What Went Down On Day 1 Of The Impeachment Hearings

In response to Galen – I think part of the challenge here is the many possible purposes of this hearing. Who are they trying to persuade? Who is the audience? Is this about reaching public opinion? Establishing a media narrative? Creating legitimacy for the process itself?

Goldman, the counsel, is lingering over Sondland’s use of “stalemate” with Taylor as a euphemism for quid pro quo. Even though Sondland explicitly said Trump said there was no quid pro quo, he goes on to describe one and Taylor seems to have understood it as such.

Thinking about what these hearings are normally like without staff questions — so much more grandstanding, way fewer questions. It’s nice to get the back-and-forth.