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[RedShift]

Picking Patreus after EMAILS EMAILS EMAILS CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION EMAIL for two years would be pretty shitty, but then Rudy is a total piece of shit. It's going to be hard for Trump to decide which of those shitty choices he should go with.

Romney is obviously the right pick but I doubt his ego would be able to handle having someone who criticised him to the level Mittens did as SoS. Plus his KGB handler would probably not be happy with someone who correctly predicted the deterioration of US-Russian relations.

 

[Archaix]

Thanks, 2016. On Thanksgiving, the words "Oh please god let Mitt Romney be the next Secretary of State" went through my head.

edit: Or this, basically:

 

[mo60]

The only good secretary of state out of those three would be romney. The other guys have huge flaws that won't make them a good SOS.

 

[HariKari]

Love how all the sycophants don't want Romney in there because he might be a decent guy. Fuck Huckabee.

 

[darkwing]

does Romney even want to be SoS? or even near to Trump for that matter

 

[aGuyInaBearSuit]

For the love of God, give it to Romney. There should be at least one sane person in this administration.

 

[Jarmel]

Romney would be the sane pick out of that lot but Trump isn't known for being sane.

 

[jerry1594]

Lmao

 

[acheron_xl]

does Romney even want to be SoS? or even near to Trump for that matter

I don't think it's outside the realm of possibility that someone as messianic as a man who ran for president multiple times would want to get inside the system to limit as much damage as possible, because it's their duty.

 

[Skatterd]

Cmon Romney, you can pull it off. Get in there.

 

[Kevinroc]

We're going to have new wars regardless, aren't we?

 

[jerry1594]

I don't think it's outside the realm of possibility that someone as messianic as a man who ran for president multiple times would want to get inside the system to limit as much damage as possible, because it's their duty.

Can you give context for this and wouldn't he benefit from Trump fiscal policy?

 

[Stumpokapow]

Of the three, only Petraeus displays basic qualification and he was also convicted of leaking classified information to his journalist girlfriend. We're in a post-fact world if a guy who spent most of the campaign talking about how Hillary should be in jail appoints someone who was actually criminally convicted of the thing Hillary is alleged to have done but didn't.

Giuliani is pretty close to a literal monster, and Romney, while displaying basically good temperament and among the least bad choices ideologically, has no foreign policy experience (besides running the Olympics, which I'm assuming is now the bar for being Secretary of State since the UN Ambassador's most relevant experience is "got Volvo to build a factory in her state, Volvo are foreign right?").

Keeping in mind that no one Trump picks is going to be acceptable to me, may I suggest Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) or Tom Cotton (R-AK), both of which have basically good temperament and basically the experience they ought to have, even if I disagree with them strongly on the issues. Of everyone in the party, I think Jon Huntsman (R-UT) would be the absolute best choice across all dimensions, but he's not well liked among Trumpers.

 

[Brawly Likes to Brawl]

On the next episode of "Which Shot of Bleach Do You Want to Drink?"...

 

[Officerrob]

Patraeus would be the most hilariously hypocritical pick ever

 

[Snowman Prophet of Doom]

Of the three, only Petraeus displays basic qualification and he was also convicted of leaking classified information to his journalist girlfriend. We're in a post-fact world if a guy who spent most of the campaign talking about how Hillary should be in jail appoints someone who was actually criminally convicted of the thing Hillary is alleged to have done but didn't.

Giuliani is pretty close to a literal monster, and Romney, while displaying basically good temperament and among the least bad choices ideologically, has no foreign policy experience (besides running the Olympics, which I'm assuming is now the bar for being Secretary of State since the UN Ambassador's most relevant experience is "got Volvo to build a factory in her state, Volvo are foreign right?").

His supporters ain't gonna give a damn about Petraeus. They'll justify it by saying that he served his punishment, whereas Crooked Hillary broke the law and got away clean because she's a Washington insider.

 

[acheron_xl]

Can you give context for this and wouldn't he benefit from Trump fiscal policy?

Well, if you thought you were destined for greatness like Romney probably does (or any person narcissistic enough to want to run the world), you might be inclined to believe you can be a check on Trump's impulses. And yeah, while I'm sure Romney would get richer from whatever tax laws the Trump administration would pass, his unwavering #NeverTrump-ness during the campaign makes me think that he's not merely motivated by greed, unlike some people.

 

[Steejee]

Never thought I'd hope Petraeus would be a pick for anything...Experience plus it keeps the lulzyouthoughtiwasserioustrain going.

Romney would be meh, but he's at least shown competence.

Giuliani...I have no words.

