Have you listened to Bidens testimony he gave ADMITTING to strong arming the Ukraines to fire that prosecutor ? If so, how in the world are you pointing a finger at Trump for asking them to help investigate the corruption ? I thought the mueller investigation was a stretch too far.. This is beyond comparison.. When the facts come out, this only gets worse for the left.
5
"Rarely have the stakes been so high." What stakes?
----------------------------------------------------------------
Let me suggest that DEMOCRACY, itself, is at stake.
It's the future of democracy for US, at the national and local level.
It's about democracy, worldwide, since the US sets the example.
Do we want a US of Trump? Do we want a Planet Trump?
---------------------------------------------------------------------
So, let me suggest a new democracy campaign against Trump.
I suggest the use of the "Democracy" song of Leonard Cohen.
"Democracy is coming to the USA"
-------------------------------------------
"If you don't know where you are going,
any road will get you there" (Lewis Carroll)
1
Trump blinks? Hahahahahaha! That's the best you got? Foolish democrats have nothing on Trump that they themselves are not already guilty of. This "impeachment inquiry" has no basis and is going nowhere. Rational Americans are tired of democrats running around with their hair on fire all of the time because Trump breathed and dems will pay in the next election. Maybe Washington will actually get something done without democrats. Never vote for a democrat.
1
I am not sure Trump blinked. It was more useful for him to release this transcript than to protect his private communications with other nations leaders.
I've read the transcript and of course it is clear he is hoping for some damning information to come out on Joe Biden, but there is nothing in the transcript that proves what his intent was.
He has a lot of excuses at hand to dismiss this "favor" such as him just looking out for corruption in our allied governments and in our own.
I don't believe that but unless there is another smoking gun (maybe the whistle blower's complaint) this transcript is not enough.
The HOR should instead focus on the Mueller report which has plenty of material to work with that is far more egregious and also perhaps with enough witness testimony more provable.
This will be far more damaging to Joe Biden than to Trump.
I would not believe one utterance from Mitch McConnell. He is a sham of a man. He wields his power over Democratic processes
He chooses to ignore bills to come to the floor just because he can.
I hope the great people of Kentucky realize that McConnell is an obstructionist when it comes to supporting much needed social programs for some of the poorest people in this country
They need to vote McConnell out for their own good. I hope they remember this when they go to the polls
63
The President did t blinked - he winked. What a brilliant move: waive a ‘privileged’ Conversation under the nose of a known Trump-hater and the predictable happened. Whistleblower without seeing the content.
The President, as you will shortly see, did nothing improper nor did he even need to skirt it. Joe and Hunter Biden, however, have a 10mm candlepower spotlight on their Ukrainian ‘activity’ that can no longer be ignored. The Chinese deal - done off the boarding stairs of AF2 - is even more ‘intriguing’.
The result is Trump vs Fauxcahontas and with that, four more years. Have a nice day.
1
"The (whistleblower) complaint is said to be about multiple concerning acts."
Get ALL of the torpedoes in the water. The Trump-Kushner crime family and their abettors must be sunk/removed completely.
2
Did taxpayer money pay for Guliani's consulting fees and travel expenses as he usurped the State Department? Given Trump's propensity to stiff contractors it is highly unlikely the Trump organization paid him.
What were Pence's and Barr's roles and knowledge of what transpired? If they were in cahoots, they must simultaneously be impeached,
Is it coincidental that the details of Ukraine-gate were leaked to the Press shortly after Trump's claim he fired Bolton? Given Bolton's propensity for revenge, he is likely the prime source of all the details.
America owes The Fourth Estate, and probably John Bolton, a big
Thank You! We can look forward to the details in the reboot of All The President's Men due to be released in the Summer of 2020. America has a strong appetite for reboots.
Once again, History is repeating.
2
I've read the notes ("transcript") of the phone call and it is indeed worrisome and does warrant further investigation. Given Trump's & Barr's willingness to thwart Congress' oversight responsibilities and powers by claiming executive privilege for any material, impeachment is the only path possible. While Trump could have claimed executive privilege for the phone call, now that it is out there I can see nothing that would support a claim of executive privilege for the Whistle blower report. Time to move forward.
40
Dear Donald, we feel your pain....not really but we are okay with it.
3
This issues are broad and deep. It is Congress who must now put their plow harnesses on and get to work and clear the Executive Office field of poisonous stumps that have grown out of control since the 2016 election.
1
We are focused on the Ukrainian part of an impeachment inquiry and it is the most egregious. But let's not lose sight of all the other parts that were in full view before this moment: obstruction of justice as Mueller laid out and pointed to Congress as the proper place for further investigation, the not illegal but collusive relationship between Russia and the Trump campaign, the refusal to honor licit Congressional requests for information, documents and witnesses. Etc. There's a lot more than just Trump trying to do a Godfather number on Zelensky.
5
Pelosi knows what she is doing. She can read the significance of McConnell’s distancing himself. As Trump is loyal to no one, in the end no one will be loyal to him.
Now we wait and watch.
1222
Roxanne, I think we are probably wanting the same outcome, but with all due respect: I think “now we wait and watch” is the reason we are in this mess.
35
@Roxanne Hart
"Pelosi knows what she is doing." Does she? What took her so long to "do the right thing"? Did personal consideration take precedence over her duty?
8
@Fran
I think Pelosi, like Schiff and other tacticians in the House, believed it's important to have the public's support before undertaking impeachment inquiries. They are counting on the fact that they truly exhausted all other avenues to hold trump accountable and put an end to all the things he's done to harm the nation.
A normal judge would take these facts into account and would weigh the Dems' efforts to police the administration criminals in the least disruptive ways possible. But trump forced their hand, and now we have a spectacle to contend with. I guess we'll just have to wait and see how patriotic Chief Justice John Roberts turns out to be.
91
Who is making sure that the transcript they release is not edited to get rid of incriminating evidence? I would not put it past this administration - ethics and scruples are meaningless to it.
8
While Trump really does need to go- are we really going to be better off with a President Pence?
I fear the religious views - and laws or EOs - that would ban abortion and promote homophobia. Unless we can get of both of them this seems like Heads you win, Tails I lose.
5
@RN
This is a fact that so many overlooked in their rush to oust trump. Pence, indeed, could be much worse, particularly as it affects the day to day lives of most Americans. As we count down to Nov 2020, this becomes less of a risk. If trump did anything to help the left, it is with his timing on this.
3
@RN Pence has no ability to win a presidential election, so he will only be around for a short while.
1
@Red Sox etc
It’s ’ (not ‘)
Except that's not what happened. No one blinked or stood up to anyone or anything else. This was all a coordinated rollout. It does not require Machiavellian savvy to respond to impeachment proceedings when they've literally been ongoing in some fashion since before the President took office. No sea change just more of the same to be expected for the next fourteen months if not through 2024.
1
Almost since his inauguration, President Trump has been itching for Congress to impeach him. Now he claims that Nancy Pelosi's decision to open proceedings is "very positive" for him politically.
Trump earlier declared that "trade wars are good and easy to win." Listen carefully; as you read this you can hear America's farmers and fishermen cheering Trump's easy victory for them.
@John lebaron We have not won the trade wars, and the fishermen and farmers are hurting for it...
6
All of this will no doubt be thrown into the pile of controversies for which half the nation wants Trump out, and about 40 percent want to exonerate him. Point, counterpoint. Talking heads finding justification for removal, the other tribe's talking heads crying witch hunt. I don't need the sound on to know what Lindsey Graham is saying; he wants to keep his lofty perch in the Senate. Can't people step back and see man who's been to court more times in his life than 1,000 other people combined have. He's forever trying to spin away obvious self-indulgent behavior. I for one am sick to my stomach over it. This country needs a cleanse and reboot.
4
i cannot think why anyone would look at the summaries of the conversation between T and Ukraine and not see how corrupt the president is being. It is not the president's job to ask for specific and personal requests from other leaders. That is done by the chief of staff or lower level assistants. Obviously Trump wanted something that was not appropriate and he knew it because he asked himself.
his obsession with the DNC emails was as bad as the Biden issue. The first is Trump looking to see if Ukraine had anything on his campaign and his people (think Manafort). the second is Trump trying to find out if he can push the Ukrainian president to go on a fishing expedition with him. Nowhere has it been mentioned exactly what Hunter Biden was supposed to have done that was corrupt. sitting on a board is not illegal. If Trump wanted to know what had been going on 4 years ago, he should have asked his intelligence community. of course he couldn't do that because what he wanted was unethical and illegal.
Trump is a disgrace to the country. impeachment is almost too good for him.
5
@MKKW
Yes. As Pelosi indicated, there are already SIX other investigations of Trump's previous questionable behavior being investigated by various House Panels. Pelosi stated to News Crews that all of these other investigations are now to proceed "under the umbrella" of her recently declared Impeachment Inquiry. Trump will not be investigated *only for this latest International Faux Pas, but for *everything he has "eeled his way out of " since taking office.
2
Will any charges be brought about his other, and many, crimes? Lies, emolument issues involving his personal businesses profiting from his office, human rights offenses against immi- grants, stealing monies from armed forces to use on his misguided wall. And on, and on!
4
It's also an opportunity for mainstream Republicans to regain control of the Republican party by siding with truth, transparency, and rule of law- the core of this "experimental" democracy and Republic.
The Republican Presidential Primary Debate Was A Rare Rebuke Of Trump In His Own Party. Hardly Anyone Was Watching. http://flip.it/meQvq1
2
OK. Let’s look at this another way…. Let’s imagine that Trump is both impeached and convicted.
That means Pence is at the top, even if for a short time.
What if the investigation uncovers evidence that Pence is up to his starched, white collar in cahoots with all the “high crimes and treason?” OK. So, he goes, too.
Who becomes President? Third in line: Moscow Mitch, that’s who!
Don’t tell me this hasn’t crossed his mind while he’s slithering away from the Trumpian morass. He’s already issued a statement (Wed. 25 Sept) that claims he 1) supported the funding to Ukraine; and 2) he had not one tiny inclination it was being terminated.
Yeah, right…
2
Actually, third in line is Speaker Pelosi.
That thought has just made me happier with this impeachment talk.
President Pelosi — has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?
4
@DrT The third in line is the Speaker of the House, not the Senate. Nancy Pelosi, not Mitch McConnel.
2
@Jason
Oops! My bad.... I guess I was wrong in thinking that the majority leader in the Senate was third.
I stand by my "slithering" comment, though.
Thanks for the correction.
Dr. T
3
I haven't read enough of the comments to see whether anyone else has brought up the issue of the congress going on yet another big brake. Three weeks this one. They took the month of August off worked 13 days and will take another 3 weeks off. I don't know about others but I think that under current circumstances somebody ought to be paying attention to the nation's business. There seem to be lots of hang-wringing and bloviation but NO substance. YUK
2
To paraphrase Hemingway, Trump's Presidency has been collapsing two ways, first slowly, then suddenly. If we're not in the endgame now, we're close.
1
Is this trumps downfall? Perhaps not, but someday soon we may find him hiding in his own bunker, staring at the loaded gun in his hands.
2
In that noisy, artificial lala land south of here, this seems like another sort of unreality high-stakes TV game-show, a life-size board-game personified on our screens - buying, trading and developing properties into hotels. Reading ahead the script shows the first president of the US (but not elsewhere), like an old battleship, tophat, old boot, dog or wheelbarrow, to Go directly to jail; do not pass go, do not collect $200. Really, is this fantasy? Democrats please end the media excess before everyone goes bankrupt except the winner, the currency becomes worthless paper, and he persuades the Queen to prorogue the Congress...
1
The transcripts may be doctored. Congress needs to get the tapes.
5
Just how in the world, short of murder, can the so-called president stop the Whistle Blower from testifying before Congress?
If the Democrats have a bit of sense, they should put a 24X7 Guard on the Whistle Blower, before the White House tries to stop their testimony.
3
A note to Mitch McConnell: you now have the opportunity to establish your legacy by stepping up and putting the interests of the country, of all the American people, before the interests of the president, and by doing so bringing the Republican party with you. Be a hero.
53
@CadedSorry. McConnell can never, ever be a hero.
21
It's too late for McConnell, and Tulane.
5
@Caded too late.
7
The end of the beginning...............
I, for one, am optimistic about impeachment.
1. Will it help Trump in 2020 if he is impeached and not convicted?
Trump's support among Repubs is 90+% - it has little room to grow; if that circumstance increases Trump turnout, so too will it increase Dem turnout, which has lots more room to grow.
2. Will it distract from the important tasks of Congress?
Certainly, but the House Dems have passed a lot of much needed legislation that McConnell is sitting on in the Senate, specifically to appease Trump, so the damage there cannot be so huge.
2. Is no-conviction inevitable?
The unanimous vote in the Senate to require release of the whistle-blower complaint suggests there is more Trump disgust in the Republican Senate caucus than meets the eye. Too, this is one time when Mitch cannot stop a vote to protect his caucus from having to take a position. Are there 20 real patriots on that side of the aisle? Faced with the overwhelming cascade of illegal, unethical and dishonest actions of this president - not just this one instance - at least some of them must have a hard time dismissing them as irrelevant. We will see.
5
Perhaps we should remind Lindsey Graham of his words regarding Trump during the election. Maybe then he would remember why there is a strong need for oversight and impeachment if justified by the facts.
4
The Ukrainians should be applauded for their noble efforts to defend democracy against Russian imperialism. Putin has managed to play the American public like a fiddle while his puppet, Trump, blunders from mishap to pratfall. Their country is on the front line of conflict with Russia. Might be that they will send over a transcript or recording of the phone call if the whistle blower’s testimony is sandbagged by the Trump administration.
4
all of those obligatory American flag lapel pins ..... if GOP can't stand up and look at reasonable evidence that any member of government - regardless of position, regardless of party - then they need to remove the pin, and remove themselves from office.
We ALL need to keep an open mind, weigh the evidence, and decide if the actions of this, or any president, support our democracy and support the American people, or if there is corruption, self service, and subversion of the truth - then proceed with the next step in the process.
Even if/when impeachment articles are blocked by the GOP-led Senate, let those Republicans carry that message to the voters in 2020. The GOP brand is already poisoned by Trump, and that'll make them positively radioactive.
The only winning strategy for the GOP is overturning our electoral process entirely (aka, a coup), which is why they've been working so hard to attack Americans' ability to vote. One way or another, the GOP War on Democracy reaches a crescendo in 2020, with either democracy surviving, or the GOP surviving. But both won't.
A Trump impeachment is only part of the issue -- he remains a symptom of the GOP's corruption, wasn't the start of it.
@Daibhidh. I am very afraid that typical suburban middle-to-upper income republicans, who have come to abhor Trump, but who have benefited from tax cuts, and who still have greatly filtered information (Fox, Washington Examiner, etc.) from my experience, won't be so quick to vote for democrats. They would vote against "socialism", even though they ignore any specifics & facts, because their party tells them to. So I fear (bigly!) if the Senate republicans vote to impeach (yeah, I know, a big IF), and Pence becomes President (who they no nothing about) before the elections, these republican voters may feel justified to vote R because their reps stood up to the crazy orange man.
1
@Daibhidh. I am very afraid that typical suburban middle-to-upper income republicans, who have come to abhor Trump, but who have benefited from tax cuts, and who still have greatly filtered information (Fox, Washington Examiner, etc.) from my experience, won't be so quick to vote for democrats. They would vote against "socialism", even though they ignore any specifics & facts, because their party tells them to. So I fear (bigly!) if the Senate republicans vote to impeach (yeah, I know, a big IF), and Pence becomes President (who they no nothing about) before the elections, these republican voters may feel justified to vote R because their reps stood up to the crazy orange man. These are the same people who weren't pumped about Trump (again did little digging), but hated & distrusted Hillary, bc they were told to.
@Daibhidh
Hate to break it to you but the GOP Brand was destroyed by Gee Whiz Bush long before Trump ever became a Candidate. Only reason I returned to them after Bush was elected was Obama's bad decision to enact DACA. What is radioactive are the policy positions being embraced by democrats, as well as Identity Politics. Those are the things that keep me from pulling a lever in a voting booth. I could care less about the personality flaws and warts of the Candidates themselves. Just care how their policy choices will affect me.
Everything Trump has tried has ended up in ruin and failure except when he cheats. The Trump Hotel in Washington succeeds because he wrongly uses his position to make money for personal gain. Should he face justice other than being removed from office, he should be required to donate all the illegally obtained profits from the hotel to several charities of the American public’s choice. I vote for non profits like Habitat for Humanity, permanent housing for the 500,000 Americans who have no homes. non profits connected with the Green New Deal, co-op businesses, soup kitchens. Let us vote for which ones get how much.
4
Both Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton were impeached for far less serious "crimes". And Nixon avoided impeachment by resigning. Nonetheless, I worry that the Democrats are making a mistake that may cost them the next election. The country is so bitterly divided (and I know as a liberal living in Trump country). They need a masterful tactician like Joseph Welch of the McCarthy hearings and I am not sure they can find one.
4
September 25, 2019
Now our dear President Trump should be able to experience a catharsis and expurgation from his over-burdensome desire to lead his party but now a witness to his catalog of misdeeds and dare say error in his thinking - and indeed on full display in his oratory at the United Nations this week - he may in fairness to his honor and avoiding his personal family stress - just do what is best for all and resign now - and the world we say thanks for your passion and love and greatness but we need the statesmanship that can guide our politics domestic and international but the grandeur that we believe you have dedicated your talents but sure to say short of the mark and so go forth and time for a NY Times best seller biography that we can shed tears and laughs and know we are culture that forgives and delivers the grace to all worthy and redeemed as going forth tomorrows and tomorrows. Life is a state we come and we take our journey to paraphrase Shakespeare. Ode to Tragic Comedy and Dante that visit all dimensions of man's possibilities - Trump would best head for the Universities to carry his conversation - and as his own son will head for the academic schooling and both together would be a hoot....
1
Rarely have the stakes been so high. Rarely has a President been so low. Now is the time for Republicans to demonstrate their loyalty to our country and not to one man and the financial support that follows in his wake.
8
Whether Mitch McConnell and his Republican minions agree or not, Impeachment is the minimum this President deserves for undermining the rule of law and defiling the constitution.
10
Love the NYT but, guys, it's not a transcript. And describing Trump's behavior as "extreme politicking" is like calling the Watergate break-in "enhanced opposition research." Come on!
5
Very slim chance the Republicans in the Senate vote to remove him from office, but he still needs to be impeached.
2
Have the accuracy and completeness of the "transcript" Trump provided been verified?
2
It isn’t even labeled a transcript. It’s labeled a memorandum. Meaning it is a document created from the recollections of some participants. In any case, neither a transcript or the document that is being provided are reasonable substitutes for the actual whistleblower complaint in full.
2
Virtually everything about Trump leaves a bad taste in one's mouth, but the Trump call to Ukraine's president is not a smoking gun. It sounds all too much like routine conversation between two leaders, fawning, supplicant, suggesting, etc. The mention of Biden's son will not doom Trump but it may upend Biden. I imagine leaders ask favors all the time. President Xi of China has, as I am sure Obama did. The Democrats have jumped the shark on this one.
You do understand that it is the request coupled with the withholding of $400 million of Congress approved funding?
3
@wnhoke Please do not analyze this in a vacuum! All the previous garbage & borderline treasonous actions must be taken into consideration. Ethics are a genuine & valuable point of focus. (and estimable mode behavior)
1
@tazio sez
You need to recognize how much your argument is essentially, "where there is smoke, there must be fire."
I feel like the proverbial dog and a rolled up newspaper -- waiting for the Mueller-style disappointment.
1
After now reading the transcript of Trump's phone call... if this is indeed what they said then this is ridiculous.
If this impeachment gets launched based on this conversation; are the leaders of the Democratic party complete idiots??
Most of the conversation is the Trump being gasbag-in-chief, the mention of looking in to how the prosecutor of Biden's son was removed almost looks like a real diplomatic concern compared to his puffing about the old Clinton collusion dealing with Ukrainians.
There is no meat here at all.
2
What is this: contra federal law? I didn't know that the NY Times was a leader in creating new words for us to decipher. Do we have a shadow federal set of laws called contra federal law? And stop using concerning when something or some event is worrisome, troublesome, etc. Concerning makes it sound like something completely different.
I've said it before and I'll repeat it: start having your editorials and other articles proof read before you publish or post them on line. There are too many indecipherable sentences, misused apostrophes, common misspellings, and loaded language where it doesn't belong.
9/25/2019 10:54am first submit
4
Hilarious,,Trump will release full conversation and Liberals will once again move on to some other hate filled thing against Trump.. Liberals are disgusting
2
Obama’s birth certificate. Russian uranium deal. Benghazi. All witch hunts, to use Trumps cliched phrase. The pot can’t call the kettle black.
3
It is well past time for any republicans of conscience, if they even exist, to repudiate tRump and to aid in his removal from power.
3
The transcript is a red herring -- there is surely a reason for why trump is not fighting as hard to keep it from view as he is his taxes.
Plus he is likely counting on Barr to gaslight us once again on its contents
And I'm not forgetting the mysterious 15 minutes that was missing from the Nixon transcripts of the 'Watergate' tapes, and the tortured explanation of why it was missing. We weren't fooled then, and shouldn't be fooled now by THIS fool.
The real deal is the whistleblower complaint, which will prove to be far more damning than the transcript.
That is why the Senate unanimously demanding the whistleblower complaint is monumental. And trump will have fewer and fewer stones for stonewalling, including his taxes.
And by the way, NYT, no one (obviously from the comments) appreciates hearing from John Yoo, whose idea of 'presidential power' enabled one of the most shameful chapters in our history -- principally torture of prisoners in Gitmo.
Go away, John Yoo.
3
I feel like I have lost all perspective. Is this Ukraine conduct more outrageous than anything else he has done? I am glad it crosses some obvious legal lines, but my concern is just that Trump is 100% unfit for office. He is not mentally capable, he has no desire to do the right thing for the country, he appears to lack any morals, he cozies up to our enemies because he is jealous of their dictatorial powers, he is not even consistent in his random proclamations, causing chaos, he has no knowledge of how the law works and doesn't care anyway. Being President to him is going to rallies and feeling important.
6
The road to Senigallia is littered with enablers like Barr but at the end of that road is a cul de sac, the oval office and that's where the cowardly president will make his final address and step down. If he doesn't do that soon, his minions will sneak into the WH--just as Nixon's buds did--and tell him that it's time to pack it up. The reality show has become a horror show and the audience is sick and tired of watching the Constitution being destroyed by him.
3
You're kidding yourselves when you hope for an honest response from the White House and his Republican stooges. They will orchestrate this as they did the Mueller report, with wily deceit, the constitution be damned.
2
Trump loves being at the center of attention. He feeds off of it. This will once again suck all the oxygen out of the room. The democrat candidates will get even less coverage now.
1
In a world where Bill Clinton has a private tarmac meeting with Loretta Lynch, this phone call of Trump's amounts to a big nothing burger politically. They all do this and worse, and they all have dirt on each other, making "high road' impeachments very unlikely, in my view.
1
Perhaps next time trump will meet his vassal state leaders on the tarmac
1
America! America!
God mend thy every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self control,
Thy liberty in law.
- Katherine Lee Bates, “America the Beautiful”
Well Rudy went LOCO tonight on that faux news channel and said the State Department told him to contact Ukraine... does this mean Pompeo is involved?
3
A start of what? Hours of coverage on CNN and MSNBC? Special sections in the NYTs and WAPO? More appearances from legal "experts" spewing bizarre analysis? Please...
2
Under Trump, America has reached a pinnical. Of what I have no idea.
We've become an aweful example of greedy stupidity. We're acting stupidly rather than smartly.
I'm embarassed by my country.
I wish I could change it.
1
Only superficially is this matter in the hands of political figures in Washington. The true outcome will be determined by the electorate next year. I hope we are collectively up to the challenge.
7
VOTE BLUE NO MATTER WHO!
4
Idealism is alive and well, but as no place in the current political process. The Democrats in House are nothing more than a bunch of "old fogies" and ”young reactionaries” trying to show they have some kind of imaginary power. The endless impeachment hearings will do nothing more than keep the matter alive long enough to bore the public and force Biden to step down --- guilty of bad press and unverified innuendo. The fact is even if Articles of Impeachment are put forth, the Senate will exonerate the President (a not guilty verdict on all counts) giving Trump a clean bill for health for 2020 and no realistic challenger.
1
The entire Trump Presidency,
starting from day one up to this very moment, finds America in a continuous roiling crisis. A crisis like no other in the American story, one without strict historical analogy. The question to ask now is a whether the Republican Party will continue to support their Manchurian candidate or realize they bought into a defective product that needs to be dumped? Republican leaders made a bad bargain with Trump thinking they could produce, script and direct his Presidency as they did so effectively with Ronald Reagan. But unlike Trump, Reagan had professional actor on his resume and understood what was expected of him. In contrast to Trump who is the proverbial loose cannon and no more than a functioning illiterate. Bottom line, will the Republicans have the courage to admit that in Trump it all went wrong, that they need to rid themselves of his taint to save their Party and the country itself? In the midst of possible impeachment the time is now for mutinous Republicans to stand up and be counted. And say America wants no more of Donald Trump.
11
After years of claiming that Democrats will do anything to impeach Trump, he's done it to himself. This telephone call with Ukraine was such an unforced error - he wasn't set up, or reminded of something dark from his deep past. This isn't re-litigating the 2016 election. This the President, just in the last couple months, unable to stop himself from finding new ways to break the law. And turned in by his own administration. I only hope Bob Barr gets impeached with him.
