How Republicans Won Phase One Of Impeachment
With the likely conclusion of Rep. Adam Schiff’s impeachment proceedings, it’s worth taking a step back and looking at how things went for the majority Democrats and minority Republicans on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
Democrats ideally would have started their inquiry with credible bipartisan support and run things in such a way that public opinion developed in their favor. Public opinion would build pressure on Republican members toward an impeachment vote that had even stronger bipartisan credibility.
That did not come even close to happening. To begin with, not only was the vote to begin proceedings not bipartisan, there was bipartisan opposition to it. Polling initially looked promising for impeachment, with media outlets attempting to claim significant bipartisan support for inquiry and removal, but then the polling moved in the wrong direction for Democrats.
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It was completely unclear what crime, much less what high crime, Trump was accused of committing.
...
The hearings were boring and complicated.
...
Adam Schiff lacks credibility.
...
Democrats’ witnesses kept making Trump’s case for him.
...
GOP members stayed on message about the unfairness of the proceedings.
...
The media generally overpromised and underachieved.
...
The general wackiness of the Resistance.
...
Impeachment will occur, but on the weakest possible grounds.
Impeachment has been all but a foregone conclusion since the moment Trump shocked the ruling classes with his 2016 victory.
Democrats ideally would have started their inquiry with credible bipartisan support and run things in such a way that public opinion developed in their favor. Public opinion would build pressure on Republican members toward an impeachment vote that had even stronger bipartisan credibility.
That did not come even close to happening. To begin with, not only was the vote to begin proceedings not bipartisan, there was bipartisan opposition to it. Polling initially looked promising for impeachment, with media outlets attempting to claim significant bipartisan support for inquiry and removal, but then the polling moved in the wrong direction for Democrats.
...
It was completely unclear what crime, much less what high crime, Trump was accused of committing.
...
The hearings were boring and complicated.
...
Adam Schiff lacks credibility.
...
Democrats’ witnesses kept making Trump’s case for him.
...
GOP members stayed on message about the unfairness of the proceedings.
...
The media generally overpromised and underachieved.
...
The general wackiness of the Resistance.
...
Impeachment will occur, but on the weakest possible grounds.
Impeachment has been all but a foregone conclusion since the moment Trump shocked the ruling classes with his 2016 victory.