I follow the news, read two newspapers in the morning, try to find some balance in the crazy news cycle and I worry. The insatiable 24 hour news cycle has taken on a life of its own. In the world is there enough news to fill 24 hours - yes. Does 24 hours of world news actually come over the airwaves? No. What becomes fodder for the talk is one scandal after the other, real or imagined. Add on top of that an FBI director channeling J Edgar and it is a potentially explosive mix. Exactly why today does the FBI think it is necessary to release 17 yr old files on Bill Clinton's pardons. Hmm let me think. Is it the same reason a Director thought it was Critical to release a fuzzy letter that email on Anthony Weiner's laptop might possiby be critical to be released in the midst of a contentious election cycle with less than 10 days to go? Years ago, when I still believed in Public Service as a higher calling and the good of the people worth fighting for, J Edgar had other Ideas.
I am a child of that era. When disagreement with a war no one understood, and a war where for the first time there were semi real reports "live" from Saigon in our living rooms in black and white that made my generation question what we were doing. When showing up at protest marches or supporting the cause put you on a secret watch list that resulted in your vehicle being called in for a rigorous inspection if you moved and registered in a "red state". The FBI or Homeland Security or NSA or any of the Alphabets are under a lot of pressure to keep America Safe from danger, home grown or imported. But I worry that the Director has crossed the invisible line between protecting US (a la Pogo) and playing Politics in a very dangerous way. There are no innocent actions, no Oops, at the Director level. You don't get to that position accidently without a great deal of savvy. Any person who thinks they can manage or own the Donald and he would be a more malleable leader is ultimately a fool.
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