1 00:00:01,080 --> 00:00:04,280 Speaker 1: The first day of President Trump's impeachment trial has just 2 00:00:04,519 --> 00:00:07,120 Speaker 1: come to a close, and we are joined here by 3 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:09,600 Speaker 1: one of the jurors to help us break it all down. 4 00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 1: This is verdict with Ted Cruz. You may have noticed 5 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:25,079 Speaker 1: that I am not Ted Cruz. I am Michael Knowles. 6 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:28,800 Speaker 1: I am joined here by the man himself, Senator Cruz. Senator. 7 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 1: Busy day, pretty much business as usual. It was a nice, nice, 8 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:37,360 Speaker 1: business as usual thirteen hour day during the first full 9 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:40,280 Speaker 1: day of the impeachment trial. You know, we all know 10 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 1: the arguments we've been hearing about impeachment now since about 11 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:47,879 Speaker 1: five seconds after Trump got elected. Did anything change today 12 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 1: during these debates? You know, I don't think anyone's mind 13 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 1: was changed. I think anyone who came in as a yes, 14 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:56,000 Speaker 1: it is still a yes. Anyone who came in as 15 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:57,640 Speaker 1: a no is still a no. I think that's true 16 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 1: for the hundred senators. But I think that's also true 17 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 1: of the people at home. I mean, we're sitting here 18 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 1: right now, it is two forty two in the morning. 19 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:09,319 Speaker 1: You've come here straight from the hill to this studio 20 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:12,320 Speaker 1: to do a podcast. I'll ask you why maybe in 21 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:15,479 Speaker 1: a little bit, but you're you're coming right on the 22 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:20,160 Speaker 1: heels of this debate, and yet nobody's mind was really changed. Well, 23 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:26,120 Speaker 1: we saw eleven motions from the Democrats, one after the 24 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 1: other after the other. This was all a battle of 25 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:32,399 Speaker 1: pre trial motions. It's sort of the early battles in 26 00:01:32,440 --> 00:01:35,560 Speaker 1: a trial. And the weird thing was those eleven motions. 27 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:38,600 Speaker 1: It was the same thing over and over again. So 28 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 1: I have to admit I expected the first one and 29 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 1: maybe even the second one. I didn't expect them to 30 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 1: keep filing basically the same motion, keep making the same 31 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 1: arguments over and over again. It was like Groundhog Day 32 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:52,240 Speaker 1: that except they'd get up and have a different house 33 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 1: manager stand up and make the same damn arguments. And 34 00:01:57,200 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 1: you saw, like like the senators in the chamber, just 35 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:02,560 Speaker 1: their eyes glazing over. And I'll tell you, Michael, what 36 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:06,240 Speaker 1: was revealing. So when we started at one o'clock, the 37 00:02:06,360 --> 00:02:09,200 Speaker 1: Senate gallery was packed and lots of reporters up. There 38 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:11,959 Speaker 1: were the people sitting there as it went on. Within 39 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:15,400 Speaker 1: a few hours the reporters had cleared, half the reporters 40 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:19,160 Speaker 1: were gone, and by eight nine o'clock at night, the 41 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:22,200 Speaker 1: gallery was empty, like everyone had left and said, Okay, 42 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:24,280 Speaker 1: I don't know what's going on here, but I'm bored 43 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:26,080 Speaker 1: out of my mind. This is what I was wondering 44 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:28,680 Speaker 1: the whole time, because I wasn't really surprised by much 45 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:30,520 Speaker 1: of what was going on. We knew what to expect 46 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:34,160 Speaker 1: other than the time. What are they thinking? I mean, 47 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:37,119 Speaker 1: what is the end game here for these democratic House 48 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:40,560 Speaker 1: impeachment managers? Look that they're trying to drive a message, 49 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:44,200 Speaker 1: but but I'm not sure what's gained by just droning 50 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:48,359 Speaker 1: on over and over and over again. What exactly that 51 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 1: they thought was beneficial about talking at one thirty in 52 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:58,920 Speaker 1: the morning, right who was listening? And you know? It 53 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 1: was interesting? Also, I thought the house managers. Look, I'll 54 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:06,080 Speaker 1: say at the beginning, at the beginning, I thought the 55 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:08,880 Speaker 1: first couple of hours, the house managers were doing a 56 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:13,000 Speaker 1: pretty good job. They sounded more reasonable, They sounded less 57 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:16,720 Speaker 1: partisan than they than they were during during the House proceedings. 58 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:19,520 Speaker 1: It was good political theater. It was that there were 59 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: some good moments. I'm sure MSNBC will be clipping little 60 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 1: segments of it and saying, oh, this was powerful and wonderful. 