 

[Vicetrailia]

Newt Gingrich says it all, it's easier to control guiliani. He didn't say that but he meant it.

Also dude is a master chameleon, speaking on point about issues to any audience, showing empathy, but then ripping it away when he masterfully appeals to another audience.

 

[Revolver]

His supporters ain't gonna give a damn about Petraeus. They'll justify it by saying that he served his punishment, whereas Crooked Hillary broke the law and got away clean because she's a Washington insider.

The Trump supporters affection for Petraeus has always puzzled me. Not only because of his obvious scandal but he's also spoken out against anti-Muslim bigotry. I guess they just love a man in uniform.

 

[Lamel]

Amazing reference.

 

[RedShift]

Guiliani had a terrifying quote in the campaign, where he was saying the US should have stolen Iraqs oil during the war. When someone pointed out this was illegal under international law he did this sick sort of chuckle and said, it's a war, anything is legal.

He's pure evil.

 

[Knuckle Sandwich]

Romney always struck me as a good guy. His policies are shitty of coarse but he always seemed like a decent feller. Accepting a spot in this administration after the stand he took against Trump during the campaign would put him on gutter level with the rest of the trash.

 

[commedieu]

Where are the "Lock Him Up!" chants from the #Emails brigade?

He has a penis.

 

[Revolver]

Remember when Trump claimed what Hillary did was far worse?

"When you look at what she has done compared to General Petraeus, it's 20 times greater. It's not even a contest," Trump told Fox News' Greta Van Susteren.

And Jim Comey had to set the record straight:

"Do you agree with the claim that General Petraeus, and I quote, 'Got in trouble for far less,' end of quote? Do you agree with that statement?" asked Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-MD.

"No, it's the reverse," the FBI director said.

Comey cited the Petraeus case as one that "illustrates perfectly the kind of cases the Department of Justice is willing to prosecute. Even there, they prosecuted him for a misdemeanor.

"In that case, you had vast quantities of highly classified information, including special sensitive compartmented information. That's the reference to code words. (A) vast quantity of it, not only shared with someone without authority to have it, but we found it in a search warrant hidden under the insulation in his attic, and then he lied to us about it during the investigation," Comey said. (Later in the hearing, Comey said his staff had corrected him and the notebooks were found in Petraeus' desk, not his attic.)

"So you have obstruction of justice, you have intentional misconduct and a vast quantity of information," Comey said. "He admitted he knew that was the wrong thing to do. That is a perfect illustration of the kind of cases that get prosecuted. In my mind, it illustrates importantly the distinction to this (Clinton) case."

"And General Petraeus did not admit to these facts when the FBI investigators first interviewed him, did he?" Cummings asked.

"No," Comey said, "he lied about it."

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-m...rector-james-comey-says-donald-trump-has-it-/

 

[GiantEnemyGoomba]

I hope he picks Petraeus for maximum irony

 

[Iksenpets]

Giuliani has absolutely no valuable experience, is an idiot, and has an awful temperament to boot. Patraeus is a convicted criminal. Romney would be pretty good. None of these guys other than Romney would even be under consideration in normal times.

 

[Tal Shiar Agent]

The only one of those I'd want in the line of succession is Romney.

 

[Officerrob]

Guiliani had a terrifying quote in the campaign, where he was saying the US should have stolen Iraqs oil during the war. When someone pointed out this was illegal under international law he did this sick sort of chuckle and said, it's a war, anything is legal.

He's pure evil.

Guiliani is trash, but he was just parroting Trump when it came to "taking the oil"

 

[Tom_Cody]

I loled

 

[guek]

I say we have try outs

 

[Tripon]

General Be-tray-us

 

[ginger ninja]

Y'all are crazy. Romney might be the most qualified and competent person of the whole upcoming Trump administration, beside Mattis.

 

[Eternal Gamer]

How can they be considering Petreus after all the noise with the e-mails?

 

[acheron_xl]

Apparently, Trump's team wants Romney to grovel for the job.

 

[Maxim726X]

Of the three, only Petraeus displays basic qualification and he was also convicted of leaking classified information to his journalist girlfriend. We're in a post-fact world if a guy who spent most of the campaign talking about how Hillary should be in jail appoints someone who was actually criminally convicted of the thing Hillary is alleged to have done but didn't.

Giuliani is pretty close to a literal monster, and Romney, while displaying basically good temperament and among the least bad choices ideologically, has no foreign policy experience (besides running the Olympics, which I'm assuming is now the bar for being Secretary of State since the UN Ambassador's most relevant experience is "got Volvo to build a factory in her state, Volvo are foreign right?").

