The Shame and Disgrace Will Linger. This is a five star editorial

[DemocratSinceBirth]

August 10, 1969: SAN CLEMENTE, Calif.—President Nixon accused his predecessor Lyndon Baines Johnson of complicity in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Speaking with reporters on the first day of a 10-day stay at his Pacific Ocean vacation home ….

Of course, that never happened. Obviously. How could it, how dare it? But had it happened, such an accusation—by a president, against a former president—would have convulsed the United States and the world. Today, President Trump accused his predecessor, Bill Clinton—or possibly his 2016 campaign opponent, former First Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton—of complicity in the death of the accused sex-trafficker, Jeffrey Epstein.

Many seem to have responded with a startled shrug. What do you expect? It’s just Trump letting off steam on Twitter.

Reactions to actions by Trump are always filtered through the prism of the ever-more-widely accepted view—within his administration, within Congress, within the United States and around the world—that the 45th president is a reckless buffoon, a conspiratorial racist moron, whose weird comments should be disregarded by sensible people.

...

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/08/trumps-conspiracy-theory-about-clintons-and-epstein/595915/

[Xipe Totec]

1. The world has flipped the Bozo bit on Trump. nt

[Hoyt]

2. Americans, and the world, are just waiting him out, hoping it's next year.

[EveHammond13]

3. the world is watching, wondering why we don't expel him

[emmaverybo]

6. Our international friends, European leaders, could be more forthcoming in soundly criticizing him,

[catrose]

4. I wish the Clintons would sue--surely it's possible to prove malicious intent.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

5. I'm just surprised he didn't find a way to blame Obama, too.

[BigmanPigman]

9. This is only the first day of his vacation...

give him time. Biden will be blamed as well as Cummings, Nadler, all the Dems, the fake media, the full moon, the fly that was buzzing in his hair, the month of August, my little dog, etc. Did I leave anyone/thing out?

[randr]

7. I think it is time for Twitter to draw a line

Spewing lies and conspiracy should get an account closed.

[Hekate]

8. Excellent piece

[lpbk2713]

10. Can a sitting president be sued for libel or slander?

Or defamation of character?

They should bring suit if possible.

[Sanity Claws]

13. Yes

That was determined by the Supreme Court when they said that Paula Jones' suit against President Clinton could precede.
A defamation suit is a civil suit.

However, defamation against a public figure is very hard to win. The person bringing suit must show that the person who made the defamatory statement made it with reckless disregard of the truth. Even when that happens, the person defamed must show damages. Otherwise he might be awarded like $1 in damages, yet pay out tens of thousands in attorneys fees.
At this point, no one believes the defamatory statement and I don't think Bill or Hillary Clinton would bother suing the Trump. They would prefer him to be impeached, leave office, just be gone.

[radical noodle]

11. He knows his supporters will not only believe it

but they'll repeat it and share memes about it until hell freezes over. This will give his base some of that red meat they love.

[sharedvalues]

12. Republican. Frum didn't say "Republican" nearly enough.

This is Republicans’ fault.
Put the blame where it is deserved, please.