Bill O'Reilly: The swamp fights back
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Donald Trump, [was] largely elected president because he promised to reform Washington. Millions of Americans are fed up with intellectually dishonest politicians were not looking up for them.
Mr. Trump portrayed the nation's capital as a swamp. Here’s what he said on November 7 in Sarasota, Florida:
"I want the entire corrupt Washington establishment to hear the words we all are about to say. When we win tomorrow, we are going to drain the swamp!"
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But for every action, there is a reaction. And the law of unintended consequences is now hitting President Trump. And that's because the swamp is inhabited by many different creatures -- some of whom want to destroy the president.
Right now, the national media despises Mr. Trump, as we have pointed out, and backed up with facts.
Also, some folks working for the federal government want to damage the president. – That’s why you are seeing the leaks from intelligence agencies and other federal bureaucracies.
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Now, all presidents have to deal with leaks. But in this political climate, the press gleefully, gleefully accepts information from anonymous sources and spins it negative against Trump.
As we pointed out on Wednesday night, the public and press don't know what General Michael Flynn said to the Russian ambassador. We will know. But we don't now.
Also, whether there is any truth to allegations that people working on the Trump campaign had meaningful contact with the Russia government. We don't know.
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Here’s what civil rights activist Al Sharpton said on February 15 on the Tom Joyner radio show:
“If there was dialogue and negotiations with the Russians, with the Russians, which is clearly against the law, and clearly an act that cannot be pardoned. If the president knew while it was going on, and it did not stop it, or in some way authorized it, that can be impeachable.”
That’s just bull.
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It’s not against the law for anyone to talk with any Russian. General Flynn had no power other than being a private citizen, when the call with the Russian ambassador to took place. In order for him to have committed a crime, he would have had to attempt to formally attempt to undermine the Obama administration’s Russian policy. So Sharpton is full of it, as always.
Now, there is a report Thursday that says General Flynn may have lied to the FBI. And we've mentioned that. If it’s true, that is a crime. So, we'll see.
As "Talking Points" reported last night, there are two goals here. First, to leak the Trump campaign to the Russian hackers, who disrupted the Clinton campaign. And the second, to try to prove that President-elect Trump was undermining President Obama on Russian policy back in December. That is what the media goal is, that’s what they want.
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Also, as we said Wednesday night, if there’s truth to those allegations, they should be taken very seriously, when the facts are presented.
When President Trump first mentioned draining the swamp in Washington, I don't believe he understood how extensive the problem really is. After eight years of President Obama, there are many people working in the federal government who like the former president and who despise Mr. Trump.
Eliminating all of them, and stopping the leaks, would pretty much be impossible. Also, trying to get fairness out of the anti-Trump press is impossible, as well.
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So, the Trump administration has its hands full.
Adapted from Bill O’Reilly’s “Talking Points Memo” on February 16, 2017.