OPINION:
A new poll from CNN/ORC shows the vast majority of Americans want a special prosecutor to investigate President Donald Trump’s supposed ties to Russia.
One can almost hear the cheers from the left.
After all, this is the outcome the Democrats have been pushing since Barack Obama, former White House chief, laid the groundwork in December for the left to rally around a message that Russia interfered wth America’s elections. Forgotten, as the days turned into weeks, is the fact that the only intervention was one of Russian fingers in Democratic National Committee email pots. It’s much more exciting to say the Russians outright hacked the election — especially when it comes from the mouth of the most powerful and media-revered politico in the United States.
Flashback a few months when Obama pretty much named Putin as the man with the U.S. election plan.
As CNN noted, Obama said in December: “Not much happens in Russia without Vladimir Putin. This happened at the highest levels of the Russian government.” At the same time, Obama also vowed revenge for Putin’s alleged interference, and told the American people he had already taken a tough stand with the Russian leader during a person-to-person chat at the Group of 20 summit in China.
What’d Obama do?
Well, he got right up in Putin’s face and told him to “cut it out,” CNN reported.
Oh yes he did.
He followed that frightening command with a threat to impose “serious consequences” for disobedience. He didn’t say it aloud, but the rest of his sentence was implied, and went something like this “… like the kind I sent Syria’s way.” Can you say red line? Make sure and say it a few times — Obama sure did.
But back to the poll. Apparently, the same pollsters who predicted Hillary Clinton was on a speedy path to the White House have now wiped their red faces, found surer footing, and come back with king-like pronouncements that show the very people who’ve elected Trump are now suspicious enough of his win to want a special prosecutor to look into possible conflicts of interest between Trump’s aides and Russian officials.
(Word on the street is John McCain is up for the job. He’ll be looking at the same paperwork he passed FBI director James Comey weeks ago about alleged secret contacts between Trump’s campaign and Russia’s government, but that’s OK. He said he’s impartial and Obama concurs.)
McCain or not, the people want answers, by God — at least, according to this poll. In fact, 65 percent of Americans say a special prosecutor’s needed; 32 percent, meanwhile, think Congress can do the job.
The breakdown by party is significant. While only 42 percent of the Republican respondents want an outsider to investigate Trump ties to Russia, fully 82 percent of Democrats and 67 percent of Independents say a special prosecutor, not Congress, needs to step in a take a look.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, meanwhile, wants double-duty investigations. He called this week for an “immediate” investigation by the Department of Justice’s independent watchdog into Trump’s communications with Russia during the presidential campaign.
Boy, this story sure has wings — and with Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ recent recusal from all-things-Russia, at least as they pertain to all-things-Trump-campaign, count on Democrats to float the Kremlin angle for weeks to come. Sessions ceded an inch; prepare now for the left to demand a mile.
But once again, the last word goes to Trump.
In a tweet that should be the tweets of all tweets, Trump wrote: “Who was it that secretly said to Russian President, ’Tell Vladimir that after the election I’ll have more flexibility?’”
Oh yeah. That’d be Obama.
In a widely reported hot mic moment in March 2012, Obama got busted telling the outgoing Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev, that Putin ought to grant him “space … on all these issues, but particularly missile defense,” because “after my election I have more flexibility.”
Flexibility to what, Mr. Obama?
Hmm. Pot, meet kettle. On Russia, Obama and the Democrats would do just as well to swing those pointing fingers 180 degrees, back toward themselves.
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