While the midterm elections are still a week away, MSNBC has already started to warn Republicans not to “overreach” if they win because “the people would turn against them.” This was in response to Lindsey Reiser’s suggestion that Republicans could fall into the same trap as they did when they impeached Bill Clinton.
Reiser referred to an article in The Atlantic. He said, “All right Jonathan, even Republicans who were interviewed for this article mention Hunter issue. However, things got really vague when the president was pressed for wrongdoing. The article also mentions border security and the withdrawal from Afghanistan. McCarthy is under what pressure to follow through on this?
Lemire declared the answer “an extraordinary amount” and sought to expand the conversation beyond impeachment. “We’ve heard it from Matt Gaetz, Marjorie Taylor Greene and the like. They want to start these investigations and possibly impeachment proceedings almost instantly.”
It’s not only those headline-grabbing journalists that want to conduct investigations. Lemire was quick, however, to defend Biden in a manner that Donald Trump never did. “We should be clear. There’s never been any evidence linking President Biden with any wrongdoing Hunter Biden may have committed. He has not been charged with any wrongdoing either.”
Lemire addressed the possibility that Republicans will win at least the House. He stated that “If Republicans take control of that body, they will have subpoena powers.” They will be able to conduct a number of investigations, which could slow down the White House’s progress.
He issued a warning to Republicans: “The risk, however, for Republicans it could be guilty in overreach.” It is possible that the public will turn against them.
Lemire will no doubt help Democrats spin this message in a way that they have not done for current Democrat-run investigations. The obstructionists are coming back to check and balance.
Reiser tried to bring the conversation back to impeachment. Peter Baker, a New York Times White House correspondent, asked her: “Well, Peter Baker. Some of this of which is reminiscent of another White House that you covered, that was with impeachment proceedings against Bill Clinton following Newt Gingrich’s election. What are the parallels?
Although the media has never suggested that Trump’s impeachment would be a disaster, it is a possibility that they will.
Baker, for his part, did not answer the question. Instead, he would muse about impeachment in general, arguing that the Clinton and Trump impeachments had cheapened the process since neither party is likely to win two-thirds the Senate.
However, he did argue that Republicans could make this worse. “They may not think that he’s doing an excellent job on the border or Afghanistan withdrawal, but that’s typically not considered a high crime or misdemeanor so we may be evolving that system in that sense.”
Baker concluded by saying that he agreed that McCarthy would support impeachment, even if most Republicans oppose it. However, it is a great way to scare MSNBC viewers into voting for Democrats.
BMW sponsored this segment.
Here’s a transcript from the October 27th show:
MSNBC Andrea Mitchell Reports
10/27/2022
12:29 PM ET
LINDSEY REISER : Jonathan, even Republicans were interviewed for this article about the Hunter issue. They said that things got really vague when they were asked about wrongdoing by President Obama.
The article also mentions border security and the withdrawal from Afghanistan. McCarthy is under what pressure to follow through?
JONATHAN LEMIRE: It’s an extraordinary amount. We hear often from Republican House members that if they win back the majority, Marjorie Taylor Greene has said it, and we have heard it from Matt Gaetz.
We need to be clear that there is no evidence linking President Biden with any wrongdoing Hunter Biden may have committed. He has not been charged with any wrongdoing yet. However, this is something that does hang over the White House. I have some reporting this week about their feelings regarding the upcoming midterms. It’s growing anxiety.
Although they believe, even though they publicly say they still have hope, privately the White House and many Democratic allies believe that the House is falling apart. It will be difficult to keep control of the body, and there is a possibility that the Senate could. This is, sort of, a coin flip right at the moment, a true 50-50 toss-up, but all that’s needed is the House.
If Republicans win control of the body of Congress they will be able to subpoena. They will be able to conduct a variety of investigations. This could slow down the White House’s progress.
Republicans could be accused of overreaching, which is a risk. It is possible that the public will turn against them.
REISER: Peter Baker, some parts of this are reminiscent of another White House that you covered. That was the impeachment proceedings against Bill Clinton following Newt Gingrich’s election. Do you see any parallels?
PETER BAKER
So long as your party doesn’t have at least two-thirds of the Senate, the idea that you might convict a president or remove him from office, regardless of the most outrageous, you will find, allegations, is very minimal.
It’s a political tool, a way to attack a president. It’s no longer a tool for accountability, at least not as long as it continues to be used in the current system.
This would, of course, be a way to bring out the truth about President Biden. It could even be a way to expose wrongdoing, if any.
They are talking about the wrong things. Most of the time, they are talking about policy or performance differences and not things that are commonly referred to as high crimes or misdemeanors.
This would make it more of a parliamentary system, where parliament can vote no confidence if they think the leader isn’t doing a great job. They may not think he’s doing a great job on the border or on Afghanistan withdrawal, but that’s not usually considered a high crime or misdemeanor. So we may be evolving this system in that sense.
But I believe Jonathan’s point is correct, which is, you’ll know, a challenge for Kevin McCarthy. He will he agree to the far-right caucus even though most of them might not want to be involved in something like this? While investigations are one thing, impeachment is another. That’s a real test for him and President Biden.
