October 24, 2019 | by Lauren Dezenski and Chris Cillizza

Coming soon to a TV near you: Impeachment hearings

Some Republicans have been hoppin' mad about Democrats' closed-door depositions in the impeachment investigation -- so much so they stormed the room where they were taking place Wednesday.

But not all of this will happen behind closed doors. Democrats are also planning public hearings with some of the witnesses who have been deposed as part of their plan to provide some transparency to the inquiry.

Those public hearings may even be less than a month away, CNN's Manu Raju and Jeremy Herb report:

It is possible, sources say, that public hearings could begin in mid-November. It is also possible, they could slip until after Thanksgiving.

Among those potentially testifying in public: Former US Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, President Trump's former top Russia adviser Fiona Hill, top US diplomat in Ukraine Bill Taylor and Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the European Union.

The process of interviewing behind closed doors -- and the delays both from Republican protests and the expanding scope of the investigation -- have meant that the inquiry is taking longer than some on Capitol Hill expected.

"I think it's more like between Thanksgiving and Christmas" for the end of the investigation, one Democratic member involved in the probe said Monday. "After that, it's a strategic decision about when to bring it to the floor."

The longer the investigation drags on, the more Democrats risk impeachment leeching into the 2020 election. Meanwhile, opening the doors to the public (and cameras) allows Democrats to show their work, even if they aren't in a position to yet draft articles of impeachment.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has refused to publicly put out a timeline, saying only that she wants the House to act "expeditiously." As Connecticut Democrat Rep. Jim Himes said recently: "My belief is that the speaker of the House would like to get this wrapped up by the end of the year. I think that's probably possible."

The Point: Look for the doors on those hearing rooms to open in merely weeks.

-- Lauren

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"The NBA is acting like a wholly owned subsidiary of the authoritarian regime."

-- Mike Pence criticizing the NBA for ranking business interests in China above American values for free speech.

A 2020 WISH LIST

Democrats wonder, is there anyone else?

Chris walks us through the "wish list" of people who are being floated as possible last-minute 2020 entrants.

Run with The Point on YouTube!

LAUREN'S GOOD READS

ALS took away Ady Barkan's future, but his legacy might be the 2020 election

The Secret Service interviewed Eminem about threatening lyrics

This is a pretty dire picture of Newsweek's journalism

Pete Buttigieg isn't into astrology (or moisturizing, apparently!)

Inside the Nordstrom dynasty

Happy bat week!

How to pack like a paranormal investigator on a ghost hunt

MUSICAL INTERLUDE

Coldplay just released two new songs (we are trolling noted Coldplay hater Chris).

CITIZEN TAKEAWAYS FROM CHRIS

I spent the day in New York City at the CITIZEN conference -- a CNN-sponsored gathering where various TV types interviews newsmakers like White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, chef/activist Jose Andres and late night host Seth Meyers.

A few things that struck me:

1) Navarro refused to answer a question about whether President Trump's suggestion that the Chinese investigate Joe and Hunter Biden has come up in trade negotiations between the two countries. "I'm not going to talk about that stuff," Navarro told CNN's Jim Sciutto. "If I answer that question then you'll ask me another question." To which I say: 👀

2) CNN President Jeff Zucker said this about Facebook and its struggles to navigate purposely false ads bought on its site: "Facebook should have the same standards, and frankly, given what happened in 2016, maybe they should just sit out this election and not take any political advertising until they can figure out how to get it right." I wholeheartedly agree.

3) Asked whether she was ready to forgive Joe Biden for his role as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee during the confirmation process for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, lawyer and activist Anita Hill said this: "I'm ready to move on, I'm ready to hold Joe Biden accountable." (Hill accused Thomas of sexual harassment in the workplace, and Biden has been criticized for his handling of the probe.)

4) This quote from former FBI general counsel James Baker says it all about Trump's "deep state" conspiracy: "There was no coup or attempted coup, there was no conspiracy, there was no treason, there was no sedition. This is all false and wrong. Nothing ever came even remotely close to that."

5) "I have a show tonight … I'm betting what we're talking about hasn't even happened yet," said Meyers about the challenges and opportunities of doing a daily/nightly TV show. So say we all.

-- Chris

LAUREN'S CAMPAIGN TRAIL LATEST

Amy Klobuchar: Is the latest to qualify for next month's Democratic debate. She's the ninth candidate to do so.

Bernie Sanders: Released his plan to fully legalize marijuana at 4:20 p.m. Eastern.

Joe Biden: Has shifted as his presidential campaign signals a new openness to a super PAC.

Tim Ryan: Has officially dropped out of the presidential race. He's now going to seek reelection for his Ohio House seat.

ONE BIG SPLIT

47%

The percentage of Americans who say the Democratic Party has moved too far left, according to a new Quinnipiac poll. Meanwhile, 37% say the Republican Party has moved too far right. Chris has more.

We'd love to share our other newsletters with you. Follow this link for daily coverage of the world's top stories, savvy market insights, an insider's look into the media, and more. Send your tips and thoughts via email to Chris Cillizza and Lauren Dezenski. Follow Chris and Lauren on Twitter.

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