A Senate trial will be a farce...

[kentuck]

If the Republicans and Donald Trump do not come up with a better defense than they have offered thus far.

They will not be permitted to stray off into character attacks and rumors and conspiracy theories. They will have to stick with the facts.

At this time, that looks like an impossibility.

They have no facts on their side. All they have is Donald Trump's lies and bullshit. That is not a very good defense in a trial.

This impeachment is coming upon them very quickly. They had better get their stuff together soon or they will come across as a bunch of whiny diaper babies, who can do nothing but pout and cry.

It will be a real task for Chief Justice John Roberts to try and maintain any decorum. All of America will be watching.

[First Speaker]

1. Roberts cannot be trusted...

...his supposed desire to keep the Court free of politics is a pose. When the shit hits the fan, he'll be a reliable GOP enabler...

[Polybius]

6. He's a figure head at the trial

Rehnquist was way to the right of him and he did nothing to Clinton in 1998.

[redstateblues]

2. Did anyone think it wouldn't be a farce?

[Kablooie]

3. It's going to be a shit show.

It will be glaringly obvious that Trump has abused the presidency and decreased the security of the United States for his own gain.
Republicans will hear this, fret a bit, and still vote for him to continue doing exactly the same which he will do with extra gusto, since the Senate approval gives him nearly total freedom to abuse his office.

Once the next devastating terrorist attack occurs and the economy collapses, they will blame Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff and their voters will believe it 100%.

Our only real hope is that enough voters who can see the truth will turn out to vote.
If they don't the future will be dark for sure.

[abqtommy]

4. I'm willing to take a wait-and-see attitude since there are some various factors to consider.

One factor is the on-going strategy of Nancy Pelosi and othe Democratic leaders. They've been doing pretty good/damned good so far. Another factor is that tRUMP's third brain cell may kick in and he'll save a lot of time and trouble by resigning. Still another factor is that public opinion may convince
the Senate reTHUGS that they better vote to impeach if a Senate trial is established. Feel free to add other factors if they occur to anyone.

[crickets]

5. It's a long shot, but I agree that enough in the Senate

may come to their senses to vote to convict, depending on just how bad the public hearings are.

I have come to believe that the 'vote in secret and he'd be convicted' idea is a trap, a trial balloon for trickery. The anonymous whispers claim a near sure thing, but secrecy would give them all cover to vote away Trump's crimes without being held accountable. I do not trust it.

A lot can change once the proceedings are being televised. If Schiff & co can keep a tight but fair reign on the proceedings, it could get really bumpy, really quickly for Trump. And the fallout for Rudy and Barr, whee!

I'm on the 'wait-and-see' fence, too. We'll see.