9
Like everything this democrat party does, this also will blow up in their face.This is what happens when you have a party that has no soul, no vision, no platform, no ideas. They just have self loathing that they lost. So since they cant win at the ballot box, they drag the country through their childish temper tantrums
3
@ Jim...”the party that has no souls, no vision, no platform, no ideas”....uh, think that would be what is called the GOP.
2
This Editorial will be noted as the NYT's "Remember the Maine!" event.
1
The impeachment hearing is utterly splendid news! It all but guarantees that from now till Election Day, over a year from now, both houses of Congress will devote their energies to chasing their tails and nothing will get done. No new laws! Exactly the breather from the out-of-control Police State that We, The People need.
As Lao Tzu noted over 2,000 years ago, enacting new laws means creating new criminals. In the years from 2000 to 2007, Congress created almost 500 new crimes.
Honestly, if America cannot run smoothly with the tens of thousands of Federal Laws we already have filling the books, adding more laws will solve absolutely nothing.
So let these over-paid, mostly wealthy, blowhards run around like hamsters in their wheel. Let them fight each other for a change instead of working to criminalize the population. This respite can only mean Congress will do less damage than usual. Thank god they finally found something harmless to do till Election Day.
https://emcphd.wordpress.com
4
The sad fact is, we pay our Congress too little for them To resist the blandishments of lobbyist money. We have a court decision that says money is speech. We have a party that believes corporations are people, too, my friend, just with a lot more money and an axe to grind. Under the guidance of the GOP we have set thing up so that our national government is for sale to the highest bidders, on the international market. Trump is the result but not really the problem.
2
@Pottree: Well, for the most part we agree. I believe, however, that $174,000 a year base pay - with healthcare at 75% off - is pretty good remuneration for a part time job. Then we see the likes of Sanders and Warren and Harris who sign lucrative book deals as a way amass personal wealth from corporations.
I will also quibble with your focus on the GOP. The simple fact is that we have seen government bounce from republican control to democrat control to republican and back to democrat now for over 100 years. And the result is... what he have now. As Gore Vidal noted: "There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party … and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat.”
They are in this together.
https://emcphd.wordpress.com
1
Seriously, Democrats have nothing. A whistleblower who wasn’t even in on the conversation. Absolute heresay.
Is no conversation the President has with another world leader not private; can no one be trusted? Does this whistleblower have political bias like I have heard?
Who is investigating Biden and son?
4
The very thing Pelosi claimed Trump is guilty of that is threatening the Ukraine if they didn't investigate three US Senators are already guilty of.
In May [2018], CNN reported that Sens. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) and Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) wrote a letter to Ukraine’s prosecutor general, Yuriy Lutsenko, expressing concern at the closing of four investigations they said were critical to the Mueller probe. In the letter, they implied that their support for U.S. assistance to Ukraine was at stake.
So Pelosi are you going to begin impeachment proceedings against them.
https://www.foreign.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/5-4-18%20Menendez%20joint%20letter%20to%20General%20Prosecutor%20of%20Ukraine%20on%20Mueller%20investigation.pdf
3
Will the Times Editorial Board call for an appointment of a Special Prosecutor to investigate all US political parties and presidential administrations, past and present, for any and all malfeasance and potential crimes with Ukraine? Didn't think so.
2
As a Trump supporter, I'm looking forward to seeing the transcript just like I was looking forward to the Mueller hearing. It is amazing to me how blinded by hatred for Trump people are. You think every nothing you come up with is going to the the catalyst for impeachment/removal. Maybe pay attention to all the news instead of leftist bubble media.
3
Decent Republicans, if there are any of you left, this is your chance.
4
A “transcript provided by the administration” would probably be written with a Sharpie.
6
Pelosi is intelligent, disciplined and very politically experienced whereas our orange leader is 180 degrees opposite. He will continue to put his feet in his mouth, trip over himself, lie, and bumble his criminal self all the while the evidence accumulates against him.
The only fly in the ointment is Pence. Ah, well, we cannot have it all at the same time.
6
Best part of this (because once again dems are reaching,) is Nancy tried to make her ignorant voters think she did something, by announcing she opened an inquiry. There was already an inquiry opened by Humpty-dumpty Nadler, But she nor Nadler have an official inquiry, “Because to do so it takes a
Full vote in Congress! And she knows she still doesn’t have the votes, so she can’t officially do so! It’s another lie from dems, like Russian collusion, but their remaining 12 dem voters, who still believe these lying fools, may still be fooled!
1
Make that 'trump blinks strongly.'
2
Presidential supporter here
Let me begin by thanking Ms Pelosi
We all know our guy can't win on his record. The economy is slowing down to a halt and we're begging the Fed for a bailout
The wall never got built and our borders are as open as they've ever been
Iran, North Korea and even ISIS are growing in strength
But Nancy has given us a lifeline
We'll ride the victimization card all the way through the election and perhaps ask for a third term as reparations
GO NANCY !!
( Crying laughter emojis ... )
@Marion Grace Merriweather
Actual Presidential supporter here:
I also thank Ms. Pelosi. Caving to AOC is going to make the Squad even more the Face of the Party.
Wall is getting built as I type. Billions in funding as a result of the Emergency being declared.
NK hasn't conducted any nuclear tests in years now. Missile launches continue, but not on the same scale as when Strategic Patience was the official policy.
No victims in my mirror, maybe there are in yours and even if Trump isn't re-elected, he has earned his Legacy and my Lifetime Admiration and Respect. Obviously, he also has my vote in 2020.
1
In my view this looks like treason and worse that shooting someone on Fifth Ave.... What a great opportunity for our republican friends to demonstrate that they haven’t lost all sense of integrity and patriotism.
2
About time, Congress!
3
We accept ‘underacted’ transcripts issued by the Trump and ‘notarized’ by the Barr at our own peril.
Cry for the beloved country
2
Why is Ukraine so important to Trump and Putin? It's at the heart of Trump-Russia, as I note here https://realcontextnews.com/how-cohens-and-manaforts-ukraine-ties-tell-the-deeper-story-of-trump-russia-and-the-mueller-probe/ Also, as Giuliani embarrasses himself over Ukraine and Biden, a look at Rudy's own shady ties to Ukraine and the Russian mafia https://realcontextnews.com/rudy-giulianis-kislin-connection-raises-issues-for-his-role-as-trumps-russia-lawyer-exclusive-analysis/ And with Trump using his official power as POTUS in conducting foreign policy to target Joe Biden, we may have his most explicit attempt to make govt into his own personal political tool for hurting his political enemies, part of a trend with him/GOP I note here https://realcontextnews.com/trump-gop-destroying-the-pillars-of-democracy/ On impeachment, I believe that Trump should have been impeached some time ago, but practical considerations make this issue much more complicated, as I noted before here https://realcontextnews.com/the-impeachment-of-donald-trump-russias-victory/
3
“The times, they are a changin!”
As Trump would say: “We’ll see!”
For now, Trump’s still arranging
the deck chairs by decree.
“The times, they are a changin!”
Trump whines: ”Oh, let it be!”
For now, he keeps deranging.
It’s “I, myself and me!”
2
American Senators,
Fellows,
It is time to cowboy up,
or your children and grandchildren will disown you.
2
Publish NOW:
#45's taxes
Full (unredacted) Mueller report
Whistleblowers report
Absolutely anything short of this does not cut it.
Transcript? Give me a break.
4
Who can believe a word that any republican senator says, or that any of their current self-saving mumblings are being uttered in the interest of the nation? Republicans under Trump have done nothing but protect the sociopath's regime, because they're also sucking American taxpayers dry with one lobbyist's scam after another. If Trump is to be impeached, so must Billy Barr, so must Moscow Mitch, Mike "American Taliban" Pence, and so must his entire, fetid, corrupt Cabinet of abusers. The American people have surely had enough criminal contempt for one presidency and his junta of destroyers. Ten million people marching on Washington to take back the government for the people, just might shake things up a bit.
5
Lets not put Trump and Clinton in the same category of being impeached. Clinton was guilty of receiving oral sex on government property during working hours. And not admitting it. He damaged his marriage, but that's his problem. Trump violated the constitution repeatedly, lied repeatedly about governmental matters, and damaged our country - probably irrevocably. There is no equivalence.
8
@RB
Clinton lied under oath and tampered with five witnesses
He lost his law license too
Impeach. Then arrest him day after the elections.
3
Onward. With vigor . . .
2
Meanwhile the world burns up. And a fool rules.
3
President Pence!
GULP!
2
"extreme politicking" What a great euphemism. Like calling Captain Hook a handicapped pirate.
1
Sorry Donald, too late - you have broken too many laws, hidden too many potential crimes, and sought personal power and riches from your White House job.
On the way you’ve destroyed the nation’s respect for the Presidency, Congress, courts, law, media, role as protector of the oppressed while running an ongoing criminal enterprise to obstruct justice.
When your own party turns against you, it’s time to do what Nixon did and resign - how about you k/o Pence and name the winner of the general election the VP, then resign yourself.
Then Republicans have a chance of running against their Democratic opponents in November 2020, and you might stay out of prison, losing any money you really have to pay back the government for the amount you and your Organization stole while you were in office.
And if you really were the Mole in Chief, maybe Putin will trade you for all the US intelligence assets you blew, and you can even live out your life in a fancy home on a Russian golf course.
Forget redacted anything- you have gone two steps past too far, and it is all over.
The Democrats are about to Restore America to Greatness, and the Republicans who survive will be those who join up soon.
Even McConnell’s going down - the same way Jim Grover -R 2nd NY did, as Nixon’s last loyalist.
Turn over your tax returns, whistle blower reports. Order all your present and former aides to testify to all six House committees, pack your bags and get out of town while the getting’s good.
2
Trump’s conduct is bribery, which is impeachable.
He had Giuliani do his bidding which is telling.
Article II, Section 2, paragraph 2 of the United States Constitution provides that the President has the power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls . . . of the United States.
Permitting Guiliani to act as an Ambassador, Secretary of State without Senate confirmation is another example of Trump skirting the US Constitution. If Trump’s actions were on the up and up, he would have had his Secretary of State or Ukrainian Ambassador make his request.
4
It seems that the stakes have never been this high. At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, the fate of our democracy is at stake. If the president of the country can get away with using the power of his position to punish political opponents, we've effectively moved into an autocracy.
1
If Trump is somehow out of office (via impeachment or resignation, like Nixon) before the 2020 election, might this actually help the GOP to put up a more palatable candidate who actually looks better relative to the failed administration than they did in 2016? Must Dems now also prepare for a match against, say, Romney or Kasich or Rubio, just in case? (I'm assuming Pence isn't in the mix . . . )
Hats off to the seven democratic congressmen and women with street cred of being war veterans and CIA analysts who were so outraged at Trump's chutzpah to sell out the presidency that they penned one of the finest op eds that moved Pelosi to act. Whichever way the impeachment enquiry turns out and whoever wins and loses, we as a country should be proud that our constitutional norms remain intact.
6
This is a necessary first step, but I expect it will also be the last step, i.e., that the House will vote to impeach and hand off to the Senate, where Mitch McConnell will just ignore it and never hold a trial, never require senators to go on record with votes. Meanwhile Trump will bluster, holler, and bray in his usual way.
2
As much as I am excited to see something finally being done about the United States' first rogue president, I am worried about the future implications. Our government is in such a complete breakdown of norms and mores that it will be hard to put it back together. If this leech is impeached the two sides will not join hands and sing kumbuyah. There will still be a battle in ideologies that has been brewing for the past 20 years and there are such poisoned feelings out there. It will take the best and brightest of our citizens to join together to fix this mess. It's beginning to look like 1968.
4
The showdown begins. It promises both high drama and farce. Raging Twitter storms. TV networks devoting hours of pundit driven coverage. In the end, the Senate firewall will not be breached. Trump remains in office. Emboldened by his acquittal, his reenergized mob of disrupters, and alt-right goons hold continuous rallies. The stage is set for the final showdown in November 2020.
1
The most important reason for the GOP not fully supporting Trump is that they have gotten everything they are going to get out of supporting him. With the House in Democratic control, they are no longer able to advance legislation advantageous to their wealthy donors. The judicial appointments are slowing now, as few spots remain open. Anyone who reads the national political polls knows that Trump is not going to be re-elected, if only because those states he won last time that sent him over the top - are no longer ignorant of his evil ways. Yes, he Trump can still threaten to primary those who do not support him, but not all Senators are on the ballot in 2020, and even those are reconsidering their own re-election chances if he is at the top of the ticket. Trump's run is nearly over. The GOP is waking up to that fact. Let's see what happens next. It will not be good for Trump.
4
I hope the other whistle blowers with knowledge of other corrupt deals appear.
They must be legion.
They will have to alert congress and the media.
Talking to justice is like having El Chapo investigate Al Capone. "Nothing wrong here.", a foregone conclusion.
5
If you want to clean your house the people within must do the job. Republicans are not interested in that. No nothing much will come of an impeachment process. Trump will continue with his arbitrary ways.You will not get an outcome akin to the one that happened in the UK where the rogue decision of Boris Johnson was forcefully rebuked. America needs to rise to higher moral ground. Outside world is certainly laughing.
4
The whistle blower report probably has much more damaging evidence than is in the transcript, which is likely why Trump released the transcript, hoping people would get acclimated to a first level of criminality, and then a more egregious level of criminality wouldn't seem so bad.
2
Will Senate Republicans decide to do the right thing here and, for once in their lives, choose to serve their country rather than toady exclusively to their biggest donors? Will they decide to demonstrate decency and at least pretend to be heroes?
But whether Republicans condescend to obey the law or not, the majority of us, the good people of the USA who value our democracy and who care about our future, must stand strong behind impeachment. Trump and his allies are the enemy. The Trump cult is callously destroying this country. In spite of the endless barrage of Tweets from the WH, it is NOT little Central American kids or legally elected Democratic Congresswomen or the PM of Denmark or women who've had face lifts who are bringing this country down.
4
Bring back the tape recorder. When is a transcript not a transcript? When it is a memo written by the President's staff and released two days "after" the President says he'll "release a transcript".
When will the Dem's ever learn they are being played?
1
It should be obvious to anyone now that Trump is utterly unfit to be President. To me it just confirms what I've known all along -- that Trump was totally unqualified and unprepared to hold office, and that he has no clue about the responsibilities, purpose, and limitations of being President; he still thinks he's the CEO of America, and is allowed to make his own rules. His every action is tied to his insatiable desire for acceptance and fawning admiration; his obsession with loyalty, and his inability to think about anyone but himself. The myth that an outsider with no experience in politics or holding elected office could "shake up the system" dies hard here. I hope once this embarrassing chapter in our history is over, we will never again elect a former businessman as President. Our worst presidents have all been former businessmen, and Trump is the worst of them all.
1
email and/or phone your senators and congresspersons to call for impeachment. Here is my letter to my senator Rob Portman of Ohio:
There are times in one's lifetime that one has to put aside political convenience and consider your honor and the oath you took to defend and protect the Constitution of the United States. If you do not make a stand to condemn the behavior of the president to corrupt the political process you have failed your oath and are not deserving to be the peoples' representative in the United States senate. Our support for you was based on the belief that you had some integrity and would behave like Elliot Richardson and William Ruckelshaus who, as loyal republicans, stood up against a criminal president.
4
I hope the Dems do not get bogged down in possible violation of campaign law. Trump abused the power and office of the presidency for his personal gain and should be impeached.
1
It's a start? Is the NYT editorial board being coy? It's not a start, it's the end of nearly three years of the Trump fiasco. Trump is all about optics and he will cry foul and resign to avoid having the IMPEACH brand affixed to his name. Nixon resigned to avoid that label and Trump will do the same.
2
One can only hope, but I have my doubts about that.
His mental illness is so obvious, now. Put him away. Pelosi's address sounded jumbled, as well. Let's get some energetic, intelligent, committed people working on this threat to our democracy. Even if we win back the Senate, and the government, we will be dealing with the residue of this criminal enterprise for decades to come. I hope Democrats are ready to impeach a bunch of appointees, judicial and others.
3
So a "version" of the call was supplied by the WH and a an edited version of the complaint will be supplied. Well we all know what that means. Let's hear from the whistleblower.
5
Take away what you think about Trump repoublicans and democrats for a moment, what did Biden do that needs to be investigated? If we are so quick to investigate Trump, why does Biden get a pass?
3
@MrTruth
There's no evidence, for a start.
1
It is high time to send this shameless and lawless man back to Trump Tower New York. The evidence is clear that he has broken the law and is a real threat to the security of the nation. When this matter goes to the Senate, the Republicans in that chamber will have some very serious soul-searching to do. The way in which they tip their hand will be a litmus that that will reveal the true character of this nation.
1
Keep in mind that Nancy Pelosi is also in line for the presidency.
The NYT front page effectively illustrates the obsession and hoopla about to ensue. Guess climate change, racial inequality and economic uncertainty will have to wait. Meanwhile there is a. presidential election process going on just in time to negate the need for impeachment hoopla. But who cares when there are newspapers to be sold?
1
Anyone believing that Republicans will do the right thing if it costs them a shard of power are sorely mistaken. Odd are that the whistleblower report will be redacted to nothingness and the president's conversation transcripts will be edited to lies---and the Republicans will cheer and swiftly assume Trump's language of witch hunts and false news. Who are we kidding? McConnell is as craven as he is immoral. That's what we should expect.
2
How many lies will Americans accept? Trump's response to the impeachment process is that Democrats are attempting to rig an election. Trump lost the popular vote and Republicans are attempting to prevent minorities from voting in several ways! Trump is attempting to rig elections. Trump constantly fabricates facts to mislead and confuse. Voters must come to their senses, recognize that attributing your vices to others to mask your conduct, and vote this maniac out of office. We are truly living in a 1984 world.
2
Imagine High school. The bully has beaten the unpopular girl for junior class president. The jocks and cheerleaders laugh, but they are insulated from his obvious misdeeds. Then he gets in trouble; the nerds think they will bring him down because they are in the right. He accuses the most vocal nerds of things everyone finds disgusting. The jocks and popular girls laugh but fear his false accusations (and his true ones). His smokescreen and veiled threats work but, when he runs for senior class president, all the nerds turn out to vote and he, along with all the senior council jocks, loses. There is no way this guy will win again.
2
This just confirms what most of us already knew: if you stand up to a bully most of them fold like a lawn chair.
1
I've been impressed by Speaker Pelosi ever since that crazy press conference in the oval office in which she so badly outclassed POTUS simply by behaving like a rational human being and not a human wrecking ball with tourettes.
She reads the tea leaves correctly. The Mueller Report was almost enough to get the GOP / Senate to start considering the reality that POTUS is unfit and corrupt. But this latest Ukrainian incident may be the tipping point and she laid out the case quite eloquently yesterday.
I trust Speaker Pelosi. Trusting any politician in any time period is always difficult, but I think she is the woman of our times.
2
Having served his nation, Trump can retire in the new Trump Grand Guantanamo.
2
Trump goes down and drags ambitious Mike Pence with him...they are all involved and they are all criminally treasonous cohorts grabbing for personal power and lining their pockets many times over while all the time following the orders of Putin and the Saudis..who are not our friends, far from it.
1
Don the Con is all alone on this one. His father can't buy him out of the mess he's created, all on his own.
A man of seventy plus years who still thinks like an adolescent and he sits in the Oval Office....what could possibly go wrong.
3
I remember the proceedings against Nixon. I remember wondering why any man who had reached the apex of political achievement in American life would do what he did. I was something of an idealistic teen back then. I thought that Ford did the right thing in pardoning Nixon once he was out of office. It was more important to get on with the business of running the country. It's a shame the the GOP never got over those impeachment hearings and Nixon's resignation. It's a shame that they are supporting a man like Trump whose actions are insupportable.
Trump should not have ever been a factor in the 2016 campaign or elections. But he was. He has betrayed his oath of office. He has not worked to protect and defend the Constitution. He has lied. He has undermined. And he has destroyed. In this reader's opinion, if this country could waste time investigating Bill Clinton for lying about having oral sex in the Oval Office, we ought to be investigating Donald Trump's consistent refusal to turn over his tax returns, to allow his former aides to testify, and this latest. His misdeeds should be a matter of public record.
If the GOP doesn't have the backbone to welcome this scrutiny and prefers to pass it off as anger over the 2016 election results that's their problem. As citizens we deserve to know what sort of person is occupying the White House particularly when that person lies after he's confronted with the truth.
9/25/2019 11:06am first submit
3
The Epstein-Barr virus has it’s nexus at the donald. An inoculation of juris prudence is needed in the form of impeachment inquiry.
1
Was just about to say that this is a great opportunity for any remaining Republicans of conscience and patriotism when I read Jack Sonville's comment. However, my take is that they would welcome Pence, know that he would never be elected thus opening the way for others to enter the fray.
Congratulation to the three who already have thrown their hats into the ring. They need no longer feel that they are merely blowing in the wind.
I
So much that the federal government must do for America to prosper and keep its citizens safe has already been crushed in Trump's " “deconstruction of the administrative state,” that when he leaves office, a massive rebuilding (or un-deconstructing) will be necessary. Starting sooner than later is vital to our survival. Go, impeachment!
1
It is refreshing to see the House majority finally do their job. At this point the Constitution requires an impeachment inquiry so let the chips fall where they may.
2
"Congress Steps Up, Trump Blinks"
You say he was blinking.
I assert he was nodding off. Again.
I suppose we'll find out soon enough.
Where are the Republicans not running for re-election? Rep. Hurd, long critical of this President, is deafeningly silent. There are others who could start speaking out and doing the right thing.
9
I do not believe the GOP in the Senate became institutional all of a sudden and decided to defend democratic institutions. I believe they had access to polls in their states and, there is growing support for impeachment.
The GOP will support Trump's criminal-like behavior no matter what with the exception of putting in danger their own jobs.
9
One complaint about impeachment is that the Senate will not vote for it. Then do what the Republicans did on the Supreme Court nominee -- just don't send it to them. Impeach him in he House and just let it sit there, like an accusatory lump. Presuming that is allowed under the rules. And gather all the evidence that will be needed to charge him once he leaves office.
10
"And the White House showed signs of backing down, signaling not that it would release the full complaint but that it might not block the whistle-blower from testifying."
Is this what it's come to? We consider it a win even though the WH is not releasing the *full* complaint, but *might not* block the whistle-blower from testifying?
Spines are forming but they've hardly grown into anything sturdy yet. I'm still waiting…
9
Those who voted for Trump have resisted admitting they were delusional thinking Trump in the primaries, the tell it like it is guy, would morph into something Presidential dignified and wise. Even the media waited for the metamorphosis, praising him when he acted like he possessed some substance. Those who opened Pandora's Box can now scramble to put him and his ilk back in order to restore the Constitution, the Department of Justice and a Congress that functions for the people rather than self interest and party.
6
It is not lost on me that the election in Ukraine, where people spoke out against corruption and are fighting against Russian hegemony, has had a ripple effect on the United States. Thank you Ukrainian people.
8
Unfortunately, in the end, we may see Joe Biden unjustly sacrificed. However, at this point, it might be the price to pay to not have Trump running again next year. And maybe ultimately its a price we are willing to pay.
5
@Jane I see this possibility too. I don't feel he is the best candidate at this time either. Perhaps this is the winds of fate. (Warren isn't my fave either, but I'll take her over corrupt POTUS any day. Personally favor Harris & Buttigieg and feel they would be ethical future cabinet members.)
6
As a former political science major, what intrigues me most about these developments is the notion that Republicans have joined Democrats in asking for the release of the whistleblower complaint. I interpret that as being primarily motivated by a feature purposely woven into the Constitution--the notion that Congress should be empowered to check presidential power.
Trump has repeatedly, and increasingly, demonstrated a willingness to do things his way, regardless of any restraint. Republicans are finally realizing that their own president is determined to run the entire show without their input.
Now, here's the interesting part: People don't get themselves elected to Congress just to become puppets of some master. Even Republicans believe that a Senator or Representative should have a measure of authority. Trump clearly does not. And, this is a primary motive in their reaction to this latest episode of Trumpistic demagoguery.
This motive now joins the other primary motive--ensuring that future Democratic presidents don't have this kind of power--in explaining Republicans' recent demand that Trump release the whistleblower complaint against him.
6
I wonder if someone at the RNC is working on who a viable - alternative - candidate might be in 2020...oh, and whether to get those state primaries back on the calendar..
11
I hope no one actually trusts this “transcript.”
14
Trump's next telephone call will be to Rosemary Woods.
6
“Democrats are not content to receive a transcript provided by the administration. Nor should they be.” Word!
12
Another obvious example of where the Times’ sympathies lie. But you can forget about any impeachment of the president. Our national security threatened? Give me a break. The Democrats have been threatening impeachment almost from day one of the Trump administration. To anyone paying close attention, this is partisan politics at its most profane. Senator Lindsay Graham said it best when he stated that any impeachment vote coming from the House will be dead on arrival in the Senate. All of this would not be so sad if it were not for the people’s business being totally ignored while their representatives play their little impeachment game — now aided and abetted by what used to be a great newspaper.
2
@Joe Gagen
Well, since all of the legislation passed in the House is DOA in the Senate, the people's business is not being done. Impeachment is impeachment whether or not it goes to the Senate. It is a form of trial where evidence will be presented and analyzed by all of us. It will be at Moscow Mitch's peril and that of the GOP if the house votes for impeachment and it doesn't even go to the Senate for an inquiry and vote.
That would be an egregious display mocking our democracy - yet again. As for Lindsey Graham, perhaps you should review his speech on the floor of the Congress advocating for Clinton's impeachment for lying about consensual sex. He claimed, quite eloquently, that we had to restore honor to the presidency even though the subject was not one of national concern, high crimes and misdemeanors or security. I too wished that Bill would keep it in his pants but that it did not warrant the cost and indignity of impeachment. They went into details about the blue dress. I was disgusted. Did you support that impeachment?
Funny how Trump supporters are suddenly so concerned about the reputation of the NYT. In my opinion, it has been and remains a great newspaper. Thank you to the NYT in advance for your exhaustive and honest coverage of "their little impeachment proceedings".
8
@Joe Gagen
Way off base there, @Joe. First, I am assuming you mean the mission of the Times to ferret out facts. You do know that you are reading an opinion pieces, correct? No? Well, on what do you base your statement that there is no threat to US national security?? Third, impeachment has not been on Dems minds since Trump was elected, as you state, rather, keeping government funded, protecting health care provisions, etc. etc. , or, as you stated "the people's business". Fourth, there is absolutely nothing profane about assuring lawfulness by the President, heck, ESPECIALLY by the President.
3
@Mama bear
No, I opposed Clinton’s impeachment. In fact, I voted both times for him and still think he was s very good president. It was pure politics, just like now.
1
Dejá vù. Nixon offered doctored transcripts in lieu of tapes.
5
Please stop using phrases such as "Trump blinks". It will provoke him, thinking he is weak. We're dealing with a child.
4
The law states to turn over the complaint, anything else is breaking the law, and probably more lies!
4
tell Vladimir I will have more flexibility after my re election
The impeachment is making America great again.
8
Come on Senate Republicans!! This is your greatest opportunity to save us from Trump. We would all be terribly grateful
6
President Trump was stonewalling? I read that he offered to release a full transcript of his call with the Ukranian President as soon as the controversy arose. The NYT I believe was the first of the MSM to reveal the Hunter Biden connection with the Ukranian gas company, Bursima Holdings. Joe Biden was VP, a Ukranian prosecutor was investigating corruption and Bursima Holdings came under scrutiny. Hunter Biden, Joe Biden's son, was on the board of directors and getting paid $50,000 a month. Biden orders the then Ukranian President to fire the prosecutor or the US will cancel a $1.3 billion loan guarantee. Why did the NYT not follow up on this obvious scandal?
3
Trump is jealous that he's not getting a Nobel Peace Prize.
Let him console himself and gloat over his beautiful impeachment, something he got that Obama didn't.
6
We've seen that the power of the people can, sometimes, accomplish things. The Administration's semi-reversal of ending the deferred action program for sick immigrants, the 2018 election and winning the House, the pushback on sending troops into Iran. It doesn't happen often, particularly in the past 18 years, but it does happen.
I hope that this is one of those cases, where people recognize that the corruption we've either wrung our hands over or blatantly ignored (fine people, of course, on both sides) is a clear and present danger to our Republic. Almost all politicians are liars and self-serving, but at some level, I have to believe that when they say that oath of office, when they see our flag, when they sing our anthem, they must believe in our extraordinary country.
Trump has never believed in anything other than Trump. As much as he loves his kids, he'd sell them to the highest bidder. Now he's sold us out, and there's only one remedy. I pray that the Republicans in the Senate recognize that Trumpism is about only one person, not about the party or our country.
That said, I also believed the polls in 2016. I doubt the Senate will do anything but back up this mockery of a president, but I also secretly hope that we will get through this a better country and truly "drain the swamp" by impeaching Trump and his lackeys.
263
@Julia Scott. Trump is impeached, Pence takes over and chooses Trump as his Veep. Pence steps down, leaving Trump as President. Trump chooses Pence as Veep. Everything is restored. There are no laws against this from happening.
2
@Julia Scott
You do know that democrats picked up fewer seats in the House than republicans did after both Clinton and Obama came to Office and faced their first Mid-term? That democrats in 2018 lost seats in the Senate, but republicans gained seats when Obama and Clinton had their first mid-term set back? Yet you point to that as some kind of bellweather? People don't like Smears do they? Know anyone who has been smeared in the last few years?
1
@Julia Scott
I do not believe trump is capable of real love. He does love of his brand, though. And that is the category his children fall into.
8
I’m an independent.
There is nothing political to me about impeaching this president.
He has demonstrated himself to be unfit for office and shows contempt for the rule of law.
This behavior might make him a terrific building salesman, but it also makes him an awful president.
629
@galtsgultch The whistleblower needs to be allowed to testify before both Senate and House Intelligence Committees. No transcript of supposed phone calls will do if it is viewed as basically written with a Sharpie by Mr. Trump and his staff. Recall Nixon and his tapes versus transcripts issues.
68
@galtsgultch With what, FIVE bankruptcies under his belt, it could be argued that he wasn't too great at being a building salesman, either.
120
@galtsgultch I understand your point. Not to overly quibble, but the writers didn't mean "political" in the pejorative sense of "cynically self-serving and mendacious" which has crept into our daily language. "Political" in the classic sense, as in the Constitution, means the opening of an issue up for consideration by the mass of voter-citizens (it happens at every political election). It's an appeal made by lawmakers to the public for guidance and decision when the Constitutionally-defined processes under which they (the lawmakers) operate have failed. It's a fail-safe put in place by men of unimaginable genius.
31
Whatever the opening of an impeachment process might achieve in terms of removing him from office before the election, one thing seems certain from an outsider's perspective.
As for International affairs, Trump is now a "lame duck", a President in name only, probably for the rest of his mandate. No other country (allies and foes) will want to do serious business with someone who could be removed from office.
I would think that Pelosi's strategy will be that the many investigations and fact-finding will take many, many months (with the obstruction and help of Individual-1), dripping damaging facts regularly, so as to get right before your élections before a vote is even taken in the House.
8
2nd republican president in my lifetime has brought on himself an impeachment inquiry after clearly flouting the law (and our norms) of fair and honest elections. i can't imagine a closer parellel to Nixon than trump's clumsy efforts to ensure his relection.
Clinton's impeachment inquiry and trial was about sex as if the political representives (republicans, of course) pushing impeachment never indulged in such extracirrucular activities or lied to their public in order to protect to their standing with the public so they would be reelected.
If nothing else we now know trump has little confidence he would have been elected and can be reelected without having foreign illegal interference supporting his election and his reelection.
7
It's hard to believe that the imperious Mr. Trump will hand to congress any material that will raise the odds of impeachment or allow key witnesses to testify against his interests. His hope seems to rest in the courts, ultimately the Supreme Court, to protect him from what he considers to be congressional overreach, or witch hunt, or political maneuvering, or garbage. This constitutional hardball player will rage, rage against the dying of the light.
3
This is a momentous event for our nation, for our democracy, for the rule of law, and for the democrats in this election cycle. Without any impeachment inquiry many citizens (mostly democrats) wouldn't even have bothered to vote in the next election but now they find there is an audacious hope for justice and change. Trump is a crook. And the Mueller report indicated as much with it's details of investigative obstruction, exposing tump's ties to Russian operatives and its plethora of indictments of the 2016 campaign leadership. We should never have gotten to this point to begin with and the damage to our nation, our unity and the environment will take decades to reverse. But if this final stand against our autocratic tyrant fails this time the damage to this nation will be catastrophic. Trump must be removed now, one way or another.
5
The Editorial Board could have been more proactive and actively called for impeachment after the Mueller Report was issued.
It isn’t a stretch for Mr. Trump, the Candidate, to go from gratefully accepting Russian interference in the elections to actively bribing a country (with taxpayer money) for manufactured dirt on an opponent.
2
I can already smell Trump's incoming "rough" transcript is just going to be another pack of lies, fodder for his base to distort into an excuse. His crew will do anything, anything at all, to obstruct and muddy the evidence and run down the clock on his term. Years from now, all this stuff will come out. After its too late to matter.
1
Ms. Pelosi has gone all in, and Trump has called her....fortunately it appears that all the cards are about to be put on the table, and this hand of high-stakes political poker will end up with a very clear public winner, and loser... it will be an interesting fee days...
1
There was already a long list of Trump offenses that have gone largely ignored by voters and almost all Republicans. This latest move by Trump may finally give cover to Republicans to get out from under the Svengali trance that they have been in. Hopefully, enough Republicans in the Senate will be as thoroughly disgusted as most Americans are and will vote patriotically, not as the willful dupes that they've been so far.
2
We should stop being careful since trump has never been careful. In trumpworld, the careful are eaten. I hope we have some dems with backbones. So far, we have not. So, they have allowed themselves to be victimized by petting the wolf. trump is a wolf and he should be treated as such.
1
The apparent un-ambiguity of this case--the open and shut quid pro quo--will challenge even the most obsequious of Trump's defenders to bend themselves into ever more morally twisted pretzels to defend their hero. Seems as though the witch hunt found the witch because he flew his broomstick right into our collective faces.
3
PLEASE, would someone articulate the argument, if there is one, why he should NOT be impeached?
7
Regardless if Trump is ultimately impeached, our Constitution demands all 3 executive branches are equal. Each branch is meant to keep the others honest and lawful. To which, 45 and senior Republicans have failed to uphold their duties to comply with, and uphold those Constitutional laws. The light will shine very bright on their failures to uphold the very laws they swore to uphold.
5
Poor parenting -- this is what happens when rich kids get every thing they want, to include people pretending they believe their bad lies. That's Donald and his parents but what excuse is there for the GOP? Donny's supporters say that he "talks like me." Duh. They are part of the problem.
But why did it take this long? Why was so much damage allowed to happen?
Prison -- and without rich kid's perks after many fair trials is in order so help heal this nation and set the president: even Donny isn't above the law and so is no one else.
2
Better Headline...Congress takes the bait.
Today we will see the transcript and likely the "Whistleblower" complaint. Nancy spent a lot of time telling us what Trump supposedly did when she hasn't even seen the complaint, nor the transcript. The fact that it came from the, ,"intel" community should be raising alarms through out the Democrat party. Remember what happened to the last Get Trump effort led by the Intel community.
2
Trump has nothing to do in the white house. the white house is supposed to work in favour of America. Trump has other goals. I don't care what they are. they just don't fit the job.
2
Why was the Department of Justice "blocking the inspector general from passing along the complaint"? Will William Barr also be investigated?
7
A very serious question: what if all this is a hate-fuelled dream and our president is the same person on January 20, 2021?
What will we do?
1
I'm shocked. When Paul Manafort figured out how to score some of that eastern European loot it was a big deal.
When the Bidens, one of whom was a sitting vice President and neck deep in dealings with Ukraine, manage to score some as well, oh that's all above board and nothing to see here, folks. Just move along. BTW, just how many countries did that money pass through before entering the US banking system?
I don't blame Trump at all for urging the Ukrainians to investigate the matter.
1
Manafirt evaded paying taxes on it. That’s why it was a big deal and he’s in jail now.
2
There is, apparently, no “transcript.” At least not one that will be provided — as I am quite sure there exists a recording of the call(s). And any “notes” from the call(s) will surely not reflect the crude thuggish extortion of our Criminal in Chief.
4
NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW. PERIOD, FULL STOP.
Remember this and also all of the things this inept, insecure, illegitimate Oval Office Occupant has done.
Remember all of the things his enablers have done.
Remember and be motivated to vote him and all of enablers out in November 2020.
4
The idea of trump's transcript is patently ridiculous.
Let's say your 7th grader's teacher emails you that you really really need to talk about your kid's extortion of school money from younger students. Before the meeting, the kid offers to give you a complete, unredacted transcript of his actual conversation with the little kids; you know, like he was only actually concerned about their nutrition levels, and wanted to make sure they had enough pennies for milk.
When the teacher brings evidence that your child actually stole $300 a week by shaking down vulnerable youngsters, you'd have to make a decision about whose argument is most compelling. Since you know your kid has been like this for his entire young life, stealing from his family and friends, how compelling would be his 'transcript'?
trump in a nutshell. He goes as far as we'll let him, raking in money and insulting us all as he steals. When enough pressure builds, he throws a stupid bone, telling us it's a big favor, and moves on to the next grift. It's not very subtle, nor hard to see that it's WRONG. IMPEACH
2
Isn't it simply astonishing how compliant he sounds today? Scared rabbit, it's too little - too late.
2
The stakes are the highest they have been since the gathering of our forefathers and mothers in 1776 to form our nationhood from a confederation of 13 colonies as our indentured servants and slaves looked on hoping for eventual inclusiveness.
We arrive again where we began. This time instead of Britain and France and Spain we are dealing with Putin and his fellow dictators and our own wanna be monarch. His entire cabinet should be impeached and Pence as well.
4
From the reports I'm reading in your paper, concerning the White House "negotiating" in regards to the whistleblower testifying to Congress and the release of any and all records, it sounds to me like a repeat of the Mueller Report. I see the word "redacted," and just know that Barr will do another "interpretation" snowjob. The guy really knows his stuff, I'll give him that. He has been more effective at hiding the President's unlawful shenanigans than anyone else, and seems perfectly happy to do so. IMHO, he should get impeached, too. He certainly isn't working for the country as a whole.
I hope that the Democrats hold to their guns and absolutely insist that the law be followed, to the letter. Otherwise, this will be just another bump in the road for this appalling administration.
5
You do realize, I hope, that Trump is now trying the “Crooked Hilary” strategy on Biden. In other words, Trump is putting out vague accusations of corrupt practices by Biden, practices which are analogous to the “crimes” of “Crooked Hilary” (for which we never even got a fair description, let alone any evidence). It’s the old Soviet “Big Lie” technique: tell a lie so large and so often that people start to accept it as the truth.
We can’t let Trump get away with trashing Biden like this! Quite apart from the injustice to Biden and the disadvantage to Democrats—in losing the candidate most likely to appeal to middle-of-the-road suburban voters—the “Crooked Hilary” strategy will be applied to EVERY subsequent front-runner, if Trump sees that it works to eliminate Biden.
3
Way too late. Congress should have "stepped up" long ago, first to prevent this unfit and illegitimate Russian stooge from taking office and certainly as soon as he started breaking the law by obstructing justice, abusing his powers and using the presidency to enrich himself and his family.
2
The New York Times has been the leader in society for recent decades.
Absolutely.
We're in trouble if we don't trust them. And we're in trouble.
1
In the real world, people were less transfixed than Washington? Time for NYT to get out into the real world. We are watching.
The anti Russia hysteria has reached full flower. The neo con obsession with pushing into Russia's backyard could put NATO and Russia into a redux of the Cuban missile crisis. The Congress' clownish endeavor to arm the Ukrainians has now become serious. Putting aside Joe Biden's son shamelessly using his family name to get millions from the seriously dysfunctional post coup Ukrainian regime. The NYTs reported that the Mueller reports murky findings weren't going to get the job done to topple Trump. Now its the wholly ridiculous arming of Ukraine to do the job.
2
I say this as someone who predicted DJT would win and who wrote on the Guardian the day he "won" that he would be impeached: I think he may well pull a Nixon and resign, and in surprisingly short order.
This is the tip of the iceberg; we have him on so many different issues of different orders and magnitudes (some of them blatantly criminal; the Emoluments Clause was always an impeachable offense) that there is an embarrassment of riches to choose from.
The very fact that this latest stunt is literally a Mueller Report redux suggests he's yanking our chain harder than the usual daily tug. Can't get me on colluding with another nation to try to fix an election? I'll show you. By attempting to collude with another nation to fix my next election. Surreal.
I mean...Freud where art thou? It just doesn't get any more blatantly self-destructive. And it's the "self-destructive" that has changed. Not for him. For this depraved GOP. It's finally dawning on even the dimmest and most craven among them that choosing to back the most venal, corrupt, moronic president in US history is not going to play well in the history books. At all.
Impeachment is the only way for this GOP to salvage something of its reputation. Having done the wrong thing at every turn, impeachment offers them an 11th hour reprieve where they can become the heroes by finally, belatedly, for all the wrong reasons doing the right thing.
But then...it's a clown's game and they hold the joker, so who knows?
2
Ah, if only it could be true!
If the editorial board of the NY Times would stick their heads outside the bubble once in a while, they'd realize that this latest, vindictive act against a seated President of the United States, guarantees his reelection. The masses are astute; they know this charge is based on second or third-hand commentary fueled by an anti-Trump agenda. Good luck, guys. You've sealed his fate now for sure, i.e., 8 more years.
The fact is when you're after a common criminal you're conducting a man-hunt, and when you're after a witch, well, it's a witch-hunt... and frankly that's the nature of the character the congress is going after here.
1
That Trump will be complying with the law, maybe, is headline news, is truly astonishing.
2
No redactions without resignations! As Elizabeth Holzman reminds us in an op-ed, Nixon tried to doctor the evidence too!
1
A weather map was altered with a Sharpie. Receiving an accurate phone transcript is unlikely.
4
Why not ask the Ukraine government for the recorded conversation of those calls between their pres and POTUS?
1
There is no ' blink' provision in any article of the American Constitution that gives this moment any hopeful power.
As long as Donald Trump has the smiling and smirking and hacking and meddling support of Benjamin Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin he is safe and sound.
As long as it takes a majority of the House of Representatives to impeach and 2/3rds of the Senate to convict and remove Donald Trump is secure until the 2020 election.
What part of the Electoral College, the Senate and the Federal Courts does the NYT Editorial Board not understand that America is not and never was meant to be a democracy?
America is and always has been a very peculiar kind of republic. America is a divided limited different power constitutional republic of united states. A republic where the people are the nominal ultimate sovereign over their elected and selected hired help.
2
Call me a fool but i am not convinced of the “good deed” from Republicans Senators. They have spent a life time putting someone like this POTUS in the White House to champion the worst of their policies.
4
Trump blinked? No, I think he just gave Pelosi and gang enough rope. Now Pelosi has to put up or shut up. After the real evidence (not the press wild speculations) comes out, if she backs off, she and the Dems lose. If she goes to a vote in the house and doesn't win, she loses. If she goes to a vote in the house and wins, it goes to the Senate, where she will never get a 2/3 majority, (Republicans will NEVER let a Republican president be the first to be impeached and removed from office) and she loses. All the while Trump will be saying "witch-hunt". And after the Mueller 3 year fiasco, a lot of Americans will agree, and there will be backlash. Not only will this get Trump re-elected, it will put a Republican majority in both the House and Senate.
18
@Marc
Our founding fathers were willing to risk "our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor" to build a democratic nation. Politicians are merely being asked to make their re-elections possibly less likely. I think it is a fair trade to defend the belief that the president must serve the US people, their security, and their interests, above his own greed and ambition.
126
@Marc I wouldn't be so sure about that. When we hear from the whistleblower it may very well be way more serious than we thought.
77
@Marc Like the anti-Dem backlash after the Kavanaugh hearings was so supposed to deliver the GOP an even stronger majority in the House? Certainly, impeachment will probably not deliver the quick knock-out blow some Dems dream about, but I think you're kidding yourself if you think that the impeachment process will win Trump any new supporters.
105
Please do not give Republicans credit for their reaction here, which has been reluctant and tepid in the extreme. There is no real sign of a change in their enabling of Trump and generally unpatriotic behavior.
What is good to see is the White House agreeing to turn over some information to the House. Up until now, this administration has been totally stonewalling Congress on anything and everything, trying to establish the absolute power of a king rather than a president.
It shouldn’t take an impeachment threat to shift that paradigm, but so be it. Forcing this lawless President to acknowledge the authority of a co-equal branch of government is important progress.
I’m less hopeful about how the far-right Supreme Court will behave when push comes to shove, as it inevitably will. A unanimous Supreme Court that refused to cover for Nixon’s malfeasance is what brought down his criminal presidency. Let’s hope this group displays similar moral fiber.
3
To start impeachment proceedings is not a matter to be taken lightly. It certainly can divide our country and have long lasting consequences. But in Donald Trump we have a President completely out of control and who has no sense of reality. And a President who has violated every oath he has taken to his office and his country. We cannot tolerate such an individual in the Oval Office. He puts America at huge risk both domestically and internationally. America’s enemies and adversaries have already used Mr. Trump’s actions to their benefit and will continue to do so. Enough is enough. America has been gravely wounded and it must stop.
3
Quite honestly, the Speaker looked a little shaken in delivering the speech. In any event, Bravo. Madam Speaker! It's beyond time to hold Trump accountable.
If the Republican senators who are so immovable in defending this president persist in their "politics above country" attitude, let their constituents deliver the final opinion, which of course they will.
3
Newt Gingrich mentioned that the same thing that happened to him could happen to Ms Pelosi. Let's remember, Newt impeached Pres Clinton over Monica, and, as said by Newt, Because he could. Ms Pelosi is looking into impeachment of Trump for trying to get help from a foreign government to find dirt against a political opponent. Ms Pelosi should be seen as trying to save the Constitution.
7
Does anyone actually see how one is going to get 67 in votes to Impeach in the current Senate, regardless of whatever evidence might come to light? Because I don't. And we all know that Trump and his sycophants will all trumpet an acquittal (even if only be a single vote) as the same as an exoneration. Nobody with the slightest degree of political sophistication (or common sense) will buy that argument, but one has to ask: wasn't it was exactly the same lack of sophistication (and common sense) which made Trump's 2016 "victory" possible in the first place?
2
All sound and fury, signifying nothing. If the House doesn't pass articles of impeachment, he remains in office. If the House does, but the Senate either doesn't take it up or acquits him, he remains in office. If the Senate convicts him, he will refuse to leave and file lawsuits alleging every thing he can think of to invalidate the impeachment, making himself a martyr and remaining in office as we transition from the 'American Experiment' to the 'Republic of Trump'.
1
The transcript will be at best ambiguous. As Michael Cohen testified, "Mr. Trump" speaks in a Mafia like Code, never asking for or directing anything overtly wrong. That will allow Mr. Trump and his defenders to claim, "No collusion. No Obstruction."
It will necessary to get the full context. If the Ukrainians were told the $400 million was held up because Trump was concerned about corruption especially involving Americans after his personal attorney had mentioned the Biden's, message had already been sent all Trump need to do was hint to reinforce the message.
3
To quote from one comment. "Perhaps now there is hope that the tide has indeed turned; that “the party of No!” is indeed sufficiently affrighted and alarmed at what they themselves now see as the most serious danger to all of us: Donald Trump." More likely, Republicans in the Senate have confidence that the Zelensky transcript will be heavily redacted. I will now buy shares of the company that makes Sharpies.
4
No one should place any reliance on the transcript that Pres Trimp has promised, as he lies constantly. There's no basis to believe that a transcript, by itself, is either correct or complete. Only solid corroborating evidence would make the transcript believable.
1
"Make America Great Again" just morphed into "Make America Trump Again?". The answer from some former supportive voices is "Really?" Great does not equal Trump. His Achilles heal has just been exposed.
I can't help but wonder whether Great Britain's House of Commons resolve to defy and check Boris Johnson's brazen attempt to override Parliamentary authority had something to do with the new republican display of courage. Hopefully, our country will begin to come together and understand that if we don't hang together, we will hang separately (nod to Ben).
3
I am profoundly relieved by the actions of Speaker Pelosi. I am relieved that the framers of the Constitution knew that human beings, even those who might become president, could have such fallibility that they would be unfit to continue to serve as president. The rules are there and Trump has managed to act in every conceivable way to be unfit from the outset of his tenure in office. That it was the Ukraine then with Manafort now in prison and the Ukraine now is a rather beautiful irony. Nixon's impeachment was quite incredible but I did not feel sadness for him, nor do I feel sadness now with Trump. Clinton's actions were not on a level with the other two and that is not because of his political stripes but rather the actions, unsavory as they were, do not rise to the level of Trump's infamy. On with the hearings and let the process begin.
4
Looking in from (for the moment) safely outside, one hopes that this current episode is not some sophisticated "rope a dope" re-election strategy.
Is it possible that he is signaling a vulnerability to conviction in an instance where he (for once perhaps) is factually innocent?
What could embolden Moscow Mitch and his base more than that?
2
Are you a Trump supporter?
1
As is always the case with Trump, you don't know until you see it. My bet is it's redacted, or the wrong phone conversations is produced, or it's doctored to be innocent and the same with the whistleblower report, which is why it is crucial that the report be given to Congress, the full report, and the whistleblower is not questioned until that happens. This is a tragedy we are living through. Trump has managed to go ahead and escalate political differences in families and among friends to the point many no longer speak to each other. It reminds me of stories of the Civil War when some Southern men and boys didn't want to participate in that kind of war and they were ostracized and shunned by family and friends. The awful part of it is those feelings are as alive in the South today as they were then. Nobody wins in this sort of horror.
9
“Mr. Trump tweeted that he had authorized the release of the ‘complete, fully declassified and unredacted transcript’ of his call with Mr. Zelensky.”
Trump will not keep this promise since he’s a liar, instead Trump will authorize a fully classified and redacted transcript.
13
Perhaps the biggest benefit of launching an official impeachment inquiry is that it will make foreign interference in 2020 more dangerous for all mal-actors, American and foreign, due to the added scrutiny. Let 2020 be the true verdict of the people, no matter what it is.
4
As of this post, Trump has still not released the transcript of the phone call, and I say that he doesn't follow through on his promise. He'll use the impeachment inquiry as an excuse. The mere breaking of a promise is nothing to a man who lies constantly And Trump knows he doesn't have to be concerned with impeachment or his re-election. The Senate will never convict, and America is a lot more racist than we want to admit. While praising the intelligence of the American electorate, he secretly knows that they can be led around like bulls with nose rings - only instead of bull rings, he uses their beliefs and prejudices to lead them wherever he wants.
