Judge Brett Kavanaugh came out swinging against Senate Democrats during Thursday’s show trial at the Senate Judiciary Committee. He was angry and pulled no punches as he called out the bad faith actors trying to destroy his life. But to CNN liberals, he was acting “unhinged” and his comments were “deeply political”.
“I don't believe Brett Kavanaugh is telling the entire truth,” declared CNN political commentator Symone Sanders. “I just thought it wasn't believable. I think, he – he – he told non-truths. He lied about things I don't think he needed to lie about. Perhaps he felt he could not give any ground because he didn't want to be found culpable for anything.”
According to Sanders, who has a history nuclear outbursts of rage on the network, Kavanaugh’s anger was “striking”. “I understand if you have been -- if you believe you have not done something wrong and you are upset and you are angry, but the way portrayed himself at the outset of this hearing today, he looked unhinged,” she spat.
She chided him for being “dismissive” of the charges, but how else would he act against charges he says are false? “He looked dismissive. He also took direct aim at Democratic Senators. You are auditioning for a job, sir,” she shouted. “And these Senators, it is their job to advise and consent.” But Kavanaugh was right, Democratic Senators were set on “search and destroy”.
“He came out as someone who wanted to come out swinging, punching, and hitting and wanted to let you know he wasn't going to take anybody's stuff today and I don't think that helped him at all,” she proclaimed.
A short time later, CNN senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin also noted Kavanaugh’s anger but was taken aback by Kavanaugh’s expert analyst that the Democrats were smearing him over 2016:
I mean, a phrase that jumped out on me, that this was “revenge on the part of the Clintons.” I mean, it wasn't even just blame as you pointed out -- the Democratic Senators. That this was revenge on the part of the Clintons plural, Hillary Clinton who lost in 2016 and Bill Clinton whom he investigated.
“You know, naively perhaps a lot of people think the Supreme Court should be at least somewhat divorced from politics. This was a deeply political statement designed to appeal to Republicans,” he pontificated.
This is a joke. This is CNN.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
CNN's The Lead
September 27, 2018
4:15 p.m. Eastern(…)
JAKE TAPPER: What was your reaction Symone Sanders to what Judge Kavanaugh had to say today? Do you believe that he's telling his truth?
SAMONE SANDERS: I don’t believe… So, one, I don't believe Brett Kavanaugh is telling the entire truth, just the part that he noted about the year book entry. About we called the young woman, the Renatti alumni because she was one of us, but she didn't know about it. I just thought it wasn't believable. I think, he – he – he told non-truths. He lied about things I don't think he needed to lie about. Perhaps he felt he could not give any ground because he didn't want to be found culpable for anything.
The most striking thing for me was his anger. I understand if you have been -- if you believe you have not done something wrong and you are upset and you are angry, but the way portrayed himself at the outset of this hearing today, he looked unhinged. He looked dismissive. He also took direct aim at Democratic Senators. You are auditioning for a job, sir! And these Senators, it is their job to advise and consent.
It reminded me that Brett Kavanaugh at his heart was an operative. Let’s not forget he was a Republican operative. So, he did not come off as someone that just wanted to come out and clear his name. He came out as someone who wanted to come out swinging, punching, and hitting and wanted to let you know he wasn't going to take anybody's stuff today and I don't think that helped him at all.
(…)
JEFFREY TOOBIN: I was struck by how similar this was to Clarence Thomas 27 years ago.
TAPPER: Even some of the same words.
TOOBIN: Some of the same words. The level of anger, the degree to which he blamed the opposition party. I mean, a phrase that jumped out on me, that this was “revenge on the part of the Clintons.” I mean, it wasn't even just blame as you pointed out -- the Democratic Senators. That this was revenge on the part of the Clintons plural, Hillary Clinton who lost in 2016 and Bill Clinton whom he investigated.
TAPPER: As part of the Whitewater team.
TOOBIN: As part of Ken Starr's team. You know, there -- you know, naively perhaps a lot of people think the Supreme Court should be at least somewhat divorced from politics. This was a deeply political statement designed to appeal to Republicans.
(…)
