He'd never admit it, even if he did have them. It would color him in an awful light, trying to manipulate the director of the FBI into stopping the probe into Flynn and his campaign. I don't know why this is getting so much attention. He was either lying on Twitter, or he'd lie about having them.
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Bloomberg: Trump Doesnt Have Recordings of Conversations With Comey, Source Says
- Thread starter Tovarisc
- Start date
BobTheFork
Member
Sources says.... no, sorry I was told by our President not to believe that.
He should have 24 hours to produce them.
He should have 24 hours to produce them.
SomewhatGroovy
Banned
People are pointing out how this is a first person carefully worded tweet. In other words, he is admitting simply that he never taped Comey but not that the tapes don't exist. If they do exist, and they reveal he did ask Comey to drop the Russia thing, then you would have undeniable evidence of Obstruction of Justice.
It's more what was implied by the WH's behavior after the tweet. Refusing to outright confirm that he didn't have tapes despite being asked (and I think the question was fair) adds legitimacy to the idea that he did record their conversations or at least was aware of recordings. Even though I never actually thought he had them, the idea behind this was to make Comey and everyone else think he might. Newt Gingrich and the source of the Bloomberg article both provide this explanation. So while the tweet itself only expressed a "hope" for Comey's sake, the whole saga definitely was meant to send a message that such tapes could exist. So it may not be a direct contradiction but the announcement today makes it clear he had nothing, knew he had nothing, but intentionally fueled speculation.
If you consider the timeline, the implication was there. Donald tweeted "James Comey better hope that there are no "tapes" of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!" the morning after Comey was fired.
And when the press asked for clarification, Donald, his clown surrogates, and the WH were skittish about giving a direct answer. It took over a month for Lord Mango to finally say he doesn't have tapes to end any speculation, but only after the recent possible threats of subpoenas.
They changed to recorded audio only for today.
Audio is now permissible from today's briefing, per pool
Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) June 22, 2017
Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) June 22, 2017
Shadow Puppetry
Member
BOOOOOOO!
His excuse tho lmao
His excuse tho lmao
Clearly, but the usual suspects will say, "But he said it in this way so he really wasn't blah blah blah."
He's not a career politician. He didn't know he shouldn't have lied to intimidate the witness. It was just instinct.
Fuck you Newt Gingrich.
I'm pretty damn sure his lawyer wrote that statement.
Matrix XII
Member
Was going to post this.
RPGCrazied
Member
So they are starting the briefing today, and guess what? No camera's. Gee, I wonder why.
John Rabbit
Banned
I kept wondering why Newt was sticking his nose in trump's business and then yesterday I find out he wrote a new book on Trump recently called "Understanding Trump."
Here's a review of it- https://www.usnews.com/opinion/thom...nts-in-newt-gingrichs-book-about-donald-trump
Here's a review of it- https://www.usnews.com/opinion/thom...nts-in-newt-gingrichs-book-about-donald-trump
I believe there is that, but also that he is trying to avoid making it outright clear that he was lying. He's pinning that on the kind of stupid semantic argument that he usually does. The type of shit that you're 2nd grader does thinking they are clever for not agreeing to clean their room on a technicality of taking words extremely literally.
On its face it's a dumb argument though. Like who would be taping conversations in the Oval Office without the President knowing?
pureplayin2
Member
This dumbass continues to help build the case against him. In a situation of he said she said where trust plays a factor, you don't go claim something then not produce said claim and think your word is going to win out all of a sudden. That is the best thing about this presidency, is that he keeps handing the investigators and courts all the ammo they need to shut him down.
Huckabee probably giving it, Trump is probably embarrassed to have her as the face of his administration.
Won't go back to video until he gets Kim Guilfoyle because Trump is super petty and shallow.
Steeped in a Sea of Games
Member
I love how he built this up just to quietly say, "nope, don't have them."
Trying to distract from health care?
Trying to distract from health care?
Laevateinn
Member
Trump's team determined that they have sufficiently deleted any evidence that such a recording exists and can feel confident that testifying that there are no tapes will not lead to a perjury charge.
Oh how I wish someone at the WH copied them and waited for Trump to confirm he didn't record anything then leaks to the press.
LOL, this is pretty good.
I can just see him stepping at the mirror to see who flinches first.
CrunchyFrog
Member
That's exactly why he released it this way. This is really poor optics on his part, so the less attention the better.
randomengine
Banned
Trump is the source for this story. I guarantee it.
Nah, it doesn't work that way. For good reason, no president would be able to be 100% honest all the time.
Cabbagehead
Member
He did not write that tweet. That was a lawyers preordained, pre written statement. Its not how he writes tweets.
Surpised no one is picking up on that.
Surpised no one is picking up on that.
I want someone to update this with "ITS FUCKING NOTHING" when it cuts to the anchor
Bam Bam Baklava
Member
Plenty of people are well aware of this.
How About No
Member
No edits needed, that's perfect as-is
SparkleMotion
Member
Leave it to the wrestling fan to completely miss the mark on how humor works.
Potential witness intimidation? Further validation of the narrative that Trump lies and doesn't tell the truth?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOy6hqzfsAs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOy6hqzfsAs
Resident_UA
Member
Could somebody run this by a Trump supporter to see why they are OK with this? 
I'm sure they have a reason, but this kind of petty lying is just desperate...
I'm sure they have a reason, but this kind of petty lying is just desperate...Lightning_Roller
Banned
Surprise motherfucking surprise.
boiled goose
good with gravy
Clear lies and clear witness intimidation.
Lock this fucker up.
Lock this fucker up.
At this point, when his most ardent supporters like Gingrich go with the " he doesn't understand the political language" line, I take it as an admittance that they know that Trump in fact obstructed justice.
This, like the private questioning of Comey, Coates, Rogers, etc that have been met with the same explanation, are going to lead to obstruction charges, and everyone like Gingrich knows it, IMO.
This, like the private questioning of Comey, Coates, Rogers, etc that have been met with the same explanation, are going to lead to obstruction charges, and everyone like Gingrich knows it, IMO.
Neuromancer
Member
The tapes are fake but the pee is real.
Cabbagehead
Member
Good.
GiantEnemyGoomba
Member
FLABBAGASTED
Shadow Puppetry
Member
Guys, Trump wasn't serious about it, he's still new to it and was only trying to outbluff Comey!
Former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) said he thinks President Trump was trying to "rattle" former FBI Director James Comey by suggesting there might be recordings of their conversations.
"I think he was, in his way, instinctively trying to rattle Comey," Gingrich told The Associated Press.
"He's not a professional politician. He doesn't come back and think about Nixon and Watergate. His instinct is: 'I'll outbluff you.' "
White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Tuesday that Trump will make an announcement about the tapes soon.
"The president has said that he will make an announcement on this. I expect it this week," Spicer said at Tuesdays news briefing.
Poor Spicey.
Former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) said he thinks President Trump was trying to "rattle" former FBI Director James Comey by suggesting there might be recordings of their conversations.
"I think he was, in his way, instinctively trying to rattle Comey," Gingrich told The Associated Press.
"He's not a professional politician. He doesn't come back and think about Nixon and Watergate. His instinct is: 'I'll outbluff you.' "
White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Tuesday that Trump will make an announcement about the tapes soon.
"The president has said that he will make an announcement on this. I expect it this week," Spicer said at Tuesdays news briefing.
Poor Spicey.