Comey’s Testimony

So, let’s talk Comey. I watched the whole thing this morning, along with another bazillion hours of CNN commentary. I’m going to dash out some quick thought tonight, because I’ll be at Jonah’s college tomorrow helping him pick out his classes for the fall.

Comey was very, very impressive. Even when he admitting his failures, he came off as very likable.
Russia interfered with our elections. Full stop. That wasn’t a grey area. There is “no fuzz” on that statement. They fucked with our elections. At the very least, that is strongest statement that we’ve heard to date. I want to know more.
Donald Trump is a toddler who has no idea about how DC politics works. He used to Jersey and New York City style politics where loyalty-shit means a lot. This is how business and politics happens here. There are no rules. Politics is a family business here. Trump does not understand that he can’t do that in Washington.
Ryan said Trump is new to politics and is learning the rules. But that’s no excuse. He’s the president. And ignorance of the law is never a defense for breaking law.
They don’t have enough evidence for obstruction of justice. They don’t. Trump did try to obstruct the Flynn investigation, but they can’t prove it.
Why did Trump try to push Comey off of Flynn’s trail? Is it because Trump just liked Flynn and wanted to help him out? Or was there something more? Right now, I think Trump just liked Flynn.
There is no evidence that Trump knew anything about Russian interference. I don’t think he knew that Russians were involved and had any hand in it. Trump doesn’t want to admit to this interference, because it taints his win and that’s all he cares about.
Trump is in trouble just the same. Big trouble. The news cycle is all Comey, Comey, Comey. And Comey did paint Trump in a very damaging light. Trump came off as a weirdo, an ass, a loose cannon, a child, and all those things that we already knew about him. But now more people know it.
McCain? Drugs?
Loretta Lynch is in trouble now, too. And so is Clinton.
The conservatives are spinning all this to say that Lynch is corrupt, too and Comey is a weakling, so let’s not talk about anything else.

One thought on “Comey’s Testimony”

I don’t think anything that was said will change anyone’s mind. I watched the last half and read some follow-up. People who already think Trump is ignorant and dishonest got plenty of evidence for that, but there was no evidence of his personal collusion with Russia (though more may show up during the ongoing investigation).

I think DC insiders assume that people will be shocked at the president’s efforts to get Comey to lay off Flynn, but I don’t think most people care that much. They will shrug their shoulders as Ryan is (or is pretending to) and say, that’s just the way he operates. They will see no problem in the administration’s different explanations (what others, including Comey, correctly call lies) about why Comey was fired.

One story (sorry, I’ve lost track of which) pointed out that his lawyer seems to treat Comey’s testimony as going against some sort of “non-disclosure agreement” that exists in business but doesn’t exist here. Since the president didn’t claim executive privilege and Comey was careful not to disclose classified information, there is nothing illegal or immoral about “leaking” this information (or, I would add, any information that is coming from the various White House leakers).

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af says:

June 9, 2017 at 11:10 am

I don’t think anything that was said will change anyone’s mind. I watched the last half and read some follow-up. People who already think Trump is ignorant and dishonest got plenty of evidence for that, but there was no evidence of his personal collusion with Russia (though more may show up during the ongoing investigation).

I think DC insiders assume that people will be shocked at the president’s efforts to get Comey to lay off Flynn, but I don’t think most people care that much. They will shrug their shoulders as Ryan is (or is pretending to) and say, that’s just the way he operates. They will see no problem in the administration’s different explanations (what others, including Comey, correctly call lies) about why Comey was fired.

One story (sorry, I’ve lost track of which) pointed out that his lawyer seems to treat Comey’s testimony as going against some sort of “non-disclosure agreement” that exists in business but doesn’t exist here. Since the president didn’t claim executive privilege and Comey was careful not to disclose classified information, there is nothing illegal or immoral about “leaking” this information (or, I would add, any information that is coming from the various White House leakers).

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