Trump on trial: New York vs. Donald Trump Day 17 Highlights
Summary
TLDRThe transcript discusses the testimony of Michael Cohen, Donald Trump's former attorney, in a courtroom setting. Cohen is portrayed as a key witness who has admitted to past lies and wrongdoings but has also implicated Trump in illegal activities. The defense, led by attorney Todd Blanch, attempts to discredit Cohen's testimony by highlighting his history of deception and suggesting personal vendettas against Trump. The conversation also touches on the presence of high-ranking Republican politicians at the trial, insinuating their support for Trump despite the allegations. The summary reflects on the tension in the courtroom, the strategic cross-examination, and the broader implications of the trial on Trump's political allies.
Takeaways
- 📚 Michael Cohen's demeanor on the witness stand was a surprise to many, as he maintained his composure even when challenged during cross-examination.
- 👥 The defense's strategy seemed to focus on painting Michael Cohen as a disgruntled and unreliable narrator, potentially affecting the jury's perception of his credibility.
- 🤔 The jury was presented with evidence of Cohen's post-prison activities, including his podcast and merchandise criticizing Trump, which the defense used to question his motives.
- 📉 The defense attempted to highlight inconsistencies in Cohen's testimony and his behavior both before and after his association with Trump.
- 🎭 There was a noted attempt by the defense to humanize Cohen, showing his regret and the personal toll his actions and involvement with Trump have had on his life.
- 📋 The prosecution's case relied heavily on documents and corroborating evidence, with Cohen being the culmination of their witnesses.
- 🕰 The defense did not present any witnesses, making Cohen's cross-examination the central focus of their case.
- 🤝 High-profile Republican figures, including potential vice presidential candidates, were present in the courtroom, signaling a show of political support for Trump.
- ⚖️ The judge's instructions to the jury will be critical, as the defense aimed to create 'presidential level reasonable doubt' around Cohen's testimony.
- 📈 The presence of Trump's allies at the trial may be an attempt to counter-program the narrative and sway public opinion, rather than having a direct impact on the legal proceedings.
- 🚨 There were concerns raised about the legality and ethics of Trump's associates making public statements that he himself is gagged from making due to the gag order in place.
Q & A
What was the general perception of Michael Cohen's demeanor during his cross-examination?
-Michael Cohen's demeanor during cross-examination was seen as contained and composed, which was surprising to many given his previously known combative nature.
How did the defense attorney, Todd Blanch, attempt to undermine Michael Cohen's credibility?
-Todd Blanch attempted to undermine Cohen's credibility by suggesting that Cohen was obsessed with Donald Trump, had lied in the past, and was now seeking revenge by testifying against Trump.
What was the significance of Michael Cohen's pauses during his testimony?
-Michael Cohen's pauses during his testimony were interpreted by some as a sign of careful consideration of the questions asked, and an indication that he was thoughtfully constructing his responses.
What was the reaction to the merchandise that Michael Cohen was selling related to Donald Trump?
-The merchandise, which included items like a 'jail Trump' t-shirt, was used by the defense to argue that Cohen was monetizing his association with Trump and his testimony, potentially biasing his account.
Why did some of the defense's questioning strategies seem to be confusing or ineffective?
-The defense's questioning was aimed at creating confusion and misdirection due to the lack of strong factual evidence to counter Cohen's testimony. This approach was intended to introduce reasonable doubt in the minds of the jurors.
What was the role of Michael Cohen as described in the context of Donald Trump's alleged criminal activities?
-Michael Cohen was described as a key witness and a co-conspirator in the alleged criminal activities, having been closely involved with Trump's business dealings and aware of the inner workings that the prosecution is trying to expose.
How did the presence of Republican politicians at the trial affect the proceedings?
-The presence of Republican politicians at the trial was seen as a show of partisanship and loyalty to Trump. It also served as a potential audition for those seeking Trump's endorsement or a position in his administration.
What was the reaction to the claim that Michael Cohen had an 'unhealthy obsession' with Donald Trump?
-The claim was met with skepticism, as it was argued that even if Cohen admired Trump, it did not necessarily discredit his testimony about Trump's actions.
Why was there concern about the defense's line of questioning regarding Michael Cohen's actions post-prison?
-There was concern that highlighting Cohen's actions post-prison, such as his media appearances and merchandise sales, could potentially sway the jury against him, even though these actions were not directly related to the case at hand.
What was the general sentiment regarding the defense's strategy in cross-examining Michael Cohen?
-The general sentiment was that the defense's strategy was scattershot and lacked a clear theme, which could be detrimental to their case. The aim seemed to be casting doubt on Cohen's character rather than directly challenging the evidence against Trump.
How did the prosecution lay out their case with Michael Cohen as a witness?
-The prosecution presented a well-prepared case, providing corroborating evidence, documents, and multiple witness testimonies to support Cohen's claims. They aimed to show a clear progression from Cohen's loyalty to Trump to his decision to tell the truth.
Outlines
👥 Michael Cohen's Performance on the Stand
The first paragraph discusses Michael Cohen's testimony, highlighting his unexpected composure during cross-examination. Cohen, despite being known for his combative nature, remained contained and held up under pressure. The discussion also touches on Cohen's transformation from a loyal advisor to Donald Trump to a broken man mourning his mistakes, and his decision to cooperate with prosecutors, which included a family intervention. The speakers also analyze the strategic pauses Cohen took while answering questions and the potential impact on the jury.
