Let's take a few moments to watch a maestro at the top of her game

[EffieBlack]

This just might make your day:

[Zoonart]

1. Oh my yes.

Just stunning. Love her. Thanks for posting.

[spanone]

2. Kavanaugh appears to be lying his ass off.

[EffieBlack]

4. He's stuck because he knows that, like any good lawyer, she already knows the answer to her question

And if he answers honestly, he's screwed - it means he's corrupt at worst and, at best, must recuse himself from considering any cases related to Trump or the Mueller probe.

And if he lies, Sen. Harris will know it - and every other senator with access to the "Committee Confidential" documents containing the answer will know it, too. And, even in this up-is-doen world, if Kavanaugh is busted lying under oath about discussing the Mueller case with Trump's lawyers, he'll not only not get on the Supreme Court, he could get impeached and removed from his current job.

So we just got the deer-in-the-headlights "Who, me?" look.

[spanone]

7. Agreed 100%

[brush]

31. This is probably what she has on him. Wonder how she'll spring it.

It's about his opinion that presidents should be able to stop prosecutions etc.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=11100419

[Perseus]

13. Watch his left hand as he grabs the notepad very hard

while Harris is asking the question.

What a bunch of bull that he has to know who works there, the name of the firm suffices.

And this guy Lee, what a moron...law firms are everywhere, lots of people work at law firms, blah, blah blah...he must be in the same fifth grade as the man-child.

[bluescribbler]

27. I loved the reaction of the staffer

When Sen. Lee compared law firms to rabbits. The man behind him had to cover his face. He was either trying not to laugh, or was embarrassed by the comparison.

[Merlot]

38. Yes, that reaction of the staffer was priceless - looked like an embarrassed laugh

[HootieMcBoob]

68. Just before that he said that law firms

In Washington DC “metastasize”. He’s basically saying that they’re a cancer on the capital. 😆

[mcar]

3. She is amazing!

[Docreed2003]

5. A maestro indeed! Love her!

[Maraya1969]

6. So that law firm is the same one the Trump's lawyer is from? Is there proof

that he spoke with Trump's lawyer?

How can Kamala Harris prove that he is lying here?

[EffieBlack]

8. It's probably in the Committee Confidential documents

She has proof.

[green917]

24. Im guessing there is an email exchange

Im guessing there is an email exchange either setting up a meeting or discussing the meeting after the fact. Im guessing Kasowitz' legal assistant probably contacted him (Kavanaugh).

[pangaia]

11. Oh she knows. And she has proof.

otherewise she would not have asked the question.

And KKK KNOWS she knows.. and that she knows he knows she knows he is lying. In fact the entire committee knows he is lying.

[Gothmog]

9. I really like Senator Harris

[djacq]

10. Harris Booker 2020

Can I get an Amen?

[irisblue]

12. Amen🙌🙌

[flibbitygiblets]

21. Good God yes

Dream ticket

[Hekate]

28. Kamala Harris for Senate for the next 40 years

[JuJuYoshida]

39. that would be a dream come true

[fleur-de-lisa]

14. I love her! She seems to be taking over from Al Franken . . .

Kicking ass and taking names!

She is currently my top candidate for our presidential nominee in 2020. She is pushing all my buttons:

1. FEMALE
2. MIXED RACIAL BACKGROUND (mother is from India, father is from Jamaica)
3. SMART AS HELL
4. ASS-KICKER EXTRAORDINAIRE
5. YOUNG-ISH (she is only 53)
6. SERVED AS A DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND ATTORNEY GENERAL IN CALIFORNIA
7. HAS A REPUTATION FOR PROSECUTING HATE CRIMES AND CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

[Honeycombe8]

64. Not IMO.

She got a tip, and that's good. She asked questions that were pointed. She's a former prosecutor, so she would be good at that, and she was. Could she have done better? I think so. She talked too much with him, instead of repeating her question and asking him to answer.

