Another one bites the dust? (Flynn debacle)

Most presidents do everything they can to show public support for the men and women in their inner circle. If a president has an issue with someone in a senior spot in their administration, that person is usually discreetly given a tap on the shoulder and a nod. Almost always, they resign — citing a need to spend more time with their family or pursue some lifelong dream/once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. In short: It's handled privately. Only in the absolute worst situations does any sort of ugliness emerge in public.

Trump, on the other hand, not only seems entirely comfortable airing his issues with senior staff but also appears to enjoy doing so. Consider two examples from just this weekend alone.

1. A Politico piece headlined “Trump reviews top White House staff after tumultuous start” includes these two eye-opening paragraphs:

Yet Trump’s concern goes beyond his embattled national security adviser, according to conversations with more than a dozen people who have spoken to Trump or his top aides. He has mused aloud about press secretary Sean Spicer, asking specific questions to confidantes about how they think he’s doing from the podium.

Others who’ve talked with the president have begun to wonder about the future of Chief of Staff Reince Priebus. Several Trump campaign aides have begun to draft lists of possible Priebus replacements, with senior White House aides Kellyanne Conway and Rick Dearborn and lobbyist David Urban among those mentioned. Gary Cohn, a Trump economic adviser, has also been the subject of chatter.

2. This Post piece on Trump's conversation with Christopher Ruddy, a longtime friend of his, is incredible. Check out these quotes from Ruddy on Priebus:

“It’s my view that Reince is the problem. I think on paper Reince looked good as the chief of staff — and Donald trusted him — but it’s pretty clear the guy is in way over his head. He’s not knowledgeable of how federal agencies work, how the communications operations work. He botched this whole immigration rollout. This should’ve been a win for Donald, not two or three weeks of negative publicity.”

It's hard to overestimate how demoralizing that is to the people working day in and day out to make the Trump presidency succeed.

Trump campaign aides have drafted names of people who could replace Priebus? Trump himself is asking people around him if they think Spicer is doing an okay job? (This comes after stories last week making clear that Trump is displeased with Spicer and that a shake-up in the communications shop might be in the offing.)

President Trump was aware that his national security adviser Michael Flynn had misled White House officials and Vice President Pence for "weeks" before he was forced to resign on Monday night.

Trump was briefed by White House Counsel Don McGahn that Flynn had discussed U.S. sanctions with the Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, despite his claims to the contrary "immediately" after McGahn was informed about the discrepancy by the Department of Justice, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Tuesday.

Sally Yates, the acting Attorney General at the time, and a senior career national security official at the Justice Department had informed McGahn at his office about their concerns on Jan. 26, according to a person familiar with the briefing. Spicer said that the president and a small group of senior aides were briefed by McGahn about Flynn that same day.

"We've been reviewing and evaluating this issue with respect to General Flynn on a daily basis for a few weeks, trying to ascertain the truth," Spicer said.

Let's be honest here - some people exaggerate the degree to which the Trump White House is pure evil incarnate, and some people (e.g., you) exaggerate the degree to which this Presidency is not an ongoing dumpster fire of embarrassment and ineptitude. If this weren't a Republican administration, you would howling at the daily howlers coming out of the Trump White House. (Yes, I am using the "Your opinion is founded on your biases" argument, because good lord, I don't care how much you want to believe that voting for Trump wasn't a mistake, you cannot pretend this is going well or that it's all the fault of that lying, biased media trying to make him look bad.)  So far I'm glad Trump is taking a hard line on Iran regarding the ballistic missiles.  Obama was dangerously soft with Iran.  I'm glad he's being firm with sanctuary cities (some of whom are backing off of their routine of breaking the laws, in fear of losing funding).  I think the travel ban was a necessary idea that was unfortunately implemented badly, and the 9th Circuit went too far.  I like the ideas of strong borders and controlled immigration, with regards to our southern border in particular and immigrants in general.  I'm glad Trump met with union leaders - it's a sign of his commitment to help the middle class.  I'm glad he wants NATO to take their fair share of defense spending.  I love his pro-Israel stance.  And I'm glad he's calling out the biased press (which have been near hysterical). Heck, I even loved that he called out Chuck Schumer's "fake tears".  No other POTUS would have.  At the same time, I wish he'd stop Tweeting.  I wish the EO travel ban would have been more smoothly implemented. He has been a weird POTUS, that's for sure.  I've cringed more than once.  And I'm hoping he settles down.  But I'm not ready to call everything a disaster at this point. Not even close.  And I do think the media is making these last 3 weeks seem much worse than in reality, with a healthy sprinkling of fake news thrown in there to boot.   

Dershowitz's opinion on the Yates stuff: thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/the-administration/317081-shes-no-hero-sally-yates-should-have-resigned

God save me, I agree with him.

thecollinegate.boards.net/post/5157

Yeah, reading his take on it makes her sound less like a virtuous defender of American values and more like Kim Davis.

thecollinegate.boards.net/post/5164

I also agree with Dershowitz that it was a tactically stupid move for Yates. She basically asked her boss to fire her for refusing to comply. She'd have looked much more heroic and principled if she'd resigned in protest.

thecollinegate.boards.net/post/5166