Thread by @jedshug

Mueller is clearly a Volume I person - he had more command and energy on Russia and counterintelligence. @page88 and I are Volume I people, too. We discuss a new argument for impeachment, too.
Trumpcast - Which Volume of the Mueller Report are you? podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tru…

@page88 Thread:
1) Credit @pithywidow for "Are you a Vol 1 or a Vol 2 person?" & my fav:
"The real Mueller report is the friends we made along the way."
I count her & @page88 among those friends.
2) But this is part of why I'm taking a month off from Twitter.

https://twitter.com/pithywidow/status/1108811203843903488?s=20

@page88 @pithywidow 3) I had a very strong emotional reaction to watching Mueller the human being testify.
Not the savior, not the mythic hero, not the GOP imagined villain.
And also not the name attached to a disappointing, error-filled report that I had spent so much time criticizing.

@page88 @pithywidow 4) As I told @page88, I felt sad & guilty watching the morning.
I'd invested so much in Mueller over 2 years, professionally, emotionally.
I spent much of those 2 years building him up as a hero.
...then a good part of 2 months criticizing his report - with such disappointment.

@page88 @pithywidow 5) Then Robert Mueller the human being appeared.
With integrity, professionalism... and clearly courage.
Not the same courage of a Vietnam hero or an FBI director in the days after 9/11.
The courage of a man facing a different challenge.
And I found a deeper level of respect.

@page88 @pithywidow 6) He could have found many ways to make the day easier. He could have insisted on closed-door session, having Zebley or others be designated to answer on particular topics, having a shorter amount of time.
Instead, he agreed to more time, a marathon 5 hours by himself.
Heroic.

@page88 @pithywidow 7) Was it hearing, memory, or other health issues?
Who knows... and it's not the most important thing that struck me.
a) No matter one's condition or skill, this investigation was a mammoth responsibility. Herculean.
So deep, so broad, so international, so complicated...

@page88 @pithywidow 8.
b) As I try to note whenever I criticize the report (& as @page88 emphasized here), Mueller's investigation discovered so much, indicted & convicted so many in a short time, paid for itself via Manafort, overcame many political obstacles, then delivered a damning report.

@page88 @pithywidow 9/ Hindsight is 20/20. I always defended him not litigating for a live interview. On Wed, he said it risked delay. Litigating finances/taxes also risked delay (or firing).
I always said he needed to finish report in early 2019 in case of litigation over its release.
He delivered.

@page88 @pithywidow 10/ Mueller had such legitimacy - why he was selected, why Trump couldn't get anyone to fire him, didn't even do it himself via tweet - is that he is a respected, careful conservative.
The trade-off is he was going to be more conservative on legal questions. That's the deal.

@page88 @pithywidow 11/ As I sat with my wife watching Mueller, the human, we felt concern, sympathy, respect, and appreciation.
Then we watched the GOP treat him with such disrespect, such vitriol. And I felt shame for having privately spoken about him disrepectfully, for being too judgmental.

@page88 @pithywidow 12/ Mueller came out of retirement to serve his country in crisis, even if he knew he didn't have the same energy as when he, @Comey & @jacklgoldsmith were literally racing through DC to stop lawlessness in 2004. One of the great rule-of-law moments ever:
nytimes.com/2013/06/22/us/…

@page88 @pithywidow @Comey @jacklgoldsmith 13/ In baseball, there is a stat called WAR, "wins above replacement." Formerly VORP, value over replacement player. I've thought a lot about Mueller's VORSC, "value over replacement special counsel."
Who else could have been appointed and done this job? Seriously?

@page88 @pithywidow @Comey @jacklgoldsmith 14/ With legitimacy, experience, gravitas, credibility and statute among Dems and GOP?
Someone both sides trusted:
Not to be a partisan zealot Ken Starr.
Nor a cover-up crony Bill Barr.
Even if his caution would be mocked by Bill Maher.
That's a high "VORSC" and WAR.
(Sorry).

@page88 @pithywidow @Comey @jacklgoldsmith 15/ Watching Mueller was a time for reflection.
Life is too short not to be generous, humane, respectful, more understanding of our challenges & weaknesses, along with being appreciative of our strengths.
I was too critical of Mueller, and sometimes too critical of others here.

@page88 @pithywidow @Comey @jacklgoldsmith 16/ Twitter is an important resource for learning, engaging, sharing ideas quickly, getting immediate feedback. It has been generative of many new ideas and research angles. It is also helpful as catharsis in the Trump era. But public catharsis has negatives along with positives.

@page88 @pithywidow @Comey @jacklgoldsmith 17/ Catharsis is the release of strong emotions, providing relief. While that can be a healthy use of social media, social media follows the "Law of Conservation of Energy" from Galileo, Newton, & Bernoulli:
Energy can move around, but in a closed system, it remains constant...

@page88 @pithywidow @Comey @jacklgoldsmith In a closed system, energy can't be created nor destroyed. It can only be transformed or transferred.
When we use social media to release energy - to release frustration, anger, anxiety - let's acknowledge we are transferring it.
The question is can we channel and transform it?

@page88 @pithywidow @Comey @jacklgoldsmith 19/ Mueller's testimony is the end of a chapter.
And I need to finish a chapter of my book on the history of prosecutors in politics (& mass incarceration).
August is the perfect time to be focused on family (and visits to the 70-somethings in our lives other than Mueller)...

@page88 @pithywidow @Comey @jacklgoldsmith 20/ Maybe I'll post a picture of the Rockies or our pup (beach bag nap!) As for law and politics, I'm signing off for a month. It feels great.
Thank you, Bobby 3 Sticks Mueller. You did your impossible job. Let's recharge to channel the energy and then finish the job.
Peace out.