# Trump and a feeling of momentum for impeachment **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 16, 2017, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-a-feeling-of-momentum-for-impeachment/786785 "2017-05-16T19:40:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-a-feeling-of-momentum-for-impeachment/786785/61 "2017-05-17T08:48:41Z")
> [@TimeWinder](#): > > And that oft-repeated conservative refrain: that they don’t see anything wrong with anything that Trump’s done, and this is all just “the same as with Obama, but the other way around” is what makes me freaking terrified for the future of this country. Yeah, no kidding. In the last week, Trump has: - Asked the FBI director to lay off an investigation he was potentially involved in - Asked the FBI director about prosecuting journalists - Fired said FBI director and admitted that that he did it to make the investigation go away - Given top secret information from Israel, which Israel had explicitly asked the US not to share, to Russia Remember when the big scandal of the Obama administration was that an embassy was attacked and the administration “lied” about why it happened? > [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > This, I suspect, is the answer. No offense, but I think you probably live most of your day inside a liberal bubble that gives you the impression impeachment is imminent. Go check out some conservative sources and message boards, and see what they are talking about. It doesn’t appear, to me, to be serious consideration of impeachment. To be fair, this “liberal bubble” encapsulates essentially all mainstream news media (including international sources) that isn’t directly in the pocket of the republican party. But okay, let’s spare a thought for the bubble, and pop our heads outside, shall we? How is the “right-wing” media covering this news? Well, I see shit like [this](https://www.infowars.com/did-wash-post-publish-dubious-russia-story-to-distract-from-seth-rich-bombshell/): The Washington Post published its dubious story on President Trump leaking classified information to the Russians less than an hour after the bombshell news broke that murdered DNC staffer Seth Rich was in contact with Wikileaks and that DC Police were ordered to cover it up. The coincidental timing has led many Trump supporters to accuse the Post of publishing their story in an attempt to distract the rest of the media from focusing on the massive new revelations in the Seth Rich case. Or [this](https://www.mediamatters.org/static/uploader/image/2017/05/15/Fox4.png): Liberals Melting Down and Turning Violent […] Many journalists degraded themselves in covering Trump Or [this](http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/05/15/deep-state-leaks-highly-classified-info-to-washington-post-to-smear-president-trump/): Deep State Leaks Highly Classified Info to Washington Post to Smear President Trump _That’s_ how the three biggest right-wing news sources decided to cover the news that Donald Trump handed top secret information to Russia. So okay, let’s look at what the right-wing internet communities like /r/The\_Donald are talking about… Oh, look, every post on the front page is about that fucking inane Seth Rich conspiracy, or wondering why the media isn’t covering the Seth Rich conspiracy and instead is focusing on Donald Trump sharing top secret classified information with Russia, or attempts to discredit or invalidate the Washington Post story. I’m sorry, what, exactly, am I supposed to be looking at here? What was the purpose of this attempt to see past my “bubble” of mainstream news media? To see how Trump supporters think? To see what kind of news they read? Okay, mission accomplished: they don’t, and their news is _fucking bat-shit crazy propaganda_. Now what the fuck do we do about that? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-a-feeling-of-momentum-for-impeachment/786785/62 "2017-05-17T11:07:55Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Speaking in terms of pure politics, I just don’t see a downside to getting rid of Trump. YOu get President Pence, which means far less drama and a guy whose thinking is in step with the Republican Congress. > > Plus the earlier you rip this band-aid off, the better. If you want President Pence to win reelection, he needs to serve a good amount of time in office and get good things done. Dragging this out for two years so that Pence can just be the idiot at the podium during an election year is stupid. Here’s the downside as I see it from your perspective (and the upside from mine). Those tens of thousands of people who packed stadiums to see Donald Dick- what do you suppose resignation/impeachment will do to them? You think they’ll just shuck it off and say, “Well, I gotta keep on punching that Republican ticket”? I don’t. I think they are going to be turned off bigly. The man they absolutely worship is going to be forced out of office. They weren’t fans of the Republican Party, they were fans of HIM. When he goes, so goes their enthusiasm. They are going to be bitter as hell and they are not going to turn out in droves to loyally vote for the party which is going to wash their hands of him. If he goes in the next say 15 months, kiss that Republican majority in both houses goodbye. A bug from your perspective, a feature from mine. