ABC News Exclusive: Former FBI Director James Comey calls President Trump 'morally unfit' for office

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ByLilian Kim KGO logo
Monday, April 16, 2018
James Comey calls President Trump morally unfit for office
James Comey talked about the possibility of the president obstructing justice, his concerns over whether the Russians have something to hold over Trump and much more in an exclusive interview with ABC News.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Former FBI Director James Comey kicked off his publicity blitz for his new memoir with ABC's George Stephanopoulos. It was Comey's first televised interview since the President fired him last year.

There were no tweets from the president immediately following the hour-long broadcast, during which Comey called Mr. Trump a serial liar and even remarked on his personal appearance.

TRANSCRIPT: James Comey's interview with ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos

"His tie was too long as it always is. He looked slightly orange up close," said Comey.

The wide-ranging conversation included allegations of Mr. Trump and Russian prostitutes to Comey giving his personal take on Mr. Trump as president.

"I don't think he's medically unfit to be president. I think he's morally unfit to be president," said Comey.

RELATED: President Trump again calls James Comey a 'slimeball' ahead of new book

"He's criticizing the President in a way that I don't feel like we've heard before," said Prof. Melissa Michelson, a political science professor at Menlo College.

What Michelson found telling was Comey saying that the public is duty bound to vote Mr. Trump out of office, and that he doesn't favor impeachment because that would just let the American people off the hook.

"The people voted for this. Right? So it's kind of consistent with him continuing to say it's not my fault. A lot of folks think (Clinton losing the election) is his fault."

RELATED: Bay Area political leaders eager to hear what James Comey has to say

Comey re-openened the Hillary Clinton email investigation just days before the election, which many believe cost her the White House.

Yet despite Comey's continuing defense over how he handled the matter, it appears neither Democrats nor Republicans are going to walk away from the interview with a different opinion of him.

"In my opinion he has no moral backbone, it's hard to hear what he's saying and take it as fact," said Hilary Hagenbuch of the San Francisco Republican Party.

Even so, pre-orders of Comey's book, "A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership", have already pushed it to the top of best seller lists. The memoir will be released on Tuesday.

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