Trump’s changing views on impeachment over last 2 presidencies
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump has changed his views on impeachment over the last two presidencies, according to what he has said in past interviews.
Twelve years ago, Trump publicly called for the impeachment of President George W. Bush over his decision to invade Iraq.
“Well it really seemed like she was going to look to impeach Bush and get him out of office – which I think would have been a wonderful thing…for the war – he lied – he got us into the war with lies,” Trump told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer in an interview on Oct. 15, 2008.
Today, Trump’s views on his own impeachment differ considerably from the perspective he held more than a decade ago. He has been calling the process a witch hunt by Democrats and the worst thing to happen to a sitting president.
FILE: President Donald Trump addresses his impeachment during a Merry Christmas Rally at the Kellogg Arena on December 18, 2019 in Battle Creek, Michigan. While Trump spoke at the rally the House of Representatives voted to impeach the president, mak
“You’re declaring open war on American democracy – you are the ones interfering in American elections,” Trump told a crowd at a rally.
Veteran political analysts insist people switch sides according to their own political views.
“Nobody’s position on impeachment today is about impeachment – everybody’s position is about politics ok,” said Susan Estrich, a veteran political strategist.
An example of this would be Trump’s advice to President Bill Clinton in the run up to his impeachment in the late 1990s.
“I’m not even sure he shouldn’t have gone in and taken the fifth amendment…and said look – I don’t get along with this man Starr – he’s after me – he’s a Republican, you know he’s this he’s that,” Trump said in an interview with CNBC on Aug. 27, 1998.
He went on to suggest this plan to Clinton: “Don’t get involved publicly, don’t tell outright lies, make Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr look like he was on a witch hunt and denigrate his accusers.”
Today, Starr is on Trump’s legal defense team for his impeachment trial in the Senate.
Estrich said, “I would not denigrate your accusers, other than that - it’s not terrible advice – he ought to take it himself.”
“What’s interesting about that quote is it’s exactly the opposite of what he’s doing. He cannot resist jumping into the fray, calling Pelosi names and calling democrats names and tweeting all this garbage,” the veteran political strategist said.
Senate arguments over Trump's impeachment began Tuesday and will likely last into February.
Stringr contributed to this report. This story was reported from Los Angeles.