What Went Down On Day 1 Of The Impeachment Hearings

Taylor is obviously Democrats’ star witness here, and I think he’s done a good job of making a complicated story come to life. I will be very interested, though, to see how he responds to Republicans’ questioning (and how they approach him strategically). What will they do to try to poke holes in his testimony, and will he be able to deflect their attacks while remaining cool and self-possessed?

By the way, regarding our earlier convo about the news media’s need for new information in these hearings … I sorta think, based on the way the news cycle works, that the new Taylor revelation about his staff member’s story about a Trump-Sondland call is enough to lend everything new and extra weight. Like, is there any doubt we’ll have big headlines in tomorrow’s papers about the substance of the hearings? And that local news will be hitting this tonight?

And yet, Perry, the president has used that disclosure as a key part of his defense. He has rather effectively made the case, to his supporters at least, that he could not have done anything wrong since he released the transcript. If it’s out in the open, can there be anything in it worth hiding?