House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) conceded to other top Democrats in a meeting this week that public opinion on President Donald Trump is so baked in, it may be hard to sway people’s opinion with the impeachment inquiry — but that they must go ahead and do it anyway.
According to CNN, she referenced the impeachment and resignation of former President Richard Nixon, recalling that public opinion was split on it right up until he abdicated his office.
One of her right-hand men, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), put the situation in stark terms to CNN.
“Well, I think there are hard views on both sides,” he said. “And sadly, apparently, Trump was perhaps right when he said of his own supporters that he could shoot somebody in the middle of Fifth Avenue and they would not require any accountability.”
Democrats haven’t given up the messaging game though, exchanging the antiquated and clunky “quid pro quo” for “bribery” in an attempt to make average Americans understand why what Trump did was an abuse of his office.
Meanwhile, they are struggling to figure out the scope of what should be included in the articles of impeachment. Some argue for inclusion of the obstruction of justice episodes outlined by former Special Counsel Robert Mueller in his report. Others worry that including Russia misconduct will muddy the waters, and that they should be limited to the Ukraine scandal.
