The Orange Whale

 

One of the good things about Twitter is there are so many people that understand The Presidential Records Act and the powers of The National Archives.

It was DEFCON 1 on Fox News last Monday. (DEFCON 1 is the highest level of DEFCON-ness, with  DEFCON 5 being the lowest. I know because Peggy explained this to Burt Peterson on "Mad Men" one time. Don't tell me television is not educational.) The FBI raided or executed a search warrant on President Trump at his Mar-a-Largo resort in Florida. It caused a commotion if you haven't heard.

Meanwhile, on Twitter, the news was celebrated like it was D-Day. FINALLY! WE ARE GOING TO GET THE BIG FAT ORANGE RICH MAN WITH AWFUL HAIR! (Not a direct quote, but that was the general gist.)

My problem is I'm not an attorney. I have seen a lot of "Perry Mason" episodes, but none of them ever dealt with The Presidential Records Act. "Tell me, what did you see President Eisenhower put in the box to send to Gettysburg?"  (Historical note: Gettysburg was Eisenhower's Mar-a-Largo. What other blogs can you get rich historical tidbits like this?)

My point is I don't know how big of a deal the raid/execution of a search warrant is and I have a feeling most people (yes, Twitter, I'm looking at you) don't either.

I agree it is "unprecedented."  Reagan didn't send the FBI to Plains, Georgia, to find 15 boxes of peanuts or whatever. But a lot of things are "unprecedented".  

It is unprecedented to have a President as old as Biden, and it is unprecedented to know a President slept with a porn star. (I was going to mention President Bill and his trollop but then I remembered about President Warren Harding had a trollop. We still don't know what President James Buchanan had.)

It was unprecedented to have a President refusing to concede an election he obviously lost.  

Still, it is pretty stark to have the attorney general of another party approve the execution of a search warrant/raid on a former President for the Presidential Records Act.

I agree it is a law and President Trump should have followed the law. I just don't think the Justice Department is after "classified information".

I think this is a fishing expedition trying to find something to link President Trump to the January 6th riot besides him telling them in a televised speech to go down to The Capitol. 

They want to find a memo from Trump to the leader of The Proud Boys or whoever saying, "Go to the Capitol and mess things up or something. I don't care JUST DO IT! MAKE IT LOOK LIKE YOUR GOING TO HANG MIKE PENCE."

If I'm wrong, and they really are that concerned with what Trump kept in Florida, they sure took their sweet time trying to get whatever it is back.

If Trump has some super secret documents that compromised the security of the United States, they need to tell us immediately, and it needs to be obvious.

Some people will say Trumpsters wouldn't admit it even if it was obvious. That's true. Some people don't acknowledge that Biden is too old to be President.

But it must be clear to the guy paying more for gas and groceries. This guy remembers 2019, and it wasn't that long ago.   He would put up with Trump if it meant he had some change in his pocket.

I remember early in the Trump Administration telling my wife I didn't know if Trump would be able to finish out the week as President, much less four years. What Trump calls "The Swamp" has been gunning for him for seven years, and they haven't stopped him yet. 

First, it was going to be Carly Fiorina. Then, it was going to be Marco Rubio. Then, it was going to be Mitt Romney. Then, it was going to be the "Access Hollywood" tape. Then, it was going to be "Russian Collusion." Then, it was going to be "impeachment."   Then, it was going to be the Capitol riots. On and on. (Don't get me started on the "Emoluments Clause" argument.)

It is not like he is "teflon"- everything sticks to Trump.  He's more like the T-1000 terminator in "Terminator 2".  Events and statements that would torpedo and sink any other politician, don't stop Trump. I can't explain it and I know the professional political class can't explain either.

It is hard getting a great white whale. Ask Captain Ahab. It turns out it is harder getting an orange one.