It's not discussed in the article, but any appearance of bias or political motivation would surely be used by the administration to justify firing Mueller.
He's keeping quiet because there's little that can be gained from responding to the Fox/Trump camp before all of the evidence is put together. While Trump can't be prosecuted while in office, his children most certainly can be.
4
I think Mr. Mueller has said a lot. It is called indictments and confessions. Other questions?
6
So 'his opponents get to write the headlines.' Big whoop. Today's headlines are tomorrow's fish wrap.
Mueller and his team get to write the indictments and the sentencing recommendations.
Game, set, match to Mueller.
6
A quick look at the scoreboard:
Mueller—
• G Papadopoulos: convicted, sentenced, cooperating
• S Patten: pleaded guilty
• P Manafort: convicted, about to cooperate
• M Cohen: pleaded guilty, cooperating
• A van der Zwaan: convicted, sentenced
• R Gates: pleaded guilty
• M Flynn: pleaded guilty
Trump—
• covfefe
• anonamus, anumanus
There’s a lot that Trump doesn’t know, like the rules of grammar, the US constitution, hurricanes are wet, etc. but nothing could he truer than the fact that he doesn’t know what Mueller knows. Has the prosecutor got his tax returns? What did Manafort and Cohen tell him? Is Ivanka next to be charged?
The convictions are one thing. Also the cooperations. But the guilty pleas speak volumes. That Mueller is so thorough, there wouldn’t even be a point of putting up an argument in court. You’ll get convicted anyway so why not admit your crime and cooperate? Like M Cohen who, not to long ago, would gladly take a bullet for Trump.
“The loudest drum contains the least.”
8
In an era when voters have turned elections into personality contests, and merit, experience, high ethical standards and competence seem not to matter, it is wonderful to see a man quietly going about doing his job intelligently, scrupulously, and effectively with no hype or self aggrandizement.
While Trump and his supporters follow the old adage, “When in danger or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout,” Mr. Mueller and his team are quiet, but deadly, and woe betide wrongdoers who are in their crosshairs. I firmly believe that, in the end, Mr. Mueller’s approach to his misson, and the mission itself, will be vindicated.
6
Mueller is running this operation by the book. Federal prosecutors have no need to comment on probes.
4
What is so "novel" about stonewalling. It's an old political ploy.
What Mr. Mueller has found so far for indictments is probably what any judge would find if he picked names of DC lobbyists, agency executives or politicians out of a hat and grilled them under oath.
That's not to denigrate Mueller, but the sludge that has infected Washington.
1
If Trump had a grasp on reality he would realize that there is only one person who could exonerate him from any suspicion of high crimes or misdemeanors involving the election or obstruction of justice, and that person is Robert Mueller. The American people will trust Mueller’s findings as long as he is able to complete his investigation without interference from the administration. Trump should follow Mueller’s lead, and keep is mouth shut until the process is completed.
6
I doubt right-wing media consumers would be swayed by any statements Mr Mueller made as they feed on a daily diet of misinformation. Any statements by Mueller would just fuel the far right propaganda machine.
Mueller’s silence says it all: he’s a serious man doing a serious investigation. I am grateful for his silence because when it comes time for his report, the country will be listening.
8
Res ipsa loquitur.
The best like Mueller, always rise to the top.
The rest and the worst, like Trump, Giuliani and "Fox Friends" always sink to the bottom.
8
This liberal thinks that Mr. Mueller's strategy is exactly right. In this climate, there is no way he can say anything without the POTUS, a frequent prevaricator, taking it, twisting it, and making several news cycles worth of victimized claims that the statements from the Special Counsel are "proof" of a "witch hunt."
As to the numbers - well close to 40% of voters approve of Trump's words/behaviors, so I'm not too worried that 32% are negative about Mueller & his work - that's Trump's base, Trump's hangers on & sycophants, and the staff at Fox News. Duh.
6
“The more this investigation moves from the legal arena to the political arena, the riskier it is for Mueller to remain silent,” said Alex Conant, a Republican communications strategist.
Ahahaha let me trust that advice about as far as I can throw it.
6
While Mr. Trump displays his "unusual mastery of the media", revealing stunning ignorance, Mr. Mueller and his group are demonstrating an unusual (for this era) appreciation for the sanctity of confidentiality.
While the plebes are in the mud pit pitching fits, Mr. Mueller. like a 5 star general who understands the wisdom of silence, works with confidence, without a PR care. Who likes him or doesn't -- not his problem.
Thank you Mr. Mueller!
23
Isn't there a saying out there that says, "Speak softly and carry a big stick?" I like big sticks. In the end they are likely to knock the majority of us over the head with truth and honor. The only attributes that may have the power to save humankind from ourselves.
5
Mr. Grynbaum's most ridiculous statement:
"Kenneth W. Starr, the prosecutor who investigated the Clinton White House, gave impromptu news conferences while taking out the garbage at his Virginia home — and ended up disliked by two-thirds of the public by the time he stepped down."
