Good morning, NBC News readers.
A Senate vote may indicate the way the political winds are blowing for former President Donald Trump's impeachment trial. The Biden administration says more vaccines are on the way — don't worry, we're keeping track of what the numbers say.
Here is what we're watching this Wednesday morning.
Nearly all GOP Senators voted against Trump's impeachment trial. Here's what that may mean for conviction.
Most Senate Republicans on Tuesday embraced the argument that trying a former president is unconstitutional — dealing a substantial blow to Democrats' chances of convicting former President Donald Trump over his role in the deadly Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Forty-five Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, agreed with Sen. Rand Paul's motion to dismiss the proceeding as unconstitutional because Trump is no longer in office.
Just five GOP senators joined Democrats to kill the motion by a vote of 55-45, clearing the way for the trial to move forward. They were Mitt Romney of Utah, Ben Sasse of Nebraska, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania.
The vote doesn't necessarily indicate the final outcome, as some senators who voted to dismiss haven't ruled out a conviction.
But it revealed that for a majority of Republican senators, their loyalty to Trump remains steadfast.
Seventeen Republicans would have to break ranks and join the Democrats to reach the two-thirds majority, or 67 votes, needed to convict Trump.
"I think it's pretty obvious from the vote today that it is extraordinarily unlikely that the president will be convicted," Collins told reporters. "Just do the math."
In other politics news:
- Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., who will preside over the impeachment trial as president pro tempore of the Senate, returned home after he was taken to the hospital Tuesday evening, a spokesman said.
- The FBI has identified more than 400 suspects in the Capitol riot. Many of the tips have come from family and friends who were horrified when they spotted someone they knew in the riot footage.
- News analysis: President Joe Biden won the fight over the filibuster without saying a word, writes NBC News' senior political analyst Jonathan Allen.
Biden administration orders 200 million more doses of Covid-19 vaccines
The government is working to buy 200 million more doses of Covid-19 vaccines, a move that could provide enough doses to inoculate nearly every American by the end of the summer, President Biden said Tuesday.
"It will be enough to fully vaccinate 300 million Americans to beat the pandemic," Biden said.
The president has pledged 150 million shots in arms in his first 100 days in office.
NBC News' is keeping track of how the administration is doing on its goal. Check out what the numbers say here.
- "A boomerang effect": Hank Aaron's death has been falsely linked to the Covid vaccine.
- CDC officials say schools can re-open during the pandemic — but precautions are crucial.
- Follow our live blog for all the latest Covid-19 developments.
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Plus
- U.S.-Russia relations were always going to be a delicate diplomatic dance for Biden, who spoke with Russia's Vladimir Putin for the first time as president on Tuesday. The recent arrest of opposition leader Alexei Navalny and ensuing street protests just made them even more challenging.
- With ban lifted, transgender service members now feel free to figure out what comes next.
- Disney's new trailer for "Raya and the Last Dragon" has spurred mixed reactions on Asian representation.
- Elliot Page filed for divorce from wife Emma Portner.
THINK about it
The GOP is blowing its last, best chance to save itself, executive director of Republicans for the Rule of Law Sarah Longwell writes in an opinion piece.
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One innovative thing
There are no chocolate bars or chips in this vending machine. Instead, this machine in New York City is offering Covid-19 home test kits.
The test costs $119 and promises results in a day or two.
The saliva tests are said to be 99 percent accurate and the company may soon add antibody tests to their machines too.
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Thanks, Petra
