Let's look at it backwards: What would Trump have done if Russia had blackmailed him back then?

[DetlefK]

He would have stopped defending Ukraine against russian influence.

He would have stopped defending the Baltic States against russian influence.

He would have trash-talked NATO.

He would have hailed foreign intelligence as being more trustworthy than US intelligence.

He would have proposed a new, friendlier approach with Russia that has no basis because none of the diplomatic and political problems between the US and Russia have been resolved.




Ain't that weird? Trump behaved exactly like someone who was being blackmailed...

[HopeAgain]

1. If he was still in a compromised position with Russia,

he would select somone for Secretary of State who was awarded a "Medal of Friendship" from Putin.

Contact your Senator and say NO to Tillerson.

[FailureToCommunicate]

2. Weird indeed. Although it's hard to imagine how bad the Russian material would

have to be for Trump to do anything other than yawn and say 'so what, bring it. My voters don't care'

And most disturbingly the same holds true for all his voters.

Any ONE of the bullying, disgusting, traitorous thing Trump has done would have eliminated a Democrat in the myopic eyes of our National media.
Shame on them.
And shame on all the voters that voted for this Benedict Donald.
And shame on all the Dems and independents that DIDN'T vote!

[lutherj]

3. It would have to be something other than a sex scandal. It must be financial. The Russians could

probably topple Trump's rickety financial empire pyramid scheme by simply cutting off his credit. If he resists they could disclose the whole history of his transactions and political deals with them. Trump would be guilty of Treason. This perspective provides one possible reason Trump is refusing Intelligence Briefs. Too much cognitive dissonance. Everything he's briefed on reminds him he's Putin's puppet and betraying American interests.

[BainsBane]

7. The report says it goes back 8 years

They were grooming him.

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. The report says he did a deal - get the Democratic hacked material released

in return for doing what Putin wants about Ukraine, NATO etc. The 'compromising material' may have been just to get his attention.

That will be what this really hangs on - did he do a deal with Russia?

[NewJeffCT]

9. To be fair

most of the bullying, disgusting, traitorous things that Trump has done would have eliminated most Republicans as well. (Romney's numbers tanked after just the 47% comments...) The media loves Trump, however, so they've propped him up for over a year because he's good for ratings.

[s-cubed]

4. When Trump hosted SNL

there was apparently only one topic he specified as off limits: how rich he was. Sorry, no link. So, if he's broke, he can be blackmailed. If he owes lots to the oligarchy there, he can be blackmailed.

[NewJeffCT]

10. I thought it was a roast of Trump?

where the one topic that was off limits was his wealth. So, his creepy fondling of his daughter was an okay topic, but not people questioning his wealth.

[ProudProgressiveNow]

5. K&R nt

[BainsBane]

6. And appointed Putin lickspittle

To his cabinet. Check.

[talking-liberally]

11. Paul Manafort

He would appoint a campaign manager with close ties to Russia: Paul Manafort.

He would remove him when talk of Russian connections got hot.

BTW, I'd highly recommend reading the 35 page Buzzfeed-released intelligence document. Dry but looks authentic and very insightful, just as this post is.

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3259984-Trump-Intelligence-Allegations.html