People hated Starr because he was a partisan hack who went after a president for multiple unfounded accusations for 7 years. His "garbage walk" press conferences were used to discredit Democrats and President Clinton. Republicans still believe his conspiracy stories.
8
Why is this in Business??
2
Wise choice by Mr. Mueller. He's doing his incredibly difficult job well, and the media is a distracting tar baby.
4
Bob Mueller is pretty much the only Republican I feel good about these days.
13
Someone who is not blabbing inanities!! Someone who is actually doing his job, minding his business, and REALLY acting like an adult.We should all be grateful. I for one, am.
10
Mr. Mueller has not taken the bait from Trump or Giuliani. When Mueller "speaks", it is in Court with indictments, guilty pleas and convictions. Trump has denied Russian interference in 2016 elections; Mueller has proven such interference with his detailed indictments. Mueller has also gotten criminal convictions and/or guilty pleas from close Trump associates like Paul Manafort, Rick Gates and Michael Flynn. and other minor players. Michael Cohen and Sam Patten have pleaded guilty to crimes in SDNY.
Mueller's public approval rating is irrelevant to his mission. He is seeking the truth of what happened during the campaign, during the transition and after Trump was inaugurated. Trump's attacks via tweets of "witch hunt" rile up his base supporters, but will not deter Mueller from his quest.
9
Reading the two Mueller indictments of the Russian individuals and companies reveals investigative and legal professionalism at a high level of competence. Trump might not finish either of the indictments but he would be well served to take note of the granular detail and logic in both.
2
We don't care about "all Americans", we only care about enough of them to impeach, indict, and imprison.
For every cry of "repeal and replace", ten demands of "impeach, indict, imprison" will be made.
7
While growing up we were taught "silence is a virtue." It's especially appreciated today within in our lying infested society.
6
Robert Mueller really doesn’t need to hold press conferences. He has plenty of people in the media who are doing his PR for him.
3
There can be no opposites more polar and fitting in our current political environment than Trump and Mueller. One served in Vietnam and has worked in government most of his life--the epitome of an "establishment figure"; the other is a businessman who unscrupulously evaded the draft and has fashioned himself as an anti-establishment demagogue. Mueller, an unelected administrator with a nearly teflon reputation, is the kind who hunkers down, keeps his mouth shut and does the work. He stays away from the politics. Meanwhile, Trump IS politics--he was elected, hated by half the country, and he loves the game. His entire career had been about running his mouth, self-aggrandizement and doing little actual "work" (his business had been literally selling his name to be put on buildings). He is ironically the ultimate "politician", despite having no government experience. But the most important contrast is in the way they carry themselves: Mueller's quiet, sustained effectiveness is indicative of a man who has learned from age and experience how to get things done. Trump, on the other hand, seems like a child who never grew up, never learned that actions speak louder than words, never learned the power silence. In the end, it is hard to see how pandemonium and naiveté could win out against patience and wisdom.
19
The silence drives Trump crazy. Good.
17
Real power -- moves quietly.
Mr. Mueller, and associates:
Like it or not, you have hundreds of millions of people watching, waiting, breathlessly. Do not disappoint US.
22
@G Strand
Only US? I don´t think so.
Never forget: US is still the only remaining global superpower. It´s changing rapidly but that´s still the way it is on the 13th of November 2018.
4
It's pretty hilarious that so many liberals are now defending a vicious, heartless, cruel prosecutor who goes after people's families, intentionally tries to bankrupt entire estates, and uses ridiculously long sentencing threats to practically force people to forgo their constitutional right to a trial. 300 years for Manafort? Seriously? Anyway, two years ago we were talking about Black Lives Matter and how unfair the justice system was and mass incarceration and how the Justice System in this country is so unfair to so many people. Now, you'd think Mueller were Jesus Christ, with a 1000 suit of course. Go figure. This shows how bankrupt the Democratic establishment is, along with most New York Times readers, who I'm assuming are usually quite comfortable with their lives personally. It's also why Trump might start to pick up votes from progressives, including Bernie Sanders/Ocasio-Cortez voters. Lawyers are the problem to practically everything, not the solution.
2
@david I lost count of your contradictions but I do believe your frustration lays in the fact that Mueller is as professional as he is. You are certainly entitled to your beliefs and your thoughts but so too are people whom sit on the other side, or people whom you claim to have no values, because their beliefs aren’t consistent with your’s. Democracy of the US is what’s at stake here, not mere accusations from you that a special prosecutor, appointed by a Republican, who is a Republican himself, is out to destroy lives whom are mostly Republican. You see where I’m coming from? Your accusations are not only ridiculous but also hypocritical. The truth will eventually come out if Trump was guilty or not of obstruction and coordination with a foreign country. Generally, where there’s smoke there’s fire. Time will tell.
14
Keeping silent is a good strategy. It adds credibility to the investigation. My mother lived in Los Angeles during War World II and the aircraft industry was converted to the war time effort. The sign she remembered that was posted in these factories “loose lips sink ships”. We have “loose lips” Trump for president and he is sinking America.
10
Let’s see...the republicans dragged out the Clinton special counsel like 7 yrs and they’re screaming about the current scandal investigation running a year being too long. And we had kavanaugh’s pushing to add salacious details dragged through the media to cause maximum embarrassment to president Clinton. So, can you say huge double standard!?
6
We were informed from the start of this process Mr. Mueller is a Republican, not a Democrat. He is a rare, honorable man. It would be good to keep this in mind as unwarranted, untruthful attacks continue to be spewed forth. He seeks the actual, factual truths.
When Mr. Mueller's responsibilities as Special Prosecutor are complete, we, the citizens of the United States, will owe him our deepest gratitude and appreciation for his respect and honor during this process.
22
Mr. Mueller is doing exactly what he should be doing: conducting a serious investigation.
88
@hark
Exactly. I fully agree.
This job requires best use of surprise effects for many reasons. You can never use these surprise effects if you boast and brag night and and in trash TV what you are going to do in next week. Mr. Mueller does not so he is doing it the way it ought to be.
Did anydody about the bank fraught of Mr. Cohen until it was disclosed by his statements? Did anybody know this made him flip before? Did the press who is always focussed on the second class Russian issue had any idea of the really crucial problem what a "fixer" can tell when he speaks his mind? Did Mr. Trump know anything about it? Had Mr. Trump who was not aware of anything any chance to take any effective countermeasures against further investigations in the direction of Cohen tips in the meantime?
The answer is always "No". Mr. Mueller could do his thing whithout being disturbed. That´s exactly what a good investigator needs. The "silence - surprising success - silence - big raid - silence - surprising new facts - silence - many people close toi Mr. Trump are forced to cooperate" scheme of Mr. Mueller proves that he is a true doyen of investigation.
Mr. Grynbaum who didn´t listen to the "veterans of similar investigations"is a political writer without a minimum of a clue what "(criminal) investigation" is and how it works. The situation is really getting tricky when you DON´T hear anything. It´s NOT about politics. It´s about the only way to do THIS job. Now he is paying the price.
I believe the work Robert is doing is unbiased. He's not letting Republicans or Democrats influence him. He releases results based on what he knows. Donald and his friends can complain all they want, but Bob Mueller will not bow down to them. Keep up the good work, Bob!
64
Hemingway called it "grace under pressure" and Mr. Mueller has it in spades. Eventually the bell will toll; meanwhile Mr. Muelller does hs job thoroughly, with a quiet dignity that is refreshing in this age of pointless noise.
138
Oh yes! Oh yes. Beautifully said.
1
Disappointing that people are actually running and caring about Mr. Mueller's standing in popularity polls.
27
@mofitz Considering that Mueller's findings are going to be viewed through a partisan prism, thanks to Trump and his lackeys, it's very important that we get a sense of how many Americans have been suckered into believing what they hear in conservative media.
2
Two references come to mind.
The first is an old The Simpsons Treehouse of Horrors song by Paul Anka and Lisa Simpson*:
To stop those monsters, one-two-three
Here's a fresh new way that's trouble-free
It's got Paul Anka's guarantee
Just don't look! Just don't look!
The other is perhaps more apt to what Mueller's strategy here is:
“Don’t wrestle with pigs. You both get dirty and the pig likes it.”
— Mark Twain
*I wish the media and all of us political rubberneckers had paid attention to this advice during the election but let's not forget one of the rampaging monsters in this episode is Springfield's news anchor Kent Brockman - not differentiated at all from advertising mascots like Lard Lad.
Who are these liberals and supporters that Mr. Grynbaum is referring to? The ones who 'think' that Robert Mueller should speak publicly, should allow himself to be goaded into publicly revealing his findings before the investigation is complete? I consider myself a supporter of Mueller's investigation and a liberal and I think he's doing the right thing. His silence speaks volumes. His refusal to be goaded into any premature revalations by either Trump or the delusional Giuliani shows that he busy working on the investigation and that he's confident that when his findings are eventually released that he and the work of his team will be vindicated.
13
Robert Muller is the only American who provides hope to our Nation, that one day our Department of Justice will return to the standards of the Obama Presidency.
20
I like Mueller's resolute, determined silence. It makes every one of his indictments, trials, and guilty pleas scream louder than all the Fox noise and Breitfart accusations in the world. Go Mueller, go far!
20
Many readers cynically assume that all attempts to discredit the Mueller investigation are without merit and are really just obfuscations to protect Trump from being held accountable for the real crimes. The problem is there is mounting evidence indicating that criticisms associated with Mueller's investigation are NOT baseless, while those concerning Trump's purported collusion with the Russians in the election are unfounded. It's sort of a double whammy. At this rate, a few more declassified FBI redactions (that might, for example, spell out a couple "media leak strategies") may prove transformative.
