Politics

[sgt_zim]

I get where you're coming from but I'm with @Tanks on this one. If she'd never spent a day in the White House as the First Lady, would they have been asking for this deal? I find it very, very unlikely.

I'd say the same thing about HRC.

Though I'd throw in that a multi-lingual immigrant's story whose formative years were behind the iron curtain is probably going to be fairly interesting.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

No disagreement about HRC.

I am not saying the First Lady's story might not be interesting. I just don't think it probably commands a big paycheck without her address being 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, or her husband being the President.

 

[Hunt anything]

I get where you're coming from but I'm with @Tanks on this one. If she'd never spent a day in the White House as the First Lady, would they have been asking for this deal? I find it very, very unlikely.

I’m not in favor or against this, that being said documentaries have been made about people with a hell of a lot less to offer than her.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

I’m not in favor or against this, that being said documentaries have been made about people with a hell of a lot less to offer than her.

Agreed. But I believe Tank's post is still valid: making money from being connected to a family name connected to the White House.

 

[Hunt anything]

Agreed. But I believe Tank's post is still valid: making money from being connected to a family name connected to the White House.

No dispute on that from this end.

 

[Red Leg]

I am definitely no apologist for the Trump family, but Melania's deal is no different than any other First Lady's book deal - just another medium. Would anyone have cared about Michelle Obama's biography had she not been married to the President? I will say, that the vast majority wait until their spouse's are out of office, but in the current environment, she can't get a fair biopic from the normal television/streaming press as Jackie Kennedy did in her famous TV tour of the Whitehouse. A paid Bezos deal guaranteeing a friendly product makes all sorts of political sense.

And no, I do not see this as equivalent to a foreign influence peddling scheme.

By the way, exploiting a family name or known connection to simply make money, is perfectly legal. For it to be illegal, the principal would have to provide quid pro quo. It isn't like Bezos needs the money, but he likely would appreciate good will.

 

[Tanks]

I’m not in favor or against this, that being said documentaries have been made about people with a hell of a lot less to offer than her.

I don't think they have gotten $40M for it though. I'd have no issues with it after 2028, it does stink of influence peddling at this point.
The fact that the outgoing POTUS did the same or worse does not mean this passes the smell test.

 

[Newboomer]

I don't think they have gotten $40M for it though. I'd have no issues with it after 2028, it does stink of influence peddling at this point.
The fact that the outgoing POTUS did the same or worse does not mean this passes the smell test.

Perfectly fine whatever they agreed to.

 

[Datchew]

Melania Trump signs documentary deal with Amazon for whopping sum — with cameos from Barron and Donald

Amazon founder and executive chairman Jeff Bezos “took a personal interest in the doc,” a source tells Page Six.

nypost.com

Melania Trump Turns Her Life Story Into Amazon Documentary In $40M Deal

The deal could include other projects during her return to the role of first lady.

www.ibtimes.com

So, is this Bezos currying favor with Trump? After all the yelling and screaming about Hunter Biden making money off of family name, I hear crickets from Trump supporters on this.

there does seem to be a surprising amount of currying starting to come out of the woodwork. And I'm not talking about red or yellow curry.

 

[Datchew]

I get where you're coming from but I'm with @Tanks on this one. If she'd never spent a day in the White House as the First Lady, would they have been asking for this deal? I find it very, very unlikely.

I dunno... she's the wife of Trump. Despite his quirks and political time period since 2016, he was once THE primary star on primetime for the apprentice and such. Dude has a star on broadway and has a lot of clout prior to his political times.

It could be that they're truly interested in her story as his latest wife.

I'll agree that the timing is suspect.

 

[cwpayton]

Ya guys don't jump to far ahead ,trump is a multi billion dollar chess player, Russia wants Ukraine so ut invades ,China wants every island in the pacific so its ready to invade. we are still a world power and Trump is flexing our muscles. have we ever since WWI FOUGHT A WAR and kept any geography for our trouble.
Also a bit of history on Greenland ,they were actually invaded in WW11 by a ship load of German soldiers and a nazi or 2, [ the sledge patrol] very interesting story in the book, by David Howarth. The DANIISH AND NORWEGIAN hunters played the lead role in the fight.

 

[Ridge Runner]

I get where you're coming from but I'm with @Tanks on this one. If she'd never spent a day in the White House as the First Lady, would they have been asking for this deal? I find it very, very unlikely.

If I'm not mistaken Melania was an aspiring or had a modeling career before marrying Trump. As to maybe or maybe not having a documentary about her life via her modeling career who knows, that road was abandoned along time ago. I can agree that it most likely would not have been worth $40 million.

There is also the then and now dollar value of previous paid for documentaries on people of interest ie. Jackie Kennedy, John and Bobby Kennedy, Princess Diana, etc., etc., etc..

 

[sgt_zim]

Agreed. But I believe Tank's post is still valid: making money from being connected to a family name connected to the White House.

Superficially, I agree. But there the comparison ends. Melania is a smart lady, former super model as I understand it. Hunter is a a mid-wit, crackhead, whore-banging thug operating as a front man for a crime syndicate.

The how/why here is important. To say they're the same is absurd, I'd even say cynical and dishonest.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

Superficially, I agree. But there the comparison ends. Melania is a smart lady, former super model as I understand it. Hunter is a a mid-wit, crackhead, whore-banging thug operating as a front man for a crime syndicate.

