On March 1, 2017, nearly six weeks after President Trump had raised his right hand and swore to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, he struggled to read aloud the words of the founding document. A film crew had come to the White House to record the new president reading a section of the Constitution. Trump chose to participate in the HBO production because he did not want to forgo the chance to be filmed for history, and he knew that as the sitting president he would be the documentary’s most important character.
The documentary, titled The Words That Built America, was directed by Alexandra Pelosi, a daughter of House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi. Her conceit was that the country was starkly divided after the ugliness of the 2016 campaign, but the founding documents remained a unifying force for the nation’s factions. Pelosi and her team had a novel and distinctly bipartisan hook: All six living presidents, as well as six vice presidents, would join in reading the Constitution on camera, and other political figures and actors would read portions of the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence. Each performance would be edited to create a lively, unabridged reading of the treasured documents that have united the nation for more than two centuries.
On March 1, Pelosi and her crew arrived at the White House, and as they were getting ready in the Blue Room, Trump entered the opulent parlor, which sits at the center of the residence’s first floor and opens onto the South Portico. The Blue Room, distinguished by its French blue draperies and gold wallpaper, is steeped in history. It was where President Grover Cleveland and his wife exchanged wedding vows in 1886, and every December the White House’s primary Christmas tree is erected at the center of the oval-shaped room.
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On March 1, 2017, nearly six weeks after President Trump had raised his right hand and swore to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, he struggled to read aloud the words of the founding document. A film crew had come to the White House to record the new president reading a section of the Constitution. Trump chose to participate in the HBO production because he did not want to forgo the chance to be filmed for history, and he knew that as the sitting president he would be the documentary’s most important character.
The documentary, titled The Words That Built America, was directed by Alexandra Pelosi, a daughter of House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi. Her conceit was that the country was starkly divided after the ugliness of the 2016 campaign, but the founding documents remained a unifying force for the nation’s factions. Pelosi and her team had a novel and distinctly bipartisan hook: All six living presidents, as well as six vice presidents, would join in reading the Constitution on camera, and other political figures and actors would read portions of the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence. Each performance would be edited to create a lively, unabridged reading of the treasured documents that have united the nation for more than two centuries.
On March 1, Pelosi and her crew arrived at the White House, and as they were getting ready in the Blue Room, Trump entered the opulent parlor, which sits at the center of the residence’s first floor and opens onto the South Portico. The Blue Room, distinguished by its French blue draperies and gold wallpaper, is steeped in history. It was where President Grover Cleveland and his wife exchanged wedding vows in 1886, and every December the White House’s primary Christmas tree is erected at the center of the oval-shaped room.
On this day Trump seemed stiff and uncomfortable. Though he was technically in his own home, he did not greet his guests. Rather, he stood waiting for someone to approach him. Pelosi moved in to thank Trump for participating in this special history project, but he appeared to have no idea who she was, apparently not briefed on her political lineage or her role as the director. The president asked for some water, and with no staff bringing any to him, Pelosi handed him a bottle of Aquafina from her purse. “I’ve been into the White House,” Pelosi later said of visits to see previous presidents. “There are always protocols. Here there were no rules, no protocol.” She added, “There’s so much wrong with the whole thing. I’m thinking, Isn’t there someone who’s supposed to guard what he’s eating and drinking?”
Meanwhile, a White House staffer gave the other crew members instructions about what they could and could not do with the president. The very first rule was for the makeup artist: Do not touch the president’s hair. On his face, light powder only. The next instruction was for the technical crew: Could they make the lighting a little more orange? The president preferred a warm glow on camera. The mention of “orange” struck some in the room as an odd choice. Outside the bubble of the White House, late-night TV show hosts and cartoonists had been mocking the perpetually orange hue of Trump’s skin.
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On this day Trump seemed stiff and uncomfortable. Though he was technically in his own home, he did not greet his guests. Rather, he stood waiting for someone to approach him. Pelosi moved in to thank Trump for participating in this special history project, but he appeared to have no idea who she was, apparently not briefed on her political lineage or her role as the director. The president asked for some water, and with no staff bringing any to him, Pelosi handed him a bottle of Aquafina from her purse. “I’ve been into the White House,” Pelosi later said of visits to see previous presidents. “There are always protocols. Here there were no rules, no protocol.” She added, “There’s so much wrong with the whole thing. I’m thinking, Isn’t there someone who’s supposed to guard what he’s eating and drinking?”
