The Founding Fathers, in their genius, created three co-equal branches of government, and a built-in system of checks and balances, and I feel as tho… - James R. Clapper

Of course, the Russian effort affected the outcome. Surprising even themselves, they swung the election to a Trump win. To conclude otherwise stretches logic, common sense, and credulity to the breaking point.

I went on to say that 'I hoped he would abide by the long-standing principle of the [intelligence community] always telling 'truth to power'.

If it weren't for President Obama we might not have done the intelligence community assessment that we did that set up a whole sequence of event which are still unfolding today, including Special Counsel Mueller's investigation. President Obama is responsible for that. It was he who tasked us to do that intelligence community assessment in the first place.