A mystery solved

I have always wondered how Trump went from belittling Kim Jong Un and rattling the nuclear sabres to "falling in love" with him and treasuring (not to mention stealing from the White House records) a flattering letter from Kim.  I found out today when Charlie Sykes (and Molly Jong-Fast) interviewed Michael Schmidt (of the New York Times) about the new afterward to his book wherein he discusses John Kelly's woes as Trump's Chief of Staff.

Schmidt tells the story of how Kelly and Pentagon officials attempted to talk Trump down from firing nukes on North Korea or push Kim to starting a war.  They told him thousands of people would die, and that didn't bother him.  They told him it could destroy the economy, and that didn't bother him.  Finally, Kelly hit on the only thing that has ever made an impact on Trump: flattery.  Kelly talked to Trump about how he's the ultimate dealmaker, and if he could placate Kim, it would make Trump the only president in history to be able to do it.  Voilà!  Also explains Trump's ensuing bragging that we would have gone to war with North Korea under Obama, but he, Trump, saved us.

Schmidt says Kelly's days consisted entirely of dealing with a man who was dumber and more narcissistic than he could have ever imagined ("I didn't know they made people like that."), and who would come down to the Oval Office late every morning obsessed with whatever he had seen on TV that morning.  Kelly gets up at 3:30 am every day to watch cable news in order to be prepared.

I suppose the world is lucky Kelly lasted as long as he did in that position.  It must have been absolutely excruciating and exhausting.

That whole family had access

In an interview on CNN’s “New Day” on Thursday, [NY Times journalist Maggie] Haberman noted that Trump has told people that he has continued to say in contact with Kim Jong-Un, with the caveat that his statement might not necessarily be true just because Trump said it.

[...]

She noted that while it is not unusual for former presidents to keep in contact with world leaders after leaving office, Kim Jong-Un was the only world leader to her knowledge that Trump has said he has still stayed in contact with.

“Those letters, you know, from Kim Jong-Un, that The Washington Post in terrific reporting, reported on the fact that he had taken with him to the White House, the original copies, he would wave them around, as I understand, he would wave them around in the White House and he would wave them around at Mar-a-Lago,” Haberman said. “He would have them in his boxes, and he would take them out and show them to people.”

She added that Trump also had photos of the North Korean leader in his office.

[...]

[Haberman's new book] "Confidence Man" is set to be released on Oct. 4.

  The Hill

Just in time for the 2022 elections.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

UPDATE:

Kim Jong Un's mixed bag admission of failure

"Almost all sectors fell a long way short of the set objectives," [North Korean leader Kim Jong Un] told thousands of delegates to the Workers Party's 8th Congress, seated in a huge auditorium in Pyongyang.

The country should digest the "bitter lessons" of failure, Kim added, and "be bold enough to recognize the mistakes, which, if left unaddressed, will grow into bigger obstacles."

[...]

Many veteran North Korea watchers believe the country is facing its worst economic crisis since the mid-1990s, when the loss of support from the defunct Soviet Union, compounded by Pyongyang's own mismanagement, led to a famine that killed, by some estimates, more than a million people.

Kim had admitted last August to "shortcomings," which led to a failure to meet the country's development goals, and improve people's living standards. In November, he criticized economic officials for their mishandling of the economy.

[...]

Biden has signaled that he intends to shore up the U.S.'s alliance with Seoul, and avoid the high-stakes summitry with Kim preferred by Trump. For that reason, says Park Hyeong-jung, a veteran Pyongyang watcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, a government think tank in Seoul, Kim is likely to look elsewhere for support.

  NPR

He and Trump will both be doing that.

Oo oo oo, I wanna be like you oo oo

You ever see a picture of Trump sittting like this in any other setting? 

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

The love story continues

In a statement published by state news agency KCNA on Saturday, Kim Kye Gwan, a top adviser to Kim Jong Un, said the North Korean leader had received "birthday greetings from the U.S. president" this week, but their personal relationship is not enough to restart talks.

"Although Chairman Kim Jong Un has a good personal feelings about President Trump, they are, in the true sense of the word, 'personal'," the Pyongyang foreign ministry official said.

  The Hill

Alas, all is not well between them.

"There will never be such negotiations as that in Vietnam, in which we proposed exchanging a core nuclear facility of the country for the lift of some U.N. sanctions in a bid to lessen the sufferings of the peaceable people even a bit,” it said.

[...]

“We have been deceived by the United States, being caught in the dialogue with it for over one year and a half, and that was the lost time for us.”

[...]

"What is clear is that we will never lose our time again, being taken in by the U.S. trick as in the past," North Korea said Saturday.

All Trump's other loves have been deceived by him. Did Kim think he would be special?

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

Kim Jong Un needs some attention

North Korea said on Tuesday that it’s up to the U.S. to choose what “Christmas gift” it wants from Pyongyang as an end-of-year deadline for nuclear talks inches closer.

Ri Thae Song, a North Korean vice foreign minister handling U.S. affairs, emphasized in a statement that the Trump administration is running out of time to salvage the talks and offer a deal that the two can agree on, The Associated Press reports.

“The dialogue touted by the U.S. is, in essence, nothing but a foolish trick hatched to keep the DPRK bound to dialogue and use it in favor of the political situation and election in the U.S.,” Ri said in comments reported by state media, using the acronym for North Korea's official name. “What is left to be done now is the U.S. option and it is entirely up to the U.S. what Christmas gift it will select to get.”

Ri added that North Korea has no intention of resuming talks unless it gets something significant in return, the AP reports.

  The Hill

Don't worry. Trump makes the best deals.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

Trump love note to Kim Jong Un

Impeach this asshole

Trump is not a president.  He's a two-bit, third world dictator wannabe.

Trump was feted at two big-money fundraisers — first a lunch for 60 hosted by real estate guru Stephen Ross, whose company owns Equinox and Soul Cycle. Then Trump talked for an hour to a crowd of 500 at the sprawling Bridgehampton home of developer Joe Farrell. The two events raised a total of $12 million.

After Equinox members revolted over Ross’ fundraising for the president, with many threatening to cancel memberships, Trump said he had joked with Ross about how divided the nation is.

[...]

“Steve Ross got into a little bit of trouble this week, I said, ‘Steve welcome to the world of politics!’ ”

Of his fundraising visit, Trump went on to say, “I love coming to the Hamptons, I know the Hamptons well, everyone here votes for me but they won’t admit it.”

[...]

Trump told a story of going as a boy to collect rent checks with his father, adding, “It was easier to get a billion dollars from South Korea than to get $114.13 from a rent-controlled apartment in Brooklyn, and believe me, those 13 cents were very important.”

[...]

"Don Jr. is my gun expert, he knows more about guns than anyone I know.”

Turning to the tragic events of this past week Trump said, to applause, “We need meaningful background checks. It is time.

“I spoke to Lindsay Graham on the way over in the car, I spoke to Nancy Pelosi, I called her, she called me, I talked to Chuck Schumer . . . we are all in agreement about this. It is time for meaningful background checks.”

  NY Post

He almost admitted he reached out to Pelosi. So he had to add that she called him. In other words - returned his call.

Trump also made fun of US allies South Korea, Japan and the European Union — mimicking Japanese and Korean accents — and talked about his love of dictators Kim Jong Un and the current ruler of Saudi Arabia.

Talking about South Korea, Trump said it makes great TVs and has a thriving economy, “So why are we paying for their defense. They’ve got to pay.” He then mimicked the accent of the leader Moon Jae-in while describing how he caved in to Trump’s tough negotiations.

[...]

“I just got a beautiful letter from [Kim Jong Un] this week. We are friends. People say he only smiles when he sees me.

They're not complimenting either of you, idiot.

“If I hadn’t been elected president we would be in a big fat juicy war with North Korea. “

Turning to Japan, Trump then put on a fake Japanese accent to recount his conversations with Shinzo Abe over their conversations over trade tariffs.

Just disgusting.

Trump spoke about his friendship with Abe and how fascinated he was with Abe’s father, who had been a kamikaze pilot. Trump asked Abe if the kamikaze pilots were drunk or on drugs. Abe said no, they just loved their country. Trump remarked, “Imagine they get in a plane with a half a tank of gas and fly into steel ships just for the love of their country!”

I guess no one offered to fit him up with a plane and a half tank of gas.

And he couldn’t resist a real estate joke or two. Noting that the very house the event was at is currently on the market for $39 million, Trump joked to Farrell, “What would you rather have, Joe, this beautiful house for $40 million or the White House for free?”

Are you sure that's a joke about real estate?

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

UPDATE:

Still in love

Does he think beautiful letters from brutal dictators impresses people?  (Other than his base.)

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

Tweet to Chairman Kim

Amazing. 

