Comey hoped to be enduring power broker.

COMEY WANTED TO BE THE NEW J.EDGAR HOOVER

TRIED TO PLAY ALL SIDES TO ENSURE HIS LONGEVITY

Many have attempted to figure out what James Comey was doing in the 2016 election. It appears he wanted to become a power broker in the image of J.Edgar Hoover. He might have pulled it off if Trump had not won the election.

So, it seems he cooperated with Obama and Attorney General Loretta Lynch in keeping Hillary Clinton under investigation until after the primary election ended. He must have had a deal with Obama and Lynch that if he played his role right he would be rewarded with a long tenure at the FBI. At the runway meeting with Bill Clinton it was agreed that Lynch would be kept on as attorney general in a Clinton Presidency. This would assure Comey's tenure as he had the goods on Clinton and also knew about the deal with Clinton, Obama and Lynch.

With Lynch as Attorney General and Comey as FBI director they would have Clinton on a leash to be a third term for Obama. Obama believed he could have won a third term easily if allowed, and stated as much. He and Clinton made their first trip after their Runway deal and Clinton's exoneration to North Carolina were Obama did most of the talking as Clinton sat on a stool and nodded in affirmation. He made it clear that this was going to be a third Obama term. 

They never had any doubt that Clinton would win. Comey stated as much in his book. His press conference in the last week of the election about emails on Uma's computer was his weak attempt to salvage his and the FBI's reputation. He came out several days before the election to clear her. They all had no doubt about Clinton winning.

Comey believed he now had another 8 years as FBI director, dirt on many people in the FBI and Justice department, and was well on his way of becoming a fixture as FBI Director.

Then the impossible happened, while Obama and Hillary were jiving with Byonce and JZ in Philadelphia, Trump was campaigning hard in Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota. Then Trump posted a convincing win on November 8.

This threw a monkey wrench into Comey's plans, not only was his future not assured, but many people had cut corners to help assure a Clinton victory. They were now all vulnerable to exposure. 

Trump was not sure about Comey, but gave him the benefit of the doubt. When Comey called for a private meeting with Trump to tell him about the contents of the Dossier, Trump believed Comey was trying to hold it as leverage over him. This, his handling of the Clinton email affair and the feeling that he was not going to be working in the best interest of the President, led him to fire Comey. 

After the firing of Comey, Assistant attorney general Rosenstein brought Robert Mueller, a close friend of Comey, to see the president, he recommended Mueller as the new FBI director. Trump wisely decided against this pick.

Within days, Sessions recused himself and Rosenstein named Mueller as special council to investigate Trump.