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-a-feeling-of-momentum-for-impeachment/786785/63 "2017-05-17T11:45:52Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > No offense, but I think you probably live most of your day inside a liberal bubble that gives you the impression impeachment is imminent. Go check out some conservative sources[…] Also, one more thing to add to post #60 above. If I have to go to conservative sources to step outside the liberal bubble, then the right has well and fully ceded the middle ground, because to my knowledge, the list of mainstream conservative news outlets that aim for anything even _resembling_ balance or bipartisanship pretty much begins and ends with the Wall Street Journal. Conservative sources do “bipartisan”, much in the same way the New York Times does “David Icke is totally right”. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-a-feeling-of-momentum-for-impeachment/786785/64 "2017-05-17T12:02:03Z")
Well, Putin just threw a wrench in the works: “LATEST: Russia’s Putin says he can give record of Trump and Lavrov conversation to U.S. congress and senate.” [https://t.co/DJ23iL4wJq](https://t.co/DJ23iL4wJq) [https://t.co/HYaLJepqxV](https://t.co/HYaLJepqxV) They have a transcript of the meeting. Not willing to give up the recording, however. Talking slower so the more gullible can understand: A. Known. Adversary. Got. The. President. To. Allow. Recording. Equipment. Into. The. Oval. Office. And. Recorded,. Without. Knowledge. Of. The. President. Or. The. Administration,. The. Entire. Conversation. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-a-feeling-of-momentum-for-impeachment/786785/65 "2017-05-17T12:08:26Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > Article from the Independent about a new poll that says Americans now mostly support impeachment: > > [More Americans support Trump's impeachment than oppose it for first time, poll finds | The Independent | The Independent](http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-impeachment-poll-latest-majority-americans-remove-president-a7738891.html) No offense, but that is kind of an example of being inside a bubble and thinking it’s the whole world. Even your article mentions that this is a Democratic polling organization. If the Democrats are going to impeach Trump, they have to make a case that convinces more than Democrats. Otherwise it’s going to be “but all the polls said Hillary would win!” all over again. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-a-feeling-of-momentum-for-impeachment/786785/66 "2017-05-17T12:15:21Z")
> [@Lantern](#): > > My sense too is that the last three days have been a turning point and Trump is in genuine danger though the whole process may take many months to fully unfold. In particular it appears the Republicans have decided to allow either an independent prosecutor or an independent commission. It’s not the beginning of the end but perhaps the end of the beginning where the relationship between Trump and his party shifts permanently and the party begins considering options they hadn’t before. > > Watch the opinion polls. Trump is currently at 40 which is poor but still safe. At 35, Republicans will start to get worried and at 30 they will start to panic. Also watch out for by-election results, and whether Trump starts hurting Republicans in actual elections. > > I have always taken seriously the possibility of Trump being removed from office before four years but my scenario was something like this: > a)Trump slowly loses popularity and his approval falls to 35% by 2018. > b)Democrats successfully run against him and re-take the House > c)They initiate investigations and uncover something genuinely damaging > d)Trump’s approval fall below 30% and enough Republicans senators decide that impeaching him is a less bad alternative than a Trump-led wipe-out in 2020. > > I still think that Trump being removed before the mid-terms is unlikely but certainly less so than it was three days ago. What really matters isn’t Trump’s polls, it’s the House GOP polls that will determine whether Repubs try to contain the Trumpster fire. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-a-feeling-of-momentum-for-impeachment/786785/67 "2017-05-17T12:20:06Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > No offense, but that is kind of an example of being inside a bubble and thinking it’s the whole world. Even your article mentions that this is a Democratic polling organization. > > If the Democrats are going to impeach Trump, they have to make a case that convinces more than Democrats. Otherwise it’s going to be “but all the polls said Hillary would win!” all over again. > > Regards, > Shodan Hey, I’m as shocked as you are that obstruction of justice (that is, asking the head of the FBI to drop a case related to you, then firing him when he refuses to do so, and saying outright that that’s why you fired him) doesn’t convince republicans. Why do you reckon that is? ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-a-feeling-of-momentum-for-impeachment/786785/68 "2017-05-17T12:20:27Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > No offense, but that is kind of an example of being inside a bubble and thinking it’s the whole world. Even your article mentions that this is a Democratic polling organization. > > If the Democrats are going to impeach Trump, they have to make a case that convinces more than Democrats. Otherwise it’s going to be “but all the polls said Hillary would win!” all over again. > > Regards, > Shodan You’re right, which is why there’s a very real danger that the House republicans are stuck with Trump and might get drowned by the undertow of his almost daily political scandals. Trump won in 2016 partly because a lot of first-time voters got up out of their lawn chairs and went to vote, which confounded political polls. It’s entirely possible that the antics of Trump motivates some first-time voters to get off their couches to vote in 2018 though there isn’t enough evidence to tell one way or the other just yet. One danger is that Trump becomes their Moby Dick and they get so wrapped up in impeaching him that they fail to craft a middle class agenda and message. ---
**Author:** ![ganthet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de0a6/32.png) [@ganthet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ganthet)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-a-feeling-of-momentum-for-impeachment/786785/69 "2017-05-17T12:39:32Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > But okay, let’s spare a thought for the bubble, and pop our heads outside, shall we? How is the “right-wing” media covering this news? Well, I see shit like [this](https://www.infowars.com/did-wash-post-publish-dubious-russia-story-to-distract-from-seth-rich-bombshell/): > > "The Washington Post published its dubious story on President Trump leaking classified information to the Russians less than an hour after the bombshell news broke that murdered DNC staffer Seth Rich was in contact with Wikileaks and that DC Police were ordered to cover it up. > > The coincidental timing has led many Trump supporters to accuse the Post of publishing their story in an attempt to distract the rest of the media from focusing on the massive new revelations in the Seth Rich case." And just to provide further context for this story and Fox News’ own truly dubious reporting, there’s this: > [@CNN story about the Seth Rich case](#): > > Fox News on Tuesday morning joined in the chorus, publishing a lead story on its website about the “DC MURDER MYSTERY.” The story said [private investigator and primary source of the allegations of email contact between Seth Rich and Wikileaks] Wheeler had made the claim Wikileaks had been in contact with Rich. It added that a federal investigator, who it said had spoken on the condition of anonymity, corroborated it. > [But Tuesday afternoon, Wheeler told CNN he had no evidence to suggest Rich had contacted Wikileaks before his death.](http://money.cnn.com/2017/05/16/media/seth-rich-family-response-claims-of-wikileaks-contact/) > > Wheeler instead said he only learned about the possible existence of such evidence through the reporter he spoke to for the [FoxNews.com](http://FoxNews.com) story. He explained that the comments he made to WTTG-TV were intended to simply preview Fox News’ Tuesday story. The WTTG-TV news director did not respond to multiple requests for comment. > > “I only got that [information] from the reporter at Fox News,” Wheeler told CNN. > > Asked about a quote attributed to him in the Fox News story in which he said his “investigation up to this point shows there was some degree of email exchange between Seth Rich and Wikileaks,” Wheeler said he was referring to information that had already been reported in the media. The right wing media bubble is growing increasingly unhinged and desperate to distract from the big stories about the imploding Trump administration. Even Bill Kristol is [starting to acknowledge it](http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/333445-kristol-shame-to-see-tucker-carlson-fox-news-becoming-ridiculous). ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-a-feeling-of-momentum-for-impeachment/786785/70 "2017-05-17T13:40:37Z")
> [@ganthet](#): > > And just to provide further context for this story and Fox News’ own truly dubious reporting, there’s this: > > The right wing media bubble is growing increasingly unhinged and desperate to distract from the big stories about the imploding Trump administration. Even Bill Kristol is [starting to acknowledge it](http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/333445-kristol-shame-to-see-tucker-carlson-fox-news-becoming-ridiculous). But it’s not collapsing. There’s no indicating that any of these sources are failing. They did better than ever in 2016, and now many of them have a veneer of respectability. They’re getting more unhinged and ridiculous, but their viewers don’t seem to actually _care_. And I just don’t know what anyone is supposed to do about that. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-a-feeling-of-momentum-for-impeachment/786785/71 "2017-05-17T14:23:34Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > But it’s not collapsing. There’s no indicating that any of these sources are failing. They did better than ever in 2016, and now many of them have a veneer of respectability. They’re getting more unhinged and ridiculous, but their viewers don’t seem to actually _care_. And I just don’t know what anyone is supposed to do about that. Well, as I said before we only need to convince the few that were misled into voting for Trump in the mistaken belief that the change was going to be good and the ones that were discouraged and not voting. And the report from the Hill there does give me hope in the sense that viewers like that \*\*are \*\*beginning to care about the nonsense and looking for other sources when FOX is blatantly omitting information to them. > [@](#): > > In recent weeks, Fox News’ dominance in the ratings has slipped. MSNBC beat Fox three nights in a row in primetime on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in the key 25-54 demographic last week, mostly thanks to MSNBC host Rachel Maddow. Fox News maintained a larger total number of viewers, but trailed MSNBC in the most valuable demographic. > > Maddow finished #1 across all cable news, with 734,000 demo viewers and 2.87 million viewers. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-a-feeling-of-momentum-for-impeachment/786785/72 "2017-05-17T14:34:08Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > _That’s_ how the three biggest right-wing news sources decided to cover the news that Donald Trump handed top secret information to Russia. So okay, let’s look at what the right-wing internet communities like /r/The\_Donald are talking about… Oh, look, every post on the front page is about that fucking inane Seth Rich conspiracy, or wondering why the media isn’t covering the Seth Rich conspiracy and instead is focusing on Donald Trump sharing top secret classified information with Russia, or attempts to discredit or invalidate the Washington Post story. > > I’m sorry, what, exactly, am I supposed to be looking at here? What was the purpose of this attempt to see past my “bubble” of mainstream news media? To see how Trump supporters think? To see what kind of news they read? Okay, mission accomplished: they don’t, and their news is _fucking bat-shit crazy propaganda_. Now what the fuck do we do about that? I hate to question the sincerity of your attempt, but I wasn’t thinking of InfoWars or a MediaMatters screen grab. Try reading this article: [FOX News](http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/05/16/white-house-says-trump-info-sharing-with-russia-wholly-appropriate-rips-leaks.html) or go check what other news outlets have to say. I’d suggest looking at some of these: WSJ Chicago Tribune NY Post Las Vegas Review-Journal you might try checking in with the National Review too. That would probably give you a pretty good flavor of what conservatives are reading and hearing on the subject. Or just keep reading Media Matters. I don’t really care either way. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-a-feeling-of-momentum-for-impeachment/786785/73 "2017-05-17T14:56:16Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > No offense, but that is kind of an example of being inside a bubble and thinking it’s the whole world. Even your article mentions that this is a Democratic polling organization. > > If the Democrats are going to impeach Trump, they have to make a case that convinces more than Democrats. Otherwise it’s going to be “but all the polls said Hillary would win!” all over again. > > Regards, > Shodan I thought I’d made it clear in my earlier post that I don’t really know if Donald’s going down and I don’t really expect the Republicans in congress to pull the trigger. I just offered that up as a data point, not as a final argument. Here’s another data point, with discussion of a different poll, just released this morning (Weds 17) - > **[Donald Trump's poll numbers are falling, as calls for impeachment are