January 12, 2017

Cory Booker should rejoice that the Trump show stepped all over his anti-Sessions tirade.

I don't know why I kept CNN going after Trump said "Your organization is terrible" to the CNN reporter at the press conference, but I did. I live-blogged the press conference, and I wanted to keep going and live-blog the Senate Judiciary Committee panel that came on next. It was extremely interesting and I had a lot to say, but I was horrified at the image of myself sitting in a chair blogging whatever comes on TV next.

The whole world was talking about Trump anyway. Booker's turn on the stage played to an empty house. And he's lucky it did. He was awful! From the transcript:
I want an Attorney General who is committed to supporting law enforcement and securing law and order. But that is not enough....  Law and order without justice is unobtainable, they are inextricably tied together. If there is no justice, there is no peace.

The Alabama State Troopers on the Edmond Pettis Bridge were seeking law and order. The marchers were seeking justice – and ultimately the greater peace.
What does that have to do with Jeff Sessions? How does Booker tie Sessions to the notion of law and order without justice? Booker is taking the extreme step of testifying against his Senate colleague, with whom he cosponsored a Congressional Gold Medal for those who marched in Selma, Alabama. What does Booker have on Sessions?

Booker doesn't say. He resorts to an embarrassing repetition of the not-very-catchy empty phrase "but his record indicates that he won’t":
If confirmed, Senator Sessions will be required to pursue justice for women, but his record indicates that he won’t.

He will be expected to defend the equal rights of gay and lesbian Americans, but his record indicates that he won’t.

He will be expected to defend voting rights, but his record indicates that he won’t.

He will be expected to defend the rights of immigrants and affirm their human dignity, but his record indicates he won’t.
He varies the phrase to "His record indicates":
His record indicates that as Attorney General he would obstruct the growing national bipartisan movement toward criminal justice reform.

His record indicates that we cannot count on him to support state and national efforts toward bringing justice to a justice system that people on both sides of the aisle readily admit is biased against the poor, drug addicted, mentally ill, and people of color.

His record indicates that at a time when even the FBI director is speaking out about implicit racial bias in policing and the need to address it; at a time when the last two Attorneys General have taken steps to fix our broken criminal justice system; and at a time when the Justice Department he would lead has uncovered systemic abuses in police departments all over the United States including Ferguson, including Newark; Senator Sessions would not continue to lead urgently needed change.
Throughout this entire sequence, I was waiting for Booker to get into the record and start persuading us that the record really justifies this conclusion. That never happened. And as I read the text this morning, I can see that Booker's beef is that Sessions is too much of a humble servant, taking the law seriously and doing what it requires. Booker is demanding something most of us don't want: an Attorney General who takes sides.

Booker wants someone who has favorites that he will defend and support. He's saying he wants someone biased, impassioned, and politicized. And Sessions is not that man. If you pay attention and think, it works — for most people — as an endorsement of Sessions.

What was even worse for Booker was what happened after he finished. He'd gone first on a panel of 6 — all black men. (Watch the entire panel at C-SPAN here, beginning at 3:38:24.) The second man to speak was Larry D. Thompson, who spoke in concrete detail about working with Sessions. Suddenly, we're in the world of evidence and real life.

The third speaker was Representative John Lewis, who spoke of history and the wrongs of the past but had nothing fact-based to say about Sessions. After Lewis came another man who, like Thompson, spoke from personal experience.

Then we got Cedric Richmond, chairman of the Black Congressional Caucus, who, like Booker and Lewis, spoke in political generalities, with nothing specific about Sessions. The last speaker was another man like Thompson, who knew and worked with Sessions, spoke warmly about his personal interaction with Sessions, and vouched for Sessions's racial virtue.

