Thursday, January 05, 2017

During Senate hearing, intelligence community says they are more convinced than ever that the Russians hacked our election. Update!

(I am including Claire McCaskill's questioning of CIA Director Clapper because I found it to be one of the more entertaining exchanges. Though to be fair Lindsey Graham was a hoot to watch as well.)

Courtesy of CNN: 

In his opening questions to Clapper, Committee Chairman John McCain noted the Intelligence Community's conclusion that the cyberthefts and disclosures were intended to interfere with the US election process and could only have been authorized by Russia's most senior levels. 

"We stand actually more resolutely on the strength of that statement that we made on the seventh of October," Clapper said. After the election, the Intelligence Community concluded that at least one Russian motive had been to help Trump win. 

Clapper said that the hacking did not succeed in changing any vote tallies, but that it was impossible for intelligence to assess how the information released from the breaches affected voters' attitudes. 

McCain emphasized the Russian role and delivered an implicit rebuke to Trump, who has urged people to "move on" from the issue of Moscow-directed hacking.

I actually disagree that there is no evidence that the Russian hacks impacted the vote tallies.

In fact if you go through this timeline presented by ABC News you can see for yourself how the leaked information, carefully disseminated by Wikileaks over a period of four months, slowly eroded the trust for the DNC and later for Clinton herself.

I think without that, and the help of FBI Director Comey, Donald Trump would have had no way in hell of winning this election.

Wikileaks, which I now consider to be a propaganda outlet for Russia, also fed into conspiracy theories about a Clinton earpiece, and even diagnosed her with a fake disease

You do not get to hold yourself out as a paragon of truth and justice once you engage in that kind of conspiratorial nonsense.

Clapper and McCain also have little use for Julian Assange:  

McCain asked Clapper whether Assange had endangered men and women serving the US with his earlier release of State Department cables. 

"Yes, he has," Clapper said. 

McCain then asked whether Assange should be accorded any credibility -- another implicit rebuke of Trump. Clapper responded, "No, he should not."

And yet this is the guy that Donald Trump thinks the American people should listen to and consider as reputable as our own intelligence agencies.

I have to admit that I was really fascinated by the hearing, and watched the entire thing from start to finish.

At one point Director Clapper was asked by Lindsey Graham if he was prepared to be challenged by Donald Trump tomorrow when he provides a briefing, and he smiled and said yes and that he welcomes the exchange.

In other words Clapper, and the other intelligence professionals, are confident that the information that they have to share will be more than enough to convince even someone as dimwitted as Donald Trump.

It will be interesting to see if tomorrow's Trump tweets don't have a completely different tenor than the ones before the briefing.

For example:


By the way considering what James Comey did to sabotage Hillary's chances of winning the election, I do not blame the DNC for keeping the FBI away from their hard drives.

If in fact that's what happened. 

Update: Former CIA Director, James Wolsey, has just quit as a Trump advisor. 

I am not sure what that means, but I bet it means something.

60 comments:

  1. Anonymous4:57 PM

    No security business should be done at the tower. Its probably bugged.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous5:03 PM

    And breaking: James Woolsey has quit the Trump transition team.

    F yeah.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I entered the twighlight zone of the Twitter link to read the comments back to CJ--amazing how many of his followers do not recognize that he IS/CAN/SHOULD be at daily briefings. Hence, he'd have some inkling of the state of our nation;amazing how sound bites distract from his passive aggressive behaviour. Arggggg. This. Can't. Be. Real!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. But..but..but. He *knows* stuff. He's, like, a smart person.

      Delete
  4. Anonymous5:14 PM

    OT...http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/sarah-palin-facebook_us_586e74ede4b099cdb0fbb984

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous6:06 PM

      "awarded himself a Distinguished Public Service medal from the Department of Defense. That is not true ― Defense Secretary Ash Carter gave the medal to the president." as “the highest honorary award presented by the Secretary of Defense to non-career Federal employees, private citizens, and foreign nationals.” Recipients of the medal are nominated by heads of the components of the Office of Secretary of Defense, along with secretaries of military departments. The defense secretary makes the final decision."
      "Palin’s page has twice linked to a Young Conservatives story with a headline claiming Obama “imposed rules to take $3,000 from every U.S. citizen.” He did not. "
      "Sarah PAC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. "


      C-ynical
      U-neducated
      N-arcissistic
      T-rollop

      sara....

