I joined Ali Velshi of MSNBC this morning and Ali’s first question was about the President’s jarring answer “I don’t know” to the question “Don’t you need to uphold the Constitution of the United States as president?”
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And when he said I don’t know, why didn’t she say well you swore an oath to uphold the constitution twice so where’s your confusion!!!!!????
She is useless!
See this is the problem. -Intellectualizing a stupid answer and crediting the source as actually having the intellect to make or consider this argument.
-Not believing the answer because it's so unbelievable...
Not taking to account the source has a history of saying/doing "unbelievable" things.
A test strip to see how Americans react. Sounds like a child's answer... didn't we tell you to be a good boy for the babysitter? "I don't know". Adolescent intelligents. We're in trouble.
The fact that journalists aren't focused on Dozing Don's profound mental illness, is a disservice to all of us. He is lost in a world of delusion, and completely divorced from reality. Psychiatrists should be interviewed, daily. 😵💫
Is unitary executive theory a component of constitutional denialism? As much as the positions of the Administration are labeled "conservative," there is little that I recognize as traditional American conservatism. We are limited in our understanding that ideology is only lib. v cons.
I explained that there has long been a strain of conservative constitutional thought that believes the Constitution is only what the Constitution itself says and that it is not necessarily what the Supreme Court says the Constitution says when it interprets the Constitution.
I guess the question I have is whether they're consistent in that belief? If they believed the same when Obama was President, I can at least respect that their wrong headed view is not also hypocritical.
This is sanewashing. There is no depth to Trump's world - never has been. He's not a thoughtful, subtle, or sophisticated man.
He said what he said: he doesn't know that he needs to follow the Constitution because it would be a lot of work, so - meh. No due process for you, you, and you.
With all due respect, Judge Luttig, I don’t believe Trump is intellectually capable of this kind of nuance. He simply didn’t want to say out loud that he will ignore the Constitution and do whatever he wants.
Students of this school believe that the president is obligated to obey Supreme Court decisions and orders only if he believes the Court has properly interpreted the Constitution, and not if he disagrees that the Constitution says what the Supreme Court says it says.
What skills do the "students of this school" think that a non-lawyer, non-judge president has that enables him to properly interpret the Constitution & override the decisions of lawyer/Justices of the SC?
What students? Brain damaged? Sorry. If you would at least understand that democracy is separation of powers you would not “believe” president is uncontrollable
Fascinating. That wld make the president a king, practically speaking, and eviscerate the concept of checks and balances; an odd result, to say the least, given the context in which the founding fathers were operating and the things they said as they were drafting our foundational documents.
That seems like a very strange interpretation of a Constitution for a democratic republic.
We have a democracy...unless the President suddenly wants to be a king.
Even if his answer was in this spirit, the correct answer is, “Yes, I took an oath to uphold the constitution, but I may not believe it means the same thing you do.”
And I think you give him too much credit and even Stephen miller and Steve bannon too much credit. They're just trying to seize power however they can.
I wouldn’t call it a “strain of thought” at all. It’s more like 5th grader logic with some mysticism thrown in. The constitution isn’t The Word Of God. I know these ideas survive like zombies, but they deserve no credence whatever.
I went on to say that I have no question but that both the President and Vice President view the Constitution and their obligations to uphold the Constitution through the lens of constitutional denialism.
Processing the Constitution being a paper tiger takes some time.- it’s also embarrassing that Americans are historically so full of themselves, and learning what the rest of the world already knows.- we’re not all that.
This has never happened before because the oath of office was taken more seriously. POTUS said he doesn't know if the president should enforce the constitution. Sad to say, but it's looking like the USA is finished. Putin pulled off a master stroke of subterfuge for the ages.
As an atheist, I wouldn’t either. A sworn oath doesn’t need a Bible to legitimize a moral contract.
But we all know trump has no moral convictions, so his oath is meaningless, with or without a Bible.
It can't be too jarring that Trump answered "I don't know" to question of if he needed to uphold the U.S. Constitution as president since he clearly doesn't care what it says even if he did read it. The only law he recognizes is the law of Me First, and after that, white straight men 2nd.
Trump is ordering a bombastic multimillion dollar birthday Military Parade. How can our military comply, knowing that the President doesn’t know if he will uphold the constitution, for which he swore an oath to? The Military now has to answer to whom are they beholden to Trump or our Constitution?