🧐 Defense's Strategy and Cohen's Characterization
The second paragraph delves into the defense's approach, which aimed to paint Cohen as unreliable and self-serving. It outlines the various tactics used by the defense to question Cohen's credibility, including attempts to portray him as a liar, a grifter, and a spurned lover. The speakers also discuss the prosecution's effective pre-emptive strikes against these defense strategies by contextualizing Cohen's actions and character. Additionally, there's an analysis of the lack of a robust defense case and speculation about the possible outcomes of the trial.
🎭 Theatrics of the Courtroom and Trump's Demeanor
The third paragraph focuses on the theatrics involved in the trial, including the performance of the defense lawyer, Todd Blanch, and the reactions of Donald Trump within the courtroom. It discusses Trump's apparent disinterest, signaled by his frequent eye-closing, which is interpreted as a form of defiance. The speakers also consider the impact of this behavior on the jury and the potential long-term ramifications for Trump's legal team and his relationship with his lawyers.
📚 Direct Examination and Humanizing Michael Cohen
The fourth paragraph highlights the direct examination phase where Michael Cohen's human side was on display. It talks about Cohen's admission of guilt and the personal sacrifices he made, including the impact on his family. The speakers discuss the emotional aspects of Cohen's testimony and how it might resonate with the jury, emphasizing the contrast between his past and present actions and the potential influence on their perception of his credibility.
🤔 Assessing Cohen's Credibility and the Political Spectacle
The fifth paragraph explores the public's perception of Michael Cohen's credibility and the political showmanship surrounding the trial. It discusses the presence of Republican politicians and the media's role in amplifying the trial's narrative. The speakers also touch upon the potential implications of the trial for Trump's political future and the strategies used by Trump's supporters to deflect criticism and rally his base.
👕 Cohen's Merchandising and the Defense's Cross-Examination
The sixth paragraph details the defense's cross-examination strategy, focusing on Michael Cohen's merchandising efforts, particularly his 'Jail Trump' t-shirts. It discusses the optics of Cohen profiting off the trial and the potential damage to his credibility. The speakers also consider the effectiveness of the defense's attempts to paint Cohen as a vengeful liar and the challenges the prosecution faces in countering these narratives.
🕵️♂️ Legal Analysis of Cohen's Testimony and the Defense's Tactics
The seventh paragraph provides a legal analysis of the significance of Michael Cohen's testimony and the defense's tactics. It discusses the potential impact of Cohen's past lies and his current media activities on his credibility as a witness. The speakers also evaluate the defense's attempts to create reasonable doubt and the prosecution's responsibility to address these doubts in their summation.
🤝 The Show of Republican Support and the Trial's Political Implications
The eighth paragraph examines the show of support from top Republican politicians during the trial and the political implications of their presence. It discusses the transformation of the GOP's stance on Trump and the potential risks for those seeking to align themselves with him. The speakers also reflect on the past reactions of Republicans to Trump's controversial actions and the contrast with their current support.
📈 The Evolution of Republican Reactions and the Trial's Significance
The ninth paragraph explores the evolution of Republican reactions to Trump's actions, as evidenced by their presence at the trial. It discusses the significance of the trial in the broader context of Trump's influence on the Republican party and the potential long-term effects on the party's image and values. The speakers also consider the implications of the trial for Trump's potential re-election campaign and the loyalty it demands from his supporters.
📊 The Shift in GOP Response and the Trial's Legacy
The tenth paragraph concludes with a reflection on the shift in the GOP's response to Trump's actions and the legacy of the trial. It discusses the changing attitudes within the Republican party and the potential for the trial to mark a new low in the party's history. The speakers also consider the personal and political risks for those involved in the trial and the potential for self-reflection among Trump's supporters.
🏛️ The Trial as a Test of Republican Loyalty
The eleventh paragraph focuses on the trial as a test of loyalty for Republicans, particularly those seeking political advancement through alignment with Trump. It discusses the presence of Trump's potential vice presidential candidates at the trial and the implications of their support. The speakers also explore the potential consequences for those who have broken with Trump, as illustrated by the fates of figures like Mike Pence and Michael Cohen.
📉 The Decline in Republican Standards and the Pursuit of Power
The twelfth and final paragraph discusses the decline in Republican standards and the pursuit of power amidst the trial. It reflects on the past criticisms of Trump by prominent Republicans and contrasts these with the current support from party figures. The speakers also consider the implications of the trial for the Republican party's future and the potential for a re-evaluation of its values and priorities.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Cross-examination
💡Michael Cohen
💡Donald Trump
💡Reasonable Doubt
💡Testimony
💡Star Witness
💡Gag Order
💡Credibility
💡Hush Money Payments
💡Character Assassination
💡Republican Party
Highlights
Michael Cohen's demeanor held up under cross-examination, surprising many who expected him to be combative.
Cohen was described as a 'broken man' mourning his own mistakes during his time on the witness stand.
The defense's questioning attempted to paint Cohen as an unreliable narrator, a grifter, and someone acting out of self-interest and revenge.