But Franken would, IMO, have done better. It's partly the voice. Harris has a weak voice, while Franken's voice is pleasant, low, and makes points very well. Harris' voice is irritating to me. The voice is important.

[flibbitygiblets]

65. Do all women have irritating voices, or just some?

I've motherfucking HAD IT with this "she's got an irritating voice" bullshit.

Women typically have higher voices than men. Try to deal, OK?

[Haggis for Breakfast]

71. Oh snap !!

I think you struck a nerve there. I am also tired of men complaining about women being strident or aggressive.

She asked him a very direct question and he squirmed like a five year old with a full bladder. I'll bet this guy does NOT play poker.

[EffieBlack]

75. And it's rich watching someone on a discussion board critique the cross-examination skills

of one of the best attorneys in the country ...

[Honeycombe8]

87. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. And...she didn't get an answer, did she?

Last edited Fri Sep 7, 2018, 03:41 AM - Edit history (1)

Because she didn't insist, IMO. Well, he answered something like, "I didn't have any inappropriate discussions about the Mueller investigation with anyone...." She didn't pick up on that word "inappropriate." That made the answer a non-answer. Because he could have had discussions, but in his view, they were not inappropriate.

And because she didn't get an answer, Orin Hatch or someone misrepresented, the next day, Kavanaugh's non-answer, by saying that he had said he hadn't had any conversations about it, but that's not what Kavanaugh had said.

I find her voice irritating. If I do...then others do. You'll have to deal with it. It's a fact. I can't help it. Some things are irritating to some people. Like you get irritated when people criticize Harris. It happens.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

96. Oh, believe me, America saw him answer her question.

[Honeycombe8]

97. Yes. It's on the internet, too. The tricky answer that she didn't catch.

It has a loophole in it. "I did not have any inappropriate discussions...." He did not say he didn't have any discussions.

Then Hatch said next day at the hearing that Kavanaugh had said he hadn't had any discussions about Mueller w/anyone at that firm, etc. He misrepresented what had been said, and as far as I know, no one caught that, either.

If Harris has proof of a conversation Kavanaugh had, that does not mean perjury. He never said he didn't have any discussions w/someone at that firm about Mueller.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

101. YOU are missing the POINT

He squirmed, he stammered, he obfuscated, his eyes darted all over, his left hand grabbed that tablet of paper like it was a life preserver and he was on the deck of the Titanic. For a man who had sat for days, remembering minute details from meetings, rulings, court opinions decades old, he suddenly developed autogenic amnesia ?????

As someone who has spent a life time reading body language for a living, I will say again: America saw him answer her question. Turn off the audio and just watch him respond. His answer is all over him.

[Honeycombe8]

102. No, that's not the point. He got his slippery answer in, and she accepted it.

And Hatch portrayed it as something other than it was...and to my knowledge, she has not corrected that misrepresentation.

So the country THINKS he answered the question, when he didn't, really. The Hatch version has obviously taken hold.

If she has proof of a conversation, there is no perjury. Because he never even said whether or not he'd had a conversation w/someone from that firm about Mueller.

But having said that, he sure looked uncomfortable with the question (very telling!), and tried not to have to answer, or answer or a more limited question. So yeah...sure looked like he probably had a conversation w/someone at that firm about the Mueller investigation (of COURSE he did! That's Trump's lawyer's firm.) That's why Hatch tried to "clarify" and misrepresent his testimony the next day.

But it would be more meaningful if he had actually answered the question she posed. The closest he got was his first answer, "I'm not remembering." I guess I did not see what you saw. I saw some competent questioning, but not a blaze of glory.

I did think Cory Booker's moment was pretty good. Noteworthy.

I don't know much about either of them. I have nothing against either of them. But Booker did catch my attention as someone who bested a situation that was potentially not good, and he did release those documents. That was noteworthy and bold, IMO. They both did a great job.

