I just arrived last night in Georgian Bay, Ontario, where my family has cottaged since 1905.
One of the best treats on arrival is that a number of my paintings are on the cabin walls—including some of my earliest.
Here are the first two that greeted me:
Now, at the risk of disturbing the peace of these paintings…
“Russia, If You’re Listening…” — All Over Again…
Heather Cox Richardson wrote a stunning newsletter two days ago, following up on the debate.
I want to expand on two aspects.
The first involves Trump’s sickening interference in the negotiations to free Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.
Remember, after months of negotiation, Trump stopped Republicans in Washington from passing bipartisan legislation on immigration. And he did so because he feared the reforms would lift Biden—and, most cynically, hurt his own campaign by bringing partisans together to address an issue that he wants to spend all summer and fall dividing and scaring Americans about.
Well, he’s trying to do the same thing with Evan Gershkovich. And he did it with the entire nation watching.
As Heather Cox Richardson wrote of Gershkovich, the “State Department considers him ‘wrongfully detained,’ a rare designation indicating that the…person is being held by a hostile government as a bargaining chip. That designation means the U.S. government will do all it can to secure his release.
At least three times now, Trump has interfered with those negotiations……by vowing that Russian president Vladimir Putin will release Gershkovich for him and him alone.
He said it in last night’s CNN debacle, where he also made a big deal out of the idea that Putin will do it as a favor, without an exchange of money.”
Exactly.
This is a sickening combination of Trump ordering Mike Johnson to kill the immigration deal, and his “Russia if you’re listening” comments in 2016.
But this time around, he’s not telling Russia to release Clinton’s emails….
He’s telling them NOT to release a wrongfully detained American journalist.
Trump is sending a clear signal to Putin NOT to release Gershkovich while Biden is president. And to do it only if/after Trump wins.
He doesn’t want Biden to get the credit. He wants it for himself.
And he wants to leave the impression that a vote for him will free a hostage.
This twisted mindset—leaving an American in harm’s way for such crass ends—should disturb us all. To talk about it so openly and comfortable only makes it worse.
This is a dangerous and dark man, folks. If he’s doing this as a candidate, imagine what he’d do as President.
No Follow-Ups?
It’s also a testament to what a failure the debate structure was that amid such a blood-curdling and newsworthy statement to a national audience—about a detained journalistic colleague, no less—that the moderators simply moved on to another question.
This didn’t even require a fact-check.
A statement this significant required tough follow-up questions that would’ve fit right in to the flow of the debate. Questions far more significant to the nation than whatever other topics CNN had planned in advance. Questions such as:
“You bring this up all the time, Mr. Trump. Are you in communication with any Russian officials now about Gershkovich?
Have they hinted that they may release him if you win?
If so, don’t you support him being released right away? Won’t you call for that now?”
Speaking of missed follow-up questions, Heather Cox Richardson also emphasized Trump’s statement that Putin once told him that his “dream” was to take back Ukraine.
!
I yelled out lout when he said the words.
It’s huge news. And also demanded immediate follow-up questions. Such as:
“WHEN did Putin tell you of his dream to take back Ukraine? Where? When you were president? Which meeting? Or did it come after?”
“Who else was there? Are there notes from the meeting? Why not?”
“What did you say in response? Did you suggest that it was ok? Or did you say you opposed it?”
These questions matter. The answers really matter.
Why?
Think “The Godfather,” when Sonny Corleone disagrees with his father in front of another family.
If Trump suggested that he understood and sympathized with that “dream,” (and when has he ever disagreed with Putin?), that alone would have been a huge intelligence coup for Putin. Potentially a green light to pursue that dream.
At the very least, it would have given Putin the certainty that America would be publicly divided about its response to any Ukraine invasion. Putin could’ve counted on Trump and his loud minions and lackeys (such as JD Vance) spreading pro-Russia talking points as it all played out, as opposed to standing unified as Americans against an aggressive land war in Europe. And of course, that is exactly what’s happened.
Bottom line: Trump’s conversation about Putin’s “dream” likely factored into Putin decisions that followed, including decisions that have cost thousands upon thousands of lives. We deserve to know far more about that conversation.
One More Painting…
OK, if you made it this far, you deserve another relaxing painting. Here you go—put yourself in one of those chairs, a friend or loved one in the other, and have a great Sunday…
Isolationist GOP opposition to entering WWll allowed Hitler to flourish before Pearl Harbor. Nixon secretly torpedoed peace talks in 1968. Reagan had his back channel with Iran in 1980. W pedaled lies at the UN. Trump is now doing the same with Putin. Republicans thirst for governmental power has been using treason as weapon to push Oligarchic dominance since TR left the Party over a century ago.
David, you should moderate the next debate (if there is one) Also, you’re very talented