If DJT doesn't destroy our fragile democracy, he has published the blueprint and playbook for some other demagogue to do it later. If a democracy like America's is going to exist, there will have to be a paradigm shift in human thought throughout the world.
In the near future, we will program the human mind in the computer based on a "survival" algorithm, which will provide irrefutable proof as to how we trick the mind with our ridiculous beliefs about what is important and what is supposed to survive - producing minds programmed de facto for dirty tricks and destruction. These minds see the survival of a particular belief as more important than the survival of us all. When we understand this, we will begin the long trek back to reason and sanity.
See RevolutionOfReason.com
6
Shortly after the 2016 election I saw a stat where Trump had a low 50's chance of completing a four year term.
It’s a start. MAYBE.
trimp has every reason to be confident.
There are legions of defenders in high and low places that have no serious interest in law, decency, facts, or reality. Instead, they imagine they can define, mock, and disfigure all those terms based on their cramped warped proclivities.
They will try to make this about the Bidens.
They will try to make this about the integrity of the executive branch.
They will continue to screech “Witch Hunt!” and “Partisanship!”
To accuse them of deceit and lack of honor is to miss the point. That would be like accusing a backyard toadstool of pretensions to photosynthesis.
2
The other shoe to drop is that this will end the hopes of Biden.
That's good.
6
@Mark Thomason, Obama told him you don’t have to do this, Joe.
1
Trump's on one side, The Constitution's on the other. He will crumble.
4
The illustration is incredibly appropriate.
Congress falling apart, while Trump DOES NOT blink.
2
Watch. If the transcript is released today, it gives Trump and Barr and Hannity a day to define the issue AND then when the poor guy (lady) testifies before congress they will contend he is lying.
5
Pelosi likely waited until she had some reason to believe (unknowable to us, but I am talking about objective, not subjective information) that she’d get some Rs to support it. She is a brilliant political tactician and has never flown by the seat of her pants on this issue.
10
Using trumps favorite line "we'll see what happens"
2
This is the entrance the Democrats had been seeking. A clear-cut way to begin investigating this corrupt administration and to destroy the stonewalling. The tax returns, his violation of the emoluments clause, that pesky conversation with Putin only his interpreter knows about, enriching himself and his family by hosting foreign leaders in his for-profit properties, the Air Force staying at his failing Scottish resort...
Trump may or may not end up thrown out of office and into the clutches of the NY Attorney General. However, the extent of this administration’s corruption and his mobster style of “leading” will force Republicans in Congress to explain how it was that they stood by while all of this was taking place, and to Trump’s supporters to go home, stripped of their Trumpian mythology. Even Liberty University may have to look for a new president.
3
Shouldn’t there be a vote in Congress for this? Who is Pelosi to announce it? Just don’t get that.
1
Maybe he'll take a plea bargain and resign?
Wanna bet the transcript will be heavily edited? We'll need an Alexander Butterfield.
5
@jdvnew, just like William Barr concealed the bulk of Mueller investigation, so will some WH staff edit and conceal. We list transparency accountability from George W Bush days when they lied openly in broad daylight.
2
Trump, true to his nature and reputation, made a classic mistake centered on greed. For all practical purposes he got away with asking...very overtly...for Russia's help with his 2016 election bid. As soon as he saw he wouldn't be held to account for that, assumed he was in the clear to now push Ukraine for the same purpose. It didn't work out this time.
Not only did he get caught with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar, he wanted to destroy the reputation of one of America's most admired political figures and his son.
So, to answer one of this country's most famous questions, this president would say "No sir, I have no sense of decency."
1
The statement that there is “ some movement” by the republican members of congress indicates how costive they have been. 45 is good when all members of his gang wear their colors but, defy 45, and stand tough, and 45 starts to grab at anything. This government is not a business.
2
The Republicans in the Senate stood up to the bully Trump and he is beginning to fold.
Maybe they are beginning to learn this is how you deal with a bully, you don’t fold you stand up and fight back because Trump is a coward.
1
As long as Trump retains his hold on the Evangelicals and their worship of the "Golden Calf" the USA , as we know it, is in danger of ceasing.
1
"Shortly after 2 o’clock, Mr. Trump tweeted that he had authorized the release of the “complete, fully declassified and unredacted transcript” of his call with Mr. Zelensky."
Recall, only recently, this is the same guy who felt compelled to ALTER an NHC hurricane map with a sharpie pen to show the a disbelieving nation (and particularly the people in Alabama) that his false assertions about a storm's misleading path heading their way were right.
6
William Barr is trying to pull off the same misleading comments as he did with the Mueller Report. A redacted version of the whistleblower's complaint won't cut it. And what right do you have to even think you can stop the whistleblower from testifying?
2
Ask for Ukraine’s transcript of the call too. A famous Republican once said “trust but verify”.
6
"After months — years even — of watching Mr. Trump behave as though he answered to no one, many lawmakers seemed almost relieved that the showdown had arrived."
Impeachment was always hovering in the background of this unusual presidency, sucking the wind out of Democrats who wondered if anything would move their GOP colleagues.
Thank God for the president's abundant hubris and arrogance in making that call once he thought the coast was clear for Ukrainian meddling.
With this ultimate act, he's flown too close to the sun. I believe, in time, the incomprehensible support from Republicans for a man willing to break all norms of government will die on the vine.
It didn't take long for one galvanizing spark to quickly amass Democratic support for impeachment. We can only hope it does the same for a sufficient number of Republicans.
4
@ChristineMcM
Well, to be clear, you Could always hope it does the same for a sufficient number of Republcans, AND that every democrat wins the Powerball this week. Might as well you have about the same chance of doing either.
Trumps values and lack of truth telling are typical of a slum lord and especially being brought up in that kind of environment and value system. I can understand why rural people didn't get it because they have had no experience with this kind of person. City dwellers on the contrary...
3
Why is Congress not pursuing a corruption investigation into former Vice President Biden's?
Why did a Ukrainian oil company pay the son of the sitting U.S. Vice President hundreds of thousand of dollars if not for political favors?
Too many of our elected leaders become tremendously wealthy by peddling political favors with no concern for the interests of their constituents.
2
@jck
If there is anything to the Biden story, which thus far has not been shown to be the case, why would trump turn to the Ukranian government, which he calls corrupt, for aninvestigation? Why not give whatever evidence he and his capering mouthpiece, Giulliani, claim to have to the FBI and the DOJ?
Your feeble attempt at 'whataboutism' cannot withstand a shred of scrutiny; it is merely an attempt to obfuscate and deflect from the actions of a man who makes Nixon look like a paragon of ethical behavior.
1
@Walt Jones
So why was Biden's son paid large amounts of money by a Ukrainian oil company if not for political favors from the Vice President?
1
"I tremble for country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice will not sleep forever."
Thomas Jefferson
There is a trench dividing the American people and, disunited, poorly lead, brilliantly mislead and at times blindly ignorant, we stumble towards that trench as would a man without eyes. Impeachment is a national nightmare even in the best of circumstances. But, with America self-hobbled, China ascendant, Europe in pieces and Russia a glowering menace, if this investigation is not handled correctly, bilaterally, we will never recover from the damage done. That is my fear for my country.
2
Finally!
From his inauguration forward I have choked on this presidency. He swears an oath to a Constitution he flouts from the vantage point of his hotel down Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House. From the closing words "...so help me God" he has dragged the GOP and the country into his fetid swamp.
Each member of Congress from either party should know he is plainly a "domestic enemy" whom they swore an oath against on ascension to their high office. Their failure to recognize and act on this fact tarnished all who stood by and did not begin this process almost 1,000 days ago.
This is a parlous time but we have guideposts we can follow, including the words of the first Republican president, Abraham Lincoln, who, staring at the abyss of the Civil War to come, closed his first Inaugural with word for us to ponder:
"We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature"
We are to be tested again, not riven by war but by widely differing views about race, governance and national purpose.
Time for the seraphim and cherubim to stir.
3
A prediction: Trump will resign before impeachment.
2
Until this crime syndicate of an administration, I've never subscribed to conspiracy theories.However at this juncture my beliefs have changed drastically.The agreement to release the transcript, seemingly without resistance from the WH, leads many to believe that the transcript will be "doctored".
The testimony of the actual whistle blower ,under oath would be more relevant in this matter.
It's long overdue that this unfit occupant of the Oval office be exposed for all his fraudulence,self-serving corruption and lies. The hearings of impeachment will not be controlled by his enablers and abettors and the likes of the spin masters ,such as the demented Giuliani to make excuses and further fabrications.Regardless of the result, once and for all, the record will expose this despicable poseur.
2
Is the White House even allowed to redact the complaint? This is yet another attempt to derail this investigation. Shouldn’t the report be handed over in its entirety? Now’s the time for a patriotic leaker to step forward.
Who would even trust a transcript of Trump’s call to Ukraine? Oval Office phone calls haven’t been recorded since 1974.
1
I’ll believe things are turning around when Don McGhan and other key witnesses are free to appear before Congress and speak under oath as to how this president attempted to obstruct the Mueller investigative into his campaign’s collusion with Russia. That story has yet to be fully told thanks to AG Barr, who should also be on a list for potential impeachment IMO.
1
Trump's bumbling ego has made him anything but a clever tactition.
He is, with gratitude to the stars in the heavens, done.
Now, the door is being kicked open for a really good presidential race:
The deserving Democrats need a young centrist (Uncle Joe,
bless his wonderful heart, will have to play a doting grandparent);
Republicans, not known for anything but outdatedness, can
search long and hard for a ticket of TWO females, let's say, who aint just rich, but, (what a concept!) good executive material.
Then, Dear America, you might just recover, no matter which
UnTrump wins, from The Nightmare.
1
He allegedly extorted an ally at war for his own personal gain. He used taxpayer money as leverage in a private side deal. He potentially put American and NATO lives at risk by complicating an explosive situation. If it’s true, he’s a traitor and should go to prison.
4
Trump and his enablers cannot be trusted. Chairman Schiff is right to say, as he did today, that the White House and the DOJ
(Barr) should have nothing to do with the whistle blower report going to the Congress untouched.
1
Trump has already had his first tangible win.
Joe Biden has been knocked off, as a viable candidate.
2
Clever Nancy: she foresaw that acting "weak" and "indecisive" after the Mueller report would fuel Donald Trump's fantasy of being above the law, so that he would let his guard down and overstep himself... Madam Speaker, I love you.
3
@Sunspot
Is that how you saw it? Know what I saw? I saw AOC Clap, and Pelosi Snap to Attention to Obey.
It’s going to be an episode of The Apprentice with Pelosi and company receiving a hard lesson in politics!!! He’s going to humiliate them publicly on prime time.
1
So many articles about impeachment and the whistleblower today. And I look for just one that actually examines the conduct of Joseph Biden and his son. In vain. Misdirection is the term magicians use for it.
2
@Bob Roberts
And you, sir, have fallen for the misdirection, hook, line and sinker. Have you bothered to ask yourself why your dear leader felt compelled to take his little conspiracy theory to the Ukranian government for investigation, rather than giving his "evidence" to the FBI? Of course not; we aren't allowed to question the "Supreme Leader".
1
We've become a horrible country. I'm ashamed of it. I don't like living here anymore.
God help us. We've lost our way.
I don't like it here. I don't want to live here. I can't raise children in this country.
2
@Dave, well we ruined it for many many other nations as well. We won’t even admit it. Zero lessons learned.
It's critical we hear from the whistle blower directly,
No Trump/Barr/Giuliani filters.
These people cannot be trusted.
4
Could it be Republicans finally see an opportunity to sever themselves from this extremely unpredictable narcissist in time to have a fleeting chance at maintaining the Oval Office in 2020?
1
Methinks Rudy was dispatched to Ukraine to do Mr. T's bidding so he could have 'plausible deniability.' After all, America's Mayor is but a private citizen. This wasn't new news but for the whistle-blower report, it would have gone by-the-bye. This speaks to carelessness in not doing a better job covering their tracks but carelessness is their standard ops!
One other thing - Mr. T will resign before allowing an impeachment trial to commence. Mark my words.
It will also spare him the humiliation of losing in November which will crush his outsized ego. He'll then be free to play the martyr on his new Fox TV show...
1
If President Trump would just get out, I think we all could bear one year of President Pence. At least, he is normal.
@Fran, they should get rid of both together then speaker Pelosi will be first interim woman President.
1
@petey tonei
They should, perhaps, but they can't. Given a choice of the two to get rid of, I would choose Trump and McConnell; I think Pence would be quite "livable" for one year or less.
@Fran
Only if you consider a man who advocates for turning our nation into a theocracy based on his religion "normal".
1
Every Republican who has abetted Trump must be voted out. Second,
I would vote for the most courageous,
intelligent person on the planet - and to the Devil with laws that might prevent this: Greta Thunberg for President 2020!
3
It's getting late early.
Can't we skip the "inquiry" and go straight to impeachment?
2
This inflection point exists not so much because New York Times editorials have boldly reflected the vibrancy of the moment or the courageous heft this moment calls for. At best, Times editorials have been a bit watery, timid, too cautious, seemingly afraid to forcefully call out the lawlessness of the Trump era. That's not in the spirit of Adolph Ochs, so I hope now that Nancy Pelosi, nudged by history and restive elements within her caucus, moved the needle of justice, hopefully the powerful editorial pages of Times will act in kind, commensurate with its great legacy of being on the leading edge of societal change. By the way, an editorial should end staking out a concrete position on an issue that move events, or society forward, relative to the issue the editorial is addressing.
I am glad it didn't have to come down to Trump shooting someone on Fifth Avenue for Congress to start doing their job.
2
It's frightening that impeachment has become a tool of revenge by disgruntled Democrats who are still in denial over the results of the 2016 election. It wasn't supposed to be this way--according to the script Hillary Clinton was going to be the first woman president!!
There's an old saying that goes:. We make plans and God laughs.
1
Hold off on any conclusions here.
Early in this process, with the Republican hedging their bets, things may turn dark once again.
No. 1 - There’s to be a transcript of the conversation between Trump and the Ukrainian President released Wednesday. This ‘Trumped’ up release will likely be tempered by a hurricane sharpie to shape the narrative.
No. 2- The Republicans who play nice now will then have time to get their Trumpian excuses straight... after which,
No. 3- Time and FOX will tilt reality and the balance.
So there are 2 things of relevance here:
1. Misinformation: The release of the hurricane sharpie narrative, digestion of the Kool-Aid by the Republicans, and the resulting absorption by FOX News... FOX will continually broadcast a 1984, Soviet style propaganda blast to the current Trump supporters.
2. Missing the Mark: The irony of Republicans siding, supporting and running with a would-be Trump led dictatorship, with all the trappings of central government control... it all flies in the face of our WWII victory and more recently Cold War win against socialism, communism and central government control.
What happened to Republican support of the free market?
What happened to Republican respect, support and total loyalty to our great Constitution?
What happened to Republican detest of Communism, Fascism and government control?
Let's use this opportunity through impeachment to rid ourselves of this cancer, and heal the country.
2
This inquiry into the Ukraine will end up sinking Biden chances at the nomination.
The knowledge of this man behind his thick layer of bluster is very thin. Remember, he studies everything like he studied hurricane Dorian. Without GOP protection, this American embarrassment should have been long gone.
1
Pelosi held back and gave POTUS plenty of rope. POTUS seems to have made use of every inch, and then some.
So to mix metaphors - the hook has been set. Now we see whether the line is strong enough, and the hook set deep enough.
Impeachment could backfire on the democrats if they are timid. This doesn't play well in Iowa or elsewhere.
As part of the rules, the House needs criminal prosecution for contempt and they must be willing to pass them out like K-mart flyers. Then, they need to empower the Sargent of Arms of the House and the DC police, and the court system in DC to arrest, indict, and convict uncooperative witnesses. All this under the watchful eye of AG Barr.
At least, when the federal court rules in Trump's favor, we will know we live in an oligarchy under a dictator. As citizens, you should refer to Jefferson's discussion on overthrowing your jaundiced government.
1
All well and good, but the president did not blink, he zagged. He sees this as just another step in the dance and is confident that his iron grip on the base will always see him through. But the only way this will be resolved is when it is no longer about him and what he believes.
The one thing that did happen which has not been noted enough was the unanimous Senate resolution. This event recalls the beginning of the collapse of Nixon's support when the tapes were released. I don't necessarily think that the transcript (even the version coming from the whistle-blower) will be Trumps "tapes", but that the formerly granite-like wall of his GOP support showed the first little crack. Even the Republican paperweights still in office must be getting tired of the incessant drumbeat of criminality being revealed.
3
Where were those noble GOP elected members when Trump had his interview and told George Stephanopoulos that he saw nothing wrong with asking foreign powers for assistance in seeking background on his political opponents? It seems that with the tide of public (and media) outrage that those who might be affected by the 2020 election are desperately trying to learn how to swim in the waters of political correctness before they are crushed.
I just hope with the Impeachment Inquiry that the totality of this president's foul disrespect for Democracy and the rule of law are exposed, and isn't focused on just this one example of how unfit he is to hold the office. There is no difference between a fatal wound from a knife stabbed in the heart and death by bleeding out from a thousand cuts. We are a wounded nation, and without impeachment, would signal future generations that his actions are acceptable. They are not....ask someone in the X, Y or Z generations. I, too, would like to see my progeny return to being proud to be American.
3
Americans and many in the media need to recognize besides this possibly criminal behavior reported by the whistleblower and other unethical behavior catalogued in the Mueller Report that Trump simply is unfit for office across the board. He doesn't have the desire to learn what he needs to know to lead America both at home and abroad. His speeches are full of propaganda and ideology. They do not contain policy or proposals. The presidency is all about Donald Trump. He is not even able to choose people to fill his cabinet and staff that know what they are doing. Those few that he appoints by accident who are competent and ethical soon leave the administration. Those he appoints that are just like himself ethically and morally are soon legally compromised and in court or in prison for their criminal behavior. Yes, Trump needs to face impeachment. He should never have been elected--and his election is another issue that we have refused to grapple with and uncover the truth concerning who interfered and to what extent. It's time. We're here. Let's get to some truth and maybe even some resolution.
3
The levee broke. However, this incident is distinctly different than other Trumpian episodes of malfeasance and corruption. We're not talking about one more piece of straw.
First, we know a tape exists. A tape recording the president's actions in the first person. I wouldn't trust any document provided by the administration. I imagine they'll doctor the recording. Ideally, we'd want a second recording from the Ukrainian government. However, a recording exists.
Second, the word "urgent" has particularly persuasive legal precedent. Many Democrats were concerned with getting involved in a long dragged impeachment process that wouldn't resolve itself before the 2020 election anyway.
Indeed, this has been exactly Trump's strategy. Refuse everything and make the legal process take forever. However, the word "urgent" throws the entire legal process into high gear. Anything that goes to court for arbitration is going to be expedited. Democrats have a chance to tie up the Ukraine matter quickly if they don't get bogged down in the mountain of other scandals.
Things happen slowly then all at once. You don't tap the breaks on a roller coaster. We need to let the momentum run its course. Hopefully sooner rather than later.
2
My first reaction, as I listened to Speaker Pelosi's statement and the gravity of 45's offenses agains the rule of law and the Constitution, was one of profound sadness. This will be the third president to face an impeachment inquiry during my lifetime. I well remember the previous two. And though I believe this is justified - and perhaps long overdue - I know the difficulties it presents and I fear the deeper polarization it will solidify. Nixon's was supported by both parties. It was recognized that he could not be trusted to obey the law if flouting it would gain him ascendence over those he regarded as enemies of his personal ambitions. I do not trust that current Republicans, with this president, will put the good of the country over their own ambitions and agendas. And I don't know what that will do to this already divided citizenry. Sad. And fearful. And still very angry.
540
@Barbara Harman
Good points, but remember it took a long time for most Republicans to come around with Nixon.
When the impeachment inquiries first began most of the public, and certainly almost the entire the Republican Party were solidly against them.
Only with the slow drip of ever more damning evidence, culminating with the smoking gun of tapes did the tide turn. Republicans had to hit the wall of 'no choice', and it may be the same now.
78
@Barbara Harman. My feelings exactly. I am incredibly sad for my country and where we will have to go now, but we have to go there.
27
@Keith
Keith, I hope you're right. What worries me is that in Nixon's time we did not have social media or blogs full of lies, or Fox News. So many people will never hear the "slow drip of ever more damning evidence".
37
Anybody remember that Trump is an habitual liar? Anybody remember the initial promise to release the tax returns and then--nothing, ever? The man misdirects, deflects, foot-drags, uses every legal tool in the book to thwart justice, if not the law itself. This process has tended to get lost in all of the egregious content of Trump's behavior. It should be fully revealed as a critically important element of his intractability, in taking action to rid ourselves of him once and for all.
5
This is all for the good, but I'll admit a weakness: I will remain bothered that there will continue to exist the famous Trump "base" whose minds will not be brought to the light even by impeachment. It is understandable that the Republican political class would place strategy over principle and morality: That's survival. But the millions of regular citizens who can admire a conscience-less, cold and egomaniacal con man are a very disheartening phenomenon. One expects this or that individual to be callous and self-centered. But millions?
8
Impeachment followed by non conviction in the Senate might be the last step in Donald Trump's destruction of the American democracy. If the cowardly GOP senators vote no conviction, what his attorney Micheal Cohen warned us about in the last paragraph of testimony may become true; Trump will not leave, even if unelected. To this narcissist, civil war is better than defeat and prosecution.
The final words of the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag are: "Liberty and justice for all." That is because America is a democratic republic, with a constitution that places no King, royal, dictator, nor person above the law. Donald Trump has trampled that proposition with the help of Ruppert Murdock's un American TV propaganda machine. The People's House is the only thing standing in the way. There is now a crisis that will determine whether America continues as a democratic republic where no person is above the law, and hopefully America will do what it has always done and reject having a king.
4
Between Trump and Giuliani, the stories keep changing and evolving on this story. Finally Trump has been caught in one lie too many. I can only imagine the "un-redacted version" of the trump phone call is edited with lots of fiction and sharpie edits. It is now time for patriotic members of Trump's administration to come forward and give genuine evidence in the impeachment inquiry. It is now time for the Republicans in both houses of Congress to come to their senses and stop supporting Constitutional bulldozing. Keep in mind, Trump did not win this election by a plurality of the voting public. The charade has gone on long enough.
5
Trump was never concerned with the fundamental concept that the presidency is about the nation. Looking over the past few years it seems to me that Trump has always approached the presidency as an opportunity to make of it what he can for himself. I understand that in the past many of our presidents have allowed their ego to get in the way of better judgement. Trump because he is so self involved, so demanding of the need for attention & approval that he has no boundaries regarding his actions. Trump has turned the presidency into a freakish version of a reality show. Perhaps for the first time in his life he is being called out on his behavior. He is running into the cold and sometimes harsh reality that there are consequences for ones actions. You cast your bread upon the water and it does come back to you. If Trump were still a private citizen that would be have an adverse effect on those who engage in business with him which would be bad enough. Trump though is our president & his behavior effects everyone of us having global implications. I would doubt that Trump will be able to comprehend why Pelosi has made her decision. As a spoiled child wallowing in a stew of self pity he will blame others for his troubles. In the end for our representative democracy to continue this impeachment inquiry must happen.
3
While I'm still not convinced Mitch McConnell and several of the die-hard members of the Republican Senate will stand up against the sheer treachery and lunacy of this president far enough into the future for it to really make a difference -- it's definitely a good sign that after years of giving Donald Trump Carte Blanche to run this country into the ground, some of them are finally remembering there is such a thing as the U.S. Constitution and that NO ONE is above the law.
Now is the time for all Americans to come to the aid of their country.
3
No surprise that congressional Republicans are suddenly folding like a cheap tent in the wind the moment it is no longer politically expedient to be allied with Trump. Don't think for a moment that Republicans are suddenly behaving in a principled way. It's all political calculation. This scandal is making them feel they may be better off without him.
5
Congress steps up because it ran out of hiding places. The notion that you let a crook run our government because you are afraid of losing your majority in 2020 just couldn't fly anymore. It is quite evident that on both sides of the aisle that folks are more interested in keeping their jobs than doing the business of the people who sent them there. God forbid a freshman congressman from a purple district loses their seat for doing their job? it wasn't a profile in courage that Pelosi finally decided to try to put Trump in check. Pelosi blew the whistle today because there was no other alternative. Trump is his own worse enemy because he can't keep his mouth shut when it would be in his best interest. If a poll was taken before the Civil War whether to fight or not the war would never have been fought. True leaders are not poll driven because they are the ones who drive the polls.
3
Congress needs to find out about and investigate absolutely everything that the whistle-blower reported in his or her original complaint.
This is about so much more than Trump's phone call. The call is almost a distraction from the truly serious matters surrounding it.
What should already be apparent is that Trump will do whatever he wants with foreign policy and national security to pursue his own narrow personal agenda, to the detriment of the United States, its people, and anything and anyone that is in the way of his own interests. He is a complete criminal. That is his total being. He must be stopped.
It is also apparent that the entire Executive Branch of the Federal Goveernment is now set up to attend first and foremost to Trump's criminal interests and survival. For Trump's subordinates, everything other than Trump's profits, the defense of Trump's illegal and treasonous actions, and their own power fantasies, is but an afterthought.
The President and the Executive Branch are suppose to serve the country and the citizens. As of now, the country and the citizens are serving the President and the Executive Branch. This is not a movie. This is real, and it is happening right now, to all of us.
