Quote:
Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski
Given that the Report was released, how is Barr's early summary an issue? Makes him look a toady perhaps, but that is his problem, isn't it? How were we harmed?
|
It's like the Russia 2016 election thing. The complaint is that by giving such a benign report, Barr created a public impression that the Democrats cannot now overcome. Had Barr not so spun things, the Democrats could push for impeachment more easily. Barr is like the Russian trolls who kneecapped Hillary with disinformation in 2015 and 2016.
The conceit at the base of the argument on Russia is that, but for Russian troll spin, the Americans who voted for Trump would have voted for Hillary. A similar conceit - that but for Barr, Americans would be incensed and cry for impeachment - applies to Barr's spinning.
However, the polls since the Barr letter indicate Americans believe Trump engaged in unethical or even illegal conduct,
but are exhausted with the investigation,
and think impeachment is a bad idea. This is hardly unsurprising. The man cannot speak without lying, and regarding the investigation, the media has beaten this horse to glue.
I suspect a number of Democrats are angry with Barr when they really ought to be angry with a public that doesn't share their excitability about Trump. Inadvertently, Barr may be saving them from another unforced error. Impeaching Trump only to lose in the Senate would probably infuriate the voting public the same way impeaching Clinton did.