I thought it was immensely embarrassing for Booker, Lewis, and Richmond. Richmond even used the "back of the bus" complaint about this panel going last:
"To have a senator, a House member and a living civil rights legend testify at the end of all of this is the equivalent of being made to go to the back of the bus. It's a petty strategy. I don't mind being last, but to have a living legend like John Lewis treated like that is beyond the pale."
Who falls for that sort of sophistry? Why did Booker participate in this awkward drama?

I got the impression we were supposed to see this as a hint of the presidential candidate Booker could be. Maybe he could a great candidate some day. Some people might think it's a shame that Trump got all the attention yesterday and the spotlight didn't shine on Cory Booker. I say he's lucky. He was terrible!

104 comments:

Phil 314 said...

I always thought speakers were organized from least important to most important and so being the last speaker was having the best position in the lineup. Having "the last word" so to speak.

tim in vermont said...

Democrats are big consumers of sophistry. "Reject first! Ask rhetorical questions later!" You have seen it a thousand times on this blog.

tim in vermont said...

That would have been the argument if he went first, Phil.

Francisco D said...

If the civil rights leaders are trying to derail Sessions, they are pitiful inadequate.

Congressmen Lewis seemed to be going through the motions without any real passion. Senator Booker was just talking about himself. The other congressman looked ridiculous with the "back of the bus" comment. They must sense some duty to protest because their friends want them to.

The racial guilt card is no longer trump in this card game. (That was an unintended pun). The card has also been maxed out beyond its credit limit for some time.

David Begley said...

Booker used that rhetorical device to display his authentic connection to the preaching style of some black pastors. But that trick won't work a second time. One Ivy League guy pretending to be down with the struggle is enough.

Booker is running for 2020 but he has already lost.

David said...

"Why did Booker participate in this awkward drama?"

Hack and demagogue. Also a bubble man. He is used to audiences that swoon at this kind of thing.

David Begley said...

The only card Booker can play is the historic card. That's why he had to be the historic first Senator to testify against another Senator.

I find Booker to be a repulsive grandstander with zero substance.

Matt Sablan said...

I used to like Booker. Then, he gave up his independent streak. Shame.

Sydney said...

It is the kind of thing that worked for the past eight years. They haven't figured out yet that the American people rejected that kind of government last November.

rhhardin said...

No more black presidents until the press is willing to attack them.

Rick said...

Who falls for that sort of sophistry?

The overwhelming majority of your students. Did you ever feel like you were a single M1 Garand defending a beach against a rising tide? The weapon wasn't even relevant to the struggle.

traditionalguy said...

We have lots of reenactments of the Battles of the Revolutionary and Civil War history. They dress up just like the real soldiers, and they carry the same antique weapons carefully used while they sing the same songs, and on signal they shoot and go boom, make smoke and charge just like the real battles.

African Americans have their reenactors too.

Larry J said...

"Why did Booker participate in this awkward drama?"

Campaign 2020 has already started and Booker is trying to be the next Obama. It's really as simple as that.

Rick said...

Francisco D said...
They must sense some duty to protest because their friends want them to.


Democrats assign the least supportable accusations to the CBC so criticisms can be deflected with accusations of racism, and in the belief their constituents won't hold it against them. Seems racist to me but Democrats must have their accusations of racism.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

It was extremely interesting and I had a lot to say, but I was horrified at the image of myself sitting in a chair blogging whatever comes on TV next.

How's retirement looking now?

Vet66 said...

Sessions took the spotlight despite what these sophists said with no backup to their statements. Thanks for reminding us of why Trump won and you lost big. They have nothing but shame to bask in.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

The local ABC-CBS-NBC (DNC) affiliates played Booker's words on the local radio news. oooo they had to!

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

The left are so mired in desperate tribal identity politics, they just look silly at this point.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

I can see that Booker's beef is that Sessions is too much of a humble servant, taking the law seriously and doing what it requires. Booker is demanding something most of us don't want: an Attorney General who takes sides.

