May 31, 2017


News and Views


“Only two nations -- Syria and Nicaragua -- oppose the climate accord.” WHAT DOES THIS TELL YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP? EVEN RUSSIA SIGNED IT, APPARENTLY, AND NORTH KOREA, ETC. WHITHER THOU GOEST, I WILL NOT FOLLOW.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/global-reaction-trump-climate-deal-decision/
By CHIP REID CBS NEWS May 31, 2017, 7:37 PM
Global reaction pours in as Trump nears climate deal decision

PLAY CBS NEWS VIDEO
Photograph -- Brian Deese CBS NEWS
Photograph -- European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker REUTERS

WASHINGTON -- During a photo op with the leader of Vietnam Wednesday, President Trump was asked if he is going to pull out of the Paris climate accord.

What you need to know about the Paris climate accord
Play VIDEO
What you need to know about the Paris climate accord

"You're going to find out very soon," Mr. Trump said.

He seemed to suggest he still hasn't made up his mind.

"I'm hearing from a lot of people, both ways," he said.

But CBS News confirms that the president has started to tell confidants he will withdraw from the agreement. Reports to that effect ricocheted around the globe, drawing criticism from world leaders.

Elon Musk says he'll leave Trump advisory councils if U.S. withdraws from Paris climate deal
The prime minister of India said it would be a "crime" to spoil the environment for future generations.

headec.jpg
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker REUTERS

Finland's prime minister said climate change won't be reversed "by closing your eyes."

In Berlin, the head of the European Commission lectured Mr. Trump that "not everything in international agreements is fake news."

Only two nations -- Syria and Nicaragua -- oppose the climate accord.

During the campaign, Mr. Trump dismissed the scientific consensus that rising temperatures are caused primarily by fossil fuels like coal and oil.

But even most major American businesses -- from Exxon to Apple -- support the agreement.

reid-trump-split.jpg
Brian Deese CBS NEWS

Brian Deese, who was President Obama's point person on the Paris accord, says it's not just about the environment -- it's about the economy.

"Across the globe we have a competition for who's going to be the clean energy superpower of the 21st century and who is going to gain the economic benefits from doing that," Deese said. "But we can't win if we step off the playing field and disengage all together."

There is still some uncertainty about the president's decision. Sources say the president has discussed the possibility of renegotiating the agreement, but it's not clear that the rest of the world would go along.


WILL HIS LAWYER TESTIFY IN FRONT OF CONGRESS, ALSO?

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/spicer-refers-all-questions-on-comey-to-white-house-counsel-from-now-on/
By KATHRYN WATSON CBS NEWS May 31, 2017, 3:48 PM
Trump's lawyer will now answer all Russia-related questions, Spicer says

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer on Wednesday referred all questions related to the FBI's Russia investigation from now on to President Trump's lawyer, Marc Kasowitz.

Spicer declined to answer a question in a White House press gaggle about congressional testimony Comey is expected to give concerning the president's request to drop an investigation into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. Spicer's response marked the first time a Trump surrogate has answered a Russia-related question by referring it to lawyers.

"Our job, we are focused on the president's agenda," Spicer said in a 12-minute, off-camera press gaggle, adding that "going forward," Kasowitz will answer any press questions about the Russia investigation. Spicer referred to Kasowitz as "White House counsel," although Kasowitz -- Mr. Trump's longtime attorney -- is being retained as part of an outside legal team to represent him in the investigation into Russian interference in the election.

Kasowitz has represented Mr. Trump since the early 2000s in some of his trickiest legal issues, including the Trump University fraud case. Kasowitz has another big-name client in the news -- the recently ousted Fox News personality Bill O'Reilly.

Spicer had no further information on Mr. Trump's decision on whether to back out of the Paris climate agreement, although Mr. Trump tweeted last week that he would have a decision sometime this week.

"I think the president's comments on this, that he will be making a decision in the next few days, stand," Spicer said.

Spicer said the president has spoken with foreign leaders and industry leaders on the agreement, although he would not say whether the president has met or will meet with his cabinet on the matter.

Spicer gave no further clarity on Mr. Trump's confounding overnight "covfefe" tweet, which created an Internet sensation and caused people to speculate about why the president is tweeting -- and what he is tweeting -- in the middle of the night.

"I think the president and a small group of people know exactly what he meant," Spicer said.