[Honeycombe8]

85. I'm female. Snap!! nt

[flibbitygiblets]

93. I wouldn't be patting myself on the back for being a woman, you're not exactly championing our cause

[Honeycombe8]

98. I'm not championing any cause. I merely stated that I found someone's voice irritating.

Such a fuss over finding someone's voice irritating.

Hillary's voice is lovely. Dennis Kucinich's voice was squeaky.

It's not the gender. It's the voice.

[BannonsLiver]

100. You'd best get used to hearing that voice

I don’t think it’s going anywhere anytime soon, in fact quite the opposite.

[Honeycombe8]

84. Her voice is irritating to me. Wow...I didn't know you cared that much about my opinions.

My every opinion upsets you that much? I must love everything about someone you love, or it ruins your day?

I find her voice irritating. Deal with it.

It's not because she's female. I'M female, after all. I don't find Hillary's voice irritating. No...Harris just has an irritating voice, to me.

I heard her on a podcast the other day, but didn't know it was her. As soon as I heard the person speak, I thought "What an irritating voice, whoever that is."

[flibbitygiblets]

92. You don't seem to know (or care) that you are contributing to dog-whistle sexism

Every time someone (male or female) says something like "she has an irritating voice", or "she's hysterical" or any other statement that points out the simple "female-ness" of a woman and compares it to how much better the "male-ness" is of a man, it is (intentionally or not) signaling that it's still...in 2018(!)...okay to marginalize and discriminate against women for things they can't change, such as their voice or the fact that they pee sitting down. You just joined team Trump and his misogynistic views, did you realize that?

Your comment is the gender equivalent of black stereotypes that I'd assumed we all agreed are WRONG and DAMAGING, so we DON"T ENGAGE IN THEM, not only because it's simply fucked up, but also because it signals to others that it's acceptable to do so.

I don't give a damn about your personal opinion. My beef isn't about your thoughts on Harris as a political figure; think whatever the hell you want. But PLEASE stop giving men (and women who are happy to live in 1950's America cuz' the men-folk are better at running things, you know!) your approval to judge women based on something they have no control over.


A man would do a better job because he has a low, calm voice? OMFG, are you serious??? We are better than this. We NEED to be better than this or women will continue to be denigrated for simply being women. Any lights going on now???

[EffieBlack]

94. Thank you

[Honeycombe8]

99. It doesn't help to treat certain people gingerly, like they can't handle the truth.

Get a grip. Someone just made a comment that they found someone's voice irritating. My, such a fuss over nothing.

Dennis Kucinich's voice was squeaky. Hillary's voice is lovely. It has nothing to do with gender or race or height or weight or anything superficial.

I find her voice irritating. I'm sure some others do, too. I'm sure others don't. I can't help it. I do. It's just one of those things. Get a grip.

[fleur-de-lisa]

90. Thank you, flibbitygiblets! Perfect response.

It's good to know which people should be put on ignore.

[EffieBlack]

74. Did you read what you wrote before you hit "Post my reply?"

[SunSeeker]

78. Wow.

[pangaia]

15. I watched almost the entire thing live.

This excerpt has only a small part of it, and maybe the BEST PART !!!!!!




It was a thing of beauty.

The guy suddenly got constipated, flushed red, stammered, uh uh uh....

He's lying, she knows he is lying. He knows she knows he is lying.. The entire committee knows he is lying...What a stupid, sick fuck..

Actually, republicans are sick fucks.. every one of them for doing nothing..

[C_U_L8R]

16. Oh he crumbled under fire

Keep the heat on Senator Harris.

[jcgoldie]

17. wow

she ate him for lunch.

[SpankMe]

18. She was a prosecutor and Deputy DA and DA with relatively high conviction rates.

You could almost hear Kavanaugh sweat. It almost made noise in the microphone as it dripped down.

[lsewpershad]

19. The cons (republicons)

are playing fast and loose with peoples lives covering up for the clown on charge.
Cavanaugh should not be confirmed.

