Politics and culture overlap in some strange and fascinating ways. This limited-run impeachment podcast is created in that spirit. You’ll get some solid information, but it won’t be as dry as some pure politics podcasts – we’re going to wrap a little fun into it. There will be some surprises and smart guests. We may do some improv, take some audience questions and enlist a roving reporter to get the man-and-woman-on-the-street voices. And be assured, no real alpacas or bunnies have been harmed in the making of this audio teaser. Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com ..read more

We had trouble mustering enthusiasm to wrap up our final episode of this second season of Pardon Me. Last week's roller coaster of a trial culminated in 43 senators choosing to acquit on a weak and deceptive defense -- despite a factual and painstaking accounting of how bad the breach was, how bad it might have been, and how Donald Trump incited it. We talk to a former CIA analyst about how bad it could have been and a TV critic on the power of the visual. We also bring you factoids with Chion Wolf and Colin's closing essay. GUESTS: James Poniewozik - Chief telev ..read more

Donald Trump's legal team delivered their defense of the former president Friday. They followed a tightly argued and visceral presentation delivered by House managers that, some say, has made it easy for Republican senators to convict Trump. They likely won't. We wondered if our show, recorded in part on Thursday, would omit important events that occurred thereafter. Given that many Republican senators have already decided to acquit, why would the defense feel the need to address the 144 constitutional lawyers who debunked their First Amendment argument, the ..read more

We took a chance that House Democrats were going to send the Article of Impeachment to the Senate this week. We were wrong. Instead, the House will transmit its Article of Impeachment charging former President Trump with "incitement of insurrection" to the Senate on Monday. Why should the House wait any longer when more than a dozen Republican senators are trying to dismiss the impeachment trial before it begins, based on the disputed claim that it's unconstitutional to try an ex-president. And House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is already walking back  ..read more

Previously on Pardon Me (Another Damn Impeachment Show?): House Democrats voted to impeach President Trump on two Articles of Impeachment: "abuse of power" and "obstruction of Congress." He was later acquitted promptly after Senate Republicans voted against calling witnesses or admitting new evidence. Now (less than 48 weeks later), on Season Two of Pardon Me: House Democrats, along with 10 Republicans, voted to impeach President Trump Wednesday on one Article of Impeachment: "incitement of insurrection." Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., promptly responded tha ..read more

Four Department of Justice prosecutors working on the case of Roger Stone, a close friend of President Trump, withdrew from legal proceedings Tuesday after Attorney General William Barr overruled their sentencing recommendations. The president had complained about the long sentence. Barr denied that President Trump asked him to intervene and claimed he wouldn't be "bullied or influenced by anybody." He said Thursday that the president should stop tweeting about DOJ criminal cases. The president took to Twitter Friday to say he has the "legal right." Shortly theraf ..read more

Note: This episode contains strong language. The Senate acquitted President Trump on both articles of the impeachment. Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, was the only Republican who voted to convict the president on one charge, for "egregious" behavior he believed rose to the level of a "high crime and misdemeanor." President Trump responded with anger. He fumed at his perceived enemies at Thursday's National Prayer Breakfast. They include members of Congress, people on his staff, FBI agents, and even the state of New York. Senate Republicans hoping for a more subdued ..read more

The Senate has voted, 51 to 49, not to subpoena witnesses or documents in its impeachment trial of President Trump. Closing arguments are expected on Monday, and a verdict could come next Wednesday afternoon. This week, Colin and The Gist's Mike Pesca puzzle over the Republican strategy and Alan Dershowitz. He's the Trump attorney who argued that the president could engage in a quid pro quo that benefited him personally as long as he believes his reelection is in the public interest. Dershowitz believes the media misunderstood his argument. These are his words. And&nbs ..read more

The New York Times reported Sunday night that former National Security Adviser John Bolton claims in the draft of his new book that President Trump told him in August that he wanted to withhold military aid from Ukraine unless Ukrainian officials helped with investigations into Democrats, including former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter.   Bolton went on to implicate Attorney General William Barr, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney in the cover-up.  Also in this bonus episode: Colin on why the way Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tr ..read more

Chief Justice John Roberts scolded House managers and the President's counsel early Wednesday for using language beneath the dignity of the world's "greatest deliberative body." This, after Senator Susan Collins complained about "unsettling comments" she felt went against Senate rules of decorum. Speaking of decorum, senators played with fidget spinners and did crossword puzzles while House managers made their case for impeachment. Enough of this pettifoggery! This week, Slate's Dahlia Lithwick says we're in a scary race to the bottom  ..read more