Tonight (Sunday, April 8, 2018) MSNBC’s Headliner program had as its subject Special Counsel and former FBI Director Robert Mueller. Mueller is of course in charge of investigating the Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, as well as any involvement the Trump campaign may have had in that interference. In addition, Mueller was given a broad scope to investigate any ancillary criminal activity that his investigations might unearth during the process. This state of affairs is pretty well-known by just about anyone who has not been living under a rock for the past 10 months. I note in passing that, unfortunately, there are probably a good many citizens who have been living under a rock, but that’s another topic.
I urge everyone who missed the hour long program to make every effort to catch a rerun, or visit the MSNBC web site and look for the video that will surely be available in due course. Why do I think that’s important? There are several reasons.
Primarily, it is critical that the public learn what kind of man Bob Mueller is. Fox News, in conjunction with GOP members of Congress (primarily the House) have waged a ceaseless campaign trying to discredit Mueller personally. This effort attempts to paint Mueller as a partisan hack, out to destroy Trump for purely partisan reasons. This is beyond ludicrous, which becomes evident when one learns the details of Mueller’s life, and especially his record of service to our nation.
It is also enlightening to see the contrast of character between Robert Mueller and Donald Trump, and then to weigh the actions of the two men and judge for yourself whom you would believe, whom you would pay heed to, whom you would trust.
Bob Mueller graduated from Princeton and immediately enlisted in the Marines to fight in Viet Nam. He was awarded a Bronzed Star for valor and a Purple Heart. Trump had bone spurs. When Mueller left military service, he immediately prepared himself for further service to his country. He became a criminal prosecutor, joined the FBI. He was eventually nominated by George W. Bush to head the FBI, and was confirmed by the Senate unanimously. Nine days after he took the job, 9/11 happened. He served heroically in that national disaster, and maintained a cool head, insisting on the strict rule of law while pursuing the terrorists. He inherited an FBI that operated in a technical stone age, lacking even email. He left the department fully modernized, and stronger than ever.
FBI Directors serve a 10 year term. When he completed his ten years, Obama asked him to stay on an additional two years. This required a special dispensation by the Senate, and the Republican majority in that body again voted unanimously to extend his term.
Mueller is a lifelong Republican. Republicans in the Senate have twice supported him unanimously to serve as FBI Director. To suggest that he is in anyway partisan, and especially partial to Democrats, is just plain stupid.
In Washington political and professional circles, Bob Mueller has always enjoyed universal acclaim and honor. His character has been universally admired and his reputation is absolutely untarnished. When he was first appointed Special Counsel, both sides of the aisle, and pundits everywhere enthusiastically applauded the choice. Everyone knew this was a man with impeccable credentials, a man who would simply seek the truth. It is only when the truth apparently went sour that the right-wing pundits and the Congressional ferrets began trying to discredit the messenger, since the message was unacceptable to them.
Contrast Mueller to Donald Trump. The latter cannot go 24 hours without bending or breaking the truth. He golfs much more than he governs. His administration has suffered more scandal and corruption than any in modern memory. He never divested himself of his business, and makes tons of money trading on the Office of POTUS. He has stiffed contractors for decades. He is incapable of communicating in anything above than a grade-school level. He has had more administration position resignations and firings in his first year than any POTUS ever. Members of his campaign staff have suffered indictments and convictions as a result of Mueller’s investigation. And on and on and on.
Watch the Headliner program about Mueller. Then decide for yourself who is the most likely to be seeking the truth. Who has more character and integrity.
Who is working for the American people.
© 2018 Chuck Puckett