How Could GOP Senators Possibly Be ‘Blindsided’ Over Bolton Testimony? | Talking Points Memo

[sickneffintired]

There is no man so blind as he who will not see.

It’s called willful ignorance
They’ve been practicing for years on subjects ranging from LGBQ rights to climate change

[kelaine]

Both Sens. Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina and ally of Trump’s, as well as Majority Leader Mitch McConnell were in communication and there was an expressed view that the GOP Senate should have been kept in the loop.

One message conveyed to the White House, according to a GOP senator with knowledge of the conversations, was that Republicans were on the front lines of the trial and for them to be left without all available information was “malpractice.”

They should have known…ETTD.

I don’t feel sorry for any one of them.

[rucleare]

There’s an explanation for that: they are lazy and stupid.

They seem to think that the House of Representatives is the subject of their trial.

[daled]

I think it’s clear the only “shock” the R Senators are expressing is that this was not kept under wraps. Sadly, this will change zero R Minds, Even if Trump did say this, it still doesn’t rise to the level of impeachable offense.

Acquitted!

[maximus]

Nice burn, Senator…

Schumer says Trump impeachment is “a little like Watergate in that every week more evidence comes out”

[daled]

They should have known…ETTD.

I’m gonna say the DID know…and they still don’t care other than the “optics” that it’s getting out.

[tiowally]

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) added that “reports about John Bolton’s book strengthen the case for witnesses.”

The same way Kav the Spaz’s tantrums unqualified him for confirmation?

Full disclosure: I think Collins is so full of shit that a toilet paper holder should be attached to her forehead.

[castor_troy]

Ok, but how in the world could Moscow have any control over Bolton, therefore how could they have believed him?

Doesn’t sound like he leaked the book-- there are any number of people, from editors to printers, that have their hands on advance copies as it goes through the process.

He only offered to testify, he hadn’t actually said anything. So Moscow may have thought everything was under control.

[tsp]

But Bolton’s testimony was only ever important, and never vital, precisely because so many people around him and so many documents supported the conclusion that President Trump had personally led the scheme to withhold military aid in exchange for Ukraine announcing investigations.

Are there any eye witnesses to t trump’s criminal campaign with Ukraine who have claimed that this did not, in fact happen? Does eye witness testimony not mean anything anymore? 5 people say they witnessed a crime. The guilty person says it was perfect. How does this exonerate the conduct of those crimes, to begin with? Color me confused. I cannot fathom Republican logic any more.

[hardyweinberg]

That too, but you have to be lazy and stupid to stay in that bubble. Especially if you are in Congress, for all love.

I could believe they are all a bunch of bozos doing whatever leadership tells them but Mitch must have been withholding because I am sure that he has to be reality-aware even if not abiding by it. As longs as the checks cash anyway.

[tiowally]

Doesn’t sound like he leaked the book

An advance copy was sent to the White(s Only) House. Wanna bet the leak came from Sieve Central?

[hoagie]

If we all knew it, why didn’t they? Now they are just trying to cover their asses, but blaming this on the WH is a wonderful step forward. Let’s sit back and watch now.

[becca656]

Doesn’t sound like he leaked the book

Were that not the case, Bolton would be screaming from the rafters. No question. I think he knew exactly what he was doing because, well, hell, I don’t know.** But I think he was absolutely behind this.

**Disclaimer: I’m not a shrink nor do I play one on TV, but there might be some glimmer of humanity or sanity in this guy that heretofore was unexposed.

[rucleare]

Wanna bet the leak came from Sieve Central?

The derp state, doncha’ know?

[zenicetus]

If Bolton does testify and directly implicates Trump, then expect a pivot in the Trump defense from “He didn’t to it” to “Of course he did it and it was wrong, but it doesn’t rise to the level of impeachment and removal from office, reversing the votes of millions, etc.”

It’s the Dershowitz line, so his appearance for the defense will now be carrying even more water for the R Senators.

Trump is going to hate this of course, because even if he’s acquitted, he can’t claim that he did nothing wrong. He wants total exoneration, not a slap on the wrist.

[becca656]

Does eye witness testimony not mean anything anymore?

Only if sees the story to fit the narrative, truth be damned.

[tena]

Exactly. Since they never intended to argue any evidence since they can’t since it’s all against them they have ignored a lot of things like evidence.

[maximus]

**Disclaimer: I’m not a shrink nor do I play one on TV, but there might be some glimmer of humanity or sanity in this guy that heretofore was unexposed.

Kinda like Mrs. Mnuchin tweeting support for Greta Thunberg, until she was re-educated that climate change is fake.

[becca656]

If Bolton does testify and directly implicates Trump, then expect a pivot in the Trump defense from “He didn’t to it” to “Of course he did it and it was wrong, but it doesn’t rise to the level of impeachment and removal from office, reversing the votes of millions, etc.”

Nah, the real answer will be ‘so what?’.

[tsp]

Both Sens. Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina and ally of Trump’s, as well as Majority Leader Mitch McConnell were in communication and there was an expressed view that the GOP Senate should have been kept in the loop.

Yeah, coulda, shoulda, woulda! If only he wasn’t guilty to begin with.