What the “long-gamers” in this thread miss is that a public hearing is a political event, which is won or lost in the spotlight. Nadler set up a public confrontation and wasn’t ready for it. The crucial moment was similar to the point where Kavanaugh turned on Kamala Harris and she choked with incredulity instead of reflexively swatting him down.
Nadler was already losing ground when he quavered on the subpoena initiative. Pelosi provided the right model in the shutdown fight… Enough with the boy scouts.
Not having Whitaker appear at all would have been a much worse outcome than getting lots of footage of him refusing to answer simple questions, which will be played over and over and over (or at least until the next Mueller indictment) while the subpoena runs behind the scene.
Screw him … Nadler should issue him a warning about his failure to live up to the understanding … and then. if he persists in being noncompliant have a subpoena delivered on camera - on the spot … the obtuse blockhead arrogant bully will flip into Roid rage right on cue. Eyes will go wide sweat will pour off his polished macho man head… might get as nutz as the old drug addled mayor of Toronto.
I’m shocked – Shocked! – that a bad-faith stooge negotiated and then acted in bad faith.
Dems absolutely can’t play nice with these people. They see that only as weakness to be exploited. These people will lie and cheat and steal as much as they are allowed to.
Democrats got played by the guy selling toilet bowls for the well endowed male. You cannot write a better scrept in the art of the cave. Well played bald dude, well played. Nadler needs to be replaced by someone who when they make a threat, keep the threat. The pattern now has been set.
Whitaker may be more transparent than other Trump stooges, but his standard moves are all about obfuscation. He may not be in contempt, but he acts contemptuously. He routinely “misunderstands” simple questions, and basically has decided to bloviate even to simple questions asked for rhetorical effect. He claims privilege regarding ongoing cases, anything having to do with the president or the White House, and internal DOJ matters that Congress has every right to conduct oversight about. He is a jackass.
Separate emotion from the law, and realize that the bench (SCOTUS) is stacked. Whitaker did not even meet my low expectations. Let the buffoon make a record, and then hang him with it. It’s really important that Congress look reasonable.
I am more than a little suspicious that he perjured himself when asked if the president ever blew up at him about the Muller investigation. Main reason is body language–he looked like he made the decision to lie and then committed to it. It became easier each time. Second reason was the evasion: if it was a clean “no”, why not just say so? Third reason: the news reporting around that event. If I were the outlet that reported that story, I would go back to my sources and find out if it were true.
Trump got the AG he deserved. That dude will flip on him in a NY minute. (Dear SDNY: did the AG sell any hot tubs in Flushing?).
You think the Nation doesn’t already know these things? I don’t need to see that repugs are criminal sleazes. I need to see the Democrats kicking repug ass.
Yes, after watching the polished and elegant behavior of all Trumps’ other appointees -and the Big Guy himself, such classiness!- the Nation must have been amazed, nay- stunned, by Whitaker’s behavior.
Matt Whitaker fancies himself to be a clever, wile, savvy dude … when he is just an arrogant rube - he is nothing more than “Joe the Plumber with a Law Degree”
