President Donald Trump and the Wall Street Journal are in an open conflict over what was said in a meeting between the President and editors. It was reported to the shock (and ridicule) of many that Trump said that he has a great relationship with Kim Jong Un of North Korea. The White House went public and said that the President clearly said the “I’d have a very good relationship” and not “I have a very good relationship” with the dictator. The White House disputed that President Donald Trump told The Wall Street Journal in an interview Thursday that “I probably have a very good relationship with Kim Jong Un of North Korea,” saying that Mr. Trump had instead said “I’d probably have a very good relationship” with the North Korean leader. Notably, this was not a denial based on “misspeaking” but a direct denial. Trump then pushed it further with a tweet. Unlike the controversy over the denied use of the word “shithole” in the Oval Office (where Trump said he might have to start recording such meetings), he did record this interview. Now the Wall Street Journal has released the tape and it sounds like the editors were correctly recounting the President’s words (though it is close). I have now listened repeatedly and initially supported the WSJ, but now I am not quite as confident. Trump’s position seems more consistent with the context and he might have swallowed the “did” a bit in “I’d.” The recording is below.
You can listen for yourself: Here.
I am surprised that the White House did not simply say that the President meant “I’d have” but instead has gone “all in” on another complete denial. The use of “I’d” would be more consistent with the context of the remarks. It seems to be what he meant as opposed to how he said it.
You be the judge. Who is telling the truth on the issue?
CV Brown – I was down there last year. Loved the B-52s lined up by series. Took lots of pictures.
CV Brown – I let it go by the first 2 times, however, it is NORAD, not NORRAD.
Since we are on the topic of Kim Jong Un, may I bring up the disaster in Hawaii? Not only did someone “push the wrong button”, but the state failed to immediately send a false alarm notice for 37 minutes. During this false alarm, clearly the people of Hawaii had no idea what to do or where to go, and there was mass hysteria.
North Korea has been threatening to attack the US for many years. It has been one of the unifying issues across the political aisle. We have been unsuccessfully trying to stop North Korea’s nuclear ambitions, expressly because we believe the country would attack us.
Hawaii is one of the closest targets.
North Korea is getting quite close to completing its nuclear weapons. Nothing has changed in North Korea’s rhetoric. As in years past, it still wants to target the United States.
So why in hell hasn’t Hawaii Doomsday Prepped before this? We have been casually assembling our aircraft carriers in Korea’s orbit. Officials have been urged to stay domestic. And Hawaii still has no plan apparently for the event of a crisis? They cannot even handle how to promptly respond to a false alarm? That’s egregious irresponsibility. What if someone had a heart attack in those 37 minutes? Ran over someone in a panic? Japan has seamless tsunami drills. CA, one of the most wrecked states in the Union, all pretty much knows the drill in the event of an earthquake. Kansans know all about how to deal with tornados. So why do Hawaiians have absolutely no idea how to handle an incoming missile? Do they train for tsunamis or are they hopeless with that, too? This is an embarrassment to those who run that state.
I also wondered if this was some sort of political stunt to be used in future anti-Trump ads. You know, blame Trump for North Korea threatening to nuke us, when they have been on record doing exactly that for decades and multiple dictators.
I would demand the Gov of Hawaii and Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard explain in plain language, exactly what is the potential benefit of any warning. Also, how and why have they not fired the offending employee for his grotesque and egregious error?
If there is no benefit to the warning, which I presume is exactly the case till proven otherwise, then every penny they spend on such warning is infinitely worse than wasted millions of dollars which could provide other benefits. It also wrongly informs people there is a potential benefit, plus in the case of false positive warnings, could and actually might actually cause unnecessary death and/or injury.
Did anyone suffer a heart attack and die from the stress of the first false positive? Vehicle accidents? They should consider recalling that effin Governor. What a turd is his admin.
I’m reminded of the City of Petaluma, CA about 15 years ago. A man kidnapped Polly Klass. For some insane, grossly incompetent reason, someone in the local police (dispatch or PD officer) decided NOT to alert all officers via police radio. Minutes later police officers questioned the kidnapper with Polly alive in the trunk of his car, not knowing of the kidnapping. If they did they would certainly have saved her life.
Anyone fired? Of course not!
Our daughter attends college in Hawaii – there was NOT mass hysteria, except by her helpless parents 4000 miles away. There was massive fear in the hearts and minds of the citizens and we had absolutely no idea how to help or where she should go – but the populous there handled this with amazing composure, in my opinion.
