In the later portion of Prime Time, CNN host Chris “Fredo” Cuomo gave a brief history lesson on presidential impeachment and their pitfalls. But, despite the warnings, Cuomo wrapped up the segment by urging Congress to put principle over politics, “the interests of the people over politics”, and move forward with the impeachment of President Trump.
Cuomo was concerned about a possible “new wrinkle in the potential Trump impeachment, a non-compliant Senate.”
“Not only are Republicans loathe to move against this president, but experts suggest that while a Senate trial is contemplated in the Constitution, it doesn't have to happen. McConnell might just hold a vote, cancel the trial,” he fretted.
Cranking up the righteousness, he went on to proclaim that Trump’s impeachment was “the ultimate test here is how each side views its duty to the people and the Constitution as captured in their oath of office.”
Of course, to CNN, impeaching President Trump was the only correct outcome and any thought to the contrary was a problem that Republicans would face in 2020:
Principle must win out over pragmatism, facts over farce, high crimes over hype. The interests of the people over politics. Easy to say, but as we've all seen, hard to do. They may hold a vote in the House, less likely in the Senate. But all will be measured by what they do now in a vote next fall.
In addition to pushing impeachment for Trump, Cuomo looked back at the impeachments of President Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton and, surprise, surprise, he was able to find a way to see Trump in those cases:
But the constitution sets out this power not merely for political payback or pushback against policies. Google the Johnson impeachment for the true precedent. He was impeached on 11 counts. It was a laundry list of all the things they didn't like about him, a racist, a bully. He went after people. But the Senate came up one vote short of removal twice. The message, this can't just be about politics.
Adding: “Clinton, also a cautionary tale for both sides. Certainly informs why this President was so wary of sitting under oath with Mr. Mueller, because that's what led to Clinton getting caught in the Lewinsky trap.”
So, according to Cuomo there, Republicans were responsible for setting up a “trap” for President Clinton to lie under oath about his affair with an intern.
Cuomo was effectively echoing CNN’s John Avlon, who yesterday argued that Democrats were putting “the principle over the politics” when they were, at the time, contemplating impeachment.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
CNN’s Cuomo Prime Time
September 24, 2019
9:51:09 p.m. EasternCHRIS CUOMO: Remember the day, September 24th, 2019. A day that will live in infa-- well, let's see. Let's see how it's remembered.
The Speaker of the House announced a formal impeachment inquiry against this President, making him only the fourth to face a serious impeachment threat. What a club to be a part of. Think about it. Andrew Johnson, Nixon, Clinton, now Trump. And remember, Nixon resigned before the full House had a chance to vote on articles of impeachment, so only Johnson and Clinton were actually impeached, neither removed.
The argument is: this is a massive test for both sides. For the President, the irony that after all the Russian interference concern and all the insistence that this president would never go to a foreign power for help in his election, he's now potentially accused of exactly that.
But the constitution sets out this power not merely for political payback or pushback against policies. Google the Johnson impeachment for the true precedent. He was impeached on 11 counts. It was a laundry list of all the things they didn't like about him, a racist, a bully. He went after people. But the Senate came up one vote short of removal twice. The message, this can't just be about politics.
Clinton, also a cautionary tale for both sides. Certainly informs why this President was so wary of sitting under oath with Mr. Mueller, because that's what led to Clinton getting caught in the Lewinsky trap. But Congress may also have misfired there. It's no doubt one reason the House Speaker was so cautious about declaring an impeachment inquiry here, the prevailing logic: it backfired on Republicans with Clinton. He wasn't removed. And, second, Democrats picked up five House seats in the next election. But a Republican won the White House in 2000 in a controversy of its own. So, maybe the outrage helped both sides.
We may see a new wrinkle in the potential Trump impeachment, a non-compliant Senate. Not only are Republicans loathe to move against this president, but experts suggest that while a Senate trial is contemplated in the Constitution, it doesn't have to happen. McConnell might just hold a vote, cancel the trial.
But the ultimate test here is how each side views its duty to the people and the Constitution as captured in their oath of office. Principle must win out over pragmatism, facts over farce, high crimes over hype. The interests of the people over politics. Easy to say, but as we've all seen, hard to do. They may hold a vote in the House, less likely in the Senate. But all will be measured by what they do now in a vote next fall.
