Wherever you stand on the political spectrum, you have to admire and hopefully agree with everything that James Comey says here during last week’s hearings.

Some people may not believe everything that he said during the hearings (and yet simultaneously and inexplicably claim that his words serve as vindication), but these particular words are spoken by a patriot who loves his country deeply. 

The sad things is that In terms of actual wordsmithing, I can’t think of anything that Trump has said as President that is as clear, forceful and inspiring as this, and Comey managed to say these words in the midst of questioning before the Senate. 

It was kind of fantastic. 

Of course, one must have a basic understanding of history in order to make speeches like this, and I am quite confidant that Trump wouldn’t understand Comey’s references to “a shining city on a hill” and “this great experiment.”

A basic lack of knowledge makes makes it very difficult to say smart things. 

  • The man thought Frederick Douglass was still alive.
  • He asked a Women’s Empowerment Panel if they knew who Susan B. Anthony was.
  • He could not explain the nuclear triad.
  • He thought NATO was funded through monies paid to the organization.  
  • He claimed that Andrew Jackson had profound thoughts about the Civil War and its prevention, even though Jackson died 16 years before war broke out and owned slaves himself. 

And he spoke this gem about Abraham Lincoln:

“Great president. Most people don’t even know he was a Republican. Does anyone know? Lot of people don’t know that.” 

Since the Republican Party constantly refers to itself as “the party that Lincoln founded,” I suspect most people already knew that Lincoln was a Republican, but apparently not the current leader of that political party.