      Delete
    2. Anonymous7:05 PM

      T-wisted
      W-izened
      A-bysmal
      T-roll

      Sara.....

      Delete
    3. Anonymous8:18 PM

      GRYPHEN please out that racist bitch by posting her FB post linking to young cons website about the moving truck at the White House.
      She titled the post "we're movin on up" which is the theme song from the Jeffersons.

      I am so sick of that putrid piece of satanic flesh breathing her smelly breathed hate

      Please please out that fucking asshole!

      Delete
  5. Anonymous5:18 PM

    I looked around to see just how old the news re Woolsey's resignation from the Trump transition team went, and the earliest I saw was around 3PM Pacific Time. Trump's three most recent tweets re the hacking came an hour or so after that. So, Woolsey was gone, even if we out in the public weren't all aware yet, but Trump still had to tweet questions about the veracity of the hacking intel--however, notice that this time he found others to blame, like the DNC and NBC. So, he's shifting the focus of his criticism. Can't wait to see what he says after his intel briefing Friday.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous5:21 PM

    It should be VERY telling if Trump does NOT change his tune at all following tomorrow's briefing.

    ReplyDelete
  7. @5:18 let us hope he stays off of Twitter and says nothing. Hahahahahahaha ha. I am having so much difficulty with the 'whenever briefings', the deflection and cast of his reality show that is our USof A. I don't usually comment. I do Appreciate Gryphen's work--thanks! I had a conversation today in prep for the 21 st and I am not feeling that all is (completely) futile, but it's so easy to go to the dark side: the Kennedy & Lincoln, missed Reagan line of thinking. And, now finding out that I am not alone makes it at the less (more!) comforting!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous5:31 PM

    Gryphen can you tell #NOTMYPRESIDENT we won't be able to make his inauguration party.

    Washington DC in January is way too cold for us A-List entertainers. Nothing personal bud.


    Washington Post
    President Obama to host a goodbye party at the White House on Friday

    January 2017 will definitely see an onslaught of A-list tourists at the White House. But they’re not coming for the inauguration.

    President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama will host a goodbye party for close friends and major donors Friday, according to a person with knowledge of the marquee affair. The Obamas themselves confirmed during an interview with People Magazine last month that they’d have one final bash at the White House....

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/reliable-source/wp/2017/01/03/president-obama-to-host-a-good-bye-party-at-the-white-house-on-friday/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. With guests Trump will NEVER see at *his* White House.

      Delete
  9. Make sure to catch Maddow tonight.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous5:58 PM

      OMG, Greta Van Sustern to MSNBC. First Megyn Kelly to NBC, and now this. Guess Fox has gotten completely unbearable, which is funny since Ailes is gone and supposedly the Murdoch sons treated Kelly well.


      I'm bummed for anyone at MSMBC who will get the shaft or less air time. They've needed a new show for that 3 PM Pacific Time slot since With All Due Respect finished, but I've very much enjoyed what has filled that time slot. I very much like the younger people at MSNBC—the Road Warriors: Katy Tur, Hallie Jackson, Kristen Welker, Kasie Hunt and Jacob Soboroff (dark-haired guy with nerd glasses) were so good during the election, and Steve Kornacki’s another great nerd. I love all the current hosts, from Lawrence on down to Chris Hayes and Matthews in the PM. Who will be lost with these Fox moves? Hopefully, nobody.


      It’s not like MSNBC needs the Fox people to stay alive. I get that it’s considered a get. And I get that after election season MSNBC’s ratings slip. But Great and likely Megyn taking up more MSNBC air time? Bummer, if my usuals have to get the ax.


      Delete
    2. Anonymous7:07 PM

      MSNBC needs to rid themselves of trump ass kissers, joe and mika!

      Delete
    3. Anonymous8:42 PM

      YUP! Joe and Mika should go.

      dowl

      Delete
    4. Anonymous9:13 PM

      MSNBC's ratings were pretty high last year when they were all Trump all the time and no other network was.

      The owners must be looking to get some of that wingnut audience back.

