The following is being presented through absolutely no hard evidence, but only my own conjecture and common sense, based upon 2 years’ observation of the most corrupt president in U.S. history -- a president whose actions to date make Nixon's 1972 attempt to overthrow the U.S. government seem like child's play.
Up till now, Dems have universally been counting on, hoping, that Mueller's Report on Russian meddling in the 2016 election, and Trump's conspiring with elements in Russia to swing the election to Trump, would lead to the undoing of Trump's presidency. Most opinions were centered around the RELEASE of the Report, confident that Mueller's Report would expose in detail Trump's part in Russia's successful efforts to game the election.
Now, it no longer matters.
* * *
Yesterday Trump rather suddenly said on camera “let the people see” the Mueller Report — a 180 degree flip from almost 2 years of hundreds of times calling it “a hoax,” “a witch hunt,” etc. I interpreted this as hard common sense evidence of the following:
* Trump finally has the Attorney General (Barr, who advocates a strong and virtually immune-from-prosecution Chief Executive) he wants. What's happened to last summer's many- and often-published reports of "Trump's White House in chaos," "Trump throwing tantrums," etc., etc.? They have disappeared.
* Trump has to date PUBLICLY done everything in his power to discredit the Report. If he has done that publicly, he has done many times that privately.
* Barr has learned the contents of the Mueller Report -- not difficult — Mueller works for Barr, albeit slightly indirectly. Anyone think Barr would deny Trump's request or order to do so?
* Behind the scenes, Barr has advised Trump of what’s in the Report. Certain WH personnel are currently editing the “release version” of the report to eliminate any damaging information pertaining to Trump.
* Confident that now the Report will not injure him, Trump has now, virtually overnight, done a 180 flip-flop on the Report. There is no reason for this flip-flop other than Trump’s confidence that “his people” are now engaged in neutering the report. And he has now publicly removed himself from the report (“It’s up the Attorney General.”)
* Thus: The fix is in.
Using what must now be termed remarkable skill at manipulation of media and back bench power-mongering, Trump has gotten rid of the biggest threat to his power.
THE FIX IS IN.
No one should expect anything whatsoever damaging to Trump to appear in the version of the Report that Barr releases (“I’m going to do everything I can” to let the public see the Report -- read “what’s left of it after Trump and I get through with it”).
The fix is in. IT IS A FAIT ACCOMPLI.
Doesn’t matter anymore… Senate wasn’t about to vote for removal anyway, no matter WHAT grounds for impeachment House Dems on any committee found.
2020 is our only shot… altho the SDNY state actions appear to have the potential to get pretty dicy for Trump, as ongoing issues.
But, fuck the Mueller report — it’s been bastardized and denutted, whatever the findings originally were. All Rachel’s OUTSTANDING reporting is now pretty much flotsam and jetsam. Maybe that’s why she stayed home yesterday and likely will today as well (Joy Reid: "Rachel will be back SOON.") (Emphasis in the original.)
I’d bet a month’s SS benefits on it.