SMH

[DemocratSinceBirth]

Last edited Wed Aug 30, 2017, 10:53 AM - Edit history (1)

Feinstein: Trump 'can be a good president'

Feinstein: Trump 'can be a good president'
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said late Tuesday that President Trump could "be a good president" and that he "can learn and change."

The Democratic senator's comments reportedly "shocked" the crowd in San Francisco.

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/348515-feinstein-trump-can-be-a-good-president

[greeny2323]

1. CA

There are so many awesome Democrats in CA to choose from that would be 100% better than her.

[Expecting Rain]

2. Anti-Democratic bullshit

A few words where Dianne Feinstein urges Donald Trump to change are taken out of context to attack her on DU? What bull!

Sen. Feinstein has been (and is) a very fine Democratic leader since her days on the San Franciso City Council. The attacks on her are uncalled for and especially galling on a forum that theoretically exists to support good Democrats.

Enough of this.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

3. As A Californian we can do so much better.

Anti-Democratic bullshit

-Expecting Rain

As a Californian we can do so much better.

Any poster who is a resident of California could be elected here if he or she has a D after his name.

Trump can no more become a good president than Charlie Manson could become a good scout leader if he was released from president. Character is destiny.

If she wants to play the middle with Trump let her move to West Virginia.

[Expecting Rain]

8. I'm a California native who has watched and respected Dianne Feinstein since before she became...

the Mayor of San Franciso in the wake of the Moscone/Milk assassinations.

You are quite wrong to attack such a fine Democrat and you are twisting her words—ones that call on Trump to change, not words of endorsement—to slander a great leader of the Democratic Party.

It is uncalled for, grotesque, and a violation of board rules.

[leftstreet]

9. Can we talk about why the audience was so shocked?

Are you saying they also 'twisted her words?'

[DemocratSinceBirth]

11. A fine Democrat doesn't praise Trump.

[Expecting Rain]

20. She did not praise Trump.

Your continued insistence that she did propagates a lie and is a slander on a major Democrat.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

25. I wouldn't praise Trump if someone put a gun to my head and promised to shoot me if I didn't.

[Expecting Rain]

27. You keep repaeating a lie, which doesn't get more true in the re-telling.

Sen Feinstein did not praise Trump—and, indeed, has a history of sharp attacks on his policies—she called on him to change.

Why do you compound the lies in making an unwarranted attack on a major Democratic leader?

It is offensive.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

33. Let me be more precise.

I wouldn't praise Trump , even with all the qualifiers in the world, if someone stuck a stick of dynamite up my you know where, hooked it up to a timer, and said it would go off I didn't praise him.

Trump is a monster. I would no sooner praise him, even with all the qualifiers in the world, than I would praise Hitler, Charlie Manson, Ted Bundy, Richard Speck, Pol Pot, Dylann Roof, Timothy McVeigh, and Satan.

[Expecting Rain]

37. There you go again. Repeating the lie.

Dianne Feinstein has been very critical of Donald Trump. Calling on someone who is acting badly (and is in a position of power) is NOT offering praise.

You should stop with the slander on a good Democrat.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

39. The Wilshire Grand Center is the tallest building in Los Angeles. It is 1,100 feet tall.

You could dangle me from my feet and threaten to drop me from the top floor if I refused to praise Trump, even with all the qualifiers in the world, and I would refuse.

"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Emiliano Zapata

[jalan48]

18. How were they taken out of context?

[Baitball Blogger]

4. One thing I will be happy will end once she's gone,

is the right-wing's propaganda about her hubby getting hefty real estate accounts. I have no idea if they are true or not, but it's just one more brick in the wall.

Hillary got it right about Trump. "There is no other Donald Trump, this is it."

[karynnj]

21. The right wing will use something, even if they have to make it up, to attack any powerful Democrat

Would you say the same about the Clintons, whom the right wing has charged with hundreds of terrible things? How about John Kerry, who the right wing is STILL repeating the SBVT lies and bizzarely some claim he never served. How about Obama, who they claim was not born here and accuse of hundreds of terrible things.

From his bio, Blum, Feinstein's husband was very wealthy years before he married her. It makes no more sense to attack her saying you have no idea if the RW claims are true or not. We need to call Democrats and republicans to account when they do things that are wrong, but we also need to demand proof when we know they did nothing wrong or are uncertain.

