A couple of things about this:Sabin wrote:And we're not talking about it anymore. We're talking about racism. Just like we're not talking about Jeffrey Epstein anymore. We're talking about racism. Whenever anything picks up steam, we stop talking about it because of some other deplorable shitstorm he kicks up.Mister Tee wrote
So...Bob Mueller just rolled an unpinned grenade onto the floor of the House.
Yes, we move on to talking about other things, because he keeps doing/saying awful things. Part of this is bizarro-strategic -- it's a Steve Bannon tactic that the best way to get off a damaging subject is to replace it with something even more damaging (on the theory the press wouldn't switch topics if it were less damaging), and that anything is better than keeping on one damaging topic. Think about it: in 2016, Trump had massive numbers of bad press cycles on different issues...yet maybe the most crippling issue that year was "but her emails!", which never went away.
But another part is that Trump is a narcissistic, reactive guy, who can't help himself; he'll always keep doing these things even if they hurt him. And they DO hurt him. As people keep pointing out, an empty suit serving as president with this economy would have a 55% approval rating. He can't get out of the low 40s on his good days.
Also: Epstein is NOT going away. The Southern District is on it, and things are going to get WAY worse for Trump and a lot of people. (Including a few we probably wouldn't want to be hurt.)
Finally: the unpinned grenade is still lying there, with potential to explode. To carry the metaphor to excruciating length: Bill Barr describing it as a dud lulled many into thinking the danger was past. But Mueller's appearance Wednesday still has potential to set it off. Judging by Trump's tweets, he thinks so, too.
I don't think Mueller ever expected or wanted this. He genuinely thought his good-government approach would cause good-faith activity in the House (i.e., a scrupulous impeachment inquiry). He didn't anticipate the bald-faced chicanery of Barr, or the continuing timidity of some House Democrats (who continue to cling to the antiquated notion that they have to walk on eggshells to win elections). He likely thought his brief press conference (that one that occasioned my post) would be enough of a kick in the butt to get things moving. But it was too subtle a gesture for this big-and-loud era -- as John Oliver said, he told us to impeach with his eyes, and that just didn't do the trick.
So, we have Wednesday, and two things will determine if the hearings make a difference. First, Democrats have to realize this is not a hearing like all others, and that they need to behave accordingly if they're going to have any impact. Forget about what GOPers do -- assume they'll throw sand in the gears, as usual, and trust Mueller to swat them aside; maybe assist him if absolutely necessary. But the main thing Dems need to do is abandon their usual me-me-me scattershot approach, and use their time to let Mueller tell a coherent story. Ideally with a committee counsel taking everyone's time, but, even if not, discipline must be strictly maintained. Any Dem who uses his or her time to preen for the folks back home will be telling us he doesn't care about making this process work.
The other variable is Mueller. He must see by now that his detached approach has not had its desired result. If he genuinely feels Trump is a clear and present danger to the nation (which his report suggests, between the lines), he's going to have to cast off at least a bit of his bureaucratic instinct and make clear just how high the stakes are. Everyone says that, in any normal situation, he wouldn't push the boundaries. But maybe, just maybe, seeing the Trump/Barr/McConnell corruption around him, he'll decide this is the time to be bold.
As Trump is fond of saying, We'll see what happens.
