Nancy Pelosi made the call to get it over with before the 2020 campaign heats up, and granted an interview to Joe Heim of the Democrats’ de facto house organ, the Bezos Washington Post , in which she continued the demonization of President Trump, but disclosed that she now thinks it is no longer politically advantageous for democrats to pursue impeachment:

For more than two years, Democrats have been intoxicated with dreams of reversing the 2016 election by impeaching President Trump. But in the face of signs that Robert Mueller has nothing showing that the fantasy of Russia collusion has any basis in evidence, and following the debacle of Michael Cohen’s testimony last week sparking more charges of perjury, it looks like the hangover is going to be painful.

Impeachment is so divisive to the country that unless there’s something so compelling and overwhelming and bipartisan, I don’t think we should go down that path, because it divides the country. And he’s just not worth it.

Later in the interview, Heim asked, “You said earlier you don’t feel it’s worth it to pursue impeachment. Do you believe he’s fit to be president?”

She responded with meat for the Trump-haters:

Are we talking ethically? Intellectually? Politically? What are we talking here? All-All of the above. No. No. I don’t think he is. I mean, ethically unfit. Intellectually unfit. Curiosity-wise unfit. No, I don’t think he’s fit to be president of the United States. And that’s up to us to make the contrast to show that this president — while he may be appealing to you on your insecurity and therefore your xenophobia, whether it’s globalization or immigrants — is fighting clean air for your children to breathe, clean water for them to drink, food safety, every good thing that we should be doing that people can’t do for themselves. You know, I have five kids, and I think I can do everything for them, but I can’t control the air they breathe, the water that they drink. You depend on the public sector to do certain things for the health and well-being of your family, and he is counter to that. But again, this is coming across too negatively. I don’t usually talk about him this much. This is the most I’ve probably talked about him. I hardly ever talk about him. You know, it’s not about him. It’s about what we can do for the people to lower health-care costs, bigger paychecks, cleaner government.

Obviously, she discussed this in advance with her establishment colleagues, political pros who have their eyes on the 2020 election, and who see how much harm the impeachment of Bill Clinton did to the GOP, including committee chairs Adam Schiff, the most rabid pursuer of impeachment, and Jerrold Nadler, who has issued demands for documents to 81 people in search of something – anything – to use against Trump.

Schiff, who has long claimed to have “evidence” of Trump’s collusion with Russia suddenly sees a problem with evidence:

House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff tells me he agrees with Pelosi on impeachment: “If the evidence isn’t sufficient to win bipartisan support for this, putting the country through a failed impeachment isn’t a good idea.” — Manu Raju (@mkraju) March 11, 2019

Schiff: "Failed impeachment is not a good idea ... The evidence will have to be pretty overwhelming."



Rep Brad Sherman, supporter of impeachment, to me on Pelosi's Trump isn't "worth it" comment: "You don't impeach Trump for him; you impeach Trump for the Constitution." pic.twitter.com/wvbzDfXr6g — Manu Raju (@mkraju) March 11, 2019

Nadler added: “I’ve stated my position: It has to be enough evidence that you think you’ll get substantial support from opposition voters.” — Manu Raju (@mkraju) March 11, 2019

But Pelosi and the Democrat establishment have a big problem with the Trump-hating base and with billionaire donor Tom Steyer, who is committed to a huge advertising campaign pushing impeachment:

"He’s just not worth it?"



Is defending our legal system “worth it?"



Is holding the President accountable “worth it?"



Is doing what’s right "worth it?"



Or shall America just stop fighting for our principles and do what's politically convenient?https://t.co/dQqTMpccnZ — Tom Steyer (@TomSteyer) March 11, 2019

Maxine Waters, who only last week maintained “impeachment is the only answer,” has so far remained silent, perhaps reflecting her long tenure in office, but Alexandria “I am the boss” Ocaio-Cortez is not so reticent, albeit respectfully holding out hope that Pelosi doesn’t really mean it:

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) doesn't think Speaker Nancy Pelosi(D-Calif.) is completely shutting the door on impeaching President Trump. "She's always demonstrated leadership that takes all kind of factors into account," Ocasio-Cortez told reporters on Monday. "Legally I don't think it's something that can ever be 100 percent off the table, but if that's how she feels right now I respect that." (snip) Ocasio-Cortez noted that there are a number of "unsettled variables" including the much-anticipated report generated by special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation that could play into how House Democrats ultimately decide to proceed. "Well, I think all of us have a responsibility to advocate our viewpoints, and so I wouldn't say that the statements are designed to shut down conversations or to shut down the conversation over it," Ocasio-Cortez said. "You know, this is how the Speaker feels, but the whole point of our democracy is that if we disagree we have a responsibility to air out our arguments as to why and take it into consideration." Ocasio-Cortez said she believes Trump is guilty of impeachable offenses, citing then-Rep. Lindsey Graham's (R-S.C.) remarks during former President Bill Clinton's impeachment process while making the case that Congress is within their rights to take action. "Lindsey Graham said himself that you don't have to commit a crime to be impeached when he was making the argument for Clinton, you just have to have kind of defiled the office in a way, which hello, so in every way imaginable," she said. "So, I think according to the Lindsey Graham standard, that absolutely, does Trump meet that bar? He's met it multiple times."

The real problem facing Dems in 2020 is getting maximum turnout from the base, many of whom have dreamed of little else than impeachment. With Steyer’s money behind them, they could cause a lot of trouble, including a possible third or fourth party candidacy if they feel they have been sold out.