Wednesday, September 25, 2019

What was Trump’s call to Zelensky all about?

We now have a summary of the content of the call Trump made to the President of Ukraine.  You can read the summary here.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/25/politics/donald-trump-ukraine-transcript-call/index.html

What was this call all about?  Think of it this way. The

You get a call from someone whose support is very important to you.  Maybe you run a small company and this person is the CEO of the company that accounts for half of your sales.  Maybe this person is your boss and mentor who helped you get the position you have and whose support you will need in the future.  Maybe the person is a very close friend who has given you emotional support that allowed you to get through a major crisis in your life and that you hope will be there for you in the future.

In the first part of the conversation, the person calling congratulates you on some achievement.  Your company has had its best quarter ever.  You have garnered praise and a big bonus for your performance in your job.  You finally seem to be getting your life together. You gratefully acknowledge how much help this person has been to you and how much you appreciate their continuing support.

Suddenly, the conversation changes.  The person calling says, “I would appreciate it if you could help me out..” and goes on to ask you to do him a favor.

How do you interpret this request in light of the phone conversation up to that point?  Is the person suggesting that his/her future support is somehow contingent on you honoring his/her request for “help”?  Is this a quid pro quo?

Now, what was Trump doing in his call to the President of Ukraine?  Was he trying to use the power of the Presidency to get dirt on a possible opponent?  If so, is that acceptable or should Trump be impeached for abusing the powers of his office?

Your call.

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