DU:GD Question (with bonus feature)

[H2O Man]

We know that Donald Trump believes himself to be a significant person in American history. And he will soon be faced with a choice that will cement his place in our nation's history. Which of the two options do you think he will pick? (There is no “wrong” answer, as this is merely opinion at this point in time.)

Will Trump prefer to be:

A. the first US president to be impeached and convicted? Or ….

B. The second president to resign in disgrace before being impeached and convicted?



Added bonus feature: Jim Morrison send a message to republicans from beyond:

[lunatica]

1. There is a third choice but he's still ruminating about it.

I don’t know what it is but he'll claim it’s the first ever in the history of the world. Or maybe even the Universe. Or Creation.

[meadowlander]

2. He'll fake a stroke a resign in self-pitying indignation at all the "nasty" people picking on him.

Then he can be the first US president "hounded out of office despite a minor illness". Nobody in the entire history of the world will have ever been treated as unfairly as he has.

Then he'll quietly move somewhere with no extradition treaty and spend the rest of his life tweeting conspiracy theories.

[eleny]

3. A third choice - Impeachment without conviction because that's what will happen

He can't leave and be sent up the river. And the Rs can't convict and have the first ever president both impeached and removed be a Republican. I'm convinced that they can't convict and that Trump is cunning enough to understand the situation.

Beyond the historical and political significance, Mitch is still hoping to squeeze one more uber conservative ass on the SCOTUS. Every day that passes gives him hope. After all, his only mission is to get conservatives onto the Federal courts around the country including the Supreme. Given that Pence's position in this mess remains unclear I'm sticking with my theory for now.

[Hortensis]

12. THIS. Refusing to convict, and thus continuing to hold the WH,

is the kind of ruthless action that will always draw more admiration than losing through taking a principled stand. People are drawn to winners, and especially authoritarian follower types. These Repubs are committed to power, not principle, and will not let themselves be seen as losers.

Of course, who knows what could happen. They're dirty as hell. Perhaps it will turn into a route, with every man for himself.

[eleny]

14. Dems can still do well next year when they hammer all this in their speeches and debates

But the admiration you speak of rings so true. Disgusting but true.

[Hortensis]

17. Oh, for sure. The Repubs have been losing support

for a long time now, and that's accelerating and hopefully will continue to through the trial and beyond.

[Panich52]

24. I mostly agree but for one point...

Trump isn't the one who had the desire & plan to pack the courts, it's Moscow Mitch's. (Tho getting a 3rd on SCOTUS would be a major bragging point for the #MegalomaniacInChief

[eleny]

25. Well, they have to dance a tango together until the Dems stop the music

[Wellstone ruled]

4. Won't be pretty,

he will claim he got a Golden Parachute Deal and a Get out of Jail Free Card.

[FakeNoose]

5. It all depends on Moscow Mitch and the Repukes

Moscow Mitch will tell him whether he can beat the impeachment vote or not. Same with Nixon - the only reason he resigned is the Repukes told him there was no way he could beat it.

[NightWatcher]

6. I read where some Senators would prefer a secret jury.

I think they'd let him go down if they could have some deniability for the base. Or the truth may be soooo bad that they'd convict and worry about covering their own asses

[FakeNoose]

11. Yep I can totally see that happening

The Repukes don't really want to drag this out, because they all took Russian money from the NRA. Some of them are guilty of a lot more than that. Even if they "saved" Chump, they'd all go down in the next election.

[Hortensis]

19. If the Repubs agreed to a deal, allowing Trump to resign,

don't you think they would require letting Pence succeed to the presidency (i.e., Dems backing off action against him) as part of it? Nixon's WH stayed in Republican hands.

[FakeNoose]

20. It seems likely

... however Pence would be a total lame duck for about a year. He'd never win re-election on his own. Whoever does run for the GOP won't stand a chance of winning.

The next administration will be the good guys - finally!

[Hortensis]

23. Agree, seems a reasonable picture. As long as the Republicans

felt the less risky course was to throw Trump under the bus. Ultimately, this has to be about 2020 for both parties.

[leftstreet]

7. Has there ever been a suicide in the Oval Office?

meh, probably not

[coeur_de_lion]

26. If only he would

But he's too f-ing selfish.

He'll want to die though, by the time Schiff Nadler and Pelosi are done with him.

[malaise]

8. B

and if it's not A or B, it's a jump from the Con Tower in New York.
He's finished

[librechik]

9. Republicans will never let Trump stand trial.That would mean a deposition. And all of them fear

what he could say or do. No idea what they will do to stop all the evidence and testimony that would come out at trial (Democrats get a say, too.) But an impeachment trial is not happening no matter what.

