Donald Trump on a stop in Rochester during the 2016 presidential campaign. Credit: FILE PHOTO

This feels worse than Nixon.

The Watergate scandal was riveting, sure. And if we’d known then what we know now about Nixon’s emotional instability, we’d have been more troubled than we were.

Watergate did involve a president who lied – about a burglary – and tried to obstruct justice, but that was nothing like this. Nixon was nothing like Trump.

Best we can tell, Trump has stayed on script so far on his trip to the Middle East. But I don’t find much comfort in that.

For the past few days, he has sounded like a friend of all religions and people. “Young Muslim boys and girls should be able to grow up free from fear, safe from violence, and innocent from hatred,” he said in Saudi Arabia.

But at home, in word and deed, he has whipped up hatred against Muslims. He wanted to ban Muslims from entering the US. And as Jesse Singal noted in New York magazine earlier this week, his advisers include anti-Muslim extremists and conspiracy theorists.

We have no idea what Donald Trump really believes. It’s uncertain whether even he knows what he believes one day to the next.

Are there ties between him and the Russians? Even if there aren’t, we know that at the least, he personally disclosed classified information in his meeting with Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, and Ambassador Sergey I. Kislyak.

Does that photograph of Lavrov and Trump, taken by the Russian news agency, show Lavrov laughing at a shared joke in the company of his good friend Donald Trump? Or does it show Lavrov reveling in the pleasure of playing the president for a fool?

It hardly matters, does it?

“I just cannot overstate how unbelievable, literally, this administration has become,” commentator Mark Shields said on last Friday’s NewsHour.

As Eric Posner and Emily Bazelon noted in the Times on Sunday: “A president’s greatest asset is trust. Once he has lost it, he can’t govern.”

Maybe his supporters still trust him. But it’s doubtful many foreign leaders do. I can’t imagine that many Republicans in Congress do; more likely, they’re crossing their fingers as they try to use him for their own purposes.

Worst of all, perhaps: it’s inconceivable that the US intelligence agencies trust him. Then what? At what point do they stop telling him what they know? Are they, Mike Pence, and others already doing a work-around?

A topic of dinner-table conversations, phone conversations, and multiple casual conversations with friends over the past few days: Is it better to have him out now, or closer to the midterm elections?

Unbelievable.

Donald Trump’s problems have mounted at absolutely dizzying speed. And yet, as we know, if he leaves – through whatever constitutional mechanism – we get Mike Pence.

As president, Pence would have no problem appointing a Jeff Sessions as attorney general. No problem putting a Betsy DeVos in charge of education. And the Republicans in Congress would be delighted to have Pence as president, supporting their agenda on tax cuts, health care, immigration, the environment, abortion, education, criminal justice.

In their article in the Times on Sunday, Posner and Bazelon raise a sobering question: What do Congress, the federal courts, and federal agencies do “when the president himself is the pressing danger?”

One encouraging sign – I guess – is that there seem to be people in the administration who are so worried about Trump that they’re risking prison to tell reporters what they’re seeing. Classified information is being leaked by government staff, in violation of the law.

An FBI official’s leaks to the Washington Post brought down Richard Nixon. And now, David Brooks said on the NewsHour, there are leaks in the Trump administration, seemingly “in every closet and behind every desk.”

What we are watching, Brooks said, “is a dissolution of an administration.”

This is worse than Nixon. And it’s not good for the country.

This article appears in May 24-30, 2017.

Mary Anna Towler is a transplant from the Southern Appalachians and is editor, co-publisher, and co-founder of City. She is happy to have converted a shy but opinionated childhood into an adult job. She...

26 replies on “The ‘unbelievable’ saga of President Trump”

  1. Hillary had ties to the Russians. We know that for a FACT as she sold a large portion of our Uranium to them. The fact is, Trump is loved overseas by our friends. After 8 years, they know they can depend on America again. America is coming back to life. Why does the liberal press try to spin all of this positivity? And what about all the lefty snowflakes that believes them? Maxine Waters, Chuck Schumer….I don’t know if I should laugh or cry.

  2. The reason it appears that Trump is loved overseas by our friends is because they know they can manipulate him to their own advantage, not because they respect him. Flatter that huge ego and he will give you anything you want….

