So, Mueller... Some thoughts:
Many folks opposed to Trump had unrealistic hopes for Mueller's findings, and may now react to the report with anger and apathy; not unlike the "General Betray-us" outrage that followed the Petraeus report on the Iraq war. It would be a mistake. Mueller and his team did an exhaustive and penetrating examination of the Trump campaign and its relationship with the Russian government and individuals. The report does not exonerate Donald Trump or his campaign organization but does find (as far as has been reported) that neither the candidate or campaign crossed a criminal line when it came to accepting foreign assistance. That is, admittedly, a low bar but one that ought to give some comfort to Americans who care more about our democracy than party.
The investigation needed to be done and it wasn't a witch hunt. It was precipitated by incredibly stupid -- and in one case, drunken -- behavior by Trump campaign staff and advisors and by the candidate himself; all of whom seem to lack any awareness that appearance of impropriety matters.
Trump has been his own worst enemy. His servility and fan-boyish behavior to Putin, Kislyak, and Lavrov reinforced the worst suspicions that he was "gotten to," or is an active supporter of Russian aims. Trump's declaration to Lester Holt that he fired Comey "because of the Russia thing" amounts to obstruction in plain sight, but still obstruction. Trump's legal team of John Doud and Ty Cobb pursued the right strategy of transparency but Trump's nearly hysterical response to being investigated -- something he should have welcomed as essential in clearing him and his campaign -- leaves reasonable folks thinking he has something to hide or is too emotionally fragile to hold office. Neither scenario helps him.
This isn't over, in spite of the Trump Team's end zone celebration. Mueller's investigation spun off further lines of investigation that are now closing in. I am reminded of the Nixon team, in January 1973, congratulating themselves over containing the Watergate inquiry with a few guilty pleas, just before James McCord sent a letter to Judge John Sirica and the dam broke.
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