Kut's Trump Approval Thread #1 (Starts Out at 100%)

[SheepDog4Life]

The hub-bub wasn't about either of the pictures shown, but her sitting at the "big table", the "leaders' table", when the President had to leave temporarily for another meeting. However, buried in this WaPo article is the reason... the topic at the time was supporting female entrepreneurs in Africa... one of Ivanka's "hot topics".

https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...769fa1d5691_story.html?utm_term=.74b6604d7fd8

A White House official said that the topic of conversation at that point in the meeting had shifted into one area of focus for Ivanka Trump: supporting female entrepreneurs in Africa.

 

[Kutnupe14]

The hub-bub wasn't about either of the pictures shown, but her sitting at the "big table", the "leaders' table", when the President had to leave temporarily for another meeting. However, buried in this WaPo article is the reason... the topic at the time was supporting female entrepreneurs in Africa... one of Ivanka's "hot topics".

https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...769fa1d5691_story.html?utm_term=.74b6604d7fd8

If that's true, I withdraw my complaint and concern.

 

[churchmouse]

If that's true, I withdraw my complaint and concern.

I believe it is another thing the MSM are twisting up to attack Trump. I saw this yesterday on another feed and yes, spin twist spin and twist some more.
If you continue to push a narrative eventually enough will have been served up and consumed that it will become a truth. Regardless of the actual facts.

It has become glaringly obvious there is a full on attack.

JMHO of course.

 

[Mgderf]

It has become glaringly obvious there is a full on attack.

JMHO of course.

Not yours exclusively.
I and many others concur.

 

[T.Lex]

Trump son met Russian who promised damaging material on Clinton - BBC News

This is another example of 2 things:
- Trump and his inner circle making unforced errors: Jr. didn't need to admit that they hoped to get trash on HRC to discuss the meeting. He could've - and should've - said that he took the meeting as a courtesy to a foreign gov't, which devolved into a lecture about the adoption issue, which was not productive. Done. Boom. Move on.
- There's nothing inherently wrong with taking a meeting in which a political operative hopes to get trash about an opponent. The media trying to parlay this into a smoking gun is woefully short of traction. Most people will shrug and "meh" it away.

 

[Kutnupe14]

Trump son met Russian who promised damaging material on Clinton - BBC News

This is another example of 2 things:
- Trump and his inner circle making unforced errors: Jr. didn't need to admit that they hoped to get trash on HRC to discuss the meeting. He could've - and should've - said that he took the meeting as a courtesy to a foreign gov't, which devolved into a lecture about the adoption issue, which was not productive. Done. Boom. Move on.
- There's nothing inherently wrong with taking a meeting in which a political operative hopes to get trash about an opponent. The media trying to parlay this into a smoking gun is woefully short of traction. Most people will shrug and "meh" it away.

Yeah... but he made decision to include Kushner and Manafort. I think fact probably inspires a little more curiosity, and if indeed he knew this was an agent of a foreign govt, I'm not sure that doesn't run afoul of the law if they did so without the knowledge of the State Dept.

 

[Alpo]

First of all, Ivanka is not an elected official or one that has gone through Senate approval. She has a degree from Wharton in economics. She's been a model and a ladies wear and accessories businesswoman. No experience whatsoever in foreign service. This is nepotism. Period. JFK did it too, and congress subsequently corrected this obvious problem subsequent to Kennedy's presidency.

I don't care how you cut it. She's not qualified and she shouldn't be speaking for me and you with foreign leaders, NO MATTER what the issue.

 

[T.Lex]

First of all, Ivanka is not an elected official or one that has gone through Senate approval. She has a degree from Wharton in economics. She's been a model and a ladies wear and accessories businesswoman. No experience whatsoever in foreign service.

Objectively true, and all of which made her more qualified in foreign policy than the previous president.

But, obviously, that's a digression.

This is nepotism. Period. JFK did it too, and congress subsequently corrected this obvious problem subsequent to Kennedy's presidency.

