Prediction: Comey's testimony won't live up to expectatations

[Yavin4]

I think that folks on here, and elsewhere, will be bitterly disappointed with Comey's testimony. I don't think that it will be the bombshell that people expect. In fact, he may largely exonerate Trump.

Too many powerful interests have too much at stake and would take a huge hit if Trump fails. No amount of malfeasance, illegality, and sheer incompetence from Trump will stop that.

[Rorey]

1. I don't want you to be right

I'm keeping my expectations in check.

[Squinch]

2. I fear you're right. It will be some cockamamie contradictory babble and in the end

he'll give us nothing because he doesn't want to leave the limelight.

That guy really loves this attention.

[Alice11111]

7. Yeah, a lot of smug, "I can't answer thats." Maybe that's

why DT'S lawyers told him to let it go...behind the scenes negotiations. Sure, it shouldn't be happening, but it does.

Maybe he will want to redeem his low life reputation, and he will throw a curve.

[Squinch]

10. Yes. And he'll throw in at least one sermon of some kind.

[Alice11111]

13. Which will make us "mildly nauseous."

[cwydro]

16. Completely agree.

You said exactly what I was thinking.

[winstars]

3. Like Fitzmas but a lot worse? nt

[NCTraveler]

4. Comey will at least show up.

[cwydro]

18. Now THAT made me snort!

[Laura PourMeADrink]

36. Oh man, you dug up one of the most disappointing events I have been suppressing.

[Cattledog]

5. I got no expectations

[Alice11111]

14. I enjoyed that. Thx

[emulatorloo]

51. Love that song! thanks!

[mvd]

6. I'm going into it cautiously optimistic

Trump will likely fail anyway due to his stupidity. It may not give all we want, but after what Trump did to him, Comey shouldn't be playing nice.

[kacekwl]

8. Of course it won't.

I'm just waiting for a patriot who has the information needed to jail all those involved. I know they are out there but probably don't know who they can trust with this information. With out that we're screwed because the mountain of circumstantial evidence we have won't put a dent in trumps or the GOP armor.

[chillfactor]

9. I will hold my opinion until I hear Comey's testimony...

we can speculate all we want.....but nothing is real until words come out of his mouth......

[emulatorloo]

11. Expectations here are way too high

Some folks are building this up in their heads and expect it to be apocalyptic.

That being said his description of Trumps attempted interference into an ongoing FBI is not going to "exonerate" Trump.

No doubt the Hannitys of this world will attempt to spin it that way though.

[Alice11111]

15. The media was hyping it all weekend, as it would be the

Most watched testimony ever. If he couldn't testify about things that were classified before, he still can't testify about those things.

[emulatorloo]

50. Agreed. From what I've read he will focus on meetings with Trump.

That is pretty damaging.

[Xolodno]

12. Agreed.

If asked, if Dump asked him to drop the Russia investigation, his response will be "I can't comment on an ongoing investigation". It'll just me more smoke.

Now if he outright says "Yes, the president asked me to drop the investigation"....then my jaw will drop. Because it means if he got the ok to mention that, then there is a landslide of shit that is far worse to come.

[Yavin4]

17. Trump would never let him testify if he was going to spill the beans.

Once the tax cuts and de-regulations are in place, then they will go after Trump.

[Xolodno]

28. Have to disagee a bit...

It was reported earlier they were looking at stopping him by invoking executive privilege. That often coined term that gets used often by Presidents...but never gets in front of the Supreme Court, which means it won't hold up. But yeah, Comey won't and can't spill the beans in public. But if he did....I'll be floored.

[FM123]

19. But it might...

I am really hoping there is some big crazy trumpy bombshell and our collective jaws will hit the floor!
A girl can dream, right?

[Yavin4]

20. Don't get your hopes up. n/t

[SoCalMusicLover]

21. Many On DU Are Anxiously Awaiting The Rover & Cheney Indictments

They're coming any day now.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

26. We got Libby's scalp.

40 government officials were indicted or jailed as a result of the Watergate.

[SoCalMusicLover]

29. We Got Nothing

Libby did not go to jail. I'm sure he's doing just fine now with some high paid consultant/lobbyist gig.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

34. We got 40 scalps in Watergate, including the presidents and vice presidents*

Indictment is a high bar.







*Agnew resigned over malfeasance as Maryland governor.


I am confident. I think we beat these bastards. To think otherwise would be to be a quitter and I rather play in the 101.

[NightWatcher]

22. If he only says "yes, trump asked me to make the investigation into Flynn go away" and then leaves

it is enough for an Obstruction charge in my opinion.

I don't know of other ways he can finesse it that does not contradict trump and therefore lead to obstruction.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

23. Comey's dying to exculpate the man who called him a "showboat" , "grandstander" , and a "nut case."

I mean that's what any of us would do.

