Republicans see the bright side of Comey’s testimony

Comey’s explosive seven pages of remarks, which he’ll formally deliver to the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday, made it clear that Trump encouraged Comey to drop his investigation into former national security adviser Mike Flynn, and that he wanted Comey to say in public that Trump was not being investigated.

Comey’s recollection of his strained and seemingly uncomfortable interactions with Trump had Democrats arguing that Trump was trying to obstruct justice.

But several Republicans said after reading the testimony that Trump has reason to be pleased with Comey’s remarks, and some went so far as to say it’s a victory for Trump.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said Trump’s biggest victory involves the fact that Trump wanted Comey to highlight all along: that Trump was not a subject of his Russia investigation.

“Comey has now told us all that the president is not under investigation as an individual for colluding with Russia, that President Trump is not a target or subject to a criminal investigation or counterintelligence investigation regarding colluding with the Russians,” Graham said on Fox. “All in all, it’s a pretty good day for President Trump.”

Comey’s revelation was surprising for two reasons. First, Trump said in May as he fired Comey that he appreciated that Comey had told him three times that he was not part of the investigation into Russia’s election meddling. That claim was dismissed by many of Trump’s opponents, but Comey’s memo confirmed that Trump was correct and that Comey volunteered that information before Trump asked directly about it.

Comey’s news is also a blow to Democrats, who have pushed the idea that not only was Russia meddling in the election, but Trump himself was colluding with Russia toward that end. Comey’s remarks, at least for now, make it harder for Democrats to make that claim.

Trump’s lawyer, Marc Kasowitz, said the news was a vindication for Trump since it eliminates the Democrats’ main charge against him.

“The president is pleased that Mr. Comey has finally publicly confirmed his private reports that the president was not under investigation in any Russian probe,” he said. “The president feels completely and totally vindicated. He is eager to continue to move forward with his agenda.”

Graham made a related point on Fox by noting that Special Counsel Robert Mueller probably would not agree to let Comey testify in the Senate if he thought he was preparing an obstruction of justice case against Trump.

Others downplayed another notable part of the testimony in which Comey said Trump asked him for “loyalty.” Democrats charged that this appeared to be an effort by Trump to warp the ongoing investigation.

But Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., dismissed that discussion as the talk of a Washington outside.

“It reads like the president talks,” he said on Fox. “It sounds like a guy who is not a Washington guy. America did not select a Washington guy or a politician, they hired a New York business guy.”

“It doesn’t surprise me he’s sitting down with all the people that he’s hiring and putting on board, face to face, and saying ‘I need you to be loyal,'” Lankford added.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who clashed a few times with Trump during the campaign, was more cautious and said it’s not appropriate for Trump to be seeking loyalty from the head of the FBI.

But Ryan’s House colleague, Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, said there are ways to ask for loyalty that don’t go too far.

“I think any president would expect the Cabinet secretaries and the presidential appointments and the Senate confirmed appointments to be loyal,” he said. “You can be loyal and still question the acts of the president. You got a responsibility and an oath of office, but you can at the same time — if you feel you can’t be loyal, you can always resign. So I don’t see a problem with that.”