Booker wants someone who has favorites that he will defend and support. He's saying he wants someone biased, impassioned, and politicized. And Sessions is not that man. If you pay attention and think, it works — for most people — as an endorsement of Sessions.


Indeed.

Brando said...

Sounds like he went with his closing argument but left out the entire trial part of it. If their biggest argument against Sessions is "just look at the guy! I mean really!" then it should be a fairly smooth confirmation.

MikeR said...

"Booker is demanding something most of us don't want: an Attorney General who takes sides." Actually, he probably will take sides. Just not the sides that Booker listed - he _disagrees_ with those sides. On immigration especially, which is why I assume he was chosen, he wants strict enforcement. Pretty popular position.
When liberals talk about "social justice", they mean in-justice: where the side they want wins.

Rusty said...

"Who falls for that sort of sophistry?"

Wait, They'll be along in a minute.

traditionalguy said...

If Hillary had won, she would probably have appointed Booker to the Supreme Court.That would have furthered the Chaos of our dying Republic, soon to be replaced by a Global Treaty Commission under Chairman Obama funded with its CO2 Taxes.

Laslo Spatula said...

His speech works if you see him as a Community Organizer.

Booker isn't after Trump supporters, he is making his play for the community of Obama supporters left behind.

He is telling them what they want to hear about Social Justice, one of the Left's Stations of the Cross.

A lot of them out there, and he is figuring that this video will get a lot of play in those circles.

If Trump supporters mock him it only makes him more the Hero in their eyes.

Community Organizers can Dream Big,

I am Laslo.

Curious George said...

"Booker is demanding something most of us don't want: an Attorney General who takes sides."

What, starting now? The left wants and all judges to take sides. As long as it's their side.

Bob Ellison said...

Booker has been shown that he's a possible POTUS candidate. People tell him that.

He has learned about personal marketing. He's a handsome man with a good voice and a good story. He is good at self-deprecation.

Over the next four years, he must learn how to pick his topics of discussion.

Rae said...

Booker is running for President. This is an early play for the Obama coalition.

Susan said...

Sounds like a Booker administration would provide the same kind of racial healing we have so enjoyed with our current beloved president.

Although I don't know if enjoyed is quite the word I'm looking for.

Etienne said...

Every time I see John Lewis speak in Congress, he comes across as a polarizing figure.

I don't like him. I don't like him one bit.

Michael K said...

I was convinced that Hillary would choose Booker for VP as a sort of Obama sub to bring out the black vote. She didn't and that made me wonder if even she knew he was a phony and dullard.

Imagine losing the VP nod to Tim Kaine. What an embarrassment. If, of course, you could be embarrassed.

John henry said...

I'm probably going to burn in Hell for saying this:

If Booker was not already famous for being black (and little else) I would have thought he was white from seeing him yesterday.

He is certainly a very light skinned black.

And a Stanford graduate at that.

Not that there's anything wrong with either.

John Henry

Bob Ellison said...

harryo, it's like the "bubble boy" episode in Seinfeld. Even people with credentials can be assholes.

MacMacConnell said...

Cory Booker, the Ivy League Maxine Waters.

rhhardin said...

I remember reading in a Coleridge op-ed around 1800 the then-current case of an English sea-captain captured by the French. The captain had escaped capture and gotten back to England.

The French said though that they had released him on his own recognizance and he ought to be returned for having violated that trust.

I don't remember what happened but Coleridge took the French side seriously, the problem of the moment being lack of information about the case. Are the French lying or is the captain.

That was back in the days of unwritten rules and consequences.

Curious George said...

European Court of Human Rights
European Convention on Human Rights

Frightening. The Brits were the first with Brexit. They'll be more.

John henry said...


Blogger Michael K said...

I was convinced that Hillary would choose Booker for VP as a sort of Obama sub to bring out the black vote. She didn't and that made me wonder if even she knew he was a phony and dullard.

Maybe he was offered and refused? We would not hear of it because "Booker refused Hilary Clinton? How dare he?"

