Since the Senate Majority Leader declared that a Select Committee on the issue of Russian hacking would be unnecessary, today's Armed Services proceedings may have been the last one of its kind for awhile. It doesn't suit or please Trump one bit.
The Democrats on the panel, especially Senators Blumenthal, Reed, Kaine and Missouri Democrat Claire McCaskill made a valiant, last ditch effort to shine light on the scope of Russian hacking and Trump's unorthodox denigration of U.S intelligence agencies. Are we slowly seeing the institutions of Democracy fade away? We will need to keep the heat on these precious few Democrats to be aggressive in the face of an unpatriotic leader.
Senator McCaskill, who thankfully won her seat in 2012, is up for reelection in a very red state, so her voice is something we cannot take for granted. Unless, however, Democrats get off their butts and mobilize like the Tea Party did in 2010, 2018 could mean a 4th Reich for America. McCaskill wants answers, as do most people who prefer the facts.
SEN. MCCASKILL: Who actually is the benefactor of someone who is about to become commander-in-chief trashing the intelligence community?
I assume that the biggest benefactors of the American people having less confidence in the intelligence community fact that the actors you have named today: Iran, North Korea, China, Russia and ISIS.
CLAPPER: The intelligence community is not perfect we are an organization of human beings and we're prone sometimes to make errors. I don't think the intelligence community gets the credit it's due for what it does, day in and day out, to keep this nation safe and secure and the number of plots until just one example terrorist plots that have been thwarted both those focused on this country and other countries
Senator McCaskill roared once more, perhaps futilely, on the unprecedented censure that Trump has levied upon the various U.S. intelligence agencies, many of whom risk their lives or have lost their lives for this country. We know damned well that Trump has never risked anything.
MCCASKILL: I just I want to thank the Chairman and I want to thank Senator Graham and others, there have been others. I can count maybe a little bit more than one hand who have stood up in a non-political way to defend the intelligence community over the last few weeks.
The notion that the soon elected leader of this country would put Julian Assange on a pedestal compared to the men and women of the intelligence community and the military that is so deeply embedded in the intelligence community, I think it should bring about a hue and cry no matter whether you're Republican or a Democrat. There should be howls! And mark my word if the roles were reversed their would be HOWLS from the Republican side. Thank You Mr. Chairman.
SEN JOHN MCCAIN: Thank you for that nonpartisan comment.
That remark drew laughter from the chamber. Sadly that comment will have no forum to be heard in just a few weeks.
On the issue of disavowing, distrusting and shunning the U.S. intelligence community, we are forced to draw parallels with Trump and President Nixon. Nixon returned his PDBs (presidential daily briefings) unopened after his transition period ended and he assumed office.
Nixon wrote to Trump in 1987 after his wife Pat saw Donnie Tic Tacs on The Phil Donahue Show. Trump has been encouraged to run for POTUS, likely. for more than thirty years. We should never underestimate his capabilities or the evil of his intentions. Apparently, much of his plans were far better contrived than any of us imagined.
Just breathe but stay vigilant. Call your Congressman or Senator OFTEN. That's all we can do, for now.
