It’s halftime of one of the biggest news days of the year

If you’ve found yourself spending hours glued to the news today, you’re not alone.

Between the latest installment of public impeachment hearings all day Wednesday and the Democratic presidential debate tonight, this double-header news day has already been one for the books — and it’s barely halfway done!

Either event, alone, would be hugely consequential.

US Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland testified Wednesday that a quid pro quo for Ukrainian aid came at the “express direction of the President.” Which is, ahem, a big deal. And, not to mention, he implicated Trump’s inner circle in the pressure campaign.

“Everyone was in the loop,” Sondland testified. “It was no secret.”

Meanwhile, 10 Democratic presidential candidates descended on Atlanta for the latest presidential primary debate — the first debate to happen since televised impeachment hearings began.

It’s also the first since Pete Buttigieg surged into the top tier of 2020 candidates, pulling into the lead in new polls in both Iowa and New Hampshire.

On past debate stages, we’ve seen newly crowned front-runners field attacks from lower-polling opponents, with varying degrees of success (see Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren’s previous debate performances). This polling success paints a massive target on the young South Bend mayor’s back.

Warren will have the chance to defend her own health care plan on stage for the first time (after facing harsh criticism at the October debate for not having her own “Medicare for All” plan). And others like Kamala Harris and Cory Booker desperately need to breathe life into flagging campaigns.

The Point: Either one of these major events on their own would be a giant deal. But today … we get both.