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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

TacticalFox88 from USA Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Dating the Doctor
#162651: Dec 16th 2016 at 12:13:14 AM

David Yankovich ‏@David Yankovich 6m6 minutes ago I suggest watching White House press conferences this week, & Trump's Twitter response. Smooth transition isn't happening.

David Yankovich ‏@David Yankovich 2h2 hours ago It seems that this entire week has been leading up to this. CIA leaks, WH getting more vocal, Trump not acknowledging Russian interference.

David Yankovich ‏@David Yankovich From what I am hearing, @POTUS has determined that orderly transition cannot be accomplished and is no longer priority due to Trump/Russia.

HOOOOLY SHIT

I don't want to get my hopes up, but....

Fuck.

New Survey coming this weekend!
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#162652: Dec 16th 2016 at 12:14:55 AM

Guys, jokes about Obama doing something to remain in office aren't funny. The things that would result would be disastrous, ruin everything about his legacy, and there probably is not a legal way for him to stop the change over. Now, this may indeed be big (big can mean literally anything,) but I very much doubt it will in anyway slow down Trump's taking over the office.

Still, my interest is now very piqued.

[up]I repeat, this probably does not mean that Obama is going to refuse to hand the office over. It does appear to mean that Trump is probably fucking up a lot more than we were aware of, which does not surprise me.

edited 16th Dec '16 12:16:47 AM by AceofSpades

TacticalFox88 from USA Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Dating the Doctor
#162653: Dec 16th 2016 at 12:21:53 AM

I know the chances of it happening are pretty much zero, but could you even begin to imagine the shitstorm that would happen if Obama said verbatim;

"Thus after review of this election, Mr. Trump's loss of the popular vote, Russian interference and use of cyberwarfare, and Mr. Trump's obvious contempt and temperament in dealing with our allies, the transition period stops, as of this moment. He will not be our President. I cannot trust this man with our nuclear arsenal."

New Survey coming this weekend!
LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#162654: Dec 16th 2016 at 12:29:26 AM

If the Russians really do have Trump in their pocket then we can't let him take office is the thing. Election be damned, we'd be under the control of a foreign power at that point.

Oh really when?
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#162655: Dec 16th 2016 at 12:29:48 AM

Yeah, I can imagine the shitstorm. It's why I don't want it to happen. I don't think that in the long term anything good could come of it. A short term gain, perhaps, but long term shit storm.

Ugh, this whole situation just sucks because it is literally damned if you do, damned if you don't. Except we can't do anything to immediately effect this shit, and we just have to watch as the ones in power do.

edited 16th Dec '16 12:30:17 AM by AceofSpades

RBluefish Since: Nov, 2013
#162656: Dec 16th 2016 at 12:34:54 AM

Which is why I'm tempted to approve of any and all actions Obama takes to block Trump from power. There's going to be a shitstorm no matter what happens. Would we rather there be a shitstorm because the Democrats seized power? Or because we're suddenly under de facto Russian occupation?

Yeah, the President messing with the transition of power isn't good for democracy. But guess what? Neither is Russia.

"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."
PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#162657: Dec 16th 2016 at 12:35:50 AM

Electing a sane Republican not named Trump would be the best option. Maybe just re-do the election.

tclittle Professional Forum Ninja from Somewhere Down in Texas Since: Apr, 2010
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#162659: Dec 16th 2016 at 12:37:26 AM

I'm just sayin' if I had to choose between "Emperor Obama" and Putin effectively being our head of state...

Actually, since both of those would mean that Trump is not really the one in charge...

[up] Assange is full of shit. tongue

[up][up] At this point I'd take Dubya or Reagan over Trump. Yes, I'm aware that Reagan is long dead.

edited 16th Dec '16 12:41:49 AM by M84

Disgusted, but not surprised
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#162660: Dec 16th 2016 at 12:43:07 AM

At this point I'm wondering if Assange is even still in charge of Wikileaks. He's been in hiding for years now, surely de facto leadership for the organization would have been taken up by someone else and it is very possible that Assange just hasn't been informed of a lot of the stuff currently going on.

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#162661: Dec 16th 2016 at 12:45:03 AM

[up] Not that he'd ever admit to losing control of it. Guy's got an ego as big as Trump's.

Disgusted, but not surprised
tclittle Professional Forum Ninja from Somewhere Down in Texas Since: Apr, 2010
Professional Forum Ninja
#162662: Dec 16th 2016 at 12:52:07 AM

Didn't Assange not have internet access due to Ecuador cutting it off for a while back in October?

