nwtk2007 Loc: Texas

By Chuck Todd, Mark Murray and Carrie Dann

WASHINGTON — More than two months after the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump began, you can break down the entire fight into four simple questions.

One, did the president of the United States ask another country to interfere in the upcoming 2020 election — against possible Democratic rival Joe Biden?

(The answer sure appears to be a yes, whether it was in the partial transcript of that July 25 call with Ukraine’s president or Trump’s own words on Oct. 3: “Well, I would think that, if they were honest about it, they’d start a major investigation into the Bidens. It’s a very simple answer.”)
Trump rejects invitation to appear at this week’s impeachment hearing
Dec. 2, 201902:10

Two, did Trump and his administration withhold military aid and a White House visit to compel Ukraine to start this investigation into Joe Biden and his son?

Three, were those actions — first the ask of interference, then the temporary withholding of military aid — an abuse of the president’s powers?

(Here’s the president’s oath of office: “I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”)

And four — and most importantly — do those actions amount to impeachable offenses?

(The Constitution says the following offenses are impeachable: “treason, bribery and other high crimes and misdemeanors.”)

So forget the poll numbers and where each party’s base is (though that will ultimately determine whether Trump remains in office). And forget all of the questions about procedure and fairness.

The entire impeachment saga comes down to this question: Did the president violate his oath of office and his stewardship of the executive branch by asking a foreign leader to investigate a political rival – and by trying to compel the foreign leader to do so?

That’s the question almost everyone was asking two months ago, when the impeachment inquiry began.

And it’s the question that everyone still needs to ask today.

The challenge for Democrats, however, is that there are two different impeachment conversations going on — 1) the substance and 2) everything else.

And right now, Republicans have succeeded in turning the conversation to the latter.





#1. I guess it just goes right over their head that there is obvious corruption in the Burisma/Biden connection so if Trump says, hey, there's corruption here, the left can only see that Joe Biden is a presidential candidate; never mind that he's also a potential crook of great proportion AND that he brought all this attention upon himself as he bragged about the power he wielded as VP under Obama. And lest we forget, Biden cited Obama in his "brag" as being fully knowledgeable and supportive of the extortion he was "wielding" against the president of Ukraine. Obama has yet to endorse Biden and. in fact, I'm thinking Obama would, instead, want to bitch slap the idiot big mouth!

#2. It's clear the Trump wanted to hold off on the "visit" until he got the "deliverable" which was specifically noted to be a statement by Ukraine related to their efforts to clean up the corruption in their country. It just so happens that Biden was a part of that AND it was going on long before Biden decided to try to be president and Trump was also looking into it long before then as well. As for the military aid, that isn't so clear and members of the budget division involved in holding up the funds have made it clear that the president was concerned about corruption AND the contributions from other countries. Add to that, Ukraine didn't even know about the hold up and you just don't have much to go on other than the anti-Trump hate which, of course, is going to paint this as a Trump attempt to get at Biden. Why wouldn't they. They are certainly NOT HONEST about it.

#3. I don't know why they cite the president's oath of office here but in my mind, the president's oath includes going after corruption where ever it crops up and with whom ever it turns out to involve. Oh, I'm sure Trump is smart enough to see how it would effect the democrats. Duh. Would that be an excuse to ignore the obvious corruption?? I don't see that in the oath of office, so thanks for citing that, NBC!

#4. Impeachable "offenses?" Well, it seems that virtually anything can be an impeachable "offense" but was anything illegal done? To me, ignoring the Burisma/Biden corruption would be illegal. I'm sure the Trump hating crowd will claim there are impeachable "offenses" but it would seem that only "they" are offended, not the rest of us which brings me to my final point:

How can a president be impeached by a partisan crowd? In fact, the most "bipartisan" part of this, involving two democratic congressmen who don't want to move forward on it, is to not impeach. Even Pelosi said it must be bi-partisan; her own words. Is she not the democratic leader? Is she not the speaker of the house? Does she not have the power to enforce her own beliefs on the subject??

We will see.

Trumpnotthestormiestpres Loc: L.A.

So does that mean that wrongdoers can cover their actions by announcing a candidacy? By your definition that gives them a pass.

Maybe that's why Biden jumped into the race after so much pondering. Not because he thot he would win. But blowback over his kid's influence peddling would come to light, especially after the Ukraine Regime change.

