{"id":35890,"date":"2019-03-08T09:53:40","date_gmt":"2019-03-08T17:53:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=35890"},"modified":"2019-03-08T09:53:40","modified_gmt":"2019-03-08T17:53:40","slug":"friday-fun-highlights-lowlights-of-michael-cohen-hearing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2019\/03\/08\/friday-fun-highlights-lowlights-of-michael-cohen-hearing\/","title":{"rendered":"Friday Fun: Highlights &#038; Lowlights of Michael Cohen Hearing"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>It was just this past week that <strong>Michael Cohen<\/strong> began the serious process of taking down <strong><em>Twitler<\/em><\/strong> \u2013 in both open and closed House hearings <span style=\"display: inline !important; float: none; background-color: transparent; color: #333333; cursor: text; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman','Bitstream Charter',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;\">\u2013<\/span> under oath.<\/p>\n<p>The Twitter reactions from his televised testimony on Thursday the 27<sup>th<\/sup> were still pouring in last Friday, so I decided to postpone coverage until this week to see some of the more interesting ones \u2013 so let\u2019s get started.<\/p>\n<p>Cohen opened with his prepared and profoundly strong statement.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\u201cLast time I came before Congress I came to protect Mr. Trump. Today I am here to tell the truth about Mr. Trump.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u2014Michael Cohen<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/CohenHearing?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#CohenHearing<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Pi\u00e8ce de R\u00e9sistance (@PieceDeReSister) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PieceDeReSister\/status\/1100780834041278464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 27, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">&quot;I am ashamed that I chose to take part in concealing Mr. Trump\u2019s illicit acts<br \/>rather than listening to my own conscience.<br \/>I am ashamed because I know what Mr. Trump is.<br \/>He is a racist.<br \/>He is a conman.<br \/>He is a cheat.&quot; <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/CohenHearing?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#CohenHearing<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Eva McKend (@evamckend) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/evamckend\/status\/1100780970486181888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 27, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>About the only difference I could detect between the hideous performance of <strong><em>Rep. Gym Jordan (R-OH)<\/em><\/strong> from that of <strong><em>Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC)<\/em><\/strong> is that Meadows had a suitcoat on.<\/p>\n<p>Meadows opened with <em>\u201cI-have-a-black-person-who-worked-for-Trump-that-I\u2019ll-use-as\u00ad-a-<strong>PROP<\/strong>-to-prove-he\u2019s-not-a-racist\u201d<\/em> routine.<\/p>\n<p>But Cohen countered him expertly with being the son of a Holocaust survivor.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Mark Meadows brings out HUD official Lynne Patton and says that she says, as a black woman, she&#39;d never work for a racist. Cohen: &quot;Neither should I, as the son of a Holocaust survivor.&quot; Cohen says to ask Patton how many black executives are at the Trump Org. &quot;The answer is zero.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/kylegriffin1\/status\/1100798516916568065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 27, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>When <strong><em>Rep. Gosar (R-AZ<\/em><\/strong>) went with his over-sized <strong><em>\u201cLiar Liar Pants On Fire\u201d<\/em><\/strong> poster \u2026<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.7thstep.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Cohen_Liar-Pants-on-Fire_Gosar.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-35891\" src=\"https:\/\/www.7thstep.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Cohen_Liar-Pants-on-Fire_Gosar-300x206.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"206\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Cohen_Liar-Pants-on-Fire_Gosar-300x206.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Cohen_Liar-Pants-on-Fire_Gosar-150x103.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Cohen_Liar-Pants-on-Fire_Gosar.jpg 405w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"display: inline !important; float: none; background-color: transparent; color: #333333; cursor: text; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman','Bitstream Charter',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;\">MSNBC threw some excellent shade his way:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">MSNBC with some graphic shade for Paul Gosar. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/03qHhEjW0o\">pic.twitter.com\/03qHhEjW0o<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Zach Basu (@zacharybasu) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/zacharybasu\/status\/1100804380675244032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 27, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>For some, like <strong><em>Rep. Steube (R-FL)<\/em><\/strong>, a check for $35,000.00 <strong><em><u>SIGNED<\/u><\/em><\/strong> by Trump just wasn\u2019t enough evidence to convince him Trump was paying hush money to porn star, <strong>Stormy Daniels<\/strong>.\u00a0 But Cohen handled him well.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Steube: You can\u2019t prove that Trump paid you that money to reimburse the hush money.<\/p>\n<p>Cohen: Besides his signature?<\/p>\n<p>-No email?<\/p>\n<p>-Trump doesn\u2019t have email (!)<\/p>\n<p>-So absolutely no proof.<\/p>\n<p>-I mean, I don\u2019t think anyone here thinks I paid a porn star $130k for no reason&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Mudderous Rage (@NerdyInNOLA) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NerdyInNOLA\/status\/1100840621663813632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 27, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Rep. Clay (Sweater-Vest) Higgins (R-LA)<\/em><\/strong> is a good example of the level of incompetent, ignorant scum that runs rampant in the republican party.<\/p>\n<p>Of note is that Higgins, prior to being elected, was a policeman who was <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Clay_Higgins\">forced to resign<\/a> because of, among other transgressions, beating a suspect while handcuffed.