VP is a the kiss of death for someone who wants to be President, as Booker may.

Humphry, Ford, Mondale, Gore, Nixon all tried and failed. (Nixon eventually got in but had to sit out 8 years)

Bush, Ford, Nixon, LBJ, Truman, TR all had disastrous presidencies and could not get re-elected. Coolidge is the only example of a successful former VP and even he did not run for a second term.

John Henry

JRoberts said...

In the Old Testament, Moses comes down from the mountain after meeting with God. The afterglow was such that Moses wears a veil.

The problem was, Moses continued to wear the veil long after the glow dissipated.

Kinda sounds like John Lewis to me.

sinz52 said...

The Left has now been reduced to claiming (at least implicitly) that equal treatment under the law is inherently racist because it doesn't favor minorities enough.

But that's not up to the Executive Branch to decide.

According to the laws as written, sometimes:

-- the white cop is right and the black guy is wrong
-- the rich guy is right and the poor guy is wrong
-- the native-born American is right and the immigrant is wrong.

If you don't like that--if you want a finger on the scale to favor blacks, poor, and immigrants--then Congress or the state legislatures should change the laws. Or appeal to the courts to declare the laws unconstitutional.

But the Executive Branch should not flout the law for political reasons in the meantime.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Cruz annihilates liar-cheater-Franken.

campy said...

No more black presidents until the press is willing to attack them.

No more democrat presidents until the press is willing to attack them.

roesch/voltaire said...

Just remember without God there is no truth, according to Sessions so Brooker has no chance unless he brings up the rather undistinguished law career of this future AG which may not be racist.

Jersey Fled said...

Hard to believe that Menendez is actually the better of our two senators here in NJ.

MaxedOutMama said...

I still have a vivid memory of Biden making an abject fool of himself at Alito's confirmation hearing. These things so often work out badly for the congressional grandstanders.

I'm sorry about Booker's pratfall, but the real problem here is that Sessions has a good, not a bad, record, so there isn't a good way to pretend that he's KKK material.

Sebastian said...

"What does that have to do with Jeff Sessions? How does Booker tie Sessions to the notion of law and order without justice?" I appreciate the fisking and all, but this comes perilously close to the old faux surprise shtick. How could Booker do this? What's the connection? Who falls for this sophistry? Etc. etc. Progs "fall for it" (they're down with it anyway), progs like it, progs don't give a damn about facts tying Sessions to anything, as long as they can vilify him, prog justice means favoring some groups over others (Black Lives matter, you know), and so on and so forth.

Michael K said...

Maybe he was offered and refused? We would not hear of it because "Booker refused Hilary Clinton? How dare he?"

Good points but I thought Obama was running for VP in 2008 until she collapsed on Super Tuesday.

Bob Ellison said...

If Jeff Sessions had a Brooklyn accent like Bernie Sanders, he'd be approved like a slip'n'slide. His Alabama accent is the big deal. The lefties want to play on that. That's how they work.

Clyde said...

I found the testimony of Sen. Booker, Rep. Lewis and Rep. Richmond to be nothing but partisan hackery. Gentlemen, your race card is overdrawn and is no good here.

Mike Sylwester said...

Booker eventually will make racism accusations against all the rest of the Republican Senators.

That's what he does.

Bay Area Guy said...

The Wile E. Coyote/Maxwell Smart Dems have missed it ....by ....that much.

Booker was a joke.

Original Mike said...

Althouse said..."Booker is demanding something most of us don't want: an Attorney General who takes sides."

I don't think you're right. "Social justice" is all about taking sides.

Amadeus 48 said...

Booker needs to be the "one America" Obama of 2004 if he wants to be president. He should have have supported Sessions while hailing the tradition of equal justice for all. If he didn't get that, he isn't smart enough to be president.

Fernandinande said...

affirm their human dignity

Is that part of the job description?

Comanche Voter said...

