When recently asked by Nora O’Donnell on CBS This Morning “[I]f Democrats win the House do you believe that they may move forward with articles of impeachment?” Vice President Biden had this to say: “I hope they don't. I don't think there's a basis for doing that right now. I think we should wait until the (Mueller) report comes out. . . . There are so many things to attend to immediately.”

Finally some sane talk about the Democratic obsession with impeachment, though I think the former VP could have, and wanted to, further, but did not want to alienate the new and enthusiastic crowd of hyper-partisan/Bernieites/pathological-Trump-haters/Hillary-is-a-hawkish-sellout-corporate-shill that now camps in the Democratic Party. What? Is that description too much? It was meant to be.

Anyway, I have a feeling this is what VP Biden really wanted to say (ok, at least it’s what I would have said):

For the love of all that is holy, Democrats, if you really believe President Trump should be removed from office, please, shut TF up about impeachment and focus on the 2020 presidential election! Get off your damn self-righteous soapboxes! Instead, start thinking about nominating a progressive presidential candidate who is not an ideologue, who can be supported by all Democrats, undecided voters, and moderate Republicans, and who knows his way around Congress and can advance a realistic progressive agenda - like, say, me. Then, the Democratic Party and the candidate must develop a sound strategy for winning in the electoral college, instead of just complaining about how antiquated it is, so we don’t have a third repeat in twenty years of winning the popular vote but losing the presidency. Capiche?

No, that was not an endorsement of Joe Biden for president. It is a recognition that this impeachment obsession is getting bad, so bad that every time President Trump does something the first question is “Can we impeach him for that?”

In the midst of the abduction and murder of Jamal Khashoggi (which may evolve into an international crisis that can seriously affect the global market and global balance of power) a couple of news reports emerged that the NSA may have intercepted some communications about Saudi Arabia detaining Jamal Khashoggi and the first thought by many is “Can we impeach President Trump over this?” Talk about missing the big picture!

Though President Trump’s response has been far less than satisfactory, even in the eyes of many fellow Republicans, the United States, its presidents, and Congess have a history of supporting Saudi Arabia, selling them arms, and ignoring human rights violations under their repressive government. Why? Necessity. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the largest and most stable of the oil exporting countries in the Middle East, and the stability of the Middle East and the flow of oil to US allies and trading partners are necessarily important to the vital interests of the United States. Yes, it’s about oil, out of necessity. This has been true since WWII, and a spoken US policy since the Carter Administration, when “liberal” President Carter, in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, stated, “Let our position be absolutely clear: An attempt by any outside force to gain control of the Persian Gulf region will be regarded as an assault on the vital interests of the United States of America, and such an assault will be repelled by any means necessary, including military force.”

One way we have protected the Middle East from “outside forces” (not including the US, of course) gaining control is by strengthening the military of Saudi Arabia. It has worked.

However, the authoritarian government of Saudi Arabia, its repressive social policies, and its reluctance (or inability) to address terrorist sympathies within the nation, has made current US foreign policy toward Saudi Arabia more and more untenable. Still, Europe, South Korea, and Japan need oil. So does China. While it is true that the US could survive without Saudi Arabian oil, the bigger picture is that the US could not meet the oil needs of its key allies and trading partners, and Russia and China would be glad to both support Saudi Arabia and have more control over the oil market.

So, in the larger, non-partisan scheme of things the disappearance and murder of Mr. Khashoggi is a diplomatic, economic, and security crisis for the US, the EU, and other countries that claim to support human rights, a free press, and due process, yet need to ensure they have adequate access to oil to support their economy, military, and place in the global market. The long shot of impeaching President Trump for this or anything should not even been on the radar.

Yet, it is. Sadly. It is also one off the reasons that I think the Democrats may have a three-peat of winning the popular vote in a presidential election election, and the sentiments of most Americans, yet still be left standing outside the White House looking in.