Best reactions: Trump's meeting with Putin was a letdown

Letter to the editor: 

It is not necessarily what President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin may be discussing overtly. But it’s indeed what’s going on “under the table,” in the unspoken arrangement between them.

JoAnn Lee Frank; Clearwater, Fla. 

Letter to the editor:

I believe that Trump and his followers would rather have Russia interfere in our elections than allow a Democrat to win. They’re willing to lie down with a dictator as long as Putin helps them win elections. This is putting their party before the security of our country. Our destruction will come from within. This is Putin’s plan.

Thomas Sutton; San Jose

Letter to the editor:

Regarding the video and photo op of the initial meeting between Trump and Putin, talk about body language! Both men were leaning forward in armchairs ready to leap.

What was most telling was that both were “man spreading.” Maximum exposure of genital areas couldn’t have been more indicative of the testosterone overload that characterized the personality of each. This meeting was going to be more “pissing contest” than intellectual engagement.

Even in reporting on the meeting, Putin and Trump are jockeying for dominance. What did we expect from two of the biggest blowhards on the planet?

Adele Zimmermann; Embudo, N.M.

Comments are edited for clarity and grammar:

That’s it, folks. Russian President Vladimir Putin denied Russian interference in our presidential elections. President Trump says time to move on. Case closed.

— Mike Bates

The news media are so clueless. They don’t realize that Trump is playing them like a violin. Behind closed doors, he and Putin probably talked about everything, including the issue of Russian collusion and hacking. They probably laughed because they know that there was no hacking of the election, and they both know that there was no collusion with Russia. Trump is playing the “fake news media.”

— Dale Yancy

We asked our followers their thoughts on President Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin last Friday. Tweets are edited for clarity and grammar:

Everyone should be extremely concerned about the sanctity of the 2018 midterm elections and, worse, the 2020 presidential election.

— @WillDickeson

No down side to this meeting. We now have a leader with Trump.

— @CSEFP

It was kind of like watching a dog wanting to be petted and held in his master’s lap.

— @lderby1007

Trump did a fantastic job talking with Putin on issues he was concerned about and needed changed. And now they’re working together on important issues.

— @DebiDkruse

For the first time in my life, I feel a strong sense of vulnerability. Our country, under Trump, is weaker. He is naive.

— @notthatdonna

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