Today my answer to her inquiry, “Dad, where should I go?” is quite clear: back to Indiana – today.
Sounds like good advice.
Was it her opinion that the news of hysteria were exaggerated by the media, and people were frightened but not panicked?
Yes, let us blame it on the news – grow up, idiot.
The POTUS would be best served if he ditched Steven Miller. It’s obvious to me Miller has the presidents last ear and keypad strokes prior to any communication.
Who the hell cares? Grow up.
Again, this could have been handled much better. This is not the stuff of international incidents. He simply could have said that he either spoke too fast and you couldn’t hear the “d”, or he misspoke, but that he was clearly referring to the future and not present. Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy. Not ever media source is MSNBC. This would be considered a simple misunderstanding rather than fake news.
He’s laid a tack in his path.
On the other hand, that is also the simplest explanation the WSJ could offer – that he clearly meant “would” and put in a correction or update to the story. This quibble over whether there was a “d” sound is nonsense. The other meaning makes no sense, so he either misspoke or didn’t enunciate.
Much ado about nothing.
“He simply could have said that he either spoke too fast and you couldn’t hear the “d”, or he misspoke”
I agree! President effing moron could have just admitted he misspoke and ended the incident. Why did the baby trump not do that?
Why didn’t you and the babies from the media just ignore the incident since the left complains that all too frequently Trump slurs his words so it is understandable from that point of view one might not understand the President. What you people do is pick and choose what you wish to say about the President even if it that means one of your complaints contradicts another. That makes you guys into fools.
LOL! The baby trump is all yours. And I never heard about this WSJ incident until I went on this conservative, pro-trump blog. So please aim your infantile, whiny diatribe at our host, Professor Turley.
You never heard of the Lambert indictment either?
The baby trump is all yours.”
Bill, I am happy to Have Trump and his eccentricities. You don’t deserve him at all. He cares and has done well for the working group that now has jobs and will have extra money in the bank. You can’t see that because you are too busy trying to feed at mother’s breast. You don’t even realize that Turley is a civil libertarian probably slightly left of center though he might be learning that the left is a bit too whacky.
Black unemployment under Trump is at a record low. Reading Michelle Obama’s thesis – yes it’s out there now – I can understand why Barack didn’t want those numbers to decrease. He needed black people to be dumb Out of work. Idle. Wanting. That way, when Democrats came around, those Democrats could rattle the cages they put black people into and jive them into voting jack ass. Really, read Michelle’s thesis from Princeton circa 1985. I just did. These leftists have a plan and you can see it plain and simple. If you’re black, that plan requires you stay broke, silent, and mad in the hood until election day when they come calling on you – kind of like the old slave days.
Imagine that, Michelle Obama slave master. That’s how she casts herself in her own 1985 thesis.
As for you Turley and I know you are reading this, why are you silent on her thesis? Did they pay you off? You scared to challenge them? What is it?
You want to know why? Quite simple–he needs to keep his job. Period. Not a condemnation of him. Really. Not at all. A very simple explanation. Just think. . .no more invites to speak on TV. No more invites to those catered parties. Perhaps, no more job. Tenure means nothing if there is a true desire to get rid of you. Can’t say that I blame him. He has a family. Mouths to feed. Bills to pay. There have to be, certain lines, over which he cannot cross, for survival. You think that he is going to take on the Obamas, and the power behind them, by daring to critique Moochie’s work? No way.
Andrew, Michelle is a phony.
CV Brown – in Omaha we knew they would target SAC Offet, but accuracy was iffy so Omaha was going to burn. We had at least 3 B-52 command bombers in the air at all times over Omaha. One could not land until another went up. They had all the nuke codes on them.
I heard “i’d probably, rather than “I probably”.
Of course , neither make any sense , as usual, with Trump-speak.
CV Brown- I was in Omaha, home of SAC, during the Cuban Missile Crisis. I kissed my a$$ goodbye long ago. 🙂
A big deal over nothing.
One can hear “I” or “I’d”, however, the immediate words after that statement not in the cc text were “I would”. Take note of the tense. That would be the same tense as “I’d”.
I think instead of a nonending attack on the President over inaudible events, eccentricities, or unimportant mistakes there should be more focus on policy and its implications. Take note of the error in Hawaii regarding our early warning system. That is important.