61 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:31,520 Speaker 1: But then it got number one really redundant. But but 62 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 1: number two, it was striking to see especially Adam Shift 63 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:44,280 Speaker 1: and Nadler just lecturing and and condescending not only to 64 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 1: the senators but to the American people. Right. It was 65 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 1: a harangue by the end of it. It wasn't designed 66 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:53,200 Speaker 1: to convince. Yes, And I want to ask you about 67 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 1: the theatrical side of it, because it seems to me 68 00:03:56,160 --> 00:04:00,320 Speaker 1: there are two theories on impeachment. And on the hand, 69 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 1: you've got guys like Alan Dershowitz, who are on the 70 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:06,560 Speaker 1: president's legal team and actually was a professor of yours 71 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:09,200 Speaker 1: in law school, taught me criminal law. Well, what Professor 72 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 1: Dershowitz has said is that there is a legal requirement 73 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 1: for impeachment, So it's not just all political theater. There 74 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:18,840 Speaker 1: actually is a legal threshold you've got to meet for 75 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 1: an impeachable offense. Then on the other hand, you've got 76 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:25,880 Speaker 1: guys like former President Gerald Ford who said impeachment is 77 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:28,560 Speaker 1: pretty much whatever the Congress says it is, and high 78 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:31,359 Speaker 1: crimes and misdemeanors are however we wanted to find it 79 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:33,960 Speaker 1: at the time. You are not only a senator, you 80 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:37,280 Speaker 1: are a constitutional lawyer, one of the brightest legal minds 81 00:04:37,279 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 1: in the country. Which is it is there a legal 82 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 1: requirement for impeachment. Look, there absolutely is. The Constitution specifies 83 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 1: what's required for impeachment, and the framers, if you look 84 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 1: at the standard, you can impeach a president for treason, bribery, 85 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:57,560 Speaker 1: or other high crimes and misdemeanors. That's what the Constitution specifies. 86 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:00,920 Speaker 1: And if you get to the heart of the problem 87 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:03,680 Speaker 1: with the House Democrats case here, it's that they have 88 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:08,000 Speaker 1: an alleged treason, bribery, or other high crimes or misdemeanors. 89 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:10,320 Speaker 1: That their disagreement we heard a lot of this today, 90 00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:13,440 Speaker 1: is they just don't like the guy. They hate President Trump, 91 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:16,920 Speaker 1: in case anyone miss that point, and they disagree with them. 92 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 1: They disagree with them on foreign policy, they disagree with 93 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:21,600 Speaker 1: them on politics, and you know what, they're entitled to 94 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 1: have that view. That's the beautiful thing about our democratic process. 95 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:29,640 Speaker 1: But disagreeing with someone politically or on policy is not 96 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:34,160 Speaker 1: sufficient grounds to impeach them. You've got to demonstrate treason, 97 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 1: which they haven't alleged. You've got to demonstrate bribery which 98 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:39,919 Speaker 1: they haven't alleged, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. And 99 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:42,240 Speaker 1: it's interesting if you look at so what is a 100 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 1: high crime or misdemeanor. You can actually learn a lot 101 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 1: from the history of the Constitution. When the Constitutional Convention began, 102 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:54,320 Speaker 1: the text of the Constitution just said treason or bribery, 103 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:57,200 Speaker 1: so those are the only two grounds. And then at 104 00:05:57,240 --> 00:05:59,719 Speaker 1: the Convention, George Mason, is one of the more respective 105 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:02,800 Speaker 1: of of the founding fathers, said, look, treason and bribery 106 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:06,279 Speaker 1: are too narrow. We need to be broader. So Mason 107 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 1: proposed adding the word maladministration. So you're just no good 108 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:13,600 Speaker 1: at governing, you're no good at your job of being president. 109 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:16,120 Speaker 1: And he argued, look, there are circumstances we'd want to 110 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 1: impeach a president that are broader, and so let's add this. 111 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:22,200 Speaker 1: And James Madison, who is often referred to as the 112 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:25,080 Speaker 1: father of the Constitution, he stood up and he disagreed. 113 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:27,520 Speaker 1: He said, look, maladministration would be a mistake. What it 114 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:31,360 Speaker 1: would mean is you would have a president impeach any 115 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:34,440 Speaker 1: time the Senate disagrees with him, anytime there's a disagreement 116 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:37,159 Speaker 1: on policy or politics, they'd be impeached. And so it 117 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:42,640 Speaker 1: was Madison who proposed instead of maladministration, other high crimes 118 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:45,640 Speaker 1: and misdemeanors. And that was in turn what was adopted 119 00:06:45,640 --> 00:06:49,640 Speaker 1: in the Constitution. This is why I want your historical 120 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:53,280 Speaker 1: perspective here as well, because we're joking about how absolutely 121 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 1: tedious and boring these impeachment proceedings were. This is an 122 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:00,200 Speaker 1: historic event. This is the third time that we've done 123 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:03,560 Speaker 1: this in American history. You know, we managed to make 124 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:07,040 Speaker 1: it almost eighty years in our country before we impeached 125 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 1: a single president. Then we made it more than a 126 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 1: hundred years after that before threatening to impeach another president. 127 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:17,480 Speaker 1: Now we've impeached two out of the last four. It 128 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:19,960 Speaker 1: seems like this is speeding up. It seems like we're 129 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:22,520 Speaker 1: getting into a situation where the Congress is just going 130 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:24,800 Speaker 1: to throw out presidents that they don't like. Are we 131 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:26,800 Speaker 1: doing this too much? Is this a bad sign for 132 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:29,080 Speaker 1: the country. I think it's very dangerous. I think if 133 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 1: the House Democrats standard this time, if that's what holds 134 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:35,480 Speaker 1: going forward, any time you have a president of one 135 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 1: party in a House of a different party, they're going 136 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:39,920 Speaker 1: to impeach him. We're just going to see this as 137 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:43,320 Speaker 1: a standard tool of political warfare. You know, you look 138 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:46,320 Speaker 1: at the two articles of impeachment the House voted out 139 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:49,840 Speaker 1: neither one of them alleges a crime, right like like 140 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 1: on their face, they don't allege any violation of criminal law. 141 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:56,280 Speaker 1: They don't allege any violation of civil law. Well, if 142 00:07:56,280 --> 00:07:59,160 Speaker 1: you don't allege the law was broken, it's not a 143 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:04,640 Speaker 1: high crime or miss demeanor. And that what was interesting 144 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 1: about today. So this was all about whether to call 145 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:13,040 Speaker 1: additional witnesses. Now, look, the House had seventeen witnesses. They 146 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:16,600 Speaker 1: only called prosecution witnesses. They didn't let the defense call witnesses. 147 00:08:17,120 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 1: But getting here, house managers wanted to call a whole 148 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:23,400 Speaker 1: bunch more witnesses. They wanted to go on a fishing expedition, 149 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:25,840 Speaker 1: right and and sort of And why did they by 150 00:08:25,840 --> 00:08:27,760 Speaker 1: the way, because they were trying to call They called 151 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 1: all these witnesses, and they they heard them out, and 152 00:08:30,760 --> 00:08:33,680 Speaker 1: then they took the impeachment vote. If they wanted more witnesses, 153 00:08:33,679 --> 00:08:36,200 Speaker 1: why didn't they call them before the impeachment vote? Because 154 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:39,000 Speaker 1: they haven't proven the case, right, and they know they 155 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:41,839 Speaker 1: don't have the evidence. You don't rewind, go go back 156 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:44,680 Speaker 1: a month or two. You may remember during the House 157 00:08:44,679 --> 00:08:48,840 Speaker 1: proceedings there was a time when suddenly all the House 158 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:52,720 Speaker 1: Democrats began talking about bribery and I actually do stories 159 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:55,000 Speaker 1: explained why they did it, which is the D Triple C. 160 00:08:55,400 --> 00:09:00,160 Speaker 1: THET Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee did focus grouping in and 161 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:04,480 Speaker 1: pulled it and discovered briberies really bad. People don't like bribery. 162 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 1: They're mad when their president's bribed. And and just about 163 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:14,040 Speaker 1: every House Democrat, like flipping a switch, began saying bribery, bribery, bribery. Well, 164 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:16,280 Speaker 1: you know what, bribery is an impeachable offense. If you 165 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:20,760 Speaker 1: can prove bribery, you got him. But the articles of 166 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:24,200 Speaker 1: impeachment don't allege bribery. Could They considered doing it right, 167 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:28,040 Speaker 1: and then they pulled it back. And that's their problem 168 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:31,120 Speaker 1: right now is they heard that this witness testimony, they 169 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:34,440 Speaker 1: heard all this evidence, and they can't prove their case. 170 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:37,000 Speaker 1: So what they want to do is they want to 171 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 1: try to bring in as many witnesses as they can 172 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:42,960 Speaker 1: and and go phishing try to find something to back 173 00:09:43,040 --> 00:09:46,440 Speaker 1: up their case. What the Senate ended up doing today 174 00:09:46,520 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 1: is we adopted a procedural order, basically a way of proceeding. 