Winning - August 2017

The Trump administration and GOP continue their winning ways in August. A partial list.

• Turns out President Donald Trump wrote the false first statement by Donald Trump, Jr. about his meeting with a Russian lawyer.
• That's the same statement that Trump's lawyer Jay Sekulow emphatically said the president had nothing to do with.
• Trump reluctantly signs the Russian sanctions bill. The bill was overwhelmingly passed by Congress over Trump's objections.
• The Russian Sanctions bill also limits Trump's ability to lift or waive the sanctions. A clear sign that Congress does not trust Trump when it comes to Russia.
• Trump says he got a phone call from the head of the Boy Scouts praising his recent speech as the "greatest ever". The Boy Scouts deny any such call was made. Lying Donald 
• Trump claims that the President of Mexico called and said illegal immigration on Mexico's southern border was way down since Trump tightened our Mexican border. Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto denies that and hasn't spoken to Trump in weeks. Lying Donald.
• Special Counsel Robert Mueller impanels a grand jury.
• Mueller wants the phone records of Don Jr. et al involved in the Russian meeting.
• The Washington Post releases transcripts of Trump phone calls to Peña Nieto and Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull. https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/politics/australia-mexico-transcripts/?utm_term=.dec0763f137c
• Vogue, yes, Vogue magazine, alleges that four million of the pro-Trump Twitter followers are bots. They are mostly portrayed as minorities. (If you can’t win minority voters over, make them up.) http://www.vogue.com/article/trump-twitter-bots-fake-accounts-nicole-mincey
• Trump calls out Mitch McConnell for not passing repeal & replace health care legislation.
• The FBI raid one of Paul Manafort's homes. They removed reams of material. 
• Trump fails to denounce white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and KKK after the violence in Charlottesville.
• After a couple of days and under pressure from all sides, Trump denounces hate groups by name.
• Then a couple of days later during a press conference, Trump again softens his criticism of the alt-right and says the "alt-left" (not a real thing) shares equal blame.
• Trump manages to squeeze in at least three rounds of golf during his not a vacation at Bedminster.
• Mentions a possible military option in Venezuela. The statement makes no sense. 
• Fox reports that Trump is 'seriously considering' a pardon for ex-Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
• Trump heavily endorsed Luther Strange in the Alabama US Senate GOP primary. Strange finished second to Roy Moore about 40% to 33%. Moore got 25,000 more votes. There will be a September runoff. Both candidates have real problems in their past government service.
• Several business leaders resign from Trump's economic councils because of his Charlottesville comments.
• Because of all the defections, Trump disbands his Manufacturing Council and Strategic & Policy Forum. 
• Bannon undercuts Trump when he states there are no military options with North Korea. 
• 8/18 - Steve Bannon fired. He returns to Breitbart
• The President's Committee on Arts and Humanities (PCAH Council) resigns in protest of his Charlottesville comments. 
• Melania and Donald Trump elect not to attend the Kennedy Center Honors. The reason given was "to allow honorees to celebrate without any political distraction". Three of the five honorees had already said that they would boycott the White House reception. 
• White House security advisor Sebastian Gorka resigns or is fired.
• Trump pardons Arpaio and immediately is criticized by Republicans and Democrats.
• North Korea continues to launch missiles, one over Japan, after Trump's tough talk and threats.
• Secretary of Defense Mattis freezes Trump's ban on transgender troops. 
• Seven members, ¼, of the National Infrastructure Advisory Council resign.
• Mattis contradicts Trump on North Korea options. Says diplomacy still in play. 
• Tillerson says "The president speaks for himself" when asked about Trump's initial Charlottesville comments. 

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