Meanwhile, a White House staffer gave the other crew members instructions about what they could and could not do with the president. The very first rule was for the makeup artist: Do not touch the president’s hair. On his face, light powder only. The next instruction was for the technical crew: Could they make the lighting a little more orange? The president preferred a warm glow on camera. The mention of “orange” struck some in the room as an odd choice. Outside the bubble of the White House, late-night TV show hosts and cartoonists had been mocking the perpetually orange hue of Trump’s skin.
Pelosi had let presidents and vice presidents choose the portion of the Constitution they wanted to read. Many were wary of reading the section on the rules for impeachment or foreign emoluments. Trump had selected the opening of Article II, the part of the Constitution that addresses a president’s election and the scope of his or her power. It would normally have been the perfect selection for a president—but was an ironic one for Trump, who had spoken of his desire to exercise his executive power as much as possible, including by threatening Congress and challenging the judiciary.
With LED lights on stilts in front of him, Trump took his seat. “You’re lucky you got the easy part,” Pelosi told him cheerfully. “It gets complicated after this.” But the president stumbled, trying to get out the words in the arcane, stilted form the founding fathers had written. Trump grew irritated. “It’s very hard to do because of the language here,” Trump told the crew. “It’s very hard to get through that whole thing without a stumble.” He added, “It’s like a different language, right?” The cameraman tried to calm Trump, telling him it was no big deal, to take a moment and start over. Trump tried again, but again remarked, “It’s like a foreign language.”
The section, like many parts of the Constitution, was slightly awkward—an anachronistic arrangement of words that don’t naturally trip off the tongue. Members of the crew exchanged looks, trying not to be obvious. Some believed Trump would eventually get it, but others were more concerned. The president, already bristling about his missteps, was getting angry. He chided the crew, accusing them of distracting him. “You know, your paper was making a lot of noise. It’s tough enough,” Trump said.
“Every time he stumbled, he manufactured something to blame people,” another person in the room recalled. “He never said, ‘Sorry, I’m messing this up.’ [Other] people would screw up and say, ‘Ohhhh, I’m sorry.’ They would be self-effacing. He was making up excuses and saying there were distracting sounds.… He was definitely blaming everyone for his inability to get through it. That was prickly, or childish.” Though stiff, he eventually made it through without any errors.
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Pelosi had let presidents and vice presidents choose the portion of the Constitution they wanted to read. Many were wary of reading the section on the rules for impeachment or foreign emoluments. Trump had selected the opening of Article II, the part of the Constitution that addresses a president’s election and the scope of his or her power. It would normally have been the perfect selection for a president—but was an ironic one for Trump, who had spoken of his desire to exercise his executive power as much as possible, including by threatening Congress and challenging the judiciary.
With LED lights on stilts in front of him, Trump took his seat. “You’re lucky you got the easy part,” Pelosi told him cheerfully. “It gets complicated after this.” But the president stumbled, trying to get out the words in the arcane, stilted form the founding fathers had written. Trump grew irritated. “It’s very hard to do because of the language here,” Trump told the crew. “It’s very hard to get through that whole thing without a stumble.” He added, “It’s like a different language, right?” The cameraman tried to calm Trump, telling him it was no big deal, to take a moment and start over. Trump tried again, but again remarked, “It’s like a foreign language.”
The section, like many parts of the Constitution, was slightly awkward—an anachronistic arrangement of words that don’t naturally trip off the tongue. Members of the crew exchanged looks, trying not to be obvious. Some believed Trump would eventually get it, but others were more concerned. The president, already bristling about his missteps, was getting angry. He chided the crew, accusing them of distracting him. “You know, your paper was making a lot of noise. It’s tough enough,” Trump said.
“Every time he stumbled, he manufactured something to blame people,” another person in the room recalled. “He never said, ‘Sorry, I’m messing this up.’ [Other] people would screw up and say, ‘Ohhhh, I’m sorry.’ They would be self-effacing. He was making up excuses and saying there were distracting sounds.… He was definitely blaming everyone for his inability to get through it. That was prickly, or childish.” Though stiff, he eventually made it through without any errors.