Cohen's pauses while answering questions were interpreted by some as signs of careful consideration rather than deception.
The prosecution had previously addressed and contextualized many of the character attacks on Cohen, diminishing their impact.
The defense's strategy appeared to be more about sowing doubt rather than presenting a strong alternative case.
Cohen's testimony included a family intervention to distance himself from Donald Trump and his criminal activities.
The defense's line of questioning was described as erratic, with some parts being difficult to follow.
Cohen's售卖狱中特朗普形象的商品被作为证据提交给陪审团，可能影响他的可信度。
Todd Blanch, Trump's defense lawyer, began his cross-examination aggressively, setting a confrontational tone.
The defense questioned Cohen's motives, suggesting he had an unhealthy obsession with Trump and was now seeking revenge.
Cohen admitted to monetizing his relationship with Trump through his podcast and merchandise, which the defense used to question his credibility.
High-profile Republicans, including potential vice presidential candidates, were present in the courtroom, a display of loyalty to Trump.
The presence of these politicians may have been an audition for Trump's favor and a chance to show their support publicly.
Cohen's testimony and the Republicans' presence in court highlight the extreme partisanship surrounding the trial.
The defense's approach to the cross-examination suggests a strategy of confusion and misdirection due to a lack of strong factual arguments.
Cohen's behavior during the cross-examination, including his reluctance and body language, may have impacted jurors' perception of his credibility.
Transcripts
we are joined Now by Rachel matto and
Lawrence O'Donnell who was also at the
courthouse
today yeah and look the simple uh
scorecard reporting is uh not a single
point relevant point was scored against
Michael Con on cross-examination to
everyone's surprise the demeanor held up
because that was the suspense of last
night the suspense was wow that's the
most remarkable version of Michael con
we've ever seen you those of us who
watched him in the courtroom yesterday
but can he do it on Cross when he's
challenged he's such a defensive guy
he's such a combative guy in every other
environment but he was contained as most
people are uh by the pressures in the
confines of the courtroom especially the
witness stand you know you got to
remember that when lives end up in a
criminal courtroom and you are the key
witness for a criminal prosecution yours
is a broken life because you are here as
uh the eyewitness to your friend's
murder and you are part of a tragedy
yourself and so Michael Cohen's life was
broken by all of this and what you saw
on the witness stand was this broken man
and I love some of the what we saw from
the courtroom art there's so the the the
capturing of Michael Cohen's mournful
face which is what this was this was
someone mourning for his own mistakes
mourning for his own uh terrible
mistakes that he's made in his life and
then describing eventually what was a
family intervention to get him to turn
away from from what was literally his
life of crime with Donald Trump and save
what could be left of his life by the
simple course of telling the truth to
prosecutors doing time in prison it
turns out is going to be a consequence
of this and you know and Chris one thing
I'd say about Michael Cohen's pauses on
answering questions is I took every one
of those to actually be a smart moment
and that just might be you know the jury
won't be thinking the way I am about it
but having seen a lot of witnesses
especially lawyer Witnesses what he's
doing is he's listening to every word
you just said and
deciding how to answer it whether he
should answer it whether he should ask
for clarification and it never felt to
me like there was something weird about
the pause but it could to a jury who who
doesn't know that that's is what I see
going through his mind yeah and there
was a little bit of this there's a
little bit of this thing happened having
been through depositions you know that
there's a little bit of this a question
is asked and you sort of quibble the
characterization so you brush it back a
little bit so then blanch comes back so
were was he at one point there was a big
standoff other we said was that a lie he
says well it wasn't truthful yes but was
it a lie well if you want to call it lie
he's like I'm not asking if you want me
to call it a lie I'm ask you call it a
lie there's a few of those standoffs um
but again yes I think that was
intentional on con's part right because
he is a lawyer he is being careful and
he does understand the weight and I
think that last point you know the
weight of all this sure which I again
when we were talking yesterday and
everyone was talking like is this going
to last it was very clear today that
kind of spectral presence that he had
this sort of gaunt broken guy who's you
know that that remained uh throughout ra
Rachel obviously uh you were following
wrapped closely today I'm sure uh what
was your big take
my big takeaway was is this all there is
um from the defense yeah I mean I think
that you know the defense is under no
obligation to put any Witnesses forward
at all um Lawrence has been very um
articulate and persuasive and saying
that there's 0% chance that they will
put the defendant that they will put
their own client Donald Trump on on the
stand at in his own defense but we don't
know if they'll put anybody and so if
they don't
um this is their defense the
cross-examination of Michael Cohen is
the defense's case and to get what what
blanch was able to get out of him today
there was nothing which either makes me
feel like they must be incredibly
confident in their ability to try to get
a mistrial ruling here or something
surprising is going to happen on
Thursday or they just didn't bring it
because there really was nothing
especially when you consider that the
when the prosecution laid out their case
at the outset they basically said this
is a documents case we are going to put
Michael Cohen on the stand he's a very
controversial guy and for good reason
and you're going to hear about why but
everything that we are going to need to
prove to you in order for you to come
back with a guilty verdict will be
bolstered by corroborating evidence by
multiple Witnesses and by documents and
thus far they spent the last couple of
weeks doing that giving all the
documents authenticating all the
