on both sides of the Atlantic.

        People thought Bush/Blair was bad. Don the Fart/Bedlam May could be far worse.

      3. CrazyOldCatMan Silver badge

        Re: It only gets worse

        making promises he had no intention of paying for

        Actually, given the politician involved, he may well have an intention to pay. Whether he could[1] is an exercise left to the reader..

        [1] Of course, he personally probably wouldn't pay any of it. As with all governments, it's the taxpayers[2] that do.

        [2] By which we mean, anyone with some cash that the government is able to grab. Which includes pretty much everyone other than the utterly destitute.

        1. allthecoolshortnamesweretaken

          Re: It only gets worse

          "By which we mean, anyone with some cash that the government is able to grab. Which includes pretty much everyone other than the utterly destitute."

          It does, however, exclude the really rich.

    2. aqk
      Angel

      Re: It only gets worse. Travis?

      What you need is Travis Bickle! He would clean things up! And free that poor abused Melonomia!

  4. We're all in it together

    Oh well

    Bring back George Bush all is forgiven

    1. We're all in it together

      Re: Oh well

      To be precise Dubya

      1. kain preacher

        Re: Oh well

        Dubya is like an you guys shitted on me why? Oh and think America owes Dan Quayle an apology for calling hims stupid and ignorant of politics.

      2. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge

        Re: Oh well

        I think Afghans and a lot of Iraqis and Syrians want to discuss this "forgiveness" thing.

  5. bombastic bob Silver badge
    Trollface

    Hook, line, and sinker!

    I think the press has been TROLLED, successfully. By Trump.

    1. MiguelC Silver badge

      Re: Hook, line, and sinker!

      You do realize you're talking about the president of the Us of A, not about some punk kid in his parents' house bedroom, do you?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Hook, line, and sinker!

        "You do realize you're talking about the president of the Us of A, not about some punk kid in his parents' house bedroom, do you?"

        If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck... it's usually a Donald.

        1. We're all in it together

          Re: Hook, line, and sinker!

          If it walks like a duck l'orange and talks like a duck l'orange ... it's definitely a Donald

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Hook, line, and sinker!

        You do realize you're talking about Donald Trump, not some politician in his speechwriter's room, do you?

      3. Someone Else Silver badge

        @MiguelC -- Re: Hook, line, and sinker!

        You do realize you're talking about the president of the Us of A, not about some punk kid in his parents' house bedroom, do you?

        And the difference is what, again?

        1. Blank Reg

          Re: @MiguelC -- Hook, line, and sinker!

          The difference is that the punk kid would probably make a better president.

        2. Stoneshop
          Devil

          Re: @MiguelC -- Hook, line, and sinker!

          And the difference is what, again?

          Cheeto Benito has multiple bedrooms, of which at least one is demonstrably not his parent's.

          1. SolidSquid

            Re: @MiguelC -- Hook, line, and sinker!

            Also one for him and, until recently in an entirely separate city, one for his wife

  6. Ucalegon
    FAIL

    Tape Worm

    Tapes or no "tapes" he certainly gets my backup.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Tape Worm

      your backup of the tapes?

  7. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Holmes

    "He's not a professional politician. "

    He is however a bully and a bluffer.

    You may not like Comey, but he called the D's bluff.

    Too bad the best alternative the 'crats could come up with was Hilary.

    Too bad the US system seems to make any kind of thrid party virtually impossible.

    1. Ucalegon

      Re: "He's not a professional politician. "

      I'd change US system to any first past the post democracy. FPTP blocks most rational choice for voters beyond the 2 main parties. If only there were another way....

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: "He's not a professional politician. "

      > Too bad the best alternative the 'crats could come up with was Hilary.

      Too bad the best alternative the 'pubs could come up with was Ted Cruz.

    3. eldakka

      Re: "He's not a professional politician. "

      Too bad the US system seems to make any kind of thrid party virtually impossible.

      That's the ground-state of any "first past the post" voting system. Having more than 2 parties, certainly more than 2 viable parties, is a temporary aberration in that election system, which will then make its way back to the ground-state over a few election seasons.

      1. Alan Brown Silver badge

        Re: "He's not a professional politician. "

        The problem with FPTP and its inherent bias towards a two party system is that you end up with polarised politics and policies which lurch violently from government to government.

        Proportional representation (done right) means that government is generally by concensus, the central ground dominates and the extreme policies of either side simply don't get through.

