Donald J. Trump didn’t ask me for my opinion on this, but I’ll give it to him anyway … not that it matters in Trump World.
CIA officials have concluded that Russian computer hackers had some impact on the 2016 presidential election. To what end, they haven’t disclosed; it’s highly classified at the moment.
They aren’t alone in that assessment. Other intelligence agencies and independent experts also have reached that conclusion.
So, what does the president-elect do? He dismisses the CIA’s findings. He says he doesn’t believe them. He says the Russians didn’t do what has been alleged. He blames Democrats for fomenting a false allegation. How does he know any of that? He doesn’t.
A better response would have been for Trump to do the following: Stand before the media and issue a statement.
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen of the press. I want to issue a brief statement. There’ll be no questions.
The news from the CIA is troubling in the extreme. I hereby join President Obama in calling for a full review of the findings and a public disclosure — to the extent that it is possible — of what, if anything, transpired in the Kremlin that might have had an impact on the election.
I am acutely aware of my statements throughout the campaign that the election would be “rigged” in favor of my opponent, Hillary Clinton. As I’ve noted on other campaign-related matters, I said some things for “dramatic effect.” The “rigged election” allegation was one of them.
I did not envision the “rigged election” charge coming back on me and my campaign in this matter.
Do I believe the Russians tilted the election in my favor? No. But you shouldn’t just take my word for it.
I remain confident that a thorough review of the evidence and the facts will determine we would have won anyway.
But let’s find out the truth of what happened, starting with the review that the president has demanded from the intelligence community.
He didn’t say anything like that. Instead, he has denigrated the intelligence community, as he has done with many other facets of government.
Trump’s stubborn denial of any possible hanky-panky — and his stated disbelief in the work of the CIA’s professional intelligence officers — only darkens the clouds forming over his administration.
The questions only will deepen the distrust many Americans are expressing at this moment over what might have transpired on Election Day.