Corruption caused by money in politics is a cancer on our system and change is needed.

Secxondly, Hillary Clinton was speaking before the election. That was a fair thing to say. However, as Trump is president, we should all hope that he makes some changes - pressured by everyone wanting better for the country. Note Feinstein did not say he would change, but that he could. I think it highly unlikely, but calling for that - as you call what he is now unacceptable is not terrible.

[leftstreet]

5. Jeebus, the midterms are going to be awesome

How tone deaf, elitist and clueless

She didn't even anticipate the shocked reaction of her audience?

Time to go away

[rufus dog]

6. Quickly

We are already shortchanged in CA, we don't need a Defense Contractor Senator taking up one of our precious spots.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

7. I'm literally waving my arms to call a time out.

I don't expect Democrats to march in lockstep. I am the last person to demand purity. But praising Trump crosses the line, lol.

[Expecting Rain]

10. She did not praise Trump.

She encourages him to change. Why do you persist in attacking a major Democrat in violation of board rules with pure lies?

Basta!

[NurseJackie]

17. "Basta!" is Spanish for "Enough!" Just in case someone gets an itchy trigger finger...

... thinking it's an insult or something. You know what I mean.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

36. Well

"She encourages him (Trump) to change."

-Expecting Rain

"It’s (Trump) like being Charlie Manson’s foxtrot instructor. You go out there, you teach him a few moves, and you think, ‘Hey, look at that, he can learn the foxtrot.’ And the next thing you know, he’s trying to put a pen in your eye, because he’s Charlie Manson."

-Mike Murphy

[Expecting Rain]

42. Trump is in the Oval Office.

it is the duty of the Democratic leadership to encourage Trump to change on disastrous positions and to resist him when he does not.

Dianne Feinstein has done both quite commendably.

Comparing her metaphorically to Charles Manson's foxtrot teacher (as of the had one) is contemptible.

More Democrat bashing here on DU.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

43. Nobody is comparing anybody to Charlie Manson's fox trot instructor.

Mr Murphy and I were just pointing out the absurdity of thinking a hateful and bigoted septuagenarian like Trump can change his ways.


Do you think Trump can become a "good" president ?

[Expecting Rain]

47. I don't think Donald Trump will change, but Dianne Feinstein's was conditional...

she said *if he could change*.

As we know Donald Trump seems unhinged to principles and has changed his mind on many issues (sometimes within the span of a single day). So encouraging him to move away from disastrous policies is the duty of Democratic leaders like Dianne Feinstein.

When Trump persists he deserves condemnation, which Sen Feinstein has done unreservedly.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

49. How hard is it not to say anything nice about Trump?

I have been able to get through life without saying anything nice about*

- Adolf Hitler
-Joseph Stalin
-Pol Pot
- Idi Amin Dada
-David Duke
- George Lincoln Rockwell
-Osama bin Laden
-Benito Mussolini
- Hideki Tojo
-Ethel and Julius Rosenberg
-Sirhan sirhan
-James Earl Ray
- Conor McGregor





*list not intended to be all inclusive

[Expecting Rain]

51. Now you are attempting to compare Dianne Feinstein to a supporter of Hitler?

Because she called on Trump to change?

This is beyond the pale.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

52. Nobody is comparing anybody to a supporter of Hitler.

Any more than I was comparing anybody to a supporter of Conor McGregor


I was merely pointing out how easy it is to go through life and not say anything nice about certain people.

I have had no problem going though life without saying anything nice about*


Paul Ryan
Joe Arpaio
Ann Coulter
Rush Limbaugh (well, I did say he has a great set of pipes)
Sean Hannity
Bill O'Reilly
Michelle Malkin
Ted Cruz
Chris Christie
Mike Huckabee
Adam Sandler


list not intended to be all inclusive

[Expecting Rain]

53. You just keep promulgating lies and smears.

Dianne Feinstein has been a fierce critic of Donald Trump's policies, is calling him to change, and comparing her to a supporter of Hitler (which you did) is extremely offensive.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

55. Thank God there is a record.

I never compared anybody to a supporter of Hitler. I was merely illustrating how easy it is to go through life and not say nice things about certain people.

I have nothing nice to say about Joseph Mengele, shoot me.

[Expecting Rain]

57. Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Pol Pot, Idi Amin Dada, David Duke...

