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H2O Man

(73,308 posts)
Fri Apr 5, 2019, 10:26 AM Apr 2019

Weekend Update

Being old and of often forgetful mind, when the news that some of the federal prosecutors who were on the Mueller Team were voicing distaste for Barr's letter on the Mueller Report, I began reading through my most recent OP and responses. Had I not said that the leaks would begin to spill out over the weekend? Yet, I could ot locate any evidence of my stating this on DU:GD. How could this be?

Had I missed an opportunity to inform the DU community of the good news about to unfold before our very eyes? Or, as others who read my posts may believe, a chance to show off? But I was sure that I had discussed the upcoming reports of leaks with a DU member that I frequently tell my predictions to. Then it hit me: check your e-mails with her. So I did.

Thus, I reviewed a conversation that we had engaged in on the night of Thursday, March 28, and found what I had been looking for. I shall only post one of my comments, which I believe will suffice for documenting the general discussion:

“I don't think Mr. Mueller is surprised by Barr's nonsense. But he isn't happy. He won't leak, but others in the FBI/DOJ will likely tomorrow night or this weekend.” (Her response was, “Can't wait!”)

The initial “leaks” – conversations between former Mueller Team investigators and their current co-workers and associates – had already begun by the time I wrote that, of course. But it wasn't until the following day (Friday, March 29), that they made clear that they expected their co-workers and associates to share their feelings of distaste for Barr's 3.5-page summery with specific journalists. And that process began over the weekend and early in April, resulting in reports starting Wednesday.

Why is this important? Hadn't Barr already poisoned the public's perception of what the report did and did not say? Weren't the Democrats in DC sore losers, demanding the full report go to Congress and be made public? Indeed, had not Barr dictated a nasty response to these reports, noting that each and every page had been marked “confidential,” without exception?

It's good news for many reasons. First, the public understanding of, and reaction to, Barr's summary of the report is not set in stone. It raised more questions than it answered for 70-plus percent of the public. Finding out what it really reports versus Barr's toady letter will highlight the distinctions. Trump and those around him are documented as, to use one of Trump's frequent insults, “losers.” And much worse.

More, it is showing the increasing discomfort that Barr is feeling. For he is caught between two rocks and the decaying Trump operation. Congress has every legal right to the full report. And there will be systematic leaking of information in the report – particularly the summaries that the Mueller Team intended to be made public – as we move forward, if Barr continues to fight the inevitable. You can count on this.

The last thing that I believe is important is that, in situations such as this, the public's perception often involves personalizing a conflict. When he spoke to the Senate, Barr noted that he and Mr. Mueller were old friends, and that their wives were friends as well. Yesterday, we saw a wedge …. Barr knows that although Mr. Mueller might not have given the okay for the leaks, he could sure as hell put a stop to them. But Barr realizes that is not going to happen.

Enjoy the weekend.
H2O Man

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