1
Before this sorry episode in our nation’s history comes to a close, it will be the GOP that will have to come to terms with whether or not it will remain a viable American political party. Throwing shade, making false comparison arguments and playing numb-and-dumb might be effective while arguing policy(and even now these tactics and charades are becoming both tiresome and frightening at the same time). WE ALL KNOW AND HAVE KNOWN that our current president is incapable at best and a dangerous threat to our very polity in his self-dealing and belligerence at worst. If any good is to be wrought from his wretched tenure, it is my hope that the GOP platform joins the rest of us in the sentient world.
1
"COLLUSION! COLLUSION!" What Trump had denied for years he now brazenly admits to using for personal advantage. Never has Presidential corruption been so blatant. Impeachment cannot come soon enough.
3
To do nothing would have been unthinkable. trump has been aiming for this since elected. He wants to be a martyr for himself: he's never had an angle where he doesn't consider himself center stage and this impeachment is going to be his political suffering & crucifixion and, should it fail, we are in for non-stop preaching about his total redemption and justification. So we are in for more "Saint Don the Pure" and constant wailing about his undeserved vilification. Poor Saint Don; we all know he's had such a hard life, and he is so misunderstood. Except that we know him thoroughly and we do understand, too clearly.
4
We're getting exactly what people voted for in 2016. No surprises, Trump was always going to be a cataclysmic disaster from the get-go. The worst of him is yet to come.
2
"The complaint is said to be about multiple concerning acts," but Trump's supporters and talk radio are repeating the talking points supplied by Trump: 'The full transcript will be released tomorrow, and then we can get this behind us, and then get to the real controversy the Biden transcripts.'
What Biden transcripts you ask? The imaginary ones that Trump and company are demanding with angry indignation.
Don't look at the present scandal and corruption, look back at the make believe Biden scandal and corruption. That will be repeated over and over as though it had not already been debunked.
Trump doesn't care how thoroughly disproved his lies are, he will keep on repeating them louder and louder. I hope the media is not drawn like a moth to the flame, reporting Trump's lies about Biden as though alternative facts worthy of consideration. Doesn't Ukraine have an investigative media, and have they not already disproved the fake Biden controversy? Throw that right in Trump's face every time he brings it up.
2
It's a trap, maybe. At least in theory, this whistle blower thing could have been orchestrated only to provoke impeachment during which he will be finally exonerated (or at least it could be spun like that, again). Trump isn't capable of pulling this, but his enablers are.
1
Powerful people of mature insight know that the future is never fully predictable, so the "it's a start, maybe," is accurate.
The Levandowski bumblings by Nadler show a lack of cognition at the true nature of this brutal game. If Trump goes down, he'll be taking a number of his Republican congressional supporters with him. Those people aren't playing with their X-Boxes, they're sharpening their swords and readying their media mercenaries for a brutal war of words designed to create believable realities for the American public.
Apparently Nadler and the Democrats didn't have time to convene a focus group to conclude an action plan.
As any real sailor or land explorer know, in the adult world there is no completely safe course. One may encounter unknown obstacles, impediments or even a stroke of good luck that speeds one swiftly to the destination. We are cast upon the ingenuity of our own character and at times our ability to improvise.
Does any of this sound to you like a core capacity of Pelosi's pampered charges? No. Her crowd are infected with DCCC centrism. Being neither not nor cold, the public will spit out their posturing like so much spoiled beer.
Ultimately, whatever Trump has done is a matter of opinion, not fact, and laws are something we only lightly agree to as a matter of convention. Impeachment is about the ability of the Democrats to make the public believe a story of the destruction of the Good Name of America by Trump the evildoer.
1
I have to wonder why some Republicans are not standing in the way. Why now? I don't want Pence to be President. Right now he would be worse than Trump. How long would it take to play out? Trump doesn't want a war. Pence would let Pompeo & his Masters take us into one. Maybe that's what is really behind the timing.
Also Biden may not like what comes out. There are definitely some shady goings on there. That would hit the news sometime before the big primaries. Might really hurt him.
1
The greatest difficulty of trying to cope with Trump and his swampy department heads and his most fervent admirers is their lack of humanity. Most of them are fairly smart and capable, but empathy, ethics, and wisdom are foreign concepts to this crowd of corrupt, self-involved sycophants. Now we know what it's like to have a leader without a heart. I don't expect Pence to be better if he ends up in Trump's chair, but a Democrat has to be next.
2
Today's events were inevitable. Trump's pernicious persona could not, would not, EVAH stop dancing with the devil. If he slipped through the noose of impeachment, he would inevitably commit another transgression, and another after that, ad infinitum.
Today Pelosi fought back against The Bully.
Now we Progressive Democrats must also stand up to The Bullying of the equally corrupt DNC; We4 must stump for BERNIE as hard as we can, to see to the successful election of the only guy in the 2020 Presidential race that can begin the rebuilding of our crumbling democracy.
1
Concerned citizens, elected Democratic members of government and responsible media have been the true whistle-blowers since before this greedy, corrupt and treasonous administration illegitimately stepped into office. They are the true heroes and their ranks are finally growing beyond purely partisan politics.
The term whistle-blower has been too often been used in a derogatory manner by those seeking to dismantle and destroy the roots of our democracy instead of strengthening them. Now is the time for this to end before it's too late.
Vote.
2
For once, please , let the Democrats get the upper hand. Let this make Trump squirm. Desperate people often take desperate measures and dig their grave even deeper. For once, for the sake of the country and the world, let this be that time. If this roller coaster twists and turns one more time and Trump still comes out ahead, I will throw up and ask to get off the ride. But I will still vote for any Democrat in 2020.
1
Getting rid of Trump may be more risky for the world than keeping hm - believe it or not.
My parents are evangelicals.
And my concern is that an evangelical like Pence will be tempted to go to war with Iran.
1
I would call the Dem leadership tentative and the Dem strategists feeble, compared to the Rep propaganda machine and those controlling it, which I would describe as “masterful.” The Dems have been outmaneuvered at every turn, starting with Obama’s election as President.
The Dems had a tiny window of time to fix things with a filibuster-proof majority and instead of rapidly pushing through desperately needed legislation that would have prevented something like Trump from even happening, they squandered their opportunity. They could have fixed gerrymandering, campaign finance reform, education reform, fixed healthcare for America permanently.
The Dem leadership FINALLY appears to be stepping up and doing the right thing. My goodness, the amount of verifiable corruption, illegal activity, and blatant disregard for the rule of law that it took on Trump’s part to motivate them is beyond belief. The Mueller report was a gift placed in their las and they failed to organize, motivate and engage the public and their allies, yes, allies across the aisle was nothing short of pathetic.
Washington’s job is supposed to be **serving the public good.** Get rid of Trump and fix things.
Politicians, do. Your. Jobs.
2
Take impeachment as far as it can go. The “fact” that Trump’s approval numbers are better with the threat of impeachment hanging over him is not the issue. The issue is the integrity and reputation of this country. The idea that impeachment might cost democrats the house, while important, is not the point here. A fake, amoral, incompetent, poor excuse for a person is the point. Do your job, follow the facts where they lead in OPEN, PUBLIC HEARINGS, and if you are punished for trying to do the right thing for America, then we deserve everything that we get as a result.
1
If there is a recording of the phone calls between Trump and Zelensky and if there is anything inculpatory on the recording, I expect Trump to declare that the recording has been altered and that isn’t his voice. And if this impeachment process starts to gain traction, I expect the Trump administration to trash and destroy all documents, recordings and other evidence in the White House. Rosemary Wood’s 17 minute gap will look like child’s play.
1
"Democrats are not content to receive a transcript provided by the administration. Nor should they be."
Let this process begin by refusing any "deal" the president might make to mitigate the coverups he's orchestrated.
At this point, he does not deserve a second chance, nor a third or fourth. Three years of pent-up outrage from public servants elected to do the people's business have had no outlet--or chance--until now.
I think it might dawn on this man, so tone-deaf to the implications of his behavior, that the gig is up. He might have wished for impeachment for the chance to unleash his inner pugilist, but I doubt he will be happy with the process as his dirty linen gets aired for all to see.
The value of impeacment, conviction or not, is to show the American people the true nature of a man who has defiled his office. everyone has a breaking point, and finally, the Democrats have had theirs.
3
Since impeachment is a political process it should be expected to have consequences for the upcoming presidential elections. It is hard to know who gets the advantage, but given his public numbers it is increasingly difficult to think that not holding him to account is a wise option.
I was long in favor of leaving the decision to the election, but now it appears this guy is traitorous, devious, mendacious and much more. He is intellectually and morally unqualified for his office; he is a danger to the office.
He cannot be allowed to do whatever he wishes, to perform as a circus-master (or malevolent clown) with no consequences. The senate Republicans may acquit him--that is their burden if they choose to do so.
1
Both parties should proceed with care, as you rightly say. This is not a partisan issue it is a “survival of our very democratic values” issue. During Trump years American democracy and its institutions were mocked berated by Mr Trump of all people, the President of less than half the United States. Most of us say we didn’t vote for him, he’s not our President, which in itself is shocking as to how someone like Mr Trump was even elected to office. And how he can even be allowed to run in 2020. His behavior in office is a lesson for all future Presidents as to “how NOT to be”. What kind of lessons are our children learning watching this fully grown man behave like a child throwing tantrums calling people names imitating their accents to ridicule them; that is simply not the way a grown man in a civilized world, behaves. Perhaps Mr Trump’s parents never taught him manners etiquette courtesy dignity respect. Really sad and shameful.
2
The only person in the world more powerful than Trump right now is Mitch McConnell, who holds Trump's future in his hands. He could force Trump to resign by telling him that the House will release his tax returns and Senate Republicans will all vote to convict. Trump will resign so that Pence can pardon him and all the other criminals in Trump's web, including his family. Republicans in Congress hate how Trump has neutered them, so here is your chance to get rid of him, Mitch. Fingers crossed.
1
I disagree that "in the real world, (...) most people were less transfixed by the news from Washington."
Tonight the crowd on Colbert's show gave the words "impeachment inquiry" a minute long, standing ovation that actually startled him. (I'm not sure what % of it was the real world, but however little it was, it was very ardent.)
I think that this moment is more about Donald Trump than anything else.
Despite all the efforts to protect him, to cover for him- what does he do? Immediately after the Mueller testimony, he commits the exact same crime, but this time, without the excuse of ignorance, and with the responsibility of being the president, not just a candidate.
Without the guardrails to stop him, Trump succeeded where all the others failed. He has triggered the alarm.
In this one scandal alone. he's managed to indict himself for treason, bribery ($400m), as well as high crimes (election tampering, conspiracy, and obstruction).
And he did it in a kind of despicable way- by trying to force the young president of a former soviet satellite republic, one entirely dependent on our goodwill (and desperately seeking military aid that was already allocated to Ukraine) to essentially conspire with him, to "invent" a scandal (since Ukraine already officially cleared the Bidens) to smear a political rival in the next election.
Add to that the arrogance of Mulvaney, like some minion in the last act of Macbeth, casually withholding the money and lying.
A stab to the heart.
2
.
What is disgusting is that the democrats have spent all of their time, and the power of the federal government to overthrow a duly elected President. Somehow we are to suddenly believe that President Trump blackmailed Ukraine by withholding funding to force an investigation into American involvement in corruption. Wouldn’t we expect that from our President?? In the end, the money hadn’t been withdrawn at all. It’s almost as bad as the ‘Obstruction’ Hoax when nothing was ever obstructed.
Our wicked president may finally see calumny.
Our cemented footed Speaker of the House may finally move.
America entered a deep swamp when it elected Trump President.
It remains in a deep swamp.
Will it ever get out of it now is the question.
Nothing less than the sworn testimony before congress from said whistleblower, will suffice in getting to the bottom of these matters. WH, DOJ and much of the top of our Intelligence apparatus are not trusted to put forward any accounts.
Is is time to shine a spotlight on those who will bring us truth!
1
Missing in the fast moving series of events is discussion about President Trump going before the United Nations—the most global of global organizations—and giving a speech in which he said globalism is dead. It is time to put a check on this man’s destructive influence on international affairs.
1
This latest attempt to overturn an election will fail miserably.
Oh well, I guess we’ll be hearing more about Stormy Daniels soon.
1
"......... a whistle-blower complaint had been filed with the inspector general of the intelligence community accusing Mr. Trump of, among other acts, pressing the new Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, about Mr. Biden;..."
It seems that the crux of the matter is just partly Ukraine related, but that the "other acts" of Trump are so ultra sensitive that nobody in the intelligence community has yet leaked them, and they may. just may be forever kept from the public for security reasons.
2
". . . White House showed signs . . . that it might not block the whistle-blower from testifying."
Why on Earth would the corrupt administration have any say over what the whistleblower does or says and to whom? Their urgent concerns are to be shared with Congress, according to law. Anything coming from the WH will obviously be distorted, if not fabricated out of whole cloth. There's simply no credibility left to expend.
1
You can't impeach a president for being stupid. You can't impeach for being a jerk and using his office to attack everyone in sight, including private citizens who have no means to fight back. You can't impeach a president for watching television most of many days, for spending hundreds of days going to his owned golf courses, using his office to promote his business interests. You need something gross that everyone can understand.
Trying to use the power and prestige of the American government, including appropriated funds, to push a foreign nation into digging up dirt on one of his likely opponents for re-election? Yes. Nancy Pelosi finally found an insult to the Constitution and orderly government on which she could hang her long held back outrage.
Trump is a classic bully so, in the coming days, watch for two things. The bully will posture and pose and try to pull back from the brink.Watch the bully run. Meanwhile, his surrogates, including Fox Noise, Limbuagh, et al, will try to spin this as all being about Joe Biden and his son Hunter. Trump will be protrayed as an innocent man trying to look after the United States.
If one looks at the last 2 1/2+ years at a different angle, Trump has been trying to find a way to force impeachment the whole time and the Democrats, frightened that they might damage their prospects in coming elections, have been trying to find a way to avoid it. That's over now. No turning back.
Resignation might be Trump's best way out.
1
Hope springs eternal but rarely delivers.
I am literally stunned to see so many Republicans supporting Trump in the face of his criminality. It proves that the Republican Party has no basis in law and exists to practice a lawlessness that will require every branch of government to control and eradicate.
1
Parliament is supreme.
UK courts ruled.
Today in the UK and US measures of ultimate power of were exerted.
Making false statements to the queen is beyond castigation.
The monarch is a role exemplar to protect assiduously the laws devolved with consent to Parliament adjudicated by courts impartially.
The monarch is bound to protect her people.
The monarch has the role to demand and command truth from Prime Ministers.
Mr Johnson lied to the Queen.
He will be ejected.
Trump has no respect for law or your Congress.
Perhaps Americans should require the President to answer questions in Congress weekly and account for his decisions.
Congress is banal and lacks the back bone to incarcerate folk who have the temerity to lie.
Congress is the author of insipid destruction of the authority of the French Revolution.
Your American president lies.
Congress Americana is antique.
Defiance
@Voter
Parliament is defying the will of the voters, who are the only ones who are Supreme. They won't even vote to have an Election, which proves they are not representing the will of the Voters, just the will of the EU.
The point of impeachment isn’t to remove Trump from office, which isn’t happening, but to strengthen rule of law to hem Trump in from assuming dictatorial power. He will continue to refuse to supply documentation and his staff for testimony, or send them to deliver vague nonsense to the House. In the absence of law and precedent, House Democrats can define the process and assume law enforcement powers. They can cite noncompliant White House staff for contempt of Congress, have the D.C. U.S. Attorney call a grand jury, prosecute, and jail them. Trump’s White House is a criminal enterprise with Barr as consiglieri, breaking the law while protecting Trump. Some of the crimes are open, such as the concentration camps at the border violating due process and equal protection, and some, like the Ukraine affair, are secret. Average Americans would be most angry at Trump’s use of his Presidency to make money at his properties in violation of the emoluments clause. The Democratic House has so far been timid, intimidated, and fragmented, and if they don’t want Trump to make them look like fools, they need to seize the moral, political, and law enforcement high ground.
McConnell is an unprincipled sorcerer who demonstrated his anti-democratic genius yet again today:
If he judges it expedient to convict when the house refers articles of impeachment, he can point to today as evidence of his statespersonship;
If, in the end, he does not want to convict, he can point to today as evidence of his open-minded-bipartisanship.
In the event of the later, of course, he would be lying in extremis; however, he has proven to be entirely comfortable with such an approach.
1
Trump tweeted hundreds of times ‘No Collusion’ and he was truthful.
He strenuously claims innocence here.
What if he’s again truthful?
1
Did he really blink or did Pelosi ? It may turn into another episode of the Apprentice with Trump providing the liberal Democrats a tutorial in ethics. It has already been mentioned in the press that the author of the whistleblower report did not have access to the full transcript of the call. We’ve seen the circus The Mueller Report was, the Stormy Daniels affair nonsense, now we’ll get the trifecta with the Ukrainian Call. Trump will slam Biden with it and walk into another 4 years!
There are moments in history when a nation defines itself by its words and actions or by its silence and inaction. Since Donald Trump was nominated in 2016, his words and the silence of Republicans have defined the nation as a country dominated by a crass, vulgar man with an affinity for America’s rivals and a dislike for America’s oldest allies.
From the day he was inaugurated, President Trump’s words and actions sunk to new lows, and the image of America to every foreigner became dark and threatening.
For more than 2 ½ years, President Trump behaved as if no Constitution and Bill of Rights existed. Democratic officeholders and members of the press complained loudly, but they did not stem the descent of America under Trump into what seems to be a divided, outlaw state.
An investigation by Robert Mueller, shed some light on the Trump misconduct and had triumphs in ferreting out criminal conduct by Trump appointees, but the effort ended prematurely without direct penalty to Mr. Trump.
An emboldened President Trump now has crossed a line by using taxpayer money to persuade the president of Ukraine to find dirt on a Democratic rival, Joe Biden. When rumors began, Mr. Trump and his attorney, Rudy Giuliani, bragged about the calls.
A courageous witness blew the whistle and an honest inspector general confirmed. Now Republicans are joining Democrats in saying they have had enough of Donald Trump.
Impeachment? That is an appropriate, overdue action for Congress to take.
5
Since Trump's election, congress has shown itself to be a feckless disappointment at arresting and challenging the worst instincts of our president, Congress was demonstrably held in contempt by Trump and Attorney General Barr. Corey Lewandowski's contempt of congress during his committee hearing was visceral. McGuire's refusal to provide congress the whistle blower complaint is a potential headstone for congress. As a consequence congress was and is increasingly at risk of inspiring contempt in a disappointed American public. Let's hope this impeachment process has been prudently launched on known facts and above all, succeeds in rehabilitating Congress as a viable 'separate but equal' branch of government.
5
Trump and republicans are only willing to release the complaint and allow testimony because they know it’s as ambiguous as the Mueller report was to most Americans, and will be easily spun away by Fox. Even though Trump is guilty of this and other crimes, this episode will only make him even more immune to congressional oversight.
3
There is an old saying “be careful what you wish for” — let’s face it, the level of vitriol against Trump and the calls for impeachment are about more than just this incident. Almost from day 1 of his presidency have his opponents sought ways to take him down. Why is this a problem? The danger is that the balance of powers between the branches will be destroyed. Any future president who is unpopular will face this attack, it will be seen as another strategy like the filibuster which debilitated the senate, and if the congress is opposed to the president used to vote him out early or at least damage him. In the end this may damage congress and the Democratic Party far more than Trump because the partisanship behind the inquiry is clearly party-led and will be seen as simply callous politics, not a call for justice, leading to a new level of distrust and cynicism in our political system.
After Speaker Pelosi finally decided to launch an impeachment inquiry and announced it on television, I watched the House minority leader give a speech in response to her announcement. It lasted about sixty seconds. He said, "The 2016 election is over. Democrats lost. Get over it," or something to that effect. He made no mention to the fact that President Trump committed treason by withholding funding to a foreign nation and is trying to force them to create false, damaging information about Trump's potential Democratic opponent in the 2020 election.
I wonder if there are any Republicans who will ever step up and put our beloved country before Trump?
3
You can only work with what you have, and he had little.
1
Does Mitch understand what happens when we all don't care anymore?
If we all don't care, it ends. The whole country ends.
The world ends to a large degree. China is doing better.
1
Anyone who believes that this “transcript” is not, even now, being heavily redacted (and likely rewritten) by Trump’s consigliere Barr is being naive. Based on the past behavior of these people, there is no reason whatsoever to trust *anything* coming out of this White House. Speaker Pelosi must take anything Trump and Barr offer with a huge grain of salt, and wait for the whistleblower’s sworn testimony.
1308
@John H Its why we want the whistleblower to testify and the tape of the call to be released to the House and Senate.
74
@John H And anyone who's seen "The Conversation" (1974) realizes that nothing is certain or safe. The mudslinging and deception will be legendary.
28
Remember that Russian proverb (at least according to Ronnie Reagan) of "trust, but verify"? How ironic for Russian words to be thrown back at Trump.
49
The use of the metaphor "crossing the Rubicon" is relevant here but has associated meanings which should give pause and serve as warnings to the care that must be exercised.
When Julius Caesar's army crossed the Rubicon, something he was specifically ordered not to do by the Roman Senate, it precipitated a civil war which led to Caesar becoming dictator.
The other wisdom that the casting of this die instructs was spoken by the character Omar Little on "The Wire" ... "You come at the king, you best not miss"
It's also worthy to note that recent impeachment inquiries have involved presidents who were also lawyers who by training and temperament respected the institutions they were part of. That is not the case with this president.
Trump views the Constitution in a unique way which he summarized as , "Article II allows me to do whatever I want"
Impeaching a president with this view of his power ventures into new territory which the House had better be equipped to deal with, otherwise ....
5
And still Kevin McCarthy decided to announce that the 2016 election is the reason Pelosi is calling for impeachment. Is he really in complete agreement? Is Steve Scalise, who stood next to him, agreeing with the rest of Congress? Mr. McCarthy is wrong. Pelosi is doing her job. Bills are being submitted to the Senate (legislating) and they are checking the president (oversight) as well.
6
As he lies all the time, we never know when Trump is being truthful. The only thing that will work is enhanced interrogation by the CIA. Probably not legal or going to happen BUT, what else will work ?
3
I have a feeling trump is going to quickly lose support of the Republican Senate, when they realize the popular support of trump is crumbling and their personal political future is also on the line.
10
@David J:
This may already be happening. McConnell has said that he had no knowledge of the freezing of the 400M to Ukraine. I hope you are right. It’s about time.
2
A problem here is that trump has his own reality. His versions of truth, right and wrong are different from those of people with any form of moral compass.
He may think his call with Ukraine was “perfect,” but anyone else may think he made egregious errors. We will soon see how this plays out.
Yes, it is scary.
And BTW, in the event he is actually impeached in the House and if the Senate were to agree, who wants to bet that he would refuse to leave office and —although there is no appeal following a trial by the Senate— that he would try fight impeachment in court. Sure, it might be tough given that justice John Roberts would preside over the Senate trial, but trump likes playing such high stakes games. And he’s him on the news every day.
This is gonna take up way too many news cycles.
3
I am very happy to see that the House has finally decided to 'hold the president accountable' since all of the "please come to the Judiciary Committee's meeting's" has not worked.
But I want to caution people that there is a 'great deal' of unknown information that we still do not know and speculation is moving faster than the facts. Plus the president and all of his enablers are working overtime trying to change the subject and play the victim.
Still, I am glad the recent slow walk to justice has finally been reinforced by penalties. No one is above the law.
2
Chances are that if Trump/Guiliani would have simply let the Dem primary play out, they would've gotten Warren as the D candidate. Now, they will most likely get Joe Biden, along with a Democratic party ready for revenge.
4
@Shab
Not sure how you get there from this. My interpretation is Biden is being Kamikazied at Trump to benefit Warren. Maybe you take out Trump, maybe you just wound him ( likely neither ) but either way Biden is Toast.
@GregP - you could be right, but I see that Biden will be in the news every night, and the whole enemy of my enemy thing will have the Dems defending Joe to the end.
FYI - he's not my candidate, I prefer somebody else, but I'm afraid this will cement him as the Dem candidate in everyone's mind.
THE moment to step forward and to defend the Constitution has arrived. And, the "Profile in Courage Award" goes not to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, but to seven young, mostly-women freshmen Democratic Representatives from Trump-leaning districts. While Speaker Pelosi had been steadfastly defending them and her House majority, they showed the patriotism to risk their seats and put country over party. The nation and the entire world will forever be in their debt if this is the beginning of the end of the destructive, disgraceful, and dishonest "rule of Trump." Thank you!
16
Yes by all means continue the impeachment proceedings but only vote on it if you have a majority of the public on your side.
Otherwise concentrate on ousting the criminal Trump by the vote in 2020 otherwise it could backfire and give him a second term.
3
Trump agreeing to release the transcript and allow the 'whistle blower' to testify is not blinking, Its what would have happened anyway with or without AOC turning the pressure up on Pelosi to begin Impeachment. But spin it how you want to. It means the end of Biden and no real threat to Trump so go all in.
4
Contra the editorial board, I've got to say that out here in the real world--I've been transfixed. I think you underestimate how many citizens care deeply and passionately about our civic life.
16
AGREE!
1
No "redaction" on the "Whistleblower" complaint documents! Name names, places, information channels. Publicly.
Yes, intelligence assets will be exposed, jailed, and some lose their lives and future discoveries dramatically and permanently curtailed, but America has to understand the costs to our country of using our Congress to punish our President for beating Hillary.
