The whistleblower’s complaint is devastating. Read it. A thoroughly researched, detailed report,* showing Trump abused his office, broke the law, and harmed national security by extorting a foreign leader to get dirt on a political opponent. The White House immediately realized the problem, with a cover-up to “lock down” normal records pertaining to the Zelenskiy phone call (not the only call covered up). Only the whistleblower report forced disclosure.
The phone call was preceded by Trump’s order to suspend hundreds of millions in aid to Ukraine. For that, he has since given two successive and inconsistent explanations. Both shown to be lies. The State Department judges that interfering with this vital aid harmed national security, by impairing Ukraine’s defense against Russia, and compromising our relationship with an ally.
It was more than just the one phone call. The story also includes, for example, the firing of America’s ambassador to Ukraine, a professional foreign service officer, for phony reasons, when the real aim was to advance Trump’s effort at enlisting Ukraine in smearing a political opponent. Trump, in the call, continued to trash, and even threaten consequences for, our own ambassador.
His calling the whistleblower a biased political hack, “almost a spy,” and traitor, is also ridiculous and disgraceful. He actually even openly threatened the person, implying a death penalty. This apparently violates the federal law protecting whistleblowers. The report makes clear this is a conscientious public servant deeply disturbed by what was happening. That it was a CIA officer detailed to the White House adds credibility.
The phone call also shows Trump still continues his deranged obsession with Hillary’s e-mails, which he brought up.
By the way, that Ukrainian prosecutor, whose firing Biden (among many others) urged, was himself part of the problem, actually obstructing Ukraine’s anti-corruption efforts. The whistleblower report details this too. It’s now confirmed by Ukraine’s former foreign minister, directly contradicting Trump’s false statements. (There’s still not a shred of evidence of Biden wrongdoing.)
Trump’s lashing out, calling the entire news media liars, saying Representative Adam Schiff “lies, lies, lies,” and on and on, is disgusting. He will say anything — absolutely anything. His own credibility is below zero.
Notice that for all the Republicans crying “witch hunt!” — none actually defends what Trump did.
The House will impeach him. Will it just be Ukraine, or the entire vast rap sheet? The latter is tempting, but it’s probably best to focus on the one crime that’s so clear and horrible, giving Republicans less space to muddy the issue.
McConnell now says (there was doubt) the Senate would in fact hold a trial. Why not, when he’s got the votes for acquittal? While Republicans have only a slim Senate majority, it takes two-thirds to remove a president. They won’t deny Trump the chance to crow “exoneration.”
A rational McConnell might tell his caucus: “Rather than go down with a sinking ship, let’s all be together in voting the fucker out. Our own damning verdict should break the spell he has over our voters. We can take our chances with Pence. At least we’ll be able to look our grandkids in the eye.”
But Republicans are too far gone for such sanity.
And if you think we’ve had vicious political polarization, just wait. The coming year was already going to be a Big Ugly, with Trump devoid of scruples doing and saying anything to win (assisted by Russian disinformation). Of course an impeachment drama will escalate the partisan frenzy.
I have supported Biden, believing him the best positioned to defeat Trump, but also because his moderate, sensible viewpoint would make him a good president. The latter remains true even if the former is impaired; the Ukraine smoke probably hurts Biden even with no fire. (Republicans are already running anti-Biden ads with this smear.) This boosts Warren’s chances, which were already rising.
Large enough, hopefully, to overcome Russian hacking, inevitable Republican cries of foul (when almost all the chicanery will again have been their own), and even Trump’s efforts to defy the result and somehow cling to office.
But Trump and Republicans will not slink away. One reason I prefer Biden over Warren is that he’d be more emollient vis-a-vis Republicans, giving them less cause for ugliness. Though Heaven knows they’ll need little cause. The vicious partisan guerrilla war that’s deepened over the past quarter century will continue.
You might think Republicans would be chastened by defeat and introspective about how they went off the rails with Trump. But by now their psychological pathology is too deeply embedded to change. If anything, defeat will only embitter them more. A Warren presidency in particular will further nutsify them.
I would like to think the Trump stench will ruin the Republican brand and condemn the party to permanent minority status, especially as its base of older, whiter, less educated, xenophobic, rural and hypocritical bible-thumping voters inexorably dies off. However, voters tend to have short memories, and don’t generally vote with eyes fixed on the past. But Republicans may actually remind them of it with their 2024 candidate — Donald Trump — Senior or Junior.
Good riddance, says this former 53 year Republican.
* Its clarity everything Mueller’s report should have been.
** They should move it along as swiftly as possible, to close the book on it before the election season gets fully underway.
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