United behind the president , still denying the facts, and still adamant that impeaching President Trump will backfire. Meanwhile, democrats argue impeachment is imperative to protect the democracy and the integrity of next years election. And those theyre after. One thing is certain, President Trump is on his way to being impeached, and even though this has been the likely outcome since the process began, it is still a historic moment in time. Also tonight, the stage is now set for next weeks democratic president ial debate. Seven candidates qualified to participate in the televised event. But despite aggressive spending in his shortlived campaign, billionaire candidate Michael Bloomberg didnt make the cut. Later in the show ill ask his Campaign Manager, bob, why he feels debating is not all that necessary. Later, after another deadly shooting this week in new jersey, its time to revisit why our country is seeing such a rise in violent hate crimes, many of which are aimed at the Jewish Community. Well get to that and more, but lets begin with impeachment. Once the house successfully votes on the articles put forth, the process moves to the senate for a trial where all 100 senators will serve as jurors. One of them joins me now, democratic senator ben cardin of maryland. Hes also an esteemed member of the Foreign Relations committee. Senator, thanks for joining us. Al, its good to be with you, thanks. Senator, as this assuming the articles of impeachment are voted on by the house and it is, in fact, an impeachment and it goes to trial before you and your colleagues, what will you be looking for . Because some of your colleagues have already said theyre not voting for impeachment or removal. Theyve already made up their mind. Have you made up your mind, and if not, what will you be looking for . Al, these are very serious charges. The charges are the president of the United States used his office to get a foreign power to interfere in our elections. And then the president obstructed the congressional investigation into these matters. We saw in the house where the republicans did everything they could to distract from the underlining facts of the allegations. What concerns me, the senate will have a trial. We should allow for the appropriate presentations of witnesses, particularly as it relates to the president s role in all of this. I am concerned because the majority leader, the republican leader has indicated hes going to work with the defense lawyers rather than work for an impartial trial. So what im looking for is an impartial trial where we can look at the facts and stick to the facts and carry our Constitutional Responsibilities but clearly these charges are extremely serious. Now, what the majority leader, who is a juror, a member of the Senate Already saying that he has already decided that hes against this, hes going to vote and others are going to vote that theres no grounds of impeachment or no grounds of removal here. Does that discredit the outcome . Because right now the Upper Chamber of congress is composed of 45 democrats, two independents, and 53 republicans. If democrats hope to remove trump, theyll need something close to a miracle. As twothirds vote in the senate is required for a conviction. But even if they fail to get that, is it not discrediting the outcome if you already have the majority leader, who is a member of the senate, one of the jurors saying in advance im voting no, it doesnt matter what the evidence is presented during the trial . Hes not only a juror who needs to keep his views in check until hes listened to all the facts and allow the managers on the part of the house to present their case, call the witnesses they think are important for us to hear, allow the president and his defense, would welcome listen to the key people that were involved in the transactions in ukraine have to say under oath before the senate. That would be an important moment. But not only has he prejudged this, the majority leader, but hes also the key person in determining the procedures that will be used in the United States senate during this trial, and he raises serious questions whether he will be objective in carrying out the responsibilities of the senate or whether hes going to try to stack the deck in favor of the president. Now, to further make that point, hes a key figure in procedures and unlike when we saw the trial of William Jefferson clinton, whether the majority leader and the minority leader worked together in a joint fashion, were told that the majority leader mcconnell has not done so thus far with minority leader schumer. So not only is he many, many ways reflected that hes showing some kind of bias and collaboration with the white house and the defendant here, which is the president , hes not even cooperating or having some kind of shared discussions so far with the minority leader to even act like therell be a balance on whatever it is that hes being told, instructed, or corroborating and collaborating with the white house on. It would certainly be best for the United States senate and for the reputation of the senate for both the democratic and republican leader to agree on the process, that is, the length of the trial, what witnesses will be called, and the procedures that will be used. But you are absolutely correct. Its our understanding as of the latter part of this week there really hasnt been that consultation by the majority leader with the democratic leader. Thats very unfortunate. Its not the way the process should work. We should at least be able to agree on a process, giving the managers on the part of the house their opportunity to present their case, and also giving the president the opportunity to present his defense. Thats what we should