Comey's Book

[H2O Man]

“There is no such thing as 'coincidence'.”
H2O Man


On Wednesday morning, reports that former FBI director James Comey referred to Donald Trump as a “mob boss,” in a soon-to-be aired interview on ABC.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/11/politics/james-comey-donald-trump-mob-boss/index.html

Hours later, on a show promoted by a Trump tweet, Sean Hannity ran an implosive report on the “deep state crime family,” headed by Mr. Mueller.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/04/12/trump-touts-hannitys-show-on-deep-state-crime-families-led-by-mueller-comey-and-clintons/?utm_term=.c1d7e5a8b7f9

It's said that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. In this instance, however, Hannity's limitations in thinking capacity render that door shut.

Rachel Maddow's recent reports – which included copies of former acting Attorney General Dana Boente – prove that Mr. Comey's version of his conversations with Trump were accurate.

https://www.mediaite.com/tv/rachel-maddow-obtains-notes-ex-senior-doj-official-reportedly-took-corroborating-comey-testimony/

What more interesting prologue might there be for Mr. Comey's book? In theory, the book could serve as a weapon of mass discussion, capable of informing even the misinformed and uninformed of exactly why Trump must be removed from office, and incarcerated. However, in today's political climate, there are stumbling blocks that may prevent that from taking place.

A survey of Trump supporters, which asks which is a bigger problem in America – ignorance or apathy? – would surely produce the answer, “I don't know, and I don't care!” Likewise, among a segment of non-republicans who blame Mr. Comey for Trump's victory in the 2016 election, the wisdom of Mark Twain's saying that the problem today is not one of ignorance, but of people knowing so darned much that just ain't true, comes into focus. Thus, a wide range of citizens who should read the book, won't – though they will certainly express their biases (though not opinions) – clinging to the imagined safety of “my mind is made up, so don't confuse me with facts.”

Just one example, for sake of discussion: a frequent question, asked in the media and on the internet, is why James Comey remained silent about the investigation of the Trump-Russian scandal during the election season? After all, he did address the issues involving Hillary Clinton. Hopefully, we could all agree that this raises a valid question, one that deserves a serious answer.

By no coincidence, not only will Mr. Comey's book address this important question, but the answer is already available to any person who sincerely has asked that very question. It can be found, for example, in Corn & Isikoff's book, “Russian Roulette.” And, again by no coincidence, the answer is unlikely to be processed in the minds of those already convinced the Trump-Russian scandal id “fake news,” or by their counterparts who are invested in despising the image of Mr. Comey who exists only between their ears.

Mr. Comey had indeed penned an op-ed documenting his concerns, which was scheduled for publication on September 11, 2016 in the New York Times and/or the Washington Post. This was clearly about two months before the election, hence plenty of time for the media to investigate and report further upon it. However, there were disagreements within the Obama administration, as to how to – if at all – publicly address the issue of Russian interference. Due to the 9/11 date, Mr. Comey's op-ed was pushed aside by the White House.

Might the publication of this op-ed changed things? One can only speculate. However, I find one idea expressed by David Frum in his book, “Trumpocracy: The Corruption of the American Republic” worth keeping in mind. And I say this as someone who never anticipated buying a book by Frumj. But in the book, he makes the point that the political elite have fallen in love with the concept of “Game Changers,” and have even convinced many people that such things commonly exist. They don't – true game changers are rare, (A primary example would be from 1988, when leading candidate Gary Hart sailed upon “Monkey Business.)

Instead, we should focus upon voters – both dependable, and potential voters, who we need to get to the voting booths in November.

Peace,
H2O Man

[NBachers]

1. Yeah, the Obama Administration's decisions regarding Russian interference is a big stumbling block

for me. We all know by now what they shoulda done. Obama's being intimidated by McConnell seems out of character to me.

I agree, however one feels about Comey, his book is relevant and worth reading.

[H2O Man]

2. It was a strange time.

I tend to trust President Obama on most things. Obviously, he was getting conflicting opinions on how to respond from various people within the administration. I assume there was a lot of information that was available to him, that we still do not know about. So I try not to second guess what decisions were made. It would be too easy to say he could have, or should have, done more. If he did something different, such as okay the Comey op-ed that others objected to, it is possible the outcome would have been different.

Still, I realize that this is speculation on my part. The media, which wasn't taking Russian interference seriously, might have been used by republicans to say President Obama was trying to influence the election. And social media was already out of control.

