Not Too Hard To Understand

Before the 2018 election, and before the Mueller report, I didn't think the Dems should have spent all their time going around making somewhat vague accusations about "Russia stealing the election for Trump" because, well, they were somewhat vague accusations and unless they were ready to really get behind those accusations by saying precisely what the crimes were, or what the path forward to deal with them was, it just sounded like complaining. "Wait for Mueller" was mostly the message, and the investigation was continuing, and Democrats mostly didn't run on this issue, but instead health care etc. Then they won the election and now they're confused.

Over the past two years, it has become a part of Democratic doctrine that Russia and Mueller are strictly Beltway obsessions. Top party strategists—particularly in the lead-up to the 2018 midterms—insisted that lawmakers rarely heard about the special counsel’s probe from constituents. Campaign committees bragged about how little they focused on the topic and the members themselves proudly boasted about their laser-like focus on kitchen-table issues.

Dean, on Wednesday, was asked about health care, gun violence, climate change, and other major topics. But Mueller and impeachment were clearly top of mind. She took 10 questions total. Two of them were on impeachment—as much as any other issue. And her response to those questions drew the strongest crowd reaction of the night.

I think Dem voters did hear the "wait for Mueller" message - Dem voters also like the impartial GOP Daddy referees deciding issues - and then came Mueller day. And when Mueller day arrived the Dems had some shiny new gavels in their possession. So, now, they want the Dems to follow the course set out by impartial GOP Daddy referee Mueller, as they were told they should. And Mueller says impeach the motherfucker.