Impeach Trump? Democrats need to take a deep breath – San Francisco Chronicle
It was great entertainment, but for all the hype, the Senate Intelligence Committee hearings that featured former FBI Director James Comey failed to deliver a knockout punch.
You are not going to get another All the Presidents Men out of this story.
At least not yet. The facts are not there. Yes, Russia meddled in the presidential election, and yes, President Trump wanted Comey to drop the investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynns contacts with Russian officials.
But so far, there is no silver bullet that will bring the president down. As tempting as it is for the Democrats to push the idea that Trump could be guilty of obstruction of justice and push for impeachment, that could ultimately backfire on them it raises public expectations, but if it doesnt happen, it looks like you tried to do something and failed.
That wouldnt just hurt the party this time. If a real Trump scandal comes along, the Democrats will be haunted by a decision to spend their political capital and credibility on a scandal that came up short.
My advice would be to sit back, be polite and let special counsel Robert Muellers investigation take its course.
Let the questions hang out there in the publics mind, and leave the speculation to MSNBC.
The Senate Intelligence Committees hearings gave the whole world an opportunity to see our junior senator, Kamala Harris but not always to hear her.
On the first day of testimony, when she was sharply questioning Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, Harris was basically told by committee Chairman Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., to shut up.
As Rosenstein bobbed and weaved and Harris tried to pin him down, Burr cut her off and demanded that she provide the witnesses the courtesy, which has not been extended, fully across, for questions to get answered.
Male dominance is still part of the Golden Club of 100 U.S. senators, as Sen. Elizabeth Nevertheless, She Persisted Warren can attest. After Burr disrespected Harris, Warren tweeted that silencing Californias junior senator for not being courteous enough is just unbelievable. Keep fighting, Kamala!
Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, a Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, tweeted that Harris was getting facts onto the record. I was not interrupted by (Burr) when I asked tough questions. She was.
Earlier, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., pleaded with Burr to rein Harris in. Too bad for him that she didnt return the favor during his incoherent questioning of Comey the next day.
Harris, however, was right on target Thursday when she brought up the private conversation between Trump and Comey on the status of the investigation into Flynn.
I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, Trump supposedly told Comey.
Harris likened the presidents statement to a robber holding a gun to somebody's head and saying, I hope you will give me your wallet.
The word hope was not the most operative word at the moment, Harris said.
It was hard to tell what Comey was more interested in during his Senate testimony, protecting the country or protecting his own career.
The former FBI director gave just enough to Democrats and Republicans for each side to form talking points Democrats could portray Trump as a lying egomaniac, while Republicans could maintain that the president didnt actually order Comey to do anything. But neither side could declare victory.
It was the same soft-shoe dance we saw Comey perform during his up-and-down pronouncements about Hillary Clintons emails during the 2016 campaign.
That hasnt stopped Trump and his operatives from trying to destroy him. The president first called him a showboat, then accused him of perjury. Trumps personal lawyer claimed Comey had leaked classified information.
John Kerry would recognize this Republican strategy call it swift-boating the showboat.
Movie time: Wonder Woman. A fabulous and fun movie on many levels. It has a star in Gal Gadot. It has a great plot and solid characters, and you wont go deaf from the special effects.
What was amazing for me was the number of parents who took their little daughters to the show. No doubt the girls will return to the theaters as teenagers for the sequel.
The Lovers: Somehow this comedy about a middle-aged couple in a dead-end marriage works.
Neither of the lead characters is particularly good-looking or sexy. Both are involved with someone else who is waiting for them to get a divorce. Then, right on the verge, they spark again. And so does the movie.
The Warriors are the best team in basketball. They may be too good.
Playoffs need to go seven games now and then. Games have to be interesting into the fourth quarter.
If the Warriors keep this up next year, and the year after that, what will be the point of watching?
Its tough being President Trumps mouthpiece. PR man Lee Houskeeper notes that overnight, Sarah Huckabee Sanders became Sarah Shuckabee.
Want to sound off? Email wbrown@sfchronicle.com
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Impeach Trump? Democrats need to take a deep breath - San Francisco Chronicle
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