Bolton Book Leaked – It Says What You Think it Does
John Bolton’s tell-all book was leaked yesterday (at least the part about Trump’s extortion of Ukraine) by someone, likely WH staff, and it says exactly what you think it does. How did the WH get a copy? A transcript of the book had been provided to the WH on December 30, to review for classified information. According to the NY Times, Bolton confirms that Trump told him personally that he was going to withhold military aid to Ukraine until Zelensky announced investigations of Joe Biden and his son Hunter. The account apparently runs dozens of pages, describing not only Trump’s role, but also Giuliani, Mulvaney, Pompeo, and others describes events around Trump’s extortion plan from the Spring of 2019 up until his departure in September. Of course, Trump lied via Twitter last night that he didn’t discuss Ukraine with Bolton. Right. Trump NEVER talked about his Ukraine plan with his national security advisor. That’s believable.
This should ratchet up pressure to allow witnesses in the impeachment trial, but it won’t and you can bet that Cornyn and Cruz will lead the way off the cliff.
And the R Sentors will still have to face the public who has seen th leaked stuff. That won’t be easy. As you can see I’m not worried over their fate.
1It is hard to accept that John Bolton is the hero of the day.
2I wonder if this is the root of Pompeo’s NPR flip out?
3If Bolton is a hero, that bit is incidental. What Bolton is, as always, is a self serving bigot. He did this for revenge and profit. And it’s about time somebody did.
4One hopes this isn’t going to turn out to be a forgery. On the other hand, I expect Republicans will go to the “it’s totally OK for Trump to shoot people on 5th Ave” defense.
5Is Emperor Caligula murdering people simply to take charge of a bad news cycle narrative?
Speculation: Oops, time for some take out! We’re going to need more Iranian generals.
This is a comment posted about 10 pm Sunday night on AlterNet. ( again, speculation )
“When Trump assassinated the Iranian general: The day the attack was announced, I said on Alternet it was because He had advanced warning that Bolton was going to announce he was going to testify and he wanted to capture the news cycle in front of Bolton’s announcement.”
“Just Now on MSNBC interview: the reporter who broke the story confirms that an advanced copy of the manuscript was sent to the White house on December 30 2019.. The Trump assassination was January 3rd… It was no coincidence.. it was an act to cover bad news…”
https://www.alternet.org/2020/01/fox-news-poll-delivers-devastating-news-to-trump-on-senate-impeachment-trial/?comments=disqus
6If indeed the Bolton book is not a forgery (and he has not disclaimed it), he will have made a little progress towards a sort of redemption, and also earn the title of “Kingbreaker”. He always loved the notion of destruction.
7“Bolton’s book “The Room Where it Happened”… “
Bolton’s use of a lyric from “Hamilton” is telling. All the power players want to be on site when/where history is made. Preferably with a catchy beat…
8As important as this news is to corroborate facts already known, even if Bolton gets to testify, Republican minions will continue to defend the indefensible.
9Great news….stuff will keep leaking out because even some of people at the WH want the dolt out of there. It cannot come soon enough.
10I think numerous Trump aides and senators knew about the contents of Bolton’s book. McConnell knew it and Cippolone lied about it. So does that make all of them potential accomplices in the crime of obstruction?
IDK, but I think Roberts is acting more like a potted plant than a judge.
Parnaz’s lawyers says he has more videos and tapes.
And it’s only Monday morning!
11The GOP Senators are on tv right now talking about what a great job Trumps lawyers did on Saturday. I see no shift in their position. I hope every Senator who is elected in November is a Democrat!
12OK. With the Bolton blurb we’re now at IQ4.5 naked in the Rose Garden with Putin on the back cover. The gift set includes book with audiotape of Moscow Mitch and Leningrad Lindsey dressed as Russian hookers performing the Moscow mattress ceremony. And, for all that we get 53 Republicon senators all doing Elmer Fudd imitations, “what evidence, what evidence?”
13So Bolton gave his book to the White House — THIS White House??? — to “check for classified information?” Seriously? Like they would have a clue about such matters.
Wouldn’t the ordinary course of events be to hand it to the FBI, the NSA or the CIA to check for that stuff? But nooooo — he gave it to the most incompetent branch of our government these days.
I’m betting Bolton gave it to the White House because he knows its a sieve. This isn’t about the impeachment trial. He wants to whet reader’s appetites — and that’s ALL he wants.
14Romney’s now pretending a few senators are bothered by the revelations in the leak. i’ll believe it when i see their votes to demand witnesses.
15It is all too well known that Putin has all the Republicon balls on lock from Moscow Mitch on down. This is going to take ovaries. Ernst? Blackburn (seriously too st00pid)? Murkowski? Collins (ha ha ha … nah)? Fischer? That’s a possible 3. Where’s the fourth? Cory Gardner?
16twocrows @14, “I’m betting Bolton gave it to the White House because he knows its a sieve.”.
WH pre-screening and possible censorship/’correction’ of all related media is SOP, may even be mandated.
This screening has gone on a long time, it’s not unique to Dear Leader Donnei.
Sieve or not, the timing of this is pretty amazing.
And the Rethug Senate shitshow has started, Cippilone [Was he a NY mob lawyer before?] seems a little rattled this afternoon.
17Starr looks like he’s overdue for a coronary… hinthintbigskyguy…
This is demented donnies negoitating tactic.
18“Sunken Costs”
Get other side to invest, in this case the thuglicans supposed reputations, and then keep upping the ante until they are bankrupt.
if they call witnesses their hypocrisy cannot be hidden or denied plus the demented one will send his army of bots, russian trolls and treasonous citizens after them.
If they maintain the cover up they can revert to the sgt schultz defense of denying reality even when their faces are shoved into it.
He knew what ws coming but by getting his puppets in line before hand they are now caught in his obvious and infantile trap.
Notice how the N. koreans, Chinese and russians not only avoided the trap but used it against him.