Readers React: All the things Trump wants us to believe about his deal with Stormy Daniels, in one letter to the editor

To the editor: I think I’ve got it now. There was a nondisclosure agreement between two parties — pornographic actress Stephanie Clifford, a.k.a. Stormy Daniels, and “David Dennison,” who is President Trump.

The contract, however, was unsigned by Trump and not even known to him. Nevertheless, it is claimed the document constitutes a valid contract and, therefore, Daniels must keep her mouth shut. And there was no payoff by Trump. In fact, the White House has denied that Trump even had a relationship with Daniels.

But Michael Cohen, Trump’s lawyer, paid Daniels $130,000 out of his own pocket — because, as we all know, that’s what lawyers do. And the fact that this happened right before the election is just a coincidence.

Last month, when asked whether he knew about the payment, the president said he did not. But just this week, Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani said Trump paid back the $130,000. So Trump didn’t know about the hush money or its source or why it was paid, but it turns out he made the payoff he was unaware of to someone with whom he had no relationship, in satisfaction of a contract he never signed and didn’t even know existed.

I just don’t understand why there’s a problem with any of this.

Barry Berkeley, Culver City

..

To the editor: P.T. Barnum is believed by some people to have said, “A sucker is born every minute.” While the great mid-19th century showman didn’t know Trump, Cohen or Giuliani, he clearly had them in mind.

Their conflicting statements about who did or didn’t pay Daniels $130,000 is a circus Barnum would have been proud to promote.

I’ve got one thing to say about all this: We aren’t the suckers the president, his “fixer” and America’s mayor think we are.

Denny Freidenrich, Laguna Beach

..

To the editor: Now that the Trump presidency is unraveling, it would be instructive for people to look for the 91-second clip online titled “Capt. Queeg Loses It.”

“The Caine Mutiny,” a cinema classic from 1954, is replaying in 2018 as a tragic comedy. To all but the willfully blind, Trump is Capt. Queeg.

Rob Briner, Anaheim

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook