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Culture War Roundup for the week of January 9, 2023

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What do you do when caught with top secret documents? Deflect:

[He] didn’t know the documents were there, and didn’t become aware they were there, until his personal lawyers informed the White House counsel’s office, one source familiar with the matter told CNN.

Of course, this time it’s Joe Biden, not Donald Trump. The President’s staff has handed over several documents, including TS//SCI, leftover from his time as VP. His personal attorneys found the documents on November 2nd while clearing out a closet in his former Penn Biden center office, immediately notified NARA, and handed off the hot potato the next day. Since then the DoJ has appointed an attorney to figure out who’s responsible for the illegally handled files. Other than that, most everyone involved has refused to comment unless they represent one of the parties in court.

Now for the obvious comparisons:

  • The type of documents seem similar to those kept in Mar-A-Lago, and were haphazardly filed in a similar manner

  • NARA didn’t know about (or request) the missing files

  • If Biden’s team is concealing more documents, they’re doing a much better job

  • The FBI is watching but not serving any warrants

  • Perhaps most importantly, the President is deflecting and denying rather than crying “witch hunt”

This leads, naturally, to two movies on one screen. Either the President is taking all the right actions after some staffer’s fuckup, or the security state is shamelessly giving him a slap on the wrist. What few outlets are writing on the subject fall into these two narratives. Democrats can’t help but compare the “scope and scale” of the violations, while Republicans emphasize the lack of door-kicking.

Neither stance addresses the real deciding factor of a smoking gun. This is going to be a Hillary situation. Like her infamous server, responsibility is diluted enough that no charges will be brought. (Note that I’ve made the same prediction about Mar-A-Lago.) Both narratives will try to spin epistemic uncertainty into iron-clad assurance, thus adding no value.

The only real conclusion is that you or I wouldn’t get off nearly so easily. If you’re going to store classified documents for your job, you’d better talk softly and hire a big staff.

One report I saw on this pointed out that it all went down before midterms, but was successfully hushed up such that we are only finding out about it now. No FBI raid, no suspiciously tipped off reporter who just happens to be in the right place at the right time with a camera. No leaks to the media. Not even a hint.

I mean, that's probably the way it should work. A shame it only works that way for Party members in good standing.

I’m still of the opinion that we only heard about the Trump scenario due to the raid. If his team had cooperated—and I still don’t understand why they didn’t—the story wouldn’t have had any spice. It’s not like we heard anything about the first 15 boxes or the negotiations, not until the FBI showed their hand.

On the other hand, if when Trump shows an inch of vulnerability, there are countless journos waiting to jump. And I realize those aren’t nearly as interested in a tip on the current admin. So it’s hard to pretend that good standing isn’t more important than actual actions.

If his team had cooperated—and I still don’t understand why they didn’t

It supports my prior that Trump is a reflection of the same mix of corruption/ignorance/incompetence as other politicians of his standing, but is far far worse at (or has no interest in) playing the game. He has no veneer of respectability that acts as a buffer for others. He exposes himself, even if the others are just the same underneath.

If his team had cooperated—and I still don’t understand why they didn’t

What do you need explained? Trump wanted to keep the documents, most ex-presidents in his position would have been allowed to keep them indefinitely.

IMO a little conspiracy theory. Team Red/Team Blue play a repeated game. Team Red specifically triggered Team Blue to overreact. Then Team Red gets to complain about Team Blue’s control of the security state and persecution of Team Red and not playing fair. Team Blue gets to complain that Team Red are really bad people yada, yada, yada, nuclear bombs, Team Red will kill us all.

If Team Blue doesn’t raid Team Red a bunch of meaningless dated documents sit in a box in some mansion. Instead everyone on Team Red and Team Blue gets paid. And their partisans are entertained .

Trump’s team didn’t cooperate because Trump, obviously.