Her:
This story is getting stranger and stranger, and there's a lot to unpack.
" Perhaps the only thing we 'understand' about this story with any level of real clarity is Jared Kushner's seemingly logical decision to leave the meeting with Veselnitskaya after only 5-10 minutes."
No.
We understand quite a bit more than that.
I haven't been following this story at all, because I am sick of hearing about "Russian collusion." Please enlighten me as to what is understood.
So Clinton colluded with the Russians to trap/trick Trump campaign into colluding with the Russians.
Here's an interesting take:
"The story is simple, article above notwithstanding:
1. Donald was to be one of the "pied piper" candidates (per DNC strategy memo, April 7, 2015 - see Wikileaks).
2. Should the Donald do well, dirt would be required on the Donald - real or fabricated.
3. Fusion GPS eventually hired by [ McCain? DNC? HRC? all three? ] to produce said dirt.
4. Fusion GPS needed both a story and sufficient "evidence" to give the story plausibility. MI6 Steele provides story.
5. Evidence took two forms:
a. Electronic. "Tea Leaves" (cybersecurity researcher April Lorenzen) creates forged DNS logs from a Trump server repeatedly contacting Alfa Bank in Russia (see weaponized autism) and gives the info to alphabet agencies (June 2016) and later Slate (October 2016). The June 2016 disclosure to alphabet agencies helps prompt a FISA warrant.
b. Human. At the same time the Trump server was supposedly contacting Alfa Bank, Goldstone sets up the meeting with Natalia V, making sure to use key words and tricky phrases that implicate Russian gov't involvement. Timing being concurrent with the forged DNS server logs is not a coincidence. Fusion used pre-existing relationship with Natalia (she's Fusion GPS client and Russian oligarch Katsyv's defense lawyer in a massive racketeering case, along with having many other connections to Fusion) to use her as a diversion. In combination with the electronic data above, FISA warrant issued.
6. After FISA warrant, dossier given to FBI. Plausibility has been established. It doesn't matter at this point that the dossier was amateurish, as it provided a distraction for the FBI to vet it.
7. Trump expected to lose, so nothing much was done with this prior to the election, other than to establish a Trump-loves-Putin story about unhealthy dictator worship. No need to risk wider exposure.
8. Unthinkable happens. Trump wins.
9. Time to arm the landmines that were previously set, but never used. Time to get that email to NYT.
Viola. Russian influence narrative.
Note carefully McCain's statement that "there are many more shoes that will drop". These are just the landmines we know about. There are others. The only question will be how many of them can be set off before someone official is able to accurately trace them to their real source (McCain / Clapper / HRC / Bush?). Unofficial people have already done this. The only question is whether the WH has also done it and is prepared for what is to come.
I'm guessing it will be clear in very short order whether DJT plays 4D chess or is about to get quadruple-jumped in checkers."
I didn't say I'm "going with" anything.
I'm still trying to get my head around it.
I'm still trying to get my head around it.
Unless we are at war with Russia then meeting with and receiving ZERO information from a Russian is not a crime.
JD what do you think the shelf-life is of "the Russians did it" discussion? This is starting to remind me of "racism" cry. The more you hear it the more indifferent you get.
If someone has done something illegal (different than stupid) they need to go to jail and be forever disgraced!
Unless we are at war with Russia then meeting with and receiving ZERO information from a Russian is not a crime. Even if you thought they might give you information.
For true Trump opponents it has a shelf life of forever I would imagine.
I'm a Trump opponent and I share the same shelf life as you do. I want to see the Mueller report.
I'll revise my statement.
Many....probably a substantial majority....of Trump opponents will hold on to the Russia narrative as long as Trump is President. Possibly even after he is gone.
It's looking like more proof that the neoconservatives (Bush / McCain, Bill Kristol etc), neoliberals (Hillary etc), deep state, and corporate media (neoliberal and neoconservative) are all in bed together.
The only thing that Trump has done that the media (representing the deep state) liked is attack Syria with cruise missles.
Hard for me to believe that there was collusion with Russia if the best the Trump campaign could do was eagerly respond to an unsolicited meeting request that could result in getting some dirt on Hillary. Collusion means some ongoing communication and joint strategy. Of course, there could be more out there, but this isn't collusion.Of course, because that is so much more believable than the possibility that Trump and his associates colluded with Russians to influence the election.
NZ coming in strong with the pro-Russia sources. Apparently, he is ready to go all in lol.
Go the next step.....
In bed together....to trick Trump election into attempting to collude with the Russians?
It's looking like, and more.
Check out this new video, nicely sums up what we've learned so far, and asks some provactive questions:
I give up, this is beyond crazy.
How can everything be a conspiracy?
Is that a yes?
Junior was tricked/entrapped into attempting to collude with Russian government reps to obtain promised oppo research?
It's looking increasingly possible.
Wow.....
So now it's possible there was attempts to collude with Russia by the son of the candidate, the President's present advisor in the White House, and the candidate's campaign manager at the time......but they were tricked/entrapped into it.
That sure as hell doesn't sound like a "nothing burger" or "fake news" to me.
Sounds like something definitely worth a full investigation, IMO.
It's interesting to me that you make a declaNah.
Do your own research.
Not interested in trying to enlighten the admittedly willfully uninformed.
It's interesting to me that you make a declarative statement, "We understand quite a bit more than that," but you are reluctant to expound on what more we know." Perhaps the only thing we 'understand' about this story with any level of real clarity is Jared Kushner's seemingly logical decision to leave the meeting with Veselnitskaya after only 5-10 minutes."
No.
We understand quite a bit more than that.