Friday, April 13, 2018

Book Retort

I think the last Washington insider book that I bought and read was John Dean’s “Blind Ambition” that depicted this role in Watergate.  So I probably won’t read James Comey’s forthcoming tome, “A Higher Loyalty,” in which the fired FBI director recalls his brief time in the Trump administration.  But it must be a page-turner the way the right-wing media and the White House is laying into it.

The battle plan against Comey, obtained by CNN, calls for branding the nation’s former top law enforcement official as “Lyin’ Comey” through a website, digital advertising and talking points to be sent to Republicans across the country before his memoir is released next week. The White House signed off on the plan, which is being overseen by the Republican National Committee.

“Comey is a liar and a leaker and his misconduct led both Republicans and Democrats to call for his firing,” Republican chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in a statement to CNN. “If Comey wants the spotlight back on him, we’ll make sure the American people understand why he has no one but himself to blame for his complete lack of credibility.”

While it’s an open question how successful Republicans will be in making their case against Comey, given that Trump unceremoniously dismissed him last May 9, there is no doubt that many Democrats remain furious at how the former FBI director treated Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential campaign.

If the RNC and the White House wanted to suppress book sales and discredit Mr. Comey, they would ignore it or say nothing more than “Well, he’s entitled to his opinion” and let it be.  But giving the campaign to discredit him its own website?  Sales of the book are going to go through the roof.

The biggest question now will be, where will they find an actor who’s 6’8″ to play Comey in the HBO version?

2 barks and woofs on “Book Retort

  1. These political blockblusters never do much for me, I guess because they end up being so predictable. A few years ago, This Town by Mark Liebowitz was the book everyone needed to read about Washington. I thought he had made his point by page 20, and the rest was just repetition. (It’s the only book I’ve ever left at a book exchange because I didn’t want to keep it.) I had the same reaction to Fire and Fury, so I doubt I’ll bother to read this one.

    • I have the same reaction to these “tell all” books by people who keep quiet until it’s safe.

      As for the last question — why, Armie Hammer, in platform shoes. The platforms wouldn’t even have to be that high — he’s 6’5″.

Comments are closed.