The how/why here is important. To say they're the same is absurd, I'd even say cynical and dishonest.

Agree to disagree good sir, though I see your argument. Also, now you're just painting with a broad brush, and giving all whore-banging thugs a bad name. Some of them probably deserve better than that.

 

[Wheels]

I don't think they have gotten $40M for it though. I'd have no issues with it after 2028, it does stink of influence peddling at this point.
The fact that the outgoing POTUS did the same or worse does not mean this passes the smell test.

Bezos is currying favor no doubt. He has billions of government contracts at stake. He evidently read the tea leaves and made sure his Washington Post didn't endorse a presidential candidate either.

Instead of comparing this to what Hunter did, it is more like what the Obama's did. Required the Department of Education to buy a certain book from a publisher for a few hundred million, then sign a book deal with the publisher's sister company for $65 million. Only difference at this point there has been no quid pro quo.

 

[Doubleplay]

I will certainly trust your knowledge of history over mine, but I think my point is the Greenlanders are not happy with Danish control is correct.

So you think they're not happy with the Danes, they'll welcome us with open arms?
Probably you are not following international press but Greenlanders along with Danes are not very happy with what Trump said.

 

[Dirtdart]

Superficially, I agree. But there the comparison ends. Melania is a smart lady, former super model as I understand it. Hunter is a a mid-wit, crackhead, whore-banging thug operating as a front man for a crime syndicate.

The how/why here is important. To say they're the same is absurd, I'd even say cynical and dishonest.

I am willing to bet Hunter would be able to contract an enormous sum for one of those based on true events mini series. Of course that couldn't happen until many of the individuals being portrayed were deceased. There would be a lot of warnings at the top of the screen but enough material for years.

 

[Wheels]

God knows, cooperation is different from the threat of annexation. I don't have to threaten the inhabitants in order to maintain Western/American shipping lines - hello.
We know what it's all about.
Greenland stinks for resources and that's what he wants, the rest is just fake fighting.
Another member also wrote “so we can hunt muskoxen and caribou more easily again” how cute, really an intellectual contribution about the impending storm.
As if the USA had no other worries..............
Shouldn't Washington D.C. be renamed like the Gulf of Mexico:in Melania?
A beautiful name and a really attractive woman to boot.

If Trump collects what he claims, China will take Taiwan, any bet.
And then the lights will go out for you too.

Another question I have for you: do you think your amy is playing along if international law is to be violated so massively?
Is it just me who is worried about the new year?
Foxi

I don't think anyone in America, other than the mainstream media and those way left, think Trump will invade or take Greenland. I don't know what your German media or the European media is saying about this.

Trump negotiates hard from a position of strength. There is four years of history with Trump. Look what Trump made NATO do in the first term. He even got Germany to increase their defense spending for the first time since the cold war ended. Look at the renegotiated treaties with Canada / Mexico and others.

Germany and Europe will probably be mad at Trump. Don't expect Marshall Plan/Cold War tariffs to remain in place if you expect access to the American market. Perhaps no one in Germany or Europe will buy an American vehicle but at least make the tariffs equal. An even tariff by both countries or America/EU probably gets the job done. Otherwise there will probably be pain and complaining.

The world will have four more years of bluster from Trump. Take it for what it is, a high starting point for negotiations by America. Don't take it as the Burgerbraukeller in November of 1923 or the next four years will be miserable for you.

If Greenland becomes part of America, the majority of citizens in Greenland will probably have voted to leave Denmark and join America and the politicians in Copenhagen will have signed off on it. Probably to the tune $1T or more. We are living in interesting and disrupting times. Don't worry. Be happy. Enjoy life!

 

[Rocked and Loaded]

and yet it is not forgotten how the USA treats indigenous people.

In my neck of the woods they get free healthcare and their reservations get special privileges and rights not afforded to other American citizens (and all native Americans are citizens in case you weren’t aware).

No one can argue that treatment in the past wasn’t fair but nowadays many tribes have their cake and eat it too. Nearly every reservation in socal has a casino (no casinos on non reservation land) and the money rolls in. Much of the crime and drug use found on the reservations these days comes from people having too much free money and no good use for their time, in addition to reservations having their own law enforcement which is happy to keep things in the family.

Be careful that you don’t get too much of your information on the subject from keystone pipeline protesters or dances with wolves.

 

[WAB]

In my neck of the woods they get free healthcare and their reservations get special privileges and rights not afforded to other American citizens (and all native Americans are citizens in case you weren’t aware).

No one can argue that treatment in the past wasn’t fair but nowadays many tribes have their cake and eat it too. Nearly every reservation in socal has a casino (no casinos on non reservation land) and the money rolls in. Much of the crime and drug use found on the reservations these days comes from people having too much free money and no good use for their time, in addition to reservations having their own law enforcement which is happy to keep things in the family.

Be careful that you don’t get too much of your information on the subject from keystone pipeline protesters or dances with wolves.

Agreed! Alaska Native Corps were set up by the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act in 1971. Some have not done well, but others, like ASRC and CIRI are huge multinational corporations run by native Alaskans for native Alaskans. I won’t downplay what happened in the past as it was horrific, however there’s a side to the story you won’t see on TV.