      Delete
  10. Anonymous5:51 PM

    #÷×%!+× bitch #$×&%
    Not Sarah Palin's kiss ass

    WHAT THE FUCK?

    NBC
    Former Fox News Anchor Greta Van Susteren Joins MSNBC

    BY NBC NEWS

    Fox News veteran Greta Van Susteren will be joining MSNBC next week to anchor a new evening show called "For the Record with Greta," network executives announced on Thursday.

    "Greta is a true pro with a proven record of tough journalism," Phil Griffin, president of MSNBC, said in a statement. "Her broad range of experience and sharp news judgment will be of great value to MSNBC as we build on our momentum going into a new year and a new administration."....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous6:26 PM

      I stopped watching NBC after they put Jenna Bush on the Today show. It's a very, very Republican network. They also hosted The Apprentice.

      They would sometimes have Sarah on, too. Remember her exchange with Matt Lauer? She was furious because he asked about Track's PTSD arrest the night before the Iowa speech, in Feb. 2016. She blamed his PTSD on President Obama! And Lauer called her out on it, and she said the agreement was not to talk about her kids! Ha! Fun times!

      Delete
    2. Anonymous7:09 PM

      Phil Griffin got rid of Olbermann, Schulz, harris-Perry, aND other progressives who had shows in the afternoon. First CNN tries to b like fox, now msnbc.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous9:53 PM

      Schulz went to Russia...

      Delete
  11. Anonymous5:51 PM

    Where is Kelly ann? Where is Michael Flynn? How about brannon?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous6:08 PM

      Yeah, where they been? Well, I've seen a bit of Caveman Conway, but so little compared to usual. I have to wonder if Trump's already regretting hiring Flynn. He'd never admit it. He'd never make him resign now. That may happen later though.

      Delete
  12. Anonymous5:53 PM

    Has Flynn been ask to testify yet?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous7:13 PM

      While Flynn has been appointed to a job that doesn't require senate confirmation, I would like to see him in front of the McCain committee answering questions about his ties to Russia and what counsel he is giving trump about the hacking. I would call trump before the committee regarding g his comments about how much he knows about the hacking. Who told him?

      Delete
  13. Anonymous5:55 PM

    I am watching Rachel and her report on what Trump is doing w/the media is unbelievable. Tonight's show needs to be repeated and I'm sure parts of it will be via other outlets. Rachel has nailed his ass again - and, he truly is as deplorable as they come!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Leland3:30 AM

      I wonder what form the harassment will take when Humpty Trumpty orders Maddow targeted.

      Delete
  14. Anonymous5:59 PM

    This Greta Van Susteren joined MSNBC?


    ... Since then, Greta has consistently covered Palin, keeping an eye out for any potential slights to the governor and gushing over her popularity ...

    SCREW GRETA

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous6:03 PM

    "Mr. Trump has a long memory and we’re keeping a list,”
    - Omarosa

    “It’s so great our enemies are making themselves clear so that when we get into the White House, we know where we stand,”
    - Omarosa

    WITH THAT SAID... YOU'RE FIRED!


    (WASHINGTON) — President-elect Donald Trump has selected former Indiana Sen. Dan Coats as director of national intelligence, a person with knowledge of the decision said Thursday.

    The move comes amid Trump’s questioning of the U.S. intelligence community’s assessments that Russia interfered with the election on his behalf, and one day before the president-elect is briefed by senior intelligence officials on the Russian hacking allegations.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous6:09 PM

    With all that's coming out, including that Russian officials had go-betweens whose identities are known, I wonder how Scarah's feeling about that effusive Assange apology.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous6:16 PM

    "Mr. Trump has a long memory and we’re keeping a list,”
    - Omarosa

    “It’s so great our enemies are making themselves clear so that when we get into the White House, we know where we stand,”
    - Omarosa

    WITH THAT SAID

    The Honorable James R. Clapper Director of National Intelligence

    YOU'RE FIRED!


    (WASHINGTON) — President-elect Donald Trump has selected former Indiana Sen. Dan Coats as director of national intelligence, a person with knowledge of the decision said Thursday.