In the end, I think both President Obama and James Comey are honest men. While I may not agree with them on some issues, I trust they both did the best they knew how in trying circumstances.

[NBachers]

3. Yes, respect or villify Comey (I'm a little of both,) I think he's a patriot who is loyal to the USA

[H2O Man]

8. Right.

I don't agree 100% with anyone. For, as Malcolm X noted, any time two people think just alike, it means that only one is thinking. Still, I can have high regard for the integrity of people I disagree with.

Malcolm Nance is, in my opinion, one of the most attractive minds in our society today. Yet, he does not trust the environmental community when it comes to our opposition to hydro-fracking. I'm confident that if he were to accompany me on a walk around just one rural neighborhood in PA, he would adjust his thinking on this. But his current stance does not make me mistrust or dislike him. Heck, even Malcolm X was uniformed on environmental issues, as shown in some of his speeches on Africa.

[coeur_de_lion]

4. I'm volunteering for GOTV

in my county. The most important thing I can do I think.

I hope many DUers do the same. Most important mid term election in my lifetime.

[H2O Man]

6. That's great!

I think everyone on DU should volunteer with GOTV and be active within their local Democratic committee. We need to win elections, not just in the House and Senate, but at the state and local level as well. Democracy works nest when people are active participants.

[Tatiana]

5. I think Comey is honest and have no doubts about the veracity of his account.

I think he, like Obama, had some other issues that precluded them from rising to the occasion and making the decision the circumstances required. For Obama -- to be partisan and not care what people thought of him, for Comey -- to go with his instinct and not comment, not caring what people thought of him.

But the folks at DOJ and the FBI knew that Comey cared a LOT about what people thought of him. And they used it to their advantage.

After Hillary lost, Bill Clinton summed up what many Democrats and even some Republicans still believe: “James Comey cost her the election.”

Just days before her defeat, an open letter circulated among former federal prosecutors and Justice Department officials accusing Comey of unprecedented actions that had left them “astonished and perplexed”—as well as angry. “In our network, we are sad,” says the former Southern District attorney. “He was an American hero. Now who knows how he will go down in history?”

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/02/james-comey-fbi-director-letter

So Comey's colleagues circulated this very mean letter about Comey and I think Comey felt some kind of way about it. And he came out kicked the floor out from under Clinton's campaign. He incorrectly assumed she could take the hit. But he should have known that she had already taken DOZENS and would not be able to survive more.

I think the book serves as an honest, accurate contemporaneous account of events as he experienced them and, as such, it is useful.

You are right -- we must get to the voting booths and not take any election for granted.

[H2O Man]

7. I agree.

The points you make all reflect rational thought. Those who believe that Mr. Comey's actions hurt Hillary Clinton -- and even that his late notice of re-opening the e-mail investigation was the straw that broke the camel's back in the election -- have valid reasons to believe this.

It's interesting to contrast that with those who believe the Russian interference had no impact upon the election. They are the very definition of irrational. Yet, this degree of delusional thinking is required, even demanded, for them to further believe that there was no coordination with the Trump campaign. They deny reality.

[coeur_de_lion]

12. I read some comments

online and it's pretty scary how stubborn Trunk followers are in their belief that he is innocent. And Hillary is guilty instead.

I am old enough to remember Watergate and we lived near DC when it was breaking open. I don't remember this delusional reaction from the right back then. Do you?

[loyalsister]

13. I think few of us saw Coney's actions as a true threat

Throughout most of the campaign, I don't think it even occurred to me that she could possibly not win by a landslide. I went to sleep thinking it would be sorted out in our favor and was shocked by the news the next day. I don't think I was alone in that, so I believe that Comey didn't intend or expect to throw the election.

[malaise]

9. Excellent post WaterMan

[panader0]

10. "weapon of mass discussion" I like it.

[bullwinkle428]

11. I swear to God - nuance, at times, seems like a cement block figuratively

shackled to one's leg when they attempt to post certain ideas at DU, but I, for one, will never lose my appreciation for those that still try and push through.

Happy to K&R!

[KY_EnviroGuy]

14. K&R and thanks for posting that excellent review.

Although I have not yet read the book, this somewhat suggests it may include a veiled attempt by Mr. Comey to make amends.

I do feel he would be extremely careful to not reveal anything that would affect any on-going investigations such as the big one Robert Mueller is directing. At this point in the game, that requires some very careful tactics.

It makes one wonder how many top secrets men like Comey - and past presidents - carry to their graves.

............