think about that to paraphrase justice raksha robert jackson who said that press that precedent but i just described would lie about like a loaded weapon ready for the hand of any future president who decide in his final months to make a play for a limited power think of the danger here is the rare case in which love of the constitution and commitment to our democracy required the house to impeach is for the same reason the senate can and must try this case. next president trump will assert that he says it somehow is significant or it matters that the chief justice isn't presiding over this trial. let me state this very plainly it does not matter it is not significant under article one section 3 when the president of the united states is tried the chief justice shall preside there is only one person who is president of united states at a time right now joseph our. junior is the 46th president of united states. as a result the requirement that the chief justice preside isn't triggered instead the normal rules of any impeachment of anyone other than the sitting president apply and under