Can't say it better than Dan Rather.....consider this a guest post.
It is understandable that Donald Trump’s twitter attack
on President Obama early this morning would immediately be consumed by
the churning political hurricane that is America today.
The deepening divisions that are pulling at the fabric of our nation
are on raw display. On one side we see understandable outrage, with many
questioning the mental fitness of our Commander and Chief. On the other
side we see Trump’s allies rallying under their shared hatred of our
previous President.
Perhaps it is my age or experience, but I feel no schadenfreude or
eagerness to say, “I told you so.” I feel only a deep and abiding
sadness. This is my country that I love with all my heart. We are a
weakened nation, in our own estimation, and that of the world. If this
was happening in some distant land, we would shake our heads and thank
our lucky stars that we are Americans. But this nightmare is happening
here, and we have no choice but to confront that disorientating truth.
My reporter’s instincts make me wonder at Trump’s actions. It has the
feeling of a classic smokescreen. What is he hiding? Is this a kind of
trap? Does he have something he is about to drop? Or does he know
something else is about to drop on him and his administration, which is
facing a withering crescendo of scandal?
We must carefully separate what we know to be true, from what we
think to be true, from what we do not yet know. And in the early days of
a story like this, what we do not know will far outpace the other two.
We do know that there were numerous contacts between close aids to
Donald Trump and senior Russian officials at a time when all indications
point that the Kremlin was actively trying to undermine the integrity
of our election.
What we don’t know is what these discussions were about. We do not
know what is in Mr. Trump’s tax returns, which he seems so hell bent on
hiding. We do now know all the other suggestions of links between Mr.
Trump and people close to him and Russia. And then, of course, we do not
know what else there is to know.
It is long past time that we have a complete and independent
bipartisan investigation, especially since the director of the FBI is
under such a cloud of political manipulation. Now is the time to breathe
the cool winds of impartiality and facts. We need statesmen of steady
head and temperament, willing to put country ahead of politics. We
cannot afford for our democratic institutions to be consumed by a
bonfire of lies, innuendos, and conspiracy theories.
We can all work ourselves into fervers of indignation. But the only
antidote to these deep and understandable anxieties is the truth. We are
the people of the United States. Our great nation is in a perilous
moment, and the world is watching with great unease. We want the truth.
We demand the truth. We can handle the truth.
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