MESSAGES

Kim Jong-un threatens to pull out of the June summit, citing at least two gripes: 1) joint US-South Korean military exercises taking place at his back door, and 2) statements from National Security Advisor John Bolton to the effect we are looking for the Libya model of nuclear disarmament to be used on North Korea.

The White House responded to the first issue by pointing out these exercises were typical of the region and long in the planning. Despite our interest in the denuclearization of North Korea, once a thing is planned it cannot be canceled. The schedules had been printed up and everything. Sorry.

(Besides, stopping now would be a sign of weakness, right?)

As for Bolton's statement, the President blithely contradicted the man (who was standing right there). Apparently we are not interested in regime change. Libyan leader Qaddafi gave up his nuclear aspirations and soon found himself dragged from a desert culvert and beset by murderous thugs.

Kim, on the other hand, is to be given "protections" that will prevent such rude treatment, and will be, as Trump says, "very very happy."

(We've offered to make his country rich, but all he wants is the lifting of sanctions.)

Here's an idea: Would it be possible to conduct these discussions at the time of the discussions, and not months before, unilaterally and piecemeal?

One of the problems with this administration is that every vague thought is broadcast or tweeted out or leaked by concerned staffers within seconds of that thought crossing the presidential mind. The level of chatter coming from the White House is always set at maximum, implying action is imminent across the board.

War with Iran? Any minute now. Missiles headed to North Korea? Sure, why not? Fire and fury, baby! Elsewhere, we'll pull out of Syria so we can double-down on Afghanistan. Plus Yemen, the US ganged up with Saudi Arabia.

Chaos is our brand now.

Whatever it is, we don't have time to think it through. Things have to be set in motion at once, to avoid getting caught up in the government shutdown triggered by Trump not getting his Wall funded.

Meanwhile, the very existence of the Trump Administration is undermined by the steady drumbeat of charges and guilty pleas coming from the Mueller investigation.

(Twenty-five hundred pages of testimony about the "dirt" meeting at Trump Tower!)

Rudy Giuliani now claims the meeting led to no collusion because the dirt wasn't used by the Trump campaign. Another mistaken statement? Or was dirt produced by the Russians after all?

Giuliani is like the dog that traipsed through the OJ murder scene, covering the place in bloody paw prints. Will it ever be possible to piece this thing together?