Following Friday's vote in the Senate, which killed any hopes of Democrats bolstering their weak case with new witnesses, CNN's Chief Legal Analyst Jeffery Toobin was asked to share his thoughts on what the vote meant in the big impeachment picture.
"Trump won," Toobin declared. "I mean, you know, he's going to win this trial."
If Toobin is throwing in the towel, you can be sure Democratic morale has reached an all-time low. Toobin didn't even complain about the whiteness of the president's legal defenders this time.
"He won on the issue of witnesses," Toobin continued. "He's gonna get acquitted, and that is how history will remember what went on here."
Toobin then said he thought history will also record that there were other "pivotal witnesses who were available to the House of Representatives," before quickly correcting himself: "to the Senate." But Toobin was right the first time. History should record that House Democrats failed to build a strong case in their rush to impeach the president and abandoned legal challenges to enforce subpoenas to gather new evidence and call other witnesses.
The final Senate vote to call new witnesses was defeated 49-51. Two Republican senators joined with the Democrats, Susan Collins of Maine and Mitt Romney of Utah. But Sens. Lisa Murkowsk of Alaska and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee stayed faithful to McConnell's majority.
After voting on witnesses, the Senate is now adjourned until 11 a.m. ET on Monday, when both sides will have two hours to make closing arguments. With the president's State of the Union address set for Tuesday, the Senate trial will reconvene on Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET to vote on a final verdict for the president. Senators will likely make floor speeches in the days leading up to final vote.
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