Isn't "I don't know" in this instance just the Trump attempt to insulate himself from blame? "I'm not a lawyer" implies .. if he were a lawyer he would know, thus the lawyers advising him should/will be to blame. Those who advise him should pay close attention to his words. They are in peril.
When our president doesn’t know if he’s obligated to follow the constitution he swore to uphold (on a Bible) as part of being sworn in, we are definitely in trouble! When his followers are silent when he says that…we are in trouble!
It's jaw dropping,right? And earlier in the week he actually ADMITTED the election was rigged & that's why he "won". He always tells on himself one way or another.
I joined Ali Velshi of MSNBC this morning & Ali’s first question was about the President’s jarring answer “I don’t know” to the question “Don’t you need to uphold the Constitution of the United States as president?”
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He is so silly ! He swore to it.
Better if he used his "right to remain silent".
Have to actually mean the words when you say them on day of inauguration but he made clear before that, on that day, and afterwards he did not intend preserve, protect and defend constitution to best of his ability.
All those facially wildly unconstitutional EOs. Ton dropped day one.
He is well advised, legally. In a hybrid warfare ending these United States kind of way.
Always publicly planting future legal wiggle for use in self defense or as can be turned into a media both-sides thing too, later, but in entirely unrelated matters.
Allowing a man with $4 billion in foreign debt to run for office without a security clearance check was the first step in enabling the fascist coup that had been preparing since Nixon got off the hook "to heal the nation" or some such bullshit.
He took the oath required of EVERY president -- "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." Did he forget doing it?
Please don’t refer to him as president, just use his last name. He neither has earned nor deserves any respect for what he is doing to destroy the dignity of the office, the Constitution, and our country
It’s not my only take away. I have followed Judge Luttig for a long time. But if you want to make assumptions about what I take away then have at it. I stand by not giving that orange cretin an iota of respect & asking Judge Luttig to do the same. Luttig resonates with many silent conservatives
If he doesn't honor his oath of office, can the voters force him to step down? The voters expect him to uphold the oalth. The House and Senate have shown over and over again they will not oppose him. It's doubtful that they will impeach him again.
It would be beneficial if all the judicial members who want to preserve democracy from around the US join forces. Every profession, every business, and every American join against this maga extremist organization. I fear he will use the military against law-abiding citizens.
Saying that Trump is the worst president ever doesn’t do it justice. Trump is a convicted criminal, an adjudicated rapist, a fraudster and a self proclaimed sex abuser. This should be mentioned in every discussion about him.
We need more judges to come out & voice their concerns over 🍊💩's unchecked power. Strength in numbers versus giving money & bragging rights adding to 🍊💩'$ Kneebender Club of shaming lists.
🍊💩's cabinet PRICKs are denying Checks & Balances too. Congress abdicated its power & all judges must unite.
It wasn’t a trick question! Pretty sure EVERY CITIZEN and probably every immigrant knows the answer Doesn’t this tell you something about Trumps loyalty to our Constitution and rule of law?
And we thought Nixon was outrageously bad back in the 70s. This regime and their Fuhrer is at least 10x as bad. Totally awful times for our country. Just awful under the rule of tyrants and barbarians that hurt children and people! Terrible! Mango Mussolini 🥭
It is not that complicated. As long as the constitution could be used to protect whiteness it was ok.
Now not so much.
So no need to pretend it has value.
What does it take for ALL Americans to realize that “he’s just not that into you”? He is so self-serving that he can only think of himself!
How much pain will Americans have to suffer until Congress and SCOTUS stops trying to please him?
Please call your Repub Reps & ask them to breakup with Trump!
Impeach. Convict. REMOVE. And find a rich person who can pay for 50 MILLION posters that say that and people to coordinate distribution in all 50 states plus DC so we hold them on on 6/14 while he has his stupid fascist parade. Thank you.
I think this is rich because the 2nd amendment is quoted as being in the constitution to justify a proliferation of guns, but the 1st amendment seems to be an elective for some who don't see the need for some migrants to have this. This is how immigration policy has been defined!
This is alarming. He does know! He's just trying to trigger the electorate and thumb his nose at the judiciary. He probably believes that, since Justice John Roberts gave him a free pass on breaking the law, he has every right to test the judiciary against infringements on the Constitution.
He defers it all to his lawyers not out of laziness but of fear of exposing his ignorance. All his life he has relied on clever underlings to do his thinking for him.
Excellent segment Judge Luttig. I can't understand how our elected leaders that could stop this attack on the Constitution and the United States of America, refuse to do so. Guaranteed if we fall, a majority of those who assisted won't have a seat at trumps table.