  3. I hate Trump, but I sent the following comment to the NY Times, May 19:
    ======================================================

    “Common sense is not so common.” (Voltaire)
    (“Le sens commun n’est pas si commun.)
    ———————————————————-

    In a sense Trump is doing the nation a great favor by disrupting the nation and the world. He is waking us up to our own dishonesty and our own indifference. He is rocking the boat.

    While I hope that Trump will soon leave office, one way or another way, we owe him a debt for waking us up. The nation will never be the same, because of his disruption. Political activism has been revived, because of Trump.
    ==========================================================
    report

  4. Let me add the latest a link to the latest TED talk on Democracy in art from the ACLU:
    —————————————————————————————————–

    https://www.ted.com/talks/anthony_d_romero

    Again, I think Trump and Pence have stimulated activism, in response. IF we were falling asleep, as a democracy under “no drama” Obama, Trump is waking us up.

    If “necessity is the mother of invention”, we now have the incentive to grow and enhance .democracy in new ways, for the benefit of Rochester, the nation and the world…

    http://www.SavingSchools.org

  5. If you only read and watched the traditional media outlets you would have an overwhelmingly negative opinion of President Trump. A recent study done at Harvard University has documented an unprecedented degree of negative coverage led by CNN with 93% negative reporting.
    The only outlet close to a balance was Fox News.
    If you google this study, unsurprisingly it will show that it was ignored by every mainstream media outlet . (Unintentionally confirming the study’s conclusions)

    https://shorensteincenter.org/news-coverag…

  6. If you only read and watch traditional media outlets, you would have an overwhelmingly negative view of Pol Pot, Idi Amin, and Vidkun Quisling, too, but that doesn’t suggest that those men have gotten unfair, unbalanced coverage in our news and historic accounts.

  7. Mark comparing Donald Trump to Pol Pot and Idi Amin who butchered millions does not help your argument .

  11. We all owe Trump (an d Hillary) a great deal…for the entertainment and education they have provided us!

    Between the two – a criminal who orchestrated the illegal overthrow of several govts as Sec of State, engaged in influence peddling and graft, and stole/bought the Democratic nomination, and Trump who is shaping up to be a directionless buffoon who is one by one walking back all of his promises – they have revealed our entire Federal Govt to be corrupt and unaccountable.

    We actually have (just like other banana republics) an open conflict between elements of the military, intelligence apparatus, and political patron class for control of the reigns of power. The completely bankrupt nature of the entire thing is unfortunately sliding under the radar of so many who are willing to take sides in this dispute despite, just like a pro sporting event, having absolutely no real skin in the game. Whoever comes out on top is not going to be representing you…at all!

    The has still been zero actual evidence presented about overt Russian meddling in the election, but there has been plenty of suppression of the fact that Seth Rich WAS certainly the leaker and was then shot dead for his ethics shortly thereafter. And again, no mention of the facts – that the leaked material was accurate truth, no matter how it came to be revealed. Even if it was the Russians we should be thanking them for revealing how corrupt the DNC was/is! Again, there is zero evidence that it was.

    How are we to look to our intelligence agencies (criminal) the DMC (actively colluding against their base) or our defense agencies (dominated by military contractors who LOVE war and with it your tax dollars) to “save” us from Trump?

    The entire situation would be laughable if not for the awakening of so many who still appear to be half asleep. Well, at least they’re moving around a little.

  12. Does Mary Anna Towler ever have any thoughts of her own? All she ever does is repeat Left MSM garbage. Or in other words you sound like a Stupid Sponge Parrot with shit for Brains. You in your little Snow globe fake utopia think Donald Trump has made people Hate Muslims? No Lady, its the actions that Islam commits over and over again. Here let me sound like you and you tell me how dumb it sounds, remember this is how you Liberals sound…You Must not judge all of the KKK, Neo Nazis and White Supremacists based on the actions of a few, since only a few actually kill once in awhile. Hmmmm…..sounds pretty dumb doesnt it? Who do we blame for you hating on those people? Since you always seem to need to blame Trump. Thanks for proving why voting for Trump was the best decision. And here, let me blow your mind…I am a registered Democrat…..got so tired of all the Liberal bat shit crazyness and now you are all using bully tactics to push your narratives. Cant even watch TV Dramas anymore without the Left shoving false narrative Politics down your throat, you know like what Mary Anna Towler does, only I don`t see any original thoughts, only repeated garabage< Yeah it was worth repeating twice.

