» Montini: How we should evaluate what Trump, Comey and McCain had to say.

Even before former FBI Director James Comey testified at a Senate committee hearing Thursday I got a note from a reader who said, “You don’t actually believe the rule of law applies to Trump, do you?” No. I actually don’t. I believe that fact was established during the election. The rules don’t apply to Donald Trump. Not the rules of etiquette. Not the rules of morality. Not the rules, period. Still, I watched the hearing, because I’d like to believe those rules still matter to the rest of us. Or at least to some of us. Afterward, every media outlet had people (yeah, like me) doing some form of snap analysis of what they saw and heard. All of that was in addition to the millions of individuals with access to social media, who were able to provide their own instant analysis.

To my mind, the most succinct of these observations didn’t come from any of the professional pontificators, but from the frontman of the Los Angeles-based indie rock band the Airborne Toxic Event. His name is Mikel Jollett, and he tweeted:

“BIG TAKEAWAYS FROM COMEY HEARING: 1. Trump is guilty. 2. Republicans are determined to act like he’s not. 3. McCain has lost his mind.”

He’s harsh to the point of cruelty with McCain, but the senator’s confused, baffled questioning of Comey had everyone who watched the hearing wondering if there is something physically wrong with him.

The senator later issued a statement trying to explain his behavior, joking about how he shouldn’t stay up late watching D-Backs games. Still ... Comey, on the other hand, laid out in a straightforward, no-nonsense manner how Trump tried to influence his investigation. In notes on his conversations with the president, Comey describes how Trump told him, “I need loyalty. I expect loyalty.”

Then, in regard to an investigation the FBI is conducting into the president’s former national security adviser, Trump said, “I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go. He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go.’’

Republicans on the panel tried to play down the notion that this was a directive, or even intimidation. But come on. If the CEO of your company told you he’d hope you’ll see the way clear to dumping a project, would you call that a suggestion ... or an order? Exactly. Comey said of Trump’s words, “I took it as a direction. I mean, this is the president of the United States, with me, alone, saying, ‘I hope this.’ I took it as, this is what he wants me to do. Now, I didn’t obey that, but that’s the way I took it.” Can you blame him? There is a special counsel just beginning to look to this. And Congress remains involved. And we all know the rules don’t apply to Trump.

But if that isn’t obstruction of justice, what is?