You missed the point if you think he gives a damn about winning over the left. He only cares about enforcing the law, regardless of left or right.
You missed the point if you think he gives a damn about winning over the left. He only cares about enforcing the law, regardless of left or right.
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If that’s the case why doesn’t he come right out and say that? No, it appears (and I say this based on several comments he has made lately) that he is trying to defuse the Left and establish the narrative that he’s a fair guy. And to a certain extent, I agree with this approach as the media is anxious to paint him as a partisan defender of his boss. I also think he’s trying to tamp down expectation on the right.
But that said, if he only cares about enforcing the law, regardless of left or right, then just dispense with all the soft talk and make that unmistakably clear (i.e., I took the job to hold people accountable for their actions, some of which were illegal, unethical, destructively partisan, and damaging to both our political system and the reputations of our most trusted federal agencies).
Remember, Barr is heading into battle. He’s going to be viscously attacked by Swamp, and the flak will get heavier as he nears the target. They (and their allies in the media) know what’s at stake and will send everything they have against him. So Barr may be trying to soften their defenses.