documents giving all the cooperating
witness testimony they get to their
culminating witness Michael Cohen and he
performs
perfectly as a witness for them he
doesn't lose his cool as you guys were
saying he answers all the right
questions he doesn't seem to you know go
into weird soliloquies or sidebars that
might be picked apart on
cross-examination they hand them over to
the defense today after lunch I have to
tell you I was on tentor hooks I thought
this was it this is how we're going to
see they're going to keep Donald Trump
out of prison and it was just nothing so
maybe Thursday's going to be something
um but otherwise it looks like they're
just not Moun a defense at all I I was
um I I was struck by the same thing not
only that's you know where's the beef
but also the sort of spaghetti against
the wall nature of of the line of
questioning from from from the defense
Rachel just they they try to paint Cohen
as a bunch of different things an
unreliable narrator or a grifter or you
know someone who was in it for himself
selfish or a spurned lover sped lover
someone who was obsessed with Donald
Trump and then when he was cast aside
for you know not getting a position in
the White House not getting R pri's job
he was you know intent on destroying
Donald Trump um did you find any of
those characterizations particularly
effective I might have found any one of
them effective had the prosecution not
laid all of them out in advance to tell
us put them all in context and tell us
all what they mean I mean I didn't know
that Michael Cohen had called the
defense lawyer Todd blanch a crying
little
some swear word like the very first
thing that he led with I didn't know
that he had like complained about
Trump's defense lers in a Tik Tok video
or something like that that was new okay
is that going to change my view about
what Michael Goen brings to this case no
but the the prosecution did a good job
at eliciting from all of the other
Witnesses oh yeah I couldn't stand
Michael Cohen oh yeah Michael Cohen
called himself a lawyer Michael Cohen oh
a fixer he only fixes things that he
broke we got all of this stuff all of
the ad hominum anything you could want
about Michael we've already had and then
they put it all in context here's what
he was when he served Donald Trump here
is when he stopped serving Donald Trump
here is what he has done since here are
the sins he has committed in the way he
has atoned it's all been out there in
advance so for Todd blanch to be up
there is Donald Trump's defense lawyer
saying oh but Michael Cohen didn't you
lie to Congress the jury must be sitting
there thinking yeah we heard the
explanation for that already we know
what that is why are you bringing it up
again the the thing that struck me today
on that on that point on the cross is
again I do think I mean there are
plausible stories to tell here like for
instance right when they're spending a
lot of time on his podcast and the fact
that you sell there's a a moment with
all the different merchandise you sell
on your website or your Associated
websites to show Donald Trump in prison
and send him to the big house not the
White House and is that about President
Trump and yes it is okay there there's a
story that tells that this guy is so out
for Revenge he's going to say whatever
it takes to put him behind bars which is
what's being implied but that point part
at least was legible to me there were
large parts of the Cross today that I
could not follow and I I think I'm
pretty good good following stuff
generally I followed most of I followed
the direct there were and part of this
I'll just say is like a small color
thing and this is something we can talk
about with our legal Experts of Le you
want our weigh in in the direct all of
the evidence is being put up for all of
us to see which is extremely helpful
because you see the documents here's the
past up for your man was during the
cross when they would present a document
to Michael Cohen to refresh his memory
it was not admitted into evidence
broadly which meant he's looking at a
screen you don't see what the document
is again this is intentional and it
means that it's really hard to follow
the whole thing there were long lines of
questioning where I was like I'm just
lost here what are you talking I was
like what are we doing with the phones
why are we on the phone still I don't
get the phones thing and it got a little
worse because Michael Cohen's looking at
a document that none of us can see and
he's saying you are misre representing
what's on this document okay so it's not
working on any level but hey welcome to
the representation of a guilty client uh
this is what it looks like when a
criminal defense lawyer has a client who
did exactly what stormmy Daniels says he
did this is what it looks like when
you're representing a client who did
indeed uh conspire to create false
business records
they don't have if they had something
better you would have heard it in the
first 10 minutes they don't have
anything better you're not going to hear
anything better and the game is and it's
a legitimate legal game is is they're
going to try to create not just
Reasonable Doubt but presidential level
reasonable doubt they're going to want
you to bring a higher level of
Reasonable Doubt here because this man
was President so you can't possibly
convict him on the word of that man
right
it was um the analysis of some of our
legal experts and friends that stormmy
Daniels performed better on Cross so are
they not strong at Cross is that I mean
do we have a pattern here yet well I
think it's a combination of of sort of
undirect for stormmy Daniels I think you
you have to remember it's a high-profile
matter um for both the prosecutor it's
not every day that you have this searing
spotlight for Stormy Daniels it's not
every day that not only are you
testifying under Earth in a criminal
case but a searing Spotlight so you can
understand why direct which should be
sort of the easiest can be Rocky for the
witness and the prosecutor i' I've not
been in with this amount of scrutiny but
I can tell you you I I used to say a
high-profile case brings out every flaw
you have and if you have a lot like me
that's a lot to bring out and you know
and for a witness just think about you
know Stormy Daniels um who might have
you know may not be proud of everything
in her life and certainly for Michael
Cohen who has to admit a lot it's that's
it's difficult so there's a reason
direct can sometimes be stilted but I