  13. We are all part of a bizarre reality show nightmare. Trump does his part by keeping the ratings up with pure weirdness. We need to turn the TV off and let this show get cancelled due to low ratings.

  14. @William Reichold

    Not that I disagree with much of what you state, but you should look a bit deeper into where all these Islamic terrorists come from. CIA printed textbooks used back in the day to radicalize locals against the Soviets are still in use today by the Taliban. The US tolerates, encourages, equips, supports Wahabi terrorists, using them time and again to do dirty work we don’t want to tackle – in Afghanistan, Balkans (KLA= registered terrorist group), Libya, Iraq, Syria.

    Before the CIA got involved the average radical Islamist was no more violent or willing to go transnational than the IRA. In Syria the entire show couldn’t be more on display.

  15. The CIA was not alone in using Islamist terror when it served their interests. You could include the Russians , Saudi’s, Egyptians, and several other nations on that list.
    The importance of describing terror attacks as Islamist extremism is not related to its history but rather its importance in preventing further attacks.
    If law enforcement receives a call (or several as in the Manchester attack) that someone has become radicalized and espousing Jihad, that cannot be ignored because of political correctness as it often is presently. When that same person visits Libya or another radicalized region, that should be viewed as extremely high risk and the Courts should authorize surveillance .
    The demonization of people who are simply trying to describe the situation as it is can be viewed as another example of political exploitation.

  16. I do not believe there is a trend of “counter demonizing” aside from some editorial pages.

    It is worth pointing out the alleged perp of the Manchester bombing was part of an organization that received direct aid from the Brits to help get rid of Gaddafi – an entirely illegal and counterproductive exercise if stability and peace is any part of a country’s foreign policy.

    The take away is that these organizations might not exist at all or would be far less radicalized and effective if they weren’t backed when convenient by CIA/NATO. Then it blows up in someone’s face (recall binladen was trained, equipped etc by CIA) and the citizens who bear the brunt, also paid in taxes to create these monsters and now must pay again in blood and money to control/eradicate them. Icing on the cake we lose a chunk of our freedoms in the process – “Here, take my money and freedoms, just save us from these savages!” Military contractors rake in big money, politicians bulk their personal fortunes and campaign war chests, the controlled media chants on about the dangers “we” must face and enumerates “our” enemies for us.

    If this doesn’t all smell of a Smedly Butler racket I cannot imagine what it would take to wake people up.

    PS, I don’t recall the Soviets radicalizing Muslims, though the Sauds certainly have and do…with our blessings and support. You can’t make this stuff up.

    So yes we should be very wary of potential Islam radicals and what might happen after the CIA and the Saudis get through training them. As for Muslims in general, tolerant Muslims of all stripes bear far and away the brunt of extremist violence, the SAA is THE most active military combating Wahabi extremists, they are predominantly Sunni working with Shia and other sects/religions to beat back the Takfiri ruining their nation, and we are doing everything we can do destroy them. Wake up.

  17. @ Miller

    I am very familiar with the Islamic History as to how its tied into our CIA, Afghanistan, Iraq, etc. I was against going into Iraq and Afghanistan and I also believe 911 was an inside job and has nothing at all to do with Islam. That being said, after trying to learn as much about Islam for the past 5 years or so, my disdain and distrust goes far beyond their killing tirades which in itself is pretty despicable. Anyone who can make apologies for what Islam preaches and practices beyond the daily killings is just something that I will never understand. And for Mary Anna Towler to suggest that Donald Trump is why many of us want our borders closed is just ridiculous. They use the dumbest examples to excuse away what Islam does and for reasons to allow Illegals to bypass the Law, I often wonder how they even function at a basic level in this world. There are over 5 well known Islamic terror groups operating in the World today, all funded by different factions/Countries, and until people decide to face the fact that not everyone in this World was meant to get along(it hasn`t happend so far in the history of Human beings) we are going to continue to get these murder sprees. You cannot be tolerant of people that are intolerant, and for Liberals to preach that its the Trump supporters who are the intolerables and deplorables, is really pretty damn comical. I could go on for a few more pages, but frankly I`m tired of trying to get Liberals to look past their own damn hatred, They`re basically being everything they accuse others of being and don`t even realize it. I can see it and call it for what it is cause I registered as a Democrat cause I hated George W with a passion, but then I ended up giving Obama a chance and hated him even more. Anyways, these articles from Towler remind of me of sand in my swim shorts, damn aggravating.

