Well that didn’t take long.
Just yesterday, Trump went full reverse-power from his initial call to “release the entire report” to referencing a subpoena to do just that a “disgrace.”
This is a scared and angry man:
What could this “reversal” in position possibly mean?
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Well, for one thing, it means that whatever remains of the skeleton staff at the White House has had sufficient time to impress upon Trump:
“Sir, about the only thing we actually know about the report is that it does not, in fact, exonerate you, despite what you continue to say, even in all caps.”
Ha ha, they said that in perhaps the first 24 hours post release to Barr. Since then, things have certainly changed.
Does anyone doubt that Barr, who so willingly drew up the most self-serving “summary” of near 400 pages in 48 hours, hasn’t somehow gotten word to the White House about what is actually IN the Mueller report? Perhaps let a copy of the full report “slip” out of his grasp and make it over to the White House?
If you question at all that the report itself is within the walls of the White House, or at least a real summary (and not 4 pages, more like 40), you have just been tasked with taking 6 hours of DKos continuing education in Trump administration “character.”
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It also means two other things that one can take to the bank, if you even need a bank these days:
1. Anything Barr puts out at this point, with the “redactions to protect independent third parties …” cannot be trusted.
Yes, traditionally, unindicted third parties are protected.
But, “Traditionally” third parties aren’t named Kushner, Don Junior and Ivanka, two of whom hold official positions in the White House, the other is in charge of a “not-even-slightly-blind-trust” of all of Trump’s assets.
If we know one thing about Trump, he’s going to protects his ass-etts at the expense of the country, take that to your bank, too.
If Trump thinks release of the report would be a “disgrace” we can rest assured there is terribly damaging material within it, and there is NO reason at all to believe it is ONLY damaging to the wanna-be King. It would be JUST as damaging to the wanna-be princes and princess.
2. That report isn’t coming to Nadler or anyone (without redactions) any time soon. You can bet there will be claims of “executive privilege” and then court fights.
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As frustrating as it certainly is that there will be an impending fight, we really ought to take heart.
For one, Trump seems bound and determined to make his political life the hell that he so richly deserves.
The country agrees on very very few things. But one thing 80% of the country agrees upon, is that the report itself should be published, and one can infer that means without Barr’s little “touch-ups” to “protect third parties.”
The harder the Trump administration fights its release, the more that 80% assumes that he’s terrified of something.
One other thing … the more the report is suppressed, the more likely it becomes that the intelligence community — the one that knows our president* is compromised (even if not indicted) — the more likely the report, or parts of the report, are leaked.
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Trump running scared.
THAT is a good scenario for 2020, Trump demonstrating to 80% of the nation that he cannot be trusted, since he’s blocking a report that “totally exonerates him.”
Meanwhile, the public sees the benefit of having someone who can check this maniac, and that maybe it’d be a good idea to elect a Dem Senate, just in case this mother fffff, he wins again.
Nothing bad about that scenario, nothing.
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Trump running scared. A meme to embed. His base loves the “winning.” But one isn’t “winning” when terrified.
Peace, y’all.
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