Keep America safe

Melissa McEwan of Shakesville has been putting up daily list of appalling things being done by the nasty guy (or, as my friend and debate partner has decided, President Pants-on-Fire). In today’s list McEwan mentions a few items deeply troubling for a guy who says safety and national security are his top priority. To be sure, everything on McEwan’s list is deeply troubling. But most of it is him doing what he says are campaign promises. This isn’t. Most of this is just being stupid, or perhaps in over his head, or letting his ego rule his life.

* Ishaan Tharoor of the Washington Post: The nasty guy’s close ties to Russia, along with those of Rex Tillerson and Mike Flynn, has prompted the Pentagon to assume there are Russian ears in the White House, in particular Russian ears in the Situation Room. That has led intelligence personnel to withhold information from the Oval Office.

I’ve also heard that foreign intelligence services are becoming reluctant to share info with Washington because they assume Russia will hear about it if they do.

* Kevin Liptak of CNN: The nasty guy took Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, to a meal at his resort in Florida. Their table was in the middle of the dining room (as in: see who I’m dining with!) with various members of the club at tables around them. At the meal the nasty guy took a call, then he and Abe talked strategy about the situation – within hearing of the other diners.

Chelsea Clinton observed:

How many of Mar-a-Lago's new members will be (already are?) members of foreign intelligence agencies & media organizations?

* Mallory Shelbourne at The Hill: The nasty guy complained the media isn’t covering his enthusiastic supporters. He is concerned about getting enough attention, not about keeping the nation safe.

So, when the nasty guy rails against judges because they block his orders that he says will keep the nation safe, remember my friend’s new name for the guy.