The main purpose of impeachment is to get the guy out of office.
This viewpoint matches Judge J. Michael Luttig, formerly of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals opinion in the podcast I posted above if you wish to listen to it. I came to my similar views before hearing Luttig. So my views aren't that extreme or illogical.
I listened to the podcast and the view of Michael Luttig that "The primary purpose [of impeachment] is removal from office" which aligns with your view of the "purpose" of impeachment. The understanding of what "purpose" means is a perfect illustration of the difficulty that language often presents in finding common ground. I have a view and understanding of
purpose that is very different from you and Luttig.
In the case of impeachment, removal and disqualification are punishments provided by the Constitution after impeachment, trial, and conviction. The view that
punishment is the "main" or "primary"
purpose of any undertaking is a concept I find illogical and alien to my thinking. In my view, the Framers' desire and purpose in their inclusion of impeachment was to
protect the nation from what Hamilton, in writing about impeachment, referred to as individuals guilty of "intrigue and corruption". I view their purpose as a desire to
protect the nation from those in high office engaged in conduct violating their oath and trust—impeachment, trial, conviction, and punishment were the
means chosen to achieve that purpose.
My view is that the purpose of anything of true importance transcends the means used or end result achieved. I credit the Framers with having a higher and larger purpose in mind for impeachment than the punishment of individuals. I think that their concern was for
the nation as a whole and its protection from the dangers of corruption, treachery, and treason—and not merely an end result of punishing individuals for misconduct.