Impeachment would 'galvanize' Democrats and be 'great on many levels' for Biden: conservative
Before Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-California) was ousted as House speaker, he came out in support of an impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden. Now, McCarthy's successor as speaker, Rep. Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana), is saying that an impeachment inquiry is a "necessary step."
Republicans are hoping to wound Biden politically at a time when he already has low approval ratings. But in a December 4 opinion column, the Daily Beast's Matt Lewis argues that an impeachment inquiry could be "great on many levels" for Biden ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
"If this sounds crazy and counterintuitive," the Never Trump conservative argues, "it's only because we live in crazy times. Fifty years ago, the mere threat of impeachment was enough to drive President Richard Nixon from office. Twenty-five years ago, impeachment became something President Bill Clinton could survive politically, even if it cast a pall over his presidency and reputation."
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The U.S., according to Lewis, has "entered a new phase" in which impeachment "can now be seen not only as survivable, but as desirable."
"It can not only validate your victim status, but also prove that you are a fighter," Lewis observes. "The best way, it seems, to rally support from one's own tribe is to be under attack by the other side. Whether the attacks are warranted is almost beside the point."
The conservative columnist adds, "Consider this: After surviving two impeachments without losing his presidency or his base, Donald Trump's indictments helped boost his standing within the Republican Party."
Johnson, Lewis contends, "must at least feign that he is pushing this impeachment threat as far as he can" because "Trump demands" a "revenge impeachment." But an impeachment inquiry may "galvanize the progressive base" and work to Biden's political advantage in 2024, according to the Never Trump conservative.
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"There's something tragic about this whole scenario," Lewis writes. "Trump and his minions continue to erode norms and destroy our social fabric. Making impeachment a routine part of the American presidency would be bad for all of us. But if you're worried about Donald Trump making a comeback, you might just have to write this off as a necessary tradeoff. An impeachment would be the best gift Republicans could give Joe Biden."
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Read Matt Lewis' full Daily Beast column at this link (subscription required).