Booker is a lightweight. As for what he wants, he wants an Attorney Gemeral like Eric Holder. I'm sorry Senator Booker, but that train has left the station. Not on offer this time.

Ron Winkleheimer said...

@Amadeus 48

When Obama gave his speech at the DNC convention in 2004 I stated that he should run for president, he'd be great.

I really miss that guy.

Matt Sablan said...

"She didn't and that made me wonder if even she knew he was a phony and dullard."

-- Or she thinks he should be getting her coffee.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

rather undistinguished law career of this future AG

Prosecuting the top Klansman and putting him to death is an achievement in some circles. As is becoming the top prosecutor in a State.

What was Holder's "distinguished career" before becoming AG, besides lobbying for the Marc Rich pardon as an AAG under Clinton?

Susan said...

I believe Booker was not picked for VP because the Democrats reasoned that they had the black vote sewed up and racist, mysogynist white men would NEVER vote for a lady President and black VP.

They chose poorly.

They have NO idea that half the country does not vote for people based on race or gender. They can't even imagine that. You either vote their way based on race or gender, or you are a mysogynist racist who voted for worse than Hitler.

Not considering race or gender as primary qualifications does not compute.

Bay Area Guy said...

A few thoughts about John Lewis:

1. Yes, he is a civil rights legend, and did heroic, historical work in the 60s, to help move the South away from racial injustice.

2. But he squanders his achievements and moral capital when he serves as a Leftwing mouthpiece "fighting" imaginary battles against imaginary demons.

3. Sessions actually should be viewed as an Alabaman success story, part of the peaceful transformation of the New South.

Trump/Sessions 1, Booker/Lewis 0

Matt Sablan said...

"Just remember without God there is no truth, according to Sessions so Brooker has no chance unless he brings up the rather undistinguished law career of this future AG which may not be racist."

-- Distinguished law careers no longer are required, considering how much of a pass we gave Obama on it for a much higher office.

Known Unknown said...

There are valid reasons to oppose Sessions, most notably that he doesn't seem keen on civil asset forfeiture reform, which is a cudgel the state uses against its own citizens even without due process or evidence of wrongdoing.

However, my impression is that the Attorney General carries out the law as written. Which sometimes can be unfortunate but beyond his or her power to change the law.

boycat said...

I get the distinct feeling that it hasn't even begun to sink in to the Democrats yet how deep of a hole they've dug themselves into by going all in for Obama the last 8 years.

exhelodrvr1 said...

The progressives in a nutshell. They have nothing to offer but words that many years ago lost whatever validity they had.

Sebastian said...

And by the way: happy birthday to our hostess. What better way to celebrate than to knock out a few more posts?

buwaya said...

Surely you dont expect sincerity from politicians?
As for why they say whatever they say, see where their bread is buttered. Follow the money. Who would finance an honest Democrat?

Curious George said...

"Bay Area Guy said...
A few thoughts about John Lewis:

2. But he squanders his achievements and moral capital when he serves as a Leftwing mouthpiece "fighting" imaginary battles against imaginary demons."

Nothing new about this. He's the asshole that lied about Tea Party members spitting and saying racial slurs on him. He's just a race hustler now.

chickelit said...

I look forward to years of Booker grandstanding in the Senate. Americans will get to know him and reject him.

walter said...

Sessions must have recorded an LP in his youth. If you play it backwards....

mockturtle said...

The politician who plays the race/gender identity card is playing a losing hand.

ga6 said...

new for the 21st century: "if he white he aint right"

rcocean said...

This all has a good side. Maybe people will stop worshiping people like Lewis because of what they did 50 years ago. Besides Lewis is being consistent. He was for Civil rights because it was good for black people. And he lied about the Tea Party and attacked Sessions for the same reason.

I will give Lewis points though. In 2008 McCain went on and on (I think it was the debates) in his phony manner about how much he loved Lewis and what a great guy he was, blah, blah. And Lewis responded by calling McCain a Racist. Loved it.

