MSNBC and CNN are revealing themselves to be more passionate pro-impeachment partisans than even the Dem presidential candidates! With the exception of Elizabeth Warren, none of the leading Dem contenders has called for impeachment.
But on Morning Joe, Mika Brzezinski suggested it was the Dems' "patriotic duty" to impeach. And Adrienne Elrod, a former Hillary campaign aide turned MSNBC contributor, twice declared that Congress has "no choice" but to impeach.
Over on CNN's New Day, after Jeffrey Toobin declared that impeachment will not happen "under any circumstances" Alisyn Camerota reacted almost angrily: "Well I don't know about that, Jeffrey . . . I think that the feeling is today . . . is that if you don't do something [impeach], if you're Congress and you don't do something, then you're saying that the President is above the law. You're saying that all this wrongdoing that has been exposed: well, for political reasons we just can't do anything."
Makes you wonder: who did Camerota have in mind when she said "the feeling is today" that Congress must impeach? The folks in the CNN lunchroom, perhaps?
Note: Elrod is a relatively recent addition to the Morning Joe lineup. Putting it politely, she doesn't come across as the heaviest of heavyweights, nor is she a brand-name consultant a la David Axelrod. Wonder how she got the gig?
Here are the transcripts. Click "expand" to read more.
MSNBC
Morning Joe
4/22/19
6:24 am EDTMIKA BRZEZINSKI: This president has a lot to answer for in this report. Where do Democrats -- what do they do next to make sure that they tamp down the political but step up on the moral and also their, quite frankly, patriotic duty to step up for the country?
ADRIENNE ELROD: Well Mika, I think you just answered your own question. Congress does not have a choice here. Mueller put together this incredible road map. It is now in the hands of Congress. Congress has a constitutional authority to look into this and to frankly make sure that future candidates for president and future presidents do not conduct this type of behavior anymore. I think we can walk and chew gum at the same time. I understand that Democratic candidates for president don't want the narrative to be all impeachment. They want to focus on the issues: health care, jobs, and the economy. That can be done. At the same time Congress can look into these issues. We simply have no choice.
New Day
4/22/19
7:10 am EDTJEFFREY TOOBIN: [Although there's a strong case that President Trump committed obstruction], whether there will be or should be an actual impeachment proceeding, which I think is not going to happen under any circumstances.
ALISYN CAMEROTA: Well I don't know about that, Jeffrey! It feels like it's gaining a little bit of momentum. Some of the candidates who are sitting senators are beginning to talk about it. And I think that the feeling today is and, David [Gregory], I want your thoughts on this, is that if you don't do something, if you're Congress, and you don't do something, then you're saying the president is above the law. You're saying all of this wrongdoing that has been exposed: well, for political reasons we just can't do anything.
