Senior Obama adviser on impeachment: 'I would not discount that possibility'
Washington (CNN) – Dan Pfeiffer, a longtime aide and senior adviser to President Barack Obama, told reporters Friday that recent talk of impeaching the President should not be considered a long shot.
"I would not discount that possibility," Pfeiffer said, pointing out that a CNN/ORC International poll released Friday indicated that a third of Americans think Obama should be impeached.
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Pfeiffer, who spoke to reporters at The Monitor Breakfast, pointed at recent attempts by House Republicans to sue the President as evidence that they would consider impeachment in the future.
"Speaker Boehner, by going down the path of this lawsuit, has opened the door to Republicans possibly considering impeachment at some point in the future," Pfeiffer said. "I think that if the President enacted immigration reform that would certainly up the likelihood that they would contemplate impeachment."
Although one-third of Americans endorsed impeaching Obama, according to the CNN poll, a sizable 65% said they wouldn't take that step. There were also, expectedly, partisan divisions on the question with 57% of Republicans but only 35% of independents and 13% of Democrats backing a move to impeach Obama.
Sarah Palin, the former Alaska governor and 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee, earlier this month called for Obama to be impeached over the growing number of undocumented children from Central American coming across the southern border.
In an opinion editorial for the conservative website Brietbart, Palin wrote that "(Obama's) unsecured border crisis is the last straw that makes the battered wife say, 'no mas.'"
"It's time to impeach; and on behalf of American workers and legal immigrants of all backgrounds, we should vehemently oppose any politician on the left or right who would hesitate in voting for articles of impeachment," she continued.
Talk of Obama's impeachment has long been a hallmark of the far right, but has experienced a recent uptick of late.
After President Bill Clinton in 1998 became only the second president to be impeached, his public approval hit 73%, the highest rating of his administration, according to a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll.
Pfeiffer, however, rejected the idea that impeachment would be a good thing for Obama and his lagging poll numbers.
"We take it very seriously and I don't think it would be a good thing," he said. "But I think it would be foolish to discount the possibility that Republicans would at least consider going down that path."
– CNN Political Editor Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report
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@Tampa Tim-To keep the exact same plan I had before the ACA went into effect would cost me an additional $170 a month. Maybe your plan`s premiums didn`t rise but mine sure did.
@J.Schmie – It's unfair to only give one point of view that always puts Republicans in the worst possible light. Not honest journalism.
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With all due respect, you must not watch Fox Entertainment. The spin and negativity about the POTUS makes me cringe as an independent that lives in a red state.. I know MANY college educated Republicans who literally believe what they are being fed. They don't cross-check or validate the information. They BELIEVE and FEEL they are right.. and FACTS and TRUTH have no place in that worldview... This outlet spins far LESS than most!
@SCBAMA
"Does not look good when a 3rd of the country wants their leader impeached."
You mean like when over 50% of the country thought Bush should be impeached for war crimes?
-bush, Cheney needs to be put in Gittmo. Dump them before you any work–hopeless, clueless congress idiots.
Dominican mama 4 Obama says:
July 25, 2014 04:32 pm at 4:32 pm
Sniffit
“What grave crime has Obama comitted?”
PWB – Presidenting While Black
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Thankfully he wasn’t driving….
Ok you two!!!☺️☺️☺️
@Brewce
@SCBAMA
"Does not look good when a 3rd of the country wants their leader impeached."
You mean like when over 50% of the country thought Bush should be impeached for war crimes?
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Let's just call it a draw and give Obama the same punishment Bush got when he was impeached for war crimes.
Now can we get the GOP back to work?
Some of the irrational hate and right wing ranting is starting to remind me of the 2 minutes of hate from Orwell's 1984:
"The horrible thing about the Two Minutes Hate was not that one was obliged to act a part, but, on the contrary, that it was impossible to avoid joining in. Within thirty seconds any pretense was always unnecessary. A hideous ecstasy of fear and vindictiveness, a desire to kill, to torture, to smash faces in with a sledge-hammer, seemed to flow through the whole group of people like an electric current, turning one even against one's will into a grimacing, screaming lunatic."
@The Real something or other-You must not watch MSNBC or know people that do because they are more extreme than Fox. Watch all three, that what I say.
"Why even ask the question? What grave crime has Obama committed?" He has been found guilty of 'Presidenting While Black' by the far right extremists. Two counts.
Wake Up People! Many Rivers to cross.....
Bigwilliestyles says:
July 25, 2014 03:44 pm at 3:44 pm
I long for the old style racists that stood for what the stood for, whether you agreed with them or not. This new style, supposedly oh-so-clever racist is nothing but a common coward, hiding behind anonymity and wordplay.
Agreed!!!
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Co-signed and witnessed.
A safe weekend to everyone.
Smith – What red state do you live in?
smith-He didn't have a plan, he had medicaid...what he meant is it didn't cost him then and it doesn't cost him now. It costs the 47% that are footing the bill for the rest, redistribution of wealth Obama style!