Donald Trump becomes the first impeached president to run for re-election

CONGRESS CALLED what it did on December 18th “debating” a resolution to impeach Donald Trump. But there was more bluster than argument. No opinion was unaired, and no minds were changed. The vote that came shortly after 8pm was utterly predictable. Every Democrat save two—Jeff Van Drew, a freshman from New Jersey soon to switch parties; and Collin Peterson, who represents a conservative, rural district in western Minnesota—voted in favour of both articles of impeachment. A third, Jared Golden, from Maine’s independent and enormous Second District, voted for the first article, which accuses Mr Trump of abusing his power, but not the second: obstruction of Congress. Every Republican voted against (Justin Amash, the lone conservative to favour impeachment, is an Independent, having left the Republican party last July).

Donald Trump joins Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton as the only presidents to be impeached. Like them, he will probably be acquitted by the Senate—but also like them, his legacy is now tarnished. After the votes passed, the Democrats threatened to applaud; Nancy Pelosi, the House speaker, restrained them, holding up a hand with an expression that could have frozen water running down a mountain.