Media reported in December 2019 that Trump was calling McConnell "3 times a day" making threats about the impeachment trial. Now you know why McConnell—for the first time in memory—misjudged his caucus on the length of opening statements and admission of the House record: Trump.
(In case you missed it, there were *two* rebellions in the GOP caucus this morning: McConnell said he had the votes for 4 days of opening statements instead of 6, and didn't, and retreated; he said he had the votes to halt admission of the House record, he didn't, and retreated.)
(Indeed, the story of the day today, procedurally, is McConnell being uncharacteristically unprepared to lead his caucus. And the clear *reason* for this is that *he's not running the trial*. *Donald Trump* is running the trial. McConnell is just Trump's puppet, now. It's scary.)
