Why was Trump so obsessed with protecting Flynn?

This is the key mystery from Comey's testimony

Michael Flynn.
(Image credit: REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo)

In former FBI Director James Comey's dramatic testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday, there was a good deal of discussion about President Trump's demands for loyalty. But there's only one person to whom Trump himself has seemed to show anything resembling loyalty in this Russia scandal: Michael Flynn. Which raises a question that remains mysterious. Why was the president so intensely interested in protecting Flynn?

In Comey's prepared statement, he made clear that Trump attempted to apply particular pressure on him with regard to Flynn. Here's part of Comey's remarks:

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Paul Waldman

Paul Waldman is a senior writer with The American Prospect magazine and a blogger for The Washington Post. His writing has appeared in dozens of newspapers, magazines, and web sites, and he is the author or co-author of four books on media and politics.