1
@carl bumba To what evidence are you referring?
7
@Avarren
Most of it involves truly damaging communications (often obtained after FBI or DOJ stonewalling and redacting through extensive FOIA litigation) between MAJOR players of Clinton email, Russian collusion AND Mueller investigations. This is in contrast to the absence of evidence (so far) for ANY serious, Russian collusion-related malfeasnce from even very peripheral players for Trump, who were secretly examined by, clearly, a highly biased and motivated intelligence/enforcement community. It's a matter of the quality and specificity of empirical evidence, i.e. ONLY what Cohen or Manafort likely did while working for candidate or president Trump that was related to Russian collusion is important right now. You don't have to be a soothsayer to see how it's shaping up (based on the important things, rather than all the red herrings.)
@carl bumba I disagree, this particular conspiracy came from Fox. Just read Trump’s tweets.
Aw, the old both sides do it refrain. I believe in the end the Starr report was proven to be a political hit job and Starr a partisan hack. How many indictments were handed down in that Whitewater investigation?
14
I do oppose
My patience to his fury, and am armed
To suffer, with quietness of spirit,
The very tyranny and rage of his.
1
Mr Mueller would make a fine president because he walks softly and carries a big stick unlike Big Don who is full of sound and fury but signifies nothing but his own inflated and empty ego.
31
Mr. Mueller thank you for keeping your head down and to the task at hand. Let Fox and friend trump rant all they want, sooner or later they sound just like the lunatics that they are.
23
Robert Mueller III is a savvy and accomplished American patriot.
trump is a criminal, a fraud, and a fool, and the opposite of a patriot.
I support Robert Mueller III.
27
Mr. Mueller's approach is exactly the one to take. We have forgotten what it's like to have a responsible, principled person in such a crucial position in government. The blah-blah-blah that blows in our face each day obscures the real picture and wears us down. I hope someday in the very near future, Mr. Mueller will be permitted to get up in front of joint congressional committees and detail exactly what he found. And when he takes the oath to testify, we will be able to contrast that with the lying, obfuscation, and dissembling of Trump and his toadies.
27
If Mr. Comey had proceeded in the same way, we might be arguing about the investigation into Hillary Clinton.
With Trump and Rudy's fake attacks, people forget that Mueller is a very conservative Republican. This is very different from conservative white Republican Ken Starr going after the Democrat's Bill Clinton. If a Democratic special counsel was investigating Trump, he would have already been IMPEACHED! Mueller is trying to save Trump by getting every one else and deflecting the guilt of Trump and Pence. Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi have bought in.....they like the tax cuts for themselves and their very rich friends.
Trump serves out 4 years.....and then he is prosecuted by the DoJ under a Democratic President for several crimes and for treason. By that time, Mueller will be gone and he won't have to answer for his foot dragging.
1
When Giuliani got on TV months ago after meeting with Muller and lied that Mueller told him the whole thing would be wrapped up by Labor day he still did not comment. Love it. Makes Trump crazy, not that its too difficult to do that...
12
Silence is golden...silence is deadly. The behavior of special counsel Mueller and his complement of skilled professionals is in stark contrast to the baiting, bullying and disgusting stance of POTUS and his lame-brained counsel, Rudy the Rat, whose attempts to provoke and goad are clearly yet another ploy to garner favor with the nitwits who follow Trump[ like lemmings. Have no doubt, the winner here will be the American people and democracy when Mueller finally, armed with the indisputable facts and the law in his corner, chooses to speak... up until then silence is golden.
6
"The president’s use of 'witch hunt' has lately skyrocketed ... Sean Hannity of Fox News made the 'Mueller Crime Family' a mantra ... Mr. Giuliani ... has been explicit about the purpose of these attacks: to discredit the investigation in the eyes of the public ... " Sheeesh, what a transparent effort to discredit Mr. Mueller with absolutely no evidence. Just bile spewing, arm waving and tweets with all caps. Presumably they know it will work on Mr. Trump's base, but the rest of us recall Hamlet's mother: "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."
19
Everyone kept saying the Trump-Guiliani strategy is working. they are knocking down Mueller in the eyes of the public. The problem is only one side was/is talking. Wait until Mueller's report comes out. Then lying Donald and Crazy Rudy will see what a sledghammer looks and feels like. Then, and only then, can we compare the two parties respective success at messaging. I will bet my house on Mueller.
11
Mr. Mueller should only speak when people of integrity address him, not buffoons and carpetbaggers.
5
Mueller has it just right as he weaves his dragnet: just the facts, just the facts . . .
61
Mr. Mueller's silence stands in stark contrast to the constant McCarthyesque attacks of Trump, Fox, and Giuliani.
Moreover, one unintended consequence of his silence and meticulous professionalism is how much it has caused President Trump to unravel in public. Mueller's silence has
also driven Nunes, Meadows, Jordan and the rest of the Freedom Caucus to show their own lack of any moral compass.