175 00:09:51,559 --> 00:09:54,200 Speaker 1: And it is very very similar to what the Senate 176 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:57,360 Speaker 1: did in the Bill Clinton impeachment. Bill Clinton impeachment had 177 00:09:57,360 --> 00:10:01,200 Speaker 1: two phases. Phase one was opening arguments and questions from 178 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:03,760 Speaker 1: senators and there were no witnesses. There were no consideration 179 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 1: of witnesses in phase one. And then after that the 180 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 1: Senate debated and thought about should we have additional witnesses. 181 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:13,199 Speaker 1: They end up calling a few additional witnesses for depositions. 182 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:16,880 Speaker 1: So what we did today, what Senate Republicans did is 183 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:19,880 Speaker 1: took an order very very similar to the Clinton order. 184 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 1: By the way, that order was approved one hundred and nothing. 185 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:27,440 Speaker 1: It was bipartisan, it was unanimous, every Democrat, every Republican, 186 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 1: but Senator that was then. This is now. That was 187 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:33,840 Speaker 1: when it was a democratic president. And now obviously, and 188 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:37,720 Speaker 1: I say this somewhat jokingly, but there is a lot 189 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:40,560 Speaker 1: of hypocrisy that's going around between these two impeachments that 190 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:44,320 Speaker 1: there is massive hypocrisy. Now, look, I will recognize hypocrisy 191 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:46,439 Speaker 1: is a problem on both sides of the islets. It's 192 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:49,719 Speaker 1: not like Democrats have a monopoly on that, but it 193 00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:53,920 Speaker 1: is striking the recency of the hypocrisy. You know, there 194 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:57,600 Speaker 1: was one moment where Pat Zippoloni, the President's White House counsel, 195 00:10:57,720 --> 00:11:00,839 Speaker 1: led the defense team. He quoted from Berry Nadler, who 196 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:04,920 Speaker 1: just a few months ago had said a partisan impeachment 197 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:08,080 Speaker 1: from just one country would never work. It would be 198 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:11,960 Speaker 1: bitter and divisive and rip the country apart from just 199 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:14,200 Speaker 1: one party if you had just one party pushing this, 200 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:17,560 Speaker 1: as the Democrats have in this impeachment. And what's interesting 201 00:11:17,679 --> 00:11:20,720 Speaker 1: is that wasn't Jerry Nadler talking during the Clinton impeachment, 202 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:23,920 Speaker 1: although he said that back then. That was him last year, right, 203 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:27,440 Speaker 1: That was him trying to push back the far left 204 00:11:27,520 --> 00:11:29,840 Speaker 1: in the Democratic Party saying no, no no, no, we can't 205 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:34,719 Speaker 1: impeach this guy because it can't be partisan. Unfortunately, that's 206 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:41,320 Speaker 1: where we are. And I think the way it's going 207 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:45,720 Speaker 1: to work going forward is we're going to have opening arguments. 208 00:11:46,240 --> 00:11:48,560 Speaker 1: It's going to start with the house managers. They got 209 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 1: twenty four hours initially, by the way, our scheduling order 210 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:55,760 Speaker 1: provided for two days, twenty four hours over two days. 211 00:11:56,080 --> 00:11:58,560 Speaker 1: The Democrats were screaming all day, two days is terrible. 212 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:01,120 Speaker 1: We can't possibly do it in two days. You guys 213 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:03,280 Speaker 1: are to cover up trying to give us twenty four 214 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:05,120 Speaker 1: not a trial, it's a cover up. By the way 215 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:08,199 Speaker 1: that Bill Clinton impeachment order twenty four hours exactly that's 216 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:11,199 Speaker 1: an inconvenient fact. But okay, sure, so it's actually one 217 00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:13,760 Speaker 1: of the things actually that the Senate Republicans had, Fine, 218 00:12:13,840 --> 00:12:16,880 Speaker 1: we'll give you three days, so instead of twenty four 219 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:19,000 Speaker 1: hours over two days, twelve hours a day, we'll give 220 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:22,400 Speaker 1: you twenty four hours over three days, eight hours a day. 221 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:25,560 Speaker 1: I really hope that doesn't mean that the next three 222 00:12:25,640 --> 00:12:27,760 Speaker 1: days we're going to listen to eight hours of them 223 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:31,040 Speaker 1: repeating the same arguments. Yet, it was interesting today this 224 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:34,640 Speaker 1: was supposed to be fighting over pre trial witnesses, but 225 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:37,599 Speaker 1: the Democrats basically gave their opening arguments. Yes, and that 226 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:41,600 Speaker 1: actually was somewhat unexpected. Right out the bat Adam Schiff 227 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:45,040 Speaker 1: seemed to be making the argument on impeachment, not on 228 00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:47,679 Speaker 1: these questions of whether they're going to call John Bolton 229 