Reid warns Democrats to lay off impeachment talk

[brooklynite]

Source: Politico

Former Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid cautioned Democrats to ratchet down talk of impeaching President Donald Trump ahead of November’s midterm elections, warning such rhetoric could further divide a politically splintered nation.

“I've been through an impeachment, and they’re not pleasant,” the Nevada Democrat told MSNBC in his first network interview since leaving Congress in 2017. “And I think the less we talk about impeachment, the better off we are as a country.”

Reid ascended to Senate leadership in 1999, taking over the role of Minority Whip amid lawmakers’ contentious debate to remove then-President Bill Clinton from office. Reid consolidated power as his party’s whip until 2005, when he replaced outgoing Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) as minority leader.

“I've been through impeachment — I was a brand-new whip at the time,” Reid said. “I’d never sat down in the front row. I mean, the Supreme Court was right ahead of me. [Chief Justice of the United States William] Rehnquist was right up there. I felt so nervous. Everything going on was right in front of me.”

Read more: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/04/25/harry-reid-trump-impeachment-550188

---

Good.

[unblock]

1. ooh, clever plan. talk instead about not talking about impeachment.

gotcha harry!

we're definitely *not* talking about impeachment!

a lot!

[Perseus]

47. Reid is right

Via the vote democrats can regain the senate and congress, make trump a lame duck, let him tweet, and then remove him from office in 2020 via the vote while holding the two houses.

Impeachment just fuels their base...don't forget that the alternatives are worst, Pence and Ryan.

[sweetloukillbot]

53. Ryan won't be an alternative...

But point taken.

[TheCowsCameHome]

2. I hope they listen to you, Harry.

I really do.

[titaniumsalute]

3. I agree 100% with Reid

We need to talk about Progressive and the plan to move America FORWARD again. Substance of the party platform. Single payer, saving and strengthening SS, Medicare, Medicaid and other safety nets. Protecting jobs from leaving the US. Tax reform for the middle class versus the 1% and corporations. Solid education and teacher pay.

Talking impeachment makes many of us happy and hopeful. But there are numerous people not that dialed in except what they are dealing with day to day. They want a message of hope. Not impeachment. We take back the House and maybe Senate...then let's do it!

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

16. I didn't realize informing the electorate what you intend to do to motivate them to vote for you is

bad politics.

It's also news to me that we can't do two things simultaneously: push for our progressive agenda AND argue the merits for why the Traitor-in-Chief should be impeached for colluding with the Russians and obstructing justice. I didn't realize those two things are mutually exclusive.

It's not like we can't walk and chew gum at the same time... I mean really, is it that hard? Indeed, the DNC has sued Rethuglians on the same basis, namely tortious acts in collusion with the Russians, while we expect the DNC to also push our Progressive agenda and promote Democrats to get them elected.

How do they do all that?! It's AMAZING!! Oh, I know... get to work and do their jobs for which they're getting paid.

[titaniumsalute]

23. I would agree IF Mueller's team reveals the evidence against Trump

If the SC releases the info publicly then yes multi-task the message about impeachment. If his team does not then we still need the evidence. While I believe 100% that there was collusion, conspiracy, cheating, backroom deals, etc. there still needs to be evidence of something. Even obstruction.

Just because we want something to happen so badly doesn't make it sound judgment to market it yet. We have been flipping seats left and right since last fall without the impeachment talk being part of the discussion. We can keep that momentum. But if we go into red (or historically red) districts and our message is impeachment I believe it will 100% backfire.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

26. The DNC indeed HAS the evidence, as announced by Tom Perez, which is the basis for its lawsuit.

No doubt, Mueller has that evidence also and will release it, soon I hope... or it will be leaked by someone. Thus, I think impeachment of the Traitor-in-Chief will be a done deal and I see no down-side to promoting that outcome, along with our agenda, to get more Democrats elected to Congress in 2018.

[HenryWallace]

46. Enjoy...

[link:https://www.buzzfeed.com/mollyhensleyclancy/midwestern-democrats-dnc-trump-russia?utm_term=.fcdkVzJbj#.fa8vJzbdk|]

Issues, issues, issues.....