think Stormy Daniels on Cross um was I
mean just I'm sure Susan necklace isn't
going to like hearing this but I think
Susan necklace humanized her and allowed
her to speak and to and she was more
comfortable and I think that happens
when you have another day to sort of
relax um I think that um Michael Cohen
having heard him live on you know I
thought he was sort of remarkably good I
also think people should I think stop
saying oh he's a different person um
Lawrence odonnell made this point when
you're in court under oath you are a
different person it is a different
circumstance you act differently I've
had I've been a witness sometimes you
you take that oath so seriously it is a
you are careful you you know people have
different
parts of themselves it's like getting
pulled over for secondary screening when
when your whole whole group is yes ma'am
yes sir no sir no I didn't um I will say
also that you know Todd blanch it's an
interesting choice to have him do this
um just because it's your first time
doesn't mean you'll be bad at it but you
know he is not an experienced defense
lawyer he's an experienced prosecutor so
it's a very different art form I think
so far with the witness she's got so
much baggage and there as you've just
heard there's so many ways to attack him
um you're not hearing what you usually
get from a defense lawyer which is clear
telegraphed themes to a jury um and so I
was frankly shocked that he started the
way he did it was I totally agree
Christie Beyond thin skinned um rude um
it was clearly going to get an objection
I am not surprised that you you do not
want to have your first line of of
argument sustained by the judge jurors
tend to like judges and sort of follow
their lead so that was just not great
and there's so many better ways to deal
with it I also feel like just because a
lot of the stuff deals with a special
counsil office and I know personally
there were things that I thought were
misleading and I don't mean that the
defense shouldn't have been asking it
but I was like oh like come on they
tried to say didn't Donal Trump sort of
and you during the Russian investigation
you were told not to speak to Donald
Trump as if like somehow you've been
shunned and that Donald Trump couldn't
possibly have told you through
indirectly what to say when you
testified in front of Congress that is
not how it works in these kind of cases
everyone is lawyered up the fact that
you're told that means you're inside the
tent not outside the tent and the
suggestion that this means that Donald
Trump had no way of communicating to him
we saw the tweeting at him the day
before and after yes and you don't think
lawyers talk and again I'm not saying
that they're saying a lie but I mean
they can communicate to what they think
is a truthful story um as to what should
be said and so I I just thought there
was some fast and loose with the facts
well and that's a fact problem I mean
there seems to be I just want to be
really blunt about what's happening
right now there is clearly a performance
issue that judge Maran has noted with
objections that have been sustain
it's been described by reporters in the
room on the times live blog as as
erratic line of questioning um I mean if
he bombs at the performance level what
where does that leave you with Trump
historically usually usually get the
boot as the lawyer I mean many
lawers but Trump doesn't I mean Trump
didn't care about you know where you
went to law school he wants you to look
the it just feels like this may be a
moment that's why he lost the he lost
the decision the linaa or he lost civil
fraud trial yet Al Hab performed just in
his eyes how a lawyer should perform on
his and who was there sitting in the
second row today Alina Haba not there
arguing in his defense but sitting there
as a witness and a supporter I felt like
there was some channeling of Donald
Trump at the beginning because one of
the first things we get out is he's a
he's a liar and a f and a folder or you
know a
flipper flippers yeah liar but that was
one of the first things that came out
was that he's a leaker to the media um
and these are all things that Donald
Trump is very focused on and these are
not things that Trump is I guess my
point is we what are you handing me you
read it what do you got what do you got
so this is happening right now we should
keep an eye on what's happening right
now I am not a lawyer and I wasn't in
the room but I am a student of Donald
Trump and when someone is viewed to have
bombed in some way at a performance
level he doesn't care if you're the
smartest lawyer who's ever breathed in
air and so I think this may be a tenuous
day I'm going to peek over a conserv
media to see what they say two two
things number one it's too late to get
rid of his lawyers the person that is do
the cross examination is the one that is
doing the cross examination at this
point the second part is being inside of
that Courthouse here today usually I've
been outside here getting the notes from
our team and Sue and Andrew were like
you've got to go bear witness to this
and I'm glad that I did because the eyes
we come back to the eyes being shut for
2 minutes at a time he'd have his eyes
shut this morning and then he'd open
them quickly mention something to his
attorney but then go back to his eyes
shut and you know I don't know whether
he's sleeping or not but what was taking
me aback was that it was Defiance of the
process right he can't there's a gag
order placed on him he can't go and
stand up and speak out in his own
defense in that courtroom unless he
takes the stand himself for him keeping
his eyes shut almost in a way of like
disregarding it I don't care what about
these proceedings with the jury right
there was his act of defiance it really
does feel that way we were talking about
this in lunch and I've come down on
having seen him do every day there's no
other it's not like it's just one day
this happened it is every day for 80 to
90% of the Court proceedings he has his
eyes closed he occasionally will KN off
but that's not what's going on he has
his his eyes closed and I think it is an
act of Def % of he's sending a message
and the jury's picking up on something
there but that's he doesn't care it's so
interesting um and what's happening
right now is something we'll keep an eye
on um I want to ask you about the the
final sort of chunk of the narrative
under IR that that was this morning I
mean some old characters Jeff sessions I
