Tuesday’s impeachment hearings were a disaster for Republicans

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-poli...ment-hearing-republicans-trump-vindman-volker

All four witnesses confirmed key parts of the overall case against the President - that he twisted US foreign policy into a tool of his reelection campaign by using military aid in an effort to force Ukraine into opening an investigation of the Biden family. Volker, the "star witness" for the Republicans, turned on Republicans by amending his testimony in several ways, all of which were damning for Trump.

As for the Republican defense, well, it is pretty hard to say what is their strategy. It isn't that shocking considering that they have tried at least 22, many of which contradict each other, and nearly all of them have immediately failed. It wasn't all bad for Republicans and they got some nice soundbites, like the repeated testimony that Ukraine was not aware of the hold on military aid until August 29th, but even that defense is deeply misleading because it quickly became obvious to Ukraine that the money was being blocked as part of a quid pro quo for a Biden investigation. Plus, the aid was not the only official act sought: There was a very clear offer of a White House visit, which Zelensky very much wanted, in exchange for investigations. Their main objection appears to be that he got caught. He released the aid? Yes, after he got caught!

And so, Republicans fell back on attacking the witnesses, the whistleblower, the media, and pretty much anyone not named Donald Trump. Donald Trump even used the official White House twitter account to attack Vindman, while he was testifying, because he is too ****ing dumb to have learned his lesson from when he tried to intimidate the witness Yovanovitch, while she testified, on friday.

But as a sign of just how the "attack folks not named Trump" strategy went, that same "star witness" for the Republicans said, "Biden is an honorable man and we hold him in the highest regard. There is no basis to these conspiracies Trump is pushing."

I strongly encourage everyone to watch Schiff's closing remarks, provided below.

 

As I have said elsewhere (or words to this effect) anyone who attempts to smear Schiff as 'Schiff for brains' is a silly ignorant partisan hack. Those remarks were spot on. Extremely good oratory delivering very sound content. To underestimate him is a serious mistake. To over-rate the theatrical Jordon (et al) is also a serious mistake.

But still, I hold my vote.

 

I'm not sure what else you could need.. would it be a lock for you if Sondland confirmed Trump audibly said 'aid for investigations' at some point??

That would be fantastic, but I doubt even Trumps point guy with Ukraine had to be told about that.

Likely Trump kept that to a very small circle, if he even told anybody that's what he was thinking.

If he could have had just 1 department or person NOT insisting the aid go through, he would have has the cover, but he doesn't...

Might be hard to get a federal conviction without that confirmation of intent, but since Trump is hiding all the likely witnesses, you have to go on what is known, and the linkage is just too obvious..

Sondland OFFICIALLY confirmed it to Yermak.. let's see if he sticks with ' I presumed' tomorrow...

 

On many occasions I have pointed out that the way cops KNOW that anyone is LYING is when the story changes over and over again.

The GOP "defense" story of the BLOTUS has changed TWENTY TWO times as documented in the OP.

Not hard to figure out which side is lying in this inquiry to determine the truth of what the BLOTUS was doing with Ukraine.

The PARTISAN reason as to WHY they are lying is patently obvious to anyone with functioning synapses.

What they expect to GAIN by lying for the BLOTUS does NOT appear to be worth what it will cost the GOP in the long run IMO.

The GOP usually has much more disciplined messaging than what we are seeing now.

Did the BLOTUS destroy that too?

 

As I have said many times a personal opinion does not confirm anything.

 

LOL, the dem clown show narrative is fun reading, like any comedy.

 

It is evidence so long as that opinion is rationally based on the perception of the witness.

 

Perhaps if they are an expert witness and they are testifying to their professional opinion based on there expertise.....

Btw posting a site as your OP that regularly gets destroyed with logic by a...... comedian is pretty sad.

 

It's a stretch, but it might be evidence. It is in no way confirmation.

 

No, I stated the standard for an opinion offered by a lay (non-expert) witness.

The standard for an expert witness to offer their opinion requires that they detail the methods and evidence used for their opinion and to explain how those methods are commonly used by experts in their relevant field.

 

Those terms are not mutually exclusive and indeed evidence is very much the underlying basis for any confirmation. The only difference is volume and amount.

 

I don't know about mutually exclusive, but opinion evidence is not confirmation.

 

Oh you mean like changing story from "quid pro quo" to "bribery"?

 

There was no aid withheld, Ukraine is getting a whole lot more than they got from Obama, and there was no Ukrainian investigation, so what are you basing this sham on? You want to censure Trump for an unwise call I'm OK with that. Next.

 

They were? I think that's wishful thinking, there's still no direct link between the investigations and aid being withheld and the investigations are not specifically to smear the Bidens.

 

So in other words "A descent actor/actress or accomplished liar"! But you left out the most important element, the gullible viewers that also believed "Old Yeller" was a real story/dog ¯\_(º¸º)_/¯

 

The needle still isn’t moving.

 

What's with the thread title?

 

I like how the impeachment BS keeps the Democrat presidential candidates out of the news. It's like the DNC/MSM know they are worthless and removing trump by force is their only option.

 

Democrats have changed the story of what Trump is guilty of every week since the day he was elected. And ALL of them have been completely made up. ALL OF THEM!!! I can’t believe you just typed what you typed

 

It's coming apart at the seams for the Democrats. Expect Nancy to shut it down soon.

 

It does make them look small and insignificant.

But since libs look silly every time they open their mouth, having them stay quiet does help them a little.

 

Its still opinion, completely useless in the eyes of the Senate. Without the whistle blower AND some hard evidence, this farce is over...

 

How about Republicans using at least 22 different defensive theories?

 

It comes from the headline of the article? I don't understand, sorry.