# Is this finally it? Is this finally the series of events that will end Trump's presidency? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 22, 2018, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-finally-it-is-this-finally-the-series-of-events-that-will-end-trumps-presidency/820028 "2018-08-22T06:04:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2019, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-finally-it-is-this-finally-the-series-of-events-that-will-end-trumps-presidency/820028/241 "2019-09-19T23:33:26Z")
This does sound like the kind of thing that could have a pretty huge impact, in combination with economic slowdown and declining poll numbers. There could be a panic and stampede by Republicans in semi-purple states. I’m not saying it will happen, but I would give it about a 20% chance. > [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > For it to be, the democratic party would have to do something. And they won’t. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-finally-it-is-this-finally-the-series-of-events-that-will-end-trumps-presidency/820028/242 "2019-09-20T00:24:47Z")
My bet is he made military assistance to Ukraine contingent on looking for dirt on Joe Biden Jr. Notice the White House suddenly approved the aid package last week? Even if they have a recorded phone call detailing such, the Republicans will just say “oh you know how Trump is, you can’t take what he says seriously.” ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-finally-it-is-this-finally-the-series-of-events-that-will-end-trumps-presidency/820028/243 "2019-09-20T02:02:34Z")
It’s hard to imagine it’s anything that extreme, and if it were shown to be, I think you would see the defections of 10 to 20 Senate Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-finally-it-is-this-finally-the-series-of-events-that-will-end-trumps-presidency/820028/244 "2019-09-20T02:13:16Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > It’s hard to imagine it’s anything that extreme, and if it were shown to be, I think you would see the defections of 10 to 20 Senate Republicans. Nah. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-finally-it-is-this-finally-the-series-of-events-that-will-end-trumps-presidency/820028/245 "2019-09-20T02:24:45Z")
Don’t we need to know what the hell it is before we start freaking out? ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-finally-it-is-this-finally-the-series-of-events-that-will-end-trumps-presidency/820028/246 "2019-09-20T04:34:08Z")
> [@KidCharlemagne](#): > > My bet is he made military assistance to Ukraine contingent on looking for dirt on Joe Biden Jr. Notice the White House suddenly approved the aid package last week? Even if they have a recorded phone call detailing such, the Republicans will just say “oh you know how Trump is, you can’t take what he says seriously.” You may be right. > **[Trump Whistleblower Saga Threatens to Blow Up 2020 Campaign](https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-whistleblower-saga-threatens-to-blow-up-2020-campaign)** > > Two reports on Thursday night say the conversation in the complaint involved Ukraine, the country that the president’s close lawyer has turned to in looking for dirt on Joe Biden. > [@](#): > > Two outlets on Thursday night reported that the complaint in question involves President Trump and matters related to Ukraine. Those outlets, _The Washington Post_ and _The New York Times_, did not go much further than those details. But earlier reports said that what prompted the whistleblower to come forward was a pledge made by Trump to a foreign leader. . ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-finally-it-is-this-finally-the-series-of-events-that-will-end-trumps-presidency/820028/247 "2019-09-20T04:55:00Z")
> [@KidCharlemagne](#): > > My bet is he made military assistance to Ukraine contingent on looking for dirt on Joe Biden Jr. Notice the White House suddenly approved the aid package last week? Even if they have a recorded phone call detailing such, the Republicans will just say “oh you know how Trump is, you can’t take what he says seriously.” Damn. You seem to have nailed it. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-finally-it-is-this-finally-the-series-of-events-that-will-end-trumps-presidency/820028/248 "2019-09-20T06:50:38Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Don’t we need to know what the hell it is before we start freaking out? That’s not a requirement on the SDMB. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-finally-it-is-this-finally-the-series-of-events-that-will-end-trumps-presidency/820028/249 "2019-09-20T09:17:14Z")