If Trump did not satisfy his oath to investigate Biden influence peddling and gave Ukraine hundreds of millions of dollars in aid, then he would be a swamp player. Trump ran on getting us out of foreign wars.

But Obama throwing millions at resource weKthy Ukraine apparently was necessary. Trump knows deals and smelled something rotten.

How come this Biden matter hadn't been investigated but the new Ukraine orez wanted cash and prizes from the u.s. treasury?

The Ukraine has not said they were being held up. They didn't even k ow it was a possibility because the wheels were greased for the he aid to go thru so fast.

If the Ukraine didn't sense it ,know it,, or claim it, why are alll these Obama players coming forward to bitch? Did they miss out on their piece of the pie?

Trump doesn't have esp to communicate this with all the staffers. And many just leak anyway too much. Trump has a right to keep calls private.
And the Ukraine new president ran on a ant corruption slate.

So it was proper for Trump to check into whether or not the Biden bragging on video about holding up the Ukraine for money was true.

Biden bragged in video about quid pro quo. And Schiff has turned this into pointing the finger at Trump.

Yes it usually goes through diplomatic channels. But the ambassador was a friend of Obama's and did not want look into it.
so Trump had no choice but to ask point blank "hey did you find out whether our former v.p. twisted Ukraine's arm into during his office conveying foreign aid, as he bragged about in front of people?

That's🤩 damning direct evidence of quid non pro quo.

About Joe Biden bragging to people how he demanded that his son Hunters Ukrainian prosecutor be fired. Or else no aid?


Other foreign diplomats would be outraged about that.

Trump was right to question turning over weapons to Ukraine because it meant boots on the ground when Putin attacks. Americans dying in the Ukraine. For what?


Trump: "did you find out about the Biden matter?
Since you ran on unseating the corrupt Regime and straightening things out.?"

Take care you don't go overboard because a lot of transcripts could burst forth after this. Obama transcripts

How come Schiff isn't demanding to know about transcripts from Biden discussing approving Ukrainian aid? And what was Obama's part in all that?

permafrost Loc: Minnesota

It seems to go reight over your head, the Orange slime that you are so proud of sitting in our oval office tried to get Ukraine to make a public announcement of an investigation of Biden son..
No interest in any truth, he wanted the claim so he could to the "lock him up" chant which he loved so much from the false hoods about Hillary.. he wants to do it again..

Truoble is, the corruption is all from the red haters and that is what is being investagated, the Bidens are not any part of it..

But you will have your way, congress may well impeach the criminal wallowing in the white house, but the senate will not remove him.

trump has mountains of money to spend on his attempt at reelection. after all he has a clear record of rewarding his fans.. send a million dollars and get to be an ambassador.. no less the 5 so rewarded..
Money for favors, that is the life of the orange Nair do well..

All his life money has made him Teflon... When he squandered daddy s money, the nice guy Putin produced more millions for him to cover his ass and now we see the payment from trump to Putin..

Love it don`t you!!

Trumpnotthestormiestpres Loc: L.A.

What payment? We're arming Putin's enemy's on his Western front?

nwtk2007 Loc: Texas

"So does that mean that wrongdoers can cover their actions by announcing a candidacy? By your definition that gives them a pass. "

It's their definition, the Trump hater's, not mine. But yes, I think we both agree!

permafrost Loc: Minnesota

Do not pretend to be obtuse...

Putin has his troops living in former US bases and a land route from Russia to the Mediterranean with no opposition blocking any part of it.

He has more obvious allies in Syria, Iran and Turkey.

He has the power position in the ME which Russia has desired for generations and all it took was bribing trump... If you do not know this, you never watch any news, even Brietbert must have this information..

And now after tossing the Kurd under the bus, he has our troops playing rent a cop to watch oil well for the oil industry..

Maybe you all need a better news subject..

nwtk2007 Loc: Texas

Awe permy, you sound defeated, and you are. You'll now wallow in your claim that he's getting away with crimes because he's got money; he's rich and they never get what's coming to them. But in truth, that is exactly what has kept Joe Biden out of jail, at least until till Trump came along and upset that little thing! LOL!

I am not surprised by what you are saying, it is typical of the left. But I am sort of surprised that not one of you Trump haters has admitted that the Burisma/Biden connection smells of corruption. Not one. Why am I surprised.

At least I am willing to admit that Trump knew ahead of time how this would effect the democrats and yep, I am sure it was a part of what motivated him and yep, Trump wanted the Ukraine to make the announcement that he was going after corruption at Burisma and the 2016 election and yep, he knows full well that it will and is going to hurt the democrats, including but not limited to Biden. And I love it!

