I’m a bit pressed for time, but wanted to vent about a couple of things before I have to run. I heard somebody on the news this morning say that the impeachment situation is a lot like the viral dress picture that had America fighting over color. There were true perceptual differences in how it was seen, and that may be the case here, but I can’t help but be incredibly frustrated by the way that people (both republicans and democrats) are talking about things.

First, the “transcript.” I don’t understand why anybody is calling it a transcript. If you’re on the side of impeachment (as I seem to be finding myself more and more these days), every single time somebody calls it a transcript, the response should be that it’s not a transcript. In fact, it specifically says it’s not a transcript. Go read it, like the president keeps telling us to do, and you’ll see the note clearly on the first page. Here’s how it should go.

Person 1: The transcript is in English

Person 2: Do you mean the memo that says it’s not a transcript?

Person 1: He didn’t say anything wrong in the transcript.

Person 2: Do you mean the memo that says it’s not a transcript?

Person 1: READ THE TRANSCRIPT!

Person 2: Do you mean the memo that says it’s not a transcript?

I’d like to see a lot more of that.

Second, let’s talk more about what, precisely, it seems Trump was asking for. Granted, I haven’t read all of the released transcripts of testimony, and I’m more than open to revising this view, but it sure seems like Trump cared a whole lot less about there actually being an investigation than he cared about there being an announcement that there was an investigation. In the discussions of this, it sounds like that, the announcement, not an actual investigation, was what he was seeking. That, if accurate, sure supports the idea that this was a targeted political attack. It’s not about actually investigating anything, it’s about the appearance of an investigation. I think that should be highlighted much more than it is.

In the end, I am still doubtful that this will get past the Senate. The GOP is sticking pretty well to the talking points that this is all hearsay (which is fair, so far) and that it’s not important enough to rise to the level of impeachment (which is a subjective bar in some ways, and up to them to decide). I think it’s unimaginable that he won’t be impeached, but I think it’s also unimaginable that he’ll be convicted by the Senate. I actually think it’s imaginable that the Senate will block a trial and argue that the voters should decide in November. It’s not like they haven’t successfully pulled that crap off before. It’s also not like I’ve never been wrong, so who am I to say what happens next?