Trump brushed aside questions about how his actions in the White House could benefit his businesses with a startling declaration.

"The law's totally on my side. The president can't have a conflict of interest," Trump said.

It was reminiscent of Richard Nixon's comment to journalist David Frost that by definition, a president's actions don't violate the law. "Well, when the president does it, that means it is not illegal," Nixon said.

Trump acknowledged his businesses will benefit from his victory, saying his new hotel in Washington is "probably a more valuable asset than it was before" and that its brand is "hotter."

 ScottFromWyoming wrote: 
Sorry, Scott. Thought we were discussing reality and not fantasy politics league. Whut wuz I thinkin'. 

"This is not any kind of endorsement, it's just me thinking of the three, he's the least bad." 

We're disagreeing on who Bachelor #1 should be, but we're largely playing the same game: keep Trump or replace him?

Again, I disagree with you. I think Trump is the worst of the three. A tougher question would be: Trump or Gary Johnson? Pick your deadly poison...

Trump is so MASSIVELY unprepared to be President that this deficiency automatically puts him as last on the list. His lack of knowledge about even the barest workings of the federal government would make him a poor hire at even the lowest of managerial positions in government. He's so arrogant that even if he had time to learn, he wouldn't bother. Hell, let's remove the conditionality of that last sentence: he didn't bother. He has no idea that many of his promises are going to be impossible to pass as legislation, hideously expensive, and/or counter-productive. 

Trump is STILL behaving like a spoiled rich kid who's never been slapped down. This guy is going to forge alliances with Congress and heads of state?!!? 

Cruz is far smarter than Trump and less likely to tie himself to the mast for most issues. Cruz is a dick, though. Pence is warm milk like Jeb! but not as experienced or even-handed as governor.  Pence, then Cruz, then very far back is Douchebag Don. 

They all suck. It's largely a matter of determining which Circle of Hell you prefer.  


"Well, yes, four years can seem like an eternity but..."
 

 ScottFromWyoming wrote: 
Yeah, I had to remind myself that I think Cruz is more evil than Trump. My original thought was Trump wouldn't mess with the social issues that he doesn't really care about so as long as he doesn't blow up the world, all is good. And I held a faint hope that the congressional Republicans would step up and hold him in check.
But I now believe that Trump is will buy off the religious right with pretty much anything to get them on his side for the things he does care about. If that's the case Trump is the worst case scenario. Civil rights are screwed, choice is screwed, everyone is screwed on climate change, Trump industries and his Wall Street friends make out like bandits, and he still might blow up the world. FML.

 ScottFromWyoming wrote:  
That's a tough call. Trump has so much potential downside from the hot headedness. I think he's mostly pragmatic and will probably wind up unhappily bound by the bureaucracy of government. He's not used to having to answer to people. But then there is that whole apparently thin skin thing. If you can get to him with a tweet, what happens when a dictator  annoys him and he feels even more justified in starting a war like skirmish - that is within his power now. And how far could that escalate...  Also consider that he likes to use the news media as distraction, so if things aren't going swimmingly, look for a war to rally everyone together.

Pence is the scariest of the bunch to me, and is the best insurance against impeaching the Donald.  Cruz is pretty political, but is aligned with some scary factions. He's also looking to score points and willing do to it at the expense of others.

So Pence is the worst, the other two are almost a toss up. Do I pick likely reasonablish policy with a chance of war, or insane policy (with a chance of civil war)... I guess I'd choose personal profiteering for white guys.

 kcar wrote: 
That's not my premise Jesus Christ can't anyone here read? Except OV. 

The exercise is: Right here, right now, would you swap out Trump and replace him with either Pence or Cruz? I would not. This is not any kind of endorsement, it's just me thinking of the three, he's the least bad. Do not construe that as meaning anything more than what I've said.

 ScottFromWyoming wrote: 
"Bumbling loudmouth"...if that's your characterization of Trump (forgive my grogginess), you're being extraordinarily kind to Donald.

I don't accept your premise that one of these three is going to be President post-2020. The next four years are going to a long, painful test of whether voters' anger at establishment politics can be sustained. But let's play anyway...

Trump may not be the flaming fireball of disaster that we imagined leading up to the election. There's always a significant gap between campaign promises and in-office stances. Trump is already making conciliatory noises about climate change agreements, deportation of illegal immigrants and "prosecution" of Clinton. 

But Pence and Cruz at least have political experience. AFAIK they respect laws and the legal boundaries of an elected office far more than Trump. I believe that Trump's shifting positions are his attempt to adjust to political and economic realities, but they're also a strong sign that he's figuring out just what he's gotten himself into. It's frightening to realize he'll still be struggling at that four years from now. Almost every President and his staff have said that the Oval Office gives you no time to build knowledge on the job. 

I'd have to choose Pence of the three. Trump will never be ready or steady enough. Cruz is an arrogant prick who alienates almost everyone he meets, although I suspect a lot of his more extreme anti-government positions, like his religious devotion, are lies he told to get into office. Pence seems to be aware of his own limits as a leader and thinker. He may be readier to reach compromise positions than Cruz. He also doesn't have an unjustifiably bloated ego like the other two.   

We'll see. I have so little faith in the average American voter now that I can't rule out seeing Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in the White House next time around.  

 ScottFromWyoming wrote: 
Clinton - after Sanders.

 ScottFromWyoming wrote: 
Only in proximity to the office. As to serious aspiration I just don't see it.

 Skydog wrote: 
That's all I'm sayin'. 

 Red_Dragon wrote: 
You don't get to choose none. One of them is going to be President, which is the least odious?
 
I agree Pence wasn't really even testing the waters, but now that he's this close, he's an automatic front-runner. 

 ScottFromWyoming wrote: 
In a scenario with a gun to my head and death threats against my wife and daughter where I am forced to choose,..........I gotta pick Trump

 ScottFromWyoming wrote: 
I honestly don't believe that Mr. Pence has any designs on the presidency itself. Just an intuitive opinion I'll admit. Sen. Cruz, however...watch out.

 ScottFromWyoming wrote: 
My choice was none of them, as for me they are all equally horrible in their own, horrible way. My plan is to keep buying lottery tickets.

 Red_Dragon wrote: 
Trump
Pence
Cruz

Choose One. I'll take the bumbling loudmouth who doesn't care about me, over the other two who are experienced and driven and dislike me very much. We have two years to get our shit together. Only one or two senate seats currently held by the GOP can be considered vulnerable, but several Dems are at risk. Not sure what the tenor of the House will be in 18 months, but it may be combustible by then. If Pence or Cruz were in, either of them would be looking directly at 2018 right now. 

 ScottFromWyoming wrote: 

 Steely_D wrote: 
 I hear that The Donald will also pardon the lady who took the fall for NJ Gov Christie in the 'Bridgegate' affair, she could be facing up to 20 years.
 

 Steely_D wrote: 




My bad, didn't mean it as a swing.

 Steely_D wrote: 
I assumed a lot of this, which is what led me to prefer Trump over Cruz or now Pence. Not to say I'm happy in any way that we elected him, but to a small degree, I'm slightly relieved. 

 sirdroseph wrote: 
I bet you could've said that last part without it starting with a swing at me.

 Steely_D wrote: 




I don't think you get it, there are only a few diehard "deplorables" who really give a rat's ass about Trump. This election was all about keeping Clinton out of the White House, you see they already got what they wanted, Trump is damn near irrelevant.