Well, he swore to defend, protect and preserve the Constitution when he took the oath of office. But, maybe he refused to put his hand on the Bible precisely because he thought it would negate whatever he swore to do.
@Wow, this sounds like a really interesting show!Ali is such a bold host to ask such a blunt question.That answer was just dumbfounding, what was your face?Haha!
I know we’re in trouble but I just want to take a minute to say thank you for all of what you say and do…I respect you so much … as much as a liberal can!
He's cute, folks. He may not know too much about the constitution, but he knows enough that a sitting president is obligated to respect, uphold or honor it (whatever the fuck terminology you want to use, he knows it.) He knows enough to dismantle any department of justice looking to prosecute him.
If he does not know then that should disqualify him.
Article II, Section 1, Clause: I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, & will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect & defend the Constitution of the United States.
The Senate has never convicted in a presidential impeachment, but every single one has hurt that President's party in the subsequent elections. Usually Congressional and presidential, but always at least one.
America is in a dark place - this man is capable of anything. He thinks he is exceptional and therefore has no desire to be part of the many. He no more understands or cares for the Constitution than a snake cares for its prey.
He is the snake 🐍 in the poem he enjoyed reading at his rally’s one of the few times he actually read something you knew what i was when you picked me up
He didn't even put his hand on the bible when he was swearing the oath of the office. By the definition, he should be kicked out of office. Then sent a packing. This isn't I get to obey some of the laws. Some of the time it's all the laws all the time.
I thought of equal importance was his comment regarding consulting w/ "his lawyers" they are not his they represent the institution of the presidency. In fact how many times did McGahn have to tell him he needed to talk to his lawyers because WH counsel didn't represent him ?
In Narcissistic verbiage that's Code for, "No, I am God, therefore anything I disagree in the Constitution is negated by me"
Same for all Narcissistic Dictators. Some rule their business and homes. Others rule their country. Others need to rule the world, or THEY feel THEY WILL CEASE TO EXIST
Judge, I want to sincerely thank you for bringing truth, integrity, and sanity to the absolutely absurd statements he makes and the egregious actions he is taking.
Isn’t that what they promised to do when they rose their right hand & swore an oath to uphold the Constitution?? What are we missing other than they don’t really care about upholding the Constitution?
If you go back and look at the tape of his inauguration he never put his hand on whatever his wife was holding. He didn’t Swear Allegiance to the Constitution
Love you Judge
They knew all of this when they voted for a rapist felon...
I haven't seen 1 Senator or Congress person come out and state the contrary. We have nearly noone with any courage to fight this..other than courts.
He knows this
He’s literally said the oath twice. It’s literally the very first sentence. The fact that this fucking guy was ever president at all let alone twice is so deeply embarrassing and absurd.
So? Do people really think Atheists cannot serve in government, or give testimony in court?
He took an oath of office, betraying that oath is the most basic definition of treason. Doesn’t matter if he took it while touching a Bible, or masturbating to naked photos of Arnold Palmer.
From Fred Sr on down, Freddy was treated with a viciousness that was breathtaking. Maybe because this was a horrible, transactions family with no loyalty, no patriotism, and he was decent? “Suckers and losers” didn’t come from nowhere.
Friedrich had his citizenship stripped, and was deported for avoiding mandatory conscription.
Fred was a slum lord/war profiteer.
Freddy became a pilot and actually joined the Air National Guard, for which he was disowned.
Most of the family are hateful.
Judge Luttig is like a whole lot of people on the planet Earth. They wanna see the goodness in rotten people w/ rotten attitudes. Telling them what you're waiting to hear is stupid AF! Believe what you were told the 1st time. Trump was sending a clear message to his followers hoping for a 3rd term.
The frightening thing is he doesn't. We are going to hear this more & more. "That's not what my lawyers advised me." His mind is going. He is struggling to keep up the social face.
Thank you, Judge Luttig, for continuing to both fight for our country and the Constitution, and for making sure we are more informed as we continue to fight.
The guy couldn't live up to the vows he took when he got married so who's to be surprised when he doesn't keep his oath to protect & defend the Constitution?
The constitution is the government. It's the basis for which the country exists. Without it we are just independent states and everyone is on their own.
The other Trump comment I found "interesting" was when he said the aspects of the economy that are good are the Trump economy, but the aspects of the economy that are bad are the Biden economy. I was surprised to hear him say that out loud. "Whatever's good--I did. Whatever's bad--Biden did.
