impartial justice according to the constitution and laws" so help them god. last week, senate majority leader mitch mcconnell said he was coordinating closely with the white house counsel on a possible senate trial. on sunday republican senator ted cruz of texas was asked whether the comments from mcconnell and graham might be a violation of this new senate oath. >> i fully intend to follow my oath, but the oath of a senate juror, it has some similarities to a criminal trial, but it has some differences as well. the framers understood that impeachment, particularly the impeachment of a president, is inherently a political exercise. senators are not required like jurors in a criminal trial to be sequestered, no the to talk to anyone. there's no prohibition. >> here for our leadoff discussion on a monday night, two pulitzer prize winners, white house bureau chief philip rucker, ashley parker. here in our studios, a.b. stoddard, associate editor at