General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMedia is again mischaracterizing what Cohen actually said.
@SethAbramson
MEDIA, please make these connections:
(1) Cohen met Mueller's team7 timesfor many hours.
(2) Based on cooperation deal, Mueller believes Cohen now.
(3) Cohen says Stone was Trump-WikiLeaks intermediary.
(4) Mueller is charging Stone with crimes.
(5) Russia probe far from over.
6) If Cohen by *chance* overheard one Trump-Stone call about WikiLeaks, Mueller must believe many such calls actually happened.
(7) Mueller's charging of Stone gives him a chance to squeeze Stone to talk.
(8) If Stone admits to being Trump-WikiLeaks intermediary, it's collusion.
(9) Mueller therefore has *just* initiated a prosecution he credibly believes will lead to collusion.
(10) Media statements that Cohen "threw cold water" on collusion are therefore 180 degrees from the truth.
(Conclusion) Media statements that probe is almost over are also wrong.
maxsolomon
(32,984 posts)didn't go to Prague and didn't think the Pee Tape was real.
What Media outlet said that Cohen "threw cold water" on collusion?
triron
(21,915 posts)Chakaconcarne
(2,387 posts)CharleyDog
(755 posts)"No."
I think we will learn that it was Don Jr. with the phone in Prague. Don Jr. is in this up to his four o'clock shadow. Dad has thrust Jr. in every nook and cranny of his widespread corruption in order to shield his own orange self.
triron
(21,915 posts)Mueller or SDNY? Schiff wil find out more about this I bet.
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)...by lying.
The SDNY busted him for lying to Congress.
On areas he was not allowed to talk about by the SDNY, he answered that he could not answer because it was under investigation.
That was a fine answer each time he gave it.
He would not honor his agreements with the SDNY or Mueller by lying under oath to Congress. That would be stupid.
triron
(21,915 posts)he might not voluntarily offer that information due to the reasons I gave.
That would not be lying.
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)Have you ever been to Prague?
This was in a grab-bag of clean up questions.
He said no, and further volunteered that he had never been to the Czech Republic.
Two things I would suggest:
1. Its a really good idea to get into the habit of checking source material yourself when it is available, instead of having strangers (including me) describe it. Its a good way to avoid being manipulated.
2. When layers upon layers of twists and turns are required to keep building scaffolding to preserve the truth of something that cant be proven, but you want to believe anyway, then that thing might not be true.
One way to discredit a true story is to propagate an exaggerated or extreme version of it, or to provide fake evidence for it.
The Texas Air National Giard Memo effectively shit down discussion of just wtf did W do during Vietnam. It did that because people wanted to believe it, were predisposed to believe it, and accepted it at face value without any really good idea of just where it came from.
It is an effective and powerful tactic. 9/11 trutherism was marvelously effective at channeling disgust at the W administrations utter failure to focus on actual security risks, and subsequent use of that event to pursue a disastrous agenda, into nonsense about fake planes, fake victims, hidden explosives and and endless hall of mirrors constructed of bullshit. That was political energy which COULD have been directed to ensuring he was not re-elected, instead of drawing the gullible off into Ron Paul cuckoo land.
Confirmation bias is a thing.
I cant fucking stand Donald Trump. For that reason, I tend to be careful about that silver bullet story that is going to rid us of him. Because hucksters feed on other peoples hopes.
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)You know, YouTube captures of the whole thing are readily available. Certainly, watching the hearing would be time better spent than reading cuckoos on twitter.
onecaliberal
(32,483 posts)I heard Stephanie Rhule this morning say the president isnt a criminal because hes not convicted.
cannabis_flower
(3,764 posts)Was the Golden State killer not a criminal for all those years he was raping and killing?
maxsolomon
(32,984 posts)"Alleged Criminal". gotta play fair.
Hermit-The-Prog
(33,033 posts)When Republicans held a majority in the House, Judy Woodruff asked Republicans about goings-on in the House. Now, with a Democratic majority, she had a Republican on last night to discuss Cohen's testimony. Fair and balanced.
diva77
(7,604 posts)so much shoddy reporting, shoddy analysis, wingnut talking points
Gwen Ifill must be rolling in her grave!!