[LisaM]

43. I think winning the elections is far easier than impeachment....

not only that, we wouldn't be in the position to impeach his ass unless we win the elections.

I'd rather see him go to jail for money laundering than be impeached anyway.

[MyOwnPeace]

56. Oh, Lisa!

I like the way you think!

[bearsfootball516]

4. I'm in the same boat.

As much as I'd love to see Trump gone, if we don't clearly have the votes in both the House and Senate, it's not worth the risk of firing up the Trump base.

[Ferrets are Cool]

5. Let the lawyers do their job. There is enough criminal activity to put

them all away.

[Ligyron]

6. I have to agree.

Don't talk - do it!

[disndat]

7. Maybe Trump will be

forced to resign like Nixon when all the evidence is in from Mueller.

[groundloop]

17. That WON'T happen... for all his faults at least Nixon understood the Constitution

45* (Spanky) just believes that he's our king and can do no wrong.

[leftynyc]

20. If any of his children

or he himself get indicted, he will pardon them (and himself) as he resigns.

[briv1016]

36. I have no doubt he'll pardon himself and maybe his kids.

But he'll never resign.

[leftynyc]

40. I don't think

he'd get away with impeaching himself or his children if Democrats have the house majority.

[briv1016]

44. We're not going to have 67 votes in the Senate to convict.

Everything else is theater.

[leftynyc]

48. Don't need the 67

He'll never put up with investigation after investigation after investigation of himself and his children. He'd leave first. Trust me, the man is a fucking coward.

[briv1016]

58. As long as the Supreme Court backs his ability to pardon anyone it won't matter.

[leftynyc]

59. It will to him

You'll see.

[nolabels]

64. I kind of hope they end up down that road

Their downside looks like We the Peoples upside. The US Constitution was never written to have permanent sitting judges to be the originators of law. The executive branch was also erected to execute the will of the people as determined by the laws of the country.
All the extra stuff the federal government has erected for itself has been commandeered out from the positions held in such offices. The last fact, largely without the approval of the people

I wonder how many people would think a contract written 231 years ago for people long passed is still the best thing going?

[nitpicker]

65. +100

[NastyRiffraff]

8. The House will get only one shot at impeachment

So clearly this is not the time. After the Blue Wave in November, we can talk about it, but it would be insane to try it now. Reid knows what he's talking about, and he's right.

[DinahMoeHum]

24. +1000s. Wait until AFTER the 2018 elections.

n/t

[Blue_Tires]

9. Bullshit... The GOP freely dangled it against Obama for 8 years

And now we're not even allowed to say the word?

Why is it that ONLY Dems get "tone-policed" on what we can or can't talk about when we've got ALL the momentum? Why does Dem leadership love tone-policing its own people??

[dajoki]

10. Agreed!

[notdarkyet]

12. Me too. I just had a thought, maybe that is part of our problem.

[leftynyc]

21. I don't remember that

What were they going to impeach Pres Obama for?

[MFM008]

25. Being a man of color

........

[sprinkleeninow]

32. For being EVERYTHING that they're NOT and never will be. eom

[mazzarro]

22. This is the one reason why I passionately dislike "centrism" in the Democratic Party leadership

Why-O-Why must this concern apply only to the Democrats? All sorts of false allegations and accusations were leveled against Obama; against Hillary; against any Democrat of prominence in the past couple of decades by the reThuglicans and never for once did any person in the reThugilcan party leadership caution against making those falsehoods.

[sandensea]

11. I'd agree ONLY because impeachment would leave us with Dense Pence

Impeachment can only work if Fetus Funeral is impeached as well.

Pence is just as complicit in Russiagate (hand-picked by Putin as running mate after all), and even more extreme.

[MFM008]

27. Pence is NOT crazier

Than the reptile in the office now.
A myth.
NOONE is as bad as the creature.

[sandensea]

31. He just knows how to present himself better than Cheeto, that's all.

One look at his record will tell you that Pence is among the most medieval of Republicans. His (very unconstitutional) Religious Freedom Restoration Act in 2015 alone is proof of that.

Pence's becoming president would allow the media to claim that "normalcy" had returned to the presidency. That's especially problematic because there's nothing worse than sociopaths who know how to "behave" - the very definition of a good con man.

Finally, there's raw politics to consider.

