Why Trump Did Not Acknowledge Russian Meddling
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RUSH: Okay, folks, there has to be a reason for all this. There has to be a reason for this delusional, out of control, deranged and yet unified reaction to Trump and Putin in the press conference yesterday. There has to be some explanation for it. And it’s not that Trump didn’t call Putin out. That’s not what these people are upset about. It’s what they’re trying to make you think they’re upset about.
But this over-the-top, genuinely insane and delusional meltdown that is being experienced throughout all of official Washington, there has to be a reason for it. And I am here to tell you, it is not what they are telling you it is. It is not that they think Trump acted treasonously. It is not that they think Trump didn’t call Putin out. It is not that Trump did not defend his own intelligence people.
These are the people that think they run the world. And these people have lost their grip. These people are having a reaction here that’s so out of proportion to what really happened with Trump and Putin, it’s inexplicable on the surface. Now, normally when there is an event like yesterday or an instance where I happen to be one of few people with a different take, then normally my take is featured all over cable news that night.
That didn’t happen yesterday. I think there’s a reason for that.
We go to Fox & Friends here today. This is Abby Huntsman. Her father is Trump’s ambassador to Russia, Jon Huntsman, and she’s cohosting the show today. They played a clip of me talking about Trump’s remarks on the Russians and meddling and the media yesterday.
HUNTSMAN: Rush Limbaugh had his own take on meddling. Here’s what he said.
RUSH ARCHIVE: The Russians have been meddling in America since before I was born, folks. It isn’t news. It isn’t worthy of a special counsel doing a counterintelligence investigation. None of this has been necessary. The media looked at this press conference as the day they’re gonna nail Trump. Instead, Trump’s turning the tables on ’em. He’s ripping the Democrats. He won this race. He did it himself. He outworked Hillary Clinton, he worked harder than any candidate in recent memory, and he doesn’t want that taken away from him. He won this thing and he wants everybody to realize that he won it, that it wasn’t stolen.
RUSH: I cannot tell you how important that is. Byron York, our old buddy Byron York has a piece today in the Washington Examiner, and he touches on this. But I think Byron York, with all due respect, only gets it half right here. He has a piece, “Why Trump Doesn’t Admit Russian Election Interference.” And his point is that Trump is unable to distinguish between the two parts of this whole Russian thing. There is the collusion part where Trump is alleged to have colluded with Putin to steal the election from the right and honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton.
And then there is the meddling side where everybody is required to admit that the Russians meddled in the election. And if you don’t admit that, then you’re gonna get thrown out with the bathwater like everybody else in Washington. If you don’t sign on to this idea that the Russians meddled in this election, then you are in heap big trouble and you are gonna possibly be thrown out of the club.
Now, Byron York says in his opinion that Trump could bifurcate these and he could have, on that podium yesterday, he could have acknowledged that the Russians meddled in the election without putting his election and his presidency at risk. All he would have had to do was stood up to Putin and say, “We know you meddled and we’re not gonna let it happen anymore, and you’re on notice.” But I don’t think Trump could do that.
And now we’re told that Donald Trump can go ahead and — in a press conference with Vladimir Putin — he can acknowledge that the Russians meddled while at the same time be protected from any allegation that he colluded. Sorry, folks. If Donald Trump had done what they wanted him to do yesterday — if Donald Trump had done what they were trying to force him to do — if Donald Trump had acknowledged to Vladimir Putin’s face that he had meddled in the 2016 presidential election?
Before that press conference was over, the New York Times would have a headline: “Trump Validates Mueller Investigation.” “Trump Acknowledges Russians Affected Election Outcome.” “Trump Acknowledges Russia May Have Played a Role in Thwarting American Democracy.” There is no doubt in my mind that if Donald Trump had acknowledged what everybody in the deep state is demanding that he acknowledge, that the Russians meddled — which, they meddle in everything, and they have been for 50 years.
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