Comey is laying the groundwork for a defense conducted by the media.
He fears the coming retribution
Bingo - finally someone has a clue. It really is quite amusing to read various assertions of how powerful the deep state is & why they are immune from prosecution. In reality, criminal psychopaths like Comey et al are merely demonstrating their adherence to a standard playbook. And one of the key chapters is how to manipulate the public in order to influence the outcome of potential legal jeopardy.
The problem most 'normal' people have (including FR) is they cannot really get their minds around the concept of social pathology. However, one of the absolute keystones for that personality type is to never, ever admit guilt and/or failure. It is a primary tenet to constantly and consistently exhort a 'positive' attitude. An outward/inward emotional response such as guilt or shame which affects 99% of the population has no bearing or influence on them.
This is why Trump must consider the military option. (That is, UCMJ for sedition/treason ie state sponsored terrorists, non-uniformed spies.) There's a reason the Allies held military tribunals after WWII. If the de-Nazification programs had been subject to civilian legal procedures, the same types of behaviors and public deflection techniques we see today would have been utilized.
This is ultimately going to come down to how serious Trump really is. If he doesn't pursue the (cold) civil war to conclusion, then the left will return with a vengeance when he is gone. As in any moral contest, the will to victory is of critical importance. We should articulate and lay out the case for the military option, and begin laying the groundwork for support among the conservative community.