It's a very powerful silence, but it needs to speak soon.
11
Mueller's PR strategy is brilliant. He speaks with conviction: criminal convictions.
37
Thank God for Robert Mueller. In this ongoing story of rampant dishonesty and corruption, and the shockingly blind eye of the GOP Congress, he is a reminder that there are ethical people with integrity who will fight for the truth.
28
"The thing speaks for itself."
I know there's a Latin phrase for that, I could Google it, but Mr. Mueller knows that anything he says will be gist for the spin and rumor mills, and offers nothing as his answer to our craven culture's ability to chew up and grind any statement into truth-like particles saying whatever meaning the grinder desires. With the Grinder-In-Chief and everyone around him constantly in a 'truth-optional' mode, Mr. Mueller has the very best and strongest position he can have by staying silent. When he publishes his report, that will be his statement. It would not surprise me if Mr. Mueller even foregoes the customary book with seven-figure advance, since he hardly needs the money and seems to understand history, honor, and patriotism far better than most in Washington. Keep working away, Mr. Mueller, and may God bless your endeavors.
37
@Jim Brokaw res ispa loquitur
1
Mr. Mueller learned a long time ago not to wrestle pigs. Remaining silent means Trump and Company cannot respond. Mr. Trump is a pig, and engagement would only result in Mueller getting dirty, and the pig would like it.
38
Ms Hall, you insult pigs who happen to be sweet creatures. If you are referring to Napoleon, in Orwell’s Animal Farm, you would be spot on.
Mueller's stalwart professionalism and commitment to justice and duty elevate him above the muck and slime that Trump and his ilk dwell in. His findings, when he is done, will be above reproach thanks to his conduct of the investigation. This is what true public service looks like. Not whatever the heck is going on in the White House.
34
Mr. Mueller clearly understands something the current US administration has utterly no knowledge of; talk is cheap.
Between Don Trump, his press secretary, his close advisors, Fox News and his children, it is obvious their words are completely worthless.
Respect for the truth and the time it takes to uncover that truth is the cornerstone of democracy. The integrity of this investigation lies entirely with "Silent Bob."
24
I lived next door to Bob Mueller for years. He is a rock solid man of integrity, and his wife is one of the most wonderful people on the planet. It is nothing short of ludicrous that the Fox News people attack a man who has served the country with distinction. When this is all done (and it will be done when the job is truly done, and done well, and not before), almost all Americans will appreciate what a great American Bob Mueller is. I say "almost all", because I anticipate that those criminals who are convicted of breaking our laws may not appreciate Bob Mueller.
81
Love the photograph at the head of the story. Since Mr. Mueller is crossing a hallway, he couldn't have been visible for more than two seconds.
By the way, Giuliani has been eerily quiet of late. Laryngitis? I hope so.
7
@MJ2G
It's a remarkable and eloquent picture. Could it be a still from a video?
Never wrestle with a pig.
You both get dirty, and the pig loves it.
5
All I want to know it is the truth. I honestly don't think Trump even understands the concept. He lies so much that he has become unmoored from the truth and, as a consequence, reality. Trump does fully understand that spouting lies is effective, as does Alex Jones. One of the great lessons of the last couple of years has been that most people are suckers and will believe almost anything. Trump's base will believe anything they are told, and especially if they are told the same thing over and over. That's Trump's defense: Scream "witch hunt" enough times to mesmerize his base and the truth won't matter. My view is that the truth will matter to a sufficient number of Americans and that they will then respond at the polls. That could go either way, but my current feeling (bias) is that Trump is as dirty as they come. If Mueller finds out otherwise, I will be shocked, but will accept the truth. If it comes out the other way, Trump and his base will not accept the conclusions. Therein lies the rub.
21
Mueller: 50%
Trump: 30%
"Walk softly and carry a big stick."
9
I’m saddened with how this article suggests Director Mueller is doing something wrong by simply doing his job and letting his work speak for itself. President Trump and his backers think they can move whatever trial he might be facing from a courtroom or the halls of Congress to the “court of public opinion.” And in this court of public opinion President Trump can use his great persuasive abilities to make this problem go away.
Well, even if he could persuade us that he and the more than thirty other people who have already been indicted had done no wrong, it doesn’t matter; Director Mueller is still going to deliver his findings, and in the end that’s the only thing that counts. One of the things that says the most about the kind of guy he is is how he has batted 1000 in his efforts to say nothing.
Note how this includes leaks; Mueller and his staff have amazingly had zero leaks—zero—while in contrast every time President Trump has an intimate meeting with only his most-trusted advisors in the room they race out the door seemingly in a contest to be the first to leak the details of everything that happened.
9
Muellers silence is so deeply satisfying to me because it leaves the dissemblers, gaslighters, liars and fraudsters to howl at the moon. The meticulously supported indictments and prosecutions are all I need. Bravo.
107
To paraphrase Carl Sandburg in the poem 'Grass': Robert Mueller is the grass. Let him work.
