usatoday--2020-01-26--Poll: A week before the caucuses, Joe Biden leads an Iowa race that remains unsettled

One week before the opening Iowa caucuses , former Vice President Joe Biden leads a fluid Democratic field , a new Suffolk University/USA TODAY Network Poll of the state finds .
In the survey taken Thursday through Sunday , Biden was backed by 25 % of likely Democratic caucusgoers , ahead of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders at 19 % ; former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg at 18 % ; Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren at 13 % ; and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar at 6 % .
But an additional 13 % were undecided , and 45 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was still possible they might change their minds .
That underscores the possibility of more shifts in a state where Biden , Sanders , Warren and Buttigieg have each been ahead in one poll or another in recent months .
The Iowa outcome typically narrows the presidential field – costing also-runs the funds and standing to continue their campaigns – while providing a burst of momentum for the winner heading into the New Hampshire primary and other contests that follow .
Iowa caucus history : A complete guide , plus photos , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden continues to lead because the number one issue of caucusgoers is to defeat Donald Trump , '' said David Paleologos , director of Suffolk 's Political Research Center .
The former vice president `` positions himself as a safer choice while the other three contenders fight it out below him . ''
Trump 's impeachment trial may have reinforced the focus of Democratic voters on electability .
Two-thirds of those polled said they have watched at least some of the trial that began last week .
In the end , 77 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president and remove him from office .
Even so , they did n't view the impeachment proceedings as a waste of time .
Seventy-one percent said the trial was `` important '' even if Trump was acquitted .
Nearly 1 in 4 , 23 % , said the impeachment proceedings had made them more likely to participate in the caucuses , a sign that it may be energizing Democratic-leaning voters .
By 57 % -31 % , those surveyed said that `` in their gut '' they thought Trump would be defeated for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important to them , nearly four in 10 said `` defeating Donald Trump , '' almost double the 21 % who identified health care .
Only climate change also was cited by double digits , at 12 % .
Most Biden supporters , 51 % , called defeating Trump their top priority , compared with 34 % of Sanders supporters and 29 % of Warren supporters .
Sanders led among voters who cited health care as their top issue .
Warren and Klobuchar led among those who named climate change .
The poll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by landline and cellphone , has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points .
The support for Warren and Sanders was the most solid ; about 6 in 10 of their backers said their minds were firmly made up .
In contrast , a majority of Buttigieg and Klobuchar supporters said it was possible they would change their minds .
Biden supporters by 53 % -43 % said their minds were made up .
Nearly two-thirds of the fieldwork for the poll was completed before The Des Moines Register @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a factor that could boost her standing in the state .
The Suffolk/USA TODAY Poll , taken Jan. 23-26 , is the most current in a string of recent Iowa polls .
A New York Times/Siena poll taken Jan. 20-23 showed Sanders leading at 25 % , Buttigieg at 18 % and Biden at 17 % .
A CBS News/YouGov poll taken Jan. 16-23 put showed Sanders at 26 % , Biden at 25 % .
The differing results could reflect changes in public sentiment or simply the effects of the margins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new poll , entrepreneur Andrew Yang was at 3 % , environmental activist Tom Steyer at 2 % and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard at 1 % .
Biden did best among the oldest voters ; 41 % of those 65 and older supported him ; Warren was second with just 11 % .
Sanders did best among the youngest voters ; 33 % of those 35 and under backed the Vermont senator ; Buttigieg was second at 18 % .
Biden led among voters who said they were moderates ; Sanders led among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very liberal .
Meanwhile , there was some reassuring news for Sanders , Warren , Klobuchar and Michael Bennet – candidates whose day jobs as U.S. senators have required them to spend the campaign 's final push sitting in the Senate chamber for Trump 's trial rather than campaigning in Iowa .
Eighty-eight percent said the senators ' absences would n't affect their vote .
Still , 5 % agreed with the statement , `` I expect candidates to be in Iowa to earn my vote . ''
Day on the campaign trail:16 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day of for 6 candidates captured in photos and vignettes

Poll: A week before the caucuses, Joe Biden leads an Iowa race that remains unsettled
Show Caption Hide Caption How do you win the Iowa caucus? Organize, organize, organize. The 2020 Iowa caucuses will come down to one thing: the candidates' ground game. Hannah Gaber, USA TODAY
One week before the opening Iowa caucuses, former Vice President Joe Biden leads a fluid Democratic field, a new Suffolk University/USA TODAY Network Poll of the state finds.
In the survey taken Thursday through Sunday, Biden was backed by 25% of likely Democratic caucusgoers, ahead of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders at 19%; former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg at 18%; Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren at 13%; and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar at 6%.
But an additional 13% were undecided, and 45% of those with a preference said it was still possible they might change their minds. That underscores the possibility of more shifts in a state where Biden, Sanders, Warren and Buttigieg have each been ahead in one poll or another in recent months.
The Iowa outcome typically narrows the presidential field – costing also-runs the funds and standing to continue their campaigns – while providing a burst of momentum for the winner heading into the New Hampshire primary and other contests that follow.
Iowa caucus history: A complete guide, plus photos, of the first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses
Iowa caucus: Just how much influence does it have on the primary? The Iowa caucus is sure to be competitive this year. But what makes caucuses different from primaries? Just the FAQs
"Joe Biden continues to lead because the number one issue of caucusgoers is to defeat Donald Trump," said David Paleologos, director of Suffolk's Political Research Center. The former vice president "positions himself as a safer choice while the other three contenders fight it out below him."
Trump's impeachment trial may have reinforced the focus of Democratic voters on electability.
Two-thirds of those polled said they have watched at least some of the trial that began last week. In the end, 77% predicted the Senate won't convict the president and remove him from office.
Even so, they didn't view the impeachment proceedings as a waste of time. Seventy-one percent said the trial was "important" even if Trump was acquitted. Nearly 1 in 4, 23%, said the impeachment proceedings had made them more likely to participate in the caucuses, a sign that it may be energizing Democratic-leaning voters.
By 57%-31%, those surveyed said that "in their gut" they thought Trump would be defeated for reelection.
Binge now! The Des Moines Register's 'Three Tickets' podcast is back
Asked which issue was most important to them, nearly four in 10 said "defeating Donald Trump," almost double the 21% who identified health care. Only climate change also was cited by double digits, at 12%.
Most Biden supporters, 51%, called defeating Trump their top priority, compared with 34% of Sanders supporters and 29% of Warren supporters. Sanders led among voters who cited health care as their top issue. Warren and Klobuchar led among those who named climate change.
The poll of 500 likely Democratic caucusgoers, taken by landline and cellphone, has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.
The support for Warren and Sanders was the most solid; about 6 in 10 of their backers said their minds were firmly made up. In contrast, a majority of Buttigieg and Klobuchar supporters said it was possible they would change their minds. Biden supporters by 53%-43% said their minds were made up.
Nearly two-thirds of the fieldwork for the poll was completed before The Des Moines Register announced its endorsement of Warren Saturday evening, a factor that could boost her standing in the state.
The Suffolk/USA TODAY Poll, taken Jan. 23-26, is the most current in a string of recent Iowa polls. A New York Times/Siena poll taken Jan. 20-23 showed Sanders leading at 25%, Buttigieg at 18% and Biden at 17%. A CBS News/YouGov poll taken Jan. 16-23 put showed Sanders at 26%, Biden at 25%.
The differing results could reflect changes in public sentiment or simply the effects of the margins of errors in polls.
In the new poll, entrepreneur Andrew Yang was at 3%, environmental activist Tom Steyer at 2% and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard at 1%.
Biden did best among the oldest voters; 41% of those 65 and older supported him; Warren was second with just 11%. Sanders did best among the youngest voters; 33% of those 35 and under backed the Vermont senator; Buttigieg was second at 18%. Biden led among voters who said they were moderates; Sanders led among those who identified themselves as liberal or very liberal.
Meanwhile, there was some reassuring news for Sanders, Warren, Klobuchar and Michael Bennet – candidates whose day jobs as U.S. senators have required them to spend the campaign's final push sitting in the Senate chamber for Trump's trial rather than campaigning in Iowa. Eighty-eight percent said the senators' absences wouldn't affect their vote. Still, 5% agreed with the statement, "I expect candidates to be in Iowa to earn my vote."
Day on the campaign trail: 16 days before Iowa caucuses, an intense day of for 6 candidates captured in photos and vignettes


usatoday--2020-01-26--'He has not paid the price, yet': Trump tweet about Schiff crossed the line, Democrats say

President Donald Trump has criticized , mocked and derided House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff on several occasions since taking office , but Democrats said the president crossed a line on Sunday , characterizing one of his tweets about the California Democrat as a `` threat . ''
`` Shifty Adam Schiff is a CORRUPT POLITICIAN , and probably a very sick man , '' Trump tweeted .
`` He has not paid the price , yet , for what he has done to our Country ! ''
Schiff , the lead House impeachment manager in the Senate trial of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an appearance on NBC News ' `` Meet the Press . ''
Defending his decision to cite a report during his arguments before the Senate that Trump had threatened Republicans who did not stand with him , Schiff said Trump was `` wrathful and vindictive president . ''
`` I do n't think there 's any doubt about it .
And if you think there is , look at the president 's tweets about me today , saying that I should pay a price , '' Schiff said .
`` Do you take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chuck Todd asked .
`` I think it 's intended to be , '' Schiff replied .
White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham told Fox News that Schiff 's characterization of the tweet as a threat was `` ridiculous . ''
`` The fact that he said that – that was grandstanding , '' Grisham said on `` Media Buzz . ''
Grisham said Trump is a `` counterpuncher '' who `` speaks in very unique ways '' and says `` what 's on his mind . ''
Though she said she had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweet , she assumed he meant Schiff `` hasn ’ t yet paid the price with the voters . ''
Schiff 's fellow Democratic House impeachment managers also thought Trump 's tweet went too far .
`` I would just say to the American people , this is totally inappropriate .
It is totally a threat , if you will , against the process of this investigation and of this trial , '' Rep. Val Demmings , D-Fla. , said Sunday when asked about the tweet on MSNBC .
`` We are defenders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , vowing that the impeachment managers would do their job `` regardless of what inappropriate comments '' or `` threats that come out of the president . ''
`` He really ought to get a grip and be a little more presidential , '' said Rep. Zoe Lofgren , D-Calif. , on CNN 's `` State of the Union '' on Sunday .
`` The president has a tendency to say things that seem threatening to people , '' Lofgren said .
`` Adam Schiff is doing his job . ''
Sen. James @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State of the Union '' that , like Grisham , he thought Trump was implying Schiff `` will be paying a price at the ballot box '' and did not intend it as `` some kind of intimidation . ''
`` I do n't think he 's encouraging a death threat , '' Lankford said when asked if he was concerned that the president 's tweets could inspire violence .
Lankford said he was more offended by Schiff 's reference to the CBS report , in which an unnamed Trump source claimed Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a pike '' if they voted against him in the trial .
`` Schiff believes that the only reason that we act the way that we do is because the president 's going to put our head on a pike , '' Lankford said .
`` He 's invalidating all of our motives .
He 's saying , 'You 're going to ignore all the facts , and you 're only doing this because we 're afraid of the president , rather than we will actually be fair in the process and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' On Sunday , Trump again criticized Schiff for paraphrasing the content of his July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky , something he has railed against since September and which his legal team referenced when it opened its defense in the Senate impeachment trial on Saturday .
`` Shifty is now exposed for illegally making up my phone call , & more ! ''
Trump tweeted .
He also criticized `` Meet the Press '' host Todd , wondering why he would have Schiff on after `` having been exposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump accused Todd of conducting a `` softball interview with conman Adam Schiff . ''
He criticized him for `` never even calling Shifty out on his fraudulent statement to Congress , where he made up ALL of the words of my conversation with the Ukrainian President . ''
Todd did ask Schiff if he regretted paraphrasing Trump 's conversation .
Schiff said he did not , before turning to a defense of his previous comments implying there had been evidence of collusion in 2016 between the Trump campaign and the Russian government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's lawyers as evidence that Schiff lacked credibility .

'He has not paid the price, yet': Trump tweet about Schiff crossed the line, Democrats say
Show Caption Hide Caption Adam Schiff quotes 'head on a pike' threat to GOP Senators In closing, Rep. Adam Schiff quotes a CBS report that a Trump confidant threatened GOP Senators with 'head on a pike' if they vote against Trump. USA TODAY
President Donald Trump has criticized, mocked and derided House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff on several occasions since taking office, but Democrats said the president crossed a line on Sunday, characterizing one of his tweets about the California Democrat as a "threat."
"Shifty Adam Schiff is a CORRUPT POLITICIAN, and probably a very sick man," Trump tweeted. "He has not paid the price, yet, for what he has done to our Country!"
Schiff, the lead House impeachment manager in the Senate trial of the president, mentioned the tweet during an appearance on NBC News' "Meet the Press." Defending his decision to cite a report during his arguments before the Senate that Trump had threatened Republicans who did not stand with him, Schiff said Trump was "wrathful and vindictive president."
Shifty Adam Schiff is a CORRUPT POLITICIAN, and probably a very sick man. He has not paid the price, yet, for what he has done to our Country! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 26, 2020
"I don't think there's any doubt about it. And if you think there is, look at the president's tweets about me today, saying that I should pay a price," Schiff said.
"Do you take that as a threat?" host Chuck Todd asked.
"I think it's intended to be," Schiff replied.
White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham told Fox News that Schiff's characterization of the tweet as a threat was "ridiculous."
"The fact that he said that – that was grandstanding," Grisham said on "Media Buzz."
Grisham said Trump is a "counterpuncher" who "speaks in very unique ways" and says "what's on his mind." Though she said she had not spoken to the president about the tweet, she assumed he meant Schiff "hasn’t yet paid the price with the voters."
Schiff's fellow Democratic House impeachment managers also thought Trump's tweet went too far.
"I would just say to the American people, this is totally inappropriate. It is totally a threat, if you will, against the process of this investigation and of this trial," Rep. Val Demmings, D-Fla., said Sunday when asked about the tweet on MSNBC.
"We are defenders of the Constitution," Demings said, vowing that the impeachment managers would do their job "regardless of what inappropriate comments" or "threats that come out of the president."
Presidential impeachment: Clinton, Johnson, Nixon test U.S. democracy Presidents have been impeached, but none have been removed from office due to impeachment. Confusing? Here's how. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
"He really ought to get a grip and be a little more presidential," said Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., on CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday.
"The president has a tendency to say things that seem threatening to people," Lofgren said. "Adam Schiff is doing his job."
Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., said on "State of the Union" that, like Grisham, he thought Trump was implying Schiff "will be paying a price at the ballot box" and did not intend it as "some kind of intimidation."
"I don't think he's encouraging a death threat," Lankford said when asked if he was concerned that the president's tweets could inspire violence.
Lankford said he was more offended by Schiff's reference to the CBS report, in which an unnamed Trump source claimed Trump told senators "your head would be on a pike" if they voted against him in the trial.
"Schiff believes that the only reason that we act the way that we do is because the president's going to put our head on a pike," Lankford said. "He's invalidating all of our motives. He's saying, 'You're going to ignore all the facts, and you're only doing this because we're afraid of the president, rather than we will actually be fair in the process and actually look at the facts.'"
Senate impeachment trial: Fact-checking opening arguments of Trump's defense team
The Impeachment Hoax is a massive election interference the likes of which has never been seen before. In just two hours the Radical Left, Do Nothing Democrats have seen their phony case absolutely shredded. Shifty is now exposed for illegally making up my phone call, & more! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 26, 2020
On Sunday, Trump again criticized Schiff for paraphrasing the content of his July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, something he has railed against since September and which his legal team referenced when it opened its defense in the Senate impeachment trial on Saturday.
"Shifty is now exposed for illegally making up my phone call, & more!" Trump tweeted.
He also criticized "Meet the Press" host Todd, wondering why he would have Schiff on after "having been exposed as a fraud and corrupt."
Sleepyeyes Chuck Todd of Meet the Corrupt Press, just had a “totally” softball interview with conman Adam Schiff, never even calling Shifty out on his fraudulent statement to Congress, where he made up ALL of the words of my conversation with the Ukrainian President! FAKE NEWS — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 26, 2020
Trump accused Todd of conducting a "softball interview with conman Adam Schiff." He criticized him for "never even calling Shifty out on his fraudulent statement to Congress, where he made up ALL of the words of my conversation with the Ukrainian President."
Todd did ask Schiff if he regretted paraphrasing Trump's conversation. Schiff said he did not, before turning to a defense of his previous comments implying there had been evidence of collusion in 2016 between the Trump campaign and the Russian government, which was also cited by Trump's lawyers as evidence that Schiff lacked credibility.


usatoday--2020-01-26--Senate should remove Trump, majority of independent voters say in Fox News poll

