Is Trump a greater threat than Nixon? Here's the big danger ahead.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

The Plum Line Opinion

Is Trump a greater threat than Nixon? Here's the big danger ahead.

By Greg Sargent January 29 at 10:13 AM

THE MORNING PLUM:

The Sunday shows confirmed an alarming development: Republicans in Congress do not feel any urgency to protect special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s investigation, even though it has now been confirmed that President Trump tried to fire Mueller — and that the possibility of Trump trying to remove Mueller is seen as very real by Trump’s own advisers right now.

This sets up a possible worst-case scenario in the coming confrontation with Mueller that could take us into territory that is beyond anything this country endured during Watergate. To flesh this out, I spoke to Tim Weiner, the veteran journalist and author of a highly regarded, harshly critical history of the FBI that chronicles Richard Nixon’s battles with the agency. ... “We are two tweets away from an extraordinary constitutional crisis,” Weiner told me. “We are in a very dangerous point now in American political life.”
....

“We are seeing a repeat of Watergate at warp speed,” Weiner tells me. “If Trump moves to tear down the temple by firing Mueller and Rosenstein and putting in a platoon of stooges in charge of the administration of justice, and if Congress does nothing, then it will be beyond anything that Watergate presented.”

Sure, maybe none of this will end up happening. But go read David Leonhardt’s compilation of all the things Trump has already done to obstruct justice, and tell me whether you think that’s a slam-dunk bet.

When you look at the evidence all in one place, it’s overwhelming: Donald Trump has obstructed justice.

Link to tweet

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Greg Sargent writes The Plum Line blog, a reported opinion blog with a liberal slant -- what you might call “opinionated reporting” from the left. Follow @theplumlinegs

[Ferrets are Cool]

1. Nixon doesn't even come close to the threat posed by the PGIC.

[Ilsa]

2. Definitely worse.

DOTUS is fine with turning us over to the russians. I think he should be in extreme solitary confinement in prison, minimally, or face a firing squad.

[genxlib]

3. Of course its worse.

The underlying crime in Watergate was a chickenshit case of breaking and entering to game an election.

In this case, the underlying crime is interference and material support from a foreign hostile government AT THE VERY LEAST. It may yet extend to conspiracy to work with the Russians and potential bribery or quid-pro-quo offers. At this point, it may even extent to full-blown treason.

Aside from the seriousness of the crime, this case is much worse because it is likely still in action. Whatever deal they had is apparently ongoing and the Russians continue to be active in undermining us through social media and future elections.

[TheCowsCameHome]

4. Nixon was Mother Teresa compared to Trump.

Are you serious?

[Caliman73]

5. Yes and No.

Nixon was smarter and more devious than Trump, but I don't think that Nixon would sell out the US for his own personal gain. In that way, Trump is more dangerous. Also, despite Nixon's superior intellect and political savvy, he did not have the luxury of an entire right wing media establishment behind him, nor did he have a complicit party. While the Republicans were not choirboys in the 70's when Nixon was engaging in his shenanigans, they had a line they could not cross and when Nixon crossed it, they reigned him in. Today's Republicans are cowardly and complicit, and I would not be surprised if many were not personally involved in dealing with Russia.

So while I think that Nixon was smarter and more capable personally of messing with democracy, the environment that we are in has given Trump a greater likelihood of success than Nixon was afforded, as far as being a villain.

[NewJeffCT]

8. agreed

I made a similar argument in another thread - Nixon is smarter and actually knew how government worked, but Trump has Fox News, a host of newspapers and all of RW radio on his side. Nixon had none of that.

However, most Republicans supported Nixon until the tapes came out, if I recall.

[Bettie]

6. Nixon was no where close to this Orange POS

Nixon looks like a choir boy next to this horrible creature.

[NRaleighLiberal]

7. Nixon was little league compared to this FUBAR joker