Good. Because in one of his shows, Velshi gave an entire monologue where he essentially said there was no difference between Obama, Bush and Trump! A completely, ridiculously dangerous monologue in this moment. We are in Tyrant territory people! And We are going to need a 4th of July spirit.
More of his low IQ NAZI CULT stuff. We need to focus on important things only. We already know he is as dumb as a fly. Of course he can't answer a simple question because he never had to. Others were paid to do his exams. Let him rename stuff because no one listens to it. More of his distractions.
We as a nation deserve a news alert declaring the witch is dead. Markets would hit new highs and we can move forward. But we don’t don’t know how to handle nice things. Hope abides. So does the dude.
Liar-in-Chief & his MAGAts refuse to do the right thing
for the 💙🇺🇸 American people & WTP do NOT want a King-of-Debt
ignoring our Constitution diaperDon must be impeached now !!! 💙🇺🇸
We will not be ignored
💙 🇺🇸
Donald is hoping that his cronies can destroy everything before the elections. And he wants to make sure a trump loyalists replaces him so no one gets charged for all their crimes. He’s doing all this on purpose!
That’s going to be my first question tomorrow morning when I call my Trump-fluffing Senator and Congressman, too :) Looking forward to the audible eye rolls from their staffers because they hate listening to me ask whether they’re blind or complicit.
Enough with the rhetorical questions...the appropriate response is not "Don't you need to.."
it's
"The man who swore the presidential oath is hereby disqualified from service. A man who doesn't know, doesn't care, to serve the country that he heads cannot sit in the chair of power."
Yes, they may be, but HE couldn’t even understand time zones. He wouldn’t understand what the fuck anyone was telling him about this. So the “I don’t know” is just that. He’s dumb as a rock.
Can we not move on from this?
Maybe have more journalists ask him to elaborate on his comment?
Maybe call moderate Republican House members to demand they sign onto articles of impeachment?
I get this as a rhetorical question for the interviewer, but I'm betting that among them is shared a rule sheet for how to manage an interview without being called "nasty" or "ugly" or have your network insulted in the middle of said interview. So she's tightrope walking.
Well it's time to stand up for their career and their integrity. That's why they are called the "press". To press questions, press for answers. He's been around forever, time to make him squirm.
Well, this was the best answer you could have expected, considering that it's clear that even if he knew what the Constitution requires (ha!), he would definitely not feel a need to uphold it. I mean, give me a break!
Unprecedented levels of unlawful Executive Orders from POTUS & cabinet. They do not follow the law or respect the Judicial Branch. Making harmful illegal unilateral decisions daily against citizens of America. 🇺🇸 Purposely ignoring precedent and law.
When is a Judge going to hold anyone accountable?
If you can listen to that man's incoherent rambling about anything, and think he's capable of any kind of "considered thought," let alone following some particular school of constitutional interpretation--then you are completely out of touch with reality. 1/
He doesn't know or care about anything except his own scramble for power & luxury. And he is quite openly telling us that.
If the emperor stands in the street and yells, "Look at me, I'm naked!" and you try to insist, "No he's actually wearing these special clothes..." That's beyond complicit. 2/2
Comments
She is useless!
-Not believing the answer because it's so unbelievable...
Not taking to account the source has a history of saying/doing "unbelievable" things.
Corporate media journalism has totally abandoned any principles it once claimed to defend
The man is a malicious stew of hatred and id who simply reacts.
This is why he will go down in history as America’s worst monster.
I guess the question I have is whether they're consistent in that belief? If they believed the same when Obama was President, I can at least respect that their wrong headed view is not also hypocritical.
He said what he said: he doesn't know that he needs to follow the Constitution because it would be a lot of work, so - meh. No due process for you, you, and you.
But these are anti-Americans, just like they’ve always been.
Bear in mind the Weimar Constitution still existed until 1945. They just ignored it… like what the U.S. is doing now.
As you will recall, judges rewriting COTUS is how we got into this mess....
https://www.scribd.com/document/856874486/Harvard-Rule-59e
If ever a frontal lobe was spongy and rapidly weakening, it's Trump's.
My bet: Someone told him about constitutional denialism and in typical fashion he translated it as, "If I feel like it."
We have a democracy...unless the President suddenly wants to be a king.
The Constitution is NOT what judges say it is;
it is what THE CONSTITUTION says it is.