Half of registered voters and a majority of independents think the Senate should convict President Donald Trump in his impeachment trial and remove him from office , according to a Fox News poll released Sunday .
Trump was impeached in the House last month on articles of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress stemming from allegations that he leveraged military aid to pressure Ukraine into opening investigations for his own political benefit .
Trump has denied acting improperly , and his legal team has accused Democrats of trying to subvert the will of the voters .
Fifty percent told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and removed , and 44 % said he should not .
Registered voters ' impeachment opinions largely fell along party lines , with 81 % of Democrats favoring the president 's removal and 84 % of Republicans opposing it .
Independents said Trump should be removed by a nearly 20-point margin , with 53 % in favor of conviction and 34 % opposed .
'We will be very efficient ' : Trump defense opens with warning against removal , attack on Schiff - 4 takeaways The poll was conducted Jan. 19-22 , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begun but before the House impeachment managers and the president 's legal team were able to make their cases .
Democrats have argued that the Senate should subpoena additional witnesses and documents before rendering its verdict .
But 48 % of voters said the Senate already has all the information it needs , while 44 % said it should hear from additional witnesses .
The results of the impeachment question are little changed from other Fox News polls released since the Ukraine allegations surfaced in September .
A survey from the cable news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the House voted to impeach Trump , found 50 % thought he should be removed and 46 % did not .
Though voters said the economy is doing well and many gave the president credit for that success , there was little other positive news for Trump in the poll , which also found him losing to every leading Democratic presidential hopeful in a hypothetical general election matchup .
Here 's a look at some of the other poll results : A 56 % majority approved of the president 's handling of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Twenty percent rated the economy as `` excellent '' – a number that never topped 3 % during President Barack Obama 's time in office – and an additional 35 % rated it `` good . ''
And just 14 % rated the economy `` poor '' ( that number never got lower than 23 % in the Obama era ) .
Forty-two percent of voters said Trump was the `` most responsible '' for the current economy , while 9 % said Obama and 7 % said big business .
Despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 55 % of voters said it did not give everyone a `` fair '' shot .
The economy , however , was the only issue in the survey where more voters approved than disapproved of the job Trump was doing .
On guns , immigration , foreign policy , health care , government spending , race relations and the environment , a majority disapproved of Trump 's performance .
Voters are geared up for the election , with 55 % saying they are `` extremely '' interested in it and 27 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At this point in 2012 during Obama 's reelection campaign , those numbers were 32 % and 34 % , respectively .
In the Democratic primary , the poll found former Vice President Joe Biden 's lead nationally had slipped from a 7 percentage point lead over Sen. Bernie Sanders , I-Vt. , to a 3 point lead , 26 % -23 % .
Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts was third at 14 % , followed by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg at 10 % , former South Bend , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % , entrepreneur Andrew Yang at 5 % and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota tied with billionaire Tom Steyer at 3 % .
In every hypothetical matchup presented in the survey , voters preferred the Democratic candidate by various margins .
Here is the breakdown : Though 47 % of voters thought Trump did the right thing by ordering the drone strike that killed top Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani , compared with 37 % who thought it was the wrong move , 48 % said the action had made the U.S. `` less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it made the U.S .
`` safer . ''
Sixty-one percent said Trump should get Congress to consent before taking military action , while 23 % said he should not .
Overall , more voters thought Trump had made American weaker ( 47 % ) than stronger ( 42 % ) during his time in office .
The poll 's margin of error was plus or minus 3 percentage points .

Senate should remove Trump, majority of independent voters say in Fox News poll
Show Caption Hide Caption Democrats wrap opening arguments on Obstruction of Congress In their final day of opening arguments, Democrats lay out the Obstruction of Congress charge which is the second Article of Impeachment against President Trump. USA TODAY
Half of registered voters and a majority of independents think the Senate should convict President Donald Trump in his impeachment trial and remove him from office, according to a Fox News poll released Sunday.
Trump was impeached in the House last month on articles of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress stemming from allegations that he leveraged military aid to pressure Ukraine into opening investigations for his own political benefit. Trump has denied acting improperly, and his legal team has accused Democrats of trying to subvert the will of the voters.
Fifty percent told Fox News that Trump should be convicted and removed, and 44% said he should not. Registered voters' impeachment opinions largely fell along party lines, with 81% of Democrats favoring the president's removal and 84% of Republicans opposing it. Independents said Trump should be removed by a nearly 20-point margin, with 53% in favor of conviction and 34% opposed.
'We will be very efficient': Trump defense opens with warning against removal, attack on Schiff - 4 takeaways
The poll was conducted Jan. 19-22, which was after the Senate trial technically had begun but before the House impeachment managers and the president's legal team were able to make their cases.
Democrats have argued that the Senate should subpoena additional witnesses and documents before rendering its verdict. But 48% of voters said the Senate already has all the information it needs, while 44% said it should hear from additional witnesses.
The results of the impeachment question are little changed from other Fox News polls released since the Ukraine allegations surfaced in September. A survey from the cable news network Dec. 8-11, which was before the House voted to impeach Trump, found 50% thought he should be removed and 46% did not.
Though voters said the economy is doing well and many gave the president credit for that success, there was little other positive news for Trump in the poll, which also found him losing to every leading Democratic presidential hopeful in a hypothetical general election matchup.
Here's a look at some of the other poll results:
Fox News poll on the economy
A 56% majority approved of the president's handling of the economy, while only 38% disapproved. Twenty percent rated the economy as "excellent" – a number that never topped 3% during President Barack Obama's time in office – and an additional 35% rated it "good." And just 14% rated the economy "poor" (that number never got lower than 23% in the Obama era).
Forty-two percent of voters said Trump was the "most responsible" for the current economy, while 9% said Obama and 7% said big business.
Despite the general positive takes on the economy, 55% of voters said it did not give everyone a "fair" shot.
The economy, however, was the only issue in the survey where more voters approved than disapproved of the job Trump was doing. On guns, immigration, foreign policy, health care, government spending, race relations and the environment, a majority disapproved of Trump's performance.
How polls work: The science behind gathering voter opinions The news cycle is jampacked with polls. But have you ever wondered how polls actually work and what they mean? Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Fox News poll on the election
Voters are geared up for the election, with 55% saying they are "extremely" interested in it and 27% saying they are "very" interested. At this point in 2012 during Obama's reelection campaign, those numbers were 32% and 34%, respectively.
In the Democratic primary, the poll found former Vice President Joe Biden's lead nationally had slipped from a 7 percentage point lead over Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., to a 3 point lead, 26%-23%. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts was third at 14%, followed by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg at 10%, former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg at 7%, entrepreneur Andrew Yang at 5% and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota tied with billionaire Tom Steyer at 3%.
In every hypothetical matchup presented in the survey, voters preferred the Democratic candidate by various margins. Here is the breakdown:
Biden 50%, Trump 41%
Sanders 48%, Trump 42%
Warren 47%, Trump 42%
Buttigieg 45%, Trump 41%
Bloomberg 49%, Trump 41%
Klobuchar 43%, Trump 42%
Fox News poll on foreign policy
Though 47% of voters thought Trump did the right thing by ordering the drone strike that killed top Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani, compared with 37% who thought it was the wrong move, 48% said the action had made the U.S. "less safe," while 27% said it made the U.S. "safer."
Sixty-one percent said Trump should get Congress to consent before taking military action, while 23% said he should not.
Overall, more voters thought Trump had made American weaker (47%) than stronger (42%) during his time in office.
The poll's margin of error was plus or minus 3 percentage points.
Fact check: The Senate impeachment trial of President Trump


usatoday--2020-01-27--Poll: A week before the caucuses, Joe Biden leads an Iowa race that remains unsettled


usatoday--2020-01-27--You talking to me? The impeachment audiences range from one president to millions of voters

