House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff decided to close the Thursday Senate impeachment proceedings by reading passages from President Donald Trump’s July 25 call with Volodymyr Zelensky to “point out a few things that really struck my attention.”

Schiff joked he decided to take Trump’s directions to “read the transcript,” noting Trump had told his Twitter followers to do so earlier in the trial.

The California Democrat went on to read through several chunks from the call summary, adding his own analysis.

“If you would speak to him, that would be great. Talk to Rudy,” Schiff said, quoting from the July 25 call record.

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Schiff pointed out how unusual it was for the president to suggest another world leader discuss political issues with his personal attorney.

The democrats will be back on Friday to finish making their opening arguments to convict and remove Trump, whose defense team takes the stage starting Saturday.

GOP criticism

Republicans say Democrats have been selective in their reading of the July 25 call record. Earlier in the evening, Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., told reporters Democrats were “cherry-picking” parts of transcripts, including that of the July 25 call.

“There’s parts they are conveniently cherry-picking out that I look at and say, 'Let’s get the whole story,'” Lankford said.

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, said some of Trump's actions were not "appropriate" but removing him from office was a step too far.

More:Senators worry that asking for new impeachment trial witnesses could create lengthy executive privilege debate

"Some of the things are not appropriate," Portman said. "That's a very different question from removing someone from office who was duly elected in the middle of a presidential election."

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said Schiff is saying there's a "fight for facts" but "therefore we must remove now, because we can't afford to wait eight months, we can't trust the American people to do it, because they won't have time to do it."

Reaction in the chamber to Schiff's closing speech

A few GOP senators stood up and gravitated toward the back of the chamber, where they stood in clumps, making quiet remarks to each other.

Sens. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., and Tom Cotton, R-Ark., leaned over chairs as they watched Schiff, occasionally exchanging glances as Schiff offered some analysis of Trump’s July 25 call.

When Schiff asked the chamber if there was any doubt Trump was guilty, Sen. Tim Scott, R-.S.C., scoffed and nodded while looking at notes.

More:Democrats use Lindsey Graham's Clinton impeachment speech in Trump Senate trial

"Whether we can say it publicly, we all know what we're dealing with here with this president. Donald Trump chose Rudy Giuliani over his own intelligence agencies... that makes him dangerous... why would anyone in their right mind believe Giuliani over Christopher Wray?" Schiff questioned the chamber.

In response, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell stared straight ahead while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer peeked at his GOP colleagues.

Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska sat next to each other, expressionless. The two moderates will be critical votes in the trial.

During a portion of Schiff’s closing, a member of the public section of the balcony overlooking the chamber wiped his eyes with a handkerchief. The rest of the public gallery appeared intrigued, leaning into Schiff’s testimony as he became more impassioned.

Schiff mentioned Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman’s gripping story from his testimony, Schiff quoted Vindman, stating that “Here, right matters.”

As he did so, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., who has been tweeting her grievances of Vindman throughout Thursday’s trial, stared straight ahead or would occasionally pick her nails during Schiff’s recounting of his testimony.

“If right doesn’t matter, it doesn’t matter how good the constitution is,” he continued. “The framers could not protect us from ourselves if right and truth don’t matter. And you know what he [Trump] did was not right. That’s what they do in the old country where Colonel Vindman’s father came from, the old country that my great-grandfather came from or the old country that my ancestors came from, or maybe where you came from.”

“Because right matters. And the truth matters. Otherwise, we are lost,” he concluded to a silent chamber.

As he walked out of the room as the Senate adjourned, many of his Democratic colleagues expressed to him that he had done his job well.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D- R.I., shouted “Adam!” and gave him a thumbs up. Most of his GOP counterparts were quick to leave the room.