https://twitter.com/kfile/status/1085727766434045960
Rudy Giuliani faced off in a wild-eyed, combative interview with CNN’s Chris Cuomo on Wednesday night, in which he continued to insist that his boss, President Donald Trump, has clean hands when it comes to collusion with Russia. Of course, as indictments continue to flurry down on those in Trump’s presidential campaign, the line in the sand keeps getting pushed back further and further.
Due to Mueller’s initial findings, it’s become impossible to deny that those closest to Trump were conspiring with Russia — and the impending full report will ostensibly provide more insight as to who knew what. But in the meantime, Giuliani is still clinging to the notion that Trump in no way had any knowledge of collusion:
“I never said there was no collusion between the campaign or between people in the campaign! [Cuomo: Yes you have.]
I have no idea if — I have not. I said the President of the United States, there is not a single bit of evidence that the President of the United States committed the only crime you can commit here, conspiracy with the Russians to hack the DNC.”
When Cuomo pressed Giuliani on how Trump could be unaware of collusion when “the guy running his campaign,” Paul Manafort was later found guilty of it, what followed was a game of semantics.
“He didn’t say nobody, he said he didn’t. He said he said he didn’t, he didn’t say nobody. How would you know that nobody in your campaign–” Giuliani attempted to shoot back before getting cut off by Cuomo. “He actually did say that, Rudy, he did say nobody and then he said, ‘As far as I know.'”
“Well as far as he knows that’s true! As far as the president knows and as far as I know,” Giuliani countered, inexplicably.
Given how exhausting Giuliani’s logic is, it didn’t take long for the court of public opinion to call him on it:
Rudy Giuliani always looks like he just heard what Rudy Giuliani said pic.twitter.com/EC0JM8ji1j
— Jess Dweck (@TheDweck) January 17, 2019
Excited to see what happens on today's episode of "Rudy Giuliani: Bad Attorney."
— Rex Huppke (@RexHuppke) January 17, 2019
What has truly been a revelation is just what a terrible lawyer @RudyGiuliani is. https://t.co/KvtEl3lYbt
— Soledad O'Brien (@soledadobrien) January 17, 2019
Assume Giuliani is telling the truth (🙄) & they never denied that people in the campaign may have colluded with Russia. Then the response to the investigation would’ve been, “Have at it, find out what those people did & hold them accountable.” But it wasn’t. Because Trump knew.
— Mimi Rocah (@Mimirocah1) January 17, 2019
As you watch Giuliani frantically backpedal, remember he recently told a friend he expects Mueller’s report to be “horrific.”https://t.co/ucDEBH1dF4
— shauna (@goldengateblond) January 17, 2019
Giuliani, next: I never said he wasn’t a puppet. https://t.co/kDrNsM8bbF
— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) January 17, 2019
The collusion evolution, by Rudy Giuliani:
– There was no collusion.
– Even if there was collusion, it‘s not a crime.
– Truth isn’t truth.
– It happened a long time ago.
– I never said there was no collusion.
– I said no collusion…with the President of the United States.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) January 17, 2019
https://twitter.com/jackholmes0/status/1085916235093721090
Whose team is he on? 😂https://t.co/lFIvUClWk6
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) January 17, 2019
So, if I understand Giuliani correctly, there was definitely no collusion but maybe there was some collusion but collusion isn’t a crime and there was collusion but it was years ago and nobody said there was no collusion and there was collusion but not with Trump.
— The Volatile Mermaid (@OhNoSheTwitnt) January 17, 2019
Can't help but wonder what shoe may be about to drop in the Mueller investigation if Rudy Giuliani is on cable news saying things like, "I never said there was no collusion between the campaign."
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) January 17, 2019
Meanwhile, Vanity Fair is reporting that Giuliani is privately telling people that he expects the first installment of Mueller’s report, which will detail obstruction of justice, “within the month.” Oh, and also, he now allegedly realizes that he’s made a huge mistake in accepting the gig to counsel Trump — which would not be evident at all by the above footage!
This time, however, Giuliani’s forecast about Mueller’s next move seems to be driven by his fears that the report will be “horrific” for Trump. According to a source, Giuliani recently told a close associate that he’s “very worried about the report.” The mounting pressure has also strained Giuliani’s relationship with Trump. “Rudy hates the job,” a Republican briefed on Giuliani’s thinking told me. “Trump is very hard to deal with.”
In other words, the walls are closing in. Now would be a good time to stock up on popcorn because it sounds as though it’s going to be hitting the fan.