[Yavin4]

24. Trump is a figure head for super powerful interests.

Comey is afraid of them, not Trump.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

27. What powerful interests ?

Here's the list of the richest people in America:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_members_of_the_Forbes_400

Eight or nine of the top ten think he's a malignant clown and voted for Hillary.


The so called deep state (the permanent bureaucracy) thinks he a fool.

[Yavin4]

43. Don't be fooled.

They still want their tax cuts and de-regulations.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

44. Trump is killing American brands.

That's why Robert Iger of Disney and Elon Musk of Tesla resigned from any Trump council.


Go back to my list:


https://www.forbes.com/sites/chasewithorn/2016/10/04/forbes-400-the-full-list-of-the-richest-people-in-america-2016/#618804ba22f4


The only one in the top ten who voted for Chump is David Koch.

[PubliusEnigma]

53. what else can you see in your crystal ball? so spooky!

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

25. I think his answers will meet my expectations.

My expectations include dodging, diversions, and possible references to the fifth amendment.

I don't expect much drama, at least not in the public hearings.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

33. What legal exposure does Comey have that would lead him to take the 5 th ?

That's the only circumstance in which one can invoke it.

[HopeAgain]

35. If Mueller allows it, he'll stick to what is in the memos...

And I think we've already heard the most interesting parts of that. Otherwise he will defer to most questions due to the ongoing investigations.

[MedusaX]

30. The testimony which will be given on Wed & Thur is NOT for our fucking Entertainment

The purpose is to
1. have multiple sources go on the record under oath and provide evidence of actions by *45 which are sufficient to use as a basis for proceeding with the drafting of impeachment docs

2. Provide 'cover' for those KGOP who want to jump off the TrumpExpress...

3. Send a wake-up call to those KGOP who have been made aware that they are accomplices after the fact ....
because $$ they accepted from donors they believed to be legit
turns out to be dirty $$ .....

And to let them know that
Further support of compromised administration after Thursday's testimony will be indicative of intentional complicity.......,

This is not the season finale of some contrived faux reality show ....

It is the first actual step on the long legal road to ousting the insurgents who have infiltrated and taken control of our entire governing apparatus ...

[DemocratSinceBirth]

32. I agree with most of what you said...

But the day Bill Clinton was "acquitted" in the Senate I smoked a big cigar, ate some pizza, and washed it down with beer.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

37. Entertainment and Indictment are NOT mutually exclusive. And, mean indictment in the

general sense - know he can't be

[furtheradu]

58. Thanks for this! Wednesday is bigger, though.

Just a persistent feeling I've had.
BIG DEAL IMPORTANT STUFF

& NOT entertainment.

[orangecrush]

63. I agree

With everything you said.

[Blue_Roses]

65. Thank-you

Well said!

[still_one]

31. No idea since I really don't have any expectations about Comey

[gratuitous]

38. I don't know about "bitterly disappointed"

But yeah, the whole thing is being hyped like Geraldo opening Al Capone's vault; it can't help but fail to live up to the hype.

I think, though, that there will be a further unraveling of some threads that are already loose. Dismantling the whole sweater will take time, but this will be another step in that direction.

[spanone]

39. this is for show, the real deal will be when mueller gets him behind closed doors.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

40. PREDICTIONS

I know, you are right Yavin. I have already set myself up for disappointment.

Prediction: Yes, Comey will say he asked him to stop investigation. BUT, he will add that
he didn't think Trump knew it wasn't kosher

[LeftInTX]

57. I'm predicting the same thing...

I predicting he'll say at the most: Trump used poor judgement, but did nothing 'intentionally' illegal because he was "new to the job" or something like that....

[Awsi Dooger]

41. That's the logical perspective

Other than bitterly disappointed. Both sides will spin and spotlight, claiming victory.

Overall I don't think much will change, if anything. DLT (Donald Lies & Tweets) is a life long lowlife cheater who has perfected how to get away with it.

[stewrat]

42. dont be so pessimistic..

One detail that gets overlooked a lot is that Trump cleared the room before he asked Comey to go easy on Flynn. I think this shows an intent to keep the conversation secret which would reflect his state of mind If they talked about a bunch of other things, it may be ok for Trump. But if that was the main topic of conversation, it won't look good for Trump.

Comey is definite showboater and likes to make a splash but he is credible. Reports I've seen says he will confirm the info in his memo. That's big. If he testifies that he felt Trump was pressuring him, thats huge. In past testimony to congress he's dropped some big news like the existing Russia investigation and the confrontation with Gonzales & Card. Might he have something more to share? He might.

