President Trump will never be a graceful winner, but even the Cameron Crazies were screaming “air-ball” after congressional Democrats scored no points with voters during the Mueller hearings. In fact, the man had forewarned Congress all he could and would say was “in the report.” Yet again, the wishful thinking of some impeachment vigilantes portrayed Democrats as bumbling partisans.
Afterwards, the president’s attorney, Jay Sekulow, crowed, “case closed!” He’s correct Trump-Russia is no longer a matter for the agencies of justice – a point made by former Whitewater special prosecutor Ken Starr on Fox News: this is now a political matter. Obviously, Democrats will not stop talking about Trump-Russia just because the Mueller hearings flopped. It just means they do so at their own political risk (more on this later).
Because no underlying crime was at issue, Democrats focused on “probable” obstruction of justice that went un-indicted only because the “criminal” was a sitting president. Their wishful thinking was Mueller would make their impeachment case for them. However, a funny thing happened on the way to an impeachment vote; Republican reps stuck a fork into Bob Mueller and the entire Muller report.
Mueller opened by contradicting the report’s proclamation that “collusion” and “conspiracy” were synonymous terms. His body language was telling when John Radcliffe (R-TX) reminded him all Americans – even sitting presidents – are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. His eyes averted as Mike Turner (R-OH) reminded him prosecutors cannot exonerate. “You don’t have the power or authority to exonerate Trump. You have no more power to exonerate Trump than you have to declare him Anderson Cooper.”
The day’s big losers were the dumb and dumber committee chairs. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) declared victory when Mueller pronounced his team had not exonerated the President of obstructing justice (snore). And – Adam Schiff (D-CA) unexpectedly accepted the 2016 election results: “the only way he’s leaving office, at least at this point, is if he’s voted out.” By the end of the day, intelligence and judiciary hearings confirmed the report’s conclusion: insufficient evidence to indict.
Registered Democrats should do a little soul-searching, because Schiff and Nadler are not “liberal” Democrats in the tradition of Thurgood Marshall or Bobby Kennedy. They have wantonly abandoned the paramount tenet of American freedom and equality: every American has the right to the presumption of innocence. When Democrats suggest evidence that raises suspicion is equal to evidence that proves guilt, it begs the question: who are the real Nazis in today’s America?
There has been a mounting risk to Democrats since they grabbed the committee gavels; that is carrying widely disbelieved allegations into the 2020 elections. Nancy Pelosi is not an old battle axe because she’s a dumb battle axe. She owes her majority to swing districts and follows national polling. While 46% of voters favored impeachment proceedings and 49% opposed a year ago, only 33% favor impeachment hearings and 63% oppose today (source: Washington Post/ABC News poll).
Based on those number, Pelosi would like to give independent voters time to forget the animus and conspiracy mongering before her party’s 2020 candidates woo their votes, especially in swing districts. Nancy Pelosi is well aware of Trump’s improving numbers. Over the last year, they have moved from 38% approve/60% disapprove to 47% approve/50% disapprove (source: Washington Post/ABC polling). Pelosi knows Democratic power in 2020 turns on swing voters in swing districts.
As a final political thought, Democrats should have considered how the Mueller hearings might affect women voters. Indeed, Mueller looked old beyond his age Wednesday, and I wondered how the optics hit the wives and daughters of senescent men. Did Democrats err in hyping the reputation of a 74-year-old man and forcing him to testify against his wishes? It sure looked that way when a Democrat asked which president had given him his first federal appointment. Sadly, Bob Mueller could not remember (it was Reagan).