Even the Simplest Things Have Value

The substance of what Sondland reported to Trump from his luncheon in Kyiv is of course most shocking & rightfully driving news. The very act, however, was also shocking. Ambassadors rarely call presidents directly. That usually happens only during a major crisis.

— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) November 14, 2019

Normally, ambassadors are calling people like Kent, Deputy Assistant Secretaries. Sometimes Assistant Secretaries.  Rarely Secretaries of State. I wonder how many times Obama or Bush ambos to EU called SecState or Potus?

— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) November 14, 2019

By the time I became the U.S. ambassador to Russia in 2012, I knew Obama well. I had worked for 2 years on his campaign, 3 years at the WH, (played basketball and football with him!), but never ONCE called him directly, one-on-one, while serving in Moscow.

— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) November 14, 2019

That Trump got on the phone with Sondland in Kyiv, just the day after Trump had called Zelensky, shows how engaged and interested Trump personally was in operationalizing his his quid pro quo.

— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) November 14, 2019

And that Sondland called Trump indicates how clear Trump & Co. were about the importance of this demand on Ukraine.

Also:  this is how you expand your base, reaching out to independents and undecided voters:

These are some of the descriptions of George Kent and Bill Taylor from Fox's prime time shows: "Two homeless guys." They "looked like people who sat by themselves at recess." And "self-important" bureaucrats. https://t.co/HHgFa0rSlb

— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) November 14, 2019

Or maybe just talk to the Audience of One.