[amuse bouche]

20. She is fab

[flibbitygiblets]

22. "First of all, stop the clock". ROFL.

What a badass! Yes!!!

[people]

23. Kamala Harris is Wonderful

She is the greatest. She is smart, moral, brave, kind and the force of her words comes from the fact that she absolutely means what she says. She does not do BS. I waited all day to see her take on this piece of . . . . His face got so red when she was asking him if he ever spoke to anyone at the Kasowitz law firm about the Mueller investigation. That he asked her for the names of who was in that law firm instead of simply saying yes or no or I don't remember if I did gave it all away. Kamala was and is a master - SHE WAS and IS FABULOUS

[DesertRat]

25. She is awesome!

I'd like to see her cross examine Trump.

[byronius]

26. Squirmy worm, pants on fire.

He's clearly strategized and discussed how to thwart Robert Mueller with many toadies from many parts of the conspiracy.

That was so revealing. Thank you Senator Harris.

Proud to have voted for you.

[mulsh]

29. I can't wait until Senator Harris releases the incriminating evidence she so obviously has.

n/t

[Merlot]

40. She can't release it until he lies about it.

"Think about your answer" her way of telling him (and everyone) that she does indeed have the evidene.

[llmart]

30. My God, she was amazing!

If that lying weasel had to take a lie detector test, the machine would blow up.

She had him sweating and he knows he's lying. Why am I not surprised that he was the appointed one by the GOP? They're all a bunch of crooks, criminals and liars, especially the liar-in-chief.

How many times did he say "I'm not remembering"? Boy, if he has such an awful memory maybe that should disqualify him.

This is sickening. However, her political career can go nowhere but up from here. She's amazing and I'd vote for her for President any day.

[7962]

32. Sorry, I dont see whats so impressive. They're both just playing.

For Gods sake, just ask him "did you speak with Joe Blow, of the firm X, about the investigation?" Obviously she has a specific person in mind, just SAY IT.
He asked "who are you talking about?"
Why not just give the name? Then he's totally on the hook if he lies. He would HAVE to admit it or go with the standard "I dont recall".

Just another part of the show, thats all. Everyone wants their clips. Sorry, I know most of you guys think the opposite.

[Merlot]

42. No good prosecuter would give their evidence up

and "I don't recall" is every republicans fallback line. She didn't give him the chance to use it.

[watoos]

43. She may only know that he had a meeting

at that law firm and she may not know who specifically. Your use of the word playing truly diminishes the importance of her question.

[7962]

49. Thats possible, but her demeanor seems to point to her having someone in mind

Like she said HE did, but was afraid to mention

[lunatica]

45. She was the Attorney General in California

As a successful prosecutor she knows what she’s doing. How he looks, or prevaricated, squirms or responds to her direct question is probably what she wants to expose. The impression we, as audience, have now is that he was hiding something important that might be either very embarrassing or damning, or perhaps even illegal. Or all three. He could have just lied, but he probably felt she had proof to show he did discuss Mueller. So he prevaricated.

She has him off balance and it’s easy to see that he’s lying and hedging and playing dumb and probably hiding something. In other words he is being dishonest. It’s a strategic move on her part and serves to inject doubt regarding his honesty.

[Hortensis]

46. Yes, you really don't see. She was CA's AG after she was

a CA prosecutor, you know. She operates at a far higher level of competence than the average person is capable of, and for some even capable of understanding exists. Serious people are watching this carefully, though, and some are commenting on it. Maybe look for discussion on legal blogs of the techniques she's using.

How this will work out, can't say. We can be sure she's handling what she has to work with skillfully, though.

[7962]

48. Yes, I know what her position was in CA. This isnt a trial though. Its a hearing.

When it was all over with, if you saw more than this clip, she just moved on to a different question. Nothing comes of it. She gets her YouTube worthy clip and nothing happens to Kavanaugh. If she was trying to bust him on something, then DO IT. Stick the name out there and let him deny it & then show your proof that hes a liar.
Like people always say, when they ask you a question, they already know the answer, so just get on with it.

