Washington Post - "Some billionaires, CEOs hedge bets as Trump vows retribution"

[Ramsey Barner]

At a five-star resort in California last week, Wall Street executives, fast-food CEOs, a few dozen other industry titans and two former presidents gathered for off-the-record conversations. One subject that inevitably came up, according to two people familiar with the matter: The possibility that former president Donald Trump could return to the White House.

The gathering of the Business Council — an invitation-only association of chief executives — at the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach in Dana Point was not supposed to be about the election, but some attendees wound up discussing how to protect themselves and their companies if Trump wins the presidency next week and tries to use the power of the Oval Office against his perceived enemies, said the people, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe private conversations.

At one event, former president Bill Clinton warned about the dangers Trump poses to democracy and the nation’s rule of law, while former president George W. Bush expressed concern about high tariff rates, which some attendees heard as a rebuke of Trump’s tariff plans, two of the people said.

With the White House appearing increasingly up for grabs, and especially as polls have tightened, numerous billionaires and other leading executives have taken steps in recent months to stay out of the race — even if they had criticized Trump after the Capitol insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021, calling his encouragement of the riot a threat to American democracy. Others who previously backed Democrats have stayed silent this election, which some critics and Trump supporters alike have interpreted as a peace offering to the GOP presidential nominee.
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More at link: https://archive.ph/bJaUW

And more "obeying in advance," to use Timothy Snyder's phrase.

George W. Bush finally weighed in, but only to "express concern about tariffs."

[OldBaldy1701E]

1. "With the White House appearing increasingly up for grabs, and especially as polls have tightened..."

These people just will not stop, will they? They are so determined to have a 'Presidential Battle Royale' for the post that they keep on saying stupid things like this in a vain and pointless attempt to rewrite reality so that they can make even more money.

The White House is not 'up for grabs' any more than my place is up for sale. It has not stopped all the predatory home buyers from sending us tons of paper waste, just as the reality of the upcoming election does not stop these leeches from trying to create stories where there are none.

These days I don't believe anything from the 'news' without corroboration. And, there is none for this story other than people wishing that it were so.