Comey

My dearest wife and I watched the 4 episode series on Netflix based on the book by the former head of the FBI. It took us several tries to watch it all the way through due to us both falling asleep during it multiple times. I don't say this to indicate that it was boring, but the material was mostly familiar and the dialog driven story tends to be somewhat monotone at times, delivering some sound sleep if you aren't focused.

The show opens with Mr. Comey assuming the lead job at the FBI. He is bright eyed, bushy tailed, and ready to make the USA a better place. Very quickly we establish Mr. Comey's bonafides: he loves the FBI, the USA, and his family. We also rapidly learn through some Hillary Clinton hijinks that the FBI is completely apolitical and above the fray.

And oh, Hillary Clinton. We find out that she has sent north of 31,000 emails through insecure means, some of which may have had some classified information in them. Also, several of them sent while in countries not particularly friendly with the USA, and also having sophisticated means of intercepting such communication. But you need to know that Hillary is not the bad guy here. In fact she is such not the bad guy that the FBI and DOJ both decline to prosecute her, and both do this independently, no matter runway meetings with the head of the DOJ and Hillary's hubs. That was just the appearance of impropriety, you see, and not the actual occurrence of impropriety, those are quite different. And just to let you know for sure that the FBI didn't have anything to do with that event, our man Comey makes an independent press statement about not prosecuting Hillary so that he can keep his organization neutral, non-political, and still following the rule of law.

But as I mentioned earlier, Hillary Clinton is not the bad guy here, there is much worse! Anthony Weiner? Negative good friend, he is just more side-show. Our real villain is the nefarious guy from The Apprentice, dear Old Donald Trump. But surely he can't win? That is the sense, and if he does? End of world type events. Yes, cats and dogs actually living together. That kind of bad. 

And, of course, the show introduces The Russians. Because you obviously know that they are responsible for all of the behind the scenes bad going on. And quite quickly the show brings in The Steele Dossier. The thing that launched multiple investigations into members of the Trump Campaign and eventually into old Donald himself. But more on this in a few. 

Despite everybody's hopes and prayers, Old Donald wins. How could this happen? Probably Russia. The show then introduces you to Old Donald, who is apparently at turns so dumb he can barely form coherent sentences, but also so slickly manipulative that he can get people to continually break the law for him, including unwilling individuals such as our beleaguered Mr. Comey, who just wants the country to be a great place that follows the rule of law.

Here is where the show really turns into a one trick pony because it wants to beat you about the head and neck with: Trump, the idiot, and: Trump, the master manipulator. Actually, I should say two trick pony, because Saint Comey is beset upon by the two headed Trump monster continually throughout the final parts of this show, so you get the juxtaposition of how bad Trump is, along with how amazing and selfless Comey is.

But wait, you say, surely the show discloses that The Steele Dossier was a complete fabrication and the sole basis for the Russia/Trump investigation? No? It conveniently makes no mention of that, not even in passing. Curious. And, I wonder, if a law enforcement official, having knowledge of that fact, went on to generate warrants and an ongoing criminal investigation, would that official be subject to discipline, censure, or termination? Well no matter, there was no mention of any of that in there either. 

Silly talk.

So as you probably surmise, several individuals in the DOJ and FBI lose their jobs as the show winds down. Not due to any impropriety, goodness no. They lose their jobs because they weren't loyal to Old Donald. Furthermore, the show lets you know in closing that The Russians also interfered with the 2020 election. Read into that what you will.

So, overall, if you feel that Trump is awful, that Comey was the good guy, and that the FBI is righteous, this show will confirm your bias. If you feel remotely differently, this show will not even briefly nod to your concerns. Obviously a show based on a book written by Mr. Comey and aired on a network partly owned by the Obamas is going to have bias in these regards. Watch it if you want, but much like The Titanic, you already know how this one ends.