getting...](https://www.salon.com/2017/05/17/trumps-poll-numbers-are-taking-a-hit-from-all-the-scandals/)** > > Donald Trump’s poll numbers are falling, as calls for impeachment are getting louder Ultimately, the Republicans in congress will only dump Trump if they decide he’s a liability. I doubt that would happen in any one thing. If it happens at all, I think it’s going to be lots of little data points piling up that will tip the balance. … Or at any rate that’s what I thought before learning that Putin was bragging about his transcript of the Oval Office meeting. I would have expected Putin to try and preserve his asset in Donald but he seems to be trying to do his best to light this puppy up. Two other data points: 1. On morning news today, Jonathon Turley said this is like a family car trip. No we’re not there yet. We can still see our house. 2. The 538 Political editors posted a chat transcript about this. > **[Have Trump’s Problems Hit A Breaking Point?](https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/have-trumps-problems-hit-a-breaking-point/)** > > So ... where to start? ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-a-feeling-of-momentum-for-impeachment/786785/74 "2017-05-17T15:00:26Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > I would have expected Putin to try and preserve his asset in Donald but he seems to be trying to do his best to light this puppy up. Have you entertained the possibility that you were mistaken about Trump being Putin’s asset? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-a-feeling-of-momentum-for-impeachment/786785/75 "2017-05-17T15:00:54Z")
Putin may well figure that toppling a US government for sport is just as destabilizing as helping to elect a cretin, so from Russia’s point of view it’s all good. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-a-feeling-of-momentum-for-impeachment/786785/76 "2017-05-17T15:05:34Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Have you entertained the possibility that you were mistaken about Trump being Putin’s asset? Trump is Putin’s useful idiot. Which makes him a disposable asset. ---
**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:** [May 17, 2017, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-a-feeling-of-momentum-for-impeachment/786785/77 "2017-05-17T15:06:26Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > What really matters isn’t Trump’s polls, it’s the House GOP polls that will determine whether Repubs try to contain the Trumpster fire. This is the crux of the biscuit. Trump can begin being afraid when McConnell and Ryan decide they need him gone to stop the loss of either or both chambers. PPP has the generic congressional ballot at 49-38 against the GOP right now. If that continues into late 2017/early 2018 there’s going to be some cut-our-losses sentiment. > **[Health Care Puts House in Play - Public Policy Polling](https://www.publicpolicypolling.com/polls/health-care-puts-house-in-play/)** > > PPP’s new national poll finds that Republicans are facing significant backlash over the health care bill that’s having the effect of firing up Democrats and putting them in position to make major gains in the House next year. Democrats now have a... ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-a-feeling-of-momentum-for-impeachment/786785/78 "2017-05-17T15:06:56Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Trump is Putin’s useful idiot. Which makes him a disposable asset. Too much _idiot_, not enough _useful_ ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-a-feeling-of-momentum-for-impeachment/786785/79 "2017-05-17T15:10:34Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Speaking in terms of pure politics, I just don’t see a downside to getting rid of Trump. YOu get President Pence, which means far less drama and a guy whose thinking is in step with the Republican Congress. > > Plus the earlier you rip this band-aid off, the better. If you want President Pence to win reelection, he needs to serve a good amount of time in office and get good things done. Dragging this out for two years so that Pence can just be the idiot at the podium during an election year is stupid. The downside is the tens of millions of voters who still support him blindly and see this entire debacle as a huge conspiracy to take their “miracle on ice” level victory away. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-a-feeling-of-momentum-for-impeachment/786785/80 "2017-05-17T15:31:07Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Have you entertained the possibility that you were mistaken about Trump being Putin’s asset? Yes. It’s about as likely as the possibility that Trump is the Flying Nun. It’s not exactly keeping me up nights. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-a-feeling-of-momentum-for-impeachment/786785.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-a-feeling-of-momentum-for-impeachment/786785.md?page=5)