Press Secretary Sean Spicer on the White House's relationship with media
Play VIDEO
Press Secretary Sean Spicer on the White House's relationship with media

The White House is in the midst of a communications shakeup, which began with the impending departure of White House Communications Director Mike Dubke. The White House is reportedly considering other changes, like fewer on-camera briefings. Wednesday's very brief, off-camera gaggle could be a sign of what future interactions between the White House and the media will be like.


http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/5/30/1667489/-According-to-Google-Translate-covfefe-means-Soviet-in-Russian
(UPDATED) According to Google Translate, "covfefe" means "Soviet" in Russian
By DownstateDemocrat
2017/05/31 · 01:44


It’s been over two hours since Donald Trump tweeted this:

Despite the constant negative press covfefe

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2017
You know, I was playing around on Google Translate, and I discovered that “covfefe” actually means something in the language of his master Vladimir Putin:

Despite the constant negative press covfefe
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2017

Aaron Camp @ProgMid
According to Google Translate, #covfefe (Cyrillic: совфефе; pronounced "sovfefe") in Russian translates to "Soviet".
1:22 AM - 31 May 2017

I’m not sure if Google Translate is being accurate, but it looks like the POTUS is spending too much time on the Twitter trying to make Russia great again than doing anything to benefit the American people.

Wednesday, May 31, 2017 · 8:11:38 PM EDT · DownstateDemocrat
Apologies for the delayed update (I was watching the NCAA Men’s Golf Championship on television), but, according to a fellow DailyKos user, the normal Russian word for “Soviet” is советский (pronounced “sovietskii”). It appears that either A) Google Translate is inaccurate or B) совфефе/sovfefe is an extremely rare dialectal or slang variant of советский/sovietskii.


Samer May 31 · 01:58:51 AM
If it’s correct, it’s a very rare variant. Google shows essentially no uses of the potential Russian spellings (ковфефе/совфефе).

The normal word for Russian is советский, sovietskii.


Calvino Partigiani May 31 · 02:11:22 AM
It’s a trial balloon.

The Trumpians are trying out strategies and tactics for their incoming shitstorm media strategy for dealing with their treason problem.


Fenric May 31 · 03:11:31 AM
Could he have intended to tweet, “Despite the constant negative press, go Pepe!”?

Just asking….


crispycreme May 31 · 07:31:47 AM
My Google Translate doesn't recognize "covfefe" in any language, including Russian. I either have an out of date version or someone is having a bit of fun.


THERE ARE MORE OF THESE, BUT I STOPPED HERE. MY FAVORITES ARE THOSE SIGNED BY CALVINO AND FENRIC. LOOK UP “PEPE” ON GOOGLE. THAT ONE IS ACTUALLY VERY LIKELY, GIVEN TRUMP’S POLITICAL LEANINGS.


I DO HOPE THEY CAN PROVE HIS STORY ABOUT TRUMP ASKING HIM TO DROP THE INVESTIGATION, THOUGH ONE ARTICLE SAID THAT FBI “FIELD NOTES” ARE USABLE IN COURT AS A FORM OF PROOF. I WOULD PREFER THE ALLEGED AUDIO TAPES, THOUGH. FUZZY THINGS MAKE ME NERVOUS.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/comey-free-to-testify-before-congress-about-conversation-with-trump/
By KATHRYN WATSON CBS NEWS May 31, 2017, 2:57 PM
Comey free to testify before Congress about conversation with Trump

Fired FBI Director James Comey is now available to testify before Congress about his interactions with President Trump after speaking with Robert Muller, the special counsel leading the investigation of Russian election meddling, a source familiar with the matter told CBS News' Andres Triay.

Comey is expected to testify about his documentation of interactions with Mr. Trump, in which the president asked Comey for his loyalty and asked Comey to drop the investigation into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. The president reportedly told Comey, "I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy." Comey is not expected to testify about the details of the FBI's Russia investigation.

After his testimony, Comey will "continue to make himself available" to Mueller and investigators, according to the source.

The Senate Intelligence Committee is aiming to have its hearing next week, although no date has been set. "The Committee welcomes the testimony of former Director Comey, but does not have an announcement to make at this time," Rebecca Glover, Burr's spokesperson, told CBS News.

Controversy surrounding Comey's firing continues to dog the White House. Meanwhile, the president is interviewing replacements for Comey, including two on Tuesday -- John Pistole, a former deputy FBI director, and Christopher Wray, a former assistant attorney general.

What will James Comey's testimony to Congress reveal?
Play VIDEO
What will James Comey's testimony to Congress reveal?

The White House claimed the president fired Comey for his mishandling of the Clinton email investigation, at the behest of memos from Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. But the president himself confused that message, telling NBC he thought of the "made-up" story about ties between his campaign and Russia when he fired Comey, and telling Russian diplomats firing that "nut job" Comey relieved great pressure on him from the Russia probe.

Comey's handling of the Clinton email investigation, however, entered the spotlight again last week after a report that a possibly fake Russian intelligence document, obtained by the FBI during the election, influenced Comey's decision to announce the end of the investigation. CBS News confirmed the existence of the document.