It means that Manafort has nothing on Trump worth trading
“It means that Manafort has nothing on Trump worth trading.”
Exactly! Nothing more. Nothing less. This is not bad (or even) news at all. Mueller’s people have been broadcasting it for many weeks. Indeed, even the timing ... day before elections ... etc. But also ... If there was even a reasonable chance of Manafort trading anything, this indictment could and would have been put off. It’s coming now mostly as an act of desperation — Mueller having to follow through on the threat in order to maintain credibility, and doing this little bit to try to show other targets that he means business. It comes across, though, as pathetic and egregious.
Trump has been winning all along, but the momentum in his favor has recently accelerated markedly. If this gambit of Mueller’s does not work quickly in his favor — and it could backfire even within the next few days — look for him to resign by citing the conflict of interest that we have all known about all along.