The week
The former director of the Nixon Library suggests that Biden ignore Trump’s impeachment proceedings at America’s risk
President Biden and his staff have made it clear that he has no intention of commenting or even paying much attention to the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump, which begins Tuesday. When reporters asked Biden how and if Trump should be held accountable for his role in the violent siege of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, he replied, “We’ll let the Senate sort this out.” Politico summed up Biden’s Trump impeachment strategy as follows: “Sit back and STFU.” Biden’s allies told Politico and the Washington Post that the White House saw no political or practical advantage in weighing Trump’s impeachment. Biden is focused – and wants to be seen focused – taming the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically pushing through his $ 1.9 billion bill on coronavirus stimuli. Ignoring the Senate process also reflects how Biden’s team handled what Politico referred to as “Trumpian distractions” on the campaign, and, as the Post notes, “contrasts with Trump, who at times seemed to weigh every controversy in the country “. and watched TV frequently during work hours. Plus, anything Biden says is unlikely to turn the scales toward conviction, which will require 17 Senate Republicans to break with the former president. In a broader sense, Biden has hinted that he wants to overcome the Trump era. Still, “it is unclear whether the White House will or can be as far removed from this political drama as Biden and his aides propose,” the Post reports. “No seated president has ever faced the impeachment proceedings against his predecessor that unfolded during his own presidency, let alone the crucial opening weeks, which are often the best opening for getting things done.” The closest president to this dilemma is Gerald Ford, who replaced President Richard Nixon upon his resignation rather than face impeachment and likely impeachment. Timothy Naftali, a historian who has written about impeachment and served as director of the Richard Nixon president’s museum and library, said the Post. “Ford had to find a way to turn the page.” “I understand why Gerald Ford did what he did. But I think there was a cost to turning the corner as fast as he was,” added Naftali. “And I’m concerned that Joe Biden may be turning the corner too quickly due to understandable concerns about the pandemic.” More stories from theweek.com5 brutally hilarious cartoons about America’s botched vaccine rolloutRep. Adam Kinzinger tells his Republicans that the condemnation of Trump “is necessary to save America”. The Daily Show investigates Joe Biden’s three-week presidential scandals and says goodbye to Lou Dobbs
