| | | | The GOP's wrist-slap response to Trump's Russia explosion | | On Monday, President Donald Trump stood side-by-side with Russian President Vladimir Putin and said Russia probably didn't interfere in the 2016 election.
Yes, this really happened! Here's the quote: "My people came to me, Dan Coats came to me and some others, they said they think it's Russia. I have President Putin; he just said it's not Russia. I will say this: I don't see any reason why it would be."
The President of the United States, at a summit in Finland, said he trusts Putin more than his own intelligence community. There's just no other way to read it.
Given the absolutely explosive nature of Trump's contention that Russians didn't actively interfere in the 2016 election [narrator voice: They did] you might think that Republicans -- who long had a tough stance toward Russia at the center of the party's platform -- would speak out strongly to condemn the President's sentiments.
Which some did. Sort of. Sure, the John McCains, Jeff Flakes and Bob Corkers of the party blasted Trump. And Republican Rep. Will Hurd, a former CIA operative who represents a swing district in Texas, raised some eyebrows with this tweet: "I've seen Russian intelligence manipulate many people over my professional career and I never would have thought that the US President would become one of the ones getting played by old KGB hands."
But the party's leadership largely avoided any direct criticism of Trump -- issuing statement after statement making clear that they believe the intelligence community's assessment that Russia meddled in the 2016 election, but often without even mentioning the President of their party, who just undermined that finding with Putin standing right next to him.
Speaker Paul Ryan's statement was typical of the approach taken by most prominent Republicans. "There is no question that Russia interfered in our election and continues attempts to undermine democracy here and around the world," Ryan said. Which is true, of course.
He goes on: "The President must appreciate that Russia is not our ally. There is no moral equivalence between the United States and Russia, which remains hostile to our most basic values and ideals. The United States must be focused on holding Russia accountable and putting an end to its vile attacks on democracy."
But that's about as far as it goes. There's no "Trump needs to stop saying Russia didn't do this."
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell gave his support to the US intelligence community, but he did not answer a question on whether he would tell Trump that he disagreed with him.
In what could be a sign of a more forceful response to come, Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn told CNN Monday that talks have begun on the Hill to put forth a measure in support of the intelligence community's assessment that Russia meddled in the 2016 elections. But as I wrote earlier, that conclusion is established fact, according to pretty much anyone besides Donald Trump. "Affirming" a conclusion reached more than a year ago seems like a symbolic gesture -- a wrist slap at best.
The reasoning is easy to explain. Trump is hugely popular within the Republican base. (He is among the most popular Republican presidents among Republican voters, according to national polling.) Crossing him has proven to be a bad idea -- just ask Flake and Corker. So if you are a rank-and-file Republican member of Congress -- or a party leader who wants to stay that way -- there's absolutely zero political benefit to going after the President on his Russia comments.
The mistake in that calculation is that this isn't a Democrats vs. Republicans issue or even a moderate Republicans vs. conservative Republicans issue. This is a United States vs. Russia issue.
The Point: Fear is the most powerful motivator in politics. And the unwillingness of most Republicans to speak out directly against Trump's comments on Monday is driven by a fear of the political consequences. Period.
-- Chris | | "I hold both countries responsible."
-- President Trump, with Putin by his side, rejecting US intelligence findings on 2016 election meddling. | | | "The damage inflicted by President Trump's naiveté, egotism, false equivalence, and sympathy for autocrats is difficult to calculate. But it is clear that the summit in Helsinki was a tragic mistake. ... No prior president has ever abased himself more abjectly before a tyrant."
-- Sen. John McCain, the Arizona Republican, responding in a statement to Trump's performance in Helsinki. | | | REPUBLICANS ARE 'DEEPLY TROUBLED' | | As Chris notes above, Republicans mostly tsk-tsk'd Trump without any threat of action.
CNN's Lauren Fox has the very familiar-sounding rundown:
Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker was "very disappointed and saddened."
Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney is "deeply troubled."
Maine Sen. Susan Collins said that Trump's words were "not helpful."
Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake called it "shameful."
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham deemed it a "missed opportunity."
House Speaker Paul Ryan said in a statement that "the President must appreciate that Russia is not our ally" and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell offered up about the same. McConnell wouldn't say whether he would share his feelings with Trump. | | | Chris loves the new Father John Misty album. It's his best since "I Love You, Honey Bear." | | | Chris is back, tackling that "both countries responsible" line. | | In a chat with BuzzFeed News boss Ben Smith this morning, Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley, a Democrat, offered one explanation for why Trump is so consistently deferential to and even defensive of Russia's Vladimir Putin.
Note: This happened before Trump began talking at his and Putin's joint press conference in Finland.
Smith asks: "Do you think Vladimir Putin has something on (Trump)?"
Merkley answers: "I think it's likely, yeah."
Smith asks: "Can you elaborate on that?"
Merkley elaborates: "It's a standard strategy of Russia when people visit there who are important to try to get compromising information on them, to set them up with hookers, to tape everything that goes on in their room."
Here's the full video -- of Merkley and Smith. | | HEGAR'S VIRAL AD OPENS 'DOORS' TO FUNDRAISING HAUL | | From CNN's Jamie Ehrlich:
"A Democratic combat veteran running to unseat a longtime Republican incumbent in Texas outraised him this quarter by nearly a 4-1 margin, according to new filings with the Federal Election Commission.
"MJ Hegar, a US Air Force veteran, is running in Texas's 31st District against Republican incumbent Rep. John Carter, who has held the seat for 15 years. The district is traditionally Republican, and President Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton by more than 12 points. CNN rates the race as Likely Republican.
"According to the report, Hegar -- who also had to advance past a runoff race -- raised $1,171,373 while Carter raised $266,889."
Watch the ad -- called "Doors" -- that turned Hegar into a national political celebrity. | | MUSK GOES LOW WHEN SUBMARINES IDEA GETS SUNK | | From CNN's Bard Wilkinson:
"British rescuer Vern Unsworth says he is considering legal action against US billionaire Elon Musk after he made an unfounded and disparaging claim he was a 'pedo,' or pedophile, in a now-deleted tweet.
"Unsworth, a caver based in Thailand, provided knowledge of the Tham Luang cave system, which helped with the rescue of 12 schoolboys and their soccer coach in a flooded Thai cave last week.
"Musk, the CEO of several high-profile American tech companies, broadcast the claim to his 22 million social media followers on Sunday after Unsworth criticized a miniature submarine he made."
So what did Unsworth say, exactly??
-- Musk "can stick his submarine where it hurts."
-- The submarine "just had absolutely no chance of working."
-- Musk "had no conception of what the cave passage was like."
-- The submarine "wouldn't have made the first 50 meters into the cave from the dive start point."
-- It was all "just a PR stunt."
Here's the Brit's full review. | | | From Brenna: "This soccer ball, given to President Trump by Russian President Putin, will (according to Trump) be re-gifted to his son Barron. The President tossed it to the first lady for safekeeping in the meantime. Regift the joy of this newsletter by telling your friends to subscribe to The Point." | | We'd love to share our other newsletters with you. Follow this link for daily coverage of the world's top stories, savvy market insights, an insider's look into the media, and more. Our authors for The Point are Chris Cillizza and Saba Hamedy. Send your tips and thoughts via email to Chris or Saba. Follow on Twitter: Chris and Saba.
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