James Comey discusses pain he feels at realization that he might be responsible for Trump Presidency

[hlthe2b]

DON'T SHOOT THE MESSENGER! Comey speaks here about the repercussions of Trump including his horror at immigration actions, threats to self-pardon, etc., etc., why he is now an Independent, At least he seems to feel some remorse for his actions

James Comey: 'You stare at children crying – what kind of people are we?’
Are there times, in the dead of night, just after Donald Trump has appalled the world with some newly horrific act, when James Comey is gripped by the dreaded thought: It was me who put that man in power?

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jun/21/james-comey-yes-the-rule-of-law-is-in-danger-in-america

The answer Comey gives is unexpectedly swift and direct. “Yes, actually. Mostly because people say that to me all the time. So I hear that quite a bit.” And what does he do with that thought? “It’s very painful. And I sometimes wonder, if I could go back in time, would I do something deeply unprincipled? I wouldn’t. All it does is make it painful, [because] I think Donald Trump is doing – and will do – great damage to my country. But that just adds to the pain.”
--snip--
“When you stare at children crying, being taken away from their mothers, it forces your eyes above statutes and numbers, to: ‘What kind of people are we, for God’s sakes?’ That’s a lifting of the national eyes that is powerful and potentially the kind of inflection point that I’m talking about. That’s the kind of thing that awakens the giant.”

I ask about Trump’s threat to pardon himself and everyone else linked to the Russia scandal. Is the rule of law in danger in America? I expect him to equivocate, or to tell me I’m getting carried away. But his answer is clear.

“Yes. Yes. Not in the long run, because we will recover. But if we’re not attuned to the damage that’s being done to it right now, the recovery will take longer.” He cites Trump’s demands that political opponents, including Comey, be locked up – uncharted territory for a US president.

Still, Comey clings to the view that, in the end, America will right itself. There have been low points before, he says. “In the 1920s, one third of our congress were members of the Ku Klux Klan. Joe McCarthy reigned in America from 1950 to 1954.” But America recovered.

[dhol82]

1. Fuck him!

I will never forgive what he did.

[jrthin]

7. +1000

[Hav]

2. I'm starting to think

that his biggest pain will be to be out of the news one day. It seems that he enjoys being a factor in the election too much.

[SammyWinstonJack]

3. Cry me a river.

[SHRED]

4. Oh boo hoo

[H2O Man]

5. Recommended.

Mr. Comey is an honorable man. While he and I do not see eye-to-eye on everything, I respect him. Like each and every one of us, he is weakly human, and makes mistakes. But overall, he is a good man.

[janx]

9. I agree with you.

This is not a popular perspective on DU, as you know, because some people want to blame him for Clinton's losing the election.

[H2O Man]

17. His actions played

a role. He knows that.

Just how big a role is entirely a matter of speculation. Those who blame him, and remain bitter today, tend to overlook the roles that many other people played. And, whatever anyone thinks, the reality is that Trump "won" -- with coordination with the Russian intelligence-mob -- and we are now in a struggle to save our constitutional democracy.

[dhol82]

20. Oh, cry me a river!

He was the pivotal piece in the whole crash of the Clinton advance.
He, in concert with, the Russian collusion of the trumpistas was the demise of Hillary’s chance.
Yes, the Russians were a major factor. However, Comey’s collusion in their nefarious activities, put paid to the election.
You can be as generous as you want to be but he was a major factor in the loss.

[H2O Man]

35. I don't need to.

You are doing that yourself.

[dhol82]

39. Nice to see you are on the side of incompetence.

[H2O Man]

41. Thank you!

[lunamagica]

54. Well said. Great post

[janx]

46. Yes. His role was minuscule compared to other factors.

Most people didn't even know about that. The Russians, the decades of Clinton conspiracy theories, the pandering on the part of Trump to disadvantaged people played much greater roles than that press conference.

[H2O Man]

47. Right.

Some (not all) of the people running the campaign did not serve Clinton's interests well. But I think the biggest, most important factor was the coordination between Trump's campaign and the Russians.

Thus, when considering what is most important for the Democratic Party right now -- and that includes the 2018 elections, just as it will include the 2020 elections -- I would suggest it is the Russian-Trump scandal. And that includes the very real attempts by the Russian mob-intelligence to disrupt the American elections in those upcoming elections. More, it involves the Mueller investigation and prosecutions.

There may be some benefit in discussing how not to repeat errors made in 2016. But there really is no advantage accrued by hating Jim Comey, and pretending that he alone is responsible for Trump winning.

[brush]

57. Miniscule my ass. Clinton's poll numbers tanked after the Oct. 28 letter.

That's no secret. It's easily researched.

Why don't you know this?

[fleur-de-lisa]

10. +1

[H2O Man]

18. Thanks!

[ms liberty]

14. Thank you. I agree.

But we're in the minority who feel that way here on DU and are willing to say it, here on DU.

[H2O Man]

34. Thank you.

I've been debating Mr. Comey with an old co-worker for the past 24 hours. His family immigrated here from the Old Sod when he was young. I don't know what horrible things happened to him in life, but he is pro-Trump. He has been posting nonsense about Mr. Comey being a criminal.

I will say here that none of our co-workers at the Mental Health Clinic had positive feelings about his ability to work as a therapist. He suffered from alcoholism, and his episodes of "falling off the wagon" made his poor skills even worse. While he and I were never friends, I often talked to him then about getting back on the wagon. And that is really the only thing he and I have discussed via facebook until now. Though I've never been involved in AA, etc, (I don't drink, as I prefer weed), I was shared staff at the Alcohol ^ Drug Abuse Services, and try to be helpful.

I'll discuss Trump and/or Mr. Comey with anyone who wants to engage in a rational conversation. Even a pro-Trump person. Thus, I'm always willing to talk about Mr. Comey with people here -- including those who think they hate him -- as long as it is a rational discussion based upon facts. And it makes no difference to me if what I have to say makes me popular with the crowd or not. I tend to be pretty confident in my knowledge of the facts. Being Irish is a curse, after all! (grin)

Note: The Trump administration is also actively deporting Irish folks in Boston and NYC. My older daughter works at a law firm that represents them (and others).

[canetoad]

19. I agree

Can't say much more than that. Good comment.

[H2O Man]

36. Thanks!

[enough]

32. "Honorable," but somehow he dropped all allegiance to honor and principle

when he decided he had to placate the anti-Hillary faction just days before the election. For what? He didn’t want them to be mad at him. He’s honorable when it’s convenient.

[H2O Man]

40. Respectfully disagree.

Have you read his book? The public library should have it, for those who do not want to buy it.

I do not think he dropped any allegiance to honor or principle. Yet, I can appreciate anyone thinking he made an error in sending the note to Congress. That's a valid opinion, and I have no problem with that, at all.

I will note that there was a Trump cell in the NYC office -- some active FBI, and more retired ones -- who were preparing to leak the information about Anthony W's computer (through Rudy), had Mr. Comey not informed Congress. The effect would likely have been much the same.

Regardless, I think rational people can agree that Jim's actions during the 2016 campaign helped Trump, and hurt Clinton.

[MelissaB]

44. I agree as well.

I think he is a good man who happens to be human.

Thank you!

[H2O Man]

45. Thanks!

People here call Jim arrogant, obnoxious, and self-righteous. He agrees that he has been all of these from time to time. (grin) He is also an intelligent, thoughtful person, who worked very hard for the values he believed in. I think of when his supervisor was near death in the hospital, and two of Cheney's thugs hoped to exploit the opportunity to get him to sign off on the domestic spying. Jim stood up to them. He always tried to do what was right. I'm not saying that I agree with his actions during the campaign, but I understand why he did what he did.

[lunamagica]

53. No, he is not an honorable man

[Adrahil]

60. Agree. +1

[Squinch]

6. Asshole.

[bermudat]

8. Eat sh*t and die motherf*cker!!!

[BigmanPigman]

12. I second that!

[JI7]

11. Comey was weak and maybe even cowardly but i don't think he is evil

And that he does feel guilt and horrible at what is happening.

Robert Mueller would have handled it all differently.

Right now Comey should do what he can to help the kids.

[milestogo]

13. Shame on you Comey, you slimy Republican bastard.

[brush]

15. Wonder if it's occured to him that everytime the repugs get in...

Last edited Sat Jun 23, 2018, 02:38 AM - Edit history (1)

the country has to recover from the disaster they create?

And he did his best to get this even-worse-than-W repug in office.

Fuck him and his pained redemption act.

[NanceGreggs]

16. It's a pain he deserves to feel ...

... now, and for the rest of his life.

To think now - or to profess to have thought at the time - that his actions weren't going to have a negative impact on Hillary is simply not credible by any stretch of the imagination.

Comey's punishment is watching what is happening to the country, knowing that he was a more-than-willing participant in its downfall.

And what did he personally gain by his actions? He got fired from the job he loved, lost the career he had spent decades building, and will go down in history as a man who contributed to Trump's "election".

Karma can be one mean bitch - and she has smacked Comey upside the head with the full force of the inimitable power that is hers, and hers alone.

[dhol82]

23. +1

[dalton99a]

49. Yep. No Comey memo, no President Trump

[LakeArenal]

21. Ya think? Duh!!!

[Goodheart]

22. Count me in with the FUCK YOU, JAMES COMEY crowd

Is he honorable? At times, I'm sure. Most of the time, even, I'm certain. But his ego overwhelmed his honor back in 2016. His excuse was that he had promised Congress to report back to them if the Hillary email investigation had to be reopened, but he should never have made that promise in the first place.... or qualified it with "if the circumstances warrant it" or "if the circumstances don't preclude it" or "if that's within the established procedures of the FBI" or with any number of such qualifications. And even after having made the promise he should have considered the circumstances.

So, I'm not saying you're corrupt, James Comey.... I'm saying FUCK YOU for not doing your job properly when so much depended on it.

[dhol82]

27. I don't think it was his ego.

I think he was afraid of the republicans giving him a hard time if Hillary won.
Stupid, but what it was.

[brush]

58. Agreed. All he had to do was examine Weiner's laptop before...

sending the Oct. 28 letter and he would've found the emails on it were just duplicates.