He is doing a job not many would envy. He is not overstepping any bounds. He is performing a yeoman's work. The truth is not always something everyone agrees with, but our laws are the living tissue of our nation, as are we the embodiment.
He is the grass. Let him work.
124
What Fox News has done to a decorated Vietnam War veteran and overall national treasure is not just partisan but shameful, pathetic, and disgusting. Lacking in any kind of balance, decency, morality and journalistic standards to present a fictionalized version of their own fairy tale...
If there’s any book about the current administration that I’m interested in reading - it will be the one by Mr Mueller years from now. A nation looks up to you. Mr Mueller for conducting the most difficult and successful “witch hunt” where you actually caught the treasonous witches...
195
@Patrician
The book would be great. But what he's accomplishing now IS "the book". We're living through the nail-biting phase and wait for a punchline that confirms the power of truth can't be denied.
5
Mueller is not trying to star in a reality t.v. show. He's a lawyer. He's an officer of the court. Why should he bother with a media circus?
It's great to see someone who actually wants to do their job instead of indulging a narcissistic personality disorder.
Mueller has an important job to do. Trump is up to his eyeballs in Russian connections and his Helsinki performance was treason in plain sight. Our Democracy is under attack by Russia, and the Trump Family Syndicate is up to its ears in cash from Russian oligarchs and a labyrinth of fishy Russian connections.
And, maybe Mueller understands history. Do you think history is going to reflect well on the Fox News pundits? Or on the Trump enablers? Do you think historians are going to say that Mueller should have preened before the media while the investigation was ongoing?
Meuller's report is going to make history. No one is going to care about the sound and fury of lying Fox News pundits.
68
The real PR challenge for the Mueller team will come when it finishes its investigation. My understanding is that his report will be conveyed only to his superior, Rod Rosenstein, and it will be up to Rosenstein how -- or whether -- to release the full report, a redacted version, or even only a summary. Or nothing at all, especially if it is concluded that Trump didn't violate any laws, or that investigators could find no credible link to Russia or any other outside entities.
Also, what will happen if Mueller's final report is leaked? Will he or Rosenstein be forced to respond? Will Trump be able to destroy the report or dismiss it before it is officially released?
And, looming over it all, what happens if Trump is indicted (or even if he isn't) and decides to pardon all the various convicted defendants? Or if Trump's lawyers appeal the results of the investigation (if negative)?
In other words, the end of the investigation could well be only the first chapter in a very long, messy, and divisive process that will serve to further fracture our already fragile nation.
1
@PaulB67 it is not the investigation that is fracturing our nation. It it's the Party of Trump and the pathological liar and bully they worship.
38
Mr. Mueller will go down in history as one of the only adults in the room. A man of great courage and stamina. Thankfully in this day of gutless Congressmen/Senators and Government officials ; there are a few like him.
49
"Liberals have urged Mr. Mueller to fight back against President Trump’s invective..."
Really? Which ones? Why not quote them?
19
@Marcia
Exactly. I haven't heard any.
5
I don't think we're correct in calling President Trump "media-savvy." That's like calling the gorilla from "Congo" tech-savvy. Sure, Amy can mash the buttons but she's no software engineer. At best, President Trump is an idiot savant built in the mold of 20th century reality television. Trump is about as media-savvy as a TRL countdown with Carson Daly. That is to say, not at all.
I'm glad to hear Sean Hannity only has 4 million viewers though. That's nothing. That's like a subatomic particle in an empty swimming pool. He's insignificant. Stephen Colbert has a bigger nightly audience and viewers take him more seriously. Admittedly, both hosts are good for a laugh.
As for Mueller, I think silence absolutely improves his respectability. If the Trump administration has taught us anything, the lesson is something like this: When you don't have anything smart to say, don't say anything at all. I'm not sure who is the better poster child, Trump or Giuliani.
23
@Andy
I don't know if media savvy is the right phrase, but Trump is an expert at manipulating the media.
And while he has the media in a tizzy, his cabinet and Congress are enacting their agenda and filling the courts with religious right judges.
By the way, Trump is a blatantly corrupt president because he obviously puts his self interest above the interests of We the People all of the time.
The best example of this is that he obviously picked his Supreme Court nominee because Kavanaugh has said that a president can only be investigated by Congress., and Trump expects him to protect him.
This is a corrupt nomination by a corrupt president, and Democrats should be shutting down the Senate to stop it, not normalizing the corruption by talking about Kavanaugh's qualifications.
9
If only Trump behaved the same way.
11
Mueller has got nothing , he needs to pack it up and go
@Zion
He already has two convictions of close Trump allies, one of who said under oath that Trump ordered him to commit crimes. That's a lot more than nothing.
People with criminal backgrounds who are stupid enough to go anywhere near the presidency deserve prison.
8
@Zion - I think Manafort's attorneys felt the same way.
7
@Zion
Your source?