mean I I had a million new questions
about what when sessions recuses himself
from all we went back and looked at it I
covered it as and believed it to be
sessions recusing himself from the
Russia question if you go back and watch
the video he says he's I'm recusing
myself from all campaign related things
is there a I mean what Cohen testifies
to today again under oath is that
sessions was going to take care of
pecker that is not Russia related that
is the cover up right and he says that
Donald Trump specifically told him that
sessions would have his back it's
incredible it was a direct line
essentially Donald Trump saying we're
going to get into the White House don't
worry about any of this the justice
department is going to be on our side
you're taken care of here and if if I
may when we're talking about the closing
there of the direct it Michael Cohen to
Andrew's point about the human side of
this right all of us have different
personalities at 8: a.m. may be
different than 8:00 p.m. Saturday Von
may be different than Monday Von okay
tell us more Tik Tok Tik Tok Tik Tok
bone may be different than going to the
Opera Von okay and with Michael Cohen I
think that that's the reality he was
talking about being on Tik Tok but then
what you saw in there was somebody that
felt like to me he pled guilty to those
federal charges just yesterday and was
being sentenced when he was explaining
looking eye to eye with those jurors of
what he pleaded guilty to in being in
prison for more than a year you were
hearing a man who was leaving his wife
and his child behind that was the human
that in that moment and I believe a real
human that came out and that is what the
jury the line that he delivered there
quote I regret doing things for him that
I should not have lying bulling people
in order to AFF effectuate the goal it
sounded like a regretful man somebody
who at least that moment in time was
that human all the other Michaels could
very well be true but in that moment
that is who the jury HT well and that's
the Michael that was a piece of
the crime I mean that's the Michael that
the jury's going to have to believe on
those questions I agree and I I think
also it's wrong for people to be
thinking to confusing is he believable
about things he experienced and um
conversations he's had meetings he's had
um why things were happening and um
comparing that to is he credible about
his own internal motivations now about
and about sort of being with himself
about um can he fully admit I did
something wrong in every situation those
are very different things um and you
don't have to believe that he is like
completely internalized like who he is
now and that he is like he knows he
should feel sorry whether he really
really feels sorry or he knows that's
where he needs to be is a really
different attribute about a person um
and it's funny because this is where
having dealt with cooperator and I think
defense lawers deal with this all the
time when you have witnesses and at that
point it's their clients and those are
just very different things and I think
people sort of confus the two this is
just like in terms of his own emotions
about how he feels now and whether he's
regretful or not is just not the issue
right it whether he's a fully reformed
man is is is interesting and it'll be on
the minds I'm sure of the jurors they'll
wonder that but in terms of being a
credible witness to the criminal scheme
that he and and Alan weiselberg put down
on paper and walked into Trump's office
that's a different question that going
have to answer I want to ask you the
line to get into the courtroom today
started forming last night people camped
out with sleeping bags and pillows one
woman told the New York Times she had
paid
$750 for someone to hold a space in line
for her another man reportedly sold his
spot in line for
$2,000 but as much as seats inside the
courtroom today were the hottest ticket
in town the real circus today was
outside the courtroom room where first
Republican Speaker of the House Mike
Johnson and then a gaggle of Trump's
vice presidential hopefuls all held
press conferences defending Trump
attacking the trial and
counterprogramming what was going on
inside that courtroom joining us now is
Michelle Goldberg opinion colist at the
New York Times and Andrew rice
contributing editor at New York Magazine
um Michelle and Andrew thank you for
joining us as we dissect exactly what
happened I just wonder Michelle if you
have thoughts on what the group text was
like as they all coordinated their
outfits that Doug ber and they must have
been disappointed that Trump I think had
a yellow
tie they got the wrong message I mean
the thing that I I was actually glad
that they were all in the in the
courtroom today I mean I wonder if at
any point they had a flicker of
recognition that this was a trial this
was a day in the trial that was all
about what excessive loyalty to Donald
Trump gets you I mean I just felt like
they were you know kind of looking at
the ghost a sense of yeah I mean I don't
know if if maybe some of them are
capable of it but I just just wonder if
it ever you know that there was a point
at the very end of his testimony when
Michael Cohen talked about his regrets
and how he had you know his loyal out of
loyalty to Donald Trump he had betrayed
his own moral compass and at Great cost
to himself and his family and I wonder
if there was even like a flicker in Mike
Johnson's in Mike Johnson's mind about
kind of what he was doing at that very
moment I I don't know I don't know if
anybody knows the answer to that
including Mike johnon um Andrew I was
struck by the fact I mean I thought to
Michelle's point it was very appropo
that these individuals showed up today
because in Trump's mind the only the
thing this is all politics right this is
auditioning this is a vep Stakes
audition this is about how he can milk
this for campaign contributions this is
about what it does to his standing as
the Republican front runner um and in
your piece for New York Magazine you
write before coming into court TR in the
morning this was yesterday Trump had
waved the time story accompanying this
poll that shows him up ahead in front of
reporters in the hallway saying
it shows us leading Everywhere by a lot
let the star witness testify Trump
seemed to be saying he was winning where
it mattered do you think today did
anything to disabuse him of the idea
that he's winning uh I I doubt it I mean
you know that the I think that the
