{"articles":[{"id":5184,"title":"What They're Saying: Trump Blasted After Press Conference with Putin","html_content":"

by Axios | 7.16.18

Countable asks: Do you support the Trump administration trying to normalize relations with Russia? Should Russia be held accountable for its interference in the 2016 elections? Or do you agree with Trump, who said he doesn't see \"any reason\" why Russia would have meddled in the presidential campaign? Hit Take Action and tell your reps. (Via Axios)

Following an extraordinary bilateral press conference in which President Trump said he didn't see \"any reason\" why Russia would interfere in the 2016 election, figures from across the political spectrum took to social media and cable news to share their reactions.

The bottom line: Both Democrats and Republicans were stunned by the president's performance today, with several leading voices calling it \"shameful,\" \"flat-out wrong,\" and even \"treasonous.\"

What lawmakers are saying

\nSen. Ben Sasse (R-NE): \"This is bizarre and flat-out wrong. The United States is not to blame. America wants a good relationship with the Russian people but Vladimir Putin and his thugs are responsible for Soviet-style aggression. When the President plays these moral equivalence games, he gives Putin a propaganda win he desperately needs.\"
\nSen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC): \"Missed opportunity by President Trump to firmly hold Russia accountable for 2016 meddling and deliver a strong warning regarding future elections. This answer by President Trump will be seen by Russia as a sign of weakness and create far more problems than it solves. ... if it were me, I’d check the soccer ball [that Putin gave Trump] for listening devices and never allow it in the White House.\"
\nSen. Jeff Flake (R-LA): \"I never thought I would see the day when our American President would stand on the stage with the Russian President and place blame on the United States for Russian aggression. This is shameful.\"
\nRep. Darrell Issa (R-CA): \"For the president to cast doubt is not unreasonable ... Having said that, Putin is an evil man.\"
\nRep. Pete King (R-NY): \"[I] strongly disagree\" with Trump's statement that Russia did not interfere in the 2016 election. \"[I'm] disappointed, not flabbergasted.\" King added that having Russia cooperate with Special Counsel Robert Mueller \"would be like bringing ISIS into a joint terrorism task force.\"
\nRep. Paul Ryan (R-WI): \"There is no question that Russia interfered in our election and continues attempts to undermine democracy here and around the world. That is not just the finding of the American intelligence community but also the House Committee on Intelligence. The president must appreciate that Russia is not our ally. There is no moral equivalence between the United States and Russia, which remains hostile to our most basic values and ideals. The United States must be focused on holding Russia accountable and putting an end to its vile attacks on democracy.\"

What journalists are saying

\nCNN host Anderson Cooper: \"You have been watching perhaps one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president at a summit in front of a Russian leader certainly that I've ever seen. An extraordinary press conference.\"
\nAxios' Jonathan Swan: \"I just have no words. As press in this room, we are all sitting in here speechless and stunned. Trump cast doubt over the U.S. intelligence community and endorsed Putin’s denial. Trump was given an opportunity to denounce the meddling and he didn’t; he just pivoted to lines about the missing server and Hillary’s emails. While Putin spoke forcefully, lying, Trump nodded along. There’s no way of sugar coating or spinning this.\"
\nFox Business host Neil Cavuto: \"That’s what made his performance disgusting. I’m sorry its the way I feel. It's not a right or left thing, it’s just wrong. A U.S. president on foreign soil talking to our biggest enemy, or adversary, or competitor … is essentially letting the guy get away with this and not even offering a mild criticism, that set’s us back a lot.”
\nNYTimes reporter Katie Rogers: \"Part of me thinks that all Americans, no matter their politics, are patriotic enough, and many believe in the exceptional nature of their country enough (whether that's right or wrong), to not take kindly to being blamed for a bad relationship with Russia by their own president. It's kind of ingrained in who we are. What makes Americans special (and frustrating and confounding) is that we are programmed to not be told who we are. We have ALWAYS been the ones to decide that. And we have always had leaders who've represented that ideal. Until, as POTUS would say, about four hours ago.\"

What others are saying

\nFormer CIA director John Brennan: \"Donald Trump’s press conference performance in Helsinki rises to and exceeds the threshold of “high crimes and misdemeanors.” It was nothing short of treasonous. Not only were Trump’s comments imbecilic, he is wholly in the pocket of Putin. Republican Patriots: Where are you???\"
\nMeghan McCain: \"I don’t have anything quippy to tweet. I’m horrified - and have never been more proud of the fact that Putin hates my father so much he personally sanctioned him on Russia’s enemies list.\"
\nFormer Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, Nicholas Burns: \"The big takeaway from Helsinki. Trump’s weakness beside Putin. There is nothing close to this in Presidential history. President Trump sided with Putin against our intelligence community on an attack against the U.S. Dereliction of duty.\"

-Zachary Basu

(Photo Credit: Yuri Kadobnovs/AFP via Getty Images)

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Since the day you were born, that’s always been on the cards. Most of us find it easier to bury our heads in the sand. Avoidance is the #1 most popular coping strategy in the world. We live in denial of the self-evident fact that we all die eventually. The Stoics believed that when we’re confronted with our own mortality, and grasp its implications, that can change our perspective on life quite dramatically. Any of us could die at any moment. Life doesn’t go on forever. If you say that you won't vote in the general election if your candidate doesn't win the nomination, you're saying to millions of people you think their suffering is an appropriate price for your righteous indignation.\nThere is NO moral justification for sitting out this election. IRL I am an environmental hydrogeologist. I specialize in municipal stormwater management and karst groundwater systems. 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Worse, his remarks leading up to the meeting suggest his response in Helsinki represented his ongoing thoughts. They were not a surprise. They were not off the cuff. He is not a showman, he is a traitor. What are you going to do about it?","parent_type":"Article","parent_id":5184,"created_at":"2018-07-16T20:19:22.972Z","liked":false,"like_count":7,"links":{"self":"https://www.causes.com/comments/483364","likers":"https://www.causes.com/api/v1/likers?likeable_id=483364&likeable_type=Comment"},"article_id":5184,"shareable_image_url":"https://n.causes.com/share-images/comments/483364.png","note":{},"note_text":false,"note_color":false,"user_id":"5mb31wn9","liker_ids":["aW5N1LbZ","4mKKxXzm","e9XBdlXZ","8mrvqvpm","jZBewpYW","e9XKj1qm"]}}

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