Wednesday, October 30, 2019

The Left's New Hero

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

By Gary Bauer
 
The left has found a new hero -- Lt. Col. Alexander S. Vindman.  He's considered a top Ukraine expert on the National Security Council, and as such was among the many individuals who listened in on President Trump's July call with the Ukrainian president. 
 
Vindman testified before Adam Schiff's kangaroo court yesterday, saying that he was concerned about the conversation.  According to the New York Times, he told members of the House Intelligence Committee:
 
"I did not think it was proper to demand that a foreign government investigate a U.S. citizen, and I was worried about the implications for the U.S. government's support of Ukraine.  I realized that if Ukraine pursued an investigation into the Bidens and Burisma it would likely be interpreted as a partisan play which would undoubtedly result in Ukraine losing the bipartisan support it has thus far maintained."
 
First, the president did not demand anything as the transcript of the call, which the White House released weeks ago, clearly shows.  As for corruption and foreign aid coming up in the same conversation, so what?
 
Vindman is a NSC staffer.  No one voted for him.  He does not set policy for the country.  That is the president's job.  Second, he's making a political decision and he admits it.  He was concerned about partisan perceptions. 
 
Well, where were Col. Vindman's concerns when three liberal senators threatened Ukraine's "bipartisan support" if Ukrainian officials didn't cooperate with the Mueller investigation? 
 
How can senators demand foreign leaders investigate Trump but Trump can't demand investigations from foreign leaders?  Why aren't these senators being impeached?
 
And where were Col. Vindman's concerns when Ukrainian officials were scrambling to cover-up their support for Hillary Clinton?  Why is it okay for the left to exploit Ukraine, but it's an impeachable offense for Trump to ask questions?
 
Some conservatives have raised their concerns about Vindman because, according to the New York Times, Vindman is a Ukrainian immigrant and "Ukrainian officials sought advice from him about how to deal with Mr. Giuliani." 
 
What does that mean exactly?  Was Col. Vindman authorized to negotiate with foreign officials?  Or was he doing freelance foreign policy?
 
Apparently you're not allowed to ask those kinds of questions.  The left and its media allies viciously attacked conservatives like Laura Ingraham and John Yoo. 
 
"How dare you question this decorated military hero," they exclaimed.  Predictably, some Republicans immediately ran for the tall grass.