I've read the first half of James Comey's book.

[Ilsa]

The first half does not include the HRC investigation or election stuff.

He was very complimentary of PBO, said he was a good leader, has a sense of humor that never puts other people down, gave an example of Obama being considerate in a personal way, said he has great ability to concentrate, analyze, and understand complex issues, is confident, but not over-confident. Said Obama understood that the FBI should be walled off from the Executive Office, etc. I think he liked working for him.

Other impressions: I think Comey's wife is probably a democrat. She was in the Peace Corps, worked to get strep B testing done on all newborns, told him, "You don't want to be the torture guy." I think most of us would like her. I bet she's a Jesuit-type of Catholic.

I get the impression that Comey is a bit full of himself, but he values integrity and honesty. He wants to be a good leader so everyone reaches their potential and enjoys their work. He instituted coursework covering McCarthyism, Hoover's abuses of power, and MLK. That coursework is the most popular in the FBI. He worked to increase diversity at the FBI to be more reflective of demographics.

Of course, all of this was his words.

[samnsara]

1. i loved the audio tape. His voice is perfect for his story.

...I found it riveting and in some places very intense.

[Ilsa]

2. The stuff about dealing with Addington, Gonzalez, and

the torture opinions and authorization was riveting.

[Tipperary]

3. No thank you.

[kstewart33]

4. I finished the book last night.

Keep reading, Ilsa - it's worth your time. Comey does have a healthy ego, but his perspectives are interesting. He labors to explain away his press conference on Clinton and his decision to reopen the investigation, but it doesn't wash. If you can set all that aside, he's a guy who merits respect, IMHO.

[DURHAM D]

5. Why would anyone "set all that aside"? nt

[kstewart33]

10. Because people are complex.

Yes, what Comey did was atrocious with significant consequences, but to dismiss his entire book especially when he has unique insights about Trump and his experience with Trump is likely a key factor in Mueller's investigation of obstruction of justice?

I'm not into broad brushing people as completely good or bad (of course, with a few exceptions). And Comey isn't one of them.

[DURHAM D]

13. In the case of Comey his santimonius I-am-God crap

has walked this country into a crisis. All of his holier-than-thou swill is self-serving.

F - him.

[Ilsa]

9. I'm with Durham. I don't know that I can set that aside.

He made a monumental, one-sided decision on spilling the info on her, but not telling the public that the trump campaign was being looked at. He changed the outcome almost as much as Putin, and that has altered lives, sometimes irreparably.

But yes, I think he's a good man, but he made a terrible decision.

Well, I'll try to read the rest. The book is due at the library. Since everyone wants it, they won't let me check it out again. I was in the middle of another book that I wanted to finish before starting this one when my number on the wait list came up.

[octoberlib]

6. I thought I read that both Comey's wife and daughter voted for Hillary.

[Ilsa]

7. I heard that too.

In spite ofJames' influence, I bet their gut was telling them what a slimeball trump is. Comey should have listened if he really valued integrity.

[kstewart33]

11. True.

Comey's family were big supporters of Hillary and his wife campaigned for her as a volunteer. They were very upset when she lost.

Comey did not vote. In the book, Comey, a lifelong Republican like most in the FBI, wrote that he was impressed with Obama. Shortly after Obama was elected, he met with Comey as he did with other top federal officials and Obama ended the conversation saying something like "You know, this will be the last meeting we'll have." Obama respected the separation of powers and Comey respected him for it.

This is all in the book.

[aikoaiko]

8. Comey is one of the good guys who assumed HRC was going to win an tried to outflank theGOP Congress

In hindsight, he probably should have stuck to the tried and true FBI protocol of not commenting on investigations so close to an election.

[kstewart33]

12. He absolutely should have.

But I wouldn't write him off because of his terrible decision. He's given too much service to the country for that.