The Times is covering the new Congress live. They’re talking about it in the usual horse-race terms, as if the only reasons to object to Trump were purely political reasons.

Maggie Haberman:

Even before she was elected speaker, Ms. Pelosi on Thursday morning started a historic day with a left hook, suggesting that a sitting president could be indicted. She made the comments in an interview with the “Today” show on NBC, when the host, Savannah Guthrie, asked if she agreed that the Justice Department guidelines against indicting a sitting president should be honored by the special counsel, who is investigating whether President Trump’s campaign colluded with Russians seeking to put him in the White House.

“Left hook” – never mind left hook, the man is a criminal.

Nicholas Fandos:

The impeachment article, first introduced in July 2017 by Representative Brad Sherman, is not going anywhere soon. As Ms. Pelosi said Thursday, Democratic leaders will seriously consider impeachment only after Robert S. Mueller III completes his work. But it speaks to the desire — already considerable among liberals — to punish Mr. Trump that could shape House Democrats’ new majority.

It’s not primarily a desire to punish – the most urgent need is to stop him.