Race relations will get more healthy as the White boomers die off. Black people aren't special needs kids, they're out equals.

Peter said...

The worst part of Booker's testimony is the large number of accusations made without supporting evidence, yet this may be at least somewhat effective in the political sphere as people hearing it may simply assume that such evidence must exist (for otherwise why would Booker make the accusations)?

But on the matter of "Law and order without justice" etc., the last world belongs (or should belong) to Thomas Sowell. Here's a short post by Sowell on the pursuit of what Sowell calls "cosmic justice":

http://www.tsowell.com/spquestc.html

mockturtle said...

The whole notion of a 'Black Caucus' is very racist.

Original Mike said...

Oh, Oh. Ben Carson just said "garnered". There's the Dems opening to vote "No".

walter said...

“I am humbled to be able to participate here and pay tribute to some of the extraordinary Americans whose footsteps paved the way for me and my generation," Booker said at the time. "I feel blessed and honored to have partnered with Senator Sessions in being the Senate sponsors of this important award.”
--
If you play that backwards, he's saying he will stab Sessions in the back if necessary for his political ascension.

Original Mike said...

"Race relations will get more healthy as the White boomers die off."

John Lewis is white? Who knew?

JAORE said...

Both McCain and Lewis did things 50 years ago that brought them much fame and deserved honor.

That well ran dry a LONG time ago for both.

"Campaign 2020 has already started and Booker is trying to be the next Obama. It's really as simple as that."

Yep, it's more of the, "If Obama could have run for a third term". Boy, that Booker would have had the black turn out that Hillary didn't. Now pair him with a Hispanic, female VP.

Static Ping said...

I'm not sure what he means that the justice system is biased against the drug addicted and the mentally ill.

Drug addicts are, by their nature, criminals and tend to feed their addictions by committing even more crime. The justice system has a bias against criminals. This is a good thing.

I do agree that the justice system is biased when it comes to the mentally ill, but it is biased in their favor. Due to ill-advised dogoodery, we have released many individuals who are a danger to themselves and others onto the street and get the predictable results. Then they do not always go to prison because they are mentally ill.

The worst thing about this is Booker is probably the best mayor Newark has had in my lifetime.

Original Mike said...

"His record indicates" = "Cory Booker says"

Michael K said...

"What was Holder's "distinguished career" before becoming AG, besides lobbying for the Marc Rich pardon as an AAG under Clinton?"

R/V is not interested in what you and I would call a distinguished career. It is all about the leftist coins collected.

Holder testified against the Arizona bill SB 2010. and when asked if he had read it admitted he had not.

The idiots on the Los Angeles City Council threatened to boycott Arizona ans the staff had to qietly inform them that Los Angeles gets 25% of its electricity from Arizona. The LA Times tried to finesse this.

A boycott from the Los Angeles City Council led Arizona Corporation Commissioner Gary Pierce to threaten “to renegotiate your power agreements so that Los Angeles no longer receives any power from Arizona-based generation.”

Of course, LA had no other source. The City Council thinks electricity comes out of the wall.

Birches said...

When everyone is a racist, no one is.

Drago said...

"Who falls for that sort of sophistry?"

exhelodrvr1: "The progressives in a nutshell. They have nothing to offer but words that many years ago lost whatever validity they had"

As noted before, the left literally has but one play in the play book and they are playing it. You will recognize this play from every political conflict over the last 50 years.

Just look at the tactics with the lefties giving passes to Code Pink, BLM and other astroturf lefty groups to disrupt the hearings with their catchy catchphrases which the MSM dutifully provides camera and discussion time for (as media/PR force multipliers), the vacuous charges of racist/Nazi/fascist etc.

The left literally has nothing left is completely flummoxed as to why it doesn't seem to be working this time.