There's no denying that Cheeto is the best thing to happen to Democrats since Clinton, in the sense that his very repulsiveness is driving millions of voters to Democratic candidates by his showing the voters what the GOP has really become.

[sprinkleeninow]

34. You saying something there.

Circus peanut is ironically the best thing that could've happened juxtaposed to 'losing' HRC being our CiC.

If one contemplates--> he's so not even on the 'presidential qualities' checklist, as contrasted with Hillary.

The contrast is that much more glaringly obvious to increasingly many.

The current v.p. 'appears' more normal, and therefore 'palatable' and acceptable.

IKR, this is nuts.

[sandensea]

49. +1

This might be a blue wave; but the surfboard will be orange.

[sprinkleeninow]

60. Nice vision! 👍 😎

[asiliveandbreathe]

13. Harry is correct....considering we are going to hear the republicans as they run

on the POS being impeached or Nancy Pelosi as speaker - if the Democratic Party takes over house and senate..what the hell have they got other than negativity...as usual....

[Snackshack]

14. Good Advice.

Republicans are already framing Democratic voters as being “hateful and angry” for the coming midterms elections. Talking about impeachment only reinforces that framing. Congressional Democratic Congress members should be talking about rule of law, integrity, maturity, stability, checks and balance etc. impeachment will be a natural by product that comes from the highlighting of those issues.

Hopefully they will listen.

[Mike Nelson]

15. Agree...

...the time is not right. There will be a time when impeachment must be discussed, though. Voters know how awful the President is, already... talk about progressive ideas and plans.

[Martin Eden]

18. Let's wait for the Mueller investigation

If the POtuS has committed high crimes and misdemeanors, then impeachment is the duty of Congress.

[leftynyc]

19. He's right

We're dealing with 435 local races and the senate races. Focus on what is important to those particular voters and any question about impeachment should be answered with "we're waiting for Mr. Mueller to conclude his investigation". PERIOD. I mean, holy shit, doesn't anyone remember what happened to the republicans who couldn't stop talking about Bill Clinton and impeachment? They got clobbered in 1998.

[Maxheader]

28. Even the very smallest chance..

minuscule...tiny..like cheetoz brain..
if impeachment presents itself..
take it without hesitation..

[nevergiveup]

29. IMHOP Harry is correct.

For every one vote we get talking about impeaching Trump we will get 1000 votes talking about the scandalous tax bill. In general most folks don't want to think about the Russian investigation or possible impeachment. If impeachment happens then they will have to deal with it but for now health care, taxes, the environment and the raping of our democratic institutions will get their attention. Trump's unpopularity is baked in. Trump is the elephant in the room and a majority of the American people know it and they don't need to be browbeaten about it.

[thewhollytoast]

30. I really tried to keep a civil thought in my head

But, Fuck Harry Reid. He did such a wonderful job rolling over for so many years. Fuck Harry Reid and his little buddy Max Baucus as well. those to pieces of shit did nothing, but order letterhead for decades. It's time to go war people, and throw that orange clown out of office. The time to be fucking nice is over. Fuck Harry Reid, Fuck Harry Reid, Fuck Harry Reid, if you think he's a Democrat you know nothing about Rocky Mountain politics. Give them enough money and their mouths open wide.

Ask yourself, "What the fuck has Harry Reid done for me lately?"

Toast

[Eyeball_Kid]

33. Reid also didnt want to prosecute

Bush 43’s cronies for documented war crimes. So Harry. What WOULD qualify for impeachment hearings? Cannibalism? Disemboweling Democrats at the Lincoln Memorial?

Do you have a fucking clue? Sometimes elected officials are just evil bastards who need to go ASAP before they destroy more lives.

[Gothmog]

35. Harry Reid is correct

Lets get past the midterms before we discuss this concept

[sprinkleeninow]

37. That's how I'm leaning more and more. eom

[briv1016]

38. There's plenty of others to convict first.

Donald can wait till January.

[bucolic_frolic]

39. Don't talk about it, just do it when the time is right

One needs a case and public opinion to make the opportunity that leads to impeachment

[hueymahl]

41. Weak sauce, Harry

This is not 7th dimensional chess.

