Even if House Democrats move beyond the impeachment inquiry phase and begin actual impeachment proceedings against President Trump, they know the odds of him being impeached in the Republican- controlled Senate are close to zero.
Not only that, but impeachment even in the Democrat-controlled House is not a certainty at this point. Many in vulnerable House districts who have jumped on board have been cautious in not leapfrogging over the inquiry process to directly call for actual impeachment. There is a real fear among them that an ugly and prolonged impeachment fight will not sit will at home with voters in their districts, regardless of what day to day polling might suggest.
It it perhaps with that in mind that a growing number of Democrats have calculatingly introduced a different, alternative tactic into the mix in hopes they can avoid the long battle in a crucial election year altogether: Get Trump to resign.
2020 candidate for president Beto O’Rourke is one Democrat who is amplifying this talking point. He called for it today during the Texas Tribune Festival:
“Those people close to the president can sit down with him and level with him, and make sure that he understands what’s going to happen to him going forward, and that they also understand their complicity, and the judgement of history, and the judgment of our courts should they fail to act while there is still time to do it,” he said.
“So the best possible path, especially if you’re concerned about a country that’s never been more divided, perhaps more highly polarized every day, is for this president to resign, allow this country to heal, and ensure that we come back together with the greatest most ambitious agenda we’ve ever faced, none of it possible while he remains in power,” O’Rourke said.
Watch:
.@BetoORourke at #TribFest19 calls on President @realDonaldTrump to resign. https://t.co/GdbbkfRt0N pic.twitter.com/aw1KprcqOe
— Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) September 28, 2019
Thursday on CNN, O’Rourke also called for Trump to resign:
Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke calls on White House officials to advise President Trump to resign: “Do the right thing” https://t.co/m3zcB49QBr pic.twitter.com/vgPo8pwolI
— OutFrontCNN (@OutFrontCNN) September 27, 2019
He actually thinks Trump resigning would “heal” the country’s divisions. Wow. Once again he proves he does not have a clue.
Beto is not the only high profile Democrat to float a Trump resignation. Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (NY) called for it in the wee hours of the morning Saturday:
This is beyond partisanship.
It is a heartbreaking betrayal of our nation.
The President and everyone involved in this should resign immediately. https://t.co/8JT3PwoxBc
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) September 28, 2019
Judging by what you can find in the #TrumpResign Twitter hashtag, liberal talking heads are also joining the growing chorus calling for Trump to resign.
Never Trumpers like Jennifer Rubin, of course, are lending a helping hand to the effort:
Choices for the Barry Goldwater Republican to tell Trump to resign:
— Jennifer Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) September 26, 2019
The Boston Globe‘s Michael Cohen wrote “Forget impeachment. Trump should resign.” The Connecticut Post published an editorial this week calling for Trump to step down.
I’ve got just two words for them: Hell. No.
Not only is Trump not the kind of politician who would resign and go quietly into the night, but Democrats – every single one of them including those who have fed into the impeachment frenzy for two and a half years now – need to see the process through. Brick by brick, through all the sweat and all the tears and all the yelling.
The public need to be witnesses to the obscene spectacle as they have been from the start, when Democratic Reps. Maxine Waters and Al Green began pushing for impeachment shortly after Trump’s inauguration based on nothing more than political disagreements (because Orange Man Bad and stuff).
Elected officials aren’t simply going to resign or step down because their political opponents don’t like their politics. Democrats need to make their impeachment case to the voters in their states/districts all the way up to election day if need be, or shut up about it.
Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) made a good point earlier this week: He said, in so many words, that impeachment is not a partisan tool to be used to oust a president simply because you don’t like them. But he understands like many of us do that’s exactly what Democrats are doing, and he is all but daring them to do it – probably because it’s obvious they don’t have the goods.
It’s impeachment or nothing, Democrats. Your choice.
Via RedState