Trump presented a stark contrast to many other readers, including the Supreme Court associate justice Stephen Breyer, who read as if he knew the full text by heart, and Senator Ted Cruz, who “knew it from beginning to end” as a result of performing dramatic readings of the Constitution as a high school student, according to Pelosi. “Donald Trump is a celebrity and he came to perform,” she said. “He had not practiced it beforehand. I don’t think anyone would show up to read the Constitution without practicing it first.”
Whatever the reason for Trump’s discomfort with the reading, several watching agreed on this much: He behaved like a brooding child, short-tempered, brittle, and quick to blame mystery distractions for the mistakes. “I didn’t expect this, but I felt sorry for him,” another witness said. “When [Vice President] Pence is reading it, when [former vice president [Dick] Cheney is reading it, I knew they knew the Constitution. And I thought, Before he got this job, he really should have read it."
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Trump presented a stark contrast to many other readers, including the Supreme Court associate justice Stephen Breyer, who read as if he knew the full text by heart, and Senator Ted Cruz, who “knew it from beginning to end” as a result of performing dramatic readings of the Constitution as a high school student, according to Pelosi. “Donald Trump is a celebrity and he came to perform,” she said. “He had not practiced it beforehand. I don’t think anyone would show up to read the Constitution without practicing it first.”
Whatever the reason for Trump’s discomfort with the reading, several watching agreed on this much: He behaved like a brooding child, short-tempered, brittle, and quick to blame mystery distractions for the mistakes. “I didn’t expect this, but I felt sorry for him,” another witness said. “When [Vice President] Pence is reading it, when [former vice president [Dick] Cheney is reading it, I knew they knew the Constitution. And I thought, Before he got this job, he really should have read it."
January 25th at a state dinner Trump met the leaders of both parties fro the first time. Trump says to the table "You know I won the popular vote. Hearing this Nancy Pelosi said "Well Mr. President, you know that's not true." Steve Bannon overheard Pelosi's comment & said to colleagues sitting with him "She's going to get us. Total assassin. She's an assassin."
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Comey threw Sally Yates under the bus byt having the FBI interview Mike Flynn without notifying the Justice Department. Comey didn't think it was a big deal and was concerned of others hearing about the Flynn interview. Trump blew his tack when he learned of this saying "We've only been ere 4 days and already their going after our guy". Trump was questioning Yates motives.
A week into his position, Trump declared a travel ban involving 7 Muslim majority nations. Yates believed the ban was illegal and told her department not to enforce the ban. Trump fired her for defying his order. In the weeks to come, the courts decided Trump's ban was illegal. Yates was correct but Trump still got his revenge.
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January 25th at a state dinner Trump met the leaders of both parties fro the first time. Trump says to the table "You know I won the popular vote. Hearing this Nancy Pelosi said "Well Mr. President, you know that's not true." Steve Bannon overheard Pelosi's comment & said to colleagues sitting with him "She's going to get us. Total assassin. She's an assassin."
Page 28-30
Comey threw Sally Yates under the bus byt having the FBI interview Mike Flynn without notifying the Justice Department. Comey didn't think it was a big deal and was concerned of others hearing about the Flynn interview. Trump blew his tack when he learned of this saying "We've only been ere 4 days and already their going after our guy". Trump was questioning Yates motives.
A week into his position, Trump declared a travel ban involving 7 Muslim majority nations. Yates believed the ban was illegal and told her department not to enforce the ban. Trump fired her for defying his order. In the weeks to come, the courts decided Trump's ban was illegal. Yates was correct but Trump still got his revenge.
Tillerson and Kelly were travelling to Mexico to clean up a mess about the "wall." Trump had threatened Mexico with huge tariffs if they didn't pay for the wall which was one of Trump's main presidential promises & Mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto was outraged.
While they were in route to Mexico, Trump called an impromptu press conference while dining with US manufacturing executives. Trump declared there was a "military operation" to deport criminals and some "really bad dudes" from crossing the border.
When Kelly & Tillerson arrived in Mexico, they were blindsided by Trump's announcement. Mexican Interior Security went on to explain that Mexican law prohibits US troop from coming on to the soil of Mexico. This is when Kelly & Tillerson learned Trump planned to send troops to the border.