WASHINGTON – You talking to me ?
The obvious audience in the impeachment trial now heading into its second week is the one sitting in the Senate , of course , the 100 senators under orders to listen silently at their desks without the diversion of cellphones or snacks .
The House impeachment managers and Donald Trump 's attorneys have directed their arguments to the jurors who will decide whether the president should be removed from office .
But they 're not speaking only to them .
The prosecution and the defense , the president and the House Speaker , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate and those out on the campaign trail , the advocacy groups and the others in the galaxy that is impeachment have various audiences in mind .
That helps explain why they often seem to be talking past each other and , occasionally , living on different planets .
It also makes calculations about winners and losers more complicated than simply whether the president is convicted , an unlikely prospect .
Trump 's trial could have other important consequences , potentially affecting the opening Democratic caucuses in Iowa and crucial Senate contests in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The ultimate verdict may arrive in November , when voters decide whether to give Donald Trump a second term in the White House , or to boot him .
The audiences being targeted do n't form a Russian nesting doll , with one fitting neatly in the next .
It 's more like a Venn diagram , with some audiences overlapping with others and some in a world of their own .
Start with the audience of one : Trump .
An hour before Saturday 's session began , Trump began tweeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to tune in to what is , in some ways , the ultimate reality-TV show : `` Our case against lyin ' , cheatin ' , liddle ' Adam `` Shifty '' Schiff , Cryin ' Chuck Schumer , Nervous Nancy Pelosi , their leader , dumb as a rock AOC & the entire Radical Left , Do Nothing Democrat Party , starts today at 10:00 A.M. on @ FoxNews , @ OANN or Fake News @ CNN or Fake News MSDNC ! ''
When White House counsel Pat Cipollone opened the defense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his tone lower-key but his message was an echo of his client .
He argued that House Democrats had twisted the facts and ignored exonerating evidence .
`` You 'll find that the president did absolutely nothing wrong , '' he declared , calling the investigators guilty of trying to tamper with the will of the American people .
`` For all their talk about election interference , '' he said , `` they 're here to perpetrate the most massive interference in an election in American history . ''
In a two-hour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attorneys touched on themes the president often hammers , from the unsubstantiated allegation that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 election to suggestions of political bias by the whistleblower whose report sparked the impeachment hearings .
A diagram : Events in the impeachment inquiry of President Trump Trump 's team was n't alone in speaking with the president in mind .
If Cipollone wanted to please his boss , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was trying to needle him .
Pelosi , who has demonstrated a rare ability to get under Trump 's skin , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argument he is expected to trumpet , assuming he 's acquitted – that he has been vindicated .
`` He 's been impeached forever , '' Pelosi said when she announced she was ready to transmit the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate , calling it a permanent stain on his legacy .
`` They can never erase that . ''
The Constitution requires two-thirds of the Senate , or 67 votes , to remove a president from office .
If all 47 senators in the Democratic caucus vote to convict the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 20 of their Republican colleagues to reach that threshold .
So far , not one of the 53 GOP senators has signaled that he or she is seriously considering doing that .
Impeachment timetable : What happens now in the Senate trial That 's one reason the secondary audiences loom as so important : The odds of disrupting the partisan divide in that first audience are low .
And the four who matter most .
Four Republican senators – Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander , Maine Sen. Susan Collins , Alaska Sen. Lisa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have expressed a willingness to consider supporting Democrats ' demand to subpoena witnesses and documents .
That would extend the trial and could give investigators the opportunity to question such central figures as acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and former national security adviser John Bolton .
Both prosecution and defense have done what they can to be solicitous of the four .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made a rare concession in the rules last week after Collins and Ohio Sen .
Rob Portman objected to the fairness of requiring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presentation into two marathon days .
The change to three days was made so belatedly that it was scratched in by hand on the resolution .
Schiff 's closing remarks late Friday were tailored for the quartet .
The California Democrat cited the historic legacy of those who had been willing to buck their party , quoting Robert Kennedy as saying `` moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle . ''
But he may have made a misstep when he then cited a CBS News report that key Senate Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be on a pike '' if they voted against the president .
Collins could be seen shaking her head in the Senate chamber , without uttering a word opening a flood of speculation , and Murkowski later made her annoyance clear at the suggestion they were being bullied .
`` I thought he was doing fine with 'moral courage ' until he got to the 'head on a pike , ' '' she told reporters afterwards .
`` That 's where he lost me . ''
After Saturday 's session , Romney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'll be in favor of witnesses , '' although he said he had n't made a final decision .
The presidential season opens in just a week , on Monday , Feb. 3 , when the Iowa caucuses convene .
Even though the Democratic field has narrowed , it is still the biggest in history , and competitive .
Four or even five of the contenders have some shot at winning the caucuses and reaping the momentum that follows into New Hampshire and beyond .
But in the final days of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living in Iowa , four of them have been stuck in the Senate .
They include Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders , who has led some recent Iowa polls , and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren , who won the coveted endorsement of The Des Moines Registeron Sunday .
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar is the dark horse in the race who is counting most on making the personal connections that come with being there .
The fourth Senate contender , Michael Bennet of Colorado , has yet to breakthrough .
`` No one has ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that 's this close , when you have to be back in the Senate the whole time , '' Klobuchar said Sunday on ABC 's This Week .
`` But I figure the voters of Iowa and New Hampshire , Nevada and South Carolina are going to understand that I have a constitutional duty to fulfill .
And the fact that I have this real job and that I 'm in the arena and that I 'm actually taking on the Trump administration and all of their shenanigans and behavior , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
She and the others have tried to make a virtue out of necessity .
During truncated weekend trips and satellite interviews before the trial day begins and after it ends , they note that they are on the job , fulfilling a grave obligation and holding to account a president Democratic voters in Iowa and elsewhere want to oust .
But especially in the early states of Iowa and New Hampshire , there 's nothing like being there , a presence voters have come to expect .
The absence of some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to former vice president Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg , the former mayor of South Bend , Ind .
They have been able to make their closing arguments in person .
There is a potential complication for Biden , though .
While he rarely mentions the impeachment trial , the impeachment trial sometimes mentions him .
At the center of the charges are Trump 's pressure on Ukraine to announce a corruption investigation into Biden and his son , Hunter .
Trump 's team has promised a full-throated attack on Biden when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you 'll hear about that issue , '' Jay Sekulow , Trump 's personal lawyer , told reporters .
Joe Biden said he did nothing wrong when , as vice president , he pressured Ukraine to address corruption .
Trump 's allegation that Biden acted improperly has been debunked by independent fact-checkers .
However , the former vice president has struggled to effectively explain his son 's lucrative contract with a Ukrainian gas company at the time , which raised at least the appearance of a conflict of interest .
Biden 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's the Democratic candidate best able to defeat Trump .
Will reminding voters about the controversy , fairly or not , raise questions among them about whether that 's true ?
Trump is in uncharted territory .
He is the first president to be both impeached and running for re-election .
At the moment , it 's unclear what the impact will be in November , or even whether there will be much impact .
Polls have shown little change in Trump 's standing or hypothetical match-ups against Democrats in key states since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans say the impeachment trial has galvanized the president 's political base and boosted their fundraising .
`` BREAKING : The Senate began their bogus Impeachment trial to look into my PERFECT PHONE CALL , '' the welcome screen on Trump 's campaign website shouts .
`` Please contribute ANY AMOUNT in the NEXT 24 HOURS to help CRUSH our $ 2 MILLION goal . ''
Meanwhile , Michael Bloomberg , now seeking the Democratic nomination against Trump , last week began airing a TV ad in 27 states pegged to the impeachment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Senate to act and remove Trump for office , '' the former New York City mayor declares .
`` And if they wo n't do their job , this November you and I will . ''

Trump impeachment audiences range from one president to millions of voters
Show Caption Hide Caption Trump impeachment trial: Pat Cipollone, defense gives opening argument Pat Cipollone, part of President Donald Trump's legal defense team, summarized their defense during their opening arguments on January 25, 2020. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – You talking to me?
The obvious audience in the impeachment trial now heading into its second week is the one sitting in the Senate, of course, the 100 senators under orders to listen silently at their desks without the diversion of cellphones or snacks. The House impeachment managers and President Donald Trump's attorneys have directed their arguments to the jurors who will decide whether the president should be removed from office.
But they're not speaking only to them.
The prosecution and the defense, the president and the House speaker, the Democratic presidential hopefuls stuck in the Senate and those out on the campaign trail, the advocacy groups and the others in the galaxy that is impeachment have various audiences in mind. That helps explain why they often seem to be talking past each other and, occasionally, living on different planets.
It also makes calculations about winners and losers more complicated than simply whether the president is convicted, an unlikely prospect. Trump's trial could have other important consequences, potentially affecting the opening Democratic caucuses in Iowa and crucial Senate contests in Maine, Colorado, Arizona and elsewhere. The ultimate verdict may arrive in November, when voters decide whether to give Trump a second term in the White House, or to boot him.
The audiences being targeted don't form a Russian nesting doll, with one fitting neatly in the next. It's more like a Venn diagram, with some audiences overlapping with others and some in a world of their own.
Start with the audience of one: Trump.
He's been watching.
An hour before Saturday's session began, Trump began tweeting from the White House, urging everyone to tune in to what is, in some ways, the ultimate reality-TV show: "Our case against lyin', cheatin', liddle' Adam "Shifty" Schiff, Cryin' Chuck Schumer, Nervous Nancy Pelosi, their leader, dumb as a rock AOC & the entire Radical Left, Do Nothing Democrat Party, starts today at 10:00 A.M. on @FoxNews, @OANN or Fake News @CNN or Fake News MSDNC!"
When White House counsel Pat Cipollone opened the defense, his language was more lawyerly and his tone lower-key, but his message was an echo of his client's. He argued that House Democrats had twisted the facts and ignored exonerating evidence. "You'll find that the president did absolutely nothing wrong," he declared, calling the investigators guilty of trying to tamper with the will of the American people. "For all their talk about election interference," he said, "they're here to perpetrate the most massive interference in an election in American history."
In a two-hour presentation, he and two other Trump attorneys touched on themes the president often hammers, from the unsubstantiated allegation that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 election to suggestions of political bias by the whistleblower whose report sparked the impeachment hearings.
A diagram: Events in the impeachment inquiry of President Trump
Trump's team wasn't alone in speaking with the president in mind. If Cipollone wanted to please his boss, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was trying to needle him. Pelosi, who has demonstrated a rare ability to get under Trump's skin, made a point of preemptively dismissing an argument he is expected to trumpet, assuming he's acquitted – that he has been vindicated.
"He's been impeached forever," Pelosi said when she announced she was ready to transmit the articles of impeachment to the Senate, calling it a permanent stain on his legacy. "They can never erase that."
Presidential impeachment: Clinton, Johnson, Nixon test U.S. democracy Presidents have been impeached, but none have been removed from office due to impeachment. Confusing? Here's how. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Then all 100 senators.
The Constitution requires two-thirds of the Senate, or 67 votes, to remove a president from office. If all 47 senators in the Democratic caucus vote to convict the president, they would still need the support of 20 of their Republican colleagues to reach that threshold. So far, not one of the 53 GOP senators has signaled that he or she is seriously considering doing that.
Impeachment timetable: What happens now in the Senate trial
That's one reason the secondary audiences loom as so important: The odds of disrupting the partisan divide in that first audience are low.
And the four who matter most.
Four Republican senators – Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Mitt Romney of Utah – have expressed a willingness to consider supporting Democrats' demand to subpoena witnesses and documents. That would extend the trial and could give investigators the opportunity to question such central figures as acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and former national security adviser John Bolton.
Both prosecution and defense have done what they can to be solicitous of the four. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made a rare concession in the rules last week after Collins and Ohio Sen. Rob Portman objected to the fairness of requiring Democrats to cram their 24 hours of presentation into two marathon days. The change to three days was made so belatedly that it was scratched in by hand on the resolution.
Schiff's closing remarks late Friday were tailored for the quartet. The California Democrat cited the historic legacy of those who had been willing to buck their party, quoting Robert Kennedy as saying "moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle." But he may have made a misstep when he then cited a CBS News report that key Senate Republicans had been warned that their "head will be on a pike" if they voted against the president.
Collins could be seen shaking her head in the Senate chamber, without uttering a word opening a flood of speculation, and Murkowski later made her annoyance clear at the suggestion they were being bullied. "I thought he was doing fine with 'moral courage' until he got to the 'head on a pike,'" she told reporters afterward. "That's where he lost me."
After Saturday's session, Romney told reporters it was "very likely I'll be in favor of witnesses," although he said he hadn't made a final decision.
That's one.
Meanwhile, there's Iowa.
The presidential season opens in just a week, on Monday, Feb. 3, when the Iowa caucuses convene. Even though the Democratic field has narrowed, it is still the biggest in history, and competitive. Four or even five of the contenders have some shot at winning the caucuses and reaping the momentum that follows into New Hampshire and beyond.
But in the final days of this campaign, when they typically would be living in Iowa, four of them have been stuck in the Senate. They include Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has led some recent Iowa polls, and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who won the coveted endorsement of The Des Moines Register on Sunday. Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar is the dark horse in the race who is counting most on making the personal connections that come with being there.
The fourth Senate contender, Michael Bennet of Colorado, has yet to break through.
"No one has ever run in a major race like this, that's this close, when you have to be back in the Senate the whole time," Klobuchar said Sunday on ABC's "This Week." "But I figure the voters of Iowa and New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina are going to understand that I have a constitutional duty to fulfill. And the fact that I have this real job and that I'm in the arena and that I'm actually taking on the Trump administration and all of their shenanigans and behavior, I think that's actually a good thing."
She and the others have tried to make a virtue out of necessity. During truncated weekend trips and satellite interviews before the trial day begins and after it ends, they note that they are on the job, fulfilling a grave obligation and holding to account a president Democratic voters in Iowa and elsewhere want to oust.
But especially in the early states of Iowa and New Hampshire, there's nothing like being there, a presence voters have come to expect. The absence of some of their rivals has been a boon to former Vice President Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana. They have been able to make their closing arguments in person.
There is a potential complication for Biden, though. While he rarely mentions the impeachment trial, the impeachment trial sometimes mentions him. At the center of the charges are Trump's pressure on Ukraine to announce a corruption investigation into Biden and his son Hunter. Trump's team has promised a full-throated attack on Biden when the trial resumes Monday. "Believe me, you'll hear about that issue," Jay Sekulow, Trump's personal lawyer, told reporters.
More: Fact-checking the Senate impeachment trial of President Trump
Joe Biden said he did nothing wrong when, as vice president, he pressured Ukraine to address corruption. Trump's allegation that Biden acted improperly has been debunked by independent fact-checkers. But the former vice president has struggled to effectively explain his son's lucrative contract with a Ukrainian gas company at the time, which raised at least the appearance of a conflict of interest.
Biden's most fundamental campaign argument is that he's the Democratic candidate best able to defeat Trump. Will reminding voters about the controversy, fairly or not, raise questions among them about whether that's true?
Finally, you, the voters.
Trump is in uncharted territory. He is the first president to be impeached and running for reelection. At the moment, it's unclear what the impact will be in November, or even whether there will be much impact. Polls have shown little change in Trump's standing or hypothetical match-ups against Democrats in key states since the hearings began in the House.
Republicans say the impeachment trial has galvanized the president's political base and boosted their fundraising. "BREAKING: The Senate began their bogus Impeachment trial to look into my PERFECT PHONE CALL," the welcome screen on Trump's campaign website shouts. "Please contribute ANY AMOUNT in the NEXT 24 HOURS to help CRUSH our $2 MILLION goal."
Meanwhile, Michael Bloomberg, now seeking the Democratic nomination against Trump, last week began airing a TV ad in 27 states pegged to the impeachment trial. "It's time for the Senate to act and remove Trump for office," the former New York City mayor declares. "And if they won't do their job, this November you and I will."


usatoday--2020-01-27--Trump impeachment trial back today with defense team's second day of opening arguments - Updates

President Donald Trump 's legal team presents the second day of its defense on Monday in the Senate impeachment trial after the Democratic House managers laid out their case last week charging the president with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress .
The president 's lawyers opened their case on Saturday , in a two-hour presentation that contrasted with the lengthy arguments from the Democratic panel , which used all of the 24 hours each side was given to use over three days .
White House counsel Pat Cipollone promised weary senators that their team would `` finish efficiently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scheduled to reconvene for the trial at 1 p.m. EST .
Democrats ratcheted up their demands that former national security adviser John Bolton testify in the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump after The New York Times published a report Sunday that said Trump told Bolton he wished to withhold military aid in order to pressure Ukraine into helping with politically motivated investigations .
In his upcoming book , Bolton writes that Trump directly and explicitly told him in August that he wished to withhold the $ 391 million in military aid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials there turned over documents related to the 2016 election and former Vice President Joe Biden , the Times reported , citing people who had seen the manuscript .
Trump 's impeachment trial on articles of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress is centered on that withholding of aid and his refusal to allow current and former officials , such as Bolton , to testify in the impeachment inquiry .
Trump says two hours was plenty Trump said in a tweet Sunday he thought two hours was all his legal team had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case against him .
`` The Impeachment Hoax is a massive election interference the likes of which has never been seen before .
In just two hours the Radical Left , Do Nothing Democrats have seen their phony case absolutely shredded , '' the president said .
Graham told Fox News that he thought `` the House managers were articulate '' and had '' created a compelling narrative . ''
`` But what happened yesterday , in two hours , the president 's defense team destroyed the narrative created in 21 hours regarding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Dershowitz says Dems failed to make case for impeachment The impeachment managers argued that Trump had abused his power by using military aid to pressure Ukraine into conducting investigations that he thought would benefit him politically ahead of the 2020 election .
They also said Trump obstructed their investigation by refusing to allow top administration officials to testify or handing over documents requested by House committees in the impeachment inquiry .
Attorney Alan Dershowitz , who is a member of Trump 's legal team , said on `` Fox News Sunday '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case they could present on their facts , but they did n't come close to alleging impeachable offenses . ''
Dershowitz has argued that a president must commit a crime to be impeached and removed from office , a position that has been disputed by many constitutional legal experts – including Dershowitz himself during the impeachment of former President Bill Clinton .
But that argument aside , Dershowitz said the defense team on Monday will show that the allegations against Trump are not true and that the House managers presented the facts `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are three things that the Senate has to decide .
One , is there sufficient evidence of what they claim ? ''
he said .
`` Does it constitute , first of all , an abuse of power ?
And third , does abuse of power constitute impeachable offenses ? ''
In another tweet , Trump tore into House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff , the lead impeachment manager .
`` Shifty Adam Schiff is a CORRUPT POLITICIAN , and probably a very sick man .
He has not paid the price , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to our Country ! ''
Trump said .
Schiff said he thought Trump `` intended '' the tweet as a threat and his fellow impeachment managers agreed .
`` I would just say to the American people , this is totally inappropriate .
It is totally a threat , if you will , against the process of this investigation and of this trial , '' Rep. Val Demmings , D-Fla. , said Sunday when asked about the tweet on MSNBC .
More : Pathway of the impeachment process : How it works , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Constitution , '' Demings said , vowing the impeachment managers would do their job `` regardless of what inappropriate comments '' or `` threats that come out of the president . ''
White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham told Fox News that Schiff 's characterization of the tweet as a threat was `` ridiculous '' and that she believed Trump meant Schiff would pay a price with voters .

