The first public impeachment hearing begins at 10 AM today with witnesses Bill Taylor and George Kent. We’ll be watching and commenting as it goes along and invite you to do the same. But first, I want to share with you a “straight news” article on the subject from Fox News - which reads like it was cowritten by Kellyanne Conway.
The witnesses testifying are Taylor, the top U.S. diplomat in Kiev, Ukraine, and Kent, deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs.
Here’s part of how FoxNews.com previewed the hearings (emphases are mine):
Behind the scenes, House Democrats were predicting a "phenomenal week," Fox News is told. At the same time, Republicans have been preparing a methodical and vigorous cross-examination of Democrats' witnesses, whose accounts of President Trump's alleged wrongdoing have been based largely on hearsay and intuition.
[…]
With the bang of a gavel, Schiff will open the impeachment hearings Wednesday into Trump's alleged pressure on Ukraine to investigate 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden's dealings in the country. The former vice president, a Democrat, has boasted about pressuring Ukraine to fire its top prosecutor, as his son Hunter Biden held a lucrative role board of a Ukrainian natural gas company despite having little relevant expertise.
[…]
On the [July 25th] call, Trump then asked [Ukrainian President] Zelensky to investigate reports that Ukraine had some involvement in 2016 election interference. Later on in the conversation, amid a discussion of deep-seated Ukrainian corruption, Trump mentioned Biden's push to have Ukraine's prosecutor fired, and suggested the country look into the matter.
The article is accompanied by a video called, “Republicans step up criticism of Adam Schiff's handling of impeachment probe.”
And in a half hour after this is posted, it will be show time! Feel free to share any of your thoughts on impeachment, the hearing or this article below.
(Conway image via screen grab from video accompanying article)
The Bleached Blonde Blatherer is like Trump himself. Lie at light speed and let the resulting gaslight do it’s evil work.
pool of “capitive” clients will probably disappear. Pufff!
Outside players interested in helping Ukraine become a democracy based on fairness and rule of law, eventually got their act together and decided to take the bull by the horns. Biden, as VP of the heavy-weight in that coalition, was asked to spearhead the effort to get Ukraine to clean up its act. Had Biden had any interest in “protecting” his son, he would not have accepted that mission. All the evidence so far suggests that his intervention DID get Ukraine to take corruption seriously.
While I willingly consider Hunter Biden to have been a total fool for accepting such a cushy job, I’d sort of like the GOPers to practise some intropection. If not totally corrupt themselves, they cannot but realise that Trump and family are raking in millions from hotel rooms rented to people wanting to ingratiate themselves with the President of the USA!!!
And it wouldn’t surprise me one little bit to find out that unscrupulous people throughout the world are laying the groundwork for lucrative deals with the Trumps during a second term.
The other 2 stories under the topic “U.S.”:
- “Wisconsin bus driver saves children wandering in snow, as deadly Arctic air mass grips US”
- "Missouri high school football coach, team under fire for ‘illegal’ prayer after complaint from atheist groupa’
To get Trump impeachment news you have to click a tiny text (so small I missed it until I searched on “impeachment”) link “Impeachment hearing latest”. There is only 1 article there: “Impeachment hearing testimony details Trump pursuit of Ukraine ‘investigations,’ as GOP decries ‘hearsay’”. There are like 2 or 3 conservative editorials on (anti) impeachment on the side bar mixed with a lot more stories that have nothing to do with it. That’s of Fox News’ coverage of this historic event.
Fox News isn’t paying attention. MAGA isn’t paying attention. The only question is will independents pay attention and move the needle at all?
*The word ‘mind’ is used under advisement as a generic term for any swelling at the top end of a spinal cord.
But will it change anything? I’m not so sure it will.
https://twitter.com/pastpunditry/status/1194646118816239617
