Our Weekly White House Report Card finds President Trump as the third impeached chief executive in history, half the nation cheering as the other half seemingly couldn’t care less.
To many liberals, the partisan House vote to impeach was a vindication of their concerns that Trump is a dangerous disaster. To others, it was simply proof of the House majority’s TDS: Trump Derangement Syndrome.
For both, the tweet (since deleted) from happy-looking Washington Post reporters reading, “Happy Impeachmas from the WaPo team!” said it all, something for Trump haters and something for media haters.
Our graders were as divided as the nation. Conservative Jed Babbin gave Trump a B for the week and mocked impeachment and the dizzying decision by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to refuse to send the articles of impeachment to the Senate to begin its trial.
Democratic pollster John Zogby noted that no matter how successful the president has been or thinks he has been, he will never outrun becoming the third president to be impeached, “period.”
Jed Babbin
Grade B
When rabid House Democrats impeached President Trump on Wednesday, they piously (and frequently) referenced their supposed faithfulness to the Constitution and the intent of the founders. But the impeachment was done precisely the opposite of how the founders intended it. In Federalist 65, for example, Alexander Hamilton warned against partisan impeachment because it would enlist all of one side’s “animosities, partialities, influence, and interest.” That’s precisely what the Democrats have done. At that point, the House quit for the Christmas holiday and won’t be back until 2020.
When the votes were taken, Speaker Nancy Pelosi had issued strict orders that Democrats not be seen celebrating. That wasn’t enough to prevent Trump foe Rep. Rashida Tlaib from being seen celebrating or Washington Post reporters from tweeting their celebration of “Merry Impeachmas.”
The stock market, not taking the impeachment nonsense seriously, hit a new high on the day after the impeachment. The economy is roaring, consumers are spending, and there is no doubt we’re better off than we were four years ago.
Pelosi is now refusing to send the articles of impeachment to the Senate for trial until the Republicans bow to her and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s demands on conducting the trial. Pelosi ignores the fact that the impeachment isn’t accomplished until the document is sent to the Senate. After that, Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution gives sole power over impeachment trials to the Senate.
Trump has no control of any of the impeachment proceedings, but he’s urging a quick trial. He’s right. If there is to be one, it should get done quickly so the nation can get back to reality. Well, that’s probably not possible either while the Democratic presidential primary candidates continue their unwatchable debates.
John Zogby
Grade F
President Trump’s approval rating over the last five polls stands at 46%, and nationally, he is leading in match-ups against each of the top four Democratic candidates.
But he was impeached this week, a distinction that only two of his predecessors have experienced and which will be an indelible mark on his presidency forever. It was indeed a partisan vote in the House, and there is no chance he will be removed from office by Senate trial.
But Trump has not dignified his office and has enabled the impeachment process. He may privately be hurting over all of this, and perhaps he honestly believes he has done extraordinary. But he was impeached this week. Period.
Jed Babbin is a Washington Examiner contributor and former deputy undersecretary of defense in the administration of former President George H.W. Bush. Follow him on Twitter @jedbabbin.
John Zogby is the founder of the Zogby Poll and senior partner at John Zogby Strategies. His latest book is We Are Many, We Are One: Neo-Tribes and Tribal Analytics in 21st Century America. Follow him on Twitter @TheJohnZogby.