What does Ukraine have to do with the Bidens? And how would smearing the son, who died heartbreakingly of brain cancer a few years ago, help Trump in the election? ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-finally-it-is-this-finally-the-series-of-events-that-will-end-trumps-presidency/820028/250 "2019-09-20T09:42:35Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > What does Ukraine have to do with the Bidens? And how would smearing the son, who died heartbreakingly of brain cancer a few years ago, help Trump in the election? > **[Fact-checking Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, and Ukraine](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2019/may/07/viral-image/fact-checking-joe-biden-hunter-biden-and-ukraine/)** > > Editor's Note, Sept. 23, 2019: This story was first published May 9, 2019; we have since published additional coverage t > [@](#): > > Key takeaways > > • Hunter Biden did hold a directorship for a Ukrainian gas company while his father was vice president. Experts agree that Hunter Biden’s acceptance of the position created a conflict of interest for his father.  > • Vice President Joe Biden did urge Ukraine to fire its top prosecutor, with the threat of withholding U.S. aid. But that was the position of the wider U.S. government, as well as other international institutions.   > • We found no evidence to support the idea that Joe Biden advocated with his son’s interests in mind, as the message suggests. It’s not even clear that the company was actively under investigation or that a change in prosecutors benefited it. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-finally-it-is-this-finally-the-series-of-events-that-will-end-trumps-presidency/820028/251 "2019-09-20T17:42:44Z")
**Is this finally the series of events that will end Trump’s presidency?** Default answer: “No” For whatever value of “this”. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-finally-it-is-this-finally-the-series-of-events-that-will-end-trumps-presidency/820028/252 "2019-09-20T18:08:30Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > That’s not a requirement on the SDMB. But, surely this time, if the reports are true, you agree that this is impeachable, right? Surely, this time he has gone too far for you if this is true? ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-finally-it-is-this-finally-the-series-of-events-that-will-end-trumps-presidency/820028/253 "2019-09-20T18:15:52Z")
They will try tk distract us by making this about Biden. Just watch. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-finally-it-is-this-finally-the-series-of-events-that-will-end-trumps-presidency/820028/254 "2019-09-20T21:40:38Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > What does Ukraine have to do with the Bidens? And how would smearing the son, who died heartbreakingly of brain cancer a few years ago, help Trump in the election? Just FYI, because it hasn’t been made explicitly clear, this issue has to do with Biden’s very much alive younger son, Hunter, who served on the board of a Ukranian energy company. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-finally-it-is-this-finally-the-series-of-events-that-will-end-trumps-presidency/820028/255 "2019-09-20T21:43:39Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > It’s hard to imagine it’s anything that extreme, and if it were shown to be, I think you would see the defections of 10 to 20 Senate Republicans. Well I’m 1 for 1 right now. Here’s hoping I’m 1 for 2. ---
**Author:** ![Ambrosio\_Spinola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de0a6/32.png) [@Ambrosio\_Spinola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambrosio_Spinola)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-finally-it-is-this-finally-the-series-of-events-that-will-end-trumps-presidency/820028/256 "2019-09-20T22:02:25Z")
Here’s what I legitimately don’t get about all this. There are of course some pretty dumb people in Congress, but most of them are going to be of at least average intelligence and all of them have to at least have some level of political savvy to get the position in the first place. You look at Trump; the guy is basically incapable of putting together a coherent sentence on any topic, and on everything besides television ratings, New York real estate and himself ends up sounding like an elementary school aged kid who didn’t read the book he’s supposed to do his report on. Just from what we publicly know, he’s raking in taxpayer money through a network of shady partnerships and LLCs, and he refuses to provide any sort of legitimate financial statements. Based on reporting in the NTY and WSJ, I’d be willing to bet you ten thousand dollars he’s committed tax fraud. Now he is credibly alleged to be extorting an ostensible ally to open up an investigation into one of his political rivals. And yet, the Republican party by and large is still in lockstep behind him all the way. In what universe is this guy not a political liability? Why on earth would you be willing to help him quash investigations into these potentially serious issues? What does he do that Mike Pence wouldn’t do, or any generic Republican, for that matter? You don’t think that Mike Pence would nominate Federalist Society approved judges or sign tax cuts? Why isn’t this stuff the end of his hold on power? I’d think even just for self-interest of everyone involved it should be. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-finally-it-is-this-finally-the-series-of-events-that-will-end-trumps-presidency/820028/257 "2019-09-20T22:38:59Z")
