Public Impeachment Hearings Start Today: What to Watch For

In one hour, the first public impeachment hearings in a generation will begin. There are a plethora of things to watch for, but here is a handy guide to think about as the hearings progress:

1. Is “quid pro quo” specifically mentioned by witnesses and confirmed?
2. Is the phrase “quid pro quo” used by Democrats more than other terms, like extortion, blackmail, or bribery?
3. What is the body language of witnesses?
4. Do Democrats use lawyers to ask questions, or do they ask the questions themselves (and who will Republicans use)?
5. Do Republicans coalesce around one defense of the President, or do hey continue their scattershot defense?
6. Do Republicans introduce conspiracy theories into the hearings?
7. What will moderate Republican Will Herd ask or say at the hearings?
8. What difference, if any, will there be in private testimony vs. public testimony?
9. Now in front of cameras, how will Republicans and Democrats act differently?

There are many more things to watch for, of course, but these are a handy handful of things to watch right out of the gate.

Ambassador Bill Taylor starts his testimony at 10am