Aaaand...we're back! (Life away from Twitter)

On MSNC. Pete Williams reading Barr's letter.

Regarding obstruction: "Special counsel sets out evidence on both sides. . . While the report does not conclude that the president did not commit a crime, it does not exonerate him".

— Jennifer Taub (@jentaub) March 24, 2019

Which seems like a euphemism for "Bound by DOJ regulations, we can't seek a criminal indictment. But we would."

No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 24, 2019

Yeah, that's not what your AG said; and he's not releasing the full report. Yet. Standby, Chuckles. And let's just remember:

Per a DOJ official: #Mueller was not consulted in the creation of this letter to Congress, nor was he at the department today. It was the product of Barr, Rosenstein and advisors including from the office of legal counsel.

— Katie Benner (@ktbenner) March 24, 2019

Which means:

BREAKING - per @ABC @MLevineReports : DOJ letter describes "two main" Russian efforts to influence the election. And says Mueller did not make a conclusion on whether obstruction of justice occurred

— John Santucci (@Santucci) March 24, 2019

We still don't know if that's true. It matters who tells the story:

Here's how Barr avoided charging the President, which Mueller did not decide:

1) Treated the underlying crime as the 2 RU interference operations, not other potential crimes (like quid pro quo there's tons of evidence for)

— emptywheel (@emptywheel) March 24, 2019

2) Having defined the underlying crime as JUST the hack-and-leak and trolling, and not quid pro quo, but also having Mueller submit a legit case for obstruction, they said, "if not hack-and-leak, then not obstruction."

— emptywheel (@emptywheel) March 24, 2019

And this is certainly true:

If I were Trump,I wouldnt be celebrating. A report from a team of fed prosecutors there was evidence a sitting President obstructed justice? Is our bar so low that this is what we want from a Pres? The exoneration here is from Barr (Trump's guy), not Mueller. Need to see Report.

— Neal Katyal (@neal_katyal) March 24, 2019

Because here's the bottom line:

This is going to be questioned by every competent attorney in America. https://t.co/n3q8aOQ5jI

— Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) March 24, 2019

They will if they get to see the evidence Mueller saw. All we have right now is a letter from Barr and Rosenstein saying what they think the report says. Like reading a movie review, I think I'd like to see it myself and draw my own conclusions. Been to too many movies and left wondering which one the critics saw to accept the summary as a true and accurate representation without seeing for myself. T

This ain't over 'til it's over.