MAGNIFICENT! DJT at the Press Conference

2/16/2017 | By Laz A. Mataz

[Lazamataz]

MAGNIFICENT!

I seldom watch press conferences by Presidents. Today I did.

What I saw was a masterful delivery, both in content and tone. For those that could not tune in, here are the bullet points:

1. He started right away by noting that the news media is "totally out of control", a theme he hit often throughout the presser.
   
   
2. He stated that he "inherited a mess, both at home and abroad."
   
   
3. He stated that "I’ve ordered plans to beginning a massive rebuilding of the US military" and "The greatest people in the world are members of the US military."
   
   
4. He stated that the Democrats have "screwed things up royally", and reminded us of all he accomplished in a few short weeks "with no cabinet".
   
   
5. Commented on the problem of drugs in America, reminding us that the country is awash in narcotics, and saying "We’re going to destroy the drug cartels. We’re going to have a wall that works."
   
   
6. He stated that there will be a "new and comprehensive EO next week to protect our people.”... . He also took a great little shot: “We will protect all Americans... (pauses)... (small little dismissive wave) .... even reporters.”
   
   
7. He warned that SCOTUS Nominee Gorsuch "will be there one way or another" but he prefers "the old-fashioned way".
   
   
8. Then followed questions. There were several questions about Gen. Flynn. President Trump stated that Flynn is a good man, but the problems with the lack of correct communications with VP Pence were "unacceptable." He noted that Flynn did NOTHING wrong by contacting Russia, and "that was his job."
   
   
9. He then went on (several times) to call out the press on lying about the Russia contacts. Asked point blank, did anyone contact Russia during his run-up to the election, he stated "no one that I am aware of", then stated unequivocally that he "has no dealings with Russia", no business, no loans, and hasn't spoken to anyone from Russia for decades, except Putin, who called him twice to congratulate him for the win and the inauguration.
   
   
10. He then launched into a very scathing indictment of the leaks, of classified information, and the irresponsibility of the press for relaying he classified information. He went on further to note that classified calls to Mexico and Australia were also made public, and he wondered aloud how those calls were even known about -- much less a full transcript being released! He specifically called out that the leaks were likely from former Obama people.
    
    
11. When asked what his response to various provocations from Russia as of late, he laid the blame on the press, telling them that this fake scandal has made it very difficult to get a good working relationship with Russia. He hoped it could still happen. He mused, "Wouldn't it be great if the two major superpowers worked together on problems throughout the world...." The reporter pressed him to state what his responses to the provocations would be, and he outright refused, stating that "unlike previous administrations, I don't announce my plans for responses."
    
    
12. Over and over again, the subject of Russia came up, and over and over again, he smacked it down as pure fake news and lies. He remarked that the America people get it. He then went on to speak about the hate and pure anger of (as an example) CNN. He remarked that he doesn't mind a bad story, but he does insist on a fair one.
    
    
13. As an example of fake news, he called out the WSJ by name, who stated that the intel agencies are withholding information from him. He cited (someone, I forget who) who specifically said this is total garbage, total nonsense.
    
    
14. He held an olive branch out, telling the news agencies, that if they reported FAIRLY -- not positively, but FAIRLY -- that he would be one of their biggest boosters. The American people want to know what's going on, he said, but right now, they can't find out the truth.
    
    
15. He criticized the Democrats and Schumer by name for delaying the nominations for no good purpose. He said nothing else is getting done because the Democrats won't do their jobs. He noted that every administration loses a few nominees.
    
    
16. In several of the answers, he brought up how CNN actually provided the debate questions to Hillary. He chided Hillary for not being honorable and refusing them, and then contrasted the treatment he would have gotten: "Can you imagine, if I got the debate questions like Hillary did, you would call for the reinstatement of the death penalty and the electric chair for me...!!!"
    
    
17. When asked about DACA, he said this issue tore at his heart. He said there are many good kids that would be caught up in a revocation of DACA, and that this is his single hardest issue. He said the law was brutal, and that he'd like to revisit it to not hurt the innocents among those kids.

The takeaway I got from this is that President Trump completely squashed the Russian #FakeScandal, that he showed himself to be calm in the face of fire, that his answers were both satisfying and also jabbed the out-of-control news media for their lack of truthfulness. He was funny in parts, and expressed that he was actually enjoying the presser.

This was the single greatest presser I could ever imagine. He was calm, relatively articulate, hit lots of major points, and shoved the lies back in the presses faces.

And these are the things he TOLD us he's doing. I'm sure there's lots going on that isn't going to be mentioned.... like finding and prosecuting the leakers of classified information.

[Rennes Templar]

I took a look at DU, and there;s a lot of posts about Trump's mental health, narcissist, etc. They can't debate him on the issues, so they go with the personal attacks.

[PeterPrinciple]

You forgot that he mentioned and dwelled on Hillary selling Uranium to Russia. Did He get that in twice?

[Lazamataz]

YAY FOR COOKIES! And donations to FR!

[Noumenon]

Outstanding summary. And in answer to our Gladiator-in-Chief, I am bigly entertained.

[b4its2late]

I was listening at work. Well, when Rush had it on. It was awesome.

[\/\/ayne]

Remember the famous phrase yellow journalism?

That was from a cartoon called "The Yellow Kid" in sensationalist papers. It was the only color in the newspapers of the time. When they got wet it turned them yellow.

I call today's liberal news media "Red" Journalism for obvious reasons.

[sit-rep]

The BEST line in the whole conference IMHO...

When that black reporter was talking about meeting with the Black Caucus(Sorry forget his name...) and trump said... “ive tried but shumer or some other light weight probably discouraged him from meeting with my...

I busted out laughing at that one!

[LS]

Who is this P guy?

[Vision Thing]

Awesome work, Laz! Thanks for the summary.

Was this a surprise presser, or was it scheduled?

[golux]

Great job, Laz.

[Lazamataz]

Not sure.

But Trump totally defused any Russian BS story.

You could hear the air leaking out of the story as he spoke. LOL

[Chickensoup]

I pulled into the grocery store parking lot and sat in my car to hear the entire press conference. Toward the end I noticed that there were a half dozen people around me doing the same. One guy had his door open and had it turned up so all could hear.

_________________

People are listening closely.

[Pilgrim's Progress]

Ya know, Laz, in spite of your obsession with hot chicks . . . not that there is anything WRONG with that - you, for me, represent one of the most energetic champions of the conservative cause.

And perhaps chief among your gifts is the ability to use humor in a way that gets the point across, to the point that even your detractors have to shake their heads and say, “if more conservatives were like that - he/she might think about becoming one of them.”

I don’t know, I’m blathering - but what I really want to post is that you are definitely one of the top ten posters on FR and I always look forward to your thoughts.

In other words, thanks!!!

[bryan999]

Great analysis! Thanks for the read!

[del4hope]

If only you could tell me that you live in a blue state or city. I am guessing you do not. Wishful thinking on my part.

[Lazamataz]

You’re gonna make me blush. ^_^

[ViLaLuz]

Yeah the were lots of guffaws heard each time the Pres delivered a zinger.

[Pilgrim's Progress]

George Washington wasn’t a politician either, he was a statesman . . . and that is exactly what Donald Trump is.

[RayChuang88]

The sad part is what appears to be satire when you wrote this might not be far from the truth of what CNN will really try to say. (shaking head)

[del4hope]

Yes, when I read it, I had to wonder....

I thought, surely not, but it is CNN.