When patrons tell bartenders it is time to “86” that guy at the end of the bar, they mean he’s drunk and should be cut off. In other contexts, it might mean to nix, or to cancel, someone. It might also mean something more serious.
When James Comey aligned seashells to read, 86 47, he knew what he was doing. He sent a message to those who loathe the man who has survived two assassination attempts. It is hardly a stretch to conclude that—given his well-known hatred of our 47th president—that this was his way of signaling his wish that someone try again. After all, this is not virgin territory for Comey: he is the former Director of the FBI and he knows what to “86” someone means; he surely wasn’t suggesting that the teetotaler be cut off at the bar.
Some in the media, still burning with rage that Trump won, are covering for Comey by pretending he is being misunderstood.
“Ex-FBI Director James Comey Posted a Picture of Seashells. Now He’s Being Probed for ‘Threats’ to Trump.” Yahoo lied. No one would care if Comey simply took a picture of seashells. But that is not what he did.
Similarly, the BBC posted, “Ex-FBI Boss Investigated for Seashell Photo as Threat to Trump.”
Many media outlets, including ABC News, are saying that Merriam-Webster defines to “86” someone or something means to “get rid of” someone or something. True enough. In this instance, the someone is the president of the United States. Comey needs to be asked: What did he think would happen if someone took him seriously and tried to “get rid” of Trump?
In some popular circles, to “86” someone is to kill him. Indeed, Cassell’s Dictionary of Slang says “to 86” means “to kill, to murder; to execute judicially.”
Comey has previously shown himself to be an extremely embittered man. Now he has proven to be beyond reckless—he is salivating over the death of President Trump.
Those who think this is an exaggeration need to explain why a majority (55 percent) of self-identified “left of center” adults recently told Network Contagion Research Institute pollsters that murdering Trump is justified. Comey is playing with fire, and he knows it. He’s not a dumb man.