"We're all paper, we're all scissors, we're all fightin' with our mirrors, scared we'll never find somebody to love."
NickTheSwing Since: Aug, 2009
#162663: Dec 16th 2016 at 1:01:48 AM

There are no words for how much this excites me.

Barack, do not disappoint me.

RBluefish Since: Nov, 2013
#162664: Dec 16th 2016 at 1:05:58 AM

Again, I just want to warn everybody - don't get your hopes up. I just don't want to see anybody's hopes get crushed again. The chances that this is the miracle we want are very slim indeed, and real life unfortunately doesn't operate by the Rule of Drama.

"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#162665: Dec 16th 2016 at 1:14:37 AM

I'm not excited, I'm nervous as hell since the only thing we can be convinced of at this point is that what he's got to say ain't gonna be happy.

Boston Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
#162666: Dec 16th 2016 at 1:15:06 AM

Part of me wonders whether Trump, if he were impeached or otherwise removed from power (electoral college vote, etc) wouldn't simply set up court in Trump Tower and continue presiding, regardless. Sort of an Avignon Pope.

3of4 Just a harmless giant from a foreign land. from Five Seconds in the Future. Since: Jan, 2010 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
Just a harmless giant from a foreign land.
#162667: Dec 16th 2016 at 1:17:56 AM

You mean he's be the American equivalent of a Reichsbürger Government in Exile? I can see that.

"You can reply to this Message!"
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#162668: Dec 16th 2016 at 1:19:01 AM

Part of me wonders if he'd actually prefer that. He'd get to bask in adulation from his supporters without actually being responsible for the country.

edited 16th Dec '16 1:19:15 AM by M84

Disgusted, but not surprised
RedSavant Since: Jan, 2001
#162669: Dec 16th 2016 at 1:22:05 AM

I kind of want to just sleep until 3 or so so the press conference will be over and I don't need to worry about waiting for it to be over.

It's been fun.
Falrinn Since: Dec, 2014
#162670: Dec 16th 2016 at 1:22:11 AM

If Obama has evidence of wrongdoing on Trump's part, it needs to be beyond damning for it to matter in terms of actually preventing Trump from taking office. We are talking clear evidence of outright treason here.

Which I'm not certain he has because I'm not certain it actually exists. Trump's administration is threatening to be terrible in a lot of ways, but treason is a very extreme and very specific charge and I'm not sure if he would meet the legal definition. And anything short of literal treason isn't likely to get the EC to revolt, and an EC revolt is the only thing that could stop a Trump administration without a constitutional crises.

MadSkillz Destroyer of Worlds Since: Mar, 2013 Relationship Status: I only want you gone
Destroyer of Worlds
#162671: Dec 16th 2016 at 1:23:56 AM

Which I'm not certain he has because I'm not certain it actually exists. Trump's administration is threatening to be terrible in a lot of ways, but treason is a very extreme and very specific charge and I'm not sure if he would meet the legal definition.

If Trump collaborated with the Russians to hack the election then that would be treason.

LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#162672: Dec 16th 2016 at 1:24:24 AM

We might not be able to get Trump specifically but if Obama declares the Russian Federation to be an enemy we might be able to knock out almost all of his cabinet and huge number of high ranking Republicans for collaborating with an enemy.

Oh really when?
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#162673: Dec 16th 2016 at 1:43:37 AM

@Boston: Again, being impeached just means charges are brought against him. Clinton continued to preside when he was impeached and was not required to leave the White House because of it. Impeachment doesn't mean the president automatically stops being the president. Frankly, if Trump does end up running things from Trump Tower, it's going to be because he wants to, not other reasons. Although that would be a logistical nightmare and make him a way easy target for people who want to do him harm, so I think a lot of people would be convincing him not to do that.

[up][up]At this point I think he was basically a useful idiot for the Russians. He doesn't know or care about our democracy being endangered by foreign powers and he basically hired a guy from Exxon who has frequently ignored what was good for America in order to achieve what Exxon wanted.

edited 16th Dec '16 1:45:04 AM by AceofSpades

ThriceCharming Since: Nov, 2013
#162674: Dec 16th 2016 at 1:49:33 AM

This is thrilling, but also frightening. There is almost certainly going to be violence. I only pray that things turn out all right in the end. We are certainly living in interesting times, in the Terry Pratchett sense.

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#162675: Dec 16th 2016 at 2:00:21 AM

Of all the bad options, I actually think that Obama stepping up one last time to demand an investigation is not the worst, mostly because I trust that Obama would NOT try to stay in office himself, but try to find a way to restore democracy in the country.

It's most likely not possible, but is there the option that the Democrats say that the concede office only if the Republicans offer another candidate?


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