1
When is the NY Times going to report on the fact that its reporter, Michael Schmidt, was discussed by Peter Strzok and Lisa Page in regards to a media leak strategy- which seemingly was an attempt to leak classified info regarding the Carter Page investigation to justify additional investigations and harm the Trump administration.
Not reporting on it won't make it go away.
@Pat
Doh, the "media leak strategy" has already been shown to be a strategy for plugging leaks. That is exactly what Trump has been demanding.in regards to the anonymous op-ed.
1
@McGloin
So Strzok's congratulatory text to Lisa Page the day after WaPo printed a story announcing the Carter Page investigation was congratulations on a job poorly done to prevent leaks?
The leak strategy is claimed to be a strategy to prevent leaks by Strzok's lawyers- the evidence suggests otherwise.
Mr. Mueller is a truly a steadfast honorable man of the old school. Do your job to the best of your abilities & not be baited into a war of words. The media & trump's base hate that Mr. Mueller won't show his hand in this investigation. They would immediately start saying he said something he didn't say. They would start misinterpreting words & making him say whatever they want to hear. He is doing a good job & an important job & it is driving them crazy. He doesn't want the outcome of his investigation decided by the media. Maybe the old saying should be "stay silent & carry a BIG stick".
25
Mueller lets his indictments do the talking, as he should.
He has already gotten convictions of Trump's self described 'fixer,' (complete with testimony from that Trump ordered him to break the law, and Trump's Campaign manager (for five months, including managing the Republican National Convention, where he had Russia sanctions removed from the Party Platform).
Mueller doesn't need to lie with pigs. He is a professional who follows the facts where they lead. The more Trump and Guiliani talk, the more they implicate Trump in crimes. The only thing Mueller has to do is corroborate Trump's public confessions.
The media needs to stop focusing on Trump's every tweet and start focusing on what Congress is doing while Trump distracts.
12
@McGloin
Yes!!
The media needs to stop focusing on Trump's every tweet and start focusing on what CONGRESS is doing while Trump distracts.
4
Mueller's silence is just more confirmation of his integrity. He's a class act, and the comparison with Trump's buffoon Giuliani couldn't be more stark.
48
Mueller vs. Trump
Elegant vs. Vulgarian
Erudite vs. Willful Ignorant Vapid Fool
Grace vs. Crass and Crude
Quiet vs. Clownish
Sophisticated vs. Boorish
Principled vs. Amoral
Truthful vs. Purposeful Liar
28
Please don't suggest that Ken Starr's low approval ratings had anything to do with his talking to the press.
People didn't like Ken Starr because he was a Twentieth Century Javert.
He wasted federal tax dollars writing unnecessarily pornographic footnotes in the Starr Report. He earned the nickname Ken Porn Starr.
And how about his persecution of Julie Hiatt Steele? Ken Starr wanted to charge Bill Clinton for groping Kathleen Willey but couldn't because Willey changed her story and wasn't credible. So Starr put Hiatt Steele on trial because Hiatt Steele wouldn't continue to lie to back up Willey's lies. Of course the jury sided with Steele. Starr's goons also threatened Hiatt Steele's family; she had a young son at the time and Starr's people threatened to "investigate" the child's adoption.
And then there's the fact that Whitewater -- the excuse for all of it -- was a bogus accusation in the first instance. Even Starr eventually admitted that.
Please don't even make the comparison.
71
Keep you head down and do your job. Period.
The constant tweets and public chatter are taunts designed to get a public faux-feud started. It's better to remain above the fray and out of the mud.
16
Mr.Mueller has wisely decided not to engage in the media circus which is Washington these days.He realizes that the best way to win is to keep his head down and work hard , always true to the assignment he was given.It takes extreme fortitude not to engage with critics.We should have even more confidence in him because he is doing his job and not being distracted by the optics of the situation.People who are quiet and wise have much more credibility than those who chatter and tweet.
10
@JanetMichael
Mr. Mueller is elevating the status of all the introverts out their who wish they were more comfortable with small talk.
3
"Silence as a public relations strategy is risky, especially for someone who is impugned almost daily by Fox News pundits, Trump allies like Rudolph W. Giuliani and tweets from the president himself."
Fox pundits?
I see propagandists and PR folks acting on behalf of the President but I don't see pundits.
27
The opinions of the scorpions chasing after Mr.Mueller are going to be stepped on and scraped off their shoes. Thank you Mr.Mueller for remaining the only adult in the room.
7
As frustrating as it is for the press and GOP, Muller is doing the exact right thing. The results of this investigation is speaking for themselves - people are being convicted or doing plea bargins all over the place. He doesn't have to defend himself with words.
41
I find it refreshing, assuring and almost comforting to have someone of Mr. Mueller’s caliber in the position of special counsel. His being a “former F.B.I. director and Marine Corps officer known for his self-discipline and meticulousness” and allowing his work to speak for himself only adds to the security in knowing the right man was chosen for the task at hand.