I couldn’t agree with you more. The bespectacled nerds, at the WSJ, have never truly grown up, as evidenced by their idiotic, immature, pathetic and infantile behavior. The bottom line–it’s abundantly clear that these tools have never matured and morphed into normal, mature human beings. They are still caught up in a weird time warp, which has permitted them to age, chronologically, where they are simply older versions of the annoying kids, that used to inhabit our respective classrooms–you know, the ones, so despised and detested, not because they were book smart, not because they were capable of taking an exam or writing a report. . .the ones avoided, at all costs, because they were socially retarded and incapable of interacting with others in a normal fashion. The annoying ones who, needlessly and incessantly, picked apart anything and everything, if only to prove, hey, look at me, I’m smart! The WSJ. . .filled with these same individuals, whose maturity–which would have allowed them to differentiate and distinguish between reporting what is relevant and newsworthy from that which is irrelevant and unimportant–was stunted, retarded and damaged, decades ago. The same turds, now armed with the ability to contribute to a newspaper, choose to assault the President, on a daily basis, distracting him and the White House from dealing with the true issues. How does dragging the President, into a battle over “I”or “I’d” serve the best interests of this country? Who the f$%k cares if he said “I” or “I’d” in this matter? The constant assaults serve no useful purpose and are detrimental to the country, as a whole, as they serve as persistent distractions for the President, who has far more important issues with which to deal. I don’t recall the dirtbags at the WSJ ever, ever picking apart the words and phrases of Obama. Talk about racism.
Bespeckled. . .
Thanks, Bam Bam and you are right. Your points about the WSJ are on point.
No! the points about the WSJ are ridiculous. The paper that is usually, what 98+% in favor of trump reported something correctly. The baby trump could have simply admitted the minor error. Instead, the idiot trump decided to blow it up and dispute the matter. I’ll agree that the WSJ is mostly garbage. But it was president effing moron that created this ridiculous situation.
You are giving credit to the WSJ for reporting things that are true where both Trump and the WSJ agree. Even one of the WSJ most popular editorialists was a never Trumper, and he left for the NYTimes.
Don’t you think that what happened in Hawaii is more important or perhaps that N. Korea might actually have nuclear weapons that can reach Hawaii? The WSJ spends too much time on nonsense and is not the same paper it was years ago.
You like to make claims like this: “Instead, the idiot trump decided… ” Maybe you are the idiot and not Trump. Who are you? Trump is President. What have you supported that would improve the economy? Trump vastly improved the economy. When it comes to N.Korea Trump is trying to act on a positive note for that is generally the way he manages things alternating the positive with statements that are not positives trying to show that the easiest path is the positive way.
This isn’t about Hawaii! or pussy grabbing! You keep trying to change the subject and/or move the bar. Sad!
The post was about a specific president effing moron comment where there is evidence president shithole is lying……as usual. It appears you are frustrated that your hero/god is a pathological liar and a ridiculously infantile baby.
No, I am trying to make it clear what is important and what is not. Obviously, pussy grabbing is important to you, but our economy and our nation’s security is more important to me.
It sounds like “I probably have” to be, but it is possible there is an “I’d” in there. For those who are trying to rely on the word “probably” to provide context, remember that Trump does not carefully chose words and thus you can’t pick apart his sentences as your could more eloquent speakers.
But the big issue to me is how the WH attacks the WSJ and accuses them of providing a false transcript, as if the WSJ is out to intentionally distort the record to make Trump look bad. They should have just said that they disagree with transcription or that Trump misspoke. Attacking the WSJ was wrong and does nothing but add fuel to the fire.
Once again…….and again…..and again…..and again, etc….. the racist trump is lying. These incidents invariably turn out to be trump lies. However, even it is on tape, it won’t matter to president shitholes white supremacist supporters. Instead trumpees and trumpettes will whine about liberal this……. or deep state that……media bias there…………and do anything except admit the truth about a president who lies more then maybe all the presidents combined before him.
63 million people voted for Trump and you just called all of them “white supremacists”. Why are you complaining about what Trump says when you are just as demeaning?
“63 million people voted for Trump and you just called all of them “white supremacists””
Actually I did not call “all” of them that. I simply said “it won’t matter to president shitholes white supremacist supporters”. You are the one assuming all trump supporters are white supremacists. Maybe you have “mistaken” reading comprehension?
BillW, we can all read what you said and then we can interpret what you meant based upon all your previous comments. The Mistaken President 44 is on target.
