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The Senate was back in session all day Tuesday, with members finally allowed to make formal speeches, before breaking ahead of the big speech.
Buttigieg, Sanders lead in Iowa
The Iowa Democratic Party released partial results nearly a day after the caucuses took place and they showed a tight race between Buttigieg and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
Massachusetts’ Sen. Elizabeth Warren is a step back and former Vice President Joe Biden is in fourth, with Minnesota’s Sen. Amy Klobuchar in double digits.
If there’s a moment when party elders more loudly worry about Sanders and whether a socialist can take on the nationalist President, this might be that time. Meanwhile, if Buttigieg can hang on to a slim lead, his surge will be the overriding story of the Iowa results.
Buzz vs. billions; Bloomberg doubles down
What will Trump say?
But will the President bring up Democrats’ mess in Iowa? Will he mention impeachment? White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said the word “impeachment” does not appear in the formal remarks but didn’t rule out that Trump will allude to it in some way. In other words, it’s all on “teleprompter Trump” to stay on script, reports Jim Acosta.
Republicans fall into line
During the speechifying that precedes tomorrow’s vote to acquit Trump in the Senate, we’ve seen nearly every Republican announce they’ll acquit the President.
That doesn’t mean they’re happy with his behavior. But they will, in this case, allow it.
“I do not believe that the House has met its burden of showing that the president’s conduct, however flawed, warrants the extreme step of immediate removal from office,” she said.
Trump will hear that part and likely ignore the criticisms she also laced into her speech.
We have not yet heard from Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, Republicans’ wild card.
Awkward support
“We’re still in the middle of this trial,” Gardner said when asked if Trump’s conduct was appropriate. “We still have tomorrow to deliberate and consider. I made my comments about witnesses, and I’m not going to go on-screen now that I still think we’re in the middle of an important process.”
OK, dude.
Democrats still on the fence
We also still don’t know how three key moderate Democrats will vote. West Virginia’s Sen. Joe Manchin wants to censure Trump, but that effort is not likely to make it to the Senate floor.
Manchin is still a maybe on acquittal.
Alabama’s Sen. Doug Jones, who lucked into his seat after a special election and is the most at-risk Democrat in November, said he has “tentatively” decided. But we don’t know what the tentative decision is quite yet.
Neither he nor Arizona’s Sen. Kyrsten Sinema have given floor speeches. So there are up to three Democrats who could break with their party.
What are we doing here?
The American system of government has been challenged to deal with a singular President and a divided country that will decide whether he should get another four years in the White House.
Stay tuned to this newsletter as we keep watch over the Trump administration, the 2020 presidential campaign and other issues of critical interest.
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