At a New Democrat Coalition meeting Wednesday, Senator Mark Warner spoke about what to do if Trump fires Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, the official to whom Special Counsel Robert Mueller reports. In an interview (paywalled) reported by Alex Rogers and Daniel Newhauser of the National Journal, an anonymous Democratic member of Congress related Warner’s admonition about what to do during the first day or two:
We should not say anything—let the dust settle for a minute. What I took from it is it’s better to build a coalition across the aisle than just to come out guns a-blazing saying, “We’ve got to impeach him now.” [… W]e cannot be the crazy people running around. If we want to to take back the House, we have to show that we can govern like adults [...]
Sock away that dry powder!
This smacks of how conservatives tell progressives not to “politicize” the trauma of a mass shooting, that it’s “too soon.” Plus, being “the adult for the room” didn’t do anything politically for Democrats before, certainly not in 2016. If you look at it, Warner’s purported maturity means to feign not knowing what’s going on in front of everyone’s faces. Firing Rosenstein is impeachable obstruction of justice (just one among now-countless other crimes and misdemeanors). Firing former FBI Director James Comey already was. Trump as much as admitted—on national television—that he fired Comey in order to obstruct the investigation of Russian election interference. In the intervening 11 months, has Warner even once said that that act was impeachable? No? Then what’ll they do after this “dust-settling period,” even if they do sway the rare Republican? How do they turn around and say, “Guess what, everyone? We’ve changed our minds! Now we should impeach”? I’m sure.
Apparently Democratic politicians like Warner have learned nothing from the past several decades of American politics. (To be sure, “learned nothing” would imply that centrists would want our political dynamics to change in the first place.) Republicans are not acting in good faith; they care not for the welfare of the American people or the rule of just law; in fact they promote regression to oppressive, violent societal dominance by rich white Christian men. The way to move the opposing party isn’t by being nice to them. It’s by attacking them for their vile positions, by drawing a stark contrast, by voicing a clear vision for our side, by decisively winning over public opinion. Sure, there can be worthwhile strategizing in encouraging individual Republicans to break with Trump. But when it comes to a national message, if one actually means to get the deed done:
The main thing is getting the show on the road.
– Rep. Tip O’Neill
Judging Nixon: The Impeachment Session, TIME, Monday, Feb. 04, 1974
As for the supposed electoral savvy of running scared from talking about impeachment in the hopes of not riling the Republican base this November, it is misguided, counterproductive folly. Trump will make himself the overwhelming issue via corporate and social media regardless. Said media will claim the Democrats want to impeach anyway. Democrats demurring on impeachment won’t encourage persuadable voters. And even if one thinks that, by some miracle, the matter will still be pending come January, it depresses the impetus for impeachment due to lack of an electoral mandate. What would the Democratic message for the election be, “Trump is the worst president ever, a threat to the rule of law, democracy, and even our very existence… but don’t speak of trying to remove him from office”? No, as centrist Democrats out-think themselves in circles, events outpace them.
It doesn’t have go down like that. We have no time to waste to stop fascism, to win justice, to stop war, to rescue the planet from climatic devastation. Put impeachment on the table, right now.