    4. Alan Brown Silver badge

      Re: "He's not a professional politician. "

      "You may not like Comey, but he called the D's bluff."

      He did exactly what would be expected, which was to minute _everything_ and get it written down as quickly as possible. In these kinds of cases, he who documents first is usually regarded as the most accurate in court(*) unless hard evidence t the contrary emerges.

      I wouldn't be at all surprised to find that Comey made his own recordings and is keeping it quiet unless absolutely necessary. He's never been directly asked if he did and the answer he gave at the senate hearings would cover him having made them.

      (*) Something I've seen used by a rogue sales manager in one organisation - as soon as any meeting finished she would dash out an email with a "meeting summary" that had nothing to do with anything that actually did happen in the meeting. Because she did it first, this was regarded as the legal record of fact, making it _extremely_ difficult to fire her until the meetings were recorded. Even then, the recording had to be played in court and the recorder had to attest it was genuine, etc before the manager's emails were thrown out as unreliable - despite multiple disputes of events from other attendees.

  8. SW10
    Black Helicopters

    Clearly a lawyer...

    ...couldn't even express it in one tweet.

  9. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

    Why do I see that and read "I just played back the tapes and discovered Comey was right."?

    1. Brewster's Angle Grinder Silver badge

      No, his lawyers played back the tapes.

      1. Rich 11

        And then destroyed them.

        1. Yes Me Silver badge
          Angel

          The truth will out...

          So he's telling the truth: there are no tapes (now). (But nobody uses tape these days anyway.)

          1. PhilipN Silver badge

            But nobody uses tape these days anyway.

            Quite so. May be a .wav file on a USB disk - but NO TAPES.

            Or even on a phone.

            If so the tweet was 100% correct

            1. Stoneshop
              Windows

              Re: But nobody uses tape these days anyway.

              NO TAPES.

              NO TAPES! NO TAPES! YOU'RE THE TAPES!

          2. Stoneshop

            Re: The truth will out...

            (But nobody uses tape these days anyway.)

            Well, a bit of Sellotape[0] to affix a scrap of notepaper to some SD card.

            [0] Or 3M Scotch[1][tm] brand in Leftpondia.

            [1] A truly Great American Brand.

            1. allthecoolshortnamesweretaken

              Re: Sellotape

              Over here it's Tesa.

        2. Stoneshop
          Childcatcher

          Tapes

          And then destroyed them

          No, they still contained the Ted Nugent tracks that were on them, because Trumpolini forgot to press 'record'.

        3. DocJames

          And the recording device.

          Who knows if they found the ones the Russians planted.

          1. Roq D. Kasba

            Spoliation

            It's either an outright bluffthreat or spoliation. My hunch is the latter pretending to be the former, but either is possible

  10. EricM
    WTF?

    I just hope he does not try to "outbluff" anyone in the same unprofessional manner when it comes to tactical or strategic weapon usage ... Tweeter-in-chief IS also Commander-in-chief after all, so this job should have required a grown up to start with ...

  11. Stevie

    Bah!

    So, basically, he has nothing.

    Not news, of course, but this should become the Republican Motto.

    Health care plan after six years bleating about how they could do better? Nope.

    Tax reform that makes sense? Nope.

    Any sort of vision for America as a country in the world of the next fifty years? Nope.

    Vote Republican. "We Got Nothin".

    1. John Smith 19 Gold badge
      Unhappy

      "Vote Republican. "We Got Nothin"."

      That's so unfair.

      The D has already selected his slogan for 2020.

      "Keeping America great."

      It's simple. Say it often enough and people will think he has already made America great again.

      Genius.

      1. Alan Brown Silver badge

        Re: "Vote Republican. "We Got Nothin"."

        "Say it often enough and people will think he has already made America great again."

        He's excelling at making America grate.

    2. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

      Re: Bah!

      Vote Republican. "We Got Nothin".

      But do they have plenty of it?

  12. Daggerchild Silver badge
    Childcatcher

    Per lacer yabetz!

    In the red corner we have the Royal Guard Captain who stabbed the Red Queen in the back, to place King Canute on the throne.

    In the other red corner we have the same Mad King who stabbed the Royal Guard Captain in the back for not stabbing Liberty and Freedom in the back.

    "Curious", said Alice, and tried to wake up, as a gun cocked behind her. "Nice pussy you've got there. We may have to seize it" said the fat twins Freedom and Liberty. "Let's see its entry papers. Don't worry, we only shoot the people who are afraid of being shot."

