LogFAQs > #908685905

Instead, Obama sought to enlist Republican congressional leaders to craft a joint statement with Democrats that would condemn Putins government.

The Obama folks did not want any public statement they made about what the Russians were doing to look partisan, Isikoff said, because they were afraid that Trump would use it for political effect. So their idea was, Well, if we can get Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan to sign on to a bipartisan statement, that might cushion the White House from any attacks made by Trump that Obama was trying to tilt the election in favor of Hillary Clinton.

McConnell refused to sign the joint statement, leaving Obama out on his own.

As he saw it, any statement along those lines would only feed the Clinton campaigns narrative, Isikoff said. His concern at that point was holding on to power in the Senate, so McConnell unquestionably takes some responsibility.

Mitch McConnell

Paul Ryan

bipartisan