Trump's GOP support hardens despite damning impeachment testimony

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

After two weeks of extraordinary open hearings that Democrats envisioned as their best opportunity to shape public opinion on impeachment, President Trump claims to be impervious to the cascade of damaging revelations because of hardening Republican opposition to his removal from office.

So far, the historic proceedings have exacerbated the political divide. Some moderate Republican lawmakers once seen as the most likely to break with Trump condemned his conduct but signaled in recent days that they would probably vote against his impeachment because they do not believe the president’s actions meet that threshold.

This phase of the inquiry was particularly damning for Trump, simply because of the fact pattern that emerged. A series of government witnesses, testifying under oath and at risk of perjury, implicated the president in a scheme to pressure Ukraine to influence the 2020 election.

But impeachment is not a criminal or legal proceeding; it is a political one. And as the inquiry hurtles toward a likely House vote on impeachment next month and a possible Senate trial, Republicans on Capitol Hill are solidly behind the president, even if they offer scattershot and at times contradictory defenses of his alleged wrongdoing.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-gop-support-hardens-despite-damning-impeachment-testimony/2019/11/23/b1625d6c-0d6f-11ea-bd9d-c628fd48b3a0_story.html?wpisrc=nl_rainbow&wpmm=1&utm_campaign=first_reads&utm_medium=Email&utm_source=Newsletter

Republicanism is a cult.

[RandySF]

1. Fine

They can go down with the ship.

[kentuck]

2. This disregard for the law cannot be accepted.

They have no credibility.

Either we stand up for what we believe or we do not.

[Turbineguy]

3. Putin is getting desperate?

He's smart enough to figure out that getting hooked up with trump is bound to fail. I would watch for a more plausible republican candidate to primary trump.

Putin's biggest problem: there aren't enough stupid people in America.

[stopdiggin]

8. if that was at all viable in terms of political strategy

I'd say you were quite right. But such a move would be fruitless .. and frivolous in real political terms.

Putin might well recognize Trump as a diminishing resource, in terms of an effective political leader. But don't forget, Putin's original aim was to destabilize the U.S. (not necessarily to effect policy) .. and in terms of that motive .. Donald Trump is still a marvelously effective tool. (and might continue to be once out of office?)

[edhopper]

4. Its not the GOP/Trump base that matters

it's the independents that didn't thinks any voted for him that we have to onvince.

[ritapria]

5. Gym Jordan and Devin Nunes Were really convincing

The Castor - Oil Lawyer was another Perry Mason , don't ya think ? …..The Cohen Payoffs , 10 counts of Obstruction of Justice. The Ukraine Extortion Plot ...Witness intimidation , 10,000 lies …..Nothing to see here , right ? Thanks Fox News for forming and growing The Cult

[bluestarone]

6. That's because GOD

Is talking to all of these fucking idiots! (just ask them that's what they will say)

[TwilightZone]

7. Most people made up their minds about Trump years ago.

This is not a surprise. If nothing he's done before now would disqualify him in the eyes of GOP voters, impeachment isn't going to.

I'm not really sure why some have so vehemently insisted otherwise. Wishful thinking, perhaps.

[murielm99]

9. This is not about public opinion.

It is about the Constitution.

[5X]

10. Either you like his racism or you don't. n/t

[dawg day]

11. Nixon was re-elected with 49 states...

and 20 months later was on his way out. The GOP dumped him as soon as they thought he was a dead weight on the party.

Now the GOP today is a lot more stupid. I think that might end up being a good thing in 2020. They have been losing state and local elections, and their intransigence could get a whole lot of people out in November to vote against their candidates.

But I think Moscow Mitch is going to dump on Trump as soon as he thinks he'll lose his majority leader spot. No loyalty there. We'll see.

This could be the beginning of a long twilight for the GOP as they dwindle into permanent minority in the federal govt. They still have a whole lot of statehouses, so they'll probably be a factor for a long time in that, and that means gerrymandering control.

But while they are quite good at getting "elected" with a minority, we know that now. And GOTV can partly counteract that problem.