00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:50,680 Speaker 1: or some other relevant witness. Well, and I think that's 230 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:54,160 Speaker 1: actually what House Democrats did most effectively today for the 231 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:57,920 Speaker 1: first several hours, is they told their story. They treated 232 00:12:57,960 --> 00:13:00,800 Speaker 1: this pre trial fight as an open argument. They were 233 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:02,640 Speaker 1: talking to the American people. I thought the first couple 234 00:13:02,679 --> 00:13:05,320 Speaker 1: of hours they're pretty effective. And then it just started 235 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:09,800 Speaker 1: getting They just started repeating it and getting angrier and 236 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:13,120 Speaker 1: angrier as the day went on. You know, as I 237 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:15,240 Speaker 1: look at the White House defense team, I think they've 238 00:13:15,240 --> 00:13:17,160 Speaker 1: got some very talented lawyers. I think they made some 239 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:20,120 Speaker 1: good arguments today, but I also think they got two 240 00:13:20,160 --> 00:13:24,680 Speaker 1: mired down in process, that there was too much being 241 00:13:24,760 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 1: lawyers and making lawyerly arguments. And what I hope we 242 00:13:29,559 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 1: see in the days to come from from from the 243 00:13:31,559 --> 00:13:34,520 Speaker 1: President's defense team is number one, that they get more 244 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:37,840 Speaker 1: into the substantive arguments, not just the process, not just 245 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:43,000 Speaker 1: the minutia, but the fundamental substantive argument that this was 246 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:45,560 Speaker 1: not this was not a high crime or misdemeanor, that 247 00:13:45,679 --> 00:13:48,480 Speaker 1: it is always within a president's authority and a government's 248 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:52,640 Speaker 1: authority to investigate corruption, and I mean to address the 249 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:56,600 Speaker 1: substance and also to tell a story that's something. Look, 250 00:13:56,679 --> 00:14:00,240 Speaker 1: you could see the Democrats of trial lawyers their telen 251 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:02,640 Speaker 1: stories not just to the hundred senators in the room 252 00:14:02,760 --> 00:14:06,320 Speaker 1: right but to the folks at home watching. I think 253 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:10,960 Speaker 1: we need to do a better job telling a story 254 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:14,720 Speaker 1: as well. And it's especially needed because the President hasn't 255 00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:17,839 Speaker 1: had a chance to tell his story. The whole House 256 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:21,640 Speaker 1: proceeding they shut down the minority didn't allow minority witnesses, 257 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:25,320 Speaker 1: so we need to tell the basic narrative. That's what 258 00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:28,000 Speaker 1: the President needs to tell. I think that's what the 259 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:31,800 Speaker 1: Senate needs to tell is focus on the facts and substance, 260 00:14:31,880 --> 00:14:33,880 Speaker 1: not a lot of rhetoric, not a lot of anger 261 00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:36,200 Speaker 1: and emotion. I want to ask you about a specific 262 00:14:36,280 --> 00:14:40,280 Speaker 1: story that Congressman Adam Schiff, one of the House impeachment managers, 263 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:43,080 Speaker 1: was telling today, really because I think most people have 264 00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:47,040 Speaker 1: no expertise on it at all, including myself. Adam Schiff 265 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:50,280 Speaker 1: seemed to suggest that there is pretty much no role 266 00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:54,080 Speaker 1: for the judiciary in impeachment proceedings. He said, we got 267 00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:55,200 Speaker 1: to get the courts out of it, we got to 268 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:56,720 Speaker 1: get the judges out of it. And I thought it 269 00:14:56,760 --> 00:15:00,000 Speaker 1: was a very odd thing to say while Chief Justice 270 00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:04,600 Speaker 1: John Roberts was presiding over the impeachment as per the Constitution. 271 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:07,200 Speaker 1: Did shift just get it wrong? I mean, what is 272 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:09,840 Speaker 1: the what is the balance of power here is? So look, 273 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:12,520 Speaker 1: if you look at the role of impeachment, impeachment itself 274 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 1: is a combination of the two branches. If you look 275 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:19,720 Speaker 1: in the Federalist Papers, Alexander Hamilton writes from the Federalist 276 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:23,040 Speaker 1: Papers about how the Framers struggled with to whom to 277 00:15:23,160 --> 00:15:27,800 Speaker 1: give trying impeachment, and they wanted a body that was independent. 278 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:31,040 Speaker 1: They wanted a body that had credibility, and they chose 279 00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:33,240 Speaker 1: the Senate. They considered the Supreme Court. So they were there, 280 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:36,000 Speaker 1: they considered, maybe we should have the Supreme Court try impeachment. 281 00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:38,560 Speaker 1: They said, now let's give it to the Senate, but 282 00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:40,640 Speaker 1: let's make the Chief Justice preside. And so it was 283 00:15:40,680 --> 00:15:43,800 Speaker 1: sort of a hybrid of the two if you look 284 00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:46,760 Speaker 1: at privilege questions, So all of the debate about witnesses 285 00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:50,160 Speaker 1: comes right down to privilege and an executive privilege. Executive 286 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:53,440 Speaker 1: privilege is something every president has had. It's it's it's 287 00:15:53,480 --> 00:15:57,360 Speaker 1: the ability to have your closest advisors, your national security advisor, 288 00:15:57,440 --> 00:16:01,760 Speaker 1: give you candid advice without being hauled into Congress and 289 00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:06,680 Speaker 1: put on national television. Now asserting privilege. Look, we're all 290 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:09,480 Speaker 1: familiar with attorney client privilege. You talk to your lawyer. 