Hume: Republicans May Sometimes Be Dumb, but Not Stupid Enough for Impeachment

On Tuesday’s “Special Report,” Fox News senior political analyst Brit Hume argued the proposition of the impeachment of President Barack Obama was an unreasonable one and therefore something not to be attempted by Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

According to Hume, should that be attempted it would backfire much like it did in 1998 when Republicans had attempted to impeach then-President Bill Clinton.

“Remember that old saying I may be dumb but I’m not stupid,” Hume said. “House Republicans may sometimes be dumb but they are nowhere near stupid enough to try to impeach President Obama. To be sure there are people in the fever swamps of the right who fantasize about such things. But not even Sen. Ted Cruz, who has exhibited an attraction to foolish political moves in the past, is talking impeachment impeachment. Cruz is a smart guy and is rightly alarmed at President Obama’s choosiness about enforcing the laws he’s sworn to uphold. But he like most Republican leaders is no doubt aware his party paid a serious price for its impeachment of Bill Clinton back in 1998 for perjury and obstruction of justice.”

“Clinton had clearly lied about his relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky but takes 67 Senate votes to convict and impeach an official and only 45 senators voted to convict despite the fact that Republicans controlled the chamber,” he continued. “The public never supported the idea and in the midterm elections that year, which came in the midst of the impeach furor, Democrats actually gained seats in the House — the first time the president’s party had gained seats in a six-year midterm since 1934. That helps explain why Republican leaders like John Boehner are talking down the idea of impeachment and why Democrats are talking it up.”

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