I'm tired of us being so weak and afraid to say the wrong thing out of fear it will offend the wrong people. Fucking lead.

[Dawson Leery]

42. Impeachment must be merit based.

If Trump committed a crime, then you impeach.

[PatrickforO]

45. I've got to call BS on this one.

This is the third presidential election where Republicans CHEATED to win.

A hostile foreign power is STILL hacking our power grids, our voter base and trolling social media.

The corruption of this administration is so pervasive it is unAmerican.

AND, I will neither forget nor forgive that we have GORSUCH in the Supreme Court instead of Merrick Garland who SHOULD be there.

No, right now we are engaged in a battle for the very soul of this Republic. I don't care how ugly it gets. WE NEED TO FIX THIS.

We need to fight with everything we have against this corrosive acid that is eating away our social, moral and economic fabric. This democracy is in danger and that is a very, very BIG deal and we should be using TREASON every other word.

Everything any of us says needs to be focused on 1) good policy, and 2) the treason, incompetence and rampant corruption of the current administration and the GOP as a whole.

I'm done walking on eggs. I'm done apologizing for being a progressive. I'm done soft pedaling what these fucks are doing to this country I love. We need to get the message out, make sure that everyone who can (or should be able to) vote does vote, and take back this Republic. We need to make it a government of, by and for us, the people - a government that uses our tax money to fund projects and programs that actually help us and that actually make our lives better.

[gay texan]

51. I agree with this

This is the precise reason why I never really cared for Reid.

[Vinca]

50. I totally disagree.

Sorry, Harry, but we're done with the hand holding and singing of Kumbayah. The future of the country is in peril.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

52. Poor you Harry.

We aren't just seeking to impeach bc it's good for us politically, he apparently helped the Russians tamper w our election to get him elected. He is as dishonest as they come, and unfit to serve this country. Americans have built this country w hard earned tax dollars and blood and sweat. It's OUR country. It's not a debatable question. Sorry you guys have to earn your pay.
If you don't impeach on the coming evidence...What good are you? People have pled guilty already. it's not fake news Harry.

[caraher]

55. I tend to agree with him tactically

My worry is simply this: regardless of the merits of a case for impeachment, "centrist" voters will not be enthusiastic about voting for the turmoil that will necessarily accompany impeachment proceedings. Even the ones who are concerned by the effects of the Trump presidency.

So on a national level, the message I think needs to be that we need a Democratic Congress to put the brakes on the worst excesses of the Trump administration. That message will get widespread support.

And if it just so happens that sometime in 2019 we have a strong case for impeachment and something closer to a realistic chance of making it happen, that would be the time to push for it. Making impeachment a front-and-center issue now only scares off the many voters who at this stage are hoping for a return to relative stability and sanity.

[Paladin]

57. No. (nt)

[marble falls]

61. President Pence, anyone?

[SWBTATTReg]

62. A lot of anger out here in DU land and beyond...but

to be realistic, we can't do anything impeachment-wise until we get back control of the Congress. Once then, anything can happen. November 2018 is probably the most important thing now...plain and simple, otherwise all other efforts in doing anything else would be moot, if we can't control Congress and all of the power it has in pursuing crime(s) and/or impeachment if needed. Thing is, that if we get Congress in November 2018, then anything we do then and afterwards would be held up, by all people, Pres. RUMP. Thus, ===> Dem. control of Congress Nov 2018 / in office Jan 2019 ===> start something...a lot of this depends on what Mueller finds, if anything, if not, then WHAM on RUMP, then pass the laws that should be passed in favor of the American worker, not the billionaires...they have enough money to last literally generations. Untold generations...

I get kind of disturbed about that...

[raising2moredems]

63. No way in hell should trump be impeached...

A - we need the millstone around the necks of what passes for the republican party. And we should keep the taint of trump and all his unqualified appointees front and center.

B - we DO NOT need a religious wingnut, aka pence, in the Oval Office. Sad to say he would be even worse than trump.

[TexasBushwhacker]

66. He is right, but not for the reasons he says

It is pointless to push for impeachment now because there is no chance in hell that we could get a majority in the House to vote for impeachment and it would be even harder to convince 2/3 of the Senate to vote to convict. Plus the midterms are only 7 months away.