All of that along with the defanging of the media/left/"lifelong republicans" in terms of communications flow as well as another several generations of moron lefty activists have been raised and we have the makings of a truly violent and deteriorating "public square" environment as the lefts cognitive dissonance is causing their heads to explode.

walter said...

Static Ping said...The justice system has a bias against criminals. This is a good thing.
--
Booker's one with the manipulation of language approach..attempting to conflate legal justice with "social justice".
You're not anti "justice", are you?

Original Mike said...

"If Hillary had won, she would probably have appointed Booker to the Supreme Court."

If you really want to stare into the abyss, take a look at Hillary's list of Cabinet nominees.

mccullough said...

Booker is the Democratic version of Rubio. Both come across superficially well but there's not much substance underneath the smooth delivery and nice appearance. They are middle weights. Watching them you can really understand why only three senators have been elected president and all three were weak presidents.

Original Mike said...

"Booker is the Democratic version of Rubio. Both come across superficially well but there's not much substance underneath the smooth delivery and nice appearance."

Did Rubio really think it was a good idea yesterday for the presumptive Secretary of State to publically label Putin a "war criminal"? My opinion of Rubio dropped several notches watching that.

Bruce Hayden said...

What these racist black politicians want is an AG who is as nakedly racist as they are, in the mold of Holder esp, but also Lynch. Too bad. Elections have consequences, and you lost. Obama level black turnout might have been able to flip PA and MI. And might have been able to flip WI, with a couple more Berniebots getting over their butt hurt and to the polls. What a lot of Trump voters wanted is what they are likely to get with Sessions - a color blind Justice Dept. And hopefully one that aggressively goes after the sort of voter fraud that may have made the election closer than it should have been (instead of facilitating it, as Holder did).

Bruce Hayden said...

Love some of Crooked Hillary's likely cabinet nominees - either easily phished John Podesta or "Slo Joe" Biden for Sec of State? Jamie "The Wall" Goerlich for AG (arguably the govt official with the most personal culpability for the success of the 9/11/01 attacks)? Almost all white, except for an unnamed Black at the EPA (Talk about tokens - esp notable since they were going to fill the post by color, with no apparent regard to qualifications, just to get a Black in the cabinet, if Lynch weren't retained - which I think she would have, after protecting Clinton so ferociously during the campaign). Scary stuff.

Original Mike said...

"Love some of Crooked Hillary's likely cabinet nominees - either easily phished John Podesta ..."

Hillary wanted a Sec State who would treat intelligence with the same respect she displayed while in the office.

Chuck said...

Althouse you are so right about Booker and Lewis, and what a big nothingburger their testimony was.

Jeff Sessions has had just one problem, in a highly successful confirmation hearing presentation; the problem has been Sessions, walking back the stupid stuff that Trump has said or Tweeted.

And it is happening in all of the hearings. And in hearing after hearing, we see the clear and obvious pattern; the cabinet nominees all supply reasonable answers, contradicting Trump's earlier insanities.

I am not surprised. I am not disappointed.

wendybar said...

I'm from New Jersey....Have you seen the mess, Corey Booker left in Newark?? Stop voting the color of peoples skin, and vote for real working change!!!

wendybar said...

Here ya go...http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/10/20/the-ugly-truth-about-cory-booker-new-jersey-s-golden-boy.html?via=desktop&source=facebook

William said...

They interviewed a NAACP leader about the Sessions appointment. He was against it. The interviewer asked the leader if he could name one Republican that he could support for the AG office. He couldn't........This seems to me to be a demonstration not of the leader's commitment to civil rights but rather to his own prejudices. And no one will ever call him out on it.

Drago said...

LOL

"lifelong republican" Chuck pretending that Sessions problem is Trump!

Only Trump would nominate Sessions and it has been fabulous watching the lefties, like "brilliant" Rachel Maddow (a local favorite of some posters on this blog) melt down.

Drago said...

