In today’s Politico Magazine, Tim Weiner writes, “Donald Trump Wants to Fight the FBI? It’s a Suicide Mission" (https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/01/26/donald-trump-wants-to-fight-the-fbi-its-a-suicide-mission-2165330).
Associate solitary reporters Johanna Jones and Susanna Sherman couldn’t agree more.
Ditto ASR Melissa Smith, who covers Congress for us, and our chief international correspondent and associate solitary reporter, Larry Theis, who is in Davos at the World Economic Forum.
This, after the hugely successful (not failing, as Trump would have his ignorant and proud of it base believe) New York Times reported that in June, Trump told his White House Counsel, Don McGahn, to tell the Justice Department to fire Mueller, who served for twelve years as FBI Director under two presidents, one a Republican, the other a Democrat. Mueller, a Princeton alum, served as a Marine Corps officer during the Vietnam War, receiving the Bronze Star Combat “V” award for heroism and the Purple Heart Medal. But McGahn told Trump he would resign rather than obey his boss, so Trump relented, pissing and moaning all the time.
And now Mueller is getting closer and closer, as detailed in Weiner’s thoughtful opinion piece, in which he explores the history, power, and influence of the FBI.
Those of us who are old enough (especially NYSE CEO Sydney Williams III) to remember Watergate clearly recall how, when R. Milhous Nixon’s presidency was imploding because of Nixon’s clear obstruction of justice, Senate Minority Leader Hugh Scott (R-Pennsylvania) told Nixon he wouldn’t be able to survive an impeachment trial; the day after that meeting (after praying with Secretary of State Henry Kissinger) Tricky Dick resigned (https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/Decoder/2014/0807/Richard-Nixon-s-resignation-the-day-before-a-moment-of-truth).
So now Trump, the most politically obtuse and inept occupant of the White House since Herbert Hoover (another Republican…), says he’s willing to testify under oath in front of Mueller — with the extreme caveat that he’s leaving it up to his lawyers.
Trump is the most litigious occupant of the Oval Office ever. But he also loves a fight, so long as he thinks he can win. Trump is well known for his extreme impetuosity and grandiosity, and he’s no lawyer, and never served in our military.
But he won’t win when he goes mano a mano with Mueller, if it gets that far.
Meanwhile, Azorian American House Intelligence Committee Chairman and Trump lackey Devin Nunes (R-California, only he’ll be dead meat in November) is promoting a secret report in which he attacks the FBI.
Earlier today, Trump spoke in Davos at the World Economic Forum. He stayed on White House Economic Council Director Gary Cohn’s script until he took softball questions from the world leaders — at which time he re-emerged as Candidate Trump. Check out “Davos elites get a dose of the Trump First message,” https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/26/trump-davos-speech-america-first-371243.
Trump ran for the presidency on a seriously misguided America First theme.
As House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi cogently said, on immigration, Trump is trying to Make America White Again.
In November, Happy Days Will Be Here Again.