    The move comes amid Trump’s questioning of the U.S. intelligence community’s assessments that Russia interfered with the election on his behalf, and one day before the president-elect is briefed by senior intelligence officials on the Russian hacking allegations.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous6:27 PM

      Since current National Intelligence Director Clapper is not a Trump kiss ass, he will have to go

      TRUMP SURROUNDS HIMSELF WITH PEOPLE HE CAN TRUST

      Delete
    2. Anonymous6:29 PM

      Trump is a dictator. Don't cross him like Clapper did.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous6:49 PM

      Clapper did announce his retirement in November. Otherwise, yeah, he'd be fired.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous6:50 PM

      Unfortunately, that b-i Omarosa has been hired to be some kind of "public liaison."

      Delete
    5. Anonymous7:18 PM

      Clapper submitted his resignation to President Obama on November 17th stating that he would not serve after the transition.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous9:09 PM

      Trump's token literate black woman, Omarosa whatsherface, was supposed to get him a share of the black vote. She failed partly because she's a totally uncool person, nobody except him has ever liked her. If he keeps her on she still won't do a thing for him.

      Delete
  18. Anonymous6:54 PM

    WHO'S PAYING FOR THE WALL?

    You dumbass, you stupid, you RETARD ...


    Washington (CNN)
    President-elect Donald Trump's transition team has signaled to congressional Republican leaders that his preference is to fund the border wall through the appropriations process as soon as April, according to House Republican officials.

    The move would break a key campaign promise when Trump repeatedly said he would force Mexico to pay for the construction of the wall along the border, though in October, Trump suggested for the first time that Mexico would reimburse the US for the cost of the wall.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous7:32 PM

      HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

      Delete
    2. Is that what they're going to do with the money after revoking Obamacare?

      Oh, wait. Rescinding Obamacare is going to COST $35 BILLION.

      Never mind.

      Delete
  19. Anonymous6:58 PM

    OMFG, this article is not surprising. Trump's DC hotel pay is short by $5,000,000:


    https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-01-05/trump-s-dc-hotel-tagged-with-5-million-in-unpaid-worker-liens

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous7:14 PM

    Love it. I read around, and those three tweets by Trump with the mention of NBC are due to how PO'd he got when specifics were reported in the news after Obama's briefing today and before his own tomorrow. He's all insulted. Well, if he'd ever show any interest in tel he'd have known a lot of stuff already, and just maybe he's have been filled in on the rest earlier than tomorrow.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous7:32 PM

    What plausible reason could Donald Trump have for trying so hard to discredit America’s intelligence agencies and their finding that Russia interfered in the presidential election?

    http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/05/opinion/donald-trump-casts-intelligence-aside.html

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous7:36 PM

    Debt “connected” to the President-elect’s companies adding up to more than $1.37 billion ($US1 billion) is owed to more than 150 financial institutions, the Wall Street Journal reported overnight.

    http://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/donald-trump-and-his-companies-owe-more-than-14-billion-says-wall-street-journal/news-story/e1596e9a13aac88e1e93a02ff5559cd8

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. After he's president he's just going to ask them to "forgive" it.

      After the debt is all gone, maybe then he'll resign.

      Delete
  23. Anonymous8:07 PM

    https://www.google.com/amp/s/thinkprogress.org/amp/p/73577d392896?client=safari

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous9:32 PM

      https://thinkprogress.org/trump-said-he-had-315-million-in-debt-he-left-out-1-5-billion-73577d392896#.iryz805mr

      1.5 BILLION drumpf owes.

      Delete
  24. Anonymous8:57 PM

    It appears this is just all a game to Trump. It appears he's not even behaving and siding with Putin and others for selfish financial self-interests. Many see the Trump-tweetstorms and division and chaos creation as a sick twisted juvenile game he loves to play. He may feel like he's creating his own reality, and just pushes the envelope because it's fun for him. It's dangerous for the world, and this child in a suit is pushing all the levers of power, checking it all out, wondering, 'what will happen if I pull this one'? All he has to do is hide in his palatial bunker, while the rest of us suffer the consequences of this insane spoiled brat.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous9:15 PM

    Donald Trump is a national security risk every time he flaps his fingers. They took his tweety away from him before the election; maybe now would be the BEST time to divest #NotMyPresident from the Tourette's of his Twitter account.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous9:47 PM

    It is ALL about Pu$$y with drumpf:
    “But I get more pussy than you do.” Click.”

    http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/01/05/tucker-carlson-and-donald-trump-tangled-over-hair-pussy.html

    ReplyDelete
  27. Anonymous10:38 PM

    Looks like more bully boy Trump behavior. Funny, too, how his kid is so delicate and only his school year can't be interrupted:

    http://theweek.com/speedreads/671435/donald-trump-ordered-all-obama-ambassadors-quit-by-inauguration-day-without-exception

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's an excuse. Plenty of children of all ages relocate over the Christmas holiday.

