The [Current Year] General Political/Salma Hayek discussion thread, part 4!!!

[Hawkeye]

What most drives people to polls? Ideas? Or charismatic personalities?

I think its both.

Bernie seemed to have both until Clinton and the DNC shut him down. I think Obama had charisma working in his favor in 2008.

2016, I think it was ideas on the Republican side that put Trump over the top. IMO he was not running on charisma (in the way I think Reagan did) but more on ideas that seemed to resonate with voters.

 

[Kutnupe14]

Cohen's out.

 

[ghitch75]

Cohen's out.

.....people come people go.....

 

[ghitch75]

Obama had plenty leave......

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014...d-meet-people-who-bailed-obama-administration

 

[Kutnupe14]

From our regularly scheduled program "How Can the White House Embarrass Us (and his wife) Today":

[FONT=&amp]Adult film starStormy Daniels sued Donald Trump Tuesday, alleging that he never signed the nondisclosure agreement that his lawyer had arranged with her. [/FONT]
[FONT=&amp]The civil suit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court and obtained by NBC News, alleges that her agreement not to disclose her "intimate" relationship with Trump is not valid because while both Daniels and Trump's attorney Michael Cohen signed it, Trump never did.[/FONT]

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/do...ays-hush-agreement-invalid-because-he-n854246

That's just nasty. The Playmate I get, but who has a relationship with a pornstar? It also appears that this payoff may have violated the law concerning campaign contributions.

 

[T.Lex]

I don't see how it could've violated campaign contribution laws.

In other breaking news, Trump is a rich, lecherous jerk.

Wait.

That's not really news.

 

[Birds Away]

I don't see how it could've violated campaign contribution laws.

In other breaking news, Trump is a rich, lecherous jerk.

Wait.

That's not really news.

I really don't care who he is screwing as long as it isn't us.

 

[KLB]

I really don't care who he is screwing as long as it isn't us.

Agreed.

Out of curiosity, did you feel the same about Clinton?

 

[Birds Away]

Agreed.

Out of curiosity, did you feel the same about Clinton?

Yes, he was just as slimy or perhaps even slimier. I couldn't care less who the President is sleeping with. Even Reggie Love didn't bother me.

 

[KLB]

Yes, he was just as slimy or perhaps even slimier. I couldn't care less who the President is sleeping with. Even Reggie Love didn't bother me.

 

[Kutnupe14]

I don't see how it could've violated campaign contribution laws.

In other breaking news, Trump is a rich, lecherous jerk.

Wait.

That's not really news.

That depends on how you look at it. To me it appears that Trump's lawyer made a payment to Ms Daniels to suppress information that they potentially believed could harm his campaign. It comes down to simple question "Was this payment made with Trump political campaign in mind?"

 

[Kutnupe14]

Yes, he was just as slimy or perhaps even slimier. I couldn't care less who the President is sleeping with. Even Reggie Love didn't bother me.

But surely you acknowledge, that traditionally, people do care who the president is sleeping with? I think this sort of thing should be particularly troublesome with self-described Conservative Christian voters, as they certainly raked Clinton over the coals for his missteps.

 

[T.Lex]

That depends on how you look at it. To me it appears that Trump's lawyer made a payment to Ms Daniels to suppress information that they potentially believed could harm his campaign. It comes down to simple question "Was this payment made with Trump political campaign in mind?"

I still think that's a stretch. If he used his own money, I don't think its a problem. If he used campaign money... maybe. If someone else paid her on his behalf and they're going to say it was an undocumented contribution... I still think that's a stretch.

But surely you acknowledge, that traditionally, people do care who the president is sleeping with? I think this sort of thing should be particularly troublesome with self-described Conservative Christian voters, as they certainly raked Clinton over the coals for his missteps.

If the candidate is married, then I care.

When evaluating a candidate, things like honor and integrity still matter to me, at least in relative terms. If a candidate made one of the most important vows possible - to a spouse - and routinely breaks it, that's a character issue that is difficult for me to overcome.

