Avoid the “I Word”

New revelations about the administration’s shameless distortions and epic incompetence regarding Benghazi make it clear this scandal won’t soon disappear. Some conservative commentators, and even talking heads on liberal MSNBC, have even begun to speculate about “the I word” – impeachment.

It would, however, represent a catastrophic miscalculation for Republicans to launch Congressional action focusing on the president’s role: he can’t run again, but Hillary Clinton can, unless she’s appropriately discredited for her lies and blunders on Benghazi. Moreover, there’s no chance of removing Barack Obama from office: successful impeachment would require 22 Democratic votes in the Senate, when it’s hard to imagine winning one.

Talk of impeachment would only mobilize sympathy and support for Obama—as it did for Hillary’s husband 15 years ago—and no conservative should relish repeating that process.