The fact that he didn't suggests and eagerness to effect the election, something he as FBI director knew was a direct violation of the Hatch Act.

Also, it came out last week that he found out about the allegedly "new" emails in late Sept. not late Oct.

That suggests IMO that he knew way before Oct. 28, 2016 that the emails were duplicates as who is going to put that laptop on a shelf and not have it inspected for a month.

Fuck Comey and I don't buy his pained anguish and phoney seeking redemption book and act in front of any mic someone places in front of him.

I repeat, fuck Comey.

[enough]

24. Not to know the effect it would have would have been stupid.

I don’t think he’s that stupid.

[JI7]

25. I think he is kind of clueless

[dem4decades]

26. Comey can shit in his hat and wear it.

"if I could go back in time, would I do something deeply unprincipled?"

Does he mean he would do something principled? Like following DOJ guidelines and not commenting on an investigation or releasing information too close to an election?

He did the unprincipled thing, twice and each time shifted the election to Trump.

[dhol82]

29. Yup!

[sprinkleeninow]

59. And another yep from me. eom

[ecstatic]

28. "would I do something deeply unprincipled?"

Um, you DID do something deeply unprincipled. But if thinking that you acted in a principled way helps you sleep better at night, keep telling yourself that!

[hatrack]

30. Yeah, well fuck you, Jimbo . . .

You could have come down on that nest of snakes in the New York office in your capacity as, y'know, Director of the freaking FBI.

You could have followed the law and the old FBI rule of thumb that you don't do anything to disrupt a general election.

You could have avoided trying to bend over backwards to all the little Trumpkins inside and outside of your agency.

You could have just kept your mouth shut.

But no, you couldn't even do that, and now we're in serious shit, and you're out selling your book and making metric shit-tons of money, I'm sure.

Seriously, FUCK YOU.

[dem4decades]

38. Agree

[mackdaddy]

31. Comey is the Dudley Do.Right of the FBI !

He always thinks he is doing the right thing, but ends up creating havoc. He knew better than everyone else including his boss how to handle the email crap, and hide the Trump/Russia investigation.

In this case, he single handedly pushed Trump over the top.

I hope it eats at him every day, like it does all of us having to live through this Orange Lunatic.

[Goodheart]

33. WTF is this supposed to mean?

"And I sometimes wonder, if I could go back in time, would I do something deeply unprincipled?"

Say WHAT?

Is he now saying that it would have been unprincipled to keep his trap shut about reopening the email investigation?

FUCK YOU, JAMES COMEY

[dalton99a]

50. +1. He's clearly saying that what he did was good

[enough]

37. Comey's self-righteousness is as bottomless as Trump's. NT

[spooky3]

42. If you HAD done the "principled thing", you and we would have

been fine, Mr. Comey. As Dr. Maddow and the IG report pointed out, what you did included:

—breaking FBI policy and precedent in your July 2016 public criticism of Clinton despite her not doing anything the FBI including you found potentially criminal
—following two different practices for the same disclosure; you disclosed that you were reopening the Clinton investigation but never revealed that you were investigating Trump
—being terrified of criticism for appearing to FAVOR Clinton, but unconcerned about appearing to be UNFAIR to her

These are UNPRINCIPLED actions.

[JNelson6563]

43. I hope he scorned forever.

Seriously. Boo'd in public. People turning backs on him, the full nine yards. #FuckComey

[maxrandb]

48. I'm sure the screaming inconsolable 11 month old

that we most assuredly know will NEVER see her family again, will be comforted by the fact that we avoided the horrible prospect that the FBI might look bad for a couple of days... you fucking prick!

[Snackshack]

51. I still...

Disagree with his decision to do that press conference. However the more that is being uncovered about the actions of Giuliani and the FBI agents from the NY field office the more I think he was being backed into a corner with no good options.

Still he could have continued adhering to policy and not made any comments or once he decided he had todo that press conference about Hillary and the emails he could have included that a parallel investigation was underway of trumps campaign and Russian ties in the interest of fairness.

[H2O Man]

52. The press conference

in the summer was damaging, but not to the point that the Clinton campaign did not recover. The October letter, leaked by republicans, was certainly damaging. However, as you note, the FBI cell and Rudy were prepared to leak the information about Anthony Weiner's computer -- and Rudy would have certainly held a press conference to exploit this.

[Tatiana]

55. Glad to see he can appreciate the weight of his arrogant actions.

There is no doubt that he has been a hero in many instances throughout a solid career, but his actions, whether intentional or not, helped Trump get installed. He owns some of this devastation and he absolutely should feel pain over the consequences of his actions.

That being said, the best thing he can do at this point is admit his mistake and work as hard as he can to get Trump and his cabal removed from office. He can still play a significant role as a private citizen.

[akbacchus_BC]

56. Fuck Comey (pardon my French), the asshole knew what he was doing. He is culpable for

that other asshole trump getting elected. Fuck Comey over and over again. Right now, if it was not for him, Mrs. Clinton would be the President of the US and the world would be more in a secure place. Fuck Comey and the republicans he catered to! End of rant!