My understanding is that throughout the Watergate Scandal, the American public had grown tired of the whole thing and was largely opposed to impeachment. It was the Saturday Night Massacre and the revelation of the Smoking Gun tape that had changed everyone's mind, not showing a pattern of criminal behavior.

Of course, it's insipid. That's why I'm gobsmacked that you think logic will convince people who are acting on emotion and tribalism. This is a draft-dodging President who attacks former POWs, insults Gold Star families, raids military budgets for a useless wall, and yet his supporters claim his the most patriotic President in history because he dryhumps a flag. Sure, let's convince them by showing a complex pattern of criminal behavior.

NRA doing what they can to block any progressive gun laws... figures.

Still, the fallout continues... Trump's supporters are bailing. Trump’s Envoy for Ukraine, Kurt Volker has resigned. Plus, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was issued subpoenas to hand over documents concerning contacts with the Ukrainian government.

If (or when) Pompeo ignores these Congressional Subpoenas, lock him up and fine him per day.

-C!

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This is my understanding as well, Michael. Without the smoking gun tape, Nixon may well have clung on.

As for Steve's assertion that Hillary Clinton was crippled as a candidate by Benghazi, I don't think so. How did she get more votes than anyone else in that election if she was crippled as a candidate? 

She had nearly 3 million votes more than Trump. That's about 2% of the voter turnout. It was only the 4th time in history that a candidate has won the popular vote but lost the election. Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania were the states that decided it. All three together swung on just 107,000 votes. It was a paper-thin margin. And we know the US intelligence community firmly believes Russia attempted to influence voters via cyber warfare to negatively affect Hillary Clinton.

So yeah, the Benghazi inquiries and their product turned the election.

Having lived through it in real time, this is true.  The Saturday Night Massacre, in particular, was the turning point and then the follow through with the unreacted tapes. Not the transcripts (which were highly edited) but the actual tapes.

Who gives a good goddamn?  Can we stop legislating the 2016 election and focus on the now?  This impeachment isn't about 2016.  It's about what Trump did two fucking months ago.  And...AND...more than likely did two years ago in calls to Putin, discussions with Russian diplomats as well as just a year ago with the Saudis. Putin wouldn't be concerned about his conversations with Trump otherwise.  

2016 is in the past.  This is about the here and now.  

Sorry, but you're giving them a HUGE out.  "They swallowed their personal dislike" of a man to vote him into THE HIGHEST OFFICE IN THE LAND.  That's not the average Trump supporter I know and, trust me, I've got several in my family.  They voted for him because they liked him.  They didn't do it because they hated the Clintons, but they were preternaturally disposed to vote Republican.  Trump, to many I know, is equal to or greater than Reagan based on him playing to the Christian base: anti-abortion, pro-guns, small government.  "Grab them by the pussy" is inconvenient, as are his multiple marriages, infidelities, and dubious business dealings that enrich himself at the expense of the taxpayer, but his end result is seen as benefiting and enriching the average American.  I've got several Trumpers in my orbit who hail the man as one of many with "failings" but, nevertheless, feel he's a solid individual with America's best interests at heart.  Far from someone "swallowing" the obvious bile for one over the other.