(CNN) After much hemming and hawing, Maine Sen. Susan Collins announced on Tuesday that she would vote to acquit President Donald Trump on both impeachment articles brought against him by the Democratic-controlled House.

"I do not believe the House has met its burden that the President's conduct, however flawed, warrants the extreme step of immediate removal from office," Collins said in a speech on the Senate floor. "This decision is not about whether you like or dislike this President or agree with or oppose his policies or approve or disapprove of his conduct in other circumstances. Rather it is about whether the charges meet the very high constitutional standard of treason, bribery or other high crimes or misdemeanors."

Which, OK. Collins' argument is similar to the one made by other on-the-fence Republicans like Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Lamar Alexander (Tennessee.) And it boils down to this: Sure, what Trump did isn't great -- and I wouldn't have done it. But inappropriate isn't the same thing as impeachable.

Had Collins left it there, she would have been fine. But she didn't leave it there. In an interview with CBS' Norah O'Donnell, Collins said "I believe that the President has learned from this case" and that Trump "will be much more cautious in the future."

HA HA HA.

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