Thomas Daschle: “today's votes on the Articles of Impeachment mark the end of a long and difficult journey. The story of this impeachment…”

“today's votes on the Articles of Impeachment mark the end of a long and difficult journey. The story of this impeachment process suggests a number of lessons on which I expect we will all reflect individually and collectively for some time. From the beginning of this process, I objected in the clearest terms to the President's legal hairsplitting and attempts to find a legal excuse, or any excuse, for his deplorable personal conduct. In my view, the President violated the public trust and brought dishonor to the office he holds. For that, he will have to answer to the people of this country, and to history. But it was every senator's duty to put personal views aside and render impartial justice, based on constitutional standards and the evidence before the Senate. In my view, the President's conduct did not, under our Constitution, warrant his removal from office. Others, acting on equally sincere motives, reached a different conclusion. It is regrettable that something about this process led to a situation, particularly in Washington, where sincere voices on both sides were too often drowned out by partisan voices--again, on both sides. But, if we listen to voices outside the nation's capital, the voices of citizens rather than of partisans, those voices tell us that something has gone terribly wrong in our public discourse.”