The # ConfederacyOfDunces hashtag is trending because… well. I think we all know why.
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If a More Sanctimonious Toad Than Kenneth Starr Ever Has Crawled Through American Politics, I’m hard-pressed to know who it was.
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Easy. Bolton could just do that.
(But he has a book to sell)
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Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California became the first Democrat to suggest that she could vote to acquit him, despite serious concerns about his character.
“Nine months left to go, the people should judge. We are a republic, we are based on the will of the people — the people should judge,” Feinstein said Tuesday, after the president’s team finished a three-day presentation in his defense. “That was my view and it still is my view.”
Still, she indicated that arguments in the trial about Trump’s character and fitness for office had left her undecided. “What changed my opinion as this went on,” she said, is a realization that “impeachment isn’t about one offense. It’s really about the character and ability and physical and mental fitness of the individual to serve the people, not themselves.”
Asked whether she would ultimately vote to acquit, she demurred, saying, “We’re not finished.”
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I literally started to have a small panic attack, thanks Di-Fi!
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From that WSJ article,
“The bar for impeachment cannot be set this low,” said Jay Sekulow, one of the president’s personal attorneys, of the Democrats’ impeachment case. Deputy White House counsel Pat Philbin said the abuse-of-power article was “infinitely malleable” and allowed for too much subjectivity. “How are we supposed to get the proof of what’s in the president’s head?” he asked.
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Easy, put him on camera and it’ll come spilling out within five fucking seconds.
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Cross-posting 
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@matt Thanks for this!
For those who don’t subscribe and may have hit their monthly quota, here’s the part about McConnell not having the votes for witnesses:
Republican leaders said they don’t currently have enough votes to block witnesses in President Trump’s Senate impeachment trial, after his legal team concluded its efforts to counter Democrats’ charges that the president abused power and obstructed Congress.
On the third and final day of presentations by the Trump legal team, lawyers tried to cast doubts on the importance and credibility of allegations by former national security adviser John Bolton about the president’s motives for freezing aid to Ukraine.
But at a meeting of all Republican senators late Tuesday, GOP leaders told their conference that they don’t currently have the votes to prevent witnesses from being called, people familiar with the matter said. Republicans had hoped to wrap up the trial with an acquittal of the president by this week, but Democrats have said he should appear under oath to offer a firsthand account of the president’s motivations for freezing aid to Ukraine—a matter at the heart of the impeachment case.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) said the vote total wasn’t where it needed to be on blocking witnesses or documents, these people said. He had a card with “yes,” “no,” and “maybes” marked on it, apparently a whip count, but he didn’t show it to senators.
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Another excerpt from the WSJ article @Matt posted above followed by some shoutouts to those involved.
WSJ:
In a marked shift from Monday, when the defense team made scant mention of Mr. Bolton’s allegations, the president’s lawyers on Tuesday argued that too little is known about the claims for them to factor into the Senate trial.
Mr. Sekulow called the allegations “inadmissible” and pointed to the president’s denials, while accusing the former adviser of seeking to boost his book sales. Impeachment, he added, “is not a game of leaks and unsourced manuscripts. That is politics, unfortunately.”
Let’s review –
WSJ:
…the president’s lawyers argued … too little is known about the claims from them to factor in the Senate trial."
Hey, Republican Senators:
So flippin’ call Bolton as a witness so we can learn more about his claims. There’s plenty of corroborating evidence that leads us to believe he’s telling the truth. Let’s put him under oath and find out for sure.
WSJ:
Mr. Sekulow called the allegations “inadmissible”…
Hey, Mr. Sekulow:
The only reason they may be inadmissible is that you’re blocking Bolton from testifying. Do the right thing and let him testify under oath then this evidence will be admissible and everyone can decide for themselves whether it points to the President’s guilt or innocence.
WSJ:
… and pointed to the president’s denials…
So I assume this is how Sekulow would defend a murderer in his opening statement [fantasy quotation]:
“Your honor, my client says he didn’t murder anyone, so I guess we can just block all witnesses and documents and any other evidence and wrap this thing up right now with a verdict of innocent. Case closed. Lunch anyone?”
WSJ:
… while accusing the former adviser of seeking to boost his book sales.
Hey, John Bolton:
Are you really risking going to prison for the rest of your life just to sell more books? What’s that? You say I’m crazy for even asking? I thought so.
WSJ:
Impeachment, [Sekulow] added, “is not a game of leaks and unsourced manuscripts. That is politics, unfortunately.”
Hey, Mr. Sekulow:
You’re the one playing politics. We’re trying to have an actual trial here with sworn testimony and authenticated documents. So let’s get on with it and place Bolton under oath and admit his book into evidence.
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Brilliant 2-minute summation by Schiff laying out what a dismal performance we saw from Republicans today. This pep talk will make your evening, guaranteed:
Includes this gem: “I don’t think, frankly, we could have made as effective a case for John Bolton’s testimony as the President’s own lawyers.”
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Read: DOE RECORDS REGARDING U.S. DELEGATION TO UKRAINE LED BY FORMER SECRETARY PERRY
Records from the Department of Energy (DOE) in response to American Oversight’s request for records regarding the U.S. delegation, led by former Secretary Perry, to Ukrainian President Zelensky’s inauguration, including the records of former Chief of Staff Brian McCormack.
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GOP concedes Trump may have withheld aid for probes but says it’s not impeachable
OMG, my head is going to explode.
The President should not be allowed to use his office to cheat in the election like he did last time. Full stop.
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Watch Sen Rick Scott (R-FL) squirm on whether it was a ‘perfect’ call or whether testimony from Bolton might clear some of this up.
And points to one of the R’s greatest(?) defenses which is why do we, R’s have to do the Dem’s work by bringing in evidence…he sez with the Dems it never ends #SeeKavanaugh
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I and many others have been saying this. This puts it perfectly.
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Republicans are trapped, thanks to Nancy Pelosi
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This. Is. Glorious.
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