By Colleen O’Connor
She just walked into the history books and coasted to re-election.
What a stunning display of courage.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who has played by the “gentleman’s” rules of the U.S. Senate for decades, and was facing a drumbeat of chatter at home about it being her “time to retire,” just proved her substantial worth on the national stage.
By releasing a Senate transcript relating to the famous Steele dossier, she stunned her Republican colleagues with her bravery—while simultaneously rebutting the silly narrative they had created. Now, everyone can read the material for themselves.
The truth will out. And Feinstein brought it all into the light. And that truth is not flattering to the Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Indeed, the transcript shows the FBI had knowledge of the possible Russia-Trump collusion—and the Republicans knew it.
So, Brava!
She hit the target on one, quick try—even garnering the prize for any sane Senator—a noisy Tweet from the President.
Accusing her of being “sneaky,” while demanding that the Republicans “take control of the investigation and that Feinstein be “primaried” in her re-election bid, Trump misjudged “bigly.”
The fact that Sneaky Dianne Feinstein, who has on numerous occasions stated that collusion between Trump/Russia has not been found, would release testimony in such an underhanded and possibly illegal way, totally without authorization, is a disgrace. Must have tough Primary!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018
Good luck with challenging Feinstein now. She is soaring in popularity. And not just in California.
The President, by contrast, has lost his lead gunslinger for spearheading primary attacks against Democrats—Steve Bannon. And he is falling below Oprah Winfrey in his most-friendly poll, the Rasmussen survey.
By a 10 percent margin, Winfrey bests Trump, as choice for next President — 48 percent to 38 percent among likely voters.
And, far from facing any backlash in California, Feinstein just walked into an easy re-election bid for her fifth term. And this while Trump-supporting Republicans members of Congress are “retiring” in droves, the latest being Rep. Darrell Issa of San Diego.
Good thing Trump is flying to Davos. Maybe those cameras will be more favorable to him than the California electorate now loudly cheering Feinstein.
Brava!
Colleen O’Connor is a native San Diegan and a retired college professor.