> [@Ambrosio\_Spinola](#): > > \ In what universe is this guy not a political liability? \ Our universe. I think that if there is one single thing that this president has proved, it is that about a third of the electorate likes nothing better than a stupid cruel petty bully, as long as he acts like he is stupid just the way they are, and cruel just the way they would be if only they had the power. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-finally-it-is-this-finally-the-series-of-events-that-will-end-trumps-presidency/820028/258 "2019-09-20T22:52:10Z")
> [@Ambrosio\_Spinola](#): > > Here’s what I legitimately don’t get about all this. There are of course some pretty dumb people in Congress, but most of them are going to be of at least average intelligence and all of them have to at least have some level of political savvy to get the position in the first place. You look at Trump; the guy is basically incapable of putting together a coherent sentence on any topic, and on everything besides television ratings, New York real estate and himself ends up sounding like an elementary school aged kid who didn’t read the book he’s supposed to do his report on. Just from what we publicly know, he’s raking in taxpayer money through a network of shady partnerships and LLCs, and he refuses to provide any sort of legitimate financial statements. Based on reporting in the NTY and WSJ, I’d be willing to bet you ten thousand dollars he’s committed tax fraud. Now he is credibly alleged to be extorting an ostensible ally to open up an investigation into one of his political rivals. > > And yet, the Republican party by and large is still in lockstep behind him all the way. In what universe is this guy not a political liability? Why on earth would you be willing to help him quash investigations into these potentially serious issues? What does he do that Mike Pence wouldn’t do, or any generic Republican, for that matter? You don’t think that Mike Pence would nominate Federalist Society approved judges or sign tax cuts? Why isn’t this stuff the end of his hold on power? I’d think even just for self-interest of everyone involved it should be. You think he is going down quietly if they turn on him? He will take the GOP down with him if they don’t support him. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-finally-it-is-this-finally-the-series-of-events-that-will-end-trumps-presidency/820028/259 "2019-09-20T23:28:57Z")
> [@Ambrosio\_Spinola](#): > > And yet, the Republican party by and large is still in lockstep behind him all the way. In what universe is this guy not a political liability? Why on earth would you be willing to help him quash investigations into these potentially serious issues? What does he do that Mike Pence wouldn’t do, or any generic Republican, for that matter? You don’t think that Mike Pence would nominate Federalist Society approved judges or sign tax cuts? Why isn’t this stuff the end of his hold on power? I’d think even just for self-interest of everyone involved it should be. At this point, everyone left in the Republican party has gone all-in on Trump. They have pushed the stack to the middle of the table and said “let it ride” If they ever lose, they will lose everything. The entire house of cards will collapse. They know this, so the only thing they know how to do is to keep riding the horse, keep riding, riding, praying to their God all the way. They have to do anything, EVERYthing in the short term to keep this scam going. If it ever collapses, they all go down the gurgle-pipe. Cheat? Sure. Obstruction of Justice? Why not. We’re going down a road that ends with arrest and execution of political rivals. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-finally-it-is-this-finally-the-series-of-events-that-will-end-trumps-presidency/820028/260 "2019-09-20T23:32:00Z")
How about this? The House passes a bill of impeachment covering both Trump and Biden. It’ll have a one count against Biden and many counts against Trump. Be sure to include charges of moral turpitude, double dealing, treason, and any other disgusting acts that will be uncomfortable for the religious right, tax hawks, and gun nuts to defend. It’s like baiting a large fishhook with a tiny worm. The ignorant Republican base will howl for convicting a Democrat and demand a vote. But by putting the counts all in one bill, it’s either votes on all or none, so McConnell will be in a tough spot. Quite possible Trump himself demands a vote out of hubris. Senators will have to explain their votes, especially why none of the long list of sins Trump has committed aren’t worthy of conviction while Biden’s minor technical violation is. Worst case is Biden is barred from federal office, and gets a comfortable retirement for his noble sacrifice. Best cases are Trump is convicted and/or Democrats win a large majority in the Senate in the next election. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-finally-it-is-this-finally-the-series-of-events-that-will-end-trumps-presidency/820028.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-finally-it-is-this-finally-the-series-of-events-that-will-end-trumps-presidency/820028.md?page=14)