President Donald Trump gestures towards members on the media on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2019, after returning from United Nations General Assembly. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
If you watch cable news or broadcast TV, one meme you will hear constantly is the “stark choice” faced by “vulnerable” Republicans in swing states. What these leftists are trying to sell you, the Republicans, and everyone else is that if those vulnerable Republicans don’t roll over and vote with the Democrats to bring in additional witnesses, then they will take a beating at the polls in November.
As I explained in a previous piece, that’s nonsense. The Democrats have had all the witnesses and documents that they were willing to follow due process procedures to obtain. The Senate is under absolutely no obligation to clean up the sordid mess Adam Schiff Has made of this “somber and prayerful process. The transmission of the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate, was an affirmative declaration that he had all the evidence he required, both witnesses and documents, to prosecute his against the President—all the while declaring that he haD an “open and shut” case.
As for the “vulnerable” Republicans, they need to buck up. The only way they have a chance to win is by firmly supporting the President. Mitt Romney***, Susan Collins, and the usual suspects are already waffling in their public statements regarding (more) witnesses. My good friend and colleague, Nick Arama, has a great piece out on Mitt’s latest mealy-mouthed platitude.
Read: Mitt Romney Pulls Another Mitt Move, Weighs In On How He’s Likely To Vote on Witnesses
If they try to take the “reasonable” route by crossing the aisle to vote with Democrats, they can forget about winning in November. Their efforts to curry favor with the media will backfire on them. Rather than bring moderate Democrats (if there is still such a thing other than 2016 Trump voters) over to them, they will alienate their base. That base will be furious and without their avid support, there will be far fewer door knockers and phone bank volunteers.
As one of my commenters pointed out, the President’s Defense Team has no such issue and did a stellar job identifying and outright savaging the flaws and utter fabrications in the Democrat case.** My message to the Republicans, especially those considered “vulnerable;” Don’t be worried about being held to account by the Democrats in November, based on this vote in the Senate. Follow the example set by the President’s Defense Team. Do it right and stand with President Trump, then the base will be out to support you. All you have to do is remind them by your public statements and actions that you support Donald Trump. The most effective demonstration of that support is by helping end this impeachment sideshow by putting the Democrats in their place and freeing up the President to get on with the business of continuing to Make America Great Again.
To (badly) paraphrase our Lord and Saviour, Be of good cheer…Be not afraid.
** Hat Tip: DannyBhoyo13
*** Commentor, “lockedandloaded,” notes that Romney is not up for re-election this cycle. My bad.
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