TRUMP TWEETS PIC ARTISTICALLY DESIGNED STEEL SLAT BARRIER WITH SPIKES SITUATION ROOM CNN 12/21
<Wolf Blitzer
>POTUS tweeted a picture of new design
>Our design is beautiful and effective.
>No longer wall, it's a fence.
<Jeffrey
>Ploy to change Senate view; wall vs fence
>Sematic/Semantic games
--can't tell which he says
>Lots of people going to go without a paycheck because of shut down.
>Federal workers are great people and unfair to use them as pawns
>Unfair hostages to political games is simply outrageous
<Wolf Blitzer
>420k working for free temporarily
>380k on furlough
>25% gov. unfunded
--had an autist moment 2 (2+3): 223!
>This is a real problem to deal with, especially on the eve of this Christmas season
<Samantha
>This whole notion is hypocritical
>What other government in the world still hopes to project power and keep people safe while losing so many?
>Every government employee is essential, except a few at the White House, to keeping things safe and running smoothly
>We will be at risk, entering a high risk season while handicapped
>This should not make anyone feel good or safe
<Wolf Blitzer
>There are a lot of other rammifications
>People don't appreciate how significant a government shut down really is
<Laura
>Absolutely but from a political perspective, POTUS is in a tough spot.
>Come January, Speaker Pelosi and Chuck will give it to POTUS
>Wall is non-starting, will not go for fence
>Ann Coulter and Laura Ingram/Conservatives hounding POTUS re:remember promises
>Mexico paying for wall
<Wolf Blitzer
>Mexico is not paying for the wall.
<How is USMCA deal going?
>There is a delegation (Pence, Mulvaney, Kushner, POTUS) right now on the Hill
>They're talking and making statements but uncertain on POTUS stance
<David
>Underline how key this is
>Not Pence's first time on the Hill this week
>POTUS was totally prepared to sign continuuing resolution
>POTUS flopped because of pressure Laura described
>VP is not most reliable messenger because POTUS flips too much
<Wolf Blitzer
>Repubs, Jeffrey, complaining can't understand POTUS stance
<Jeffrey
>They should check with Ann Coulter because apparently she is POTUS
>This was a deal!
>Everyone thought this deal was done!
>POTUS lost on the wall because he didn't have the votes
>POTUS' manhood was questioned by Ann Coulter
>POTUS throwing a tantrum
>She needs to figure out how to end this
<Wolf Blitzer
>Samantha, you've spent a lot of time in the Middle East, you know a lot about walls
>Would this new fence work?
<Samantha
>There's spikes on top
>He looked to the middle ages for influence, not security experts
>I was there, I saw the wall
>Bibi said build a wall
>Guess what, terrorists build tunnels! Spikes don't work.
>Even the State Department things POTUS' idea is stupid
>Issued whole strategy on combating illegal immigration that has nothing to do with the wall
>Border Patrol will be furloughed if gov. shut down.
<Wolf Blitzer
>I was there too, I saw the tunnels.
<David
>Mulvaney doesn't agree with wall, he made comments in 2015
<Wolf Blitzer
>I have those comments
>Radio interview in August 2015
>Fence is an easy political sell
>Fence doesn't solve problem
>Childish to say otherwise
>Fence won't really stop people
<Jeffrey
>Immigration is not just border crossing
>Overstayed visas are a big problem
>Border fence is right out of Game of Thrones
>Won't persuade people from crossing
>Underlines how preposterous this is
>We have experts to design border wall, not elected officials
>We don't shut down government over this
>You compromise, it's how things work
>The idea that this tweet will change anything is absurd
<Wolf Blitzer
>That sound byte isn't the only thing coming back to haunt POTUS
<Jeffrey
>We learned over the week about comments re:Mulvaney saying then-candidate is a terrible person
>Response is they hadn't met yet
>Odd explanation
>How long will Mulvaney stay?
>K-file did excellent job digging
>Trying to fly a plane with no path forward
>No votes to move forward
>No actual plan to avert a shutdown
Seems to be more calls that POTUS is unfit and there is no strategy in place, though maybe other codes that I am not seeing.
>>4418265 (lb)
Baker, amend notable to include FRMR DEF SEC Bill Cohen as well.