  18. “… cause I hated George W with a passion, but then I ended up giving Obama a chance and hated him even more. Anyways, these articles from Towler remind of me of sand in my swim shorts, damn aggravating.”

    Couldn’t agree more. I am still in the camp that says we bear a major responsibility for the radicalization of Islam. Going back prior to Afghanistan not only were there a larger number of secular Islamic countries, there were exactly zero trans national violent Islamic movements. Saudis bears the remaining responsibility. For every Western victim of radical Islam there are thousands of Muslims who would have just as happily lived in peace and relative tolerance who are now dead, and those that survive we are taught to heap scorn on and distrust (admittedly not entirely without reason, but wildly overblown for political reasons – we are more likely to be killed by lightning or LE than a terrorist attack).

    Until we hold our own country’s intelligence agencies to task, I can boldly predict we make no headway against this scourge that manages to maintain operational tempo on modern battlefields – how this is accomplished without a sophisticated state level logistics supply? Not possible.

  19. @ Miller.
    I agree that our chances of being killed by an extremist here in our own Country is low based on the size of this Country, size of our population and the fact that percentage wise Muslims have a low percentage, and likely many of the Muslims who have lived here for decades came here to flee the negative aspects of Islam. I have met many Muslims and due to the nature of a former Business I used to own was working in their Homes fairly regularly. Only on a few occasions did I ever feel uncomfortable,most were welcoming, friendly and gracious. The ones I felt uncomfortable around had Pictures of the Twin Towers on their wall post 911. Take from that what you will. Considering our Iraq and Afghanistan invasions, whatever you want to call them, you can absolutely guarantee there are many hell bent on revenge as undoubtedly we killed many innocents over there, Not saying intentionally, but whats the difference? If someone killed my Family or even my Dog, I would stop at nothing to get my revenge. Personally, I wish no ill will and dont think we should poke our noses in Islams affairs even if they want to live like its 1400 years ago. Its when they go to different Countries and then try to establish their own cultures beliefs on the host Country is what most of us take issue with. How well do you think we would fair going to an Islamic Country and forcing our beliefs on them? Why going to Iraq and Afghanistan and expecting them to embrace us was idiotic at best. Culturally we are just too different. But look at most Islamic Countries and see just how multicultural they strive to be and thats all anyone needs to know. I honestly think this Country will be doomed in another 20+ years and not because of Donald Trump, but because many think with their Hearts and not their Brains, and there are those who will use that to their advantage and not in a good way, and I just think this Country is headed that way. The Younger generation is being brainwashed by MSM, Teachers, Professors, and their actions of late instill zero confidence. Ok, enough ranting for this day.

  20. Syria was very multicultural, as was Libya…

    In 20 years this country will be croaked but not because of any brainwashing – we are being steadily indoctrinated already and quite successfully on neolib/conservative/globalist BS and it isn’t from the right or left but from our political class and controlled media. The average Conservative and Liberal wants no part of most of this, but identity politics (Muslim ban anybody?) have replaced true political discourse – most people don’t even realize they no longer have a seat at the table on any sort of meaningful governmental topic.

    Country is 20 trillion in debt we cannot ever repay, with another 40 trillion in liabilities coming due over the next 30 years. This will kill the Federal Govt one way or another but something is sure to replace it, and it won’t be some Lib utopia or freemarket yeoman’s paradise.

  21. Miller
    The media overwhelmingly demonizes Donald Trump for his attempts to prevent this country from experiencing the level of Islamic extremism violence that Europe is experiencing almost daily.
    Your attempt to blame all Islamic terror on the U.S. and Saudi Arabia is not supported by facts
    The reality is that the country’s that have been the most supportive of Muslim immigration like Germany and France have been hit much harder.

  22. @Fgf
    The media might demonize Trump, but only because they are part of the current power struggle between competing factions. Most people on the street don’t seem terribly polarized by this.

    And your saying it doesn’t make it so – the modern history of Islamic trans national terrorism is a story of CIA and Saudi involvement. Even the Chechen seperaterrorists rec’d some aid from the CIA. Do some homework, the history doesn’t lie.

    Germany and France are trapped by their EU agreements and not in control of their borders. In Germany and France’s case it allows them to dominate the EU economically but also forces open borders at the expense of security.