Up to now, it has been an effort to damage the President's ability to do his job nationally and internationally with publicity -- then blame him for any hiccup in the economy in the vicious campaign for 2020.
It is now obvious that this is a contest between a political party and a President. If unemployment numbers go up, international event get out of control, from now on it will be the political party that gets the blame. So let's hear every juicy detail of an ACCUSATION. -- then hear about "Whistleblower deaths" around the world.
1
@Tom Mariner
I guess you suggest doing nothing. Run for Senator in the Republican party.
1
The plebeians want a reality show. From this point through the 2020 election, Speaker Pelosi needs to keep the spotlight on impeachment, because Trump will grab it the moment it slips.
9
Yesterday’s Senate resolution shows that Trump has lost Moscow Mitch. That the vote took place just before Pelosi’s announcement may have been a message from McConnell to her that the GOP Senate was no longer unified behind Trump and that 67 votes for removal was possible. GOP Senators and House Members are reported to loathe Trump despite supporting him. It is likely that McConnell and House Minority Leader McCarthy will soon stop defending Trump and tell their caucuses they can vote however they want on impeachment without reprisals. If they do, this long national nightmare could soon be over.
7
Given the history of this President and this Republican Party, one has to wonder if this sudden reversal is a planned trap.
fingers crossed that this is the end of our nightmare
I suspect, and dread, that the Ukraine incident is the tip of an iceberg.
How many other times did Trump withhold U.S. funding to get something he wanted personally?
Lifting sanctions on North Korea for Trump Organization rights to be the only owner of resorts on NK beaches?
18
I think the Republicans are in it for themselves just as they’ve always been. Their fortunes have been tied to a perilous Trump presidency but with impeachment starting everyone is taking pause to see if this is a sinking ship they should jump off or should still stick with in the maddening chaos a bit longer. We all know Trump thrives on chaos and playing the victim rather than actually trying to get anything done. What could be better than this for him to grind Washington to a complete standstill with himself in the center. I have become cynical but I don’t believe every Republican is thriving in this chaos. I think many of them actually want to do the people’s work just like the the Democrat’s do and would welcome a change from this mess. So yes, impeachment may be a good idea for both sides.
5
What is interesting is that President Trump can be impeached either way.
If he fails to do all he can to find out whether then Vice-President Biden and his son engaged in corruption in Ukraine, he can be criticized for not doing his duty of enforcing the laws of the United States.
If does follow through on this duty, President Trump can be criticized for trying to affect the electoral prospects of former Vice President Biden.
Win-Win for the Democrats.
Mind you, for the country, not so much a win-win, but a painful drama.
Instead of focusing on winning the 2020 election (now rapidly approaching and barely a year away) on the basis of positive pro-active policies, the Democrats will focus the country on the negativity associated with the impeachment process. Lose-lose for the USA.
1
@Maurice Gatien "Lose-lose for the USA." Since our government is run by political parties, not the people who elected their "representatives", the fate of the country is of no concern to them -- but getting "their party" in a majority is.
2
It can't be lost on anyone that the same "self-serving" decision to delay aid to the Ukrainians also directly benefits the Russians. So while the impeachment investigation right now focuses on the political corruption of withholding aid for Trump's political gain, it will inevitably be linked to the findings of the Mueller report that Trump and the Republicans have been working with the Russians for political gain as well. Remember the Republicans changed their position on their party plank (pro-Russian) BEFORE Trump was elected.
24
I wonder how this first step of the impeachment process will affect America's standing in the world -- beyond what Trump's "leadership" has already mangled. Abroad as well as here at home, the man will now conceivably exercise virtually any kind of behavior -- from victim to mob boss, from messiah to pharaoh. Not that such madness differs from past behavior -- but his actions now will take on new consequence.
May the Democrats proceed with wisdom and strategy -- we are up against a formidable man with a formidable support group. Reason vs mania. Truth and justice vs power and manipulation. Law vs survivalism. As psychologist Jonathan Haidt writes metaphorically -- reason is the rider on the elephant of emotion when it comes to most human action. Let's not get trampled.
13
He already has claimed that he is “The Chosen One.” So buckle your seatbelts. Fred Trump taught his son that winning is everything.
In any attempt to study the effects of an impeachment threat on Trump, we need to consider his fear of being out of office early considering is legal troubles. Trump knows this and, in his usual briar patch style, claims that an impeachment might help him. But since Trump lies about everything, it is extremely difficult to tell what worries him. But worried and stressed out he is. We are coming after him now.
15
Like many others, the idea of seeing what could be a turning point in the presidency, is very interesting. However, "extreme politicking" is not a straight line to national security concerns. It more closely resembles extortion. It has been very obvious that Mr Trump has been campaigning for his re-election from the day he won the election, and it was openly reported that the purpose of Giuliani's trip to Ukraine was to try to to get information to that end.... . I don't think it rises to the level of an impeachable offense. The Republicans are not so eager to lose their money making macinne, and moreover, they may be setting the Democrats up for failure.
2
This process will be a distraction. As the Times said, “there is no obvious enforcement mechanism if Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, were to simply refuse to convene one — just as he refused to permit a confirmation hearing and vote on Mr. Obama’s nominee, Judge Merrick Garland, to fill a Supreme Court vacancy in 2016.” No impeachment trial will ever take place.
I envision an election next year while we are in the throes of impeachment stonewalling. The election will be marred by Chinese and Russian meddling. Trump will accept the allegations of Chinese meddling. He will lose the popular vote again. Three or four battleground states will fail to certify their states’ election results. The provisions of the 12th amendment will be enacted, but the voting mechanisms will prove impossible to enact in divided state governments. The required quorum will not be met by March 4. Trump will declare the election invalid and declare a national emergency and remain as president. Meanwhile, the impeachment inquiry and trial will fizzle because republicans will claim that the Congress that votes and the Senate that tries must be the same legislature, and that the elections have changed that. By then, that hero of American democracy, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, JSC, will be in life support, finally succumbing to her cancer. All constitutional questions will be decided 5-3 or tied 4-4.
God save Emperor Donald I. And God help us all.
2
The Impeachment inquiry is the right thing to do. It's seems to me the danger is that Trump will try to turn this around and project his alleged crimes onto others to confuse his supporters.
Those who care about the integrity of the United States need to see this as a step in an ongoing battle. Nothing has been won. The public has been misinformed for decades by partisan media outlets often acting as platforms for propaganda. I think we have a generation of people who believe conspiracies as validated truth (they truly feel a cable talk show is a reliable source) and they will take these beliefs to their grave.
We have work to do. I don't think it's hopeless, but we cannot cast a vote once a year and sit back. We need to get involved with our representatives, volunteer, etc. This Country is our responsibility. Expecting others to "mind the store" while we get on with our daily business has got us into this mess and it will take a slow steady effort to get out of it.
18
Let's see how quickly his beloved base dumps him in favor of Pence. The phone transcript and the whistleblower complaint will sway the public. Mitch will say enough. Trump will then resign. By year's end.
2
The outrageous trump presidency has reached its ‘tipping point’.
But what about the Republican Party.
14
The Trump White House version of Trump's call with the Ukraine President will be about as helpful as Attorney General Barr's "summary" of the Mueller report, which Barr released about a month before he allowed the Mueller report itself, in still restricted form, to be published.
The release of the "transcript" of the call will serve the same purpose as AG Barr's summary: To distract, to deceive, to misinform, to mischaracterize, from the real issues that need to be addressed.
50
Simultaneously, Republican polls show that Trump's star is fading. He still has 50 million die hard supporters, but the electoral map - 14 months out - is looking bluer. Americans, too, are tiring of our president. He was elected by a perfect storm and he may very well be removed by a perfect storm.
74
There is no rule requiring Congress to lump all potential articles of impeachment. It could vote out one article next month, and then another a few weeks after that, maybe a few more several months later, and a couple after that. If the Senate chooses to consolidate them into a single trial, that is its prerogative. This way, justice need not be delayed, and Congress can methodically pursue other lines of inquiry for a vote when they are ready. Each and every theory of impeachment will get its own line of vote. The voters in turn would be able to focus on one issue at a time instead of a morass reduced to a few chyrons.
28
@Frank Shooster I think it is a great idea to make this process as simple as possible. Just the Ukrainian names of those involved are hard to remember. I also hope that Trump is deposed. He keeps changing his story. So, if he is under oath then he might be pinned down.
5
Redacted or unredacted transcript of the Trump's call is too little, too late!
Complete recording of the call along with the complete whistle blower's complaint must be provided to the select congressional committees. And this should be reviewed and analysed along with the entirety of unredacted findings of the Mueller report to build the case for Impeachment.
The arrow has left the bow! It must hit the target as per the law or fall by the wayside.
Democrats have nothing to loose.
33
The Trump Administration cannot be permitted to decide what should and should not be redacted, especially so when the credible and urgent whistleblower complaint has to do with Trump himself. This isn’t his show to run — by law the whistleblower complaint is to be passed to Congress, not only the parts that supply Trump’s narrative, but the whole truth.
22
Whoever said evil eventually negates itself was on the right track. The guy's past, present and future are swirling all around him. It is unlikely he will weather this storm. One of the darkest chapters in our nation's history is nearing its end.
36
We should give credit where it is due, and also mention that the Senate stepped up to. Finally decided to abide by the law. Did they all read the whistle blower report?
Who knows if there's an audio recording, but whatever "transcript" we get from the White House will be edited and/or redacted. Cannot trust it. And actually, it could be used for another count of obstruction against Trump. Compare it to the original report and the Inspector General copy. If the White House version doesn't match... that's another obstruction charge.
25
I think it's a false start. Why is Trump releasing the transcript and not the audio of the phone call? As everyone who works with telephone tapping knows, transcriptions can be misleading. The tones of a conversation and how you say something are fundamental. In a transcript you can't tell if one of the interlocutors, for example, said one thing by screaming, that is, in a way that in itself intimidates the listener. So if you want the truth, you have to listen to the audio.
35
@Alfredo
There is no audio of the call. There never is.
There are five transcribers who then match the transcriptions for accuracy.
2
Times. I would ask your team to do the one thing in the media that we have failed to do for whistle blowers. Protect them.
We know no matter the administration that the whistle blower will be smeared, attacked and denigrated either from democrat or republicans. We must rally not to the words of the whistle blower but to protect whistle blowers from harm. We need transparency more now than ever.
We know their game plan. They will claim partisanship, judgement, corruption, national security etc. It doesn't matter. If there is even a shade of credibility to come forward this whistle blower should be protected by the media and defended not on the topic but for the necessity of a transparent government to conduct the business of the people.
It's also important for the media as sources risk their lives and their futures. Many in the last several decades have done amazing work and suffered a loss of nearly everything but their life.
27
I remember when Republicans in Congress had finally had enough of Richard Nixon, who had run roughshod over them during his "Imperial Presidency." The moment they could see he was on his way down, all support vanished. Not overnight, but in political time...it was quick.
44
Actually, most Republicans supported Nixon right up to the end. The end was the release of the tapes.
2
Democrats really didn't have a choice here. Trump did something blatantly impeachable and then he admitted it. If the House didn't do something, they'd look just as bad as Mitch.
Bad news for Nancy. I think she was trying to put this off for a while longer. This needed to happen in January or February to distract Trump from campaigning. Now it's going to demonstrate to Trump that he's bulletproof, and not a single Republican senator will stand up to him. Maybe Mitch will even let it come to a vote, just so Trump can see Collins, Murkowski, Paul and Romney fail once again to make any effort to stand in his way.
Once Trump realizes just how invincible he is, he doesn't have to worry about reelection. He can refuse to recognize the results, he can call off the election entirely, or he can declare martial law. The Constitution will be entirely nullified. Trump will have the power to do literally anything he wants.
Hopefully the Democrats can drag this thing out until November 2020. Otherwise they're probably going to go the way of Assad's opposition in Syria.
13
@Ryan Pelosi will be as effective against trump as she was going after bush for murdering 5000 americans
So far, President Trump has been remarkably effective at making himself the center of attention. The scene has already been set, with a continuing resolution, for a government shutdown in November. A House impeachment inquiry going on at that time will give Trump endless opportunities to tweet about worthless Democrats pursuing their witch hunt against a hard-working, devoted president, causing endless damage to national security and the national economy. There will be lots of opportunities for theater. How about closing border crossings into California but leaving the Texas ones open?
4
At last it begins. The horror of trump will be exposed in all of it’s sliminess. Time to see if my prediction from early in the presidency comes true. There are honest and reasonable GOP senators (gasp), not Moscow Mitch or Leningrad Lindsey, they will try to save their own power and tell trump it’s time to go. Pastor Pence will agree to blanket pardons, (although that thankfully won’t cover state charges), and run as a sympathetic incumbent giving the GOP their best chance to hold on to power. Frankly I’d rather the whole republican senate gets voted out, but I’m a realist. Godspeed Speaker Pelosi.
22
I think Mitch McConnell blinked today as well. Another possibility is McConnell sees the writing on the wall and wants to appear to be deflated after doing everything he could for Trump. In reality McConnell would be overjoyed realizing Trump just might be sent packing. McConnell would come through the whole thing looking good to the Trump base and to the old guard wealthy constituents.
12
I see this as a trap and a way for Trump to justify even more overt corruptions in the future. If you swing and miss, you will not be able to swing again. If the chances of success are very low, and if you do not win the chances of winning the next time become even lower, then aren't you in a way empowering him to commit even more brazen injustices once he almost certainly wins the first attempt at impeachment.
This is not even to mention that we are providing him with his campaign slogan for 2020, enabling him to use the corruption argument. This is a huge risk, but at least it completely ends Joe Biden's campaign. There is no way he can be the candidate if we are fighting on this terrain as well. He is completely compromised. Warren can win this fight, but impeachment does her no favors, beyond effectively ending Biden's campaign, which she would have done anyway.
The impeachment-shaming argument I heard from AOC and co is honestly just emotions packaged together not even pretending to be a coherent argument. Let's not take Greta Thurnberg as our rolemodel for making coherent arguments. I usually like AOC but just trying to shame people usually leads to bad decisions, resentment and division, and if we are to do impeachment that is exactly what we do not need.
1
What I think is that there is little meat on this bone. Presidents can pretty much say and do what they want with foreign leaders as long as it doesn't negatively impact the U.S. or its laws. Other presidents have withheld funds to get a nation to do their bidding and this is no different. In this instance, Trump was just doing his job. The crime happened while Joe was still VP and using his office to extort money for his son's business. It's not Trump's fault that the criminal Biden is now running for the 2020 nomination.
7
Nixon still had supporters after he resigned too
1
@King Porthos It’s horrifyingly fascinating to see what the mind of a true-believing Trump cultist looks like. Thank you for providing that view.
1
Ukraine said neither Biden broke any laws. And you didn't even say what "crime" you think was committed - because there was none. Trump used foreign relations and national security for his own squalid purposes, to falsely smear a political rival. And it seems to be working - they convinced people like you that Trump's shameless corruption isn't the story here. This is banana republic territory.
2
This most significant thing about these developments is that Mitch McConnell asking for the complaint to come forward. This can only mean one thing.
McConnell is a 100% political animal. Everything he does is tied to acquiring and maintaining political power. If he is open to seeing the complaint, that means his caucus in under pressure from Trump's stonewalling. That means enough Senators are afraid that completely backing Trump could get them voted out of office. That means they fear what's in the complaint. That means they probably already have a pretty good idea what's in it, and it is a credible threat.
The Republicans are exposing a crack in their armor that can be attacked. And that means the Democrats should push forward as hard as they can towards impeachment because that crack could turn into a complete fracture.
97
@Bruce Rozenblit
Or, they've been (illegally) briefed on the complaint and are convinced it won't land any real blows, and in the meantime they come off as heroes just searching for the truth.
12
I would hope that the whistleblower has ample security 24/7.
35
@Tim Clark And perhaps permission to leave the country for another that offers asylum?
1
@Tim Clark
Amen
@Tim Clark
Maybe you can hire the same group the dNC used to protect Seth Rich?
The comparisons to Watergate are striking.
A "third-rate burglary," and its cover-up, all in the service of an election Nixon was certain to win. The subsequent lies.
Trump's ego-driven maneuver to find dirt on a candidate who might become the Democratic nominee. The subsequent lies.
Who would be shocked if Senate Republicans, faced with overwhelming evidence of betrayal, or obstruction, or both, sensing the public's mood, turned on Trump; and as Republican senators did to Nixon, convinced Trump that resignation from the presidency was the wisest course of action?
I wouldn't bet against it.
16
They had morals then. Even Nixon was a better man than Trump and today’s GOP.
1
I want to feel proud again. I want to feel proud of our President. I want to feel proud of our country.
I have felt ashamed the past three years. I have felt ashamed that millions of people voted for a man who has systematically underminded our Constitution and our rule of law.
I have felt ashamed that millions of people elected a man to the highest office in our land who has decimated our environmental laws, destroyed civil discourse in our country, enriched himself and his family and on a daily basis violates the emoluments clause of our Constitution.
I have felt ashamed that for the past three years our allies have been verbally assaulted while leaders who oppress and persecute their people have been praised.
I have felt ashamed every time our so called President spews forth his hatred against minorities, immigrants, the poor, and those who struggle every day to make ends meet.
I remember when we once had a President who was the epitome of elegance and class.
He ended the war in Iraq, saved our country from entering a Depression, saved the U.S. automobile industry from a total collapse, extended health insurance to twenty five million Americans who did not have it, and partnered with other countries to combat global warming and climate change. He and his family made us all proud to be Americans.
I want to feel proud again. I want to feel proud of our country. I want to feel proud of our President.
We must remove Trump from office as soon as possible.
163
@Mark Jeffery Koch
Hillary warned all Americans that this man was not qualified to be President of the United States.
3
I don't understand why Speaker Pelosi would want to go out of her way to hand trump supporters the possibility that they might be rid of him.
First of all, I am not a partisan. I am a registered free thinking blue/white color independent. Yes, I did vote for Trump' only because I could note vote for Hillary. I voted for Obama for his first term, and I have voted for Sen. Menendez. That being said... what Trump nightmare? The fact that he won and Hillary lost? The fact that everyone pressured him to accept the results, while they would not, have not and will never accept? Lowest unemployment? Lowest black, latino, women unemployment? Energy independent? If this is a night mare, dont wake me up. I spent 6 of Obama's 8 years working 2 jobs just to keep my head above water; and I still ended up over 45G in debt. Now, I have a job in my chosen career and am debt free. But back to the point. Trump has agreed to release the underacted transcript of his conversation. What foreign leader will ever want to speak to this OR ANY other president, if they know that congress can blue the lines of the separation of powers, all based on what someone said that they heard from someone else! This farce has to end. And it has to end now. He won. ok! He won. If you want this independent voter to vote democrat give me viable solutions. Show me what you have done; what you propose. As of now I see nothing but pearl grabbing and endless promises. I want solutions and alternatives. not crying and crocodile tears .
7
@daveku
Don't blame Obama. The blame comes from what happened during Bush 2. It took years to recover from the Great Recession.
Remember that your improved prospects come from increasing the deficit by trillions, which future generations will bear.
25
@daveku partisan. i don't find your argument honest. a lot of registered free thinking blue/white collar independents voted for trump and gave him a fair chance. it didn't take long for trump's chaos to begin. that's where the problem lies, not in the fact that he won, but in trump's own behavior since the election. he needs to go
7
Trump has racked up so many impeachable offenses, but trying to bribe a foreign leader to create dirt on a political opponent ranks right at the top. Republicans in power need to step up and actually do their jobs according to the oaths they all swore. And someone like Mitch McConnell, who is up for reelection in 2020, needs to think about setting a precedent of working with foreign powers. Not that his opponent, a former service member, would do this, but I’m sure the Chinese could find dirt on Mitch and his wife through her family’s shipping firm and purchased influence. For example, does Mitch want the information that drugs were smuggled into the US on a Chao ship to be used in the campaign against him? The Chaos may have done nothing wrong, but political spin can make it seem as though Mitch himself ordered it. At least, that’s how Republicans would spin it.
8
The Senate and House intelligence committees, at least, need to see the unadulterated complaint. All their members have the necessary security clearance. No one will trust a redacted version. Besides, the subject of an investigation doesn't get to control the evidence. Similarly, there may be questions of executive privilege which genuinely exists but not to be used as a shield. Perhaps Bush and Obama could be bi-partisan referees.
1
Doesn’t matter if Ukraine is the thing that brings him down.
It’s just heartening to know that Trump will have to begin answering questions and handing over documents. When he doesn’t, THAT will be the thing that brings him down.
So don’t stop displaying that ego and that hubris now, Mr. President. Fight, fight till the end. You can’t stop it now, but you can speed up the inevitable! And a grateful nation will thank you.
19
Abraham Lincoln, a Republican, praised the USA as a government of, by, and for the people. Trump, whatever he might be, made no secret about who and what he was. It was the system that saw to it that he was elected and whether or not Trump is impeached the election system remains unchanged, That problem remain as a challenge to be examined and rectified.
4
@Jan Sand...so what is your solution?
"The rare display of institutional solidarity in defense of American democracy may prove ephemeral."
A recent op-ed in the New York Times suggested that Republicans don't play fair, because they are scared that by playing fair they would lose everything to the changing demographics in this country. That is the best explanation I have seen so far for the Republican party's near unanimous support for Trump through thick and thin - mostly thin. There is a struggle looming over the country for years to come. But, meanwhile, let us celebrate and nurture the occasional and ephemeral bipartisanship that we witness. It could be our salvation.
15
@Partha Neogy i may be a cynic, but i have a hard time believing that this republican senate has finally found their bipartisan nature. i believe they will take this and spin it and stand behind trump
1
That’s why I am suspicious that this event may be a set up. After all the stonewalling and obstruction by Trump and Moscow Mitch they suddenly want to cooperate?
1
I believe the House is right to move forward. But whatever happens, if our democracy emerges essentially intact after the debacle of this administration (and the co-dependent Republicans in the Legislative branch), my respect for this form of government (and its founders) will be greater than I knew was possible.
19
It would be a relief to have this thing disappear out of public domain, but he has enablers and they will not give up the power so easily. It's going to be a foul contest.
12
One huge benefit of starting the impeachment is access. Access to records, taxes, documents, witnesses — all of it. For that and that alone, it’s worth it. We KNOW Trump is dirty. Now we’ll begin to see how dirty.
1
This morning, I put in a call to my congresswoman’s office urging her to come out strongly in favor of an impeachment inquiry, and urged her to press Speaker Pelosi to do this same. This afternoon, both things happened.
We are the people, and the government answers to us. Don’t forget that. If we want a nation of laws, then we must fight and organize for it.
21
The Ambassador to Ukrain was fired, officials in the State Department were brushed aside and it wasn't a member of our government "pursuing vital corruption allegations" in the Ukrain but Trump's own personal lawyer.
This administration has trampled over our most vaunted institutions, our intelligence agencies, our FBI not to mention corrupting the EPA, HUD, and NOAA among others and all mostly to serve either big oil, big coal or Trump's personal interests.
There was plenty of corruption prior to Trump. Trump just brought it out into clear daylight and has proven himself to be perhaps the most transparently corrupt.
The Leonard Leo, William Bar, Koch triumvirate and all those who circulate in that sphere, Putin included, are the polar opposite of the world that most American desire for their children and grandchildren.
The level of mind washing that has taken place through the church of even some of the smartest people is enough to make me shake my head in disbelief.
Truth and honesty have always been at the foundation of the moral architecture of any great culture. It was what I was taught as being most valuable as a child.
We now live in a time when the forces of greed have pushed for deception and dishonesty at every step and there is a constant effort to brain wash our citizens.
We have been called on to defend life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, justice and all of that requires the pursuit of truth in order that we save our nation and our planet.
29
Pelosi knew that there would be an event that would cause the Democrats to coalesce around impeachment. As much as many people want to believe otherwise, she is an amazing politician. Biding her time was the right thing to do, as impatient as I and many others have been.
127
@PA
So true. Thank you.
Unlike Trump, she's smart enough to know that you don't go steamrolling your way around to get what you want. She let her members lead her to what I believe, under the mounting evidence, that she was always ready to do.
May the Speaker find courage and strength to see it through.
23
@PA Nice!
1
Cool heads with a calculated effort fueled by the facts at hand carefully presented to the American people can get 60 percent of them on board with an impeachment inquiry to see if Trump should be removed from office. Big surprise is the think tanks and big money donors might welcome Trump's impeachment with their guy Pence able to issue pardons to Trump family and cronies while President Biden might not be do disposed,
6
Rebco,
Pence is not in the clear. He made a personal visit to Ukraine to meet with their President. The House will request any and all records of those conversations too.
2
The whistleblower is the important piece at this moment.
Secondarily, is his report which Trump is partly hiding from the Congress. Maybe a court will force him to allow the full report to be seen by Congress.
7
@Dart -- The full unredacted report of foreign operations is quite likely to get a source killed.
Democrats don't seem to care, or even think about that. Fine. Let him/her die. Be sure to tell us all what happened. It is on them.
There was no source discussed. It was Trump badgering him to investigate Biden. @Mark Thomason
2
Trump needs to go; but this renewed impeachment effort will not do the job. Instead, 1) it will surely end Biden's candidacy and 2) it may even jeopardize the presidential election as well for the Democrats. I just hope that Pelosi has a plan and has not only buckled under pressure from enthusiastic and passionate members. A better strategy would have been to keep pounding and raising violation of long established norms.