His only public statement “I accept this responsibility and will discharge it to the best of my ability” clearly indicates his ability to focus on the responsibilities he was assigned rather than get caught up in the media drama and verbal volleyball which has been paramount from the start with Trump and his pals.
I keep thinking of that old adage, “still water runs deep” vs. the loud noises of a shallow, babbling brook.
106
@Marge Keller: or in the immortal words of James Brown: "talkin' loud and sayin' nothin"...
3
@DD
Spot on my dear!
He gains tremendous respect and clout by taking the high road as the position requires. This angers the the entire spin industry in DC, but provides comfort to the educated masses who fear for their country that there is at least one locus of truth and law in Washington.
62
Why interrupt your critics when they are busy making fools of themselves.
136
@B Windrip
Yes, when your opponent is making mistakes, don't get in their way.
Especially when they are confessing to crimes on TV and Twitter.
27
The "weigh" in "a prosecutor’s job is not to necessarily weigh a P.R. battle" should be "wage".
2
Robert Mueller and his team will speak loudly and clearly with facts, reason and overwhelming evidence.
In a normal civilization and a respectable country, the Department of Justice would be allowed to do its job without Gaslighters Over People trying to pour kerosene and lit matches over reality.
But in America, one political party has dedicated their lives to propaganda, conspiracy, fear and loathing, paranoia and has successfully disemboweled the brains of about 40% of Americans.
Pachyderm Spongiform Encephalopathy is a terrible destructive affliction, and it is the Republican Party's give to America.
The GOP has no use for facts, justice, reason, dignity or democracy.
The Republican Party demands chaos and confusion to maintain their illegitimate grip on power, greed and tyranny of the minority.
They need new and improved Big Lies to sustain their right-wing, religious, Randian, Reverse Robin Hood overthrow of America.
They elected a Birther-Liar-In-Chief to the Oval Office though a rigged vote by a minority of voters.
Robert Mueller is a great patriotic American who has 1000 times more patriotism in his heels than Cadet Bone Spurs and his Russian-Republican Duma and the right-wing Propaganda-Industrial Complex.
America is very lucky to have Robert Mueller....and very unlucky to have to suffer the daily excrement of the Gaslighting Over People party.
133
The facts alone, are all that matter to history and the future of our country. Mr. Mueller is carrying out his job description. If anyone has a problem with that, they should look at themselves before anything else.
24
As is clear from Bob Woodward’s book, Trump has been panicking and acting like a guilty man waiting for the axe to fall since Mueller was appointed.
Given Trump’s likely ties to Russian crime money through his real estate deals, this is a very large investigation. If Mueller wanted to fight dirty, instead of acting the professional, it would not have been hard.
Mueller should be commended by every patriotic American for his dedication and his service.
129
@Beyond Concerned, trump keeps circling the drain while we all wait for the big last flush.
1
He should have no PR, get his job done, stop focusing on things outside his initial orders. It should already be done unless he is playing politics to influence the elections.
2
Vulcanalex...there is a real question as to whether there was Russian campaign coordination with the Birther-Liar-In-Chief.
did you also protest the 7-year Starr investigation into Bill Clinton's erections that were no threat to American democracy and its republic ?
I didn't think so.
Hypocrisy and lack of patriotism are fundamental Republican family values.
49
@vulcanalex. When faced with evidence of a serious crime any good prosecutor will pursue an investigation even if not part of his or her "initial orders." And, in fact he has gone back to the justice Dept to get approval when necessary. Several judges, including very conservative judges, have already rejected the claim that he has exceeded his authority. I spent my career as a lawyer, and complex investigations take time - the notion that the investigation is taking too long ignores reality and seems especially hypocritical after the lengthy Republican investigations of the Clintons.
50
@vulcanalex: exactly what is Mueller focusing on outside his initial orders? He had a pretty broad mandate, including Trump's business practices. Please enlighten us.
As well, please let us know your mandate in saying it "should already be done". On what do you base this arbitrary parameter?
34
His resolute silence makes clear that the evidence will do the talking. That's supposed to be the rule of law. And his implacable stone-faced refusal to take the PR bait both infuriates Trump and serves as the perfect foil. Day by day it becomes clearer that Mueller is the only adult in the room. He can not be incited; he will not be diverted. Like the inexorable tide, his investigation rolls inland. Nothing is as frightening as the monster that cannot be heard - Trumps's fears become nightmares.
189
@James Hiken I like this, but unless he is corrupt or incompetent his initial orders should have been done months ago. I bet the president is not afraid nor has nightmares, that is projection by you.
@vulcanalex Justice, unlike coffee and fast food, is not instant. Look at any high profile investigation that is well done and you will see that it takes time. This case is more complex than most. We need to have the patience to let Muller do his job.
12
@vulcanalex
That the president is not afraid and doesn't have nightmares is projection from yourself. Mueller is following his initial orders. They are broad in scope. That's not his fault, but it will be The Donald's demise (thats prediction from me).
1