Should Trump be given "slack" for not understanding politics?

[jonathan180iq]

Paul Ryan thinks so:
“He’s new to government,” Ryan said, after emphasizing the importance of an independent Justice Department. “So he probably wasn’t steeped in the long-running protocols that establish the relationships between DOJ, FBI, and White Houses. He’s just new to this.”

Is this an adequate excuse considering the fact that Trump has advisors, lawyers, his cabinet, etc. available to ask about his limitations as President?

There's no real argument here.
Someone can either do a job, or they can't.
Refusing to admit that he has no idea what he's doing is a bigger problem, in my humble opinion, than doing things in a wonky fashion. Someone can be clumsy and still able to effectively complete a task... you know what I mean?

I don't think anyone expected him to be an experienced legislator - and he doesn't have to be.
But he sold himself on his ability to "pick the best people" to advise him and to run other facets of the government, BECAUSE of his lack of experience. He either lacks the ability to listen to instruction, or he's horrible at picking qualified people... either way, it's not good.

 

[BSM1]

There's no real argument here.
Someone can either do a job, or they can't.
Refusing to admit that he has no idea what he's doing is a bigger problem, in my humble opinion, than doing things in a wonky fashion. Someone can be clumsy and still able to effectively complete a task... you know what I mean?

I don't think anyone expected him to be an experienced legislator - and he doesn't have to be.
But he sold himself on his ability to "pick the best people" to advise him and to run other facets of the government, BECAUSE of his lack of experience. He either lacks the ability to listen to instruction, or he's horrible at picking qualified people... either way, it's not good.

So what's he done that's so bad?

 

[jonathan180iq]

Would you give a surgeon slack if they didn't understand surgery?

"No one knew that cardiac would be this hard..."

 

[jonathan180iq]

So what's he done that's so bad?

Nothing... which should be a bigger point of contention for his supporters, rather than his detractors.

 

[leibowde84]

So you're saying the head of the FBI turned into a whimpering coward because Trump looked at him?

Comey never acted like a whimpering coward. He was pretty brave to stand up to Trump even before he got fired. And, I listened intently to Comey's testimony. It is obvious now that Trump is now under investigation. Mueller actually asked for a large case file on Trump from Comey. When Trump asked about it months ago, it was a different story. But, obviously, that has changed. Comey's testimony was filled with inappropriate conduct of Trump.

And, Comey's response regarding whether Trump colluded with the Russians, saying that he didn't feel comfortable answering that question in an open hearing, certainly doesn't look good for Trump.

 

[Bob the Unbeliever]

So what's he done that's so bad?

Oh, I dunno--- tweeting National Security secrets to the whole world?

Undermining US Foreign policy via early AM drunken tweets?

Completely reversing his press statements via childish ravings on the twitter?

Picking Russian Spies for his cabinet positions?

Failing to divest his personal holdings while President?

Accepting Foreign Monies while President, via the aforementioned assets? (treason, btw)

 

[Falvlun]

So you're saying the head of the FBI turned into a whimpering coward because Trump looked at him? You might want to go back and really listen to Comey's testimony.

I'm not sure how you got that from what @leibowde84 said.

He stated that if your boss says he hopes something happens, that can be taken as a directive, and that is how Comey stated he took it. That doesn't make Comey a coward, especially seeing as he chose to ignore what he took to be a directive from the US President.

He also said that it was unusual for the President to seek a one-on-one meeting with the FBI director to talk shop. That also doesn't make Comey a coward. Comey again showed strength in understanding that these situations are unusual and that he needed to meticulously document them.

Comey did admit weakness in not correcting the President immediately. However, according to him, the blatant and obvious inappropriateness of the interaction threw him off kilter. He did discuss the President's need for correction with the DOJ, thereby making it their responsibility to correct the President.

 

[leibowde84]

I'm not sure how you got that from what @leibowde84 said.

He stated that if your boss says he hopes something happens, that can be taken as a directive, and that is how Comey stated he took it. That doesn't make Comey a coward, especially seeing as he chose to ignore what he took to be a directive from the US President.

He also said that it was unusual for the President to seek a one-on-one meeting with the FBI director to talk shop. That also doesn't make Comey a coward. Comey again showed strength in understanding that these situations are unusual and that he needed to meticulously document them.

Comey did admit weakness in not correcting the President immediately. However, according to him, the blatant and obvious inappropriateness of the interaction threw him off kilter. He did discuss the President's need for correction with the DOJ, thereby making it their responsibility to correct the President.

Well put.

 

[BSM1]

I'm not sure how you got that from what @leibowde84 said.

He stated that if your boss says he hopes something happens, that can be taken as a directive, and that is how Comey stated he took it. That doesn't make Comey a coward, especially seeing as he chose to ignore what he took to be a directive from the US President.

He also said that it was unusual for the President to seek a one-on-one meeting with the FBI director to talk shop. That also doesn't make Comey a coward. Comey again showed strength in understanding that these situations are unusual and that he needed to meticulously document them.

Comey did admit weakness in not correcting the President immediately. However, according to him, the blatant and obvious inappropriateness of the interaction threw him off kilter. He did discuss the President's need for correction with the DOJ, thereby making it their responsibility to correct the President.

Uhhh...Comey admitted he was scared. You can spin that anyway you wish, I guess.

 

[Falvlun]

Uhhh...Comey admitted he was scared. You can spin that anyway you wish, I guess.

I'm not spinning, only laying out the facts of what Comey actually said.

Can you quote where Comey stated that he was scared? I see words like disturbed and stunned. I see his admittance, or wish, that he could have been stronger.

I do not see him stating that he was scared, or reduced to a whimpering pile of goo. That is your spin, your unevidenced take-away that had no basis in anything @leibowde84 or my post said. Again, it was about talking about taking the President's words as a directive, and then refusing to follow that directive. It was about explaining the unusual and inappropriate nature of his interactions with the President. Do you care to actually address these things, or would you prefer to keep making non-sequitors?

 

[columbus]

Uhhh...Comey admitted he was scared. You can spin that anyway you wish, I guess.

Here's how I am interpreting it.
Trump did some things that are so over the top incompetent, to be charitable about, that Comey had very good reasons to be alarmed by them.
But never having dealt with a president who may be engaged in treason, he had trouble figuring out the right thing to do.
Tom