Appearing on NBC’s Today show on Thursday to react to Wednesday night’s impeachment vote, Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd lamented “the end of a decade that has been just hyperpartisan, hypertoxic” and warned that “at times it feels as if culturally we’re in a cold civil war.”
While introducing Todd, co-host Craig Melvin noted: “Wherever you are on the political spectrum, Chuck Todd, it’s a sad morning in America.” He then wondered: “How much does this really matter in the grand scheme of things?” Todd mourned:
In some ways, you know, this is the end of a decade that has been just hyperpartisan, hypertoxic, the toxic politics, the mix of social media. So you could make an argument that it was almost inevitable that our politics were going to end with this kind of showdown over impeachment. So in that sense, it sadly feels like almost a predictable next step in this escalation of a partisan war that now feels like it’s obviously gotten too overheated, to the point where at times it feels as if culturally we’re in a cold civil war.
That echoed Todd’s Wednesday morning commentary in which he claimed that impeachment capped off the “worst decade in American politics” that he argued began with the rise of the Tea Party movement in 2010. Todd also went on a tirade during that special coverage arguing that the President “doesn’t seem to understand the story of America.”
On Thursday, after Melvin pointed out that the American people were “evenly split” on impeachment, something which was “only going to deepen the divide,” Todd tried to spin the partisan process as politically damaging to President Trump in 2020: “...while the President has gotten to a point where he is able to survive this process, it has not helped his reelection chances. And if anything, if you look at our poll, it’s clear there are people who are not in favor of impeachment who also are not satisfied with the job the President is doing.”
In reality, several polls that have come out in recent days have shown Trump’s political prospects improving. On Monday, a USA Today/Suffolk University poll found the President defeating all of his potential 2020 Democratic rivals in one-on-one match-ups. On Wednesday, a Gallup survey showed Trump’s approval rating rising to 51% while support for impeachment declined.
During live coverage of Wednesday night’s impeachment vote, Todd bitterly complained that Americans were evenly divided on the topic.
Later in Thursday’s discussion, Todd lectured Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell: “This is not going to be easy for him to navigate because he just can’t shove a sham trial through, there are six to eight Republican senators up for reelection who have to win the votes of people who want this president impeached.”
Spoken like a true Democratic strategist.
Here is a transcript of the December 19 segment:
7:10 AM ET
CRAIG MELVIN: Let us bring in Chuck Todd, NBC’s political director, also moderator of Meet the Press. Chuck, good morning to you, always good to see you.
CHUCK TODD: Good morning.
MELVIN: I watched you last night, in real time, trying to make some sense of this. And you said at one point, you talked about the heavy, momentous thing that’s happening in our country. Wherever you are on the political spectrum, Chuck Todd, it’s a sad morning in America. What does it all mean? Where do we go from here? How much does this really matter in the grand scheme of things?
TODD: Well, you know, it depends on how far back you want to pull back the lens here. In some ways, you know, this is the end of a decade that has been just hyperpartisan, hypertoxic, the toxic politics, the mix of social media. So you could make an argument that it was almost inevitable that our politics were going to end with this kind of showdown over impeachment. So in that sense, it sadly feels like almost a predictable next step in this escalation of a partisan war that now feels like it’s obviously gotten too overheated, to the point where at times it feels as if culturally we’re in a cold civil war.
MELVIN: I mean, but here’s the thing, as you pointed out, we are so – so deeply divided. I mean, we just put that poll up. I mean, Americans, according to the poll, evenly split on whether we should be impeaching him, whether the President should be removed from office. Impeachment is only going to deepen the divide, so what’s the way out?
TODD: Well, I – that’s a great question because I think the way out is going to be the democracy. This isn’t going to come from us in the press, it isn’t going to come from the elected officials now. It is gonna – at the end of the day, it’s gonna be up to the democracy to sort of break this logjam here. But let me just say this about impeachment and about the – sort of the politics of this going forward. You know, I do think we’re so focused on the moment, there is an election, and politically, while the President has gotten to a point where he is able to survive this process, it has not helped his reelection chances. And if anything, if you look at our poll, it’s clear there are people who are not in favor of impeachment who also are not satisfied with the job the President is doing.
MELVIN: Meanwhile the Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, this idea to withhold the articles of impeachment from the Senate, that will perhaps delay a trial. What’s the strategy here, Chuck?
TODD: Well, they’re trying to have more leverage, they’re trying to give Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, who obviously only has so much leverage since the Republicans have the majority over there with Mitch McConnell. I think it’s an attempt to try to give Schumer a little more leverage in the negotiations.
But you, they’re – I think this cuts two ways if the Democrats aren’t careful here. They withhold this, it’s gonna raise questions that a lot of people have raised, which is why did you stop – why did you sort of pause the investigation when you did? You know, you went to the articles when there were clearly more witnesses to talk to and you wanted to see some court cases. So it sort of brings that up.
And why do Mitch McConnell this favor? He does not want this Senate trial. You’re actually doing him a favor, you may be making his politics easier. Look, he does not want this. This is not going to be easy for him to navigate because he just can’t shove a sham trial through, there are six to eight Republican senators up for reelection who have to win the votes of people who want this president impeached. Think about that, Craig. They have to have a trial that looks at least somewhat legitimate for those people like Susan Collins.
MELVIN: Our political director Chuck Todd. Chuck, thank you sir.
