Speculation about Oprah's political plans have been all the rage this week...by the press...by many hopeful Democrats...and by fearful Republicans. Since Oprah's brilliantly powerful acceptance speech for the Golden Globes' Cecil B. DeMille Award... Americans nationwide are wondering whether this entertainment giant...this media mogul and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient...might toss her hat into the ring for a face-off with whomever is the Republican nominee in 2020.
For years, Donald Trump stated he had no interest in being President of the United States and, therefore, he had no desire to even run. So although Oprah Winfrey has indicated - in the past - that she has no intention of becoming a presidential candidate...the word "never"...has "never" been uttered by this philanthropic powerhouse who has been labeled by some as "the most influential woman in the world."
Ironically, Trump praised Winfrey on November 19th, 1999 when he told MSNBC's Chris Matthews and an audience of college students on Hardball that if he (Trump) were to run for President he "would consider Oprah" as his running mate...calling her "really great."
As I have written in numerous commentaries over the last year...Trump's name will not be on the ballot in 2020. He will be forced to resign the presidency long before voters go to the polls two-plus years from now. Therefore...even if Oprah Winfrey does decide to seek the Democratic nomination for President...and even if she wins it...I don't think she'll be entering any pre-election debates opposite Donald Trump. I believe that with impeachment hearings likely to begin in the House of Representatives before his term is up...Trump will not put himself through such proceedings. Instead, he will tell Congress to go to hell...and despite definitive evidence - that I'm confident will be discovered - Trump will blame everyone from Mueller to the media...that the Russia inquiry is "a hoax" and "fake news." But once Special Counsel Robert Mueller concludes his investigation...I'm certain he will have determined beyond the shadow of a doubt...that Trump fired James Comey as FBI Director...to put a stop to the Russia probe...and therefore Mueller will formally accuse Trump of obstruction of justice. Furthermore...it is clear to me that Mueller will prove Trump wanted the Russia investigation to go away because "The Donald" was involved with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a collusion conspiracy to interfere with...and affect the outcome of...America's 2016 election between Trump and Hillary Clinton.
I submit there is little of the above that anyone can dispute. Let us remember a May 11th, 2017 interview with NBC News anchor Lester Holt when Trump, in essence, admitted that he gave the boot to Comey because of the Russia investigation. Trump told Lester..."When I decided to do it, I said to myself, I said you know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story, it's an excuse by the Democrats for having lost an election that they should have won." As Comey testified to Congress on June 8th, 2017...he feels he lost his job because Trump wanted him to slam on the brakes to the investigation of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and the entire Russia probe. Comey told the Senate Intelligence Committee..."It's my judgment that I was fired because of the Russia investigation." Comey continued to tell the Senators - in a live television broadcast - "I was fired in some way...to change...or the endeavor was to change...the way the Russia investigation was being conducted." As for collusion...let me remind you that Donald Trump's oldest son - Donald Trump, Jr. - put in writing...that he wanted "dirt" from the Russians, which would destroy Hillary Clinton's chances at winning the election. As I have written in the past, it amazes me when Trump supporters say they don't think Don, Jr. - and his brother-in-law, Jared Kushner - didn't tell "Daddy Donald" about the June 2016 meeting with the Russians at Trump Tower in New York City. I most certainly believe that the son and son-in-law told Trump everything...beginning with Don, Jr.'s chain of e-mails...to the meeting itself...and its aftermath. And that is one vital point that needs to be proven by Bob Mueller.
In the wake of Michael Wolff's recently published bombshell book, Fire and Fury: Inside The Trump White House - which among other things questions Trump's mental fitness - Trump wrote a series of tweets on Saturday, January 6th, 2018 that once again prove his extreme narcissism and his danger as Commander-In-Chief. "Actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart." Trump also bragged..."I went from VERY successful businessman, to top TV Star...to President of the United States (on my first try). I think that would qualify as not smart, but genius... and a very stable genius at that!" None of the above is the language that is normal for someone who is truly smart...who is truly a genius. And such remarks are especially not the words that should be expressed by the President of our country.
Earlier this new year, Trump reminded us that he must always boast...that whatever he does...whatever he has...is the biggest...and the best. Thus, these are more examples of Trump's mental illness. And he does so even when it's false...such as his inauguration crowd being larger than the 2009 in-person audience at President Barack Obama's...which is not true. Officials have stated there were hundreds of thousands more people who attended each of President Obama's swearing-in ceremonies. But comparing crowd sizes is nonsense. Comparing nuclear buttons...is dangerous. In a Tuesday, January 2nd tweet, Trump wrote..."North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the 'Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.' Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!" Americans - and I mean ALL Americans - need to be concerned about the sanity...or the possible insanity...of someone who writes such a statement. And when that person is the President of the United States...we must join together...in total unity...to legally move forward in removing such an individual as the leader of our nation.
And speaking of Constitutional Amendments...if Trump testifies under oath before Bob Mueller - which, of course, he should - he'd better not "take the 5th." Obviously, Trump has the right to do so. He has the right - like anyone else - to not answer questions that might incriminate him. But if he does...Trump might as well start packing his bags.
Just as Republicans joined with Democrats to force President Richard Nixon out of office, the GOP will do the same with Trump. Once Democrats regain control of both the House and the Senate in the 2018 mid-term elections, which I believe they will... once citizen marches begin, as they did prior to Nixon's resignation...and once Trump's approval ratings dip below 30 percent - maybe even plummeting to 25 percent or lower - Republicans will jump on the bandwagon with their Democratic colleagues...and Trump will recognize that the handwriting is on the wall. He'll have nowhere to go but home to Trump Tower or Mar-a-Lago. That's assuming that the new President pardons him. If not...well...you fill in the blanks.
But suppose...just suppose...that Mike Pence is proved to be involved in a cover-up with Donald Trump...and Pence too is pushed out the door. We all know what happens next. The Speaker of the House becomes President. If Paul Ryan is still Speaker then he may decide to pardon both Trump and Pence. However...if what I have described doesn't happen until January of 2019...and the Democrats wind up taking control of the House because of enough victories in the 2018 mid-term elections...then a Democrat will become Speaker of the House. Therefore, it is possible that if a Republican President and a Republican Vice President both resign - namely Donald Trump and Mike Pence - then whomever House Democrats have chosen as Speaker...he...or she...will become the 46th President of the United States. And then...possibly...there'll be no pardons. Think about that for a moment. Ponder that thought...and then dwell on it.
And that's The Controversy for today.
I'm Gary B. Duglin.
"We'll talk again."
The Controversy is a publication of GBD Productions. Founder and Editor-In-Chief of The Controversy is Gary B. Duglin.
Now, please express your personal opinions by following the instructions above. And thank you for reading The Controversy.
Photo credits: Dick Clark Productions, Hollywood Foreign Press Association, NBC Television Network and Variety (Oprah Winfrey) and NBC News (Donald Trump)
Copyright 2018 Gary B. Duglin and TheControversy.net. All Rights Reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment