Posted on 01/22/2020 3:12:35 AM PST by Kaslin
It won’t be long before the noise of the impeachment proceedings grows tedious. But there were parts of the first day of action that were compelling, if only due to the change of venue.
The action moved from House committee rooms to the Senate floor, buzzing with 100 percent attendance, the electricity of anticipation and the robed Chief Justice John Roberts at the helm. Before any actual arguments begin, the schedule called for a debate on the procedural roadmap the proceedings will follow. Both sides took the opportunity to wrap their arguments in generous imagery that they will be deploying in further detail later. Democrats complained that any process that does not allow them unfettered witness and document access is a “cover-up." Republicans lamented the very prospect of having to defend President Trump against charges so thin.
Freed from his committee chairman’s throne, Adam Schiff brought a conversational style to his House manager role that evaded him during the weeks of lopsided hearings. I obviously found his content wanting, but he was less annoying than when he held the gavel.
For the Trump team’s part, lead attorney Pat Cipollone’s opening remarks were brief and halting. His skill and comfort with the written word did not translate immediately to television; the ensuing remarks from Jay Sekulow, delivered with the talk show skills he wields alongside his law career, made me wonder who needed to walk the point in the days ahead.
But Cipollone soon found his pace, weaving a story of Democrats bent on subverting the 2016 election results while simultaneously attempting to remove Trump from the ballot this year. “They’re not here to steal one election, they’re here to steal two elections,” he argued. “It’s outrageous and the American people are not going to stand for it.”
Both sides are banking on a wave of public reaction as the days pass. The Trump team wants viewers to join them in asking why the nation must be put through this. The House managers want them to wonder what the president is afraid of in opposing fresh witnesses.
It is the witness question that will determine how long the trial lasts. The 24 accusatory hours will now play out over three days instead of two. The Trump response is afforded 24 of its own hours and surely will not claim all of them.
Then we will get 16 hours of senators asking questions, which should wake us up. Republicans will ask about long-standing Democratic impeachment obsessions and the foot-dragging that followed their claims of pressing urgency. Democrats will ask Trump attorneys about their claim that the president “did nothing wrong,” despite the GAO report suggesting that the withholding of Ukraine aid money was in fact illegal. I trust one of them will be able to explain that the GAO is entitled to its opinion, but it is not dispositive.
We now move to a few days of predictability. Who doesn’t know the gist of what both sides will say? In fact, watching the gravity of today’s events, I wondered: Will all this time and money change one mind? The final vote will not come close to presidential removal, but could there be Republican defections? Today’s votes fell along party lines. The issue of witnesses may see discordant votes from Mitt Romney, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, if not others. But I don’t believe there is one Republican senator who wants to explain to GOP constituents about a vote to remove president nearly all of them surely voted for and intend to vote for again.
But are there Democrats who face a similar prospect? Joe Manchin of West Virginia represents a state Trump won by more than 40 points, sweeping every county. In Alabama, Doug Jones would like to hang on to his temporarily Democratic seat in a state Trump dominated by nearly 30 points. He won Arizona by only four, but some eyes are on Kyrsten Sinema, especially if other Democrats telegraph a willingness to vote to acquit.
That culminating vote could come next week without witnesses; with them, it may take us beyond next month.
In the speculative game of who is benefited in each case, I’m settling on the notion that a protracted trial is not good for anyone. Democrats run the risk of angering voters who will blame them for the arduous exercise; Republicans have to remember that each day of coverage is a chorus of bullhorns dominated by a media culture that despises Trump, and will find ways to spin every development against him.
WOE to ANY WEAK KNEED REPUBLICAN!!
But Cipollone soon found his pace, weaving a story of Democrats bent on subverting the 2016 election results while simultaneously attempting to remove Trump from the ballot this year. “They’re not here to steal one election, they’re here to steal two elections,” he argued. “It’s outrageous and the American people are not going to stand for it.”
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I winced when he said that last line.
Way too politician-y.
I wish he would have said something like: and no matter WHAT your politics, the sight of politicians trying to de-enfranchise the American voter should make you sick to your stomach.
The American people better darn well be paying attention to this Democrat inspired impeachment farce and getting massively vocal with their politicians, for if the Democrat Party ever really gets to impeach POTUS, Donald J. Trump, this great nation of ours is gone...and I mean gone!!!
I mean come on, folks the handwriting is on the wall clearly for everyone to see and hear.....get ready, give a tremendous welcome to Tyrant, Despot Big Brother Government from A-Z. This country will sink within a year or two to something you never dreamed you could imagine. It almost got that way when OBAMA was waving his magic wand screwing African-Americans, Hispanics and Middle Class, Blue Collar workers across the entire country.
Just look at what is before you as the new leaders in America, it’s amazing, to say the least.....The Three “Hate America” Democrat Jews, Schumer, Sciff, Nadler, and their sister in crime non Roman /Catholic, Baby killer, Democrat Nancy Pelosi....couple them alongside their allies AOC and her “Hate America, Hate Israel, Hate Jews” trio of Muslim. radical females. Now folks, ain’t that COMBO...just peachy....no not peachy...FRIGHTENING!!!
What to do....call, write text, e-mail Republican Senator,& Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and give him what for to get his caucus in-line like right now...no Mitt Romney, No Susan Collins, No GOP turncoats & traitors to side with the scum & vermin Human Beings that call them selves Democrats...but they really wantr to take awwy your freedom and liberty. wise up American citizens...your country is a stake and most you sadly...are dead asleep at the wheel!!! Time is running out for you sheep in your no nothing deep sleep!!!
Side Bar: Next week, Tuesday, January, 28th, 2020, I believe POTUS, Donald J. Trump will hold a massive political campaign rally in Wildwood, New Jersey. over 100,000 ticket request have bee already filled. We do not 100,000 people supporting Trump, as big and gigantic as that number is. We need 1,000,000 Americans being there in person next week...even if it means standing out in the cold weather for a few hours. Your, our country is at stake and, most of you are doing nothing!!! Your choice...Live Free Or Die as a slave to the likes of the lowest from of decent life in God’s
world. “SAD”!!!
Wildwood, New Jersey, then Des Moines, IOWA, Teh New Hampshire...BE THERE!!! www.donaldjtrump.com
It was tedious within the first half hour, and grew unwatchable throughout the day.
What will the viewer ratings show?
Nobody gives a crap.
I'll bet the ratings for this impeachment will be so bad that most stations will drop it overall, and the cable news shows will do a silent split screen.
The over the air nets will drop it by tomorrow, because their viewers want their soaps and game shows, the cable news guys will split screen it because that is the only way they will keep any viewers at all.
If anyone drops a bomb {or anything that they can pretend is BREAKING NEWS} they will cut in and replay it 100 times.
The out come is known, it is only the amount of boring time that is in question.
I've tried, but I go back to my DVR and old movies, True Grit, The Outlaw, Josie Wales you know, the movies that I don't know how they end:)
The State of the Union address is on February 4.
If the trial is not over and done by then the RATs will regret the day they were born.
The trial itself is B-O-R-I-N-G, and by then will have an audience of hundreds, maybe a few thousand. OTOH, the SOTU is watched by a hundred million. President Trump is used to being on TV and will play this to the utmost if the trial is still in progress.
The RATs need to get this finished before DJT takes them to the woodshed on Feb 4, 2020.
I don’t understand how they can say that the president was impeached when he did not have due process in the House. In court, if the police don’t read the Miranda Act then the Judge throws the whole case out. And don’t tell me this is not a courtroom because it does come under the rule of law of the Constitution. Someone like Sen McConnell needs to call the whole thing off NOW!
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