ANALYSIS/OPINION:

James Clapper, former Director of National Intelligence under President Barack Obama appeared on The Chris Stigall Show Friday morning on WPHT in Philadelphia.

While promoting his new book, Facts and Fears: Hard Truths from a Life in Intelligence, Clapper explained how desperately dangerous the Russian threat is to our country and that threat had manifested itself in the supposed “meddling” in the 2016 presidential election.

“The Russians present a profound threat to this country and one of the main reasons and catalyst for writing my book is the Russian interference,” Clapper said. “That’s what most disturbs me and what i’m trying to alert the American public about.”

This refrain appears to be the go-to narrative for Clapper and other figures from the Spygate scandal. “This was all about national security and the Russian threat… It wasn’t about Donald Trump or the Trump campaign… nothing political at play here,” they assure us.

Of course, if that was the case, it defies credulity that the national security apparatus would not inform Trump of the threat to his campaign and to the nation. Why would they not alert Trump and put the campaign on guard if it was only about the Russian threat and not political.

Stigall seized on this point and pressed Clapper on it. Clapper’s answer defies credulity:

Stigall: But, you did confirm that you didn’t talk with Donald Trump about it. Nobody in the administration did. Clapper: No i didn’t. It wasn’t my place to do that. I was reporting to the then-government… the Executive Branch policy makers. But for me to pick up the phone and call a political candidate would not have been appropriate.

Excuse me? The Russians “present a profound threat to this country” but by all means, let’s not breach any protocols in alerting the potential target of this threat to our national security. It wouldn’t be appropriate to call the candidate, but it is appropriate to send an informant to spy on members of the campaign and set up a wiretap on them. That’s totally appropriate.

Anyone buying this?

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