Trump is being birtherized.
Trump has already suffered the damage. It will never end. Even complete vindication won help. In fact, it would make things worse.
Lots of smoke.. So far the revelations regarding actual provable collusion between Trump and Russians is non existent. What is true regarding Trump himself has been happily admitted to, with a "so what?" Sure, Don Junior went to see if people had some great opposition material on Hillary or someone close to her. Sure, people were looking for Hillary's emails and Trump hoped Russians could find them, who wouldn't? Sure, Trump wanted to stop Comey from wasting time and money, of course. Sure, some people lied to the FBI, nobody important or nobody we didn't fire.
The problem for Trump is what Mueller's collusion investigation might lead to in Trump's financial or other dealings with the Russians. Might. So far nothing illegal or embarrassing has been reported. There is hazard and potential disaster, but for now, nothing.
Let's take the best case for Trump. Let us imagine that Flynn actually has nothing damaging whatever to say about Trump or Trump's people. Let us imagine that Mueller--described by Trump as dishonest and illegitimate--announces that, after careful review of all the evidence, Trump personally and his campaign are innocent of any wrongdoing and that the investigation resolves the question of Trump misbehavior. Trump is clean. Indeed, a close look at Trump's financial dealings show nothing improper, either, with no unusual relationship with Russia or any other foreign entity. Mueller would say that there was suspicion, we looked carefully as we should have, and found nothing whatever..
A clean checkup.
Trump would celebrate and said he told us so. Fox News would say they were right and the rest of the media was fake.
Does Trump walk away vindicated? No. It still hurts him.
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| Suppose he finds nothing whatever |
Trump attempted a long coverup. People close to him are indicted and have pled guilty. And the opposition will never, ever be satisfied. Questions have been raised that can never be un-raised. Most Americans think something wrong and hidden took place. The media and Democrats would point to what Mueller did not say. They would point to questions unanswered. Why the coverup? Why the obstruction of justice? Why isn't Trump revealing his financial data, now that he is supposedly clean? Why are tweets and Facebook posts still being created by RT and Sputnik in support of Trump while attacking Trump's opponents? What's in it for Russia?
Did Obama get over having been birtherized? No. For five years Trump kept saying there was something illegitimate about Obama and over half of Republican voters believe it today. Trump will forever carry a burden of dark suspicion regarding Russian meddling.
What is the truth of Trump and Russia? Who knows? Obama had contemporaneous news reports, official documents, testimony from people who were witnesses to his birth in Hawaii, and it did not matter either to Trump or his supporters. Nor would a supposed complete vindication of Trump by Mueller.
In fact, very possibly Trump and people close to him broke laws or have done things which are embarrassing. In fact, it is unlikely that Mueller will announce a "he is completely vindicated" report. But if he did it would make things even worse for Trump. Trump has already said that the system is rigged. This would prove it.
It is lose-lose for Trump, whatever Mueller says.
What could possibly be more suspicious than "vindication"?? It would be strong evidence of a second "deep state" faction, a Trump-loving dark force within the FBI that overcame the anti-Trump deep state that Trump said existed.. It would be proof positive that Trump was subverting the rule of law and that we had entered banana republic corruption of the police and investigative services.
Trump is an extraordinary practitioner of innuendo and conspiracy and accusations and media manipulation. He has prepared the public to disbelieve authority. He has delegitimized the notion of true and accurate and honest reports by a fair and thorough source.
But the wheel turns. He cannot win. He birtherized and is being birtherized.
1 comment:
I would say one main difference is that the "birther" campaign was spearheaded by one person. So far Trump does not have a singular opponent, someone who is seen as the leader of the opposition and who provides a daily (hourly?) verbal assault on him.
No one is stooping that low. So far the opposition is reactive.
"Birtherism" reportedly began in 2004 with innuendo by serial Illinois political candidate Andy Martin, who painted Obama as a closet Muslim . That spiraled into a concerted effort by conspiracy theorists to raise doubts about Obama’s birthplace and religion - essentially paint him as un-American. Trump picked up on it and gave it a national megaphone. (from Politico)
Also, it seems unlikely that career professionals in the FBI and Justice Dept. would have a personal issue with Trump. They generally view perpetrators with an objective eye, separating the sin from the sinner so to speak. Their focus is on maintaining the rule of law. By personalizing the inquiry Trump paints himself as a victim crusader, which fits the cult narrative.
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