And for the umpteen time, you repeat the lie that Dianne Feinstein praised Donald Trump. She did not.

I thought attacks on a Democratic lead was a violation of board rules? Especially suggestions Dianne Feinstein acts like a Nazi sympathizer.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

59. I never suggested anything of the sort.

How hard is it not to say anything nice about Trump ?

[haveahart]

12. She is a person of "second chances." i won't knock her for that. But she damn sure better

vote to impeach when the time comes.

[moda253]

14. Maybe it would help to read what she actually said

instead of following some bullshit headlines and bullshit accounts of what happened?

[leftstreet]

15. The audience gasped, and then booed. Did they misunderstand?

And we can be certain they heard what she actually said

[HughBeaumont]

16. Wow, that's some delusional and way over-assumptive bullshit.

Trump is who he is, how he always was and will be.

Anyone who hawks his products, talks tax cuts and reminds voters he handily won Missouri while America's fourth largest city drowns . . . . AIN'T CHANGING.

[dalton99a]

19. Dem leaders should use blunt and direct language, not hypotheticals that feed into the RW narrative

[Expecting Rain]

22. She did nothing of the sort.

Encouraging Trump to change doesn't feed right-wing narratives, and you know it.

What feeds the right is supposed "Democrats" eating their own.

The attacks on Dianne Feinstein are unwarranted.

[leftstreet]

23. Why do you think the audience gasped and booed?

[Expecting Rain]

30. I dunno. For the same reason Barbara Boxer, Elijah Cummings, and Tom Perez have been booed, perhaps?

Attacking and booing Democratic leaders, including a civil rights hero, seems to be a thing for some folks.

It is inexplicable. Unless you care to explain it?

[leftstreet]

32. She got a standing ovation when she entered

Not usually the kind of thing followed up with cries of "No!" and hissing and booing.

Doesn't sound like they just wanted to "attack Democrats"

[Expecting Rain]

34. Of course she got a standing ovation. Dianne Feinstein is a hero among Democrats.

It only takes a few idiots in a crowd to boo. We haven't witnessed this nonsense enough, and now want to spread attacks on good Democrats here on DU?

It is self-defeating.

[leftstreet]

35. LOL I'm not attacking her

Nice try

The issue was the AUDIENCE reaction to her

But hey, at least she threw some very cold water on impeachment by saying "this man is going to be president, most likely for the rest of this term."

[Expecting Rain]

38. Nice try? Nice evasion.

Elijah Cummings was booed. Yes? No denial?

Dianne Feinstein is a realist and in her position as a senior US Senator is skeptical that a Republican dominated Senate will remove Donald trump with a 2/3 majority vote. I hope she is wrong, but our prospects for big changes in the Senate in 2018 are limited.

She hasn't thrown "cold water" on anything.

[leftstreet]

41. You think 2018 is lost for Dems?

Wow. With the worst President in recent history, a complicit GOP, poll numbers going south daily?

This should be the Democrats' finest hour

[Expecting Rain]

50. No, but we have relatively few opportunities in the Senate...

with 23 Democrats and 2 Independents who caucus with us (25 total) up for re-election vs 8 Republicans (many from solid Red states).

I hope more than anything we pick up seats. Internecine attacks on good Democrats isn't a good path forward.

No reason for a "Wow" here. This should be Democrats finest hour. Attacks on party leadership undermines the effort.

[Snake Plissken]

24. Don't tell me she took money from Russia too.

Why else would anyone make such a ridiculous statement?

[shraby]

26. The word IF is left out. She said If he can learn and change he could be a good president.

[sarisataka]

28. I like DINO

[DemocratSinceBirth]

44. My litmus test is "don't praise Trump, even with all the qualifiers in the world."

I will roll with any candidate we nominate from Cory Booker to Bernie Sanders.

[sarisataka]

60. Exactly

I am not in CA but Sen. Feinstein would never get my primary vote

[tanyev]

29. I could be a good ballet dancer if I were 30 yrs younger, 7 inches shorter and many pounds lighter.

You are all invited to my debut performance after Trump becomes a good president.

[nini]

31. I know someone who works for her

Trust me.. she despises him and this is typical political speak here. Especially when you keep reading the article and see the reference to impeachment:

'Feinstein added that there "there are things that can be done" if he does not move in that direction.
Feinstein, a former San Francisco mayor, serves on both the Senate Judiciary and Intelligence committees, which are investigating possible ties between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign.

The senator has been a frequent critic of the president, most recently criticizing Trump for pardoning former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, an act which she called a "flagrant disregard for the rule of law in this country." '

[dlk]

40. Feinstein Sold Out a Long Time Ago - Her Comments Aren't Surprising

[sheshe2]

45. Full quote

"I just hope he has the ability to learn and change — and if he can he can be a good president,” she said at a Commonwealth Club forum at the historic Herbst Theater, surprising San Franciscans used to hearing their politicians decry Trump.

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/08/29/feinstein-san-francisco-booed-donald-trump/

[DemocratSinceBirth]

46. I literally wouldn't praise Trump with all the qualifiers...

I literally wouldn't praise Trump with all the qualifiers and caveats in the world, even if a person threatened to decapitate me.

Other people's mileage may vary.

Trump is a monster. He's despicable. He can't change. He's ruining our nation. He's making policies like his trans ban that personally harm my friends and creates an environment where some people think it's okay to hurt them.

[leftstreet]

48. WHOA

She sits on two investigative committees, Senate and Judiciary, currently investigating Trump, and she just told us:

“Look, this man is going to be president, most likely for the rest of this term,” she said. “I think we have to have some patience — it’s eight months into the tenure of the presidency.



Well I guess that tells us a lot about the investigations

[HughBeaumont]

56. Unbelievable.

Good Democrats CLEAN UP REPUBLICAN MESSES . . . including the ones their voters make.

Trump is modern America's Mother of all Fuck-ups.

[ismnotwasm]

54. Interesting --a bit out of context however

Here is the whole quote from your article

"The question is whether he can learn and change," Feinstein said, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. "If so, I believe he can be a good president."

She also said that Trump will have to "forget himself enough and have the type of empathy and direction the country needs."

Feinstein added that there "there are things that can be done" if he does not move in that direction.
Feinstein, a former San Francisco mayor, serves on both the Senate Judiciary and Intelligence committees, which are investigating possible ties between Trump's presidential campaign and Russia's efforts to influence the outcome of the election.

Not sure why she thinks he's going to learn a motherfucking thing-he's a viscous, petty man, set in his ways, and tends to be reactive when criticized. Of course she has set a tone of superiority here and he will probably ignore it, but it has to rankle.

I just watched one of those countdown videos on YouTube claiming that Trump isn't all bad, because he has helped people. Grandiose gestures of generosity are no doubt part of makes Trump Trump, but doesn't negate the horrific damage he is doing because of self-absorption, unrestrained republican ideology, pure greed, the promotion of white supremacy, malignant sexism, and utter incompetence.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

58. He is incapable of change.

My litmus test is don't say anything nice about Trump, even with all the qualifiers and caveats in the world. I don't believe that's an unreasonable litmus test.

[ismnotwasm]

61. It's not

It was a well-received speech except for that part. She has no problem criticizing Trump. She would have been better off not saying anything even remotely positive about Trump. I'm not sure what her point was. He's shown nothing but political incompetence and personal marketing talent. He will move on, the country will take years to recover.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

62. You can't imagine how loathed Trump is in California.

[Expecting Rain]

64. Of course he's capable of change...

Trump changes positions constantly. He was pro-choice once. Now he anti-choice.

Until recently he was for pulling US troops out of Afghanistan, now he wants to increase troop numbers.

One could write a book on Donald Trump's policy flips.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

65. He is incapable of changing his character.

[Expecting Rain]

66. Perhaps, but he is capable of changing his policies...

and it is the duty of the Democratic leadership to push him towards better positions and to oppose him when he fails to do so.

Dianne Feinstein has done a magnificent job in both roles.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

67. He has been president for seven months.

What policies has he advanced that a Democrat can embrace?

[CakeGrrl]

63. That's the game that has to be played when you dealing with a vindictive narcissist

The reality is:

Dems do not have a majority in Congress or SCOTUS
Trump has proven that his actions are rooted in petty affronts to his ego, and he has a literal bully pulpit

Until Mueller pulls his investigation to a conclusion, keep the situation on an even keel. He'll bring down the hammer.

[Alice11111]

68. She's just trying to get DT to slow down on the destruction