RIGHT SPEAK: 5 Reasons A Senate Trial Would Be A Nightmare For Democrats

If impeachment occurs and a Senate trial happens, the GOP has the advantages. It could be a disaster for Democrats.

The once distant and gauzy fantasy of impeaching President Donald Trump is becoming very real for Democrats, just not quite how they wanted or expected it to. As we move into public testimony this week, the wheels of presidential removal are stuck in deeper mud than ever. The polls have been flat or reversing back Trump’s way for weeks despite alleged bombshell revelations, and the worst could be yet to come if and when the issue moves to the Senate.

Over the weekend, many Democrats and media allies moved away from the dulcet sound of the Latin “quid pro quo” to the more menacing “extortion” and “bribery,” imagining using a dead language is hurting their messaging.

Many also insisted that the magic of television will persuade voters even if the facts of the case are already known and stipulated for the most part. Not only does this assume that the American people are kind of dumb, it also may rely just a smidge too much on hopes that Ambassador Bill Taylor has some kind of powerful television presence. Could an “end of the Perry Mason episode” moment happen? It is not beyond the realm of possibility, but also extremely unlikely.

So let’s assume that Democrats move forward on Articles of Impeachment next month with essentially the same facts that everyone more or less agrees with and the same polls that show the country bitterly divided on impeachment. For the case to move to the Senate under these conditions would be a disaster for Democrats, for a whole host of reasons. Here are five of them.

1. Losing Control Of the Process

In the six weeks thus far of L’Affaire Ukraine, House Democrats have been in complete control of the process. They have chosen witnesses, whether testimony is in private or public, set the rules of questioning and the schedules. In all these areas, their hand has been firmly on the wheel. It is hard to overestimate what an incredible advantage this is.

One can think of it as being both the director and stage manager of a play. They tell the actors where to go, and work to create a narrative convincing enough to sway the American people. But, of course, two parties can play at that game, and once the case moves to the Senate for trial all of those powerful advantages switch hands. Instead of Reps. Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff making the rules, it will be Sens. Mitch McConnell and Lindsay Graham.