(Maybe the most amazing is that he said he may be wrong!)



Well, Tony, now that you mention it...I bet he can.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

Kim needs attention

North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast Wednesday in Pyongyang's second weapons test in less than a week, the South Korean military said.

  The Hill

What's His Lardship going to say? He's been bragging that Kim loves him so much he ended nuclear tests.*

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also told reporters that the incident was “no threat to Japanese national security” according to the AP, which added that Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya said that the missiles did not reach the country's exclusive economic zone.

Everybody, move inland!

North Korea fired two additional missiles last week that South Korean officials said went traveled 370 miles and went 30 miles high. Pyongyang reportedly said that those tests were a warning to South Korea.

A message to Herr Trump, more like.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

*UPDATE:

Horse shit comes from the horse's ass

Maybe someone should ask her about it

What's with his repeating lately that he's in no hurry with regard to Kim and Xi and who is Mercedes Schlapp? 

I can't answer the first part of the question, but I can the second:

He could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue

As much as I hate the trope...imagine if Obama had made love to Kim like Trump has.  What song would Tucker be singing?

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

UPDATE:  Also Tucker Carlson...

What a maroon

Long planned.  Like since yesterday when he tweeted:

*UPDATE:  6/30 - This morning on NPR I heard a clip of him speaking after the (Nobel Prize winning) meeting with Kim saying the idea just came to him while he was in Japan, and of Kim saying he was surprised by Trump's tweet asking to meet.  Apparently Trump suggested they step over into North Korea, which they did, making him the first US president to set foot on North Korean soil.  So you know what that means - a boasting tweet:

Also...we heard this tale about a Chinese trade agreement before, and it wasn't true then.  There was nothing in their agreement at that time about buying more agriculture products from us.  Do you suppose Xi just said, sure, sure, like Trump told Putin to not meddle in our elections or is Trump just making this up from whole cloth - again? China already purchases large amounts from our "great Farmers", remember?






Not the first time he's done that.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

You must be joking

International diplomatic relations by Twitter.  Like teenage girls.

Fucking nuts.

Impeach.






...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

UPDATE:



Disgusting.

Of course, you know he doesn't really like any of these people.  Although he may envy their absolute power, he really doesn't give a shit about any of them.  He just wants to make sure he can slap his name on a Trump building in their countries so the Trump name will be plastered all over the globe.

Impeach, FFS

Kim demands attention

South Korea’s military said on Thursday that North Korea had fired an unidentified projectile amid tensions with the U.S.

The South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that the projectile was fired in an easterly direction from the northwestern town of Sino-ri, according to Reuters. It was believed to have traveled about 260 miles, the news service, citing a South Korean official who spoke on condition of anonymity, noted.

The Japanese defense ministry reportedly said there was no immediate threat to Japan’s security and that it had not detected any ballistic missiles in territorial waters.

“You don’t know what missile it is just from how far it flew,” Yang Uk, senior research fellow at the Korea Defence and Security Forum, told Reuters. “But one thing is clear - there’s no doubt that it is a missile.”

[...]

The report comes less than a week after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the firing of what the South called short-range projectiles, which were believed to have flown up to 125 miles. North Korea said Wednesday that its tests were not intended as provocations and were “regular and self-defensive.”

  The Hill

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

So Trump still thinks Kim is his pal?

Four days ago:



Today:

U.S. efforts to recover the remains of American troops killed during the Korean War have stalled as the Trump administration's negotiations with North Korea have seen recent setbacks.

[...]

Roughly 5,300 U.S. soldiers were considered killed in action and remained in North Korea after the end of the Korean War, though the remains of about 50 were returned last year following the two leaders' first summit. Since then, little progress has reportedly been made.

[...]

The agency in charge of recovering the remains told Reuters on Wednesday that it has not been in contact with North Korean officials since negotiations between President Trump and Kim Jong Un in February failed to produce further results, a spokesman told Reuters.

“We have reached the point where we can no longer effectively plan, coordinate, and conduct field operations in (North Korea) during this fiscal year, which ends on September 30, 2019," U.S. Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) spokesman Lt. Col. Kenneth Hoffman reportedly said.

"As a result, our efforts to communicate with the Korean People’s Army regarding the possible resumption of joint recovery operations for 2019 have been suspended,” he said.

  The Hill

Damn. That was Trump's one claim to winning.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

Dream on

After the news that North Korea launched test missiles...

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.