    Alice couldn't help but notice that having a pussy in this world seemed to make everything much more complicated than perhaps it should be.

  13. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
    Big Brother

    Still don't understand this bullshit

    So it's Comey who tapes but it's Trump Emperor who gets whipped for it?

    Or as Counterpunch writer Mike Whitney puts it in "Comey’s Lies of Omission":

    Following his first meeting with Trump on January 6, he [Comey] started recording contents of his private conversations with the president-elect on a secure FBI laptop in his car outside Trump Tower. He didn’t even wait until he got back to the office, he did it in the goddamn parking lot. That’s what you call “eager”. In his testimony he admitted that he kept notes of his private meetings with Trump “from that point forward.”

    Does that sound like the normal activities of dedicated public servant acting in behalf of the elected government or does it sound like someone who’s on an assignment to dig up as much dirt as possible on the target of a political smear campaign.

    Will the chocolate ration now be increased from 250g to 200g?

    1. Mark 85

      Re: Still don't understand this bullshit

      Given the reputation for making nasty things happen to people by certain past Presidents.... one can't be too careful lest they end up dead. I can see why Comey might have done this.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Still don't understand this bullshit

        Comey might end up dead, but it won't be by Trump's hand. That's the Clinton way.

        1. Geoffrey W

          Re: Still don't understand this bullshit

          RE "Comey might end up dead, but it won't be by Trump's hand. That's the Clinton way."

          That demonstrates just how crap the Clintons are. They never murdered the people who were actually doing them real harm, only the peripheral figures who were somehow, vaguely, in their way. What idiots!

          Oh, and you're a crap troll.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Still don't understand this bullshit

            First you agree with me and then call me a troll. I suggest in future you think before you type, GW.

            1. Geoffrey W

              Re: Still don't understand this bullshit

              The Clintons murdered no one. The only ones who believe they did are...Well...I was giving you the benefit of the doubt by calling you a troll.

            2. CrazyOldCatMan Silver badge

              Re: Still don't understand this bullshit

              First you agree with me and then call me a troll. I suggest in future you think before you type, GW.

              I'd try to teach you the meaning of the words "irony" and "sarcasm" but I suspect it would be a waste of effort akin to shouting "no!" at a black hole..

        2. Hollerithevo

          Re: Still don't understand this bullshit

          Mr John, you are not trying hard enough. We have to have Clinton personal assassinations PLUS the documentation from the Elders of Zion now. Things have bigged up.

          1. Roq D. Kasba

            Re: Still don't understand this bullshit

            >>We have to have Clinton personal assassinations PLUS the documentation from the Elders of Zion now. Things have bigged up.<<

            Kicking up dust and pointing in every direction but the one under discussion is playbook for an indefensible position. Look at Conway and her tedious employment of this technique.

          2. Geoffrey W

            Re: Still don't understand this bullshit

            Comment of the elders of zion and the clintons led me to some research. Apparently the Clintons are both practicing witches with Hilary being the more powerful of the two. Apparent links between Satanism, Adolf Hitler, and the Clintons leads me to wonder how on earth an elemental force such as Hilary could lose an election to Mr Trump, unless he is an even more powerful Magus. I love this stuff! I think this is an older link from when Magus Bill was in charge but it gives a wonderful grounding in the "Napoleans of Crime" that are the Clintons, and of what is going on in various heads out there...with the accent on "Out There"

            http://www.cuttingedge.org/news/n1217a.cfm

    2. H in The Hague

      Re: Still don't understand this bullshit

      "So it's Comey who tapes ..."

      Don't get the impression Comey made tape recordings. In English "to record" means to keep a record (a note) of something, often by writing it down, sometimes using audio or video recording equipment. Anyway, if you are under the impression your superior at work is threatening you or suggesting an inappropriate course of action then keeping accurate notes/records of that is a perfectly prudent thing to do.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Still don't understand this bullshit

      > Does that sound like the normal activities of dedicated public servant acting in behalf of the elected government...

      Yes.

      It sounds like somebody that knows a shit storm is coming, and wants to make sure to keep track of what was said before things get weird.

      Isn't it the reason people have laptops is so they can work out and about instead of in the office?

    4. SolidSquid

      Re: Still don't understand this bullshit

      Comey didn't tape anything, he typed up a written record of what he recalled from the meeting, according to him because what happened in that meeting had him concerned about whether the president was going to allow the Russian investigation to continue without interference.

