Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) has a technique that is like one of Lucy van Pelt’s moves. She is the older sister of Linus and Rerun in Charles Schultz’s Peanuts cartoons and frequently found at her advice dispensing booth. Schultz described her as a “fussbudget, crabby, bossy, opinionated,” all acceptable in a senator. And he includes another aspect of her character: she is a bully. How is she a bully?
Like Collins who holds the ball of probability, of voting against the Republicans, Lucy holds the football for Charlie Brown to kick. Then at the very last moment, she snatches her vote away and hands it off to the Republican majority. That is not especially nice of Lucy.
It took John Bolton’s book with the glaring title of The Room Where It Happened to jolt a few senators off of the Donald Trump bus to treachery. They may still be hanging on, but the country can always hope they loosen that iron grip.
Two of the moderate Republican senators indicated that quotes from the former Trump National Security Adviser Bolton made the defense team’s case somewhat weaker. They added that Bolton would be a “relevant” witness.
The Democrats would need to keep all of their Senate votes and convince four additional Republican senators to come over to their side and vote to request witnesses. Some of those might be: Romney, Collins, Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Lamar Alexander (R-TN).
Moderate Senator Collins sent out her tweeted statement. She said:
‘Reports about John Bolton’s book strengthen the case for witnesses and have prompted a number of conversations among my colleagues.’
More independent than Republican Murkowski said, according to NBC News:
‘I’ve said before I’m curious about what Ambassador Bolton might have to say. I’m still curious.’
The former Massachusetts governor and presidential candidate Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) noted that calling witnesses was “increasingly likely:”
‘I think, with the story (about Bolton’s book) that came out yesterday, it’s increasingly apparent that it would be important to hear from John Bolton.’
Romney told reporters that he hasn’t fully made up his mind on calling witnesses, but what Bolton has to say is “relevant” and “therefore I’d like to hear it.”
‘I think it’s increasingly likely that other Republicans will join those of us who think we should hear from John Bolton. I’ve spoken with others who’ve opined upon this as well.’
Most subservient to Donald Trump, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said:
‘I want to know what’s in the manuscript. Yeah I think that’s important. ‘We’re not going to get part of it, we’re going to get all of it.’
Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) said on Fox & Friends that should the Democrats call witnesses, the president should also hear from the witnesses he wanted:
‘it’s [Bolton’s book] certainly going to sell a lot of [copies.]Listen, I can’t tell from the New York Times report what is actually being reported here,” he said. “I can’t tell if this is something new. I can’t tell if they’ve actually seen the manuscript. It’s all a bunch of hearsay and clearly it’s an attempt to try to influence the course of the trial.’
Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) also spoke on Fox & Friends. He hinted broadly that “the timing” of Bolton’s manuscript was “a little interesting, isn’t it?” Then, he said:
‘[It is] different than what we’ve already heard, and as I said, no crimes were alleged and these events never actually occurred, the withholding of aid and the investigations.’
The Mueller Report Adventures: In Bite-Sizes on this Facebook page. These quick, two-minute reads interpret the report in normal English for busy people. Mueller Bite-Sizes uncovers what is essentially a compelling spy mystery. Interestingly enough, Mueller Bite-Sizes can be read in any order.
