This Is Not Reality TV. This Is Reality

Even in this insane political year, here's a headline I'll bet you nevvver imagined you would read in the Washington Post: Trump invites Russia to meddle in the U.S. presidential race with Clinton’s emails.  Or in Time Magazine: Donald Trump Calls on Russia to Hack Hillary Clinton’s Emails   

The Republican candidate for President of the U.S., who is granted the courtesy of national security briefings during the campaign, suggested that Russia engage in cyber spying of a United States Secretary of State's email account, and make those emails public.

This has led to military and national security veterans saying his statement is shocking, irresponsible, even treasonous and evidence of criminal intent.  At worst, it is a felony.  At best it is disqualifying.

Historians could not think of a precedent for this statement.  One noted that if a sitting President had made it, it would be an impeachable offence, worse that Watergate.

It was only one of his mind-boggling statements in his press conference Wednesday, which also included barely veiled racist remarks about President Obama, insulting language to his questioners, and assertions both demonstrably false and so obscure that their sources couldn't be found.  And just to make sure he touched all the bases, the morning after the Dems nominated the first woman for President, he told a woman reporter to "be quiet." Here's the Post's annotated description.

Months ago I wrote that all Hillary had to do to beat Trump was to run as the candidate who is "not insane."  At the convention Wednesday, independent former NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg added a line at the end of his speech: "Let's elect a sane competent person..."  It's come to that.

But today we got a taste of how profoundly dangerous Trump would be.  As Bloomberg also said: "This is not reality TV.  This is reality."

Also today, Wikileaks released voicemails stolen from the DNC.  As the Guardian reports, there is no political content in them.  They only compromise private citizens as well as politicians, and give out private phone numbers left as messages.  Some of the messages are from children.  This is at best the act of fanatics with no sense of boundaries.  We're seeing that a lot lately.