If a decision can't be traced to COTUS, it is not valid.
school of thought definition:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/school%20of%20thought
But we all know trump has no moral convictions, so his oath is meaningless, with or without a Bible.
But his rapid religious followers didn’t even blink.
here's a handy one-step flowchart as an important reminder
[is he under oath in court with jail for lying?]
->
[no?]->
->
[then whatever he just said is a lie or wild exaggeration]
I don't think he actually does have to follow the Constitution thanks to the Extreme Court
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He is so silly ! He swore to it.
Better if he used his "right to remain silent".
I am confident the oath of office is legally operational and on an ongoing basis.
All those facially wildly unconstitutional EOs. Ton dropped day one.
Always publicly planting future legal wiggle for use in self defense or as can be turned into a media both-sides thing too, later, but in entirely unrelated matters.
Allowing a man with $4 billion in foreign debt to run for office without a security clearance check was the first step in enabling the fascist coup that had been preparing since Nixon got off the hook "to heal the nation" or some such bullshit.
But it’s a systems and structural ossification meets changing technologies in any number of ways kind of problem too.
But for sure.
Liar in chief
Capitol switchboard (202) 224-3121.
Email them through their websites.
Tell them to shout impeach, impeach, impeach!
Loudly. Daily.
While it’s still legal.
And be a big problem for the dictator all day long.
Or don’t ask for money…
(Please repost)
🍊💩's cabinet PRICKs are denying Checks & Balances too. Congress abdicated its power & all judges must unite.
No consequences!
Now not so much.
So no need to pretend it has value.
How much pain will Americans have to suffer until Congress and SCOTUS stops trying to please him?
Please call your Repub Reps & ask them to breakup with Trump!
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Oathbreakers. All.
Article II, Section 1, Clause: I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, & will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect & defend the Constitution of the United States.
His previous 2 impeachments had zero impact on him
CONVICT.
REMOVE.
INCARCERATE.
ENTOMB.
How many bills have been introduced with no hope of passing, with the intent to steer the conversation and force reps to vote one way or another?
They never planned to pass the George Floyd bill when they put on the Kente cloth
This is treason.
https://skyview.social/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbsky.app%2Fprofile%2Fjudgeluttig.bsky.social%2Fpost%2F3loeoruruf226&viewtype=unroll
Who TF should have gone into ANY of these Wars perpetrated by LIES?
I am not sure why this is a talking point, among ALL the Fascism.
People hold up McCain as honorable compared to Trump and I don't see the Honor in dropping bombs from a jet on innocent people. Period.
https://bsky.app/profile/judgeluttig.bsky.social/post/3loeoruruf226
Same for all Narcissistic Dictators. Some rule their business and homes. Others rule their country. Others need to rule the world, or THEY feel THEY WILL CEASE TO EXIST
I remember Trump taking the Oath of Office on January 20 without his hand on the Bible.
That was his answer.
Trump: Marbury v. Madison is settled law.
They knew all of this when they voted for a rapist felon...
I haven't seen 1 Senator or Congress person come out and state the contrary. We have nearly noone with any courage to fight this..other than courts.
He knows this
He took an oath of office, betraying that oath is the most basic definition of treason. Doesn’t matter if he took it while touching a Bible, or masturbating to naked photos of Arnold Palmer.
Yebat’tebya’
Umri skoro truntnazi!
Never has someone so profoundly unfit “served” as president. He doesn’t serve us, he serves himself.
Fred was a slum lord/war profiteer.
Freddy became a pilot and actually joined the Air National Guard, for which he was disowned.
Most of the family are hateful.
https://poetryforthismoment.tiiny.site/Self-Evidently-E-Aunapuu.png
for the 💙🇺🇸 American people & WTP do NOT want a King-of-Debt
ignoring our Constitution diaperDon must be impeached now !!! 💙🇺🇸
We will not be ignored
💙 🇺🇸
it's
"The man who swore the presidential oath is hereby disqualified from service. A man who doesn't know, doesn't care, to serve the country that he heads cannot sit in the chair of power."
Why do many insist on overintellectualizing absolute fascist idiocy?
Maybe have more journalists ask him to elaborate on his comment?
Maybe call moderate Republican House members to demand they sign onto articles of impeachment?
When is a Judge going to hold anyone accountable?
If the emperor stands in the street and yells, "Look at me, I'm naked!" and you try to insist, "No he's actually wearing these special clothes..." That's beyond complicit. 2/2
Unless it's to his own advantage, then it's super important.