It Was Obama’s Fault
It is the “new” party line for Trumpsters. It goes something like this:
- The Mueller Report proves that Trump didn’t do anything wrong in 2016, but
- President Obama didn’t do enough to stop Russian involvement in 2016, so
- When Trump worked with the Russians in 2016, it wasn’t his fault, it was Obama’s fault.
So, Trumpers, now it’s time to stick your index fingers in your ears, wave with your hands and say: “neener – neener – neener.”
Step One – The Report
The Mueller Report did NOT prove that Donald Trump, has children, or his campaign were innocent of helping and getting help from Russia in the 2016 Presidential election. It actually proves the contrary: that they not only were interested, but they in fact welcomed Russian involvement and help. There are one hundred and one known contacts between the Trump campaign and Russians (Business Insider). There are statements from the candidate (“Russia, if you’re listening, find Hillary’s missing emails”) and the son (“dirt on Hillary – love it”). There are Campaign Chairman meetings with Russian agents in the Manhattan Cigar Bar, and phone calls from the future National Security Advisor and the Presidential son-in-law.
What the Mueller Report did say, was that they were unable to put together a case “beyond a reasonable doubt” to bring legal charges. The Report also states that obstruction, perjury, and evidence tampering all had roles in their inability to reach that legal standard.
Step Two – What President Obama Did
President Obama took several actions prior to the 2016 election, including a warning from the US Intelligence Agencies to the American people. That warning got lost as it was released, the day after the “Access Hollywood Tape” and the Wikileaks drop of the Podesta emails, but the warning was clear. Obama wanted to do more, including a joint message from the Democrat and Republican leadership about Russian interference, but Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan chose not to agree.
So the President was faced with a choice: speak out himself and risk looking like he was putting his “thumb on the scale” of the 2016 election, or work in the background against the Russian intervention. He chose, right or wrong, to avoid the perception of taking a side. We certainly know that the Trump Campaign would have screamed from the farthest rally stage had he spoken out. From Mr. Obama’s perspective, it was a lose-lose proposition.
Step Three – What Trump Really Did
We expect that most people who dare to dream of being President, bring with them a “norm” of patriotism. Common sense would indicate, that working with or receiving help from a foreign power would be “de facto” unpatriotic, and unacceptable. There aren’t “laws” written about that, because it was such a “given” that no one thought laws were necessary. But with the advent of Donald Trump as a Presidential candidate, there were no such things as “norms.” All of the respected rules of behavior were not only ignored, but those “norms” were in fact ridiculed and intentionally rejected. Trump made “breaking the rules” a campaign theme. Mueller was forced to try to stretch existing conspiracy law to fit what was clearly wrong, but didn’t fit into a neat legal statute.
(This, by the way, is another reason Congress should investigate what happened in the Trump campaign. Their primary duty is to write “good” laws for the United States, if the “norm” of not cooperating with foreign powers isn’t a law, then it should be.)
It isn’t President Obama’s fault, though hindsight would suggest he should have taken the chance and spoken out publicly. What is true, is that President Trump portrayed himself as the ultimate “victim.” He was planning on losing; of being the victim of a “rigged” election. He even threatened not to honor the election results. When he (along with most of the rest of the country) was surprised and won, he soon claimed to be the victim of an attempted “intelligence coup” to stop his Presidency.
Step Four – “Neener-Neener-Neener“
The one thing Trump supporters get right – the right to thumb their noses at the rest of the country. They did, by hook or by crook, get the majority of votes in the Electoral College and win the Presidency; there’s no denying that. The nation has been paying the price ever since. But don’t buy Trump’s victimhood, and don’t buy the false narrative of the Mueller Report as proof of innocence. And don’t let Barack Obama get stuck with the blame for Trump becoming President: after all, it was you and me*.
*credit where credit is due, thanks to the Rolling Stones for that phrase, and see you soon!!!!