5
I'm concerned that the focus of the impeachment inquiry is the whistleblower. Neither we nor the Congress knows whether that will have legs.
Robert Mueller gave a list of suspected obstruction of justice charges and told Congress that he could not indict but that Congress held the Constitutional remedy. The focus should be on the questions posed by Mueller.
It's corny to say "follow the money", but with Trump, what trail could be more obvious.
13
I would put a lot of money on Trump not having made an explicit quid pro quo in the phone call and is going to use that to declare "total exoneration", despite the fact that all the back door communication probably made the connection very clear. In any event, the quid pro quo is not the most important thing here or even necessary- the crucial point is that Trump was trying to get a foreign government to investigate a political rival and undermine our electoral process and national security. The investigation must go beyond the transcript and whistle blower complaint to get the full back story on what Giuliani has been up to in Ukraine, and other forms of pressure that may have been brought to bear. Remember too, that Russia is very invested in keeping Ukraine from getting aid.
35
So it has come to pass, DJT finally delivering on his campaign promise, of Making America Great Again, even if it will be only by getting his own self impeached.
I must admire his commitment to his word.
20
"And the White House showed signs of backing down, signaling not that it would release the full complaint but that it might not block the whistle-blower from testifying."
No. There are legal systems in place for the whistleblower's report to be presented to Congress by the DNI. Giving the whistleblower no choice but to testify in person opens a whole slew of scenarios that could be damaging to the whistleblower.
Joseph Maguire should be presenting the whistleblower's complaint, in its entirety and not redacted, to Congress, as REQUIRED BY LAW.
69
The problems are small, but we're larger.
2
The problems are small, but we're larger.
2
The guiding concept of politics: Never put your self and your political future at risk.
The repubs seem to have noticed the polls showing the dumpster sliding even among their constituents, Mitchie in particular is getting pushed for the first time in years.
So those dormant consciences are stirring even though they probably will not actually do anything when it comes to a vote in the Senate.
On the other hand, they may all be very sorry that he has finally pushed Speaker Pelosi far enough to get a reaction.
While the possibility of an actual guilty verdict in the Senate is a pipe dream, the sound and fury over the next year should be well worth watching---and tweeting.
11
@jb. Actually, as of this week, Trump’s approval rating is up in every poll I’ve seen. Which polls are you reading?
Keep an eye on Republican lawmakers, particularly in the Senate. To the extent they're willing to participate fairly and objectively in this inquiry, we may have a window into their sense of Trump's electoral viability next year. They may well prefer that the top of the ticket be Mike Pence.
8
I check Trump's approval on RealClearPolitics just about every day. I've noticed that whenever the Democrats push for impeachment, e.g., Kavanaugh last week, Trump's numbers go up. It's "disapprove" by 6.8 today. Less than three weeks ago it was nearly 13. I don't like it. But it is a true fact.
Of course he deserves to be impeached. I deserve to live decently without working three jobs. At the moment, both of these outcomes share an equal chance of realization. I don't have the money, and the dems ain't got the votes. What we deserve has nothing to do with anything.
The founders in their wisdom, foresaw the possibility of a despot, and created impeachment to deal with such an eventuality. What they did not foresee is a majority party literally filled with self-dealing knaves that would enable such a man to flourish with complete impunity. But here we are. They have the votes. We must change that!
Impeachment is a lazy daydream. Do the hard work to vote these people out. Not just Trump. All of them.
34
"Trump asked his staff to put a freeze on military assistance to Ukraine at least a week before he made the request to Zelensky." (Washington Post, 24Sept2019) Trump denies he threatened to hold back Ukraine's foreign aid over Biden. As some commentators have pointed out, Mr. Trump did not have to explicitly threaten to hold back the funds. When the POTUS makes demands - repeatedly - on a small country that wishes to stay in the USA's favor, the threat is implicit and real.
12
McConnell’s sudden stepping aside seems to be either a very good sign (he sees the writing on the wall and starting to distance himself), or very bad sign (a character assassination of the whistle blower is underway, to ensure he or she comes across as not credible, with plans to ensure this inquiry plays out like a “witch hunt”). I hope the Democrats proceed with caution and don’t fall into the sort of trap the GOP has become so good at setting.
54
@Fed up
Well stated. My sentiments exactly.
1
So, it goes. I am not sure that this is the beginning of the end, but it most assuredly is the end of the beginning.
7
At the very least this process will show us in no uncertain terms which Republicans are willing to go down with their captain.
Then in 2020, the people will, hopefully, remember that and vote accordingly.
And if citizens **still** vote for Trump and his inner circle then, well, that's all folks. Thomas Jefferson rolls over and we sort of turn into Russia until the next revolution.
39
If it is true that Trump called Pelosi today and asked if there was anything she could do to "fix this," haven't we heard this from him before?
The art of the deal fails again, and WE are paying for the wall!
7
The unanimous vote by Republicans in the Senate today asking the WH to release full transcript is a good sign and a clever one. Don’t be surprise if Trump resigns. At this point , I am ok with President Pence than a man who wakes up every morning with only one agenda on his mind, how do I create more confusion? who do I call out ? Which country should I go after today? Pence Presidency is cringeworthy but with him, we know he’ll listen more and talk/tweet less. Next step, get out and vote in November so we can bring back some sanity in the Oval Office.
4
The transcripts and the whistleblower's complaint are not enough. We need to hear the audio. Full stop.
Transcripts can be changed. Release the audio along with the rest of the evidence.
18
@BothSides
There's no audio recording. We need to ignore any doctored "transcript" and insist on having the whistleblower sit for a full inquiry. If the reporting is correct, they are eager to do so.
I hope HPSCI finds a way to obtain the critical testimony and protect the whistleblower.
@BothSides. What makes you think that the audio would not be altered?
You've wanted it for so long. I'm happy to see your wishes come true, Donald.
Now there's just the question of delivery. But I'm sure Nancy will know exactly how and where to give it to you.
8
“Democrats are not content to receive a transcript provided by the administration. Nor should they be.”
Hear, hear!
Why should anyone trust that the man who altered reality on a weather forecast with a Sharpie will release the full unaltered transcript? He has no credibility. The Whistleblower Complaint must be released in full. Nothing less.
63
"It turns out President Trump can push his fellow Republicans too far."
Cough!!
We shall see.
12
Who said that 'The arc of the moral universe may be long, but eventually it bends towards justice"? Besides, we humans, flawed as are, do have a conscience...that 'knows' right from wrong...even when the culprit (an ugly Frog, inflated by it's ego and power to abuse) may have become unable to tell the difference.
3
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said it in his famous "How Long? Not Long" speech.
1
You can bet that Trump toady, Attorney General Barr, was instrumental in blocking the inspector general's report from being shared, in defiance of federal law. Congress should impeach Barr while they are at it
185
Honestly, I think Trump does have an impeachment wish. Here’s to his wish coming true!
4
Let's be honest.
He conducts himself like a mob boss.
This must end.
89
The WH has stated they are going to release the phone transcript, release the whistleblower complaint, release the IG report and allow the whistleblower to testify. COVERUP!
3
Typical bully behavior. The kind we have seen for several years.
But when you punch the bully in the nose, he may shrivel up. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that yet, but this just shows that you have to be careful of what you wish for. You might get it.
trump has goaded democrats into thinking they should be afraid to move on impeachment because beating it in the senate would bolster his chances for reelection.
He has brought this upon himself with acts that violate his oath and the constitution. His behavior warrants impeachment.
13
I'm waiting for Bill Barr to step up and declare the whistleblower was actually blowing a kazoo, and that this is all just a big misunderstanding.
15
Do you think the transcript will written with a sharpie?
26
"The stakes have never been so high."
Really? You amaze me.
At the moment, New York Times, I am wearing my rose-colored glasses. Looking far--or not so far--into the future. Studying the blisses yet to be--that is, the blisses I HOPE will be. Somehow. Someday.
And what I START by seeing is--Mr. Trump either
(1) resigning
(2) or being formally removed from office
(3) or running in 2020--and losing. BIG TIME.
But my happy visions don't end there. Dear me, no!
I see that gaggle of hacks--time-servers--and politicos ANSWERING for their supine indifference to the scandals and outrages perpetrated by Mr. Donald J. Trump.
Oh yes, New York Times! Yes indeed! I see them all--coughing, crimson-faced, shuffling, studying the carpet--
--as (mobbed by wrathful constituents) they endeavor to explain--or palliate--or excuse--
--their prolonged slumbers at the switch--
--while American democracy went careering off the rails.
I see them finally turned out of public office. Deemed unfit for ANY sort of public trust--
--scowling--
--pumping gas in New Jersey.
(Well, maybe not quite that last.)
Seriously, New York Times, I long to see the GOP--en masse--brought to book for creating and enabling--
--an unscrupulous demagogue like Mr. Donald J. Trump.
Maybe I will.
Guess we'll see.
12
@Susan Fitzwater
I see flashbacks from the videos of the snowflakes at the Staples Center on Election night 2016, just melting down completely except its not Election night 2016, its Election Night 2020. And they are not just melting down, they are completely evaporating in their grief. Something for one, or the other of us, to look forward to for sure in Nov 2020 it looks like.
Naked emperor.
7
Daria Kaleniuk, an American-educated lawyer who founded Ukraine’s Anti-Corruption Action Center, expressed frustration that two recent front-page stories in the New York Times, on how the conspiracy theory is being used to attack Biden, failed to properly debunk the false accusation. According to Kaleniuk, and a former anti-corruption prosecutor, there is simply no truth to the rumor now spreading like wildfire across the internet.
From The Intercept
9
Yes, it’s a start. But, have you ever tried to catch a greased pig? Extremely difficult, and the pig likes it. It takes a lot of people working together, to chase the pig and wear him out. Only then can he be grabbed, and not without a huuuge amount of squealing.
Oink-oink, Donald.
19
@Phyliss Dalmatian
Fortunately we have SIX House committees working on various kinds of wrongdoing by trump. Cumulatively there will be a substantial pile of evidence, so much that even a few trump diehards will have to walk away. Maybe another tranche of them will be discouraged from voting.
2
I don’t share the board’s optimism about Senate Republicans sticking up for themselves.
McConnell wouldn’t have allowed it unless he could turn the vote into a Republican advantage, and a personal one. He’ll never put country over party.
14
As one who has been waiting a long time for this, I wonder if it´s as bad as it seems and if Pence were in the room during the call. If Pence was privy to what a whistle blower later acted upon, what does that make Pence? Maybe we can rid the White House of the duo.
What does it mean if William Barr broke federal law by withholding the whistle blower complaint from Congress? He´s supposed to uphold our laws.
36
The Ukrainians should applauded for their noble efforts to defend democracy against Russian neo-imperialism. Putin has managed to play the American public like a fiddle while their puppet, Trump, blunders from mishap to pratfall. Their country is on the front line in this struggle and they will send over a transcript or recording of the phone call if the whistle blower’s testimony is sandbagged by the Trump administration.
6
@RjW. So far the Ukrainians have been studiedly neutral.
2
Democrats will rue this day for many election cycles to come. Trump will crush this "Impeachment inquiry" and the electorate will hand DJT a resounding victory in November 2020. This is America and she is stronger than the vicious Democrat party could ever again hope to be.
4
@Andrew, Trump won't be crushing anything, but Republicans might. This is America and partisanship is stronger than patriotism. We'll see what information comes out and how well the right wing can spin it.
1
What is “vicious” about inquiring whether a sitting president abused his power for personal gain?
You make it sound as if such an inquiry is anti-democratic.
2
@Andrew Very wishful thinking on your part sir.
1
Well, the House steps up, at least. Stay tuned to see if the Senate will put any bite behind their bark. This would hardly be the first time Republicans paid lip service to expressing concern over Trump, then went right back to business as usual.
7
We’ve got a ‘whistle blower’ that no one knows who he or she is who said something that we still don’t what it was, and Pelosi decides this is the Fort Sumpter moment? It’s been nothing but 3 years of someone who is trusted overheard Trump saying he was thinking of doing this or that and this is more of the same. Mueller’s two years and $40 million later chasing the Russian mirage sputters out only to have this Ukraine deal fall out of the sky. Looks bad for Dems, especially since they’re tried to impeach every GOP president since Reagan.
5
@Charlie Warlie--No, we have Trump openly admitting that he asked the President of Ukraine to investigate Biden. The whistleblower led to Trump making that admission, but it was Trump himself who got on TV and basically said "Sure, I asked a foreign government to influence our elections. So?" THAT is the Fort Sumpter moment.
And no, the Democrats did not "try to impeach every GOP president since Reagan" -- what the sam hill are you talking about?
11
@Charlie Warlie, tried to impeach Bush? Wasn't that just Kucinich alone? He thought Obama should be impeached too :-)
1
Blind Freddy on the other side of the planet knows that Mr Trump is guilty of numerous impeachable offences; vindication would stretch credulity to the point where one could rightly say that the US checks and balances mechanism had failed. American democracy itself is on trial here.
10
Trump said Impeachment was "good' for him. Ironic that statement qualifies him for 25th.
1
“Rarely have the stakes been so high.” Sayeth the NYTimes.
Getting 100 Senators to say “Give us all the documents” is a major step in the right direction. Now getting them to deliberate with that same facts deciding directions may be another thing.
For Rudy Giuliani, on Trump’s order, to go to or even be studied to go to Ukraine to debate getting dirt on a political opponent while withholding Congressional authorized funds is beyond the actions of any responsible administration official or even a private representative.
Though it may be hard, or even impossible, to get 4 GOP senators to go along with 47 Democratic Senators to impeach this POTUS, Congress doing its job requires that it be tried and brought before the American public and the world, if we are to try to be the moral vanguard for democracy.
The public may not like airing this sordid laundry in the public, but a just democracy demands it. We only get the govt that we work for and therefore deserve.
3
@WorldPeace24/7 If the House adopts article(s) of impeachment against the President by majority vote(s), the Senate must hold a trial; conviction is by a two-thirds majority. Even now, it seems most unlikely that enough Republican senators would vote to convict for Trump to be removed from office. But senators' votes would be on the record.
2
Its a start of reelection of Trump. The president has a job to do as the CEO of the country. Just wait till he starts fighting back. Then you will find out who blinks.
2
Ummm...the president is NOT the CEO of the country. The United States is not a privately owned company. Of course that doesn’t stop DJT from acting like it is. But that’s really the problem, isn’t it?
2
It is critical that the leaders of the coming investigations not allow the Republican members of the House to highjack hearings with conspiracy theories, false equivalencies, endless “Whataboutism” and bellicose grandstanding. I refer specifically to creatures like Louie Gomhert, Jim Jordan, and others of their recessive ilk. The chairs in every committee involved are going to need to demonstrate gravity, firmness, and, if need be, the discipline of drill sergeants. No more Corey Lewandowski debacles.
17
“Trump Blinks”- Resisters can’t help themselves with the premature triumphalism. I think there’s more risk to Dems than to Trump. Trump survives, Biden is wounded, Warren becomes nominee, Trump wins and Dems lose congressional seats in the process
3
Yeah, and Trump becomes dictator for life, and other fantasies of the Alt Right.
1
The only thing that will get Republicans to act in the best interests of the American people is the smell of Trump’s blood in the water. They deserve no praise for doing their duty. They have polluted our political environment and they have defended, enabled and cheered Trump as he has taken a wrecking ball to democracy. They broke it and now they own it. Trump is theirs and they must not be allowed to cut and run from their poster child. They all need to go, and the sooner the better.
18
Maybe the Brits showed us the way today when with a unanimous vote of 11-0 told Boris that his actions were illegal. They basically said that he lied to the Queen. According to a passage in the summary of their decision they said:
"...The decision to advise Her Majesty to prorogue Parliament was unlawful because it had the effect of frustrating or preventing the ability of Parliament to carry out its constitutional functions without reasonable justification..."
In times past I would have expected this decision to be followed by a one way trip to the Tower but hey...
So may be they woke our folks up - especially this “...frustrating or preventing...” business. Way to go Brits.
15
God bless the whistleblower.
14
We will finally get those TAX RETURNS!!!!
No matter what, it is the right thing to do. If the Republicans exonerate Trump and he gets reelected and he destroys the economy and all those Trump supporters lose everything, at least we can say we tried to warn them.
8
Republicans (and their backers) just might be thinking that Pence stands a better chance against Warren next year than Trump does.
4
With Biden clearly practicing the fine art of corruption in Ukraine, the Dems will ultimately be very sorry that they got lured into defending Biden by Trump.
4
Thank you for stepping up finally Nancy. Now step down and let the young Dem- folk get this ball rolling. Fight like you mean it Dems! It’s the good fight!
3
William Barr, running personal interference for Donald Trump, blocked acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire from providing the whistleblower complaint to Congress.
William Barr also needs to be impeached for converting the United States Department Of Justice into Donald Trump's private personal law firm.
The Trump Swamp is wide and deep.
We're gonna' need a bigger impeachment boat.
502
@Socrates - DNI got OLC to nix reveal. No Barr.
@Socrates Half the reason I come to these comment boards is to see your comments Socrates. Thank you!!
8
@Socrates
'We're gonna' need a bigger impeachment boat'
Noah's ark 2019-2020
8
Stating that "Senate Republicans stuck up for themselves, and their institution" is a false statement by the Editorial Board. For Senate Republicans to "stick up for themselves" they need to stand with democratic senators and remove "Michigan Man Of The Year" from office. "The Chosen One" is a threat to our national security and should be tried for treason with Rudy Giulliani and the rest of his inner circle.
4
It is essential that the impeachment inquiry target anyone from the Department of "Justice" who has been obstructing it.
Guess who I'm thinking of.
16
Trump is guilty, guilty guilty. The depth and breadth of his crimes are legion. He is done, done, donesky. Bill Weld, a Republican, called his actions treasonous. This is like hitting the broad side of the barn. There aren't going to be enough people with reason enough to keep him around. We could have done ourselves a favor and gotten rid of hm after the Mueller report.
5
I am honestly not sure how much more of this I can take.
5
Clearly the moral of this story is ...Don’t mess with comedians!
2
Sinking ship of state? It'll be interesting to see how much water the corrupt Trump vessel has to take on before the dishonorable creatures below decks -- Bill Barr and Rudy Giuliani and the rest of them -- start jumping into the sea.
2
My guess is that Pelosi and the Democrats did some polling and discovered that while voters did not support impeachment based on the Mueller Report they did support impeachment based on Di-stain in the Ukraine.
3
Here is a radical theory: The Republicans might actually want Trump impeached now.
Think about it. He only has about a year left in his term and he probably won't get anything done, other than create more chaos and mayhem, which will cost other Republicans their seats in the House and Senate, if not in certain statehouses. Maybe they think President Pence would have a better chance of winning in November 2020 than a wounded, insecure egomaniac presiding over a weak economy and chaotic foreign policy. And maybe they want to try to regain at least a modicum of respect by appearing to do the right thing for a change.
It's not the craziest thing we've heard over the past three years.
1079
@Jack Sonville Plausible, but not fully probable, given that Pence is inextricably glued to Trump in the perception of the majority of the voters--that majority who never wanted Trump and Pence in the first place but keeps getting overlooked by a focus on a select non-majority of voters.
83
@Jack Sonville Another way to look at it is, Trump thrives on Chaos, and any attempt by the House can only succeed if they employ the full powers of reason and truth. The America I grew up in knows who wins that battle in religious mythology. Now let's see how that stacks up against our actual lived reality.
59
@Jack Sonville
Some reports have indicated that Pence may have had some involvement with (or at least knowledge of) the withholding of aid to Ukraine. If this turns out to be accurate, he should be impeached, too.
384
Barr will redact the whistle blower release so nobody can understand it. We need to see the complete item.
10
@toomuchrhetoric
No, we need to hear the tape..and see if there are 18 minutes missing...later said to be protected secrets.
1
Yay for the rule of law. Yay for our Constitution. We may still have a democracy when the corrupt Trump presidency is over. Thank-you to everyone who did all the good they could to bring this about, even if it means they lose their seat in Congress, they must know how much we appreciate their devotion to duty, truth and law. This is how all those we know that died and sacrificed to defend our freedom are honored. Those freedoms aren't just for the rich, but for every citizen. Justice will be served. The day of reckoning will come. Let's be on the right side, truth, justice and the American way!
4
@GraceNeeded I second your remarks. We honor our country when we support the rule of law....whatever the outcome.
2
Launching impeachment is absolutely the "correct" thing to do, and if it somehow ends the Trump nightmare now, or in 2020, then that's great. But please, everyone, let's stop with the "got him!" attitude. As we saw with the Mueller report, what seems like a slam dunk is not so simple. We still have no real idea what the whistle blower has to say. And we do not know what kinds of details will come out of this, or how Americans will respond.
606
@MatthewSchenker And what "got him!" attitude do you refer? Everything I'm reading, including this piece to which you're commenting, suggest extreme caution. It is of tremendous import and great relief to see a moral path being followed, no matter the end result.
All, it seems, may not be lost.
52
@MatthewSchenker The Watergate report received the same that the Mueller report did, it wasnt until Nixon did other things like Trump that it became serious.
34
@CW Yes, this article correctly emphasizes the "maybe." Following the spirit of this article, I'm cautioning my fellow Democrats to temper their hopes. I'm referring to people I speak with personally, and a tremendous number of "got him!" posts I am seeing today on social media.
16
I am probably alone here, but I remain in serious doubt that Mitch McConnell will see the House bills of impeachment—and they are coming—into his chamber. He has ridden shotgun with this lawless president and has demonstrated a studied defiance in his defense. I simply do not see him, at this water’s edge, dipping his toe in to test the temperature. Political animal though he is, I can’t see him cutting and running from Donald Trump now. He’s as unprincipled as the president.
All that said, it is wonderfully refreshing to see some movement from Republicans here. Donald Trump has gone berserk since he was inaugurated. He has created his own “American Carnage,” one in which he has mutilated the norms of the office that so many of his predecessors—good, bad or otherwise—at least attempted to uphold. And I continue to hold up the Senate Majority Leader as the example of political cowardice and self-aggrandizement that has looked the other way as Donald Trump took it upon himself to be so disrespectful and disregarding of the office he so blithely has trashed.
I have despaired—since that black day that he committed a grievous sacrilege by placing his hand upon the Bible and swearing a solemn oath—that Republicans would cherish the national interest and not the man. Perhaps now there is hope that the tide has indeed turned; that “the party of No!” is indeed sufficiently affrighted and alarmed at what they themselves now see as the most serious danger to all of us: Donald Trump.
854
@Red Sox, ‘04, ‘07, ‘13, ‘18
I think getting rid of McConnell might be a better idea than getting rid of Trump. Remove McConnell, and what is left of Trump? Tweets mostly.
152
@Red Sox, ‘04, ‘07, ‘13, ‘18, I think it would look bad for Republicans to completely ignore articles of impeachment-- unless they can do a really good spin job on the affair, which I acknowledge is a distinct possibility. Depends on what exactly comes out I guess.
40
@Red Sox, ‘04, ‘07, ‘13, ‘18
You are not alone in your skepticism about McConnell, my friend. I am deeply cynical about any prospects for McConnell’s own cynical opportunism turning into principled action. If the Senate Majority Leader allowed a gun control bill to gather dust on his desk in the wake of yet more mass shootings, it’s hard to imagine any conscience awakening in him. And with a competitive race now for his own seat, would McConnell dare anger Trump supporters in KY by impeaching Donald, or deigning to be less than an obstructionist to Democrats? Me thinks not.
74
It mystifies me why Republicans don't see this as their best opportunity to vote Trump out. He has sullied their reputations (witness all the Rs not running for reelection), deepened the already bad social division, hired and fired numerous unqualified people, committed conflict of interest actions, surrounded himself with family who have no political experience, colluded with Russia to steal the election, lied literally hundreds of times, enlarged the swamp of corruption and graft, harmed the U.S.' stature as a developed world leader, and on and on. And still no wall and no Arab ban...So he's evil and incapable of keeping his promises. What else do Republicans need to do the right thing and impeach him?
722
@Kathy B Couldn't agree more. They've gotten so much from him (tax cuts and SCOTUS"), that they really don't need him anymore. Pence might be more electable in 2020 than Trump
45
@Kathy B
After defending Trump this far if his supporters cut and ran now it would mean they would have to admit they were wrong. They can't do that anymore than Trump can admit he is wrong about anything.
51
@Kathy B, because Trump has been super popular with their base. Granted that base has been shrinking and is influenced by biased media sources.
19
My guess is that the phone call transcript will be mostly a dud. My guess is that the whistleblowers testimony and complaint will contain some allegations that raise eyebrows but are far from an open and shut case; and certainly not enough to convince the senate.
I believe that the background of the whistleblower, and his lawyers, will turn out to be life long democrats through and through, which will cast sufficient doubt on the testimony just like ford’s allegations.
I’m confused not a week after the Kavanaugh hubbub and rush to impeach, that the democrats are probably making the same mistake again. Their overeagerness will be their undoing.
7
@Rob The whistleblower isn't empowered to make the determination that the complaint is "credible" and "urgent." That responsibility belongs to the Intelligence Community's Inspector General, a Republican appointed by Trump.
You read that right -- a Republican Inspector General, appointed by Trump, determined that the complaint was credible and urgent.
That Trump appointee told Congress already that the complaint's disclosure "relates to one of the most significant and important of the DNI's responsibilities to the American people."
7
@Scott Rose
We’ll see I guess. The materials and witness and his motives will be examined. I’m simply saying a rush to judgement on a Monday when nothing has been released, isn’t the way I’d go about trying to convince independents and republicans on the dispassionate manner in which I’m discharging my duties. If the underlying material is strong enough, it would convince on its own.