      This is a feeble excuse for Melania and Barron to stay out of the spotlight. You watch. After Ivanka takes over as "first lady" and June comes around, Ivanka will stay on and Melania will stay in New York. They will hope it will all be forgotten.

      What won't be forgotten or forgiven is the inconvenience to the residents and businesses in Trump Tower and around that block and the COST that all of the city is having to bear because Trump is a fucking spoiled egocentric asshole.

      Delete
  28. Anonymous12:11 AM

    The people who are terrified of ISIS driving their jeeps over here and killing us all, are also the ones who now trust Vladimir Putin and Julian Assange, and no longer trust the CIA and 16 other intelligence agencies. And they are the ones who don't have a problem with a president who only very occasionally shows up for his daily security briefings. Up is down, backwards is forwards, left is right, am I still stuck in the Twilight Zone?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous5:18 AM

      No this is reality. And Republicans own it.

      Delete
  29. Leland1:42 AM

    I absolutely LOVE it!

    Biden to Trump: GROW UP!

    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38526570

    That should REALLY burn his ass!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Anonymous3:13 AM

    I actually disagree that there is no evidence that the Russian hacks impacted the vote tallies.
    ------------------
    I believe he is talking about actual hacking of the voting machines, which we will never know in Michigan because they stopped the recount.

    I still think the russians were working with trump and that is why he wants “everyone” to move on. Where in Manafort? Moscow?

    Everyone knows we are in bigly trouble when the president-elect but not elected, thinks he knows more than everyone else.

    Frontline repeated the traitor trump program, boy do they have his number, when is he going to sue?

    ReplyDelete
  31. Anonymous5:16 AM

    "How did NBC get "an exclusive look into the top secret report he (Obama) was presented?"
    I think this is a legitimate question. We're a representative republic of free people, not a regime that feeds its people what it wants them to know via collusion with the press. Do we really want this to go on with Trump at the reins?

    ReplyDelete
  32. Anonymous5:57 AM

    STOP ALL THIS BULLSHIT!
    ENOUGH ALREADY!

    Who gives a crap about what does Trump know about the hacking that nobody else knows about?

    Who gives a crap that Trump is Putin's puppet?

    Who gives a crap about the 100 illegal Electoral College votes?

    THIS IS WHAT THE WORLD WANTS TO HEAR FROM PRESIDENT-ELECT FORMER APPRENTICE REALITY STAR

    1. TWEET:
    Donald J. Trump
    Twitter › realDonaldTrump

    Wow, the ratings are in and Arnold Schwarzenegger got "swamped" (or destroyed) by comparison to the ratings machine, DJT. So much for....

    2 hours ago

    2. TWEET:
    Donald J. Trump
    Twitter › realDonaldTrump

    being a movie star-and that was season 1 compared to season 14. Now compare him to my season 1. But who cares, he supported Kasich & Hillary

    2 hours ago - Twitter

    ReplyDelete
  33. Anonymous6:37 AM

    IS PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP SCAMMING AMERICANS AGAIN?

    "Donald Trump to Remain Executive Producer on ‘Celebrity Apprentice"


    So why is the "President-elect Apprentice Executive Producer" attacking Arnold Schwarzenegger?

    Is Trump causing reality tv drama to improve ratings?

    Internet:
    Donald Trump to Remain Executive Producer on 'Celebrity Apprentice'

    Variety Magazine › news › donald-trump...

    Dec 8, 2016 - Donald Trump will remain an exec producer on NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice,” which is returning Jan. 2 after a two-year hiatus with new host Arnold Schwarzenegger. MGM confirmed to Variety that Trump has retained his EP credit on the series. ... The larger issue for MGM, NBC, and ...

    ReplyDelete

Don't feed the trolls!
It just goes directly to their thighs.