Sen. Lindsey Graham on Thursday brushed back President Donald Trump’s pleas for the Judiciary Committee chairman to haul in former President Barack Obama for testimony about the origins of the Russia investigation and the FBI’s handling of the investigation into Michael Flynn....So the majority won't call Obama? Democrats on the committee, I presume, will be allowed to call witnesses. I think the first name on their witness list should be Obama's.
“I don’t think now’s the time for me to do that. I don’t know if that’s even possible. I have grave concerns about the role of executive privilege and all kinds of issues,” Graham said in a brief interview. “I understand President Trump’s frustration, but be careful what you wish for. Just be careful what you wish for.”
... on Thursday morning, Trump called out Graham....
“If I were a Senator or Congressman, the first person I would call to testify about the biggest political crime and scandal in the history of the USA, by FAR, is former President Obama,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “He knew EVERYTHING. Do it @LindseyGrahamSC , just do it. No more Mr. Nice Guy. No more talk!”
... Graham said the Judiciary Committee will start holding hearings in early June related to the origins of the Russia investigation....
The former president should prepare himself to testify. He should do it as a civic duty to America -- not that I think he'll actually be permitted to appear.
By placing Obama's name at the top of their witness list, Democrats will be saying, Really, Mr. President? You want your reelection battle to be a proxy fight against the most popular living political figure in America? Then let's have that battle. You know that Obama could easily field hours' worth of questions. You know he'd make the Republicans on the committee look both vicious and buffoonish. You know he'd handle himself with a dignity most Americans miss. You know they wouldn't lay a glove on him.
The committee's Republicans understand this. They don't want to take on Obama. So Democrats should call him -- with his consent, but he should consent -- just so the spectacle of Republicans shrinking from a confrontation with the former president can play out in public. You're blocking his testimony? Why? What are you afraid of? I thought this was "Obamagate."
Please don't say that Democrats shouldn't call Obama because summoning a former president to testify sets a bad precedent. The norms have all been bulldozed and dynamited. Let's do this, and see who retreats in fear.
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