Senators know an impeachment trial is coming. Leaders have held closed-door briefings walking through procedural and technical aspects. The White House is fully engaged with the chamber’s 53 Republicans and is forming an aggressive trial operation and defense.

Every senator CNN has talked with has started personal preparations and study in one form or another. Staffers — from counsel to communicators — have largely done the same.

And yet in conversations with more than three dozen senators and top aides, nobody has any idea what exactly is about to happen when articles of impeachment land on the Senate floor.

Bottom line:

There’s a reason nobody knows what’s coming next, but given the enormity of the stakes — not to mention the moment in history — the reality that the chamber that could potentially remove a sitting US president from office is sitting in some form of suspended animation is, in the words of one Republican senator: “Bizarre. It’s kind of surreal. I don’t know, it’s just a strange moment.” Read more

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Senators know an impeachment trial is coming. Leaders have held closed-door briefings walking through procedural and technical aspects. The White House is fully engaged with the chamber’s 53 Republicans and is forming an aggressive trial operation and defense.

Senators know an impeachment trial is coming. Leaders have held closed-door briefings walking through procedural and technical aspects. The White House is fully engaged with the chamber’s 53 Republicans and is forming an aggressive trial operation and defense.

Senators know an impeachment trial is coming. Leaders have held closed-door briefings walking through procedural and technical aspects. The White House is fully engaged with the chamber’s 53 Republicans and is forming an aggressive trial operation and defense.

Senators know an impeachment trial is coming. Leaders have held closed-door briefings walking through procedural and technical aspects. The White House is fully engaged with the chamber’s 53 Republicans and is forming an aggressive trial operation and defense.