1. Impeachment Inquiry Hearing Blog
Bill Taylor of State Dept delivers a long-winded opening statement whose only takeaway so far is that there was a 'regular' channel and an 'irregular' channel of communication with Ukraine, and that he criss-crossed the two channels.
Bill Taylor of State Dept delivers a long-winded opening statement whose only takeaway so far is that there was a 'regular' channel and an 'irregular' channel of communication with Ukraine, and that he criss-crossed the two channels.
2. Bill Taylor's blow-by-blow commentary on diplomatic exchanges between the U.S. and Ukraine could not be more boring in its infatuation with self-important assessment of every twist and turn. This is what 'career diplomats' live for. The rest of us couldn't care less.
3. While MSM will breathlessly find something or the other in Bill Taylor's testimony 'remarkable,' so far it is the most unremarkable testimony I have ever heard. This is how bureaucracies operate all over the world, every single day. Somebody please wake me up when he is done.
4. Bill Taylor just dropped the promised "bombshell," which consists of a staffer summarizing a phone call with the President as, "I feel the President cares more about the investigation than Ukraine's security." [I am paraphrasing]
That is a mind-reading of the President.
That is a mind-reading of the President.
5. Bill Taylor makes a passionate plea that Ukraine is on the front lines of America's national security, and when Russia violates sovereignty of Ukraine, American national interest is threatened. Hallelujah!
Someone please tell Bill Taylor that Russia did that on Obama's watch.
Someone please tell Bill Taylor that Russia did that on Obama's watch.
6. And Russia didn't invade Ukraine in a vacuum. Putin did it in the aftermath of Obama having promised Putin "more flexibility" after Obama's upcoming 2012 election. This was arguably the horrendous 'quid pro quo' Democrats were cool with back then. Shameful and disgraceful!
7. Keep in mind, Obama refused to supply Ukraine with lethal defensive weapons Ukraine needed to defend itself against Russia. Instead Obama sent Biden to threaten Ukraine with withholding $1B in U.S. aid if Ukraine didn't fire the prosecutor investigating Burisma. Priorities!
8. If this is the best Democrats can do with Bill Taylor, and Bill Taylor is their marquis witness, Republicans should be able to make mincemeat of this witness and others. All they have to show is that Bill Taylor's testimony is mostly hearsay, mind-reading, and editorializing.
9. What comes through loud and clear is that Bill Taylor disapproves of President Trump's way of conducting diplomacy with Ukraine. It was so out of sync with the way State Dept traditionally does business, and who the hell does Trump think he is to deviate from the blessed norm?
10. Bear in mind that the testimony has now categorically established that what the President meant by investigation is investigation into 2016 election interference. Democrats want to impeach Trump for making getting to the bottom of 2016 election interference a high priority.
11. Republicans could not have chosen a worse lawyer to question the witnesses. This is a massive fail!!!
This guy has negative TV presence, and is asking questions in a weird way. Mostly he makes statements himself and asks the witness to opine on them. Bad start.
This guy has negative TV presence, and is asking questions in a weird way. Mostly he makes statements himself and asks the witness to opine on them. Bad start.
12. Stephen Castor is a career congressional staffer who is serving as the GOP's attorney during the impeachment inquiry.
While Castor has been involved in the closed-door inquiries which have already taken place, this is the first time he steps out into the national spotlight.
While Castor has been involved in the closed-door inquiries which have already taken place, this is the first time he steps out into the national spotlight.
13. The only thing Castor did effectively is to establish that Bill Taylor's so-called "irregular channel" comprised of career diplomats and a senate confirmed cabinet member. In other words, the irregular channel was not outlandish. Bill Taylor agreed.
14. As an aside, this tweet captures the moment very effectively.
15. Finally, Jim Jordan gets to question Bill Taylor. Bill Taylor states that he is not here to seek any particular outcomes and he does not consider himself to be a star witness. In other words, he is here because Adam Schiff asked him to.
16. I must admit I have developed a liking for Bill Taylor. All diplomats ultimately become hostage to their own thinking that they know better than the president. It's one of the most common ailments afflicting the State Dept personnel. Other than that, Bill Taylor is good.
17. Adam Schiff asks a rhetorical question, " Obama's hot mic promise of "more flexibility" to Putin was made in 2012, but Russia invaded Crimea in 2014. How could have Obama shown more flexibility for something that hadn't happened yet?"
Is Adam Schiff a genius or what?
Haha!!
Is Adam Schiff a genius or what?
Haha!!
18. Other than those who consider every breath President Trump takes in the White House as an impeachable offense, is there a sentient being anywhere who thinks this hearing is successfully making the case for President Trump's impeachment?
19. Jim Jordan delivers a compelling requiem for the Adam Schiff show.
20. This is going nowhere. I'm suspending listening to this soporific blather. I close for now by saying I'll have nothing negative to say about Kent or Taylor. They're good men. They've their opinions like others, but they did not seek to create theater. They were subpoenaed to.
21. These hearings can always serve surprises. I would not have expected this at the start, but by the end, Bill Taylor left an indelible impression on me. I salute the man. He is an honorable man with a good sense of humor. If he ran for President, I would vote for him.
My hypothesis (using Occam's razor) is that Mike Pompeo received the cable, discussed it with President Trump, and the aid to Ukraine was released. The system worked just as it is supposed to.
Impeachment is Dead
Taylor and Kent are by far the most credible witnesses on Adam Schiff's roster. [I don't believe Bill Taylor is a NeverTrumper.]
If the testimony of these two didn't move the impeachment needle, it's unlikely the others will make much of a difference.
Taylor and Kent are by far the most credible witnesses on Adam Schiff's roster. [I don't believe Bill Taylor is a NeverTrumper.]
If the testimony of these two didn't move the impeachment needle, it's unlikely the others will make much of a difference.
Axios' Summary of the Day:
The big picture: No one's expecting to learn much from these hearings.
Democrats hope the public will be galvanized by a stream of public servants speaking out about abnormal behavior. Taylor & Kent said they had never had contact with the president.
The big picture: No one's expecting to learn much from these hearings.
Democrats hope the public will be galvanized by a stream of public servants speaking out about abnormal behavior. Taylor & Kent said they had never had contact with the president.
Another take on today's proceedings:
Even NY Times admits yesterday's hearing was a bust.
"It was not at all clear whether any minds were changed — whether inside the room, on Capitol Hill or across the nation."
"It was not at all clear whether any minds were changed — whether inside the room, on Capitol Hill or across the nation."
