The frenzied journalists at ABC, CBS and NBC on Wednesday smelled blood in the water. They threw around the “I-word,” “impeachment” and “impeachable offenses” for Donald Trump. Rather than waiting for actual memos to appear or for evidence unrelated to anonymous sourcing, former Bill Clinton operative and Good Morning America co-host George Stephanopoulos excitedly wondered, “The big question, did President Trump try to block the FBI's Russia investigation [and] commit an impeachable offense?”
Talking to liberal Congressman Adam Schiff, the journalist, who donated $75,000 to the Clinton Foundation, mused, “You have the firing of Director Comey with the President saying Russia was on his mind. What would it take for that pattern to be an impeachable offense?”
Later, he concluded, “Basically, an impeachable offense is whatever the majority in Congress decides is an impeachable offense. We are starting to see Republicans start to crack or at minimum go silent.”
Talking to Jan Crawford, CBS This Morning co-host Gayle King hopefully speculated: “If Congress finds there is evidence of obstruction of justice, the last 24 hours, we keep hearing that I-word a lot, is impeachment now on the table?”
King, of course, is the same woman who attended a Democratic fundraiser and vacationed with the Obamas. Co-host Norah O’Donnell reminded, “Obstruction of justice was the main charge against Bill Clinton when he was impeached in 1998. President Richard Nixon faced the same accusation before he resigned in 1974.”
Over on the Today show, co-host Matt Lauer opened the show by trumpeting, “Democrats calling for impeachment. Could this latest scandal be the most the most damaging yet?” Later, Chuck Todd summarized, “Democrats have moved the conversation to impeachment this week. Okay, Republicans are saying 'We’ll go to special counsel.' The point is, everything is shifting.”
Reporter Peter Alexander hyped: “Democrats pouncing after it was learned ousted FBI Director James Comey detailed in a memo how the President asked him in February to back away from the FBI investigation into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.”
But rather than wait for people to actually see this memo, ABC, CBS and NBC have already jumped to the step of impeaching Donald Trump.
Examples of George Stephanopoulos talking impeachment:
Good Morning America
5/17/17
7:01amGEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: The big question, did President Trump try to block the FBI's Russia investigation, commit an impeachment offense?
...
STEPHANOPOULOS (to Adam Schiff): You've got a series of allegations, the January dinner where reportedly the president asked for a loyalty pledge, that February meeting where the president reportedly said I hope you can let this go. Also you have the firing of Director Comey with the president saying Russia was on his mind. What would it take for that pattern to be an impeachable offense?
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Stephanopoulos: Let's bring in Jon Karl for more on that right now. Jon, Dan makes the point basically an impeachable offense is whatever the majority in congress decides is an impeachable offense. We are starting to see Republicans start to crack or at minimum go silent.
