1) Let's unpack the rpts that McConnell is pleased w/the Hse forging ahead with impeachment for Trump and what that means for a prospective trial.

2) First of all, always pay explicit attention to the PRECISE verbiage of what McConnell says. Or, doesn’t say. McConnell ALWAYS says EXACTLY what he means.

So, when you have a comment coming from McConnell surrogates, placed in the press, this is a trial balloon.

3) Fox is told that McConnell didn’t convene a conference call to prep GOP senators about his position or get their input.

McConnell is taking the temperature.

4) It’s pretty clear that the Kentucky Republican is frosted over last week’s insurrection. McConnell tried to call President Trump several times once there were questions in December over whether the President would sign the COVID package – negotiated with the Trump Admin

5) There was no conversation. Fox is told that McConnell is beside himself about the attack on the Capitol and the President’s language to trigger it.

6) It has been suggested that McConnell’s prospective opportunity to an impeachment trial, and conceivably, even a conviction, could be a way to finally, surgically, remove what he sees as the Trump malignancy from the Republican party.

7) McConnell believes that the President helped cost the GOP the Senate and contributed to lots of necessary chaos around the holidays surrounding a possible government shutdown and whether or not Americans would actually receive relief from the coronavirus package.

8) By the same token, there is still some support for the President inside the Senate GOP. And, there are divides. Some Republicans believe a second impeachment, and certainly a conviction, could amplify the President’s grievances and martyrize him for history.

9) So, McConnell isn’t saying anything concrete – just yet. But he is wetting the appetite for Senate Republicans to be open to the article of impeachment and to potentially vote to convict the President in a Senate trial.