“BillW, we can all read”
Congratulations Allan! The reading comprehension part still needs loads of work. but am so glad to hear you’re progressing!
I said president shitholes white supremacist supporters! thats it. If I rephrased to say president shitholes supporters that want to build a wall? would then that apply also to every president nazi supporter? or would that apply just to those that want to build a wall?
I do not know what % of president shitholes supporters are white supremacists. Seems a lot. But I wouldn’t say it is all. That said, is your reply inferring that all president effing moron supporters are white supremacists?
BillW, Everyone is entitled to interpret what you write in their own way. You develop a persona and that tells another what you mean by any singular statement. If you don’t like the way people interpret what you say then be careful what you write.
“I do not know what % of president shitholes supporters are white supremacists. Seems a lot. ”
So now instead of saying that 63 million Trump supporters are white supremacists, you have made yourself clear by telling us a lot of the 63 million Trump supporters are white supremacists. I don’t think the position ascribed to you by the Mistaken President has changed much if any.
To quote The Mistaken… “Why are you complaining about what Trump says when you are just as demeaning?”
“Everyone is entitled to interpret what you write in their own way”
You just admitted that you make stuff up. Sad! Pathetic!
Absolutely not. Take note how at first it appeared to be 63 million white supremacists and then you tempered it down to lots of the 63 million Trump voters are white supremacists. You could have corrected a misimpression, if there was one, by stating the truth, only a relatively small number of Trump voters were white supremacists but you didn’t because the truth about your attitude is very clear.
Bill W – so 5 people are insulted by your comment and since they are not part of this blog they do not know it. Well done!!!!
Idiot speaking, no need to pay attention. Shoeless paulie with nothing to add but he lived in Omaha so special.
YNOT – ad hominem
These T rumpers are gonna sit here all day and defend da indefensible, They probably think he does’t hang out with da porn stars and da hookers too.
Ken – Bill Clinton set the sexual standard for sitting Presidents. I am envious that he bagged a porn star. 😉
Ya just need to
Pay em old fool.
Ken – I do not have Spitzers’, Trump’s, or Clinton’s money to pay for high priced porn stars. Include Tiger Woods in that group. Do you?
Not my thing. I have a good partner that has treated me to a trip to da Arizona Biltmore and da weather is divine. Don’t bring your T rump revolutionaries over here to shoot me as you previously threatened.
Ken – did the Biltmore drop their prices again? They have been struggling. Honestly, I do not remember threatening you with violence. There is one commenter I have, but it was not you.
If you are here in AZ right now, enjoy the heck out of the weather, supposed to be 79 today. If you would like some suggestions on what to see or where to go I would be happy to help out. 🙂
I am eatin frybread for my lunch but thanks. A bunch of medical conference are goin on so full and pricey. Da Frank Lloyd Wright stuff keeps me comin back.
Ken – have you been to Taliesin West? or Grady Gammage Auditorium? Those, besides the Biltmore, are the major FLW things to see. There are a couple of churches and a few homes in the Valley built by FLW.
Bush and Obama respected their wives and children. T rump is a nasty feller, Melania should take Baron to Slovenia. Lots of filthy pictures of daddy everywhere .
Ken – there are reports of Obama slipping his SS details several times. And we have a lot of pictures of him looking down the fronts of women’s dresses, usually with Michelle looking on in disgust.
Bull feathers
Document them, moron, or STFU, liar.
One story would be Reggie Love. Look it up. Obama had a weekend getaway with Reggie along for the ride and he ditched the press pool. Later a photo was snapped of Reggie and Barry walking along barefoot on the beach together.
“Obama boasted Thursday during a Google+ Hangout from the White House: “This is the most transparent administration in history.” The people who cover him day to day see it very differently.
“The way the president’s availability to the press has shrunk in the last two years is a disgrace,” said ABC News White House reporter Ann Compton, who has covered every president back to Gerald R. Ford. “The president’s day-to-day policy development — on immigration, on guns — is almost totally opaque to the reporters trying to do a responsible job of covering it. There are no readouts from big meetings he has with people from the outside, and many of them aren’t even on his schedule. This is different from every president I covered. This White House goes to extreme lengths to keep the press away.”
https://www.politico.com/story/2013/02/obama-the-puppet-master-087764
YNOT – ad hominem
T rump paid some extra bucks for Stormy’s friend to come over for da threesome. Bannon said there are a hundred of em.