I don't care how you cut it. She's not qualified and she shouldn't be speaking for me and you with foreign leaders, NO MATTER what the issue.

It is nepotism, which is a political problem.

The prez thought she is qualified enough to take that meeting on his behalf. Not much different than having a national security advisor or some other non-Senate-approved advisor take the meeting.

 

[Alpo]

Obama was elected, like it or not. He had constitutional authority. I don't like the present president, but I grant him the same respect as the duly elected and sworn president. Specious argument, counselor.

Not much different than having a national security advisor or some other non-Senate-approved advisor take the meeting.

Au contraire. It is MUCH different. She has NO experience. She is representing the USA with 19 other heads of state. She has no standing. It would have been better if Trump had brought in almost anyone else in Treasury or State. C'mon. Quit making excuses for a really lame move. Embarrassing.

 

[T.Lex]

Obama was elected, like it or not. He had constitutional authority. I don't like the present president, but I grant him the same respect as the duly elected and sworn president. Specious argument, counselor.

Sometimes those are the most fun.

Mostly, I still shake my head at how bad our foreign policy was under Obama. Specious or not, it set an incredibly low bar for the Trump administration (of which Ivanka is a part) to exceed,

Au contraire. It is MUCH different. She has NO experience. She is representing the USA with 19 other heads of state. She has no standing. It would have been better if Trump had brought in almost anyone else in Treasury or State. C'mon. Quit making excuses for a really lame move. Embarrassing.

She represented the US at the direction of POTUS. That makes it a political issue.

Your objection to her is one of process. Ok. Valid.

What of the substance? Do you object to anything she said while acting on behalf of POTUS?

 

[KLB]

Obama was elected, like it or not. He had constitutional authority. I don't like the present president, but I grant him the same respect as the duly elected and sworn president. Specious argument, counselor.



Au contraire. It is MUCH different. She has NO experience. She is representing the USA with 19 other heads of state. She has no standing. It would have been better if Trump had brought in almost anyone else in Treasury or State. C'mon. Quit making excuses for a really lame move. Embarrassing.

I have to agree. He should not be putting his favorite child into these situations.

We have people holding positions with our government to do things like this. Leave the children at home.

 

[Alpo]

What of the substance? Do you object to anything she said while acting on behalf of POTUS?

Do you have her statements at the table?

 

[T.Lex]

Do you have her statements at the table?

No - I don't think she made any, so neither do you.

Which, again, makes the objection a political/procedural one. As Merkel noted, each delegation can staff meetings as they see fit. POTUS's choice in this instance is a political issue.

Getting back to the issue upon which there may be consensus is that her role is nepotistic and carries the risks that go along with that.

 

[jamil]

First of all, Ivanka is not an elected official or one that has gone through Senate approval. She has a degree from Wharton in economics. She's been a model and a ladies wear and accessories businesswoman. No experience whatsoever in foreign service. This is nepotism. Period. JFK did it too, and congress subsequently corrected this obvious problem subsequent to Kennedy's presidency.

I don't care how you cut it. She's not qualified and she shouldn't be speaking for me and you with foreign leaders, NO MATTER what the issue.

Just to sort of connect to T.Lex's digression, when you say she's not "qualified", I think I would restate that as she's not really "authorized". As you say, she's not elected or appointed/confirmed. That is the only important disqualification for that role. And let's deal with that in the scale that it is. She's not trying to be the US Attorney General. She sat in the big chair as a stand-in representing the US for one meeting at the G20 about African migration and health. That's not nothing, but it's also not anywhere near the scale, in terms of nepotism, as appointing one's brother in a full-time, cabinet position either.

So I agree that it's nepotism to a degree. And I agree that in not having the official capacity as a statesman, she is unqualified for that role. I think experience wise, she's probably more qualified to sit in on that meeting than Trump is. But America has not authorized her to do that.

 

[jbombelli]

Is it any different than having your wife discuss things in your place, when she wasn't elected or appointed to anything either? Lots of president's have done that.