291 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:11,440 Speaker 1: Your lawyer can't be brought in and put in the 292 00:16:11,440 --> 00:16:13,840 Speaker 1: stand as a general matter, to tell them what to 293 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:17,160 Speaker 1: tell everyone what you said to your lawyer. Their spousal privilege. 294 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:19,880 Speaker 1: You know, you tell your wife or your husband something 295 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:22,800 Speaker 1: at night that they can't force your wife to come 296 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:25,400 Speaker 1: into court and testify against you. Now, they're exceptions to it, 297 00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:31,600 Speaker 1: but privileges are commonplace, and courts routinely litigate privileges. Those 298 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:35,440 Speaker 1: are those are questions courts are used to considering. In 299 00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:39,560 Speaker 1: this case, the House Democrats, frankly, I think are playing games, 300 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:42,440 Speaker 1: and the best way to understand it is look at 301 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:45,040 Speaker 1: John Bolton. A lot of the argument today was about 302 00:16:45,120 --> 00:16:47,800 Speaker 1: John Bolton, john Bolton's national security advisor to the President. 303 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 1: So House Democrats said, we want John Bolton to testify. 304 00:16:52,480 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 1: And John Bolton did something very interesting and I think 305 00:16:54,720 --> 00:16:59,600 Speaker 1: very clever. John Bolton's lawyer went to a federal court 306 00:16:59,640 --> 00:17:03,880 Speaker 1: in DC and filed a pleading that said, Judge, my 307 00:17:04,119 --> 00:17:09,240 Speaker 1: client has two conflicting obligations. House Democrats have asked him 308 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:13,240 Speaker 1: to become testify, but the White House has asserted executive privileges, 309 00:17:13,280 --> 00:17:16,600 Speaker 1: said he can't testify. And John Bolton's lawyer said, look, 310 00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:18,840 Speaker 1: my client doesn't know what to do, so your honor, 311 00:17:19,200 --> 00:17:21,880 Speaker 1: he'll do whatever you tell him to do. We put 312 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:25,480 Speaker 1: ourself at the mercy of the court. You, judge, tell 313 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:30,159 Speaker 1: John Bolton what he should do. The next step is remarkable. 314 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:34,160 Speaker 1: You know what the House Democrats did they said, never mind. 315 00:17:35,160 --> 00:17:38,640 Speaker 1: They literally backed off. So there was another guy, Charles Cooperman, 316 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:41,680 Speaker 1: who was John Bolton's deputy, who they'd issued a subpoena for. 317 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:45,000 Speaker 1: They withdrew the subpoena from Cooperman, and they told the 318 00:17:45,040 --> 00:17:47,520 Speaker 1: court we're not going to subpoena John Bolt. Never mind. 319 00:17:47,560 --> 00:17:49,040 Speaker 1: We're not going to call him as a witness, we're 320 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:51,120 Speaker 1: not going to subpoena him, we're not going to fight him. 321 00:17:51,840 --> 00:17:53,320 Speaker 1: And then they get to the sentence. The first thing 322 00:17:53,359 --> 00:17:55,119 Speaker 1: they want to do a subpoena John Bolt, and they 323 00:17:55,240 --> 00:18:00,159 Speaker 1: literally passed on it in the house. Contrast that to 324 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:03,560 Speaker 1: the impeachment of Richard Nixon. Now Nixon ultimately resigned, but 325 00:18:03,600 --> 00:18:06,520 Speaker 1: if you remember, there was a lot of litigation concerning 326 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:09,959 Speaker 1: Nixon and you had a grand jury subpoena for the 327 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:12,639 Speaker 1: White House tapes, remember the Oval office. Dixon had a 328 00:18:12,680 --> 00:18:15,600 Speaker 1: tape tape recording system. Bad idea, but he did it, 329 00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:18,520 Speaker 1: very bad idea. By the way, as an aside, I 330 00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:21,119 Speaker 1: don't understand all the people who have ALEXA in their house, like, like, 331 00:18:21,359 --> 00:18:24,080 Speaker 1: why exactly you want to bring a tape recorder into 332 00:18:24,080 --> 00:18:26,400 Speaker 1: your home twenty four hours a day. We're just matockists 333 00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:29,040 Speaker 1: glutton for a bunny. You know, it really would be 334 00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:32,480 Speaker 1: different if they renamed Alexa like like Tricky Dick. People 335 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:35,200 Speaker 1: would be much much more nervous about it. Okay, set 336 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:39,240 Speaker 1: that aside. In that case, the litigation went all the 337 00:18:39,280 --> 00:18:42,080 Speaker 1: way to the US Supreme Court, and the Supreme Court 338 00:18:42,119 --> 00:18:45,080 Speaker 1: issued an order to the White House hand over the tape, 339 00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:49,160 Speaker 1: and it was I think two days later Richard Nixon resigns. Right, 340 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:51,720 Speaker 1: that's actually the right way to do it. Look, if 341 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:55,399 Speaker 1: the House Democrats wanted to get John Bolton's testimony, they 342 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:57,520 Speaker 1: should have subpoenaed him, and they should have fought for it. 343 00:18:57,560 --> 00:19:00,520 Speaker 1: And and the claims of privilege are real, they're serious. 