...
Comey's personal estimation of Donald Trump was devastating. He talked about "the nature of the person" and that he wrote everything down after meeting with him or talking to him on the phone because he thought "he might lie."
There was absolutely no doubt in Comey's mind on why he was fired.
He skillfully used Trump's own words to explain this action. The words which Trump said to the Russian foreign minister and Ambassador to "relieve the pressure" on the Russian investigation.
These words were said, unbelievably, in the Oval Office itself.
On the subject of taking it easy on former National Security Director Michael Flynn ("I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy."), he said he took Trump's statement "as a directive."
...
And he provided the headline with this piercing observation: "Those were lies, plain and simple."
...
[Senator Mark Warner (D-Va] talked about how "a foreign adversary attacked us right here at home - sowing chaos." That they were here to "find out the full story" so that the Russians "can't do it again."
Warner went on to talk about President Trump's "odd and unexplained affection for Putin."
This one morning, one day hearing will be remembered for its business-like manner. There were no moments of high drama and few surprises. Polite and nonconfrontational was its hallmark.
But for Donald Trump, this day very well might be cited as the beginning of a tortured path that could lead to impeachment and indictment.
Possibly resignation or ultimately complete and total disgrace.
Mark Plotkin is a contributor to the BBC on American politics and a columnist for The Georgetowner. Previously, he was the political analyst for WAMU-FM, Washington's NPR affiliate, where he co-hosted the "D.C. Politics Hour With Mark Plotkin." He later became the political analyst for WTOP-FM, Washington's all-news radio station, where he hosted "The Politics Hour With Mark Plotkin." He is a winner of the Edward R. Murrow Award for excellence in writing.
Comey's personal estimation of Donald Trump was devastating. He talked about "the nature of the person" and that he wrote everything down after meeting with him or talking to him on the phone because he thought "he might lie."
There was absolutely no doubt in Comey's mind on why he was fired.
He skillfully used Trump's own words to explain this action. The words which Trump said to the Russian foreign minister and Ambassador to "relieve the pressure" on the Russian investigation.
These words were said, unbelievably, in the Oval Office itself.
On the subject of taking it easy on former National Security Director Michael Flynn ("I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy."), he said he took Trump's statement "as a directive."
...
And he provided the headline with this piercing observation: "Those were lies, plain and simple."
...
[Senator Mark Warner (D-Va] talked about how "a foreign adversary attacked us right here at home - sowing chaos." That they were here to "find out the full story" so that the Russians "can't do it again."
Warner went on to talk about President Trump's "odd and unexplained affection for Putin."
This one morning, one day hearing will be remembered for its business-like manner. There were no moments of high drama and few surprises. Polite and nonconfrontational was its hallmark.
But for Donald Trump, this day very well might be cited as the beginning of a tortured path that could lead to impeachment and indictment.
Possibly resignation or ultimately complete and total disgrace.
Mark Plotkin is a contributor to the BBC on American politics and a columnist for The Georgetowner. Previously, he was the political analyst for WAMU-FM, Washington's NPR affiliate, where he co-hosted the "D.C. Politics Hour With Mark Plotkin." He later became the political analyst for WTOP-FM, Washington's all-news radio station, where he hosted "The Politics Hour With Mark Plotkin." He is a winner of the Edward R. Murrow Award for excellence in writing.