      Yes, Comey worked on behalf of the government, but he didn't work on behalf of Trump, and given he worked for *law enforcement*, I don't see why you wouldn't expect him to make notes if he had concerns about the legality of events, if for no other reason than so he could have an accurate record to run by legal to make sure it wasn't

      1. Alan Brown Silver badge

        Re: Still don't understand this bullshit

        "Comey worked on behalf of the government, but he didn't work on behalf of Trump"

        The thing to bear in mind is that american officials and military swear alliegiance to the _country_, not to any _office_, _government_ or _person_

        Demanding that Comey pledge alliegience to the person is a demand of fundamental loyalty shift on par with the german military oath changing from serving the country to serving herr Hitler.

    5. Bloodbeastterror

      Re: Still don't understand this bullshit

      @Destroy All Monsters

      "[Comey] started recording contents of his private conversations with the president-elect on a secure FBI laptop in his car outside Trump Tower. He didn’t even wait until he got back to the office"

      That's called "taking contemporaneous(*) notes", and is well-recognised and respected in legal circles, since it's regarded as the best recollection of an event short of actually audio- or video-recording it.

      (*) "Contemporaneous" means "at the same time". Yes, I am trying to patronise(**) you.

      (**) "Patronise" means talking down to someone.

      1. Tannin

        Re: Still don't understand this bullshit

        "(**) "Patronise" means talking down to someone."

        You'll need to put that in simpler words.

      2. CrazyOldCatMan Silver badge

        Re: Still don't understand this bullshit

        (**) "Patronise" means talking down to someone.

        Unless the 'someone' in question is a restaurant or person-of-negotiable-virtue. Then, it's something *quite* different.

        Ain't English grand? Same words, utterly different meaning.

    6. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Still don't understand this bullshit

      "Does that sound like the normal activities of dedicated public servant acting in behalf of the elected government or does it sound like someone who’s on an assignment to dig up as much dirt as possible on the target of a political smear campaign."

      No, it sounds like the actions of someone who has realised he's about to get shafted by POTUS and wants to preserve details of what was said to present to the inevitable impeachment trial.

  14. JustWondering
    Meh

    Hmmm ...

    His comment doesn't exclude the idea that someone else made the tapes and now possesses them.

    1. Mikel

      Re: Hmmm ...

      <quote>as if a lawyer wrote it</quote>

      You may be on to something here. That might be why it took so long to come up with the carefully worded non-denial.

      1. Bloodbeastterror

        Re: Hmmm ...

        "That might be why it took so long to come up with the carefully worded non-denial"

        It's also possible, I suppose, that Trump has handed over his Twitter account to various other people to issue sensible (well, grammatical at least...) comments from time to time. After all, he abrogated authority to his Middle East commanders, and couldn't even be bothered to be involved in the decision to launch cruise missiles, a fact that still astonishes me even after all these six long months.

        In a way I'm quite enjoying this slow-motion car crash. If only it weren't putting the futures of all our descendants at severe risk.

        I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Americans, be ashamed. Be very ashamed.

  15. Frumious Bandersnatch

    Trump "admits"

    Should be "Trump 'claims'"

    Using "admits" suggests truthfulness on the part of the person who made the statement.

    <crickets>

  16. Winkypop Silver badge
    FAIL

    Trump flubs his way through another crisis

    NEXT!

  17. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Unhappy

    Trump's done lots of deals in the construction business...

    He's more a "person" guy than a "technology" guy.

    And he's in the moment, not a real deep planner. What's said is said and tomorrow it'll all be different.

    Not like Nixon, always working out the various directions, friends to have, friends to dump etc.

    But while the theatre of public opinion may run on sound bites, in Washington people store up comments and actions. Anything can (and will) be used in evidence against you.

    Trump either believes himself to be completely immune to this or thinks he's got more control (and more dirt) than anyone else.

    I'll note the oath does not talk about defending the President. It talks about "Defending the Constitution, from all enemies, both foreign and domestic."

    IOW the President is not the most important thing to be protected, it's the Constitution.

    That implies the President sacrifices themselves to protect the Constitution.

    No way can I see Trump doing that.

    1. Bloodbeastterror

      Re: Trump's done lots of deals in the construction business...

      "He's more a "person" guy than a "technology" guy."

      No, he's not. The only thing you need to know about Trump's character is here:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iimj0j4NYME

      The jutting jaw and "don't f*** with me" expression make my skin crawl.