Keeping in mind that no one Trump picks is going to be acceptable to me, may I suggest Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) or Tom Cotton (R-AK), both of which have basically good temperament and basically the experience they ought to have, even if I disagree with them strongly on the issues. Of everyone in the party, I think Jon Huntsman (R-UT) would be the absolute best choice across all dimensions, but he's not well liked among Trumpers.

Agree with this analysis mostly.

Since experience clearly doesn't matter, and Romney appears to be the most mentally stable of the finalists... I'd be more than happy with Mitt.

 

[FireBeaver]

You know things are bad when I'm actively rooting for Romney to get the job.

 

[Akuun]

Guiliani is trash, but he was just parroting Trump when it came to "taking the oil"

Yes, IIRC Trump did say something to the effect of "back in my day, when you take over a country, it belongs to you and you can do whatever you want with it" during one of his previous presidential bids that thankfully didn't go anywhere.

Edit: Found it.

So, in the old days, you know when you had a war, to the victor belong the spoils. You go in. You win the war and you take it.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/george/201...rabia-seize-oil-fields-in-libya-and-iraq.html

 

[Vena]

Apparently, Trump's team wants Romney to grovel for the job.

Frankly if I were Romney, I'd cowtow then work to undermine best I could.

 

[Akuun]

Frankly if I were Romney, I'd cowtow then work to undermine best I could.

It's probably the best choice for the sake of the country.

You could either let evil monsters have complete free reign of the White House, or you could swallow your pride to get in and be in a position to at least try to stop the country from going completely to shit.

 

[pa22word]

It's probably the best choice for the sake of the country.

You could either let evil monsters have complete free reign of the White House, or you could swallow your pride to get in and be in a position to at least try to stop the country from going completely to shit.

This never really works, especially at State which is the more underpowered of the top cabinet positions.

Just read up on Powell vs Cheney, Rice, and Rumsfeld

 

[AngmarsKing701]

The rare situation where Mittens is the best choice. Like, I'm convinced that Trump's team keeps leaking insane possibilities so people don't react as badly to his actual shitty choices.

This. See: DeVos >>>> Falwell

 

[Faddy]

Trump didn't even send a car to pick up Mittens at the airport (and he is never getting an apology)

General Betrayus can't really be a serious candidate. Too much baggage.

It seems like it has been orchestrated to give Trump non-choices so he ends up with Giulliani.

 

[Random Painted HIghway]

None of these guys are remotely qualified for this position. If I were a mid-upper level state bureaucrat 3 years from retirement I would seriously be facing the future with trepidation. At least with Romney you will have fewer ethical dilemmas I would hope... I can't fathom these three spearheading multi national agreements that don't involve threats of force. Perhaps that is the point.

 

[hydrophilic attack]

Where are the "Lock Him Up!" chants from the #Emails brigade?

he is male

 

[Ac30]

Apparently, Trump's team wants Romney to grovel for the job.

Sadly, I'd expect Romney to have too much pride for that. Also, the President wants his fellow American critics to grovel. How low can we go! That man's childish ego knows no bounds.

 

[dallow_bg]

Apparently, Trump's team wants Romney to grovel for the job.

Oh gosh. Southpark again.

 

[TestOfTide]

This never really works, especially at State which is the more underpowered of the top cabinet positions.

Just read up on Powell vs Cheney, Rice, and Rumsfeld

It could end up like that. Or Romney as SoS could end doing what Bill Weld did rightfully snitching on his corrupt boss.

Frankly if I were Romney, I'd cowtow then work to undermine best I could.

Exactly. He can take the job then become a hero by outing a corrupt boss.

 

[pa22word]

Sadly, I'd expect Romney to have too much pride for that. Also, the President wants his fellow American critics to grovel. How low can we go! That man's childish ego knows no bounds.

idk, according to an article I read on WaPo he views himself as a fierce "patriot" and people expect if push comes to shove he'd put country above himself.

I wouldn't shock me though if he did what they asked then they turned around and nom'd Giuliani anyways, just to stick him.

 

[Blader]

I still can't fathom how Petraeus could get through a Senate confirmation. I'm sure he will of course, since, again, Senate Republicans are chickenshit cowards. But how the fuck could anyone say with a straight face, after attacking Hillary mercilessly for months over her email practices, turn around and say Petraeus, actually convicted of leaking confidential information, is qualified to be SoS?

And I still don't understand how in the world Giuliani is even in this conversation. I mean, I know the real reason, but you can't get through a (normal) Senate confirmation saying you deserve the job because you were loyal to Trump.