White House Counsel Pat Cipollone opens today’s impeachment trail hearing by announcing Trump’s defense will use only a few of their remaining hours today before adjourning.
The plan has gone off the rails. They were trying to ram this through in the fewest possible days.
1/
The plan has gone off the rails. They were trying to ram this through in the fewest possible days.
1/
The sudden shift toward stringing the defense out suggests the defense is scrambling to find its footing in light of the Bolton revelations and jail break among Republicans like Mitt Romney.
When they wrap up their defense, we move to a question period.
2/
When they wrap up their defense, we move to a question period.
2/
They appear to be suddenly skittering like a golden retriever which ran headlong down the hall until it met the kitchen tile.
Now they’re pumping the brakes as the narrative and plan get away from them.
3/
Now they’re pumping the brakes as the narrative and plan get away from them.
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This *feels to me* like a sign Mitch McConnell has lost his grip on the reins.
Remember, Trump desperately wants this over by Tuesday when he is scheduled to deliver his State of the Union.
The slow roll will enrage him.
4/
Remember, Trump desperately wants this over by Tuesday when he is scheduled to deliver his State of the Union.
The slow roll will enrage him.
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With increasing pressure to call at least Bolton, this trial is poised to go all pear-shaped in a hurry.
There is no timeline for such a thing. There is no roadmap. There is no easy way to quickly negotiate and agree on who would be called or when.
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There is no timeline for such a thing. There is no roadmap. There is no easy way to quickly negotiate and agree on who would be called or when.
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And there is no easy exit once those barn doors swing open.
If enough Rs do indeed align around the need to call at least Bolton, Trump will rage at hurricanoes like the addled, wannabe despot he is.
I can almost hear his blood pressure.
This is going south for him.
6/
If enough Rs do indeed align around the need to call at least Bolton, Trump will rage at hurricanoes like the addled, wannabe despot he is.
I can almost hear his blood pressure.
This is going south for him.
6/
Invest in popcorn futures.
I honestly can’t see Trump digesting both the dull torpor of today’s flaccid defense and the reality that this is all slowing down and getting worse.
Someone is going to catch his rage.
His rally tonight might be an incendiary tantrum for the ages.
I honestly can’t see Trump digesting both the dull torpor of today’s flaccid defense and the reality that this is all slowing down and getting worse.
Someone is going to catch his rage.
His rally tonight might be an incendiary tantrum for the ages.
Alright, I’m going to leave this here.
Maybe I’m more surprised than I should be but the opening of this hearing reads (to me at least) as a sign things have gone very wrong for Coach Mitch and the Red Rangers.
They’re ripping up the playbook.
Stay tuned.
8/8
Maybe I’m more surprised than I should be but the opening of this hearing reads (to me at least) as a sign things have gone very wrong for Coach Mitch and the Red Rangers.
They’re ripping up the playbook.
Stay tuned.
8/8
Wait, I may be quite wrong about the schedule implications.
It appears they’re just running off the field.
Using only a few hours of their remaining defense time and calling it a day.
That would push us to questions tomorrow still, I believe.
9/
It appears they’re just running off the field.
Using only a few hours of their remaining defense time and calling it a day.
That would push us to questions tomorrow still, I believe.
9/
Nonetheless, they seem to be abandoning the filibustering and planned defenses.
Rather than attempt to hammer home the fictions they introduced on Saturday, they’re calling it a day.
Trump will like the hasty wrap-up while hating the absence of any earnest defense.
10/
Rather than attempt to hammer home the fictions they introduced on Saturday, they’re calling it a day.
Trump will like the hasty wrap-up while hating the absence of any earnest defense.
10/
Sorry for the meandering thread here.
I’m just processing this in real-time.
Feels like they’re abandoning much of the gameplan and script.
Feels like a surrender and retreat.
Maybe that’s just me.
11/
I’m just processing this in real-time.
Feels like they’re abandoning much of the gameplan and script.
Feels like a surrender and retreat.
Maybe that’s just me.
11/
Entirely possible they’re in a rush to wrap up today because they need the time to regroup and try to put out the growing fire of calls for witnesses.
Mitch has to try to corral the caucus and that seems decreasingly likely.
Tonight’s reporting should be interesting.
Mitch has to try to corral the caucus and that seems decreasingly likely.
Tonight’s reporting should be interesting.
I have a feeling this is going to go in one of two wholly different directions by tomorrow.
Mitch is either going to get all the horses back in the barn and ram this sham through in lightning speed - or - the mutiny is going to send us into uncharted waters of witnesses.
Mitch is either going to get all the horses back in the barn and ram this sham through in lightning speed - or - the mutiny is going to send us into uncharted waters of witnesses.
