CNN’s Jeff Toobin: Trump is winning. The Republicans are winning.

Even CNN’s Jeff Toobin, who is definitely no friend of Trump, is admitting that his competent lawyers are making the case and they’re winning on acquittal.

Here’s what he said from Mediaite:

Anchor Wolf Blitzer went to chief legal analyst Toobin first as Saturday’s session closed, suggesting that what the White House lawyers presented would be helpful to any “wavering” Republican senators in deciding to avoid additional witnesses or evidence.

Toobin replied that he’s not sure there are any wavering Republicans, but said that “certainly there was information put forth today that would allow Republicans to vote against witnesses and to vote for an acquittal. I mean that’s what defense lawyers do.”

He addressed a specific point from one attorney on addressing when Ukraine knew aid was cut off, saying the attorney was “persuasive on that point.”

CNN’s Preet Bharara argued that the Trump team’s decision to go with a shorter, faster opening on Saturday was not a mistake but the wise move, with which Toobin agreed.

“If you’re winning, shut up,” said Toobin. “That’s I think a guiding principle of what they’re doing.”

A few minutes later, host Anderson Cooper brought up the question of why the Trump team didn’t make the case against Joe Biden or offer any alternative lines of attack, Toobin again essentially said that you don’t do that when you’re ahead.

“I just think, you know, the Republicans are winning here, the President is winning here,” he said. “As long as they don’t completely fall on their faces, which they’re all competent lawyers, they’re not gonna do that — I think that’s fine for them.”

Democrats have to persuade some Republicans to vote for removal, which is a very high bar. All the president’s lawyers have to do is give Republicans a pretense under which they can say that they will not vote for removal. And so far, they are doing it. You wouldn’t know that from the liberal twits on twitter scoffing at the president’s lawyers and pretending this is a slam dunk for them. They’re gonna get a big surprise at the end of this.


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