Bet that dossier about da pee pee party is right on da money.
“These T rumpers are gonna sit here all day and defend da indefensible”
Yes Ken, that is exactly what they will do. They will lie, deflect attention, use false equivalencies, etc…… and whatever they can except be honest and tell the truth.
They got s full time job.
we shouldn’t be surprised by the number of paid conservative posters/liars here. I here putin pays them well
Bill W – if you have a contact no. for Putin let me know, I could some petty cash,
Try president shithole for the number? Isn’t he the one who calls putin ” daddy”?
These racists and misogies are not even conservatives They got some other darker agenda for da rest of us. Resist
Oprah said, “What I know for sure is that speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we all have.” How do you know what ‘the truth’ is Bill W?
So you know what Bill W? Why don’t you go ahead and tell “your truth” and I’ll tell mine — just like Oprah told us all to do in her Golden Globes speech. You know, because apparently ‘the truth’ is subjective.
He should record all of his conversation– on the sly. Then, if some snotnose publication lies, he can reveal the truth. The truth will set you fee– and make the WP pee.
Once again I’m left wondering, so what? Oh what, virtue signaling that’s what. Yet another item to give the usual people the usual platform to pretend that their **** don’t stink. What would you rather have, Trump saying he has zero relationship with KJU at all and that as a result the next warning notification Hawaiians receive will be the real thing?
Wow, this is simply incredible investigative journalism. NOT!
Of course he said “I’d probably have.”
If he wanted to say he actually did have one, he would not have used the word “probably” — maybe even said “definitely.”
I hope he has some relationship with the fat kid in Korea. At least if they are talking then maybe there’s a way to avoid a Nork nuke.
Clearly, from the recording, he said “I probably have a good relationship with Kim Jong Un of North Korea ”
Clearly, someone is selectively quoting the President and the title of this post should read, “What the meaning of ‘Probably’ is”.
Are you delusional?
Of course he said “I’d probably have.”
If he wanted to say he actually did have one, he would not have used the word “probably” — maybe even said “definitely.”
David Galloway, Grandpa D is correct about the interpretation of the word “probably.” Your presumption that the word “probably” presupposes the word “would” is incorrect.
Think of it as though Trump were entertaining a smidgen of doubt about the exact status of his relationship with Kim Jung Un as compared to somebody else’s relationship with Kim Jong Un, or to Trump’s relationship with somebody else besides Kim Jong Un, then listen to the recording again. “I probably have a very good relationship with Kim Jong Un of North Korea.” The mood is comparative, rather than subjunctive.
The question is not what Trump said, but what was Trump thinking? Chances are that Trump was thinking something like, “Nobody has a very good relationship with Kim Jong Un.” And that, therefore, Trump’s relationship with Kim Jong Un might as well be characterized as comparatively “very good” under the circumstances.
P. S. It’s just not like me to give Trump the benefit of the doubt. I feel dirty now. I have to take a bath.
There is always controversy surrounding Trump. However, this is NOT because of his actions directly, but rather that of his predecessors being part of the liberal elite of which the likes of Wall Street Journals are NOT used to. Going from Obama to Trump is a huge leap.
That’s a very poor excuse for Trump lying, which he appears to do with regularity. Perhaps you are related to Trump’s minister of propaganda.
Would you prefer he have no relationship with KJU?
Perhaps you are related to Trump’s minister of non-sequitors.
Trump has a minister of non-sequiturs? I want that job. 🙂
And he has a minister of silly walks too.
It’s The minister of silly woks. She is a chef.
Don de Drain – I like wok cooking, I think my ministry could work well with hers. 😉
Paul
Welcome back. I hope your health continues to improve. I will see what I can do about getting you that position. Word on the street, however, is that Sarah Huckabee Sanders is next in line for that job.
Don de Drain – thanks for your help in securing my new position in the Trump administration. I was thinking it could be a job where I could tele-commute. Save everybody money. 🙂
Paul, don’t think telecommuting would cut it – when Trump summons you I’m pretty sure he’d want you to wok his way!
Well yes of course, I’m pretty confident that most people don’t want KJU to exist…so obviously no relationship would be a start. Too many empty threats by KJU towards the West, there is of course a very simply and east way to end his regime.
Nope i am not related to Trump’s minister of Propaganda….the joke would perhaps make more sense if that position actually existed.