Analysis: New Trump-Putin meeting will "complicate" Russia message, midterms

Analysis: New Trump-Putin meeting will "complicate" Russia message, midterms

July 19, 2018, 8:22 PM

President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands as they hold a joint news conference after their meeting in Helsinki, Finland, on Mon., July 16, 2018.

The White House effort to have Russian President Vladimir Putin come to Washington in September or October sends a mixed signal after the Trump administration has been doing damage control since it returned from the meeting between the two leaders in Helsinki, Finland, according to CBS News' chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett. Set to take place in the fall, Garrett said the meeting will complicate the issue surrounding the midterm elections, especially since the intelligence community has sounded the alarm about possible Russian meddling in those races.

Putin declares summit a success, warns Trump's opponents

Putin's arrival in Washington -- if it happens -- comes just ahead of those 2018 midterm elections, so whatever the White House says about whether their attitude or disagreements with the infiltration mechanisms undertaken by the Russians would certainly be complicated by the fanfare of a summit in D.C. between the two presidents, Garrett said.

Meanwhile, the White House responded Thursday to Putin's offer to Mr. Trump on Monday that he would allow special counsel Robert Mueller's team to go to Moscow for interviews with 12 Russians he indicted last week. Mr. Trump said Monday it "was an incredible offer."

But White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Thursday "it is a proposal that was made in sincerity by President Putin, but President Trump disagrees with it."

Garrett said that Mr. Trump distinctly left behind an impression at Helsinki that he was willing to have Russian security services cooperate with the United States -- possibly come to America -- to question Americans about alleged crimes in Russia. That's what would have needed to happen for Putin to cooperate with Mueller's office.

"To put it mildly, the U.S. intelligence community was deeply disturbed about the implications of that and it took three days, but the White House after being prevailed upon has reversed itself and has now made it clear that that's not going to happen," Garret added.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-tru...major-garrett/

Why would a move towards peace, prosperity and improved relations with Russia "complicate the issue" surrounding the mid-terms?! Congresscritters won't know which side to be on?! Well, DemoQuacks have certainly placed their bets against peace, so Republicans should just unite around peace and follow Trump to the Golden Gates of .... WINNING!!!

This President ran on his goal of a new and improved relationship with Russia, he talked about it all the time, not in secret, not in the dark, but in the wide open spaces of a free election, on the news, at pressers, during interviews, on his website, on his Twitter, and at all of his rallies.

Big stuff will come from the second Summit and this should come forth before the mid-term elections, not after, so people can see and fully understand where this is going and why Trump is going for it. People need to see why a good relationship with Russia is in the best interest of our national security, our military, our economy and our citizens. There's nothing new about this, a good relationship with Russia was always in our best interest, what's different now is we have a President with the strength, courage and intelligence to fight the forces who for whatever reasons of their own do not want what's actually in our best interest. Trump is exposing them, they're crawling out from under their rocks and snarling like the reptiles they are.

That's all that's new or different. The facts are the same, the reality is the same, all that's different is we have a leader with the skill and courage to do it.