[Tatiana]

45. I only expect him to confirm what we already know.

But it will still be good for him to have a national platform to publicly convict the Traitor in Chief.

[Quixote1818]

46. I think the spectacle of it will be damaging

No, I don't expect it to be the beginning of the end of Trump but millions will tune in and hear Comey paint a picture of Trump that won't be pretty. It probably won't break the camels back but it will probably leave a mark. The key is how convincing and honest Comey comes across and I think he will come across as very sincere.

[BumRushDaShow]

47. When you have the media making a ratings-hunting production out of the upcoming testimony

including "countdown clocks" and whatnot (where even here in Philly, the local CBS-news radio station is supposed to carry it "live&quot , then it will most likely be quite anti-climatic.

The meat of what he knows can't be revealed in a public session so what he might say would probably be on the order of what someone like the amazing Clint Watts has remarked about, but probably no more than that.

However, in the alpha male power play world, he has been publicly "dissed" multiple times by Drumpf at this point, but he's not a childish reactionary like Drumpf. He'll get his revenge down the road.

I fully expect ALL of the GOP members to deflect and start talking about "leaks" and "unmaskings" and "Susan Rice" and "Obama" and other ancillary stuff.

This whole thing is going to be a long slog because there are multiple, intertwined moving parts involving many people, a significant amount of money, and various favors promised to and from these people.

[kimbutgar]

48. Knowing the congressional leadership is meeting with chump this week

They are planning a strategy to keep Democrats from asking pertinent questions. I see the gish gallop being heavily used.

[Jake Stern]

49. Knew the moment it was announced that Trump wasn't seeking executive privilege

that the administration doesn't fear what Comey will say.

Trump is the proverbial goose that lays the golden egg in that he'll sign just about anything put before him by Republicans. They'll make sure he stays.

[lunasun]

52. I won't be disappointed. Expecting nothing. Will try to follow but glad I'm working and can't

really. Sad to say my attitude is such , I wish I could be more hopeful just not

[Nevernose]

54. CNN has a count down clock now

There's no way they can fulfill their own hype.

If Comey floated in on electric clouds, wizard robe fluttering behind, and Trump was attached to a glowing mithril chain like a hideous, unfaithful homunculus, it would be a let down at this point.

[LeftInTX]

60. That count down clock has been there for a week!!!

[orangecrush]

64. ...

[leftstreet]

72. ...

[dchill]

55. All he has to do is confirm what we already know...

That Trumpsky wanted him to push back against the Flynn/Russia investigation - to "let it go". Instant obstruction of justice.

[grantcart]

56. My expectation is that it will trigger an avalanche of idiotic tweets from Trump

so far we are on schedule.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

59. Sure hope you're wrong about that... guess we'll soon see.

[Baconator]

61. I'm not expecting any smoking guns...

Comey has to cover his first testimony where he claimed no undue influence.

This will be more along the lines of 'No one particular incident but the accumulation of them has made me reconsider'

That and lots of 'I can't speak to that since the matter is still under investigation'.

[nini]

62. Considering all the best stuff is classsifed

It will only contradict some of the stuff the trumpster has been lying about. Which will be enough for me. I dont expect mire because of the classified aspect.

[LenaBaby61]

66. Prediction: Comey's testimony won't live up to expectations.

Been thinking about it, and it brings me NO joy in saying that I agree with you OP

**Dear GOD, PLEASE make me wrong about Comey's testimony on Thursday.**

[kcr]

67. Anyone who expects Trump will be immediately frogmarched out of the WH will be disappointed

As awesome as that would be. But I don't think that's most people, even on DU. Your prediction is the opposite extreme and I don't see that happening either.

[Adrahil]

68. Depends how n expectations, I think.

If the famous memo says what it is reported to have said, Comey just has to confirm what it says.

I understand the apprehension, but I think his testimony will be damaging to Trump.

[leftynyc]

69. Perhaps, however,

I have no idea what you're referring to as far as expectations. I'm thinking Comey has got to be pretty pissed that degenerate donnie and his minions seem to have made the calculation that trashing Comey's reputation is their only way to save donnie. All I hear is how Comey really protects his veneer of integrity above all else so I can't see him allowing donnie to lie about him and turn his 40 year career in law enforcement into garbage. I don't think he'll talk about the russia investigation but I full expect him to spill on his private conversations with donnie which is really enough. Just the hint of obstruction of justice will be all it takes to get the press off to the races.

[Yavin4]

70. I think that most people here on DU are looking for a Perry Mason moment

They expect Comey to bury the president with impeachment hearings starting up right away.

[leftynyc]

71. They have more of a chance

getting that from Mike Rogers tomorrow. Although perhaps Comey has something up his sleeve. I'm just not expecting anything like that from him.