“Nobody has ever been charged for hoping something, right?” This was Idaho Republican Sen. Jim Risch’s question to former FBI Director James Comey regarding President Trump’s “hope” — privately expressed to Comey — that he would let the investigation of Mike Flynn drop.

You could extend this line of thinking to the conclusion that Trump’s comments are perfectly innocuous. And indeed, some of Trump’s die-hard supporters have already been inclined to do so. But I don’t think you can really get away with this.