Impeachment is a political strategy, a strategy to get maximum television time. It's also a strategy designed to use that media time to make President Trump unelectable should he run in 2024. The outcome was already assured. We already knew all Democrats were going to vote in favor of impeachment and some Republicans were going to join them. The political speeches are designed as a competition to see who can go the most viral or get quoted on CNN the most.
If you watched any of the speeches you can see how concerned other members are. They are checking their phones, waiting their turn. They aren't on the edge of their seats listening to all the sanctimonious speechifying.
The final vote was 232 - 197. Ten Republicans joined the Democrats in voting to impeach the President.
Here are some of the sanctimonious speech highlights starting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Worth noting, back in 2017 Pelosi said 'Donald Trump poses an imminent threat, not just to another person but to all of humanity.'
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib who ran on impeaching Trump, famously saying 'we're gonna impeach the mother-----,' added this today.
Newly elected Congresswoman Cori Bush from Missouri.
California Congresswoman Maxine Waters who once told people to get in the faces of Trump staffers to tell them they aren't welcome anywhere said this Wednesday.
Republicans responded as well. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy isn't happy with the President's language or his response but voted against impeaching him.
Arizona Congressman Andy Biggs added Congress is making Trump a martyr with this impeachment vote.
Finally, here's Louisiana Republican Congressman Steve Scalise. He was shot by a Bernie Sanders supporter in June 2017. Watch what he had to say about political violence.
Impeachment or not, President Trump is leaving office on January 20th and Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States.