The Democrats failed in their attempt to call witnesses at Donald Trump’s impeachment trial. But was it really a loss for them?

Trump was never going to be impeached no matter what witnesses or documents revealed. Everyone knew that. So how could the Democrats win?

One way is to turn it from an impeachment into a cover up. Republican senators might get some cover voting for acquittal – Trump’s actions were wrong but not wrong enough to kick him out of office. But they won’t get off so easily for squashing witnesses. That vote left them wide open to accusations of being part of Trump’s cover up.

Maneuvering Republican senators up for reelection into wading into the Trump swamp with Rudy Giuliani and Lev Parnas would not be the worst outcome for the Democrats. In fact, it could be considered a win.