After a striking and at times rocky post-impeachment vote press conference Wednesday night, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) tried Thursday to douse the flames ignited by the suggestion she might hold back transmitting the impeachment articles until she sees that the Senate trial is fair.
I would actually like her to announce that they were delaying sending the Articles of Impeachment because the House intends to add further charges.
Though I love the focus on McConnell, it would be great to come up with a less-positive word than “rogue.” It’s more Han Solo than the truth, which is more akin to Jabba the Hutt and Salacious McCrumb.
There was no shift in tone. That presser was a shot directly at Moscow Mitch and she didn’t waver at all today. The Senate has to agree to trial rules first, pass them with 51 votes and then she’ll send stuff over. She exposed McConnell b/c he doesn’t want a trial. Why? Because Trump is guilty.
Don’t calm the storm intensify it.
Nancy Pelosi is the most effective Speaker of the House in the countries history barring none.
She should rip a page from Moscow Mitch’s book of dirty tricks, and do what is the most electorally beneficial that is not outright illegal and tell republicans to go and fornicate themselves.
Rogue leader in the senate.
Well, if Star Wars is any indication, the rogue leader usually the first to go down in flames.
They have to defend that position to the judge in the McGahn case right now. About an hour after the vote, the judge wanted the Dems to explain why they still need McGahn’s testimony.
Waiting to see how this plays out, but I’ve been saying since this all started that they should take their time in the House where Dems control the process and try to sway public opinion from there. They decided to go very quickly instead. They better be playing this hand correctly, because right now it seems like Mitch & Co. are going to sweep this under the rug by New Years, in which case this is forgotten about before Super Tuesday, much less November.
Madame Speaker target HIT ! 
Published
1 min ago
December 19, 2019
I hope historians refer to this as the Merrick Garland Memorial Impeachment Pause.
TPM should re-write this story. It’s stupid spin on their part. Did anyone see Clyburn today? He poured gasoline on that stuff, lit the match, dropped the mic and took a swig of some whiskey on his way out.
There’s positive in negative aspects of Pelosi’s play here. It does put the focus on the Senate to act first with their rules, but opens the door for McConnell to simply kick it back to her on holding the articles when the Ds said it is so urgent. (The simple reply to that is a week’s delay to insure a fair trial is very different than waiting many months while the courts indulge Trump’s stonewall.)
McConnell’s explanation for why he’s NOT going to allow a fair trial will not help him with the public, however. First, they don’t like him. Second, it’s all opinion-based rationalizations and talking points, and doesn’t address the central facts or provide a good reason there should be witnesses at a trial when those witnesses have refused to come forward. In a real court case, they would be held in custody as a material witness.
Still, it’s more Washington arguments to much of the public and they will likely dislike both sides. The media will play that up, of course. Ultimately, Pelosi should say that she will give McConnell until some specific date to set the rules and if he doesn’t and they aren’t fair, McConnell will have to answer to the public why he’s running a rigged trial.
Nancy is definitely the adult in the room having to handle two power hungry whining white guys who are immune to responsibility.
McConnell is a principled man who clearly does not believe in undue delay.
Thats a silly question, do police stop asking for witnesses to come in after they make charges?
Beginning suggestions of a dead cat bounce of sorts?
“I don’t think they expected that we could have a rogue President, and a rogue leader in the Senate at the same time.”
Nice.
There is a sweet spot on that. Too long and it makes them look foolish and small. But near term, yeah. The Republicans are providing a lot of fodder heading into 2020. McConnell alone has enough sound bites to toast him daily. Trump is a constant well right now of over the top stupidity. His “base” may buy it, but I bet a few of them are uneasy right now.
In all of this, the re-emphasis that we do not elect Kings and Rulers should be promoted as well. It is a serious contrast that can stick in the brain.