The Comey Rule Review

Politics is a strange push pull of personal needs vs. the needs of those who voted for you. It would be easy to say that you became a politician to serve the nation and your constituents. The harder aspect of the job is ignoring your gut instincts for prestige and press.

The Comey Rule premiered last year. Based on former FBI Director James Comey‘s 2019 book, A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership, Jeff Daniels steps in the role of the man whose held the fate of the 2016 Presidential election in his hands. The 4 part miniseries follows two different and important narratives in recent political history: the Hillary Clinton email scandal and the four year tenure of you know who in the Oval Office.

The discovery that Clinton used personal servers for government business sends Comey and his staff on a year long search to discover if anything untoward was located within her emails. When they come to the conclusion that it was just a mistake by the former Senator/Secretary of State/First Lady and her staff, Comey is torn as to how to proceed. He could keep it within bureau, or make a public statement. His wife, Patrice (Jennifer Ehle) and those who work under him advise Comey to not say anything to the press or or public. But, as we all know, he chose to bring this information into the light.

When a certain reality show star and businessman is elected President (played by a fantastic Brendan Gleeson), Comey does his best to do his job. But when it becomes clear that the new leader of the free world is underqualified, he knows that this man is different than any other who has held the role.

I loved this series. Combining news clips with scenes based from the real James Comey’s book, it is tense, dramatic, and reveals an aspect of the 2016 election that only a few at the time were privy to. If nothing else, it is a reminder of how important the separation of powers is and how democracy if not tended to as it ought to, can quickly disintergrate.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely.

The Comey Rule is available for streaming on Netflix.

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The Threat: How the FBI Protects America in the Age of Terror and Trump Book Review

The FBI is one of the most important aspects of our legal system. Without their tireless work, this country will be a dangerous place to live.

It doe not help when certain members of the executive branch question the motives of the members of the FBI.

Andrew G. McCabe worked for the FBI for over twenty years. After succeeding James Comey, he was fired in 2018. His new book, The Threat: How the FBI Protects America in the Age of Terror and Trump, is the story of his career and the last few years on the job from his perspective.

Part memoir and part retrospective, the book examines how the current administration (both during the 2016 election and presently), is using every tool in the box to undermine the reputation and hard work that the FBI puts in to protect this country.

Unlike a certain President who is apt to tell lies and half-truths, Mr. McCabe comes off as honest and respectable, even if it makes him look bad in the process. From my perspective, this is just another reason why you know who is ill-equipped for the job that he was unfortunately voted in for.

I recommend it.

 

A Higher Loyalty Book Review

The man of the political hour these days is James Comey. It seems like it is nearly impossible to go anywhere without hearing his name.

His memoir, A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership was published very recently to acclaim, buzz and a bit of controversy.

In the memoir, Mr. Comey tells the story of his life from his own perspective. He was born in the early 1960’s in a suburban town just outside of New York City and grew up in New Jersey. Working for the government at the state, local and national level for several decades, he uses his experience to draw a picture of what ethical and m0ral leadership looks like. As expected, he also writes about his brief and turbulent term as FBI director during the 2016 Presidential Election and under the leadership of Donald Trump.

If some readers are expecting a tabloid-esque tell all similar to Fire and Fury or Devil’s Bargain, they will be sorely disappointed. What they will find is the story of a man who shoots straight from the hip, believes in American democracy, does not cater to party lines and makes decisions based on what is best for the country.

I recommend it.

Thoughts On Last Night’s James Comey Interview

Last night, after months of speculation, James Comey sat down to tell his side of the story in regards to the 2016 Presidential election and the current commander-in-chief.

Bear in mind, that I have not yet read the book, so this post is strictly based on the interview

Mr. Comey appears to me as a straight arrow. Unlike others in government, he does not yield to partisan politics. He does what he thinks is right for the country, even if it means influencing voters close to a Presidential election and possibly changing the outcome of history.

I have to admit at this point, that I am of the belief that had the email scandal not derailed Hillary Clinton’s campaign, she would be in the White House instead of Donald Trump. But I also have to admire Mr. Comey for his candor and his ability to focus on the American people instead of swaying to those in power.

Some naysayers could easily say that he is a disgruntled former employee who is still bitter about being fired and is using a public forum to air dirty laundry.

But as I see, Mr. Comey is still doing his job, looking out for the voting public.  If only more politicians and high level government employees were willing to put politics aside and do what is right for the voters, this country would be in a much better place.

 

 

Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House Book Review

It’s no secret that the Trump Presidency has been one of the divisive and controversial in modern American history.

Michael Wolff‘s new expose, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, takes the average voter behind the scenes into the chaos of the administration.

With unprecedented access, Mr. Wolff makes some startling and scary revelations. Some of the revelations include how volatile Trump is, what his staff thinks of him and the real reason why James Comey was fired.

I was completely floored by this book. I was floored because if the allegations of what is happening behind closed doors is true, then this country is in the crapper. We elected a man who not only has no experience in politics, but is unwilling/unable to learn from those around him who have the experience and has the temperament/maturity of a ten-year old.

I absolutely recommend it.

New Randy Rainbow Video-Russian Ties

Randy Rainbow has done it again. It’s called Russian Ties and it is brilliant.