Kelly & Tillerson comforted the Mexican government that US troops were not coming to the border & they had no need to worry about mass deportations. Kelly praised Mexico as a great ally to the US & then spoke to the assembled press from both countries. Kelly stated "Let me be very clear. There will be no, I repeat, no mass deportations. Everything we do at DHS will be done legally, according to human rights & the legal system of the US."
On the return flight to the US, Kelly said of Trump to his aides "He doesn't know what he is talking about."
Within a month, Trump upset travel world-wide & angered one of our most important allies.
*This is my comment. We forget about this craziness so early in Trump's presidency because it seems like each day is crazier than the day before.
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Tillerson and Kelly were travelling to Mexico to clean up a mess about the "wall." Trump had threatened Mexico with huge tariffs if they didn't pay for the wall which was one of Trump's main presidential promises & Mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto was outraged.
While they were in route to Mexico, Trump called an impromptu press conference while dining with US manufacturing executives. Trump declared there was a "military operation" to deport criminals and some "really bad dudes" from crossing the border.
When Kelly & Tillerson arrived in Mexico, they were blindsided by Trump's announcement. Mexican Interior Security went on to explain that Mexican law prohibits US troop from coming on to the soil of Mexico. This is when Kelly & Tillerson learned Trump planned to send troops to the border.
Kelly & Tillerson comforted the Mexican government that US troops were not coming to the border & they had no need to worry about mass deportations. Kelly praised Mexico as a great ally to the US & then spoke to the assembled press from both countries. Kelly stated "Let me be very clear. There will be no, I repeat, no mass deportations. Everything we do at DHS will be done legally, according to human rights & the legal system of the US."
On the return flight to the US, Kelly said of Trump to his aides "He doesn't know what he is talking about."
Within a month, Trump upset travel world-wide & angered one of our most important allies.
*This is my comment. We forget about this craziness so early in Trump's presidency because it seems like each day is crazier than the day before.
Trump met Jeff Sessions in 2005 when they both opposed the building of a new headquarters for the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. This odd couple, a Sunday school teacher in his Alabama Methodist Church and a bombastic braggart from Queens who broadcast his sexual exploits on the Howard Stern radio show, bonded over Subway sandwiches.
In February of 2016, Sessions was the first Senator to publicly support Trump and helped him draft his first foreign policy speech. Trump signaled that Sessions could have any job he wanted in his administration. But Kushner, Bannon and others in Trump's inner circle favored Rudy for Attorney General. Rudy told Bannon "I don't have the energy. You have no idea how difficult that job is. "He told Bannon "Steve, you're not a lawyer. You don't understand. It's the worst job. I'm too old. I'm not going to do it."
So Trump selected Sessions for Attorney General saying "Sessions is a world class legal mind" and "is highly respected" and "greatly admired." Soon Trump's opinion of Sessions would change dramatically.
Soon afterwards Trump made the claim that President Obama had tapped his phones and he wanted a full investigation. "This will be investigated. It will all come out soon. I will be proven right. This is bad; this is really bad. I hope the media focus on this" Trump exclaimed.
NOTE: Of course Trump's claims were proven to be total bullshit.
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Trump met Jeff Sessions in 2005 when they both opposed the building of a new headquarters for the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. This odd couple, a Sunday school teacher in his Alabama Methodist Church and a bombastic braggart from Queens who broadcast his sexual exploits on the Howard Stern radio show, bonded over Subway sandwiches.
In February of 2016, Sessions was the first Senator to publicly support Trump and helped him draft his first foreign policy speech. Trump signaled that Sessions could have any job he wanted in his administration. But Kushner, Bannon and others in Trump's inner circle favored Rudy for Attorney General. Rudy told Bannon "I don't have the energy. You have no idea how difficult that job is. "He told Bannon "Steve, you're not a lawyer. You don't understand. It's the worst job. I'm too old. I'm not going to do it."
So Trump selected Sessions for Attorney General saying "Sessions is a world class legal mind" and "is highly respected" and "greatly admired." Soon Trump's opinion of Sessions would change dramatically.
Soon afterwards Trump made the claim that President Obama had tapped his phones and he wanted a full investigation. "This will be investigated. It will all come out soon. I will be proven right. This is bad; this is really bad. I hope the media focus on this" Trump exclaimed.
NOTE: Of course Trump's claims were proven to be total bullshit.
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