Was it Inappropriate?

HUFFPOST

The above chart is from a HuffPost article and poll. There is a lot more to it then this, but basically, a majority of people think Don Jr.'s meeting with the Russian lawyer was inappropriate. 

I want to discuss this for a simple reason. There is a big difference between "inappropriate" and "illegal." There is also a huge difference between legal decision and public opinion. 

Do I think it was "inappropriate" for him to take that meeting? Yes, I do. I don't think it was uncommon. I don't think the Dems would have walked away had it been them who were called. And who knows, maybe they were. 

Do I think it was "illegal?" Apparently not, although I don't know. I didn't go to law school and I'm not going to pretend I can answer that with any kind of authority. I'm a journalist, not a lawyer (and yes, I went to journalism school, for those who just laughed). 

If I was going to answer that poll based on what I learned from the media, I'd have to say Don Jr. is Satan himself. But I prefer to get all the facts. I'd like to see what he says under oath, what the investigation finds out about it, etc. So again, I can't say if he did anything wrong or not.

But was it inappropriate? Yea, I think it was. I think a lot of stuff done during this election, on both sides, was highly inappropriate. That was sort of the theme of this one... hide your kids or risk them learning terrible things. 

So what was the point of this poll? Public opinion doesn't mean a whole lot in the long term. It won't have any effect of the outcome of the investigation or what will or will not be done. What they're doing here is what they normally do: they are trying to force shame someone they oppose. Of course, they hope it will effect the elections in 2018 and any special elections between now and then. They are hoping people who are OK with this, unsure of this, or people like me who want more information before making a decision to feel as though they are complete heels and should be against this 100%. They want the people in the political class to turn on Trump because "the people" - none of which the media or any politician actually gives a crap about - are against him. 

Did Don Jr. do something inappropriate? I believe so. Not something out of the ordinary. And the Dems still don't have the moral high ground here. But did he do something illegal? I don't know. And I'm not afraid or ashamed to admit that. I don't know. I want more facts. I want more information. And I'd hope we all felt the same way. 

Folks, I have been saying this since I began doing blogs on politics... polls don't mean squat. If you didn't learn that after this election, then you aren't paying attention at all. You aren't going to get instant gratification here. Demand the facts and the truth, and only then should you form an opinion. And then... realize your opinion doesn't matter much. That is, sadly, how it goes. 

Legality matters. Appropriateness does not.