Wiretap: James Comey, FBI infighting and the nightmare that is Anthony Weiner

Comeygate

They’re calling it Comeygate, or at least some Democrats are. In the unprecedented FBI October surprise, which has completely roiled the presidential race,  FBI director James Comey seems to have few defenders — other than those (see: Trump, Donald) who were, until this past weekend anyway, busily branding him and the FBI as corrupt Clinton stooges. Via Politico.

Internal feud

The FBI revelation of emails that, in Comey’s words, may not be significant, also reveals infighting within the FBI over various Clinton investigations, including those of the Clinton Foundation. Via the Wall Street Journal.

Good ‘ol days

James Fallows on James Comey and the destruction of norms (or: how this never would have happened back when America was great). Via the Atlantic.

Back to blue

With the FBI winds at his back, Trump is taking his campaign back to blue states where he’s trailing significantly in the polls. Via the Washington Post.

Recurring nightmare

If there’s anyone less popular than James Comey among Clintonites just now, it’s Anthony Weiner, otherwise known as the “recurring nightmare.” Via the New York Times.

No time like the present

Amy Davidson argues that there’s still time for Clinton to stake a claim as the political-reform candidate. If nothing else, her campaign proves the need. Via the New Yorker.

Take solace

It’s too early to know how much the new Clinton email story will affect the outcome, but Clinton can take solace at least that she seems to be leading in early voting in major swing states. That means you, Colorado. Via the New York Times.

Not tremendous

In other news, the Washington Post’s Dave Fahrenthold continues to find more ways in which the Donald is not the philanthropist he claims to be. In fact, he keeps coming up millions of dollars short. Maybe it would all be clearer if he released his tax returns.

Strangers things

If you want to understand what’s going on in this election and how Donald Trump came to be the Republican nominee, there’s a book for that. Arlie Russell Hochschild, a Berkeley professor, takes what she calls “a journey into the heart of the right” to Southwest Louisiana to try to understand the rage that many Tea Partiers and Trump supporters feel. She came back with a book called “Strangers in Their Own Land.” Via the New York Review of Books.

 

Photo credit: DonkeyHotey, Creative Commons, Flickr