Chuck Todd and his NBC News Political Unit sounds like angry coaches in NBC's "Meet the Press: First Read" digital newsletter on Tuesday morning. The headline was "Why aren't Democrats making life miserable for vulnerable Republicans on impeachment?"
Todd's never a referee. He's yelling at players on the field. Todd wants more punch in the Democrat offense.
It sure looks like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is going to ram through an incredibly speedy impeachment trial, which could result in President Trump’s acquittal by as early as next week....
If McConnell gets his way — Senate Democrats will offer amendments to try to modify the ground rules — Democrats might have only themselves to blame.
Todd complained back on December 11 that the Republicans were winning a game of "asymmetrical warfare," that "there are some people who look at this impeachment situation, it looks like the Republicans are playing to win and the Democrats are trying to play by the rules.” Adam Schiff was "playing by the rules"? That's not what Republicans would say.
Todd complained the Republicans spent $10-15 million on campaign ads on impeachment, and the Democrats didn't match it. He's still complaining today:
As it turns out, they’ve put little to no pressure so far on vulnerable GOP senators like Cory Gardner, R-Colo., Martha McSally, R-Ariz., Susan Collins, R-Maine, and even Joni Ernst, R-Iowa.
Indeed, according to our ad trackers at Advertising Analytics, there are 11 impeachment-themed TV ads airing across the country right now, and all 11 are by Republicans and GOP groups.
Not a single one is by Democrats putting pressure on Republicans.
If the shoe were on the other foot — say a President Hillary Clinton facing a Senate impeachment trial — we’re fairly certain we’d see GOP ads directed at Doug Jones in Alabama, Gary Peters in Michigan and (probably) Kyrsten Sinema in Arizona.
So why haven’t Democrats tried to pressure GOP senators? Especially in the month since the House passed their impeachment articles against Trump?
Democrats might have the overall facts on their side. And they have a slight majority of Americans supporting Trump’s conviction and removal, according to yesterday’s CNN poll.
But they’ve yet to make life miserable for the Cory Gardners, Martha McSallys and Susan Collinses.
And that makes it much easier for Mitch McConnell to win on process.
Back on December 1, Todd lamented the lack of public support for impeachment was because Republicans were “bullying” Democrats and that “the Democrats didn’t pick up a weapon.”
Somehow all this talk of "asymmetrical warfare" never seems to include the millions of dollars in free Democrat talking points offered by ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC, CNN, PBS....