344 00:19:00,560 --> 00:19:03,280 Speaker 1: You don't laugh about them and dismiss them. You fight 345 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:05,639 Speaker 1: about them and litigate them and resolve them. And that 346 00:19:05,680 --> 00:19:08,920 Speaker 1: can be done relatively quickly. As we saw with Nixon 347 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:12,719 Speaker 1: in this case, they're not interested in that. This is 348 00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 1: ultimately about a political attack on the president more than 349 00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:18,920 Speaker 1: anything else. Well, what I want to know is what 350 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:21,919 Speaker 1: lunch was like today in the Senate dining hall. But 351 00:19:22,040 --> 00:19:26,960 Speaker 1: by that I mean is the Senate taking this seriously 352 00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:29,840 Speaker 1: or does everyone Everyone's just made up their mind and 353 00:19:29,840 --> 00:19:34,480 Speaker 1: they're dragging it out because I don't know. You tell me, Well, look, 354 00:19:34,520 --> 00:19:36,159 Speaker 1: number one, when we have lunch in the Senate, we 355 00:19:36,200 --> 00:19:39,720 Speaker 1: don't have lunch together. All the Republicans have lunch together, 356 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:41,199 Speaker 1: all the Democrats. I mean, it's sort of like the 357 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:45,040 Speaker 1: Crypts of the Bloods. I mean it is. It is 358 00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:49,800 Speaker 1: a much geekier, much older version cool. I don't know, 359 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:54,919 Speaker 1: very yeah, danger um. You know, bill cream is a 360 00:19:54,960 --> 00:20:01,200 Speaker 1: really popular product. It's and that's true every day in 361 00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:04,119 Speaker 1: the Senate. But the way it's working now during impeachment, 362 00:20:04,160 --> 00:20:06,720 Speaker 1: we're starting every day at one pm under the Senate rules, 363 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:09,560 Speaker 1: that's when the trial starts, right, So the Republicans were 364 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:13,400 Speaker 1: having lunch meeting eleven thirty or noon each day. So 365 00:20:13,440 --> 00:20:15,240 Speaker 1: we went and had lunch, and we're having a vigorous 366 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:19,520 Speaker 1: discussion about about the upcoming trial. And it's actually where 367 00:20:20,720 --> 00:20:23,840 Speaker 1: so Mitch McConnell had drafted I mentioned earlier, had drafted 368 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:27,080 Speaker 1: that each side we get twenty four hours over two days. 369 00:20:27,119 --> 00:20:29,840 Speaker 1: And the Democrats had been screaming that was a massive 370 00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:32,200 Speaker 1: cover up, but it was actually Republican senators. They said, 371 00:20:32,200 --> 00:20:34,400 Speaker 1: you know what, if they want an extra day, give 372 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:36,320 Speaker 1: them an extra day. Save twenty four hours. But if 373 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:38,600 Speaker 1: they want three days instead of two, finally, let them 374 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:40,199 Speaker 1: not the end of the world. I thought that was 375 00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:41,960 Speaker 1: a very I agreed with that. I thought that was 376 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:44,960 Speaker 1: a reasonable thing to do. And of course it didn't 377 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:47,080 Speaker 1: stop the complaining at all. You give them, give them 378 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:49,159 Speaker 1: what they want, and they still say it's a massive 379 00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:51,119 Speaker 1: cover of it. But but that was most of the 380 00:20:51,119 --> 00:20:57,399 Speaker 1: discussion actually at lunch today. Going forward, so we're going 381 00:20:57,480 --> 00:21:00,800 Speaker 1: to have opening arguments from the House three days, opening 382 00:21:00,880 --> 00:21:04,400 Speaker 1: arguments from the White House three days, although I guarantee 383 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:05,760 Speaker 1: you they're not going to go three days. I think 384 00:21:05,760 --> 00:21:09,240 Speaker 1: they will be much shorter than that. We've then got 385 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:14,240 Speaker 1: sixteen hours of questions from senators, and the questions are 386 00:21:14,280 --> 00:21:17,520 Speaker 1: a little bit weird. It's not going to be individual 387 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:20,000 Speaker 1: senators asking questions. As much as I would love to 388 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:22,399 Speaker 1: cross examine these House managers, and I promise you I 389 00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:24,800 Speaker 1: would love love to go out. I'd be looking forward 390 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:28,120 Speaker 1: to it, Senate rules don't allow it. So our questions 391 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:29,760 Speaker 1: have to be written. I got to write them down 392 00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:32,680 Speaker 1: and then the Chief Justice asks them. And it's sixteen 393 00:21:32,720 --> 00:21:37,000 Speaker 1: hours and it alternates typically Democrat Republican, Democrat Republican, So, 394 00:21:37,040 --> 00:21:39,000 Speaker 1: by the way, anyone listen to this, let me let 395 00:21:39,040 --> 00:21:41,680 Speaker 1: me say, if you have a question that you think 396 00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:43,399 Speaker 1: needs to be asked, needs to be asked to the 397 00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:45,120 Speaker 1: house managers, or needs to be asked to the White 398 00:21:45,160 --> 00:21:49,560 Speaker 1: House team, use Twitter. I'm at Ted Cruz and and 399 00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:51,760 Speaker 1: just use the hashtag verdict, and we're going to be 400 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:55,160 Speaker 1: watching Twitter to get from you. I have to say, 401 00:21:55,200 --> 00:21:58,199 Speaker 1: as as absolutely tedious as the hearings were today, I 402 00:21:58,280 --> 00:22:00,879 Speaker 1: was so excited to wait three in the morning to 403 00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:03,719 Speaker 1: come here because it is not possible to get closer. 404 00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:05,160 Speaker 1: You really need to get more. I need to get 405 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:08,960 Speaker 1: I need a hobby, I need It's really not possible 406 00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:12,720 Speaker 1: to get closer to this impeachment trial than you. I mean, 407 00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:15,679 Speaker 1: then one of the jurors, who is there, who is 408 00:22:15,760 --> 00:22:18,600 Speaker 1: enduring all of these these tedious arguments all the time, 409 00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:21,560 Speaker 1: and who's seeing this truly historical event happen. What I 410 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:23,600 Speaker 1: want to ask you, though, is you put in a 411 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:27,280 Speaker 1: thirteen hour work day, not exactly probably the most pleasant 412 00:22:27,359 --> 00:22:29,479 Speaker 1: day you've had in the Senate, and then you decide 413 00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:33,400 Speaker 1: to come immediately here to this studio and do this podcast. 414 00:22:34,320 --> 00:22:37,160 Speaker 1: What are you thinking? Why on earth are you doing that? Look, 415 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 1: substance matters. This is a time where our country is divided, 416 00:22:42,760 --> 00:22:45,840 Speaker 1: I mean is angry. I mean we see emotion, we 417 00:22:45,880 --> 00:22:49,119 Speaker 1: see bitter anger. I think truth and substance matters. I 418 00:22:49,119 --> 00:22:52,439 Speaker 1: think facts matter. I think the Constitution matters. And so 419 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:55,680 Speaker 1: this podcast during impeachment, we're going to do it each 420 00:22:55,800 --> 00:22:58,040 Speaker 1: night coming and just just just talking about what happened. 421 00:22:58,040 --> 00:23:01,280 Speaker 1: Then we will be covering this every single night as 422 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:03,600 Speaker 1: the impeachment trial unfolds, and then of course there will 423 00:23:03,640 --> 00:23:05,320 Speaker 1: be a whole lot more to talk about as well. 424 00:23:05,440 --> 00:23:08,760 Speaker 1: But but on issues going forward. You know, if you 425 00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:11,960 Speaker 1: turn on cable TV, you get people in five six 426 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:14,399 Speaker 1: minutes snippets they're yelling at each other, that are engaged 427 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:16,840 Speaker 1: in just political rhetoric. We need to be talking to 428 00:23:16,920 --> 00:23:18,800 Speaker 1: actual you know, when you asked me about high crimes 429 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:21,800 Speaker 1: and misdemeanors, I could just say this isn't it Why 430 00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:23,560 Speaker 1: because my party is the one in the White House. 431 00:23:23,560 --> 00:23:26,119 Speaker 1: Well that's not the right answer. Let's actually talk about 432 00:23:26,119 --> 00:23:29,600 Speaker 1: what the constitutional standard is. And that's true on issue 433 00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:33,200 Speaker 1: after issue, whether it's it's it's it's free enterprise versus socialism, 434 00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:37,119 Speaker 1: whether it's it's it's it's it's gun control versus the 435 00:23:37,160 --> 00:23:41,400 Speaker 1: Second Amendment, every issue. I think we need to engage more. 436 00:23:41,480 --> 00:23:44,720 Speaker 1: We need to win people's hearts and minds, and so 437 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:47,600 Speaker 1: what I hope to do is have have conversations really 438 00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:51,360 Speaker 1: talking about issues that matter, and that's what this podcast 439 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:54,320 Speaker 1: is all about. Right. They don't necessarily get a hearing 440 00:23:54,480 --> 00:23:57,199 Speaker 1: on TV. Unfortunately, they often don't get much of a 441 00:23:57,240 --> 00:23:59,679 Speaker 1: hearing in the Senate. But we're hoping to flesh that 442 00:23:59,680 --> 00:24:01,439 Speaker 1: out here year, and we'll be able to speak, of 443 00:24:01,440 --> 00:24:04,040 Speaker 1: course to all of the listeners. So definitely they should 444 00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:06,399 Speaker 1: send those questions, and would also be great, of course 445 00:24:06,760 --> 00:24:10,280 Speaker 1: if all of the listeners could subscribe to Verdict with 446 00:24:10,320 --> 00:24:14,400 Speaker 1: Ted Cruz and leave a five star review. You know. Unfortunately, 447 00:24:14,600 --> 00:24:17,640 Speaker 1: I was just getting excited for us to get into 448 00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:21,000 Speaker 1: the really important public policy matters like mexit. You know, 449 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:23,760 Speaker 1: Megan Markle and Prince Harry, we're going to touch on 450 00:24:23,800 --> 00:24:25,760 Speaker 1: things that matter. But we've run out of time and 451 00:24:25,800 --> 00:24:28,200 Speaker 1: you need to get back to the Hill and get 452 00:24:28,200 --> 00:24:29,920 Speaker 1: back to the Senate with an I don't know, three 453 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:32,600 Speaker 1: or four hours or something like that. It's to tomorrow 454 00:24:32,680 --> 00:24:36,639 Speaker 1: one o'clock. Presumably we start with opening arguments, although I 455 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:39,040 Speaker 1: don't know if we will see house managers try to 456 00:24:39,840 --> 00:24:42,040 Speaker 1: do more delay tech, because I hope not. I hope 457 00:24:42,040 --> 00:24:44,600 Speaker 1: they actually dive in into the Barretts. And I'm looking 458 00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:48,199 Speaker 1: forward to the President's defense team having a chance to 459 00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:50,960 Speaker 1: lay out the subsident merits they need to get into 460 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:52,800 Speaker 1: that more. I think it's important for the American people 461 00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:54,679 Speaker 1: to hear it, and we haven't seen it yet, and 462 00:24:54,720 --> 00:24:58,160 Speaker 1: maybe we'll see it tomorrow. And certainly whatever happens tomorrow, 463 00:24:58,200 --> 00:25:00,679 Speaker 1: and all we can expect is the unc expected. We 464 00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:03,880 Speaker 1: will be right back here breaking it down with as 465 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:06,800 Speaker 1: inside a review as you can possibly get. On the Senate, 466 00:25:06,840 --> 00:25:09,720 Speaker 1: on the impeachment trial, and of course on the Constitution. 467 00:25:10,119 --> 00:25:12,439 Speaker 1: Be sure to tune back tomorrow. I'm Michael Knowles. This 468 00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:14,199 Speaker 1: is verdict with Ted Cruz.