And even better is that those investigations are happening as we speak and a criminal referral in Ukraine has already been made in that regard concerning corruption at Burisma and some other companies as well. It is what Obama should have done instead of hiding it/trying to let it lie hoping it would go un-noticed. Dumb. Like not revealing that he knew there was election interference going on and not letting all the candidates know about it, as he should have, Obama that is.

As amazing as it sounds, Trump has the high ground on you people who claim you don't go low! LOLOL! I find it highly refreshing seeing the self-righteous leftists being caught in corruption and having to fully support it to save their arses, which it won't, by the way! LOLOL!

Enjoy your little pity party feller. That mean old Trump being rich and getting away with things y'all would never do. As if!

nwtk2007 Loc: Texas

You just don't get it, do ya? Putin and Russia are our best, greatest and strongest ally against the ever rising tide of Islam in the entire world. And China as well. Putin ain't going to ally with China in any meaningful or permanent way. Denying Russia that land bridge, as you call it, eastern Ukraine, is huge for their security and since we aren't going to preempt on them, we need to let them have it, not to mention that it isn't any of our business especially since so many in that regions want to be part of Russia, just like Crimea. Are you leftists so crazy as to think Russia is such a threat that you woudl support a preemptive strike against them???? In our vocabulary, it has to be NEVER, else the world is beyond us.

permafrost Loc: Minnesota

strange, both your memory and you fact retention seem to have tanked on the same day..

I have said several times, if you want an investigation of Biden, go ahead. all you need is evidence or credible information... trump had none so he went to blackmail Ukraine. Try again..

Nunes seems to be in much deeper s*** then the Biden, I would say his political life is over, even if trump were in a position to pardon him if such became an option..

So by all means, let the investigation go on...

Your tarnished orange dweb will no doubt sit and soil the office for the final year of his term. but only a true disaster would see him reelected..

permafrost Loc: Minnesota

Who the dickens said anything about a preemptive strike??? That language is from the Bush days of republicanism..


You truly have some problems. if the rest of your right wing world has the same opinion about Russia, we are in a truly dangerous conundrum..

While I think China is fast replacing Russia as the eastern power and most to be feared, Putin is perhaps the most dangerous individual in any other nation. and he owns your orange albatross.

Did you read the post on China goals by 2050 that CD posted today or so?? should read it.

nwtk2007 Loc: Texas

What makes Putin so dangerous?

nwtk2007 Loc: Texas

Apparently is ample evidence of theft of gov funds because there has already been a criminal referral in Ukraine. Maybe you can find something about it but Google is effectively blocking most of it now.

permafrost Loc: Minnesota

He has determined to make Russia a super power as it once was.

His land grabbing, and invasion of Georgia the afore mentioned Ukraine, is never ending threat to the Baltic states, His efforts to fracture NATO, his supplying Iran over the mutual agreed sanctions, his commitment of food supplies to China while they struggle with the ASF and US trade war.. His efforts to monopolize the energy needs of eastern Europe and thus control them. the extensive R&D on missiles and related war materials, efforts to become a counter power to the US in the ME, the effort to create a presence in the Mediterranean area, and of course his efforts to influence the US elections and his ownership of the orange toad sitting in our oval office..

Those are the short list.. but you as an orange cult member will abide with your leader and raise hoorays for that demon from Russia..

This wonderful and often photoed land mark is no more, a victim of the weekend storm, it was destroyed Friday night near 9 pm..

permafrost Loc: Minnesota

found nothing, used Duck Duck go....

nwtk2007 Loc: Texas

I have news for you, Russia still IS a super power. Power is in the ability to destroy something. You might not be convinced that Russia would not use their nuclear arsenal. Well, neither is Russia convinced that we wouldn't either. And as far as using it goes, we are the only country to ever use it on civilians and the rest of the world remembers that, especially Russia who faced an ally, the US, turn on them immediately after WWII.

If anything, Putin wants Russia to be an economic power, strong economically like the US. Russia is surrounded by hostiles and Putin knows that as well. Putin wants what the Russian people want. He is ethnically Russian and works for ethnic Russia. Putin also sees the risk of ever rising Islamic numbers.

We'd better stay on good terms with Russia; not as they are a threat to us but rather, as an ally in times of need. It was Russia and the US who took out ISIS, not the US.