Dems blasted for making Mueller a victim

Music legend Charlie Daniels

Former special counsel Robert Mueller was described this week by both Democrats and Republicans as a patriotic American of longstanding integrity who served the nation as a decorated Marine in Vietnam and FBI director.

However, his performance in two hearings Wednesday regarding his report on alleged Trump-Russia collusion was characterized as hesitating, stumbling and self-contradicting. He seemed to be so unfamiliar with the 448-page report that speculation quickly grew that he had little to do with its creation and perhaps even the investigation behind it.

Country rock superstar Charlie Daniels concluded in his column Friday that Mueller was a victim.

Of Democrats.

In Congress.

Who cared about him not one bit.

"Personal concerns and human compassion are in short supply on Capitol Hill and [committee chairs Reps.] Adam Schiff and Jerry Nadler cared for neither Mueller's feelings nor the way the public would perceive him and to their shame insisted that he appear," Daniels wrote in his Soap Box column.

"As long as there was the remotest possibility he would say something that would further their obsessive political ambitions, they would demand that he make an appearance, health and peace of mind be damned," he said.

He said he never believed the Democrats' allegations about the Trump campaign.

He did, however, expect a vigorous defense of the report, "an ordered and well-prepared presentation that would leave enough loose threads for the Democrats, who were foaming at the mouth in apprehension of his appearance, to get their teeth on in their never-ending effort to extend the hearings into the presidential election."

However, America saw "an unprepared, out of sync, obviously ill at ease lawyer who seemed burnt out on the whole process, dependent on an assistant and seemingly unfamiliar with what he had 'written,' literally to the point that it makes one wonder how much he actually had to do with the document and how much hands-on involvement he had in the operation," he said.

"Mueller seemed disjointed, removed and tenuous, contradicting himself and fumbling over his responses, deflecting and refusing to answer inquiries that seemed rather trivial in the overall objectivity of the investigation," he said.

"To think that this will probably be the thing most remembered about this man who has devoted his life to public service, served in the Marine Corps, head of the FBI, and many other prestigious undertakings, it seems a shame and, in a sense, unfair," he wrote.

"He didn’t want to testify, he made that perfectly clear, that he would only divulge information already contained in the report and that he felt he had nothing left to add. He wanted to be left alone."

What, then, did the Democrats achieve?

"They made the public even more sick of this farce and, although they will continue with the subpoenas, investigations and forcing people to testify before their committees, they have shown the country their true colors, their unbridled malice and hate and the absolute fact they’d rather pursue their own obsessions than to take care of the mountain of needs this hurting nation has."

What might fix this?

"If America is ever given a national enema, the nozzle should be inserted in D.C.," he said.

Daniels has been honored for his gospel music, Southern rock anthems and country hits. At 82, he still carries a full load of performing and recording duties.

He started out in the blue grass genre with the Misty Mountain Boys and moved to Nashville in 1967.

Elvis Presley recorded a tune Daniels co-wrote titled "It Hurts Me," which was released on the flip side of "Kissin’ Cousins." He played on such landmark albums as Bob Dylan's "Nashville Skyline."

He started the Charlie Daniels Band in 1972, and among the many hits he's known for are "Long Haired Country Boy," "The South’s Gonna Do It Again," "In America" and his signature, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia."