For the first time, I am putting my money on a D win in 2020.

I think Ms. Pelosi is playing the impeachment card very skillfully. She could not have gone earlier, as it would have given the impression of a vindictive D party. Soft support towards the D’s would have stayed home on election day, given Mr T another four years.

She only had to wait. I do not consider the Ukrainian scandal as a smoking gun, but with all the other crap happening before, it was the straw to break the camel’s back.

Now she is slow-playing the impeachment process. It gives her credibility with the D hard support. It is tying up the White House to minimize more damage. And very likely, more scandals and unhingements are likely to happen — for the voters to see. If the impeachment concludes shortly before the election, it won’t matter if the Senate acquits or convicts. Mr. T will be gone.

And I think she has put a lot of R Senators on the hot seat, something they did not want. If they vote “acquit”, their political career might be over.

On one hand, I impressed by this skillful political manipulation. Not many political players can see this far ahead, patiently wait for the play to unfold, and fend off critics. On the other hand, I have to ask why do we really need this political manipulation in the first place?