Spin this: trump thanks Putin Firing embassy staff

[UKHistory]

When asked about the Russian government expelling 750 US employees from our Moscow embassy

Trump thanks Putin for reducing federal employees. That is insane. You might want to see fewer federal employees. But you would think embassy staff would be valued.

The man elected president does not work or support the interests of the American people.

[CitizenBBN]

Honestly my first thought when Putin did it was to wonder why we had nearly 800 people on the Embassy staff and how many more we must have left. I don't know how many we need, but it was a lot higher number than I'd have guessed.

That's just Trump's way of turning negatives into positives. Some work, some don't. I could easily see Reagan making that kind of comment, b/c it's just a joke and Trump's way of deflecting the issue.

There's no convincing those who think he's some Russian sleeper agent of anything else, so I have chosen to not really try. When Obama thought it was in our interests to cozy up to Putin in a major way that was all just good diplomacy and such, and when Romney questioned it he was an idiot, but now Russia is the most dangerous thing since the plague.

So anything he says that isn't "Russia is the devil" must mean he's in league with them, but when people claim Obama was in league with Iran etc. that was just insane, even though he sent a billion in cash over to them on pallets.

Bluntly there's more evidence for the view that Obama is a Muslim agent bent on destroying America than there is evidence Trump is a Russian agent bent on destroying America. I don't ascribe to either, but there's more evidence.

It's a complete double standard with no context. Reagan does a mic test joke about bombing Russia and people lost their minds, Trump is 10x more bc he's 10x more obnoxious, but the double standard is the same. Obama gets caught on mic promising to be "more flexible" after the election and it doesn't even make the news cycle.

Trump is an ass. He says lots of over the top things, things out of left field, but none of it is nearly as significant as people want to make it, and they did the same to Reagan, it just didn't stick b/c he wasn't as absurd as Trump and he was just so much more likeable. But the pattern is the same. It's just more striking with Trump b/c his whole style is to be as over the top and nearly absurd as he can be. I think it's a combo of being a New Yorker, a real estate developer and a reality TV guy.

I don't like it, but I don't take it like it's coming down from the Mount on stone tablets either. Trump should be judged on his actions and accomplishments, like every politician, even though such a thing is really rare.

[CitizenBBN]

In short I won't defend his particular comments, they're far too erratic to do so, but I see no reason to think they are all windows on his soul either.

FWIW so far he's far less a friend to Russia than Obama was, and it's not close. You're focusing on this or that comment, but overlooking that he's done more to reinforce Poland and Ukraine and really stand up to the Syria situation than Obama ever did.

But it's also true that we do in fact NEED Russia on some things, like North Korea. It would be more politically expedient for Trump to go after Putin left and right and create that distance, but that wouldn't be best for our ability to deal with other foreign issues.

China is the real enemy here, far more than Russia. Trump I think knows that, and so while Russia is no friend, there are times when the enemy of our enemy will be our friend, and to the extent we can keep Russia and China not friends that's all the better for us.

[Doc]

It was tongue in cheek.

Those who want to dislike Trump will find something, anything, to akew and support their dislike. Same happened under Obama, Bush, etc... but with Trump the vitriol is far greater and Trumps bashness and unrefined approach makes him an easier target. If Trump wanted the embassy staff reduced he did need Putin to do it for him.

The only spin is that Trump was serious in his gratitude or that this somehow supports the lame Commrade Donald theory.

[UKHistory]

Doc I respectfully disagree. As a vet, you know about animal excrement and as I work in Washington, I know about it too. The defense is ripe with the stench of it.

The president is not a lounge singer or comedian. When asked about the largest expulsion of US personnel from an embassy ever, it is not the time for a competent president to make a joke.

This pretty serious. And even when a government downsizes you would think that military and state have a high priority to be maintained.

We don't put our worst employees at the Russian embassy. That is an elite spot. And US embassies in bad guy territory need to operate inside its walls a lot. Hat is why we need a few folks.

So to lose that big a number is a serious move by a rival enemy nation.

How many people should be at an embassy? I don't know the exact number. Neither does the president. That is why embassy staffing should be set at the agency level. We sure don't need pton's help and to suggest that is an insult to men and women who took an oath to defend the constitution.

And to even suggest that trump would need to rely on a foreign dictator to help him reduce staff. Which it didn't do. And If the president wasn't the biggest dumbass to ever reside in the White House he would know that. That is treason.

One of the big issues with Benghazi was force protection. Not enough people. Well we are losing a lot in Russia

Now as for folks pouncing on trumps every word. Let him say anything intelligible, thoughtful worthy of the dignity of his office and I will admit it.

The opposite for others is true. I am happy to be proven wrong but to see balance it would be nice to see someone on the other side say, "Yep trump showed his ass and was wrong"

Don't bring up Hillary or Obama

Just say the guy was wrong
Don't qualify with his inexperience or that his lack of political polish is quaint.

Just that trump was wrong or out of line.

To punt when given a chance to denounce putin on This action raises legitimate questions to his loyalty to the United States 

[CitizenBBN]

Treason? Seriously, for a smart-ass remark?

No it doesn't raise serious questions about his loyalty to this country. I don't even know what to do with that view.

Tell me, if he secretly sends a billion dollars in cash to Putin on a pallet in a US cargo plane, do we just shoot him on the White House lawn? Oh wait, I'm thinking of someone else.