[Claritie Pixie]

18. Turtleman says if the House impeaches, the Senate will have a trial.

He said said he would have no choice.

[Hortensis]

22. Are you sure Trump would have to be deposed under oath?

The Constitution's directions are extremely basic, and the senate determines the trial procedures that will be followed. A senate trial can be more like corrupt frontier justice than the real thing, wild and woolly.

I went and found this article, which points out, in effect, that Moscow Mitch could use it, for instance, to put Biden on trial, a "he needed shooting defense" for Trump.

Do Democrats realize McConnell would call the shots in a Senate impeachment trial?

For example, there is no provision that the federal rules of evidence or criminal procedure be employed. Thus, the federal prohibition against hearsay evidence need not be adhered to if the Senate chooses to disregard it. ... In other words, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), not Roberts, would be the de facto presiding officer if he so chooses....

The Republican base will also likely be whipped into a frenzy by the president’s media defenders to look into the Bidens’ alleged misdeeds. This type of defense probably wouldn’t be permitted in a regular criminal trial, but why would McConnell stand meekly to one side when the chance to effectively put the former vice president on trial presented itself? ...

An aggressive McConnell, however, backed by a Senate majority, could vote to hear that (hearsay) evidence, opening the door to a parade of administration officials who would deny that the president ever told them to do anything illegal, all while Republicans refuse to call the president himself to the stand. ...

Unless the material unearthed by the House is so damaging as to cause mass Republican defections, everything we know about Republican voters is that they will want their team to back the president to the hilt. Everything we know about McConnell suggests he is a shrewd partisan operator who will not defy the president and the party’s base; instead, he will likely do everything in his power to embarrass, harass and defeat the Democrats. ...

The Senate trial of President Bill Clinton was a sedate affair even though Republicans controlled the Senate, because of Clinton’s sky-high approval ratings and Republican midterm losses. The Republican leadership rightly concluded that a long, bitter trial would only hurt the party. That’s not what’s going to happen in this election-year trial when members of the party base feel they themselves are on trial. Expect any Senate trial to be an explosive, highly partisan and bitter affair.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/09/25/democrats-beware-republicans-would-make-rules-senate-impeachment-trial/

Our leaders and experts know all this and will come armed. But the biggest stakes here are who ultimately controls our nation, not whether Trump is replaced by Pence -- unless Pence's succession is also on the line, and the trial will be conducted as a giant GOTV event.

[mercuryblues]

10. The shart of the deal

Will try to cut a deal. He will squeal on his cabinet and aides if NY does not go after him when he is out of office. he will then announce he won't run for re-election, because with all of his money, he doesn't need to be president.

[NRaleighLiberal]

13. C. Lock Him Up!

[ooky]

15. He will be impeached, and claim that the

"Deep State" did it to him because "they were out to get him", even though "he did nothing wrong". He will also claim that the Senate "found him innocent of all charges". Throughout the process he will refer to his impeachment as "a fake impeachment". And his cult will believe all this horseshit.

[Claritie Pixie]

16. Well he always wants to be #1! So I pick A.

Once convicted he can't be pardoned. First president to be jailed too.

So much winning!

[MuseRider]

21. Ahh man thanks for the Jim Morrison!

I loved that guy but was too young to ever get to see him.

Trump? Whatever he does it will be the best, there is nothing else for Trump. Maybe he will split up the R's and make his own party? It will be the best anyone has ever seen. I cannot see him just resigning. There will have to be some grand reason for it that he will shop out for a while. Poor fella, nobody has ever been treated like this. He has not seen bad treatment yet. He is not going to be a happy boy for much longer.

Hard to tell what he will do. I just want to see him humiliated for what he has done and I do not think that will ever happen with this guy. That narcissism runs deep and constant with him. He will play Jesus if hauled to jail while the world laughs. I don't think he will ever not be the greatest in his own mind, I think he is that far gone.

[coeur_de_lion]

27. Most likely A

But with this lunatic nearly anything is possible including blowing up the White House as he walks out the back door.

If he can find a face saving way to exit he will but . . . what he considers saving face and what we consider saving face are vastly different.

Someone else on this thread said it won't be pretty and I am positive that whatever the final outcome, the events leading up to it will be hair raising.

BUCKLE UP!

[TidalWave46]

28. I'm going to go with A.

It will hold a very sizable fan base together for him. He really likes liddle’ people praising him. Trump will be the image the Deep Staters salute. He will become like a God to them.

[H2O Man]

29. The Grand Prize

for Best Answer has yet to be given. Get your answers in soon!