1
Overeager? Good grief! How measured and patient does Speaker Pelosi have to be do gain your approval? From emoluments to obstruction of justice, the man has been a prime target for impeachment for years. Here’s hoping the investigation is patient and thorough too.
3
The Dems should be careful what they ask for. The Trump/Zelensky phone call transcript may not be all that bad or Trump wouldn’t have pledged to release it. Likewise, the whistle-blower’s complaint may reflect questionable behavior on Trump’s part, but nothing approaching an impeachable offense, and the impeachment inquiry may bring to light enough unethical conduct on Biden’s part to scuttle his campaign and thus boost Trump’s chances for re-election.
7
@Delmo
I don't share your concerns.
If Trump was innocent surely he would release all exculpatory information has at his fingertips.
He's a charlatan criminal, you have found some way to ignore the facts.
Hope you can sleep at night.
5
I’m a Democrat and I no longer trust Pelosi and the Democrats. They absolutely refuse to do the right thing. Are they all in on the corruption too? We know Pelosi traded on insider information which is a crime for everyone except members of Congress so I have good reason not to trust her.
4
When Biden and Kerry -- the ones to be really investigated -- vehemently demand an inquiry, it is clear they are hoping to impede investigation into their own suspicious acts.
This is so transparent to change the minds of more than 3 million who will vote for Trump this time. Just watch.
6
@Bhaskar. No, It means they welcome an investigation. They have nothing to hide. The monster squatting in the people's house does.
1
If he is impeached, the crime needs to be clear-cut. If it is fuzzy, the danger to the republic will be immense.
Nothing less than a potential civil conflict is what lies in the balance here.
If there was ever a time to pray for America, it would be now.
10
Trump now has a lock on 2020. If what the whistleblower said and it is exactly as is being speculated he will most likely be impeached in the house, but the senate won't do anything about it. Voting to impeach Trump in certain districts will cost the voting Democrat their office at their next election. As Trump said while he was running for President..."I Could Stand In the Middle Of Fifth Avenue And Shoot Somebody And I Wouldn't Lose Any Voters". This still holds true and the supposed crime means nothing to 99% of the voting population.
I'll remind the readers of this paper, the Washington Post and watchers of MSNBC and CNN that you represent a very small portion of the electorate and not enough to make a difference. Some people won't admit they like him and/or voted for him because of how hostile the opposing side has become.
7
@Jim Perhaps, but are you in favour of the rule of law or not? I've always thought it was a farce (money has bought a lot of stuff for me). But at least on some level it seemed to be okay in the US but now it has gone down hill with the open corruption. I guess the lesser evil is the democratic party and they are the majority.
14
Do keep in mind that the remaining democratic holdouts that Nancy was attempting to protect came out on their own and wrote the op-ed essentially making it clear they would explain this vote to their, generally, Republican constituents.
Also keep in mind that the list of ‘norm breaking’ is inexhaustible from this administration.
If this phone call is what folks have heard leaked thus far, there is simply no choice. Republicans will go down however they choose, but I stand behind my Virginia representatives on this vote.
43
@Jim
That SMALL portion of the electorate actually supported the popular vote winner of the last election by 3 million more votes than 45.
38
The Senate will never vote to impeach but history will hold accountable the GOP Senators who were too pusillanimous to protect our national security and the integrity of our electoral process.
80
@Patricia Caiozzo
I would be more concerned about the body politic holding the GOP accountable in the next election.
Trump's approval rating after he took office was 42 percent. After Mueller it was 42 percent. It is 42 percent now, and will be 42 percent regardless of what the House does. In a representative democracy, one would expect it to drop to 33 percent for Trump to be removed. Both are highly unlikely.
1
@Patricia Caiozzo
History might hold them accountable. But they really don't care. They have already laughed their way to the bank. Their children and grandchildren are and will be comfortable. History means little to their golf club memberships. They will still be lionized in their minute and shrinking reactionary circles, in their gated communities.
This is sad commentary, I know.
3
Patricia - I wish that were true; but I doubt it. No one really remembers old senators or congressmen. They, and what they did, just fade away.
The current crop will just take the money and run. Sad.
1
McConnell and the GOP has been thus far been shielded from "going on the record" regarding whether or not they thing numerous incidents of Trumps behavior are criminal. With that cover being pulled back, they know very well what the campaign ads will look like in their districts. They also know Trump would throw any of them under the bus.
As Democrats make a stand grounded in principle, the GOP must now pivot to self-preservation.
Still, playing on what AOC said about the scandal of not-impeaching, there remains members of the Democratic caucus who are hold-outs. I couldn't be more disappointed in Tulsi Gabbard for choosing to be on the wrong side of this solely to advance her run for a higher office.
31
@Aleutian
Whatever position she takes Tulsi Gabbard will go nowhere.
2
"Rarely have the stakes been so high"
After three years of sitting on their hands, pontificating endlessly, arguing in every conceivable way why impeachment wouldn't work, suddenly Pelosi and her Republican-Lite Democratic Party seem to see what most reasonable Americans have been seeing for three years, that Trump is a con artist who successfully capitalized on the willful failure of the Democrats to represent their constituents for decades, handing Trump the opportunity to bamboozle 43% of a demoralized electorate into voting for him.
This same demoralized group would have voted for anyone who would have attacked the Clinton campaign as effectively as Trump did; Trump became their weapon of choice which they used to end the reign of the pretenders who had fooled them for so long.
And now this impeachment inquiry, which is all it will ever be, a toothless attempt to savage the con man, likely to end as ignomiously as the Muller investigation, giving Trump all kinds of ammunition which he will use to further damage the Democrats, especially Biden, exposing their latest attempt to pass another pretender off on the electorate.
An opportunity exists within this chaos, it resides in both Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, it is the opportunity for the Democratic Party to drop Biden, get 100% behind either Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren, and show everyone that the people are finally being listened to, and heard, finally heard.
Lose this opportunity and Trump wins.
29
@Mel Farrell I agree with everything you say except "...drop Biden." I'm in NJ so I won't vote for him if he's the nominee. He's a lock here. But it's too early to toss him. If he's the only person who can beat Trump, so be it. Warren and Bernie still suffer from the electibility issue with conservative independents. Hopefully that will change, but it's too early to tell. The country needs a progressive but might heal with a centrist. I say "centrist" ironically, because Joe Biden voted for Iraq, the same reason I couldn't get behind Hillary. He's not a centrist. But he's the most vanilla we have
8
@Mel Farrell
Bernie Sanders, a gruff and angry old man, is no longer a viable alternative. Elizabeth Warren is a winner pending adjustments to a few of her pie-in-the-sky ideas.
7
I wonder of those who voted for a third party candidate because Trump and Clinton were "equally bad" are now sorry for the Trump presidency.
I wonder how those who think impeachment is even more important than the result of the 2020 election will be sorry if we're stuck with Trump for four more years.
22
@bnyc
I wonder if those on the DNC who let Clinton take the nomination are now sorry that they let her hand Trump to the nation on a silver platter of a pathetic campaign and a legacy of unelectability.
3
@bnyc When I hear about Biden's corruption with Ukraine, I am sorry that I voted for Obama. Probably the tip of the iceberg.
@Dan
Trump's corruption, daily (hourly!) lies, and instability make him uniquely unqualified to lead this country.
1
An Oval Office-approved transcript of Trump's "conversation" with Ukrainian president Zelensky is insufficient. Only the recording of the phone call --and, yes, it exists-- played for Congress, with trusted and impartial interpreters laying out the contents, and the gist, of the interchange between Trump and Zelensky will meet the required standard of "transparency" necessary to bring out the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
78
@Glen Just as reams of Hillary's communications eith Obama and governments around the world were destroyed on official orders from above - and the devices they were stored on as well - you can't assume anything actually exists that hasn't been leaked yet.
Your one ''hope'' is that sure-fire evidence is being withheld to be released on the last Moinday in October 2020.
1
@Glen No, it doesn't exist. A former Situation Room staffer spoke on MSNBC last night and reported that recording of calls stopped in the mid-70s. Now there are notes taken by staffers in the room, listening on headphones. I would not be surprised if Trump curtailed that process and now has Kellyanne Conway sitting in the corner doodling.
1
@L osservatore
Conspiracy theory nonsense, long ago debunked.
2
McConnell and other Republicans in the Congressional leadership have been hurriedly briefed on the contents of the game-changing whistleblower complaint, its supporting documents, and on the sum and substance of Trump’s incriminating conversations with the Ukrainian President. They know that their Fake President is going to be impeached by the House and that there also is a decent likelihood that the Senate will have to convict Trump or their own political futures will be imperiled. This is the beginning of the Republican separation from all things Trump, to save their own necks and the future of their party.
121
@John Grillo
Hope so but I'm not crossing my fingers.
19
Let’s hope you are correct.
14
@John Grillo
Trump clearly must go for the good of the nation, but I still fear a solid year of Pence, who will pursue the same ruthless agenda without all the chaos. None of these policies are actually Trump's; he's just signing off on any evil deed the Republicans concoct because he doesn't care about anything but his own benefit.
26
The fact 100 Senators together demanded the release of the whistle blower complaint is a real encouragement for our republic. I trusted Pelosi was right to wait until Trump did something that even fellow republicans could not continence. Pelosi has no choice but to count republican support. Are there close to 20 senators willing to defy this president for the good of the republic? I think Pelosi would know where each member of the senate stands. That 100 stood together to defy the president, even if just to signal a point, demonstrates republicans can and will defy this president for the sake of the republic if the facts warrant. Thank you senate for I can get back to work now and get my work done. What a relief. Sheezz!
44
@Edgar Allen Poe......Spineless republicans/ RINOs have been defying Trump from the start. Nothing new. The state controlled media is sabre rattling to lift their ratings after the Mueller debacle. The majority of the public is Not tired of Trump, they are Tired of the left controlled media and entertainment cabal and the media brainwashed spitting mad angry mob.
1
The nagging question in the back of my mind is: Will the transcript and documents released be "true" copies. What will the verification procedures be to assure that Congress gets a transcript of the actual conversation in question or just a ringer? It would seem to be easier to verify the IG report and it's contents.
47
"It turns out President Trump can push his fellow Republicans too far. Senate Republicans stuck up for themselves, and their institution, on Tuesday by joining unanimously with their Democratic colleagues to call on the president to stop stonewalling. They asked him to release... the complaint from a whistle-blower..."
Pardon my cynicism, but a unanimous vote by Senate Republicans to request release of the whistle-blower complaint almost necessarily means that it contains nothing of value. Mitch McConnell surely knows what is in the complaint. Add this to Trump's apparent willingness to release an unredacted transcript of his phone call with Zelensky, and you have a situation that has the look and feel of a trap.
The Republican quid pro quo for cooperation in the Zelensky affair is an investigation into Hunter Biden's employment by a Ukrainian natural gas firm and whether his father, then vice-president, took official actions that benefited his son's interests. If the Zelensky affair turns into a dry well, then you are left with only the Biden side of the equation--which is precisely the outcome Republicans seek.
There is no way that the Joe Biden candidacy comes out of this unscathed. The campaign's appeal to "electability" is shorthand for an assertion that Biden is the safe, low risk candidate. Accusations of exercising corrupt influence on behalf of his son, even if untrue, will undercut perceptions that Biden is a safe candidate. Damage will be incurred.
50
@woofermayne that was exactly what Democrats wanted. Let’s float this out there it will have trump reacting and we get rid of Biden which is what liberals want. They have to have that “women” candidate! In this case a Native American woman. Yeahhhhhh. I hope they don’t mind losing the presidential election and losing the house back to republicans. This is exactly what will happen
2
@woofer Best analysis I've seen yet. Totally agree.
3
@woofer
I’m so sad to agree...something’s rotten in Denmark...
3
The notes on the phone call and the whistleblower's complaint will be ambiguous enough that the President's spinners will be able to argue that he did not actually attempt to extort Ukraine into reinvestigating Hunter Biden.
The best analogy here is any organized crime trial, where you never have a tape saying that someone specific should be killed, or a particular business burned down. Instead you have vague statements like "X has become a bit of a problem" or "Joe's business is not doing well, is it?" So when X turns up in the Hudson River and Joe's business burns down, the boss can say it wasn't his doing.
So we really need the whistleblower's testimony, in open session, to connect the dots and to explain what was meant by what was said.
263
@John Graybeard
And the "tape," however the the verbal interchange was recorded, be it digitally or analogue, must be be forensically assessed for alterations and, once cleared, be played, and interpreted by impartial linguists for Congress.
29
@John Graybeard Don't forget Guiliani, Trump's personal emissary, pressuring Zelensky to investigate Biden's son. This, taken together with whatever was on the phone call, could be incriminating.
12
@John Graybeard agree, and the question can't be of Trump's intent, which is unprovable. It is what the leadership of Ukraine would reasonably have inferred. Given the circumstances and context, did they understand they were getting an offer they couldn't refuse? I suspect so.
11
It seems uncanny that McConnell would suddenly become a reason based patriot and let the senate vote on demanding the whistle blower report be sent over to congress.
There must be more to this and is anyone’s guess. Mine is that orders from Moscow have changed. Putin is ready to let Trump swing in the breeze. Ukraine was the tipping point for Putin, thence for Trump.
405
@RjW McConnell got everything he wanted: SCOTUS and lower courts stacked and packed, and a tax cut for the 1% and corporations. He can try his hand at being principled as it won't cost him a bit.
5
@RjW - I think McConnell smells blood in the water and if this plays out as bad (or worse) as it looks at the moment, he'll turn on trump faster than you can say witch hunt. Then his posse - like Thune and Barrasso that always look like they're surgically attached to him - will too.
Even Pence might have a 'come to Jesus' moment, declare himself an innocent bystander, and try to position himself to take the Oval, with the ever ambitious Nikki Haley.
It's going to be interesting. I just hope that the whole rotten bunch goes down - Barr, Pompeo, Mulvaney, Nunes, Ross and others that have participated in trump's many lawless doings.
13
@RjW
Interesting idea. I'm going to go all conspiracy theory here and wonder if the withholding of funds for Ukraine also had something to do with what Putin wanted.......Putin is not a fan of the Ukraine government to say the least.
4
This had to be done. It is high time the Dems take their chances and let the chips fall where they may. I thought Pelosi's speech was grand.
117
Prepare yourselves. Nothing will come of this. Looking to nail this President for putting his socks on inside out won't be enough. Every single accusation has resulted in a huge disappointment as DEMs ramp up so-called 'offenses' that turn out to be nothing but distractions, hoping to deter Trump's re-election efforts.
10
Reasons to believe Trump is guilty:
1. He has refused--illegally--to allow Congress to see the whistleblower complaint, which one of his own appointees deemed credible and of urgent concern. What is he hiding?
2. His explanation for why he held up military aid to Ukraine has already changed, from a concern that Ukraine is too corrupt to be given aid to a concern that Europe is not paying its fair share of aid. Liars usually can't keep their story straight.
3. He has a well-documented history of lying, from concocting a fake reason for the Trump Tower meeting with a Russian operative to the "official" reason he fired James Comey. We know these were lies because he later contradicted them himself.
4. He has a well-documented history of soliciting or taking advantage of foreign involvement in American elections. He publicly called on Russia to hack into Hillary Clinton's emails, and has admitted to using information from Wikileaks that he knew had been gained via Russian espionage. He has claimed there was nothing wrong with taking advantage of foreign aid to help him win.
For the above reasons, Congress is well within its rights to open an inquiry. The proper functioning of government was impeded, and We the People need to know why.
349
@g All things you say about Trump are true. But that doesn't mean that an impeachment proceeding is the best means to deal with it, or that the country won't be hurt by such proceedings, even in the small, small off-chance that they are successful.
@Joe The country won't be hurt. The country will be helped by a branch of our federal government exercising their authority and duty under the Constitution..our Constitution. One or both parties may be hurt politically but, whatever the outcome, whatever the Senate does or does not do, upholding and adhering to the rule of law is best for our country. Now it's time for us as citizens to exercise our duty and right. Whatever you are blue/red/green etc...make sure you vote in 2020.
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An English translation of a relevant proverb is "The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second-best best time is today."
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Maybe it has finally dawned on some Republican that part of the job of a member of Congress is to oversee the administration. During the first two years of Trump's presidency the Republicans in Congress were missing in action in performing this critical duty which meant there was no real checks and balances which is supposed to be how the system works. So it has fallen on the Democrats to try to save US democracy from a autocrat who appears to have been elected with considerable help from Russia. Today is one of the most hopeful days since Trump was elected that democracy in the US might be preserved despite so many efforts by Trump to undermine democracy.
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Agree, but most Congressmen care naught about the country only for their donors' interests.
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@Bicoastal Hoosier
You are correct, of course. I find it truly weird and bizarre that Congressmen and women do not care enough about their country and seemingly are not in any way affected by their awesome responsibility. It's an honor to be elected to the Congress.
It's also troubling that so few members of Congress seem to know much about the history of the US.
5
@Bob. "Maybe it has finally dawned on some Republican that part of the job of a member of Congress is to oversee the administration." I don't believe it for one second. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice .....
Sure, go ahead with impeachment. But in the eyes of the vast majority of the public, the accusers here are barely more credible than the accused.
The Dems simply want a return to the comfortable status quo of the pre-Obama years - when it wasn’t quite so obvious that our votes don’t really matter and our lawmakers are bought and paid for.
The Dems and the GOP need to be forced to relinquish their unconstitutional stranglehold on American politics. How? I dunno.
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@Angelus Ravenscroft
Public financing of elections and all money out of the election process would be a great start.
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@Angelus Ravenscroft
"forced to relinquish their unconstitutional stranglehold on American politics?" Exactly what is unconstitutional about the party system? There's no mention of it in the Document. Madison warned about the "evils of faction," but it is not at all clear he meant anything like current parties. And it has not always been a two-party system. Parties have come and gone. Some even had Presidents elected: Whigs and Federalists, for example. Several parties now gone had nominees win states: Populists, George Wallace's party.
How is it that "our votes don't really matter?" Ask Clinton about votes not mattering in WI, OH, PA, MI.
5
Harvey,
1. Show me where in the Constitution it says two parties get to run the show and keep everyone else out. The Whigs, the Sleep-Nots, and whoever else was around didn’t construct the stranglehold on politics our friends in DC have.
2. Our votes can’t really be said to matter if our choice is always only Thing One or Thing Two. Our votes also don’t really matter because of the li’l old Electoral College. But that’s beyond the scope of today’s sermon.
1
Long overdue. If Pelosi knows what she's doing, now's the time for her to show it.
In related news, now's the time for Biden to step aside. Even if there's nothing to what Hunter Biden was doing in the Ukraine, it looks corrupt. If Biden had a policy set, it might be different. But he doesn't: he's campaigning on character. And he won't be able to present a contrast to Trump's corruption.
Sorry, Joe. It ain't personal. It's just for the good of the country.
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@gideon brenner
No, Joe should stay on and continue to bear the brunt of GOP lies. The more he deflects from other candidates the better. He is a true patriot. He will step aside when the time is right.
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@gideon brenner
Biden is a true patriot and he knows what he is doing and should continue to allow these attacks on him till the time is right for him to step aside. I believe in the end it will be Warren standing as the nominee and if Biden chooses to serve by her side once again as VP, I imagine that would be a formidable team.
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Yes, Gideon he should step aside. We don’t need the side show.
Like Joe but he’s got to bow out.
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So the test of our purported leaders begins.
Are we a country governed by the rule of law?
Are we the people persuaded by facts or by propaganda?
We'll find out in the next several months.
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Any press is good for the current president. ( please don't say his name). Bad press with ratings, good for the current president.
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Would anyone put it past Trump to have staged the so-called "whistle-blower"? What if the transcript is released and it's a lot about nothing? I wouldn't put it past Trump and his corrupt team to have delegated a "whistle-blower" and then when the information is released, it is nothing. Let's wait and see, but it's too early to get our hopes up that Trump will lose his job in the near future. Sorry about the pessimism.
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@Mike
You aren't crazy Mike. I thought that for a bit, too. But I think this has been lurking for a while. The transcript probably won't be much. But as Pelosi has framed it, Trump has implicated himself by saying out loud that he did this. There doesn't need to be a quid pro quo for there to be abuse of power. I do understand your pessimism, though. We have had so much fake news from this "president" that it is hard to know what is real and what he's making up. His sharpie is all over everything.
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@Mike, if the whistleblower’s name turns out to be John Barron, I’ll be suspicious.
1
Good summary -
the coming weeks will be about watching how GOP leaders walk and talk...
Strange...so much hand-wringing about simply saying the King has no clothes.
13
McConnell isn't defending Trump? Not good news for deceitful Donald.
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@ZHR. There must be a reason, and seeing that it's Moscow Mitch, the reason is probably good news for the monster.
1
"Democrats are not content to receive a transcript provided by the administration. Nor should they be." Deja vu: Nixon initially released only transcripts of the incriminating white house tapes, on live TV no less. That seemed transparently self serving, and indeed Nixon was forced to give up the tapes by a unanimous Supreme Court. After the Alabama weather map / sharpie forgery, Trump has even less credibility than Nixon. So, a "transcript"? Ridiculous; bring on the whistle blower.
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No maybe!!!
We the people are supposed to be represented by a tripartite system.
Congress has dropped the ball in the last half century. Reps have become accolites of the Prez's party, not caring about true meaningful work for ALL PEOPLE in their district/state.
Legislators are now simply dogs of their party. PITY!!! No meaningful work by Congress will ever be enacted as long as Parties are more important than the country.
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We can’t trust a weather report from his administration, why should we accept their transcript as being factual.
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@Fritz and how many times he has promised to release his tax returns? How can we trust anything he said.?
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Beware of any Sharpie annotations.
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@Fritz
Even if they release a recording of the call, I wouldn't trust this administration to have not doctored it.
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Well played, Madame Speaker. Putting this inquiry before trump and his minions have a chance to release their sharpied versions of the reports lets Democrats frame the narrative. It doesn't matter if there is a quid pro quo, which is how trump world is spinning it. There is enough evidence of a flagrant abuse of power from trump's own admissions. This feels like Check, or maybe even Check Mate. For all the people who doubt her, she's still got it.
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God bless Pelosi and the Senate for protecting our country from a criminal who stains the flag with the atrocity that is Trump.
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Not yet. Wait'll there's a DEM a Senate majority, then 'Peach the 'Pres. House gets to impeach, but it's the Senate that must convict. And them GOPpers ain't gonna do it!
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@JONWINDY
But then you get 4 more years of Pencie. Do the right thing now.
2
Finally!
2
What dirt does Angela Merkel have on Trump?
What dirt do the British intelligence agencies have on Trump?
What about Japan? Maybe they have some dirt?
I am calling on the intelligence agencies of all of our historical partners and allies to do a wholesale dump of Trump-dirt, not for the benefit of Joe Biden, but that someone, anyone will put this charlatan where he belongs: under a rock in his "swamp."
He is a gangster with a gangster mentality. I strongly suspect that much of his advice has been coming from Newt Gingrich. I strongly suspect that this "Hindenburg" is about to go down in flames.
I said before right here in these comments: Mitt Romney will be the 2020 GOP nominee.
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So, Trump gets impeached but survives the Senate trial. Biden drops out because of a perceived scandal involving his remaining son. Trump eliminates his #1 opponent without lifting a finger, thanks to Pelosi.
Q-Anon and the Trumpsters claim this is evidence of the genius of Trump. Scary, yes?
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@Rich M I think the whole thing is about Trump and the republican party believing they can get away with anything. I think it's hubris on their part, and I think they are in for a big surprise.
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@Rich M - Biden isn't the only Democrat who beats Trump in the polls. Unless Trump really does start shooting people he has a lot of competition.
Ms. Pelosi has done the absolute correct thing. God bless her.
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@Alan C Gregory yea, when she resisted impeachment till the very bitter end when resisting was no longer an option. Bless her heart.
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@Asher Good leaders understand that before battle it's deeply advantageous to find the best terrain for the fight. Pelosi knows what she's doing, and the stakes are extremely high. In this case, patience IS a virtue.
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Congress has legal rights to the unredacted whistleblower complaint in closed session and should share all that is reasonable with the public. "trump" should not be able to control the testimony of the whistleblower. The DNI should be impeached for failing to obey the law. The DOJ should be investigated for stonewalling Congress. The executive branch stinks from top to bottom.
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@Droid05680. As the TV moments have not exactly worked out, the temptation to try again should be avoided. Get the complaint.
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@Droid05680 Yes, the whistle blower needs to verify the complaint presented. Everything needs to be verified thoroughly and every trail needs to be followed.
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" ... most people were less transfixed by the news from Washington."
I'm people, and I'm transfixed, as I have been since before the election!
Not sure how much longer I could have gone one. It just wears a people out.
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@Mark Don't you hate it when some member of the media tells us we're numb, not transfixed enough, etc. I AM NOT NUMB......I am more transfixed then usual now. Thank you, Mark.
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The advice I got before my first marathon was "It does not take courage to finish the race but to start it. The first step will be your hardest decision."
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@Nick. I have never heard that quote before but it certainly captures the essence of where we are as a country in this critical moment of our nation’s history. Thank you. We can only hope that this first step will get us where we need to be to rectify the damage done by this current administration.
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An old Chinese Proverb ( genuinely, but apparently not Confucius):
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"
I don’t know what milestone we’ve passed, but I hope we get to that thousandth mile as soon as we can.
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