    And where do these terrorists and refugees come from? Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, North Africa – in short, all places that have been crushed in recent years by NATO and the US. Europe is reaping what they have sown.

    Where were these floods of Muslims fleeing for their lives prior to the invasions of Iraq, Libya, Syria?

    Now in response to potential retaliation for over a decade of illegal brutal “interventions” resulting in the needless killing of literally 100s of thousands, we prudently close our borders instead of…stopping our needless and illegal killing of Muslims.

    Because this makes sense.

    They hate us because we kill them for no good reason and destroy all their civilian infrastructure, so we have to keep killing them because they hate us. This is the war cry of Rayethon, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, etc etc.

    I honestly don’t have a solid opinion one way or the other re the border restrictions. I don’t know if it even makes sense to close our borders when our actions overseas and domestically are just as liable to radicalize US citizens as to encourage foreigners in attacking us where we live. As I stated earlier, get a handle on CIA actions overseas and fight this fire with water instead of gasoline.

    The memory of the average American is ridiculously short. Recall in the Summer of ’15 the CIA had admitted failure of a 500 million dollar program to train “moderate rebels”. They could barely scrape together 100 individuals and all of them defected within a week. A few months later Russia begins combat aviation operations in Syria and all of a sudden there are tens of thousands of “moderates” (if you ignore the head-chopping under Al Qaeda flags) that need to be armed and protected. We are literally allied with Al Qaeda affiliates in Syria with the aim to destroy the secular govt of Syria. Do you really think our Govt is trying to stop ISIS?! For years we “fought” them and they actually expanded! In the first 6 months of operations, Russia, with a military budget 1/10 of ours put the hurt on ’em. Would probably have eradicated them by now if it weren’t for ongoing US and Saudi support. We’re playing both sides and making a ton of enemies in the process – who’s interest does this serve?

    Better close those borders, you can almost feel the hate from the barbarians at the gate…

  24. Fgf,
    you should look a little deeper than the first rock you turn over. The LIFG started life in Afghanistan working with the…CIA against the Soviets.

    In Libya they rec’d aid from MI6 to go after Gaddafi. When NATO decided to trash the state of Libya, LIFG was working with the “recognized” opposition. Many of the group’s members wound up in Manchester both before and after Gaddafi was overthrown, and well after they had declared affiliation with AlQaeda. You can’t make this stuff up.

    If this guy was the perp, he is responsible for his own actions as are the people who encouraged him and set the table. I’m not excusing anyone or pretending there are not Islamic radicals of the Salafi/Wahibi bent (both originating in Saudi Arabia) who are a not genuine international problem. I’m pointing out they don’t pop up like mushrooms.

    Western govts are addicted to use of Islamic radicals to do all manner of dirty work – whether just to convince less stable govts that they need US presence for stability, or to outright overthrow or weaken them if they are not compliant. As an added bonus it serves to keep the people in line, military spending high, and distracts from the miserable job of evenhandedly operating the functions of government.

  25. All countries throughout history have aligned with others to oppose a common enemy
    According to your logic the U..S would bear responsibility for Stalins atrocities since we worked with him against the Germans in WW 2
    You appear to have a predetermined conclusion and to only provide arguments that support it
    Good for a Prosecutor , not so much for a historian

  26. The difference is not all other country’s governments have created a monster, then alternately opposed and assisted that monster for their own purposes, purposes which are not in the best interest of their citizens to put it mildly.

    Our aid to Saudi Arabia in the face of mountains of evidence that they are the #1 state sponsor of radical Islam political terrorism is nutty – this is not a predetermined conclusion but one arrived at based on the evidence. We are not “aligned” with Saudi Arabia to oppose anyone but the Syrians and Iranians for political/economic reasons.

    In the meantime we not only turn a blind eye to their funding of such far flung groups as Boko Haram and AbuSayyaf, but we actively work with their AlQaeda affiliates in Syria (remember the 12 yr old boy who got his head cut off with a kitchen knife by one of our “moderates” ).

    If you wish to color all the factors at play with an assumption that the US is not involved or somehow is involved for the good of anyone except for the darkest of reasons, then you’ll have to do so with your eyes and ears closed.

    And Stalin never attacked the US, nor was he allied with anyone who did, though the US did send combat forces into Russia at the end of WW1. There’s a difference between realpolitik and deliberately crafting a foreign policy that harms your own citizens as well as millions of people in other countries. Whose interest does this serve?

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