Commentary: He said, he said: words associated with some type of chaos
By James B. Ewers Jr.
The phrase he said, she said [or he said] belongs in a Dear Abby column or a relationship book.
These words have always been associated with some type of chaos and confusion. Two people have a disagreement and each person has a side to tell. Neither wants to admit any wrongdoing, so they dig their heels in and stand firm.
Usually friends and colleagues will pick a side, so the histrionics just continue.
Well, this time the impasse has reached the highest level of government. It has reached the White House and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Say what! Donald Trump, the president and James Comey, former director of the FBI, are embroiled in a bitter struggle of who is right and who is wrong.
A lot of us didn’t know who James Comey was until weeks before the presidential election last year. He alleged some wrong doing by Hillary Clinton, which some say ruined her chances to become president of the United States, even though he also said she should not be prosecuted. Democrats have been furious with him ever since.
If you are a Democrat, no worries, the Republicans are as mad as fire with him now. Since January there have been many statements made about Russian ties to Trump. All of this speculation has caused Trump and his administration too many Alka Seltzer moments.
So, in typical Trump fashion, he fires James Comey, then director of the FBI. Why? It seems Comey was probing too much and too often about Michael Flynn, former National Security Adviser, and Trump himself.
Since taking office, Trump has had multiple contacts with Comey via in person meetings and telephone contacts. By contrast, President Barack Obama had two meetings with James Comey during his time in office: eight years. The last time was simply to say goodbye as he was leaving office.
Comey became so paranoid that he started to document his contacts with President Trump. Can you imagine documenting every meeting you had with your boss? I can’t.
For example, on February 14 in the Oval Office, Comey says Trump says, “I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go.”
In my opinion and the opinions of many Americans who are grounded in truth and facts, this president is always near the corner of guilt and shame. You know the old expression: Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
Well, the smoke has gotten so thick that last Thursday, James Comey testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee. There he stated again his distrust of Donald Trump.
Comey, in my view, felt some pressure to become one of Trump’s minions. Admiral Mike Rogers, director of the National Security Agency, has felt no pressure. He said, “In the three-plus years that I have been director of the National Security Agency, to the best of my recollection, I have never been directed to do anything I believe to be illegal, immoral, unethical or inappropriate.”
Comey, while testifying on Thursday, pretty much called the 45th president a liar. The very next day at a news conference, Trump called Comey a liar. Liar, liar pants on fire, but whose pants are on fire?
Let’s agree that both Comey and Trump are standing near the cliff when it comes to telling the truth. This embarrassment is playing out in real time, so everybody is shamed right now. It doesn’t matter if you are a Democrat or a Republican.
What do other countries think about this great land of ours? I am sure that our stock has gone down.
It will continue to go down because words like truth, justice and honesty are not taken seriously.
The Senate Intelligence Committee will probably call more witnesses to testify, yet will the truth ever be known? Christopher Wray has been nominated as the new director of the FBI. If he gets too close to whatever the truth, is will he be fired too? You can’t keep firing people. This isn’t “The Apprentice.”
It is my opinion that the checks and balances system has caused the 45th president fits and nightmares. You just can’t dismantle long standing programs with the stroke of a pen or a telephone call.
In the coming days, stay tuned to more drama. As one artist said, if it’s not one thing, it’s another. With trust evaporating like a cloud with the president and those who advise him, trouble seems to be the rule and not the exception.
James B. Ewers Jr. Ed.D. is a former tennis champion at Atkins High School in Winston-Salem and played college tennis at Johnson C. Smith University, where he was all-conference for four years. He is a retired college administrator. He can be reached at ewers.jr56@yahoo.com.