do. We should listen to the testimonies, we should have the opportunity to hear from the key witnesses, those that were involved in the direct contact between the president and the ukrainians as it related to aid, the white house visit, those issues that the allegations are that they were held up in order for the president of ukraine to do a political favor for the president. We should be able to hear that in an objective setting, and it looks like at this stage there hasnt been that type of consultation in working with the majority leader with the democrats. Now, if the majority leader helps to set the process, hes the guiding hand in the process, hes not talking with the minority leader, the democratic leader Chuck Schumer chu, and h saying publicly he is coordinating with the white house, how can you proceed if the rules are, in fact, compromised or obtaintainted in way, the rules and the process itself may, in fact, be stacked in a way that does not lead to a real trying of the facts and to a just conclusion. Well, i still hold out hope that majority leader mcconnell will recognize that the United States senate, this is our constitutional responsibility. Each of us needs to take this obligation seriously, and we need to develop a process thats fair to all parties and who will work with senator schumer on an appropriate set of rules for this trial f. He doesnt do that, i think he really will be compromising the reputation of the senate as it relates to this constitutional responsibility. Five of your Senate Colleagues are running for president. Are you worried about them pulling double duty . No, not at all. Their responsibility as a senator, they need to be there. They will be there. This is one of our most important responsibilities as a United States senator. They know that. Im very confident that they will devote their full attention to the impeachment process and that once the house is acted, they recognize their responsibilities to be in the United States senate. Have you in conversations with some of the republicans in the senate, do you get a sense from any of them that they may, in fact, be open and could possibly vote against the drive of the majority leader and the wishes of the president and go against the president if they hear the evidence is there . Al, theres been some reported in the house of representatives the republican leader has been whipping our members to vote against the articles of impeachment, whereas nancy pelosi has said, look, each member has to make their own decision here. This is a critically important responsibility for each member of congress both in the house to vote impeachment and if they do vote impeachment, the senate to vote for or against the establishment of the impeachment articles. So its not something that you want to sit down with members and say, you know, you should vote one way or the other, but i hope all of our members exercise their independent judgment on this. You got to determine whether the house establishes the facts, although i must tell you the facts have been the republicans havent been contested the underlining facts. Whether it elevates to an impeachable offense, that should be what we need to do and we should take that obligation as independent members of congress, and we should not be pressured to have to do something because the republican leader says that he wants to see all republicans vote the same way. All right. Ill have to leave it there. Maryland senator ben cardin, thank you for being with us. Coming up, Michael Bloomberg is spending a lot of money on his 2020 campaign, but he still wont be on the debate stage in five days will it matter . But first, my colleague richard lui with todays top news stories. Richard . Hey, rev. Stories were watching this hour. Protests have erupted across the United Kingdom despite Prime MinisterBoris Johnsons call to let the healing begin from the divisions of beckett and the vote that happened this week. This comes following his conservative partys landslide victory in thursdays general election. The conservatives won their largest majority since Margaret Thatcher was in office, while the labour party showed its worst showing in 80 years. In north korea another successful crucial test at its longrange rocket site overnight. This is the second test this week. It comes as kim jongun regime pressures the Trump Administration over an end of the year deadline to salvage nuclear negotiations. In new Zealand Police confirmed another has died following an eruption at the white island volcano bringing the death toll to 15. Divers continue their search for the remains of two victims still not yet recovered. The bodies of six others have already been found on the island. More politicsnation with reverend al sharpton after the break. What are you doing back there, junior . Since were obviously lost, im rescheduling my Xfinity Customer Service appointment. Ah, relax. I got this. Which gps are you using anyway . A Little Something called instinct. Been using it for years. Yeah, thats what im afraid of. He knows exactly where were going. My whole body is a compass. Oh boy. The my account app makes todays Xfinity Customer Service simple, easy, awesome. Not my thing. Save hundreds of thousands of lives. But after the emergency, time and again, Insurance Companies deny coverage, second guessing doctors, nurses and first responders. Now big insurance is lobbying congress. Asking for restrictions on air medical services. Eliminating patients access to lifesaving care and destroying jobs all in exchange for bigger profits for Insurance Companies. Tell congress, put patients first, not big insurance. Welcome back to politicsnation. The foul house is expected to vote on articles of impeachment on wednesday. So