[Hortensis]

54. You have no idea whether she gets anything from it.

Don't you understand that? You don't know. I don't know. No. One. Here. Knows. The media don't know. Laurence Tribe, for god's sake, doesn't know yet.

I'm wondering, for instance, if she might just have been setting another brick in a foundation they're all creating to base a demand on, after confirmation, that he recuse himself from all cases related to Trump.

But that's just speculation. I really hope, of course, that they have wood and they're laying it now to end Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing in immolation, unlikely as that may seem.

But I will watch to find out because I know at least that I don't know.

[EffieBlack]

55. This stage of the hearing IS very much like a trial

You're right - as in a trial, the most important thing to do is get him on the record under oath. This can be used later - either in the floor vote to get other Senators to switch their vote, later on when trying to pressure him to recuse, or even in an impeachment at a later time.

[Hortensis]

62. Yes. Nicely explained.

I'm aggravated at the moment thinking of those who always complain that those who rise to party leadership don't speak out and take action.

By definition they missed completely what can be done with limited power. They'll see big action they can't miss after they first take it themselves by voting power to our senators and congressmen, when they vote to give Democrats the majority and the gavel.

Link to tweet

[7962]

61. Of course we dont know. But I seriously doubt she was bluffing!

It was too specific. It just needed to be a tad MORE specific for me. He even asked who she was talking about. Why not give him the rope?

[Hermit-The-Prog]

86. specificity aids the target

She's the one with skill and experience, but my guess is that she did not want to help the gang behind Kavanaugh in their quest to make him appear normal. They have to keep scrambling and he has to keep squirming, wondering what she's going to bring up next.

If he falls into a siege mentality, this sham can unravel. He may now be trying to concentrate on who, who, who, instead of questions at hand. This makes it more likely for him to stumble. And he can't get her questioning out of his head.

The jury (the general public) sees him rattled.

[EffieBlack]

76. That's not how it's done. This isn't Perry Mason

It didn't matter who it was. The point was that she let him know she knew he had a conversation. And the fewer details he had at that point the better. All he needed to do was tell the truth, which he obviously couldn't do.

[NurseJackie]

33. WOW!

[KPN]

34. I sure hope whoever he has talked to about the Mueller investigation steps forward during the

remainder of this hearing. Kamala is more than sharp. She laid down a land mine that Kavanaugh was totally unable to step around.

[NewJeffCT]

35. I'm hoping

she either has proof of the contact/conversation or something similar.

[LexVegas]

36. I am all in if she decides to run for President. nt

[geardaddy]

37. That twit Lee is ridiculous

"This town is full of law firms and they're full of people."

What an absolute fuckhead. That was a sad mansplain.

[lunatica]

47. That's probably why his staff behind him were laughing

It was an obvious desperate attempt to cover for Kavanaugh playing “I’m too stupid to understand your question, Ma’am”

[SharonAnn]

41. That was awesome!

[Brother Buzz]

44. Smart lawyers never ask questions that they don't already know the answer to

Kamala Harris is one smart cookie

[lapfog_1]

53. from her wikipedia page

Harris worked in the San Francisco District Attorney's Office and City Attorney's Office. In 2004, Harris was elected District Attorney of San Francisco. Harris was elected California's Attorney General in 2010 and reelected in 2014.

[Brother Buzz]

58. My magic 8 Ball looked into the future

Harris worked in the San Francisco District Attorney's Office and City Attorney's Office. In 2004, Harris was elected District Attorney of San Francisco. Harris was elected California's Attorney General in 2010 and reelected in 2014. US Senator from California from 2017 to 2021. Appointed Attorney General of the United States in 2021.

[BSdetect]

50. What a shifty shit he is. Clearly he talked to drumph and others to make a deal.

[sheshe2]

51. A thing of beauty.

Brava!

