HOW TO THINK ABOUT IT

What’s left out? Some had advocated further articles of impeachment over issues like how Trump’s business interests have benefitted from his presidency, or the evidence for obstruction of justice collected by special counsel Robert Mueller in his inquiry into Russian election interference. But limiting the scope of the inquiry is likely the fastest route to rounding up the votes that Speaker Nancy Pelosi needs to pass impeachment out of the House.

Does it actually matter? There’s no sign that enough Senate Republicans are going to defect from Trump’s side to toss him out of office, which requires a two-thirds vote. Still, the impeachment vote, along with a Senate trial in early 2020, allows Democrats to keep the focus squarely on Trump’s alleged misconduct as he gears up for reelection. Polls show support for impeachment closely mirroring Trump’s own disapproval numbers, and a new poll out this week from GOP firms Firehouse Strategies and 0ptimus shows Trump strengthening in critical states Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

On the docket. The Firehouse/0ptimus polling shows voters in those battlegrounds saying Congress should focus on policy instead of impeachment. So it was no coincidence that just an hour after announcing the impeachment articles, House Democrats said they had a deal to move forward on a new North American trade deal Trump negotiated to replace NAFTA. Many on the left have argued that Pelosi should not allow Trump a substantial policy win, but it allows House Democrats to say they’re working to boost the economy.

WHAT TO READ

An Election Too Important to Be Left to the Voters, by Rich Lowry in National Review
“The bottom line is that after tsk-tsking Trump for refusing to say in advance that he’d accept the outcome of the 2016 election, Democrats have steadfastly refused to truly accept the 2016 result (allegedly the work of the Russians) and now are signaling they won’t accept next year’s election either, should they lose again.”

As Democrats Unveil Impeachment Articles, Trump Signals Corruption Will Continue, by Greg Sargent in the Washington Post
“An article for attempting to obstruct the investigation into Russian interference and his own campaign’s efforts to reap the benefits would establish a pattern. Not just with regard to Trump’s effort to extort Ukraine for the same purpose, but also with regard to Trump’s ongoing manipulation of government to cover up his willingness to conspire with and benefit from the corruption of our election last time.”

WHAT TO WATCH