I have previously and repeatedly criticized President Donald Trump for his tweets and comments, including personal attacks and name calling that is below the dignity of his office. Some on this blog have (perhaps correctly) labeled me as something of a prude when it comes to foul language and uncivil exchanges in professional sports, academia, or politics. However, even discounting my sensitivity over such conduct by adults, this is a new low. After news of a judge tossing the defamation lawsuit of Stormy Daniels, Trump lashed out at her and her counsel, Michael Avenatti. Trump called Daniels “horseface” and Avenatti as a “third-rate lawyer.” Daniels responded by calling him “Tiny” and a man with a penchant for “bestiality.” Once again, why? Trump is President of the United States calling a porn star a adolescent schoolyard name and triggering a name calling contest on social media. Speaker Paul Ryan and other Republicans have again criticized the President for such language.
I previously expressed doubt of the defamation case filed by Daniels on the very grounds cited by the court in its dismissal.
U.S. District Court Judge S. James Otero ruled that “The Court agrees with Mr. Trump’s argument because the tweet in question constitutes ‘rhetorical hyperbole’ normally associated with politics and public discourse in the United States,” states the opinion. “The First Amendment protects this type of rhetorical statement.”
The opinion was predictable but the President’s response should not be. Trump tweeted “Great, now I can go after Horseface and her 3rd rate lawyer in the Great State of Texas,” he tweeted. “She will confirm the letter she signed! She knows nothing about me, a total con!”
That triggered a presidential trash talk with a former porn star.
I do not really care if this is politically astute (which I doubt) but it is clearly not presidential.
Trump always gives problem women 130K and it doesn’t mean anything?
No more Mr. Nice Guy.
No quarter.
One if by land.
Two if by sea.
Let’s get this party started!
Trump paid $130,000 for sex with a porn star, but his fans think he’s good at making deals.
Let that sink in.
I would let it “sink in,” except your premise is incorrect. Donald Trump didn’t make the deal. Under the terms of the deal, Michael Cohen agreed to pay Horseface (I mean Ms. Clifford) $130,000 through Essential Consultants LLC, a shell company that Cohen himself created. Cohen got the money through a fraudulently obtained home-equity loan, according to prosecutors.
Cohen was acting on behalf of Trump as his lawyer under Trump’s orders, so they are both responsible for the payment.
This has already been accepted by the judge as true and accurate in Cohen’s plea, and it is a matter of public record.
Nice try at splitting hairs.
Oh please. Cohen was working for Trump!
There is also much to be said for the memorable Trumpian-type branding. So, if anyone today happens to be referring to Horseface, Lying Hillary, Pocahontas, Moonbeam, Low-IQ Maxine, or the Creepy Porn Lawyer, is any further identification really necessary?
What’s creepy about Avenatto?
Unlike the president and Kavanaugh, he hasn’t had 2 dozen sexual misconduct allegations against him.
Avenatti is doing what a good lawyer should do: Create positive PR for your client.
Stormy Daniels is making millions from her book deal and her film production as a result of Avenatti’s publicity for her.
Unlike the president and Kavanaugh, he hasn’t had 2 dozen sexual misconduct allegations against him.
Kavenaugh had three allegations against him, all of them incredible. You cannot stop lying.
well, that’s your opinion. However, as a member of the gullible rubes, dupes, klan wannabees, pocket-traitors or grifters on the make, your opinion isn’t really valid. So sorry for your loss. I guess we will have to see what the next House of Representatives thinks about the credibility of the accusations.
this is to “I instinctively accuse other of lying because that’s what I do” tabbie
Marky Mark Mark – as an NPC we are unconcerned with what you say.
Mark M SLANDERER do you withdraw your malicious and false and defamatory statement that I “watch Hannity and bag his balls?”
NO NO NO
the job of a lawyer is to give sound advice, and represent in COURT
that means convince judge and jury not the masses. Gosh!
PR is a job for a PR agent
Lawyers actually have rules against talking too much to the press. Aven. breaks them every day.
Cohen was a bad lawyer too, in many ways
I really am beginning to doubt that Prof. J. Turley is posting these articles.
Donald Trump is redefining what “Presidential” means. And if you want to talk about purported dumb or crazy stuff that presidents have said, there’s an entire book about the subject:
“Crazy Sh*t Presidents Said: The Most Surprising, Shocking, and Stupid Statements Ever Made by U.S. Presidents, from George Washington to Barack Obama” by Robert Schnakenberg. https://www.amazon.com/Crazy-Presidents-Said-Surprising-Statements/dp/0762444533
Inevitably, the second edition of this book will have plenty of new material.
The left will never get this, but the people who like Donald Trump like him inspite of himself.
Few, if none, of his supporters look at Trump like liberals looked at Obama in 2008 (i.e. the Messiah). I certainly do not.
Nobody asks for polls the true independents so we are in a good place to slice and dice abort the mystic dreams and here they come fat, stupid, and happy once again. Targets of opportunity.
Two days ago in Tucson I walked by one of their campaign offices and caught a few of the commercials on both English and Spanish TV. Looks like all that money is gong to Sinema for Senator but when you ask the local Latinos why or better ask them what happened to DACA and Immigration and then watch the non coverage on their ads…. well…. I made one comment.
“Si it’s on the back burner.”
“And this new march.”
“They are riding in a bus and then getting off to walk in the next town, that is what our families say.”
“Back to DACA may I offer a reason for the hoidup?”
“Por Supuesto.”
“Latinos and Hispanics are largely Catolico. Catholics are against abortion. The DNC is 100%for abortion. Think maybe they realized DNC blocking the DACA solutions and even the whole illegal group solution may have had something to do with that?”
“The leaders never mentioned that.”
I just shrugged “Que otra?”
“Mierda.”
Four or five converts all Latin American US Citizens whose families lived in USA since it was Spanish owned.
“One remarked Sinema is a watermelon” (Sandia in Spanish) Green on the outside and Red in the middle. (For the uneducated that word red means communista. not Republican.
One voice of reason voicing a possible reason and the report from DNC Local came back . “That’s on the back burner until after we win these elections.
Someone asked. Why? Earlier it only took voting yes.
They asked me if I was Republican?
“No. I an an independent constitutionalist.”
Two taxi drivers one TUFESA bus driver, (Mazatlan to northern USA California, Nevada and Arizona.)
One match three fires and a litte gas.
They did ask, ” Do you know this to be true?”
“No but as you found out they aren’t saying now at the Campaign Office are they?
One match, three fires a little gas.
A few days later the bus driver returned heading south. “It’s the same all the way to Phoenix, LA, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Sacramento.”
In Arizona they are preparing a sorpresa for Sinema.
Enjoy your day I had two plus good ones.
One match, three fires, a little fuel on the fire and no one tried to put it out.
Michael Aarethun – Sinema is behind in the polls. Not sure how she did againt McSally on the debate. My wife is mad that McSally dominated the last two minutes of the debate and talked over the moderator. 😉 We don’t care about my wife’s vote in this election. She was going to vote straight Democratic anyway.
Huh, i wonder who asked what your opinion of the day glo bozo was. Thanks for sharing; but I doubt that any rational person here will give two sh*ts about your opinion on anything.
this is to “and I like longs walks on the beach, too” antonie
Marky Mark Mark – NPCs are not allowed to have opinions. So, STFU.
Speaker Paul Ryan and other Republicans have again criticized the President for such language.
Speaker Ryan is not in a position to criticise anyone else for leadership of indifferent quality. One of the public services Trump has performed is akin to the bank examiner who forces the bank to write off delinquent loans. We get to see what our balance sheet is and the real talents of our ‘leadership’. In so doing, we learned that Paul Ryan lies somewhere on the spectrum which runs between the technician properly employed on the staff of someone else and the hollow man. You want to know why the Republican congressional caucus has been so ineffectual the last 7 years, part of the reason is lodged behind Eddie Munster’s widow’s peak.
“Speaker Paul Ryan and other Republicans have again criticized the President for such language.”
What has Paul Ryan done? Some people prefer form over substance. I hope Professor Turley doesn’t find that type of exchange good for the nation. I don’t find some of the President’s language pleasant, but neither do I find a lot of things we do pleasant. Obama used drones to kill people. If Trump’s actions keep us safer, I’ll accept bad language over killing people. Professor Turley might respond saying why can’t Trump do the same while being more “presidential”? That is who Trump is. You can’t remake an individual. He is probably one of the most honest presidents we have ever had. He campaigned that he would do certain things and he accomplished most and tried to accomplish the rest as well. Other presidents didn’t live up to his standard of following through on campaign promises.
Professor, I am not willing to exchage your prudity for Trump’s competence in how he has managed the economy and foreign affairs. When you find a candidate with good manners that meets the abilities of Trump I will vote for him. On a bright spot that I think Professor Turley will find more pleasing the President’s 60 Minutes interview where mostly (better than) he appeared Presidential while Leslie Stahl demonstrated an unprofessionality in body language (watch her mouth), in her interruptions after just a few seconds of Trump’s reply and in her video’s inserted after the fact that Trump was unable to respond to.
Professor Turley I just got to this from the WSJ: “U.S. Is World’s Most Competitive Economy for First Time in a Decade”
How do you rank this improvement to our competitive economy with calling a person that tried to destroy his character, “horseface”? The former is in the top rank of important things. The latter is almost insignificant yet you dwell on his use of the term “horseface” forgtting what has been accomplished despite the fact that Daniel’s and her attorney tried to destroy him and by doing so destroy his family as well.
I urge you to focus more on results than on behavior that has been part of the man for his entire life. Focus on the President’s very apt statement that Washington is the most viscious place. How long do you think you and your prudishness would survive in Washington if you became a target?
Did you take a gander at that elegantly crafted replacement for Obamacare that the study committees of the House Republican Caucus produced? Oh wait…
You, like many of the gullible rubes, dupes, klan wannabees, pocket-traitors and grifters on the make confuse a limited vocabulary, inherent rudeness, lack of guiding moral authority, lack of curiousness, delusions of grandeur, extreme narcissism, and criminogenic tendencies with being a “man of the people”; “calling it like it is” or “not being politically correct.” All that’s well and good, but there’s a reason we usually don’t elect the drunken buffoon killing time in the bar down at the bowling alley–who behaves exactly like the day glo bozo. The truth is, you, and your ilk, literally fell for the big con; the day glo bozo has the attention span, vocabulary, moral development, and intellectual capability of a sixth-grader. The world will truly be fortunate to avoid a conflageration triggered or enabled by the fumbling incompetence of the buffoon whom you and you ilk inflicted upon the good people of the world.
this is to “the smarty-pants have been mean to me, trumpy gets them back” allen / allan
Marky Mark Mark – you are blowing a lot of smoke for an NPC. You need to have you’re programming checked.
Mark M, NPC, not handsome like Gosling, but needs to have his system checked