[Anon-C]

52. Wooop!

[Scurrilous]

56. K&R

[yonder]

57. He's not only faking forgetfulness, but faking sincerity in his faked recollection too.

All over his face, IMO. As the person who appointed him would say: a fake.
Thanks for this thread.

"Harris/Booker for the Future"

[R B Garr]

59. So awesome! Like a surgeon with a scalpel, such precision.

She is formidable. This is one for the ages. History is made!

[AndJusticeForSome]

60. I had reservations yesterday, but now that I more fully understand

what her constraints were, take them all back!

[Honeycombe8]

63. Good info & questions & intel (however she found out). But she could've done better, IMO.

Been more pointed in simply saying, "Are you refusing to answer?" and "That's a yes or nor, Mr. Kavanaugh." "So, are you refusing to answer the question?" "I repeat, are you refusing to answer the question?"

[ismnotwasm]

66. K&R

[George II]

67. His brain screeched to a sudden halt.

[Cha]

83. lol! Yes, he can't gish gallop like

some of those goputin idiots.

[pnwmom]

69. She is at the top of my list at this point.

She sets the standard.

[bucolic_frolic]

70. Boy did she rattle his clock

He tried not to remember, he hedged, he tried to buy time ... the fact that he didn't mention anyone there, and he surely would know some of the principles, indicates he just dodged the question

[dalton99a]

72. Awesome.

[trueblue2007]

73. SHE IS FANTASTIC !!!!

[Power 2 the People]

77. She's fabulous.

Loved watching him squirm.

[SunSeeker]

79. My Qs for him: Did you talk to any one who you understood to be a member of the Kasowitz firm?

It is a simple yes or no question.

What? You don't remember?

How could you forget something like that? You can't remember talking with Trump's lawyers about the Mueller investigation? Really? It had to have only happened sometime in the last 12 months. This is not ancient history.

Do you take mind altering substances?

[Az_lefty]

80. General question followed by a general answer

She accomplished nothing. If she could have nailed him down with a particular person that would have meant everything. He has to be caught in a lie for this to matter. Judging by his body language that could still happen (hope it does) but not with this

[EffieBlack]

89. She accomplished plenty

Contrary to popular belief, effective cross-examination is not intended, rarely does, nor should it produce Perry Mason moments. The point is to get certain things in the record without showing to much of your hand so that you can use the information later.

If she had asked him about something specific, he could have squirmed out of it. But by asking him a broader question, she got him on record about a broad range of things that will come back later. And it's possible she doesn't know exactly who he talked to but he's left to wonder what she knows.

While it's easy to second-guess, I am pretty sure that Kamala Harris knows far more about what she's doing than you or I do. And given her experience and savvy, I suspect she knows just what she's doing.

[Roy Rolling]

81. Presidential Material

I wasn't paying attention before, but she sure has my attention now.

Whether she can win and a million other considerations I don't care. Her victory over this corrupt process proves she can stand toe-to-toe with the Putins of the world, and his American comrades in the GOP political cult.

[joshcryer]

82. She'll make a fine presidential candidate.

[sellitman]

88. She is number one on my list

With a Young Kennedy as her VP.

[Rabrrrrrr]

91. Really wanted to hear her ask him, "If you're too fucking stupid to understand a simple "yes/no"

question like 'Did you talk to someone at this law firm?', how could we possibly trust you to have the mental capacity to deal with the difficult and nuanced questions that a Supreme Court Justice faces? This question is no more difficult than asking, 'Did you have a tuna sandwich for lunch today?' Either you did or you didn't. There is no gray area here you obfuscating ignorant turdnugget. If the next word out of your mouth is anything other than 'yes' or 'no', I will empty my nose on your shitty tie. Now answer the fucking question!"

[EffieBlack]

95. Lol

The good thing is that she didn't need to say it. She just set the trap and now half of the people watching are asking the question without her having to say a thing.