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http://crooksandliars.com/2017/05/hr-mcmaster-denies-story-washington-post
Quote:National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster flatly denied a story about Donald Trump's meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and Ambassador Sergei Kislyak, but the story he denied was not the story the Washington Post reported.
Reading from a prepared statement, McMaster first assured everyone "there is nothing the president takes more seriously than the security of the American people."
"The story that came out tonight as reported is false. The president and the foreign minister reviewed a range of common threats to our two countries including threats to civil aviation," he continued.
"At no time -- at NO time -- were intelligence sources or methods discussed, and the president did not disclose any military operations that were not already publicly known," McMaster insisted.
However, that is not what the Washington Post report says. That report says that material was shared with Russia about highly sensitive "details of an Islamic State terrorist threat related to the use of laptop computers on aircraft."
McMaster's denial is fine, but it is simply unrelated to the report of what WAS disclosed. A bait-and-switch maneuver, clumsily executed.
He went on, "Two other senior officials who were present, including the Secretary of State, remember the meeting the same way and have said so. Their on-the-record account should outweigh those of anonymous sources."
He added, "I was in the room. It didn't happen."
Well, yes. I'm sure there was no discussion of intelligence sources or methods. But again, that's not what WaPo reported. So this statement means less than nothing.
Update: Well, Senator John McCain's former chief of staff actually does think it means something:
Quote:[/url]
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![[Image: CtNSX5Px_normal.jpeg]](https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/545959139755565056/CtNSX5Px_normal.jpeg) Mark Salter @MarkSalter55
That denial of things not alleged in the WP story was a confirmation of its accuracy.
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(05-15-2017, 09:51 PM)bfine32 Wrote: The Russian hysteria currently sweeping the Nation makes me want to go watch Red Dawn (The original, not that remake)
Oh yeah, the hysteria. So what if he shares intel a friend gave to you in confidence with the Russians. Who would possibly take issue with that? And he's in his rights and the story could be fake, and if it's not fake it could be exaggerated, let's all give Trump what he deserves: The ongoing benefit of the doubt. The people chose him, so nothing to see. Just "hysteria".
You do know you have to own these stances in future times, right? 100 days are over, the period of grace is over. Things like these will stick for centuries. Remember the guys who still defended Trump over this, we will say.
I give Trump defenders all kinds of wiggle room and always tried to keep it fair. But defending this Trump move in any way is not acceptable. You have to at least admit that there is cause for concern. Of course you don't have to do anything, but be aware you might take a side which turns out to be embarrassing. This one won't be forgotten.
(05-15-2017, 10:36 PM)Benton Wrote: Diplomatic policy is his to set. If he values Russia as a better ally than European and middle eastern countries, that's his choice.
Sure, that is true. It stilll doesn't allow him to pass on information from third parties who gave it to you in confidence. And if he wants to be allied with Russia, at least put the world on notice upfront. I can't imagine how betrayed the intelligence must feel that passed on the information to an alleged friend. I guess comes warning of the next terror threat, they might not do so any longer.
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Hey guys!
Remember all that denying that this even happened that came out of the WH through their surrogates?!?!
The POTUS just verified that the WaPo story was true and accurate.
Of course he can do whatever he wants...he just has to lie about itwhen he gets caught our of habit?
Your anger and ego will always reveal your true self.
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(05-16-2017, 08:58 AM)GMDino Wrote: Hey guys!
Remember all that denying that this even happened that came out of the WH through their surrogates?!?!
The POTUS just verified that the WaPo story was true and accurate.
Of course he can do whatever he wants...he just has to lie about itwhen he gets caught our of habit?
Oh dear Lord. What, in his mind, prevented the Russians from greatly stepping up their fight against ISIS in the first place. That they missed highly classified information from the US?
Information the US gathered from a friend who obviously didn't want to share with Russia? That did the trick? Betraying said friend?
In this shape, the US can't be an ally or a trusted partner any longer. We had vague hopes in guys called Rex and Mad Dog. Vague hopes Trump would leave the important stuff to some experts. But, nah. Rex is a blind loyalist, McMaster just destroyed his reputation, MadDog and the professionals are nowhere to be seen, your president passes on confidential information to Russia, the country trying to underminde democracy and promote destablizisatioin on all fronts. Including the US home front.
And the anti anti-Trump crowd is even defending that. Which is just as worrying.
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Quote:Naturally the White House response will be that the issue is this was leaked, not that it happened.
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(05-16-2017, 08:58 AM)GMDino Wrote: Hey guys!
Remember all that denying that this even happened that came out of the WH through their surrogates?!?!
The POTUS just verified that the WaPo story was true and accurate.
Of course he can do whatever he wants...he just has to lie about itwhen he gets caught our of habit?
Quote:In a carefully worded statement delivered outside the White House Monday evening, Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, Trump’s national security director, said that the Post’s “story that came out tonight as reported is false.”
I guess the President just too active or whatever bullshit He said last week when He contradicted everything His staff said about the Comey firing last week.
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(05-16-2017, 08:58 AM)GMDino Wrote: Hey guys!
Remember all that denying that this even happened that came out of the WH through their surrogates?!?!
The POTUS just verified that the WaPo story was true and accurate.
Of course he can do whatever he wants...he just has to lie about itwhen he gets caught our of habit?
Quote:In a carefully worded statement delivered outside the White House Monday evening, Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, Trump’s national security director, said that the Post’s “story that came out tonight as reported is false.”
I guess the President just too active or whatever bullshit He said last week when He contradicted everything His staff said about the Comey firing last week.
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At least Trump didn't put the classified info in an email.
If you think about it, Trump is killing jobs. If He just tells the Russians the intel to their faces a lot of Russian hackers will be unemployed soon.
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This is Comey all over again. We have something happening that can look really bad, we have the WH Comms staff trying to cushion the blow, and then we have Trump saying something which contradicts the Comms staff. Then the Comms staff are going to get reamed for it.
This isn't impeachable because it's not illegal, but this is absolutely careless. He does not understand the gravity of his position or his actions. If there were virtually anyone else in the country, they would be in jail right now.
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So, McMasters blamed the leakers today. He also said that it was entirely Trump's decision and he made it during the conversation. He kept calling what Trump did "appropriate given the context." When asked about the wordplay in his answers the previous day and was asked a direct yes or no question of "did the president share classified information with the Russians in that meeting." He would not answer that question. He did say the Trump in no way compromised any sources or methods in the discussion.
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McMaster doubled down on the real issue being leaks during his press conference. He all but confirmed that Trump did reveal the info to the Russians, stating that Trump didn't know where the info came from.
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(05-16-2017, 01:39 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: McMaster doubled down on the real issue being leaks during his press conference. He all but confirmed that Trump did reveal the info to the Russians, stating that Trump didn't know where the info came from.
Yeah, that was very telling.
"A great democracy has got to be progressive, or it will soon cease to be either great or a democracy..." - TR
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(05-16-2017, 01:44 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: Yeah, that was very telling.
McMasters strongly denied Trump did things he wasn't accused of doing. C'mon, give the guy a break. LOL
"I was there. Trump did not do the thing He didn't do."
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(05-16-2017, 02:22 PM)oncemoreuntothejimbreech Wrote: McMasters strongly denied Trump did things he wasn't accused of doing. C'mon, give the guy a break. LOL
"I was there. Trump did not do the thing He didn't do."
I'm glad he cleared up last night and tonight that Trump didn't do something the article never said he did.
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I've been critical of Hillary's email server situation, but this guy is showing such a callous lack of awareness for the position that he holds, it is starting to get scary. The whole "I know more than the generals" thing and skipping out on the daily briefings didn't shed a great amount of seriousness for the position, but at least I was hoping he would start getting a clue once on the job, but it's starting to feel as if he's sabotaging things on purpose here. The way he's going about things, it seems he is intent on taking the Republican party down from the inside in the next year. This performance certainly isn't helping things with independents who wanted a change in Washington.
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(05-16-2017, 02:43 PM)masterpanthera_t Wrote: I've been critical of Hillary's email server situation, but this guy is showing such a callous lack of awareness for the position that he holds, it is starting to get scary. The whole "I know more than the generals" thing and skipping out on the daily briefings didn't shed a great amount of seriousness for the position, but at least I was hoping he would start getting a clue once on the job, but it's starting to feel as if he's sabotaging things on purpose here. The way he's going about things, it seems he is intent on taking the Republican party down from the inside in the next year. This performance certainly isn't helping things with independents who wanted a change in Washington.
I'm seein' a change, alright.
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My understanding is that McMasters is very well respected on both sides. I trust him over the WAPO.
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(05-16-2017, 02:37 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: I'm glad he cleared up last night and tonight that Trump didn't do something the article never said he did.
I would have hoped McMasters or Mattis would have put Trump in a time out by now. For a NSA, McMasters is pretty poor at subterfuge. He needs to read his own book, Derelection of Duty.
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Guess he'll be hitting 18 to 36 this weekend in Mar-La-Go. Nothing to see, nothing to see. Move along now. Right Meow!
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(05-16-2017, 03:06 PM)Goalpost Wrote: My understanding is that McMasters is very well respected on both sides. I trust him over the WAPO.
Trust him regarding what, though?
His statement last night didn't address any of the claims in the article. The only specifics he dismissed were regarding sources and methods, something not claimed by the article.
Then today he basically just said the President could do what the article claimed he did. When asked to address four specific claims from the article, he did not dispute them.
So while we can trust his word, he hasn't explicitly disputed the WAPO's claims.
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