Viewers of MSNBC were absolutely outraged on Friday when host Ari Melber admitted that he didn't think Democrats had proven one of two articles of impeachment made against President Donald Trump.

"As we are now here with a few hours left and always ready to watch how the evidence unfolds, I do not see an overwhelming case and overwhelming evidence by these Democrats to support convicting on obstructing Congress," said Melber.

"What the Democrats are arguing is basically something that began three months before they actually voted to impeach should now be resolved by the removal of the president. And in every other case, including Nixon, we know the rule has been the president is allowed to fight within the law, is allowed to deny, and, yes, quote, defy, all the way up until the Supreme Court, which takes often more than a year," he explained.

"So is there enough evidence to support the immediate removal of a president, three months and you're gone as a precedent, I haven't seen them land that," he concluded. "I don't see the Democrats having provided enough evidence yet to convict on article two."

Social media backlash

The panelists vehemently disagreed with Melber, but they could not match the vitriol with which MSNBC viewers lobbed at the dissenting host.

"Ari Melber is getting on my nerves. Is he serious right now?" responded a viewer.

"Ari Melber on MSNBC just said the Dems haven't proven their case! I'm done with this Trump loving bulls**t! He said they didn't land the plane on obstruction," tweeted another viewer.



"Thanks for your defense of tyranny," said a third viewer. "F**k off."

"You just made the most ignorant and Trumpian statement ever. I thought you were smarter than saying that what Trump did did not merit removal from office. What kookaide are you drinking?" demanded another on social media.

"Ari is being SO stupid right now. #thebeat The case hasn't been made? Is he in a coma that allows him to still speak?" responded another viewer, "get your head out of your a**."

On the other hand...

Despite the outrage on social media, Melber admitted that he believed the Democrats had provided enough evidence to convict the president on the first article of impeachment having to do with abuse of power.

"When you look at the abuse of power," Melber said, "I saw overwhelming factual evidence and first-person accounts to support constitutional abuse of power by the president to potentially cheat in the election. Undermining democracy itself. Very strong."

Here's the video of Melber's comments: