We know Mitch McConnell doesn’t want witnesses. We know he controls everything about this trial. But what the voters want is something else. So, see you in November, Mr Current Majority Leader.
Perhaps the main thing to come out of impeachment is that whereas before we strongly suspected the Congressional GOP were lying knaves in it for power, we now know for certain Congressional GOP are lying knaves in it for power.
David Rothkopf/USA Today:
Even if the Senate does not remove Donald Trump, this impeachment is far from a mistake
The judgment of the court of public opinion will matter more to history and the 2020 elections than the verdict in the Senate impeachment trial.
I would most emphatically suggest that undertaking the impeachment investigation was far from a mistake. Even with the deck stacked against a just outcome by a GOP leadership that has lost sight of the most basic ideals associated with public service, much good has come out of this process and might come out of it even in the event of an acquittal.
First, the mere pursuit of the facts by the House has both underscored the importance of accountability, and it has, in a very systematic and public way, revealed the facts of this case. Trump, McConnell and the army of parrots spouting White House talking points may repeatedly say otherwise, but the president’s wrongdoing has been made crystal clear, and many of those detailing or corroborating it have been witnesses who are above reproach, objective and distinguished. Many of them are Trump appointees or apolitical career public servants. Today, poll after poll reveals that a substantial majority of Americans believe that the president is guilty of wrongdoing, and about half believe he should be removed from office.
When facts are bad:
So, will we have witnesses?
And that about sums it up. So keep calling your Senators.
Herald-Tribune:
Former Trump Chief of Staff John Kelly tells Sarasota crowd ‘I believe John Bolton’
President Donald Trump is denying that he told former National Security Advisor John Bolton he wanted to withhold military aid from Ukraine until the country launched investigations into Joe Biden and his son, allegations that Bolton levies in his new book, according to news reports.
But one of Trump’s former top aides told a Sarasota audience Monday evening that if the reporting on what Bolton wrote is accurate, he believes Bolton.
“If John Bolton says that in the book, I believe John Bolton,” said retired Gen. John Kelly, who served as Trump’s chief of staff for 18 months.
Maybe that will get McMaster and Mattis off the fence.
Barbara McQuade/WaPo:
Trump waived executive privilege when he called Bolton a liar
If the Senate decides to summon the former national security adviser, the president won’t have much recourse left.
President Trump refers to himself as a counterpuncher. This time, he might have punched too hard.
In a series of tweets just after midnight Monday, Trump responded to weekend reporting about a forthcoming book by his former national security adviser John Bolton. The book reportedly reveals that Trump tied military aid for Ukraine to his demands for investigations into his political rivals. Trump’s tweets directly dispute the truth of these claims. He may have been hoping to push wavering Senate Republicans away from agreeing to call Bolton to testify in the impeachment trial. But in the process, Trump probably waived any executive privilege that he could have claimed to keep Bolton quiet if that gambit fails.
Nancy LeTourneau/Washington Monthly:
Republicans Are Trying to Interfere in the 2020 Democratic Primary
Here’s the quote:
Iowa caucuses are this next Monday evening and I’m really interested to see how this discussion today informs and influences the Iowa caucus voters. Those Democratic caucus goers — will they be supporting Vice President Biden at this point? Not as certain about that.
In other words, the smear campaign against Joe Biden is an attempt by Republicans to interfere in the Democratic primary to knock him out of contention.
Democratic voters are free to make of this what they will. But the one thing they can’t do is to allow this kind of disinformation campaign based on conspiracy theories to be effective. Lying about opponents is now the modus operandi of Republicans because they are steeped in having to defend the most corrupt president in this country’s history. Disinformation is all they’ve got and they will use it mercilessly—especially against an opponent they fear.
Gail Collins and Bret Stephens/NY Times:
Always Look on the Bright Side of Impeachment
Not to mention the Democratic presidential race. It can be done, if you put your mind to it.
Gail: I have to admit the Bolton revelation — which, as you point out, is a big moment but not exactly a big surprise — perked me up. But one of the many downsides of the Senate trial is the amount of time people are having to spend contemplating the heart and mind of Susan Collins.
Helen Branswell/STAT vis Scientific American:
The Coronavirus Questions that Scientists are Racing to Answer
Although scientists have learned a lot so far, there is still much they do not know about the novel virus spreading in China and other countries
HOW DANGEROUS IS THIS INFECTION?
The reports emerging suggest a pretty significant portion of cases are seriously ill. For instance, in a report China’s national health authorities posted Monday, about 17% of total cases were severely ill. And about 3% of confirmed cases had died.
Those are frightening numbers. But if the confirmed cases represent only a fraction of the total cases — and they likely do — that could really change the math. Until we have a better handle on the total number of cases it’s premature to draw conclusions.
Elanah Uretsky/WaPo:
Is China ready for this major global health challenge?
Beijing invested heavily in public health around the world — but left troubling gaps at home
Is China protecting its global image — or its citizens?
Chinese officials have been working hard since SARS to build up the country’s reputation as a global health leader. Indeed, China’s investments in global health help make up for funding shortfalls, including recent reductions in global health commitment from countries such as the United States.
But the stigma of the SARS coverups at home in 2003 may overpower the impact of these global assistance efforts. China is receiving big hits to its domestic and international reputation because of its lack of preparedness to fight yet another outbreak of a strange pneumonia-like virus within its borders.
This kind of pressure speaks to Chinese leaders, who don’t want to be “forever nailed to history’s pillar of shame,” as one Communist Party statement explained last week. Ultimately, it is this type of pressure that might help China figure out how to balance its commitment to global health with that of domestic preparedness.