He went there.
After a year of the #Resistance embracing him as a martyr to Trumpism, he’s finally decided to hug them back.
This Republican Congress has proven incapable of fulfilling the Founders’ design that “Ambition must… counteract ambition.” All who believe in this country’s values must vote for Democrats this fall. Policy differences don’t matter right now. History has its eyes on us.
— James Comey (@Comey) July 18,2018
I doubt he’ll ever admit that he wishes he hadn’t announced the reopening of the Emailgate investigation 10 days before the election but I wonder if privately he feels that way now, knowing how it may have enabled Trump’s upset. In any case, his rift with the left is healed. All is forgiven! Now he can head out on the trail for Democrats this fall and– *record scratch*
Democrats don’t want your endorsement, but thanks. https://t.co/1BVei3GbUC
— Brian Fallon (@brianefallon) July 18,2018
Brian Fallon was Hillary’s 2016 campaign spokesman. Some hard feelings won’t soften so easily, alas. Twitter is chock full of angry liberals this morning hollering variations of “too little, too late” at Comey too. Don’t expect to see him campaigning for anyone this fall.
Comey’s been drifting this way for awhile, saying during his book tour that he “can’t be associated” with the GOP anymore in its current Trumpy incarnation and that he disapproves of impeaching Trump because he wants voters to rise up and rebuke him at the ballot box. All of that points to last night’s tweet. Marvel at the timing, though. Less than a week after his former deputy, Peter Strzok, was hauled before Congress to answer for anti-Trump bias within the FBI, here’s the ex-director endorsing Democrats outright in the midterms. What do you suppose that’ll do for perceptions of the Bureau’s integrity in our hyperpartisan age?
Comey would reply, I’m sure, that his view of the midterms is consistent with the theme of his book, that the country needs to reaffirm its commitment to democratic norms. He’s not endorsing “Democrats” per se, he’s endorsing a more robust check on the Trump presidency to protect those norms. Republicans won’t provide it, ergo he’s forced to look to the alternative. It’s no different from George Will’s column a few weeks ago endorsing a Democratic takeover. We’re a ways away now, though, from the pre-book-tour image cultivated by Comey of the studiously nonpartisan G-man who resents that he was entangled in presidential politics in 2016. If you’re throwing around election endorsements, you’re on a team whether you want to be or not. But this was inevitable, no? His law-enforcement career is over and he’ll be dead to Republicans forever for attacking Trump. The smart self-interested thing to do is accept his role as a political actor and throw in with one side. Yes, even St. Comey has self-interest!
Speaking of “nonpolitical” actors turning very, very political, here’s tort lawyer turned budding presidential candidate Michael Avenatti in full campaign mode yesterday. Less than four months ago he was on TV sneering at interviewers that it was “laughable” to suggest that he had a political motive in representing Stormy Daniels against Trump. Four months later he’s delivering anti-Trump stemwinders to cheering liberals outside the White House fence. Exit question: Avenatti/Comey or Comey/Avenatti?