Alan Dershowitz tells Senate Trump's impeachment is unconstitutional - updates
The impeachment trial resumes today at 1 p.m. EST. Refresh here for updates.
Dershowitz: Trump impeachment unconstitutional
Alan Dershowitz, a celebrity lawyer on President Donald Trump’s defense team in the Senate impeachment trial, argued Monday that the articles charging abuse of power and obstruction of Congress are unconstitutional because they didn’t allege a violation of federal crime.
Dershowitz argued that even if reports about former national security John Bolton were true, they would not be impeachable to Trump. Bolton wrote a book that said Trump withheld $391 million in military for Ukraine while pressuring that country to investigate his political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden.
“It is inconceivable that the framers would have intended so politically loaded and promiscuously deployed a term as abuse of power to be weaponized as a tool of impeachment,” Dershowitz said. “It is precisely that the kind of vague, open-ended and subjective term that the framers feared and rejected.”
He turned to the House Democrats prosecuting the case and told them they “picked the wrong criteria” to impeach Trump.
“You picked the most dangerous possible criteria to serve as a precedent for how we supervise and oversee future presidents,” Dershowitz said.
The Constitution allows impeachment for treason, bribery or “high crimes and misdemeanors.” Dershowitz argued that the framers of the Constitution wanted to limit impeachment to crimes similar to treason or bribery. He added that a crime is implicitly required by the Constitution because the Senate holding the trial will acquit or convict the president.
House Democrats argued that a violation of statutory crime wasn’t required for impeachment because federal statutes flowed from the Constitution. The Democrats prosecuting the case also said the article charging abuse of power essentially covered bribery or extortion because of the allegation of demanding action from Ukraine in exchange for military aid.
Dershowitz, a retired Harvard Law School professor, acknowledged that the academic consensus is that criminal violations aren’t required for impeachment. Instead, he based his argument that impeachment must rely on statutory crimes by relying largely on experts at the time of former President Andrew Johnson’s impeachment in 1868.
Dershowitz cited Benjamin Curtis, a former Supreme Court justice who led Johnson’s defense, for arguing that “there could be no crime, there can be no misdemeanor without a law, written or unwritten, express or implied.”
And Dershowitz cited Theodore Dwight, who was then dean of Columbia Law School, who wrote in 1867 that “unless a crime is specifically named in the Constitution – treason and bribery – impeachments like indictments can only be instituted for crimes committed against the statutory law of the United States.”
“I’m not hear arguing that the current distinguished members of the Senate are in any way bound – legally bound – by Justice Curtis’s arguments or those of Dean Dwight,” Dershowitz said. “But I am arguing that you should give them serious consideration, the consideration to which they are entitled by the eminence of their author and the role they may played in the outcome of the closest precedent to the current case.”
Dershowitz argued that the legal theory wasn’t “bonkers” or “absurdist” or “legal claptrap.”
“They have the weight of authority,” Dershowitz said. “They were accepted by the generation of founders and the generation that followed.”
-Bart Jansen
One-for-one witness deal?
Republican senators discussed a possible one-for-one witness deal as part of President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial Monday during a private lunch, something that could allow John Bolton to testify about his knowledge of the president halting almost $400 million in military aid for Ukraine.
The possible deal was discussed throughout the lunch and Several Republicans sounded “more receptive” to the idea, raising the chances that witnesses may be called later in the trial, according to a Republican aide.
It's unclear whether senators discussed specific witnesses as part of the deal. Democrats have focused their attention on Bolton, but it’s unclear whom the Republicans would call if this deal comes to fruition. Republicans want to hear from the anonymous whistleblower whose complaint launched the impeachment inquiry, House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff and Joe and Hunter Biden, whom Trump wanted investigated.
The issue of witnesses will come up this week after Trump’s counsel finishes presenting its defense and after senators ask questions of the House managers and the president’s counsel. A majority of the Senate, 51 senators, would have to vote in favor of hearing additional witnesses or seeking any additional documents. At least three have expressed openness to calling for additional witnesses.
– Christal Hayes
Trump’s team tries to put Bidens on trial
Trump’s lawyers focused on Hunter Biden, the son of former Vice President Joe Biden, during their arguments.
Pam Bondi said the defense team would have preferred to avoid Biden and his work on the board at Burisma Holdings, a natural gas company in Ukraine, but the impeachment articles accuse Trump of abuse of power for pressuring Ukraine to investigate the Bidens and Burisma.
"The House managers have placed this squarely at issue," she said, "so we must address it."
Bondi focused on news reports that suggested Biden was hired solely because he was the son of the former vice president. She highlighted media reports chronicling the Obama administration’s pressure on Ukraine to fire its top prosecutor, Viktor Shokin, who had attempted to investigate Burisma.
House managers said allegations against Burisma had been debunked, and Biden’s effort to have Shokin fired for alleged corruption was part of the U.S. policy and supported by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.
Bondi told senators House managers “never gave you the full picture.”
Eric Herschmann, another private lawyer representing Trump, questioned why Hunter Biden was hired and paid so much by Burisma without any experience in the natural gas industry, the energy sector generally or Ukraine.
“What are the House managers afraid of finding out?” Herschmann asked.
Biden told ABC News in October 2019 that he was focused on corporate governance while on Burisma’s board.
“Bottom line is that I know I was completely qualified to be on the board to head up the corporate governance and transparency committee on the board, and that’s all that I focused on,” Biden said in a video Herschmann played at the trial.
During the same interview, Biden refused to disclose how much he was paid. Bondi said public records from an unrelated criminal case suggested Biden was paid $83,333 per month for 17 months. Herschmann said Democrats circled the wagons in August to protect Joe Biden, but questions linger.
"They contend that any investigation into the millions of dollars in payments by a corrupt Ukrainian company owned by a corrupt Ukraine oligarch to the son of the second-highest officeholder in our land, who was supposed to be in charge of fighting corruption in Ukraine – they’re calling that type of inquiry a sham, debunked,” Herschmann said. “But there has never been an investigation, so how could it be a sham?"
Andrew Bates, a Biden campaign spokesman, said accusations against Biden and his son had been debunked by fact-checkers at the Washington Post, New York Times and others.
"Joe Biden was instrumental to a bipartisan and international anti-corruption victory," Bates said. "It's no surprise that such a thing is anathema to President Trump."
– Bart Jansen, Christal Hayes
Raskin: Giuliani 'outrageous, irreverent' but 'spot on'
Jane Raskin, one of the private lawyers defending Trump, said that House Democrats tried to paint Rudy Giuliani as a villain in the impeachment inquiry but that he was simply an aggressive defense lawyer working on the president’s behalf.
“They’ve anointed him the proxy villain of the tale,” Raskin said, referring to names such as “cold-blooded political operative” and “political bagman.”
Testimony from the House inquiry described Giuliani, as Trump’s personal lawyer, carrying out a smear campaign against Marie Yovanovitch, the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine. Her removal in May 2019 opened the door to another Giuliani goal: pressuring Ukraine last summer to investigate the Bidens.
Raskin said Giuliani had been working for Trump since November 2018. That was six months before Biden declared his Democratic candidacy for 2020 and four months before special counsel Robert Mueller released his report on Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Giuliani was looking in Ukraine for evidence that Trump hadn’t conspired with Russians to win the election, which was at the heart of what Mueller investigated. Mueller’s report found no collaboration between Trump’s campaign and Russia, despite numerous contacts. Mueller did not charge Trump with obstruction of his probe because of a Justice Department policy prohibiting charges against a sitting president.
“The bottom line is Mr. Giuliani defended President Trump vigorously, relentlessly and publicly throughout the Mueller investigation and in the nonstop congressional investigations that followed,” Raskin said.
Giuliani is a former federal prosecutor and mayor of New York, who earned the nickname “America’s mayor” after the terrorist attacks Sept. 11, 2001. Raskin said Giuliani was effective even if lawmakers didn’t like his approach.
“The House managers may not like his style. You may not like his style,” Raskin told senators. “But one might argue that he is everything Clarence Darrow said a defense lawyer must be: outrageous, irreverent, blasphemous, a rogue, a renegade.”
Raskin argued that Giuliani was more successful after a two-year siege on the presidency led by Mueller and inspector general reports dealing with the Foreign Surveillance Intelligence Act and the FBI than the impeachment inquiry led by House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif.
“Turns out Rudy was spot on,” Raskin said. “Seems to me if we’re keeping score on who got it right on allegations of FISA abuse, egregious misconduct at the highest level of the FBI and alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia and supposed obstruction of justice in connection with the special counsel investigation, the score is Mayor Giuliani 4, Mr. Schiff 0.”
Schiff said Giuliani was a key figure in pushing Ukraine to investigate the Bidens. Giuliani was mentioned repeatedly in Trump’s July 25 call to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and several government officials said they were told that Giuliani was directing Ukraine policy for the administration.
“Try though they may, to marginalize Mr. Giuliani’s role, they are not able to in the light of overwhelming evidence,” Schiff said.
– Bart Jansen
McConnell denies advance knowledge of Bolton claims
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who said he was coordinating closely with the White House on Trump's impeachment trial, said he did not have any advance knowledge of the contents of John Bolton's upcoming book or the manuscript sent to the White House's National Security Council last month for approval.
Trump denied Bolton's claims that the president told him military aid to Ukraine was specifically tied to investigations of the Bidens. Trump wrote on Twitter Monday morning that he "NEVER told John Bolton that the aid to Ukraine was tied to investigations into Democrats." He denied seeing a copy of Bolton's manuscript.
– Christal Hayes
GOP lawmakers struggle with Bolton questions
Republicans in the House and Senate were bombarded with questions from the media revolving around reports of the book by former national security adviser Bolton.
Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said it was important to first "hear the case, let's hear the questions, then we'll make a decision."
Barrasso was asked if he valued testimony and any new information from Bolton. He reiterated that it wasn’t the Senate’s job to investigate further.
Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., said, “Nobody is dodging. We're going to clearly cover it, and there's going to be robust conversation” regarding calling witnesses.
House Republicans working with the president on his impeachment defense similarly faced a host of questions.
One reporter repeatedly asked House lawmakers whether they were even the slightest bit curious as to what Bolton has to say.
After Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., called the push for Bolton “another page out of the playbook of the Democrats,” the reporter again asked the question, noting that his response appeared to be “side-stepping” what she’d asked.
“Does anyone want to take a stab at it?” she asked the group of House Republicans. “I don’t want to waste your time.”
As the lawmakers walked away, reporters shouted out the one question not answered in the nearly 10-minute impromptu news conference: whether the GOP values the testimony of Bolton?
– Savannah Behrmann, Christal Hayes, Nicholas Wu
Angus King optimistic Senate will vote to call witnesses
One of the two independent senators who caucus with the Democrats said he expects at least a handful of Republicans to buck their party, defy the president and vote to call witnesses, including John Bolton, in the impeachment trial.
Maine Independent Sen. Angus King told NPR on Monday he expects up to 10 of his GOP Senate colleagues to vote in favor of witnesses following a report in The New York Times that Trump told Bolton, the president’s former national security adviser, to withhold military aid to pressure Ukraine into helping with politically motivated investigations.
“I mean, it's one thing to say ‘We don't know what he's going to say, we don't really need to hear from him,” King said. “But if there's some indication that he has information that bears directly on the heart of the case to willfully say, ‘We don't want to hear that.’ To me, basically just undermines the idea that this is a real trial.”
Democrats need at least four GOP defections to GOP Senators to approve witnesses. Mitt Romney of Utah and Susan Collins of Maine have said they’re open to such a plan. Several others, including Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Lamar Alexander of Tennessee and Cory Gardner of Colorado, are potential defectors as well.
“I think there'll be more than four,” said King, without naming specific senators. “My bold prediction will be five or 10."
- Ledge King
Trump's team doesn't mention Bolton while arguing no link with aid, probes
Mike Purpura, a deputy counsel to the president who is defending him in the trial, argued before the Senate that the nearly $400 million in military aid for Ukraine was not tied to the country launching investigations. He didn’t mention the elephant in the room: the revelations by John Bolton.
“There was no linkage between investigations and security assistance or meeting on the July 25 call the Ukrainians said there was no quid-pro-quo,” he argued.
Two hours into their presentation Monday, Trump’s defense team had yet to mention Bolton or his book, where, according to reports, he says that the president personally told him that he did not want to release the aide until Ukraine complied with investigations, including one that could hurt former Vice President Joe Biden.
“The house managers’ record reflects that anyone who spoke with the president said that the President made clear that there was no linkage” with aid and investigations, Purpura argued.
Bolton was not a part of the House's impeachment inquiry.
- Christal Hayes
Purpura: Trump skeptical of foreign aid, Ukraine
Mike Purpura, a deputy White House counsel who is defending President Donald Trump in the trial, argued that House Democrats prosecuting the case had ignored the president’s well-known concern about corruption in Ukraine and skepticism about foreign aid.
Purpura quoted several former U.S. officials describing those concerns. Fiona Hill, a former National Security Council expert on Russia, testified about trump’s longstanding concerns about corruption in Ukraine. Kurt Volker, a former U.S. special representative to Ukraine, testified that Trump demonstrated a deeply rooted negative view of Ukraine from past experience. Marie Yovanovitch, the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, said Trump shared his concern with former Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko in their Oval Office meeting in June 2017.
Purpura also quoted officials confirming Trump’s skepticism about foreign aid as a central plank in his presidential campaign and in his administration. Tim Morrison, a former National Security Council expert on Russia, and David Hale, the undersecretary of State for political affairs, said Trump wanted to evaluate aid. Purpura aid hundreds of millions of dollars was paused, reviewed and in some cases canceled last summer for Afghanistan, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Lebanon.
“The American people know that the president is skeptical of foreign aid and that one of his top campaign promises and priorities in office has been to avoid wasteful spending of American taxpayer dollars abroad,” Purpura said.
- Bart Jansen
Bolton says 'no coordination' with New York Times
Former national security adviser John Bolton and his publisher dismissed as "unfounded speculation" accusations that he coordinated the distribution of a book excerpt that included an explosive allegation about President Donald Trump and Ukraine.
“There was absolutely no coordination with the New York Times or anyone else,” Bolton’s lawyer said in a statement. “Any assertion to the contrary is unfounded speculation.”
The New York Times first published a report Sunday that said Trump told Bolton he wished to withhold military aid in order to pressure Ukraine with politically motivated investigations.
At a news conference Monday morning, Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., suggested the leak was aimed at boosting book sales for former national security adviser. He said the Bolton news was “a story about selective leaks from a book that you can order – preorder on Amazon.com from John Bolton.”
Trump made the sales argument more explicit when he tweeted that he’d never told Bolton that the Ukraine aid was tied to investigating Democrats.
“If John Bolton said this, it was only to sell a book,” Trump tweeted.
In a statement, Bolton's attorney Charles Cooper said the White House was given a copy of the manuscript to review Dec. 30. Such a review is standard security practice for officials who write about their time in a presidential administration.
Cooper said the White House told him only those normally involved in the review process would see the manuscript. But the Times report showed "the review process corrupted and that information has been disclosed by persons other than those properly involved in reviewing the manuscript," he said.
– Maureen Groppe and William Cummings
Starr: Impeachment should only be a 'last resort'
Ken Starr, a private lawyer representing President Donald Trump in the Senate impeachment trial, urged senators to step back from an “age of impeachment” with three presidential inquiries in 50 years by rejecting the partisan investigation.
Starr, who investigated former President Bill Clinton, which led to his impeachment but not his removal from office, said impeachment is traditionally built upon the accusations of crimes. Starr said the two impeached presidents, Clinton 1998 and Andrew Johnson in 1868, along with the inquiry against Richard Nixon in 1974, all alleged crimes.
“Like war, impeachment is hell, or at least presidential impeachment is hell," Starr said. "Those of us who lived through the Clinton impeachment, including members of this body, full well understand that a president impeachment is tantamount to domestic war, although thankfully protected by our beloved First Amendment, a war of words, a war of ideas."
House Democrats have argued that bribery and extortion are implied in the articles of impeachment accusing Trump of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, which focus on Trump pressuring Ukraine to investigate his political rival while withholding $391 million in military aid. But Starr said the articles against Trump don’t allege specific crimes.
“I’m suggesting it’s a relevant factor,” Starr said. “I think it’s a weighty factor.”
Most of the 63 impeachment inquiries approved in the House involved judges, with judges representing all eight people removed from office, Starr said. Wielding impeachment against judges is understandable because they serve lifetime appointments if not removed, Starr said.
Starr voiced concern that impeachment had become to frequent a political weapon against the president of an opposing party. The Johnson impeachment, which followed the convulsion of the Civil War, wasn’t repeated until the rank criminality of the Nixon administration, Starr said. But then the Clinton and Trump impeachments have come within a half-century.
“Instead of a once-in-a-century phenomenon, which it had been, presidential impeachment has become a weapon to be wielded against one’s political opponent,” Starr said.
Starr also argued that impeachment should be bipartisan, rather than the tool of one party against another. Starr noted that members of the opposing party voted to pursue inquiries against Johnson, Nixon and Clinton. But the Trump impeachment arrived in an election year when the American people could decide whether to keep him in office.
“I respectfully submit that the Senate should close this idiosyncratic chapter in this increasingly disruptive act – this era, this age – of last resort to the Constitution’s ultimate democratic weapon for the presidency,” Starr said. “Let the people decide.”
Some conservative defenders of Trump criticized Starr’s presentation as too dry.
“This defense needs a little less Atticus Finch and a little more Miss Universe,” said Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., referring to the lawyer in the classic novel “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
– Bart Jansen
Most GOP senators shrug off Bolton news
As they returned to Capitol Hill, Monday to resume the impeachment trial, most GOP senators appeared unmoved by Sunday’s revelation that former national security adviser John Bolton’s upcoming book reportedly describes a conversation with President Donald Trump about withholding aid from Ukraine.
Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, chair of the GOP conference, dismissed the “so-called blockbuster report” as “selective leaks” that don’t change the underlying facts of the case.
“There’s nothing new here that John Bolton didn’t know before the House managers rested their case and stopped calling witnesses, and they never chose to call John Bolton,” he said.
Bolton had followed a White House directive not to respond to the House’s request that he voluntarily testify.
House Democrats decided not to subpoena Bolton during their probe, arguing it would delay their investigation with a protracted court battle; instead, they labeled Bolton's refusal to appear as evidence of obstruction.
Still, Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt, chair of the Republican Policy Committee, likewise suggested that the Senate isn’t required to fill in any gaps left by the House, calling it the “House’s obligation to put that case together.”
Blunt also expressed a concern previously echoed by Republicans that calling Bolton as a witness could extend the length of the trial as the president will likely assert executive privilege over his conversations with Bolton.
“I can't imagine why we'd want to stretch this out for weeks and months,” Blunt said. “And if we call any witnesses that are subject to privilege, it would take weeks and months.”
Republicans have been arguing that voters should decide Trump’s future. The first 2020 ballots will be cast Monday at the Iowa caucus, Barrasso noted.
Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, the chamber’s newest member who took the seat in January despite concerns among some Republicans that she’s not conservative enough, attacked Republican colleague Sen. Mitt Romney for suggesting additional witnesses should be called.
In a tweet, Loeffler accused the Utah Republican of working to "appease the left by calling witnesses who will slander the @realdonaldtrump."
Democrats had failed to make their case, Loeffler argued, so "The circus is over. It's time to move on."
Bolton reportedly wrote in his forthcoming book that Trump told him during a meeting in August that military aid to Ukraine should not be released until that country helped with investigations that could be damaging to Democrats.
But Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., cast doubt on the veracity of Bolton’s account.
“Well, I don’t know. Is he a firsthand witness? I’m not sure,” he told reporters as he entered Republicans’ daily lunch meeting.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said Bolton is “an angry disgruntled employee and I think he'll say anything.”
Graham: 'I want to know what's in the manuscript'
Still, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, a staunch ally of President Donald Trump’s, expressed interest Monday in learning more about what’s in the book.
“I want to know what’s in the manuscript,” Graham told NBC News. “Yeah, I think that’s important.”