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Clay Higgins: &quot;This sure got you on television, didn&#39;t it?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Michael Cohen: &quot;Sir, I&#39;ve been on television for Mr. Trump going back to 2011.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Clay Higgins: &quot;Well, I didn&#39;t hear about you until today.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&#8230;.okay.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Charlotte Clymer\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@cmclymer) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/cmclymer\/status\/1100826400460890112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 27, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>There were moments of humor \u2013 one provided by <strong><em>Rep. Massie (R-KY)<\/em><\/strong> asking Cohen if anyone had offered to pay for his lawyers.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Massie: &quot;Has anybody else promised to pay Mr. Davis for representing you?&quot;<br \/>Cohen: &quot;No.&quot;<br \/>Massie: &quot;Nobody has?&quot;<br \/>Cohen: &quot;No. Are you offering?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Cohen, you have a crazy sense of humor<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Vinay A. Ramesh (@vinaytion) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/vinaytion\/status\/1100821245568856065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 27, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s an accurate summary of how the media covered the hearings:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">CNN: Cohen Accuses Trump of Federal Crimes!<\/p>\n<p>BBC: Cohen Accuses Trump of Federal Crimes!<\/p>\n<p>ABC: Cohen Accuses Trump of Federal Crimes!<\/p>\n<p>NBC: Cohen Accuses Trump of Federal Crimes!<\/p>\n<p>MTV: Cohen Accuses Trump of Federal Crimes!<\/p>\n<p>CBS: Cohen Accuses Trump of Federal Crimes!<\/p>\n<p>FOX: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/BS7z7dDtJF\">pic.twitter.com\/BS7z7dDtJF<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Jules Suzdaltsev (@jules_su) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jules_su\/status\/1100741326482669569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 27, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>No, I didn\u2019t forget Rep. Gym Jordan\u2019s disastrous role in the hearings.\u00a0 But he got so much coverage during them, and then later on SNL, I thought it\u2019d be redundant.<\/p>\n<p>Most likely our collective reaction to his \u201cperformance\u201d is best summed up by <strong>Rep. Plaskett (D-VI)<\/strong> eye-roll commentary during one of his numerous interruptions of Cohen.<\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t know how good you are at speechreading (and sadly she\u2019s turned too far for me to make out her first piece of advice), but on her second turn she\u2019s clearly telling Jordan: <strong><em>\u201cWhy don\u2019t YOU be quiet?\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.7thstep.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Plaskett-Jordan_Cohen_Why-YOU-Be-Quiet_OPT.gif\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-35894\" src=\"https:\/\/www.7thstep.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Plaskett-Jordan_Cohen_Why-YOU-Be-Quiet_OPT.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"480\" height=\"270\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>One of the saddest consequences of the Twitler years is that it forces us to root for folks we normally wouldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/CohenHearing?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#CohenHearing<\/a>  cohen going hard. The worst part about Trump is that he makes you root for scum like Cohen and Comey. Both of whom should be rakes over coals for what they&#39;ve done.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Wolfkin (@wolfkin) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/wolfkin\/status\/1100781000429309952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 27, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>In closing, surprisingly enough on ABC\u2019s <em>\u201cThis Week\u201d<\/em> Sunday show, <strong><em>Chris Christie<\/em><\/strong> actually provided the most accurate \u2013 and problematic analysis \u2013for the republicans\u2019 dealing with their entire line of questioning:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Chris Christie on Michael Cohen testimony: &quot;There hasn&#39;t been one Republican yet who&#39;s tried to defend the president on the substance. I think that&#39;s something that should be concerning to the White House.&quot; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ij0AmYP27T\">https:\/\/t.co\/ij0AmYP27T<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/0Zgubp7t5d\">pic.twitter.com\/0Zgubp7t5d<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ThisWeekABC\/status\/1100807284072927233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 27, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>That bears repeating:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong>&#8220;There hasn&#8217;t been one Republican yet who&#8217;s tried to defend the president on substance.\u00a0 I think that&#8217;s something that should be concerning to the White House.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>As Twitler frequently says: <em>\u201cLet\u2019s see what happens\u201d<\/em>.\u00a0 And my bet is it will <strong><u>NOT<\/u><\/strong> be good for him!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It was just this past week that Michael Cohen began the serious process of taking down Twitler \u2013 in both open and closed House hearings \u2013 under oath. The Twitter reactions from his televised testimony on Thursday the 27th were still pouring in last Friday, so I decided to postpone coverage until this week to <a href='https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2019\/03\/08\/friday-fun-highlights-lowlights-of-michael-cohen-hearing\/' class='excerpt-more'>[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35890","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","category-5-id","post-seq-1","post-parity-odd","meta-position-corners","fix"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35890","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35890"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35890\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35890"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35890"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35890"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}