Bob Woodward: "Administrative Coup D'etat"

In Bob Woodward's new book, " Fear: Trump in the White House", he describes certain acts within the White House as "no less than an administrative coup d'etat". These acts include stealing documents from president's desk in order to keep him from signing them.

"Woodward describes several instances where Trump administration officials - chief economic advisor Gary Cohen and White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter, in particular - removed documents from the president's desk to keep Mr Trump from signing them."

www.bbc.com...

If true, this does not bode well for the democracy in general, the American republic in particular, and proves the unmitigated fear produced by the propaganda arm of the political class.

I suppose he has supportive evidence of this?

Or is this more of that "unnamed" sources??

originally posted by: seagull
I suppose he has supportive evidence of this?

Or is this more of that "unnamed" sources??

From what I can tell, it's all "unnamed sources".

a reply to: NiNjABackflip

Is it due to fear caused by the media or fear caused by Trump the man? It's said that due to his dwindling cognitive abilities Reagan was essentially a figurehead with no real power.

Who's to say those surrounding Trump don't fear he is also suffering from senility/early stage Alzheimer's?

a reply to: NiNjABackflip

I figured as much.

Hurling something at the wall, hoping it'll stick. I miss real investigative journalism...

Now,
call me old fashioned... but wouldn't stealing documents right off the presidents desk be considered a no-no?
Probably a crime? Like a felony?

I mean, we're in a country where there's no single lawyer, group of lawyers, or judges that can tell you roughly how many harmless acts are felonies. Possession of some plants can land you charges that strip your right to vote and your second amendment rights... but stealing documents off the desk of an elected national leader to prevent them from doing their job doesn't have any repercussions?

What's going on, here?

a reply to: seagull

Considering it's Woodward I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt. He already brought down one president with "unnamed sources."

originally posted by: Xcalibur254
a reply to: NiNjABackflip

Is it due to fear caused by the media or fear caused by Trump the man? It's said that due to his dwindling cognitive abilities Reagan was essentially a figurehead with no real power.

Who's to say those surrounding Trump don't fear he is also suffering from senility/early stage Alzheimer's?

There is no evidence of "dwindling cognitive abilities".

a reply to: Xcalibur254

Or Woodward is making it up out of whole cloth??

That's as much a possibility as Trump suffering from early on-set dementia, isn't it?

originally posted by: lordcomac
Now,
call me old fashioned... but wouldn't stealing documents right off the presidents desk be considered a no-no?
Probably a crime? Like a felony?

I mean, we're in a country where there's no single lawyer, group of lawyers, or judges that can tell you roughly how many harmless acts are felonies. Possession of some plants can land you charges that strip your right to vote and your second amendment rights... but stealing documents off the desk of an elected national leader to prevent them from doing their job doesn't have any repercussions?

What's going on, here?

Exactly. That's why Woodward called it an "Administrative Coup D'etat".

I can imagine very easily that this is true.

Rob and gary....

a reply to: lordcomac

Big time. Almost certainly a felony. Even espionage statutes might come into play under certain circumstances?

If it even happened.

a reply to: NiNjABackflip

White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly frequently lost his temper and told colleagues that he thought the president was “unhinged,” Woodward writes. In one small group meeting, Kelly said of Trump: “He’s an idiot. It’s pointless to try to convince him of anything. He’s gone off the rails. We’re in Crazytown. I don’t even know why any of us are here. This is the worst job I’ve ever had.”
www.washingtonpost.com...

This does not bode well for the democracy in general, the American republic in particular, and proves the unmitigated fear produced by the propaganda arm of the political class.

This is democracy in action , if there's a problem the people deserve to know.

Fan boys will continue to defend AND attack the messenger but the truth is at some point it will become obvious even to them.

from a recorded conversation between woodward and trump -

"Yeah, OK," Trump replied. "Well, accurate is that nobody's ever done a better job than I'm doing as President. That I can tell you. So that's -- And that's the way a lot of people feel that know what's going on, and you'll see that over the years. But a lot of people feel that, Bob."

bless his heart.

a reply to: NiNjABackflip

All of the excerpts I have read today...are all from first hand accounts of actual events that Woodward recorded when interviewing staff within the WH.
He has named all of the people involved in each account.....as much as I have read so far.

Bob calls DJT

There is a link to a call between Woodward and Trump regarding the book and BWoodward's sources.

originally posted by: seagull
a reply to: Xcalibur254

Or Woodward is making it up out of whole cloth??

That's as much a possibility as Trump suffering from early on-set dementia, isn't it?

I'd give Woodward the benefit of the doubt. It's more likely his sources are making it up if they are lying.

a reply to: gortex

This is democracy in action , if there's a problem the people deserve to know.

Fan boys will continue to defend AND attack the messenger but the truth is at some point it will become obvious even to them.

People are surreptitiously removing documents from the leader's desk so he will not sign them. That's not democracy. But deep-state fanboys will be dreaming that these thieves are saving the country.

originally posted by: NiNjABackflip

originally posted by: seagull
a reply to: Xcalibur254

Or Woodward is making it up out of whole cloth??

That's as much a possibility as Trump suffering from early on-set dementia, isn't it?

I'd give Woodward the benefit of the doubt. It's more likely his sources are making it up if they are lying.

Or, Donald Trump is the same Donald Trump he’s always been.

Nah, that’s too crazy of a conspiracy.

originally posted by: knoxie
from a recorded conversation between woodward and trump -

"Yeah, OK," Trump replied. "Well, accurate is that nobody's ever done a better job than I'm doing as President. That I can tell you. So that's -- And that's the way a lot of people feel that know what's going on, and you'll see that over the years. But a lot of people feel that, Bob."

bless his heart.

Pretty much the thoughts of most Presidents. Obama even said many times he could do the work of his cabinet members better than they can do it, write better than his best writers, etc.... Narcissistic trendies are never lacking at the top level.

Again and again, Woodward recounts at length how Trump’s national security team was shaken by his lack of curiosity and knowledge about world affairs and his contempt for the mainstream perspectives of military and intelligence leaders.

link