Democratic 2020 presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., on Tuesday doubled down on her call to hear from witnesses in the Senate impeachment trial for President Donald Trump, as senators advance toward a critical vote on whether to subpoena more testimony.
“If the president’s people are so confident that what the president has done is not a problem, then why can’t we have witnesses and documents?” Warren said in an interview with PBS NewsHour anchor and managing editor Judy Woodruff. “I’ve never heard of a trial where you can’t have witnesses and you can’t have the documents.”
Over the last week, the Democratic House managers and members of Trump’s legal team have delivered hours of arguments for and against the president’s removal from office after he pushed Ukraine to investigate political rival Joe Biden in exchange for U.S. military aid. While Democrats argue Trump violated his oath of office and jeopardized national security, Trump’s defense team say the president’s actions do not amount to impeachable offenses.
If “the shoe had been on the other foot,” if Ukraine had offered to dig up dirt on Trump’s political rivals in exchange for aid, “we would call that bribery,” Warren said. “It kind of comes down to common sense on this.”
With six days remaining until the Iowa caucuses, the impeachment trial has kept Warren off the campaign trail. Despite the lost time, Warren said “some things are more important than politics.” Warren added that she’s committed to seeing the trial through.
More highlights from the interview:
- On her standing in the polls: A week before the Iowa caucus, recent national polls show Warren’s support slipping. This comes as the Des Moines Register endorsed Warren on Sunday. “I really don’t focus on polls and haven’t from the beginning,” Warren said. “What I feel when I’m out in Iowa, is I feel how many people truly are off the sidelines and in this fight.”
- On tensions between Warren and Sanders: Warren’s relationship with her friend and fellow 2020 presidential competitor Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., made headlines after a CNN report relayed details of a private conversation during which Sanders reportedly told her a woman can not beat Trump. “I’ve said what I’m going to say about this,” Warren told Woodruff. “I’ll tell you this: I’m in this fight because I believe that I’ve got the best chance to win.”
- On a woman’s chance of winning: Warren also addressed whether some voters are concerned about a woman’s chances of winning the White House in 2020. “There were a lot of people worried that a Catholic could never win in back in 1960,” Warren said. A lot of people worried that an African American couldn’t win in 2008. But we are a better party than that. We are a better country than that.”
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