interesting thing that's going on in the
courtroom is you see these people as you
say kind of coming into to almost sort
of pay homage to uh to Trump sitting
quietly um and and listening to this
incredibly damning testimony and and
drawing conclusions that are maybe quite
different than what the jury is drawing
but the most interesting thing I thought
about Mike Johnson was that it's
probably mentioned by others but you
know he didn't even come into the
courtroom he just he just was in there
for a minute and he came out and decried
the the The Witch Hunt that was going on
inside he put his timing on that bench
he didn't he he didn't he didn't get
there he didn't he he didn't uh he
didn't didn't check his cell phone
there's also another aspect to this
which is of course I mean I I found it
both sort of thuggish and pathetic in
equal measure but but there's another
aspect to this which is that Donald
Trump has a gag order that gag order
prohibits him from making certain
statements he wants to still make those
statements so he is getting other people
who are not subject to the gag order to
come and make those statements and it's
it really is the equivalent of like I'm
not touching you I'm not touching you
like it really is that every day because
they come out and they say things that
are
obviously I'm not saying like literally
copied and pasted from him or GI given
directly but you know people know what
Donald Trump wants to hear they parrot
the lines of attack specifically lines
of attack that are things that he cannot
say well and specifically lines of
attack directed at the judge's daughter
is a hobby horse of Donald Trumps we
have a a little bit of that sound let's
play
it the judge inside his daughter is
making millions of dollars running
against Donald Trump raising money for
Donald Trump's political opponents
you've got relatives of the judge uh
that are benefiting financially the only
thing that's being done wrong is by this
judge his daughter's making money
raising money for Democrats the real
bookkeeping that we need accounting of
is Judge Merchant's own family member
collecting millions of dollars as a
democratic operative the judge's own
daughter is making millions of dollars
doing online fundraising for
Democrats they're using this trial as a
hook it's so corrupt it's so corrupt and
everybody knows it I mean Mike you
wearing the red tie yeah vivec I'm
wearing the red tie you got the note
about the judge's daughter I got it Doug
Byron you got it I mean it it is not
they're not even trying to hide what
they're doing well in court yesterday
actually I I was sitting close enough
that I could actually look over Trump's
shoulder and see what he was reading at
one point he was actually reading the
quotes that the these individuals were
and going through and making notations
with a pen on the on the on the paper
before or after while testimony was
going on while Michael Cohen was
testifying against him he was actually
going and going through and and
annotating and editing the the quotes
that these people are going I mean in
addition to being utterly humiliating
and transparent there's also a real
question about whether this is legal
part of the gag order Michelle is that
you cannot direct others to violate the
gag order for you which is clearly
what's happening here right I mean it's
sort of like he gets hit for retweeting
so instead of retweeting he just gets
the people to come in human retweets
there are human retweets that's exactly
what they are and I mean and right and
Tommy tuberville was out there saying I
am here to well in right I'm I'm I'm
breaking the gag order I'm trying to get
around the gag order um and I don't even
know if there is a body of law that
addresses this because it seems like so
outside the norm there is it is it is
and I'm no legal expert it is difficult
to prove and it's also like what
leverage does Judge Maran have over
Byron Donald's and you know VI ramaswami
but but you would think in the context
of a criminal trial perhaps Chris
individuals would be less trepidacious
about breaking the law well I think
there's I think there's a sort of like
testing the limit ethos that is taken
over the party but the other thing about
it is I thought it was so interesting
today they all said the same thing which
is that I'm here as a friend they
clearly been all told to say I'm here as
a friend and what's interesting about
that is that uh he doesn't have friends
right because his friends Vias Swami
Rachel made this point previous hour but
think about put yourself in the position
that you find yourself you are facing
criminal trial in New York Court
like I would hope that my friends and
family would be there to support me I
think it would be terrifying I think it'
be a very vulnerable moment and it would
mean a lot to me to have my actual
friends and family he doesn't have that
there Eric and Laura Trump were there
today those are actual members of his
family but by and large there has not
been family and I don't think the man
has friends in the way that we
understand it and so instead this weird
Similac of friendship is being provided
by
vanquished primary
contestants whose voices voided I miss
that voice of V ramaswami wow so
soothing uh to hear that the microphone
again like that's what he has instead I
mean but there is the reality though
that this is a show for two different
audiences right there's the legal
audience and then there's to some degree
the the the right-wing Echo chamber and
I do Wonder Michelle the utility of
having this parade of contestants show
up and say the same thing about the
judge being corrupt and his daughter
being corrupt and and the jury right I
mean I think Tommy tuberville said the
jury he if they are American just throw
in presumably citizens is what call just
throw in illegal migration just for good
measure to stoke the eye of the of the
base it isn't I mean regardless of the
fact that it's not based in fact the
repetition over and over and over again
has worked for Trump in the past well
right and I think it's it's a
prophylactic against if he gets a guilty
ver correct to kind of invalidate it in
the minds of his followers and maybe
people the kind of people who told ERS
that it would matter to them if a
presidential candidate was convicted of
a felony and so it's a way to sort of
neutralize that and maybe even turn it
into an advantage among people who
either like Donald Trump's gangster
Persona or see him as a kind of martyr