I impressed by how much of a brave "conservative" face "lifelong republican" Chuck is able to maintain as one after another of Trumps nominees breeze thru the nomination process.

Thus far it is safe to say that not a single one of these nominees would have been nominated by any other republican candidate, not even Cruz.

Charlie said...

Once again, all of this looks so awkward because they are powerless and damned if they know what to do about it. Same with Hollywood celebrities. Lots more of this to come.

David Blaska said...

My thoughts exactly. Booker was giving a political convention speech, rehearsing the one he wants to give in 2020 when he runs for President. He was not testifying. John Lewis, yeah man, you were there. But we're here now. And that back of the bus comment by Richmond! Cheap. Unless I missed something, don't you always start with the nominee and with questions from the committee that has oversight? That would not be the House of Reps which has no oversight. Guys, your race card is getting awfully frayed. Not one particular cited! Not one vote noted!

Dude1394 said...

Anyone who mentions ferguson as anything but misplaced race mongering is a liar.

Earnest Prole said...

Poor Cory Booker and Senate Democrats are playing by the old Senate rules. Apparently no one bothered to tell them that their former majority leader abolished the 60-vote supermajority for Cabinet confirmations, and therefore the cry-racism dog will no longer hunt.

Original Mike said...

"Poor Cory Booker and Senate Democrats are playing by the old Senate rules. Apparently no one bothered to tell them that their former majority leader abolished the 60-vote supermajority for Cabinet confirmations, and therefore the cry-racism dog will no longer hunt."

Booker knows they're not stopping this nominee. This is all preening.

Chuck said...

Drago said...
LOL
"lifelong republican" Chuck pretending that Sessions problem is Trump!
Only Trump would nominate Sessions


It may indeed be true, that "only Trump would nominate Sessions." But I would propose two things:
1) A Ted Cruz (not my first or second choice as a presidential nominee, but someone who came close to the nomination) might well have nominated Sessions, and perhaps even as a part-political play to reunite the Trump and Cruz wings of Republican politics.
2) Jeff Sessions isn't the only conservative lawyer in Washington, or the nation. The Federalist Society membership is in the thousands. There could easily be found other strong conservative AG nominees. Indeed, others who were more classically conservative, and who had less fealty to a thing like Trump.

For me, the Sessions nomination is nice. It was never a drop-dead necessity.


Birkel said...

The only drop-dead necessity for Chuck, who supports anything anti-Trump, is that he take every opportunity to make himself small.

I am getting tired of all this whining, just like Trump said.

Drago said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Drago said...

"lifelong republican" Chuck: "For me, the Sessions nomination is nice. It was never a drop-dead necessity."

True. You would have been happy with any Hillary nominee.

Static Ping said...

wendybar said... I'm from New Jersey....Have you seen the mess, Corey Booker left in Newark?? Stop voting the color of peoples skin, and vote for real working change!!!

This can be said for any city that has one party rule to some extent. The problem really is not that they are voting for a particular race but because they are voting for the same people who repeatedly fail. Plus one party government is great for corruption. It would do Newark a lot of good if they elected a Republican, even a liberal one. Simply having two viable parties, even if it is the Dems and other Dems would at least help with the corruption.

But as I said before, Booker is probably the best mayor Newark has had in my lifetime that has held the job for any significant period of time. This is a low bar. His predecessor Sharpe James is in prison and he was mayor for two decades. James was a vast improvement over the 16 years of Kenneth Gibson who was a general failure and had a notorious reputation as corrupt. (At least he had the good sense to hire better lawyers so he didn't do prison time.) The current guy is Ras Baraka. To the best of my knowledge he has not gotten into trouble yet. He's the son of Amiri Baraka, the late radical poet who was removed from his position of Poet Laureate of New Jersey by bipartisan consensus after he accused of Israel having foreknowledge of 9/11. Again, that's his father, but it does not bode well. The last Republican to hold the post left in 1953 which was well before the race riots of 1967.