THANKS, MADAME SPEAKER!:

If not for the foresight of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to shine a bright light on the purpose of a trial -- an evaluation of evidence -- and to delay sending the articles of impeachment to the Senate, the White House, Republican senators and a hapless chorus of sycophantic pundits would not be in meltdown mode.

With an assist from former national security adviser John Bolton, Pelosi cornered Senate Republicans who had hoped to escape the spectacle of a full airing of President Trump's unconscionable conduct. They can acquit, and in all likelihood will, but they cannot facilitate Trump's cover-up without implicating themselves and entirely discrediting the process. They face humiliation when evidence eventually comes out. If they vote to acquit without hearing from Bolton, Trump will be denied the satisfaction of exoneration by a credible process.

Voters are far ahead of Republican senators. In the latest Quinnipiac poll, registered voters want witnesses by a margin of 75 to 20 percent. That includes "49 percent of Republicans, 95 percent of Democrats, and 75 percent of independents."

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