 

[KLB]

Just to sort of connect to T.Lex's digression, when you say she's not "qualified", I think I would restate that as she's not really "authorized". As you say, she's not elected or appointed/confirmed. That is the only important disqualification for that role. And let's deal with that in the scale that it is. She's not trying to be the US Attorney General. She sat in the big chair as a stand-in representing the US for one meeting at the G20 about African migration and health. That's not nothing, but it's also not anywhere near the scale, in terms of nepotism, as appointing one's brother in a full-time, cabinet position either.

So I agree that it's nepotism to a degree. And I agree that in not having the official capacity as a statesman, she is unqualified for that role. I think experience wise, she's probably more qualified to sit in on that meeting than Trump is. But America has not authorized her to do that.

Well put.

There are rules in place to stop nepotism in giving jobs. From what I read it revolved around money though.

I don't think that this scenario was covered.

 

[Alpo]

Just to sort of connect to T.Lex's digression, when you say she's not "qualified", I think I would restate that as she's not really "authorized". As you say, she's not elected or appointed/confirmed. That is the only important disqualification for that role. And let's deal with that in the scale that it is. She's not trying to be the US Attorney General. She sat in the big chair as a stand-in representing the US for one meeting at the G20 about African migration and health. That's not nothing, but it's also not anywhere near the scale, in terms of nepotism, as appointing one's brother in a full-time, cabinet position either.

So I agree that it's nepotism to a degree. And I agree that in not having the official capacity as a statesman, she is unqualified for that role. I think experience wise, she's probably more qualified to sit in on that meeting than Trump is. But America has not authorized her to do that.

I'm not Ivy League elitist by any means. However, Ivanka graduated "*** laude" (won't let me say it...in English: with honors) in economics from Wharton. That's middle of the pack at best at Wharton for an undergrad. Probably not good enough on merits to get into an MBA program in the Ivy League. There are 100's if not thousands of highly educated summa's and magna's, not to mention those who are out of law school or Master's programs that would be better qualified on paper. And a good chunk of them are female as well, so this is not a gender issue.

Ivanka is a bimbette. She may be the smartest one in that clan, but I am not impressed.

 

[T.Lex]

She was (apparently) smart enough to keep her mouth shut. Which, indeed, puts her miles ahead of her kin.

 

[printcraft]

First of all, Ivanka is not an elected official or one that has gone through Senate approval. She has a degree from Wharton in economics. She's been a model and a ladies wear and accessories businesswoman. No experience whatsoever in foreign service. This is nepotism. Period. JFK did it too, and congress subsequently corrected this obvious problem subsequent to Kennedy's presidency.

I don't care how you cut it. She's not qualified and she shouldn't be speaking for me and you with foreign leaders, NO MATTER what the issue.

Hey, at least she hasn't ordered what food schools can or cannot serve to American children......

 

[SheepDog4Life]

I'm not Ivy League elitist by any means. However, Ivanka graduated "*** laude" (won't let me say it...in English: with honors) in economics from Wharton. That's middle of the pack at best at Wharton for an undergrad. Probably not good enough on merits to get into an MBA program in the Ivy League. There are 100's if not thousands of highly educated summa's and magna's, not to mention those who are out of law school or Master's programs that would be better qualified on paper. And a good chunk of them are female as well, so this is not a gender issue.

Ivanka is a bimbette. She may be the smartest one in that clan, but I am not impressed.

She's an unpaid advisor to the president. To compare that to Bobby Kennedy as AG is the proverbial making a mountain out of a mole hill.

And, from what I can find, the average SAT score at Wharton is 1466 on the 1600 scale! That's <2% of SAT takers. To get into Penn, but not Wharton, the MINIMUM is 700 on each of the three tests, or 2100 on the 2400 scale. That's 4%.

So, even if c*m laude is earned by half of the graduates, that's the top half of pretty rarified company. While maybe not "the best of the best" signified by magna and summa honors, that's definitely "better than half" of "the best". Lol!

"Bimbette" is definitely a gender issue... without a doubt, she's a smart woman.