 

[Kutnupe14]

I still think that's a stretch. If he used his own money, I don't think its a problem. If he used campaign money... maybe. If someone else paid her on his behalf and they're going to say it was an undocumented contribution... I still think that's a stretch.

Ok, lets look at it from the opposite perspective then. If Clinton's lawyer paid Stormy Daniels $130K to gather information they thought would be damaging to the Trump campaign, and didn't lis it as a campaign expense, would you consider that a violation?

 

[Birds Away]

But surely you acknowledge, that traditionally, people do care who the president is sleeping with? I think this sort of thing should be particularly troublesome with self-described Conservative Christian voters, as they certainly raked Clinton over the coals for his missteps.

I do acknowledge that. I also agree that Christian conservatives should be consistent but I am equally sure that they won't. People are people and we are all fallible.

 

[Birds Away]

If the candidate is married, then I care.

When evaluating a candidate, things like honor and integrity still matter to me, at least in relative terms. If a candidate made one of the most important vows possible - to a spouse - and routinely breaks it, that's a character issue that is difficult for me to overcome.

Okay, it was inaccurate for me to say I don't care. It would be more accurate to say that it isn't necessarily a deal breaker. I honestly believe they are all so slimy that to believe that such characteristics as "honor" and "integrity" are even remotely possible in a modern politician is laughable.

 

[T.Lex]

Ok, lets look at it from the opposite perspective then. If Clinton's lawyer paid Stormy Daniels $130K to gather information they thought would be damaging to the Trump campaign, and didn't lis it as a campaign expense, would you consider that a violation?

Hmmm... that's a good question.

That's a variation of oppo research that is done all the time. If the lawyer is being paid by the campaign for oppo research (which is common, because there's a good chance the attorney-client privilege would attach), then there's no problem. First, he's probably getting paid WAY more than $130k. Second, if he's only getting paid $100k, but pays her $130k, then that's just bad business. (IOW, he's not doing it right.)

But, your premise would be that the payment to the attorney wouldn't be listed at all? That would be just stupid. If the payment was coming from the campaign, everyone knows there has to be some line item for it.

If the payment was coming from someone other than the campaign - like a PAC or other interest group - it gets even more muddied.

Without more, it could be done in a way that wasn't a campaign violation.

But, I guess that's the thing. Did people do it the "right" way. (Which is an awkward turn of phrase when discussing Trump's sex life.)

 

[T.Lex]

Okay, it was inaccurate for me to say I don't care. It would be more accurate to say that it isn't necessarily a deal breaker. I honestly believe they are all so slimy that to believe that such characteristics as "honor" and "integrity" are even remotely possible in a modern politician is laughable.

Hey BA, I hope I didn't come across as calling you out. That wasn't my intent. I can completely understand the "don't care what happens in the bedroom" angle.

I just want to emphasize that I said honor and integrity "in relative terms." That is, "more or less than the other candidates."

I think Pence is an example of honor and integrity in politics (in relative terms). He tends to choose his words carefully, but he generally means them.

 

[printcraft]

Yes, he was just as slimy or perhaps even slimier. I couldn't care less who the President is sleeping with. Even Reggie Love didn't bother me.

LOL

 

[Kutnupe14]

Okay, it was inaccurate for me to say I don't care. It would be more accurate to say that it isn't necessarily a deal breaker. I honestly believe they are all so slimy that to believe that such characteristics as "honor" and "integrity" are even remotely possible in a modern politician is laughable.

While it makes for good TV... You know, I actually honestly don't care, and here's why... people are freaky. I have no idea what type of relationships the Clintons or the Trumps have maybe Hilary and Melania knew about them, maybe they didn't care. If that's they thing, it's not my place to tell them how much I disapprove of it. If Melania wants to come out and say something expressing her displeasure, then I can take issue. But if she's going to be quiet, I see no reason why I should really care also.