      I'm no psychologist or psychiatrist, but everything I've read and seen on the subject points, in my view, to Trump being a narcissistic sociopath, a man who has no empathy with others and sees them purely as object to be used for his personal gain.

      And I mean "gain", not "pleasure". It appears to me that Trump's only solitary pleasure is in winning. Now that he's actually won the most powerful job in the world he's lost, a scared little boy who lashes out at any criticism.

      How in the world did this snake-oil salesman get to here...?

      1. Bloodbeastterror

        Re: Trump's done lots of deals in the construction business...

        "Trump being a narcissistic sociopath"

        To add to my post, I refreshed my memory on this:

        https://www.healthyplace.com/personality-disorders/sociopath/beware-the-narcissistic-sociopath/

        Traits of a Narcissistic Sociopath

        How do you spot a sociopathic narcissist? Watch for certain traits:

        A driven quest for power. If a narcissistic sociopath cares about anything other than himself, it is destructive power and control over people.

        Behaviors that seek love and admiration. To be sure, this isn't needy love. It's not even emotional love. It's superficial. A narcissistic sociopath sees love and admiration as power tools to manipulate and dominate (Do Sociopaths Even Have Feelings?).

        No apologies, no guilt, no remorse under any circumstance. A sociopathic narcissist believes that she is a gift to the world who makes it richer and more colorful. Therefore, her calculated, even cruel actions are always justified.

        Invincibility. The narcissistic variety of sociopath believes he is indomitable. Even punishment and prison can't stop him. They're merely part of the game.

        Wholly self-serving. The needs and wants of others are insignificant and undeserving of consideration.

        Act as the producer, director, and only actor of his own show. The narcissistic sociopath casts people in roles that increase his power and sense of importance and when bored, casts them aside.

        Ring any bells...?

      2. John Smith 19 Gold badge
        Unhappy

        "How in the world did this snake-oil salesman get to here...?"

        Well to slightly mis quote Marlene Dietrich

        "The people wanted a leader. They got a leader. "

        Wheather or not he's the sort of leader they wanted only time will tell.

      3. Alan Brown Silver badge

        Re: Trump's done lots of deals in the construction business...

        "How in the world did this snake-oil salesman get to here...?"

        Because the grifter surrounded himself with other sociopathic grifters who saw an opportunity to make a killing and leave him carrying the inevitable can for their keptomania.

        There's a theory still circulating that the initial reason for putting his name forward was to promote his TV reality shows and that he never expected the scam to run this far.

  18. Kevin Johnston

    An opinion

    To paraphrase Garry Trudeau introducing Calvin and Hobbes...

    The utterance an Adult may know to be a lie may well reflect a child's deepest conviction at the moment it pops out...Fantasy is so accessible that the people lied to assume they are being manipulated when the truth is more frightening; they don't exist.

    You make your own assumptions about how many politicians/lawyers/CEOs could be the child this applies to

  19. handleoclast
    Pirate

    There may yet be tapes

    Despite Trump's lawyer's tweet in Trump's name that there are no tapes, there may be tapes.

    It's a point raised by Keith Olbermann. It's possible that the FBI records all calls. If so, there are tapes.

    Which would make Comey's "Lordy, I hope there are tapes" a lovely twist of the knife. Especially if Trump's lawyer was lying (whether his own lie or prettying-up a Trump lie). Imagine how it might play out...

    FBI tapes surface showing Trump to be a liar and obstructed justice - win.

    Or, Trump tapes surface showing Trump to be a liar and obstructed justice - win, with a dose of irony on top.

    Or, Trump tapes surface showing Trump to be entirely innocent because the tapes have been doctored, and are then contradicted by FBI tapes showing not only the original obstruction of justice but that the Trump tapes are, themselves, a major obstruction of justice - major win, with bigly irony on top.

    If neither side has tapes (or tapes exist but are not found) then it's down to credibility. Who would you believe: Comey or Trump? Tough call, right?

    1. Roq D. Kasba

      Re: There may yet be tapes

      Spoliation of evidence I suspect too.

  20. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I KNEW there were no tapes

    Firstly, Trump would not know how to operate them. Remember, this is a guy who needs a red button in his office to order a can of coke because he can't work the phone system.

    Secondly, if you were looking for any recordings, the best place to look is his wedding tapes :). There are four sets to choose from, although Melania may have made him put the previous ones away.

  21. GruntyMcPugh Silver badge

    No Tapes? Surely he's using them as a paperweight to stop his 'Defeat ISIS in 30 days' plan from blowing away?

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