But Graham also tweeted Monday that if Democrats get to call witnesses, then Trump should get the witnesses he wants.
Republicans have suggested calling the whistleblower who sparked the impeachment inquiry and Hunter Biden, the son of former Vice President Joe Biden.
Reading 'Gone with the Wind,' not Bolton manuscript
Some senators tried deflecting the topic with humor.
“I understand what you are all reporting but I have not seen the Bolton manuscript,” said Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., noting he’d just been reading “Gone with the Wind.”
A key Senate swing vote on witnesses, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska., said she was “curious about what Ambassador Bolton has to say.”
But she, like another potentially key Republican – retiring Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee – also said it’s not yet time to make a decision on witnesses. That debate will come after Trump’s team has finished its defense and senators have had the chance to ask questions of both sides.
"I think everybody ought to pop a Zoloft, take their meds, and let's wait and finish up the week,” said Sen. John Kennedy, R-La.
Democrats need four Republicans to cross party lines and agree to subpoena witnesses.
So far, the strongest leanings in that direction have come from Romney and Maine Sen. Susan Collins. But neither has committed to voting to hear from Bolton or others.
– Maureen Groppe and Nicholas Wu
Trump lawyer: Impeachment was based on policy dispute
President Donald Trump’s defense team opened their second day of argument saying that the impeachment resulted from deep policy differences with House Democrats rather than offenses that should lead to his removal from office.
“It is our position as the president’s counsel that the president was at all times acting under this constitutional authority, under his legal authority, in our national interest and pursuant to his oath of office,” said Jay Sekulow, a private lawyer on the defense team. “Asking a foreign leader to get to the bottom of issues of corruption is not a violation of an oath.”
Trump is accused of abuse of power for pressuring Ukraine to investigate his political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, while withholding $391 million in military aid. Trump was also accused of obstruction of Congress because he directed the administration to defy congressional subpoenas in the inquiry.
But Sekulow argued that the accusations stemmed from a difference in strategy between the White House and Congress about how to deal with Ukraine. Sekulow argued that Democrats had tried unsuccessfully to thwart Trump throughout his first three years in office. Sekulow warned that if Trump can be removed for his actions, any future president will face impeachment pressure for any deep policy disputes.
“I think this is what this is really about: deep policy concerns,” Sekulow said. “That should not be the basis of impeachment.”
– Bart Jansen
Happy Birthday, Justice Roberts
The Senate chaplain, retired Rear Adm. Barry Black, opened the impeachment trial by mentioning his gratefulness for Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts’ birthday. He turned 65.
“Thank you for giving our chief justice another birthday,” Black said, as Roberts smiled.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., joined the celebration.
“On behalf of all of us, happy birthday,” McConnell said, although the trial might not have been how he expected to spend it.
“Thank you very much for those kind wishes,” Roberts said. “And thank you to all senators for not asking for the yays and nays.”
– Bart Jansen
Trump says 'nothing was ever said' to Bolton
President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House Monday that he has not seen John Bolton's manuscript for his upcoming book, which reportedly alleges the president told his former national security adviser that he would continue to withhold military aid to Ukraine in order to pressure the country to announce politically motivated investigations.
"Well, I haven't seen a manuscript, but I can tell you, nothing was ever said to John Bolton," Trump said before meeting Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss his administration's long-awaited Middle East peace plan. "But I have not seen a manuscript. I guess he's writing a book. I have not seen it."
Early Monday Trump denied Bolton's claims, which were reported by The New York Times, Washington Post and the Associated Press, suggesting that they were made "to sell a book."
Murkowski says she's 'curious' about Bolton's testimony
A potential swing vote on witnesses, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska., said as she headed into a lunch meeting of Republican senators that she was “curious about what Ambassador Bolton has to say.”
– Nicholas Wu
Schumer: GOP Senate part of “cover-up” if Bolton not allowed to testify
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer Monday urged the Senate to call John Bolton as a witness in President Trump’s impeachment trial after The New York Times reported that the president’s former national security adviser said Trump told him he wished to withhold military aid in order to pressure Ukraine into helping with politically motivated investigations.
“It goes right to the heart of the charges against the president,” Schumer told reporters at a Capitol News conference. “It boils down to one thing: we have a witness with first-hand evidence of the president’s actions for which he is on trial. He is willing and ready to testify. How can Senate Republicans not vote to call that witness and request his documents?”
"There seems to be a giant cover-up among so many of the leading people in the White House who knew about it and said nothing, let alone tried to stop it,” Schumer said. ”If Senate Republicans are not going to vote to call Mr. Bolton and (acting Chief of Staff Mick) Mulvaney and the other witnesses now (and) if they’re not going to ask for notes and emails, they’re going to be part of the cover up too.”
Trump impeachment trial: Pat Cipollone, defense gives opening argument Pat Cipollone, part of President Donald Trump's legal defense team, summarized their defense during their opening arguments on January 25, 2020. USA TODAY
Two GOP senators: Bolton news adds to case for testimony
Former national security adviser John Bolton’s reported revelations about what President Donald Trump told him on Ukraine appear to have increased the likelihood that at least some Republicans will side with Democrats in voting to call witnesses in the impeachment trial.
Maine Sen. Susan Collins, one of the Republican senators key to determining whether there will be witnesses, tweeted Monday that the reports about Bolton’s upcoming book “strengthen the case for witnesses and have prompted a number of conversations among my colleagues.”
Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, another key GOP senator, told MSBNC that it’s “increasingly apparent that it would be important to hear from John Bolton.”
“I think it’s increasingly likely that other Republicans will join those of us who think we should hear from John Bolton," Romney said.
The New York Times reported Sunday that Bolton said Trump told him during a meeting in August that he did not want to release the military aid until Ukraine provided information related to the 2016 election, Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden.
Trump denied that account in a tweet Monday.
The House impeachment managers and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Bolton's reported claims directly contradict key elements of Trump's defense and that a fair trial requires his testimony.
Democrats need four Republicans to cross party lines and agree to subpoena witnesses.
– Maureen Groppe
Presidential impeachment: Clinton, Johnson, Nixon test U.S. democracy Presidents have been impeached, but none have been removed from office due to impeachment. Confusing? Here's how. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
News of Bolton book renews demands he testify
Democrats ratcheted up their demands that former national security adviser John Bolton testify in the trial of after The New York Times published a report Sunday that said Trump told Bolton he wished to withhold military aid to pressure Ukraine into investigating a political opponent.
In his upcoming book, Bolton wrote that Trump directly and explicitly told him in August that he wished to withhold $391 million in military aid to Ukraine that Congress appropriated until officials there turned over documents related to the 2016 election and former Vice President Joe Biden, the Times reported, citing people who had seen the manuscript.
Trump insisted on Twitter that the reported conversation never took place and said that if Bolton made that claim, it was "only to sell a book."
Trump says two hours was plenty
Trump said in a tweet Sunday he thought two hours was all his legal team needed to take apart the Democrats' case against him.
"The Impeachment Hoax is a massive election interference the likes of which has never been seen before. In just two hours the Radical Left, Do Nothing Democrats have seen their phony case absolutely shredded," the president said.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told Fox News he thought "the House managers were articulate" and "created a compelling narrative."
"But what happened yesterday, in two hours, the president's defense team destroyed the narrative created in 21 hours regarding process and substance," he said.
Dershowitz says Dems failed to make case for impeachment
The impeachment managers argued that Trump abused his power and obstructed their investigation by refusing to allow top administration officials to testify or handing over documents requested by House committees in the impeachment inquiry.
Impeachment comparisons: How Trump, Clinton impeachment trials compare
Attorney Alan Dershowitz, who is a member of Trump's legal team, said on "Fox News Sunday" that, "they presented the strongest case they could present on their facts, but they didn't come close to alleging impeachable offenses."
Dershowitz has argued that a president must commit a crime to be impeached and removed from office, a position that has been disputed by many constitutional legal experts – including Dershowitz himself during the impeachment of President Bill Clinton.
But that argument aside, Dershowitz said the defense team on Monday will show that the allegations against Trump are not true and that the House managers presented the facts "incompletely."
"Remember, there are three things that the Senate has to decide. One, is there sufficient evidence of what they claim?" he said. "Does it constitute, first of all, an abuse of power? And third, does abuse of power constitute impeachable offenses?"
Dems accuse the president of threatening Schiff
In another tweet, Trump tore into House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, the lead impeachment manager.
"Shifty Adam Schiff is a CORRUPT POLITICIAN, and probably a very sick man. He has not paid the price, yet, for what he has done to our Country!" Trump said.
Schiff said he thought Trump "intended" the tweet as a threat and his fellow impeachment managers agreed.
"I would just say to the American people, this is totally inappropriate. It is totally a threat, if you will, against the process of this investigation and of this trial," Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., said Sunday when asked about the tweet on MSNBC.
How it works: Pathway of the impeachment process: How it works, where we are
"We are defenders of the Constitution," Demings said, vowing the impeachment managers would do their job "regardless of what inappropriate comments" or "threats that come out of the president."
White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham told Fox News that Schiff's characterization of the tweet as a threat was "ridiculous" and that she believed Trump meant Schiff would pay a price with voters.
Second day of Trump defense
President Donald Trump's legal team presents the second day of its defense Monday in the Senate impeachment trial after the Democratic House managers laid out their case last week, charging the president with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
Each side was given 24 hours to use for its arguments over three days. The president's lawyers opened their case Saturday in a two-hour presentation that contrasted with the lengthy arguments from the Democratic panel, which used all of its 24 hours. White House counsel Pat Cipollone promised weary senators that the defense team would "finish efficiently and quickly."
Contributing: Maureen Groppe, Ledyard King, David Jackson, William Cummings, Deirdre Shesgreen