November 5, 2016 --

New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd began her August 18, 2013 column with this comment: “Clinton nostalgia is being replaced by Clinton neuralgia. She noted: “Just when the Clintons are supposed to be floating above it all, on a dignified cloud of do-gooding leading into 2016, pop-pop-pop, little explosions go off everywhere reminding us of the troubling connections and values they drag around.” Incredibly, the following paragraph opened thus: “There’s the continuing grotesque spectacle of Anthony Weiner and Huma Abedin.”

How about that? – written thirty-eight months ago. Omigosh, is Maureen Dowd the source of the Wikileaks material concerning Secretary Clinton. Worse, is Maureen Dowd an agent for (gasp) Russian leader V. Putin?

Probably not. Interestingly, Michael Ledeen, chatting with John Batchelor, on the John Batchelor Show, the evening of October 31, suggested that Putin would prefer Mrs. Clinton over Donald J. Trump as our next president.

Another omigosh. Has the commotion from Democrats about Russia’s intrusion into the 2016 presidential campaign been inspired by John le Carre’s novel, “The Spy Who Came in From the Cold?” In that novel, the loyal East German counter-intelligence officer was framed by his superior, a double-agent for the Brits, with key help from the Brits. If Ledeen is right, are the Democrats pointing fingers at Trump to divert attention from the real candidate Putin wants to see inaugurated next January 20 as our 45th president?

The Dowd August 18, 2013 column concluded with this observation: “The Clintons want to do big worthy things, but they also want to squeeze money from rich people wherever they live on planet Earth, insatiably gobbling up cash for politics and charity and themselves from the same incestuous swirl.” In the middle of the column was this teaser: “Why don’t the Clintons ever have enough cash?"