DEMS/IMPEACHMENT/INVESTIGATIONS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/UKRAINE: “Tuesday [10-15-19] night’s Democratic debate will play out with some unusual background noise coming from Washington: whistles being blown by multiple people. Former ambassadors, top foreign policy aides and once-loyal campaign donors are disregarding orders from the White House to ignore congressional subpoenas, trudging up to Capitol Hill for marathon sessions of closed-door testimony about President Trump’s efforts to pressure Ukraine for political help. Former Trump aides are comparing each other to lethal weapons, and shadowy associates who did business for Mr. Trump’s personal lawyer are being indicted on campaign finance charges. To what degree this drumbeat of dissension and disorder shapes the discussion at the debate is one of the big questions facing the 12 candidates who will be onstage. This is the first debate since Speaker Nancy Pelosi declared the formal beginning of an impeachment inquiry last month.”
–Annie Karni, “Trump and Impeachment: The Elephant in the Room at Tonight’s Debate,” The New York Times online, October 15, 2019