How are we going to have an inauguration next week? I mean, really. I need to know more about this CNN story on Trump and the Russians…
— Charles M. Blow (@CharlesMBlow) January 10, 2017
The fireworks today were supposed to be coming from Jeff Sessions’ confirmation hearing, but CNN managed to light up social media Tuesday afternoon with an exclusive report claiming that President Obama and President-elect Trump were told last week that the Russians have personal and financial information that could compromise Trump.
CNN EXCLUSIVE: Intel chiefs presented Trump with claims of Russian efforts to compromise him. https://t.co/aI2SCG7eQu pic.twitter.com/0O2NXQAQIt
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) January 10, 2017
Big news here: https://t.co/dpTGq2KqNY
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) January 10, 2017
This is big league https://t.co/6Fx9jqcp9M
— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) January 10, 2017
Early. But seems big. https://t.co/E5bOp2yiOp
— Glenn Thrush (@GlennThrush) January 10, 2017
So Putin has information that he could use to blackmail the president of the United States… Holy shit.https://t.co/XeY9z8mSfz
— Taegan Goddard (@politicalwire) January 10, 2017
I don't want to be dramatic, but just FYI, the biggest scandal in American political history may be breaking as we speak…. https://t.co/Io1wWd8AYE
— Susan Hennessey (@Susan_Hennessey) January 10, 2017
WOW: Intel chiefs presented Trump with claims of Russian efforts to compromise him https://t.co/HCbWCFN3wc @CNN
— Josh Rogin (@joshrogin) January 10, 2017
this is like presidency ending if true
— Jennifer Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) January 10, 2017
CNN now reporting that Russian spies claim to have personal and financial information that compromises Donald Trump.
— Matt Viser (@mviser) January 10, 2017
There is apparently a credible report that Russia has compromising personal and financial info on Trump, according to this CNN report
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) January 10, 2017
Russian mischief. either they have something, or they want all THINKING they have something. either way, cloudy skies.
— John Donvan (@JohnDonvan) January 10, 2017
This CNN bombshell about Trump and the Russians is really unsettling. This will not end well. This is a real problem.
— Charles M. Blow (@CharlesMBlow) January 10, 2017
How are we even holding cabinet confirmation hearings if there is even a QUESTION as to whether the PEOTUS is compromised?… #RussianHacks
— Charles M. Blow (@CharlesMBlow) January 10, 2017
How are we going to have an inauguration next week? I mean, really. I need to know more about this CNN story on Trump and the Russians…
— Charles M. Blow (@CharlesMBlow) January 10, 2017
It is impossible to overstate the significance, if true, of Russia possessing compromising info of 'personal & financial nature' on Trump
— Ken Gude (@KenGude) January 10, 2017
So does the press conference still happen?
— Kate Nocera (@KateNocera) January 10, 2017
To be honest, the press was dropping really big bombshells about Trump at least weekly during the campaign, and yet each one managed to get lost in the excitement of the next.
https://twitter.com/TPCarney/status/818959867276890112
What could be more compromising than what we've already seen? @CNNPolitics https://t.co/HPFLgSFjFs
— Michael Smerconish (@smerconish) January 10, 2017
Sourcing obviously key here. Also, what would DJT have to be caught on tape doing to actually shock people at this point? https://t.co/j0DM4xf7hj
— Mark MacKinnon (@markmackinnon) January 10, 2017
I'd more willing to believe this latest story would end Trump if it weren't for the other 749 stories that should have ended Trump.
— jon gabriel (@exjon) January 10, 2017
Ahhh, “surely this will be the end of Trump” Twitter is back. Been a while.
— Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) January 10, 2017
Make no mistake, though: media types and pundits are excited.
It's like Christmas, all over again.
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) January 10, 2017
Our report just now: https://t.co/S8UDLSCU0Z
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) January 10, 2017
CNN reports that Obama and Trump, who were briefed last week on Russian efforts to influence the election, each received a two-page synopsis appended to the report alleging that Russian operatives claim to have compromising personal and financial information about the president-elect.
And the source? CNN reports that the allegations “came, in part, from memos compiled by a former British intelligence operative, whose past work US intelligence officials consider credible. The FBI is investigating the credibility and accuracy of these allegations, which are based primarily on information from Russian sources, but has not confirmed many essential details in the memos about Mr. Trump.”
This is going to make a big splash, but let's acknowledge upfront that it's extremely attenuated. https://t.co/ZDavm2kUqb pic.twitter.com/ig8zVfrJM1
— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) January 10, 2017
https://twitter.com/Susan_Hennessey/status/818946235507871744
Careful now. Report is a non-US, non-classified private intel. Only USG leak is confirming Trump was told and IC believes it's credible. https://t.co/9j8j6UHmoa
— Susan Hennessey (@Susan_Hennessey) January 10, 2017
CNN going to need more than anon sources to show why the Intel report on its face really is as bad as it looks.
