Two questions: Barack Obama and Russia; Comey and Election

[phylny]

I've been wondering why President Obama didn't divulge what he knew was happening between Trump/Republicans and Russia to the American people. Do you think if he'd blown the whistle too early, the investigation would be truncated - he knew this was deep and insidious?

Regarding Comey, from what I've been hearing, he sounds like a generally upstanding guy. Why did he elaborate with his negative comments when he announced the department had no reason to criminally indict Clinton; why did he announce the "new emails" right before the election?

[Tatiana]

1. Generally "upstanding" but with a vendetta against the Clintons.

It's like when it comes to the Clinton's, his famed professionalism goes out the window.

He threw this election to Trump and I remained convinced that he did it intentionally. If Hillary had committed a crime, there was a venue for that... impeachment or prosecution. He knew there was no "there" there, but he still sullied her name and standing with Independents who were poised to vote for her over Trump.

Also very disappointed in Obama for not going public with what the Russians were doing, with McConnell's support or not. It was the right thing to do and the American public had a right to know that Russia was trying to influence the outcome of our elections.

[Tarheel_Dem]

2. I recognize this is yet another opportunity to trash Obama, but isn't the FBI expected to work....

independently of the White House? Isn't that the problem we're all pulling our collective hair out over with the current WH oocupant? In the rabid partisan environment of election season Obama would have been savaged for putting his thumb on the scales. What was he supposed to say? And do you think it would have changed the outcome? After a bruising Democratic primary, many people who were pissed that their candidate of choice wasn't on the ballot were determined to throw the election, and celebrated when they did.

The people still admonishing Obama for not screaming from the rooftops don't recognize a man of integrity when they see one. If they haven't come to appreciate him yet, in time they certainly will.

[phylny]

4. You are whistling the wrong tune, friend, if you think I am trying to criticize

Obama. He is generally smarter than everyone else in and out of the room. I'm trying to figure out WHY he did or didn't act - trying to see if he knew of long-term gain but short-term pain. Possibly because we all thought out side would prevail. Obviously he was stymied because it was political dynamite. I'm trying to see if there was a bigger reason.

If you see my question as admonishment, I can't help that. I phrased it as innocuously as possible.

[Solomon]

3. Comey spent years investigating the Clinton's and

Whitewater and no doubt feels they did something but were so slick that they got away with it. The email thing was a reprise. He felt frustrated that once again, there was no there there. So he took his shot.

As far as Obama trying to disclose this to the public before the election, that would have been an utter disaster and may well have resulted in us losing our system forever. I agree with Obama's judgment on that. There would be nothing but talk about how Obama and the democrats attempted to subvert democracy, the will of the people, overturn elections results, blah blah blah, etc. Trump would be the victim and not the perpetrator of crimes that he is now seen to be.

[nikibatts]

6. Whitewater wasn't even about anything big. Read about.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitewater_controversy

Certainly didn't seem like a case to pursue the Clintons for the rest of their political lives. But thanks to the media and the folks who hated that poor, unwashed, "trailer-trash" Clintons who talked about making the government look more like America and who befriended a lot of black folks were on their way to becoming an unlikely power couple in American politics.

If the government had not spent the money it has on trying to convict the Clintons of criminal behavior from Whitewater to Benghazi, it could have funded health insurance for every uninsured citizen for at least one year. The closest they came was impeachment of Bill Clinton for perjury because he swore he did not have sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky because it was a consensual blow job and not intercourse.

Comey is one of the Les Miserables folks still after the Clintons.

[phylny]

5. Thanks Tatiana and Solomon for your insight. I feel Comey did throw the election.

My only hope is that he does the right thing when testifying. I want the entire GOP decimated.