Rick Moran has a column in PJ Media, generally considered a right-leaning source. He recently wrote about Stephen Miller’s appearance with Chris Wallace. Moran called the interview “contentious” and accused Miller of seeking to “alter the media narrative” about the call President Trump made to Ukrainian President Zelenski.
There is no question that Moran is right. Because the media narrative is a lie. And making a desire to correct the media narrative an accusation is to make the implicit assumption that the media narrative is the correct one. That's the Rick Moran problem.
Here's the essential Moran problem, pre-emptive surrender. Putting up a white flag before a shot is fired; classic Cuckdom. It is emblematic of the losing Republican position. The media sets the narrative and Republicans bleat "I'm not .... whatever the Democrats accuse me of." The classic loser posture of cowering in the face of the people who hate you and want you slinking away in fear.
Moran writes: To my mind, it isn't a question whether Trump was putting pressure on Ukraine to get dirt on Joe Biden and his son. He was.
In the Wallace interview Miller directly refutes Moran’s point. “Digging up dirt” implies a nefarious motive. Is it uncovering the facts or a quest for the truth? Is a detective investigating a murder suspect “digging up dirt?” Is trying to find out why the son of the Vice President got paid several million dollars for a no-show job a not-so-subtle bribe of a high government official?
Here's more of the Rick Moran problem. From Moran's perspective, Trump is presumed guilty of whatever crime his enemies accuse him. From Moran's perspective, he's not trying to drain the swamp. He's not the chief law enforcement officer seeking to root out corruption at the highest level; he's a sleazy politician "digging up dirt" on a political opponent. In Moran's mind it's not even a question; it's his default position and I doubt if there are any facts that will shake that position.
This is why Washington DC is a hot mess of corruption. Why politicians of modest means arrive in this cesspool of corruption and leave wealthy. It's why Hillary knew she could get away with soliciting bribes to her foundation and erasing the evidence on her computer. It's why the Bidens were able to get Ukrainians to pay millions and the Chinese to make billion-dollar deals with barely a fig leaf to cover up their play-for-pay scam. Republicans and their few "friends" in the media are really not interested in changing things. They want to get in on the action. Offer Rick Moran a column in the NY Times or the Washington Post and he will write column after column denouncing Trump and the people who voted him into office. If you doubt this you have only to read the "conservative" columnists like Max Boot or Jennifer Rubin in either paper.
Here's more of the Rick Moran problem. From Moran's perspective, Trump is presumed guilty of whatever crime his enemies accuse him. From Moran's perspective, he's not trying to drain the swamp. He's not the chief law enforcement officer seeking to root out corruption at the highest level; he's a sleazy politician "digging up dirt" on a political opponent. In Moran's mind it's not even a question; it's his default position and I doubt if there are any facts that will shake that position.
This is why Washington DC is a hot mess of corruption. Why politicians of modest means arrive in this cesspool of corruption and leave wealthy. It's why Hillary knew she could get away with soliciting bribes to her foundation and erasing the evidence on her computer. It's why the Bidens were able to get Ukrainians to pay millions and the Chinese to make billion-dollar deals with barely a fig leaf to cover up their play-for-pay scam. Republicans and their few "friends" in the media are really not interested in changing things. They want to get in on the action. Offer Rick Moran a column in the NY Times or the Washington Post and he will write column after column denouncing Trump and the people who voted him into office. If you doubt this you have only to read the "conservative" columnists like Max Boot or Jennifer Rubin in either paper.
Let’s say that instead of Hunter and Joe Biden, we have Jimmy and James Smith. Jimmy gets a no-show job working for a Ukrainian company while James Smith is a Senator who can steer a lot of aid to Ukraine. Does that sound like there is a huge conflict of interest and that the Smith family is being bribed in a pay-to-play scheme? Other than the Biden name what did Burisma receive for the millions it paid Hunter Biden? What US Government policy was affected?
And keep in mind that the Biden corruption issue was not the first thing that President Trump talked about when he asked for a favor: it was Ukrainian involvement in the 2016 election that held Trump's primary interest. That’s an issue that the Left wants no one to investigate.
I prefaced my remarks by referring to the Rick Moran problem. The problem is the fence-sitters. The problem is those who want to cut the baby in half. The problem is that there are too many people who are comfortable enough with the Deep State that they will echo their talking points. In every period in history the majority will always try their best to get on with their lives. They want no trouble. These are often referred to as the "good Germans." It’s almost always safer to stay out of the line of fire, especially if you don’t know who’s going to win. And keep in mind the forces arrayed against Trump have a long, long record of winning.
It’s also the reason that there are so many Rick Morans.