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) January 10, 2017
https://twitter.com/AASchapiro/status/818952502188052480
https://twitter.com/AASchapiro/status/818953680229699584
How would they, and any other modestly competent intelligence service, NOT have info on Trump – he scoffs at email but uses his cellphone https://t.co/9HQGTAFXNm
— Robert Mackey (@RobertMackey) January 10, 2017
Exiled politician: "Russia will use impeachment risk to pressure Trump, can blackmail him by threatening to publish proof of election help." https://t.co/WmFFGMBL9b
— Lucian Kim (@Lucian_Kim) January 10, 2017
To be fair, they would have done the same to Hillary. Both parties gave us compromised candidates. https://t.co/clCRZK9hJu
— jon gabriel (@exjon) January 10, 2017
So technically, the last laugh is on all those folks who said Trump could never compromise! pic.twitter.com/2xWTdM0GLS
— Jim Geraghty (@jimgeraghty) January 10, 2017
Second look at Mike Pence?
Pretty excited about President Mike Pence, tbh
— Allahpundit (@allahpundit) January 10, 2017
“‘Don’t do it', they said. ‘You’ll destroy your career by becoming his running mate', they said.” pic.twitter.com/VRYZgzaOL7
— Jim Geraghty (@jimgeraghty) January 10, 2017
“Mike, you’ll back me on this Russia BS, right?”
“Hm? Oh, I’m sorry, Donald, I was just picturing this office decorated differently.”— Jim Geraghty (@jimgeraghty) January 10, 2017
Stay tuned.
BuzzFeed just published the 35-page dossier being circulated about Trump. The claims are unverified, FYI. https://t.co/RaGbAU5Y1M
— Matt Pearce ? (@mattdpearce) January 10, 2017
CNN's Tapper says that team Trump is working on a statement about this Russia thing.
— ErikWemple (@ErikWemple) January 10, 2017
* * *
Update:
Reporters are beginning to pore over BuzzFeed’s dossier and …
Dossier purportedly compiled by former British intelligence official claims Russia monitored Trump sex adventures https://t.co/HIuNN0xG8N pic.twitter.com/eKP8AWVi1p
— Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) January 10, 2017
Coming soon: Robust debate on whether websites should publish unverified reports from single sources claiming to be former intel officers
— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) January 10, 2017
So this big news is literally just the same dump that was attempted via Mother Jones, etc., in October?
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) January 10, 2017
logic would dictate damaging oppo research would actually be used before an election
— Mark (@disorderly1) January 10, 2017
Word of caution: Document(s) behind the Trump/Russia thing been circulating for a while. Yet to find anyone to substantiate allegations
— Devlin Barrett (@DevlinBarrett) January 10, 2017
Trump allegations "have circulated for months, and acquired a kind of legendary status among journalists" https://t.co/7AbFvcO29N
— Michael Calderone (@mlcalderone) January 10, 2017
Anonymously sourced Word documents that neatly reinforce partisan assumptions have never gotten any journalists in trouble before.
— Philip Bump (@pbump) January 10, 2017
So reading through doc, I still have lots of concerns. Many outlandish claims, few attempts to systematically analyze source credibility.
— %{PwnAllTheThings} (@pwnallthethings) January 10, 2017
I would say in reviewing raw, extremely raw 'intel', people shld retain their skepticism even if they rightly think Trump is the worst.
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) January 10, 2017
Honestly, this seems exceedingly fifth hand, solid-fact-wise.
— John Donvan (@JohnDonvan) January 11, 2017
My question: are US intel services relying on this dossier straight up or have they vetted the info? https://t.co/3lM7LjpDzL
— Miriam Elder (@MiriamElder) January 10, 2017
https://twitter.com/justkarl/status/818968469391736832
Somebody actually thought it would compromise Trump to claim he had hookers pee in a bed the Obamas slept in?
— Phil Kerpen (@kerpen) January 10, 2017
https://twitter.com/KatzOnEarth/status/818968252458172419
If the report is that Trump is a pervert, we'll hate to break it you but….
— Anthony DeRosa? (@Anthony) January 10, 2017
We chased Ritz-Carlton story in Sept. But we were skeptical about the golden showers bit, which seemed too icky for a germophobe like Trump.
— Kenneth P. Vogel (@kenvogel) January 10, 2017
So that storm blew over quickly, huh?
https://twitter.com/kadhimshubber/status/818951659720163328
* * *
Update:
If you’ve always dreamed what it would be like to be a BuzzFeed staffer checking his or her email, here’s your chance. It’s not often that the editor of a website issues a reminder that the document it just published appears to be “a set of vague allegations” that readers have “serious reason to doubt.”
Here's the note I sent to @buzzfeednews staff this evening pic.twitter.com/OcAloWzVzb
— Ben Smith (@BuzzFeedBen) January 11, 2017
Editor’s note: This post has been updated with additional tweets.
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