far one house democrat, new jerseys jeff van drew, has already gone on the record as a no vote. Beyond van drew, sources close to House Republicans say theyre targeting around eight other House Democrats who are on the fence to break ranks with their party. That handful is part of a larger group of democrats who won their seats at the midterms in districts trump won back in 2016. Joining me now, lauren zeallt, d danielle moodiemills, cohost of the podcast democracyish. Let me start with you, lauren. If, in fact, the republicans in the senate vote in total against impeachment, which would stop the conviction and the removal, and they do so perceived as already set up by the majority leader saying he already knows how hes voting even before the evidence, does that not discredit the outcome of the vote, and discredit some of those senators who are openly not acting as jurors, but theyre really acting as people that just rubber stamp this president . You know, i think its certainly a concern for gop senators that are up in 2020 in purple states for sure. Its something that they have to think about as they go into the election. This map has never been favorable for republicans, so i think if youre a republican senator from a purple state and youre looking it does vote and possibly even if youre up in 2022, its something that you have to consider. Its also what my hope is for the republican senators is i hope that they do consider the evidence before them. I hope they consider themselves Americans First and they look at what is being presented and they vote on their conscience. Its not easy in politics. I dont know that any of them are even going to do it, gllt doesnt mean they shouldnt even think about it. Danielle, we saw senator ben cardin on this show, that nancy pelosi in the house has told her caucus members that are going to vote in the full session on these two articles of impeachment to vote your conscience, vote what you think is right. What you contrast that with what mcconnell already saying this is how im voting, we are talking about, did she whether or not we like donald trump is not what were discussing here. Right. Whether or not we think the party of one is over the other. Were talking about whether or not a president abused power by holding approved congressional of the United States funds to a country that is in battle with russia. And told them ill release it in so many words, certainly indeed, and certainly communicated by others, it will be released if you interfere with a u. S. Election. Thats what were talking about. Yeah. And were talking about him in contempt of congress by withholding evidence, documents, witnesses and all. This is what were talking about. So whatever happens here will have serious ramifications Going Forward in American History because we will in effect saying any u. S. President can use a foreign power by even extortion to impact a u. S. Election. Do you think that people and the American People have really understood whats at stake here . And have the democrats really laid out that message directly . You know, youre absolutely right, rev. Heres the thing. Republicans are incredibly shortsighted in this moment. They are thinking about donald trump and donald trump only. They are not thinking about our democracy moving forward or who else is going to occupy the white house following donald trump. He is a criminal. We know that. We know that he said can you do me a favor, though, to zelensky instead of giving him the 380 plus Million Dollars worth of aid in wartime, right . Because he knew that it was going to benefit putin and he knew it was going to benefit himself. The fact that republicans and Mitch Mcconnell went on fox news this week and said, oh, were going to be lock step with the president. Were going to be lock and step with the white house. Who is the defendant . Right. So hes not even open to an actual trial and republicans showed those in the house showed they dont care about facts, that the truth is something that they are even considering, that they are only going to use the russian talking points that they have been provided in order to keep donald trump in office. And i have to say this, that if donald trump is not impeachable, if he does not receive the trial that is necessary and that Mitch Mcconnell decides hes just going to exonerate him, that our democracy falls. We are watching our democracy fall day in and day out. Michelle goldbergs piece this week in the New York Times talking about democracy grief, that is what we are suffering. It is like watching a loved one, a parent slowly waste away and you feel like you are powerless to do anything about it. But i have to tell the American People, we do have power. It is called our vote. Our vote would not be considered so important if they didnt try to steal it all the time. The reason why republicans work so hard to try to steal the American Peoples vote is because they know that it matters so we need to show up. Thats the only recourse we have now because we know what Mitch Mcconnell is going to do. Lauren, when we look at the fact that the republicans have not even argued the facts. Theyve really argued with a lot of namecalling, a lot of hysteria, but they have not addressed the actual facts. And then were told by the president and those that are surrounding him, but it will backfire, it may be good politically for the president. Will this be good for the president . Will this be good for those Senate Candidates . And does that really matter if you are compromising the future of the democracy that we call how we run this country . One doesn one, does it matter, and, two, is it a thoughtout political plan because it doesnt necessarily have to benefit him politically as well as