Impeaching Trump: Make America Sane Again

[Uncle Ted]

Come you Dems, you need to work harder... McConnell is still not convinced.

McConnell: Senate won’t convict Trump

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters the closed-door impeachment proceedings in the House have not produced evidence that would sway enough Republican senators to convict President Trump if he is impeached.

“How long it goes on just depends on how long the Senate wants to spend on it,” McConnell said Tuesday when asked about the length of a potential Senate trial. “I will say I'm pretty sure how it is likely to end. If it were today, I don’t think there is any question it would not lead to a removal.”
[...]

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/n...-convict-trump

We want President Pence!

[BlueK]

Come you Dems, you need to work harder... McConnell is still not convinced.


https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/n...-convict-trump

We want President Pence!

sure you do

[Uncle Ted]

Dammit, this isn't helping...

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ZELDIN: “So do you have any other source that the president’s goal in making this request was anything other than The New York Times?”

TAYLOR: “I have not talked to the president. I have no other information from what the president was thinking."

[myboynoah]

Incompetence is not an impeachable offense

So this appears to be what Repubs figure to be their best defense. The stable genius is not such a genius after all. C'mon, this was not rocket science; it's actually a pretty simple transaction. It's between two people, so no third parties to worry about. The trade is straight up tit for tat. The terms are clear: you do this and we'll do that. The most convincing element is that it would benefit Trump; his lens is forever about how he gets his.

Career civil servant diplomats don't run off pursuing initiatives, especially something as sideways as this was, without clear guidance. THEY DON'T DIVINE WHAT THEY THINK THEIR POLICYMAKER BOSSES WANT TO DO!!!!! They act on clear marching orders. Somebody told them to pursue this, and that was clearly Sondland and Giulianni. Were those two really acting on their own? Hardly. Does anyone in Trump's orbit act on their own without facing consequences? This has Trump stink written all over it. He doesn't see anything wrong with the deal, hence he keeps talking about that "perfect" call.

Of course, the Repubs could clear this all up by simply asking White House folks to testify and show us all what a waste of time this has all been.

This Thiessen guy is a partisan idiot. The Post should drop him from it's lineup.

[Uncle Ted]

It seems the Dems put more weight on the testimonies that are nothing but hearsay than the first hand transcript of the phone call that both people who were talking agreed was accurate. Also, it seems that Taylor's testimony was far from being even helpful:

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WTF, where the Quid Pro Quo? We were promised an impeachment! This is the Dem's star witness?

It seems that the most useful thing Taylor said was actually nothing:

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[falafel]

I'm sorry this is not going how you wanted it to Uncle Ted.

[PaloAltoCougar]

It seems the Dems put more weight on the testimonies that are nothing but hearsay than the first hand transcript of the phone call that both people who were talking agreed was accurate. Also, it seems that Taylor's testimony was far from being even helpful:

....

WTF, where the Quid Pro Quo? We were promised an impeachment! This is the Dem's star witness?

It seems that the most useful thing Taylor said was actually nothing...

Although unsurprising, it’s still interesting to me that you see no problem with yesterday’s testimony from Trump’s perspective. Jordan did what any good defense attorney would do (which is why the GOP made him a temporary member of the committee, as the standing members lacked either the skill or the stomach to do what Jordan did): ignore the truly damning facts while focusing on facts that may be bad for the other side, despite being irrelevant to the case in question.

Those who declare Trump did nothing wrong, that his and Giuliani’s efforts were not terribly problematic, and that the conversation was “perfect” and “beautiful,” are either genuinely stupid or are willing to sacrifice principle in favor or partisanship (and sure, there are always loads of “whatabouts” in any political discussion).

As this continues to unfold, I’m struck by the difference between this and the Clinton impeachment proceeding. Like Trump, Clinton chose to deny, deny, deny, but ultimately decided (helped by the blue dress revelation) to admit his wrongdoing and, in essence, promised to do better going forward. That gave his supporters enough political cover to slap his wrists but still stand by him. Trump, on the other hand, is pathologically incapable of admitting any wrongdoing, ever, and thus is putting his more principled defenders in an awkward position.

[Uncle Ted]

Although unsurprising, it’s still interesting to me that you see no problem with yesterday’s testimony from Trump’s perspective. Jordan did what any good defense attorney would do (which is why the GOP made him a temporary member of the committee, as the standing members lacked either the skill or the stomach to do what Jordan did): ignore the truly damning facts while focusing on facts that may be bad for the other side, despite being irrelevant to the case in question.

Those who declare Trump did nothing wrong, that his and Giuliani’s efforts were not terribly problematic, and that the conversation was “perfect” and “beautiful,” are either genuinely stupid or are willing to sacrifice principle in favor or partisanship (and sure, there are always loads of “whatabouts” in any political discussion).

As this continues to unfold, I’m struck by the difference between this and the Clinton impeachment proceeding. Like Trump, Clinton chose to deny, deny, deny, but ultimately decided (helped by the blue dress revelation) to admit his wrongdoing and, in essence, promised to do better going forward. That gave his supporters enough political cover to slap his wrists but still stand by him. Trump, on the other hand, is pathologically incapable of admitting any wrongdoing, ever, and thus is putting his more principled defenders in an awkward position.

I see the big difference here is that Drumpf quickly released the transcript and both parties that were on each end of the line agree it is correct. Yeah, he was wrong for suggesting that Ukraine might want to check into the Bidens while cleaning the corruption problem they have. Anyone that thinks that the crackhead, Hunter Biden, deserved to be on a board seat for that Ukrainian energy company and paid $50K+/mo must be doing crack as well. That is smoke for corruption. So there is most likely a fire. Drumpf should of said, "I know how Joe Biden said to fire that guy looking into the company that his son happened to be a board member of or he would put a stop to the billions in aid money but Sleepy Joe isn't the VP anymore... get my hint?"

[falafel]

I see the big difference here is that Drumpf quickly released the transcript and both parties that were on each end of the line agree it is correct. Yeah, he was wrong for suggesting that Ukraine might want to check into the Bidens while cleaning the corruption problem they have. Anyone that thinks that the crackhead, Hunter Biden, deserved to be on a board seat for that Ukrainian energy company and paid $50K+/mo must be doing crack as well. That is smoke for corruption. So there is most likely a fire. Drumpf should of said, "I know how Joe Biden said to fire that guy looking into the company that his son happened to be a board member of or he would put a stop to the billions in aid money but Sleepy Joe isn't the VP anymore... get my hint?"

You are right, that is smoke. Smoke and mirrors. Irrelevant to the impeachment inquiry.

[PaloAltoCougar]

I see the big difference here is that Drumpf quickly released the transcript and both parties that were on each end of the line agree it is correct. Yeah, he was wrong for suggesting that Ukraine might want to check into the Bidens while cleaning the corruption problem they have. Anyone that thinks that the crackhead, Hunter Biden, deserved to be on a board seat for that Ukrainian energy company and paid $50K+/mo must be doing crack as well. That is smoke for corruption. So there is most likely a fire. Drumpf should of said, "I know how Joe Biden said to fire that guy looking into the company that his son happened to be a board member of or he would put a stop to the billions in aid money but Sleepy Joe isn't the VP anymore... get my hint?"

I don't have the time to go back and look into this point, which I know is part of the Trump defense, but it was my understanding that the guy was not actively looking into Burisma or Hunter Biden at the time Joe made his demand. Put another way, Joe Biden's beef (and that of the U.S. State Department and several EU members), was that the prosecutor WASN'T investigating corruption, not because he was. I'm open to contradictory evidence.

[Northwestcoug]

I'm sorry this is not going how you wanted it to Uncle Ted.

What on earth are you talking about?!? It's going spectacularly according to plan! It's being exposed as a partisan witch hunt. Better now that it's all in the open so that even us who don't read the Federalist can see for ourselves just how baseless the impeachment inquiry is. I mean, come on, haven't you read Ted's links?!?

If you're still not convinced, I'm sure Ted still has some big guns left to pull out, no doubt from many reputable blue check twitter dudes.

[myboynoah]

Again, if Repubs are not satisfied with second-hand accounts, then press the White House to send people who can give first-hand accounts. Let them come forward to tell us all that Trump never pressed Ukraine to do his opposition research on Biden. That would be game, set, match.

Unfortunately, it appears that Sondland's embassy handlers during his trips to Ukraine were in the room and remember Trump raising Biden investigations during the Trump-Sondland phone calls.

Poor Sondland. So earnest and so eager to be a "player". Gives $1 million for Trump's inauguration, get's a nice ambassadorship in Brussels, and then wants to please. So he takes up Trump's shakedown effort to get a public statement by Ukraine that it was investigating Biden. He thinks he's becoming a mover and shaker, pleasing the boss. Oh glory. Now he looks like just another idiot whose life is ruined in the wake of Trump's assholery. I guess he'll need to amend his testimony again. At least he'll find a support group with Michael Cohen in jail.

[wapiti]

Trump want South Korea to pay 5x what they are currently paying for having our troops there. Like the only reason we have troops there is to protect South Korea.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/14/polit...ike/index.html

Impeach him already. What are we waiting for?

[myboynoah]

Uh oh.

Career White House budget official expected to break ranks, testify in impeachment inquiry

A senior administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing inquiry, discounted the importance of Sandy’s testimony and criticized House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.) for calling him to testify.

“Democrats are going to be sorely disappointed when their latest false narrative isn’t confirmed,” the official said. “With nothing to show after three years trying to impeach the President, Speaker Pelosi and Rep. Schiff have resorted to threatening dedicated civil servants with subpoenas and depositions without the ability to even have agency counsel present.”

Yeah, this guy is really being forced to testify. He's asking to be subpoenaed so he has cover for his appearance. And that's a big "No Thank You" on having the help of White House lawyers.

That anonymous WH official, who sounds an awful lot like Kelly Ann, seems pretty nervous about this.

[Walter Sobchak]

Trump want South Korea to pay 5x what they are currently paying for having our troops there.

Good.