for um their particular Grievances and
in the meantime um the the guys that
auditioned today Andrew did any of them
strike you as particularly more
effective than others I mean from within
the courtroom none of them struck me as
anything because really just just potted
plants sitting there and listening to
the playing on their phone was live
tweeting while while while it was going
on but really it's a it's a it's a kind
of ultimate show of loyalty to sit
through this um at times quite
stultifyingly boring testimony about
about checks and so on and then and and
to spend your entire day doing that and
then go out and deliver a speech um
these are all with the exception of Rob
Swan like you know like these are all Ed
office holders presumably have other
things that they could be doing to serve
the American people Swami is a little
unclear but the other ones do have jobs
as last I checked speaker of the house
maybe has some things to do maybe
Michelle Goldberg and Andrew rice thank
you so much for your time and thoughts
tonight guys really appreciate
it there is no doubt that Michael Cohen
has been a strong witness against
defending Trump driving headlines about
his testimony that has basically marked
the official finale of this case he is
the last witness and you can see the
check stubs the fake receipts the
Loyalty the inside knowledge that is now
hurting defendant Trump but today the
defense lawyers got their turn they
began an effort to blunt Cohen's
testimony to undercut his credibility
attorney Todd blanch Came Out Swinging
his first question quoted Cohen calling
blanch himself an exploitive the
question was overruled but it set the
combative tone and so far Cohen kept his
composure we just discussed that that
earlier in the hour he's reportedly been
preparing for months but if prosecutors
fail to convict trump it will likely
turn on this cross-examination of Cohen
today and Thursday because he's not a
perfect
witness and this is the defense's chance
to not just talk about Reasonable Doubt
but to really raise the doubts in the
jury's mind about this star witness and
co-conspirator today the defense
questions suggested many different
doubts is Cohen's Story the whole truth
did he have an unhealthy and even
unhinged psycho dramatic relationship
with Donald Trump whom he once said he
was obsessed
with at one point the lawyer asked and
Cohen largely acknowledged himself as a
kind of cult
follower here's another question the
lawyers are getting at is Michael Cohen
so bitter
even understandably bitter that his
claims have become
unreliable can he be trusted the lawyer
asked this afternoon if Cohen admits
publicly that his goal is to see Trump
convicted in this case when he was asked
about that this was just within the last
few hours this is brand new he said sure
yeah that's what I want to see happen I
want the conviction here's another
question does Cohen still lie to
investigators because he's done that
before and since he's making money off
the Trump relationship and this very
trial can his testimony be
trusted and then one of the more
damaging lines of questioning
today why should the jury trust Michael
Cohen's Fidelity to this trial and its
rules and a fair process if he wouldn't
even honor basic requests from
prosecutors to stop doing the TV and the
Tik toks and the social media where he
would attack Trump even up through and
during this very trial now as
journalists welcome all these people we
interview them you may have noticed we
do that but legally I have to tell you
that is a fair question and the judge
has even rebuked Cohen through his
lawyers for all of the public
statements now none of these questions
is some kind of deal breaker but
together the defense lawyers are trying
to cut and diminish and eventually
liquidate The credibility that Cohen has
and the story that he's told to the
friendlier audience the prosecutors over
yesterday and this morning and they're
more you know linear question about how
he went from loyalist to this star
witness now
remember the jury is not made of Highly
informed news and politics junkies
they're mostly hearing details about
Cohen's Evolution that are new to them
and the defense harped on Cohen's shift
as if it were fundamentally suspicious
they suggested through the questioning
today and we'll see what they do
Thursday that he is a person who will
maybe say anything anybody
depending on his own personal interest
that day and that the government can't
possibly hang a case Beyond A Reasonable
Doubt on a witness like this to prove a
defendant's
intent about schemes that Cohen helped
pull
off I know Mr Trump I've stood by him
shoulder toosh shoulder for the past
decade Donald cares for no one or
anything other than himself I'm
obviously very loyal and very dedicated
to Mr Trump I am going to jail I think
he's going to be a great president
because of my decision to help Mr Trump
hide that payment that's a back and
forth that we've all followed but for
this jury a lot of the details are
pretty new it might jog a memory here or
there but a lot of it's like whoa and so
they're hearing two competing versions
of the same story and one is of course
this guy shifted who wouldn't look what
he went through and then went to prison
and now he has every reason to tell the
truth but there's other story is this
guy might have gone to prison for his
own reasons might have been the type of
person who ended up in prison anyway and
look how he's acting not then and not
after the break and not leading up to
the trial look how he's acting in the
last few weeks and some of this evidence
I want to be clear legally is not as
important as the secret tapes or the
actual Financial receipts that defendant
Trump is facing but it was notable and
inside the courtroom today I definitely
saw jurors who were watching closely as
many of them saw possibly for the first
time how Cohen's podcast arm he has this
thing the mopa podcast SS this t-shirt
you see on the screen and I want to be
clear this shirt was shown today was
admitted into evidence to the jury that
this is a person who didn't just have an
experience with Trump or has some anger
with Trump but is looking at what many
people still see as the Presumed
Innocent former president of United
States just stuck behind bars there and
imagined
incarceration all yours for you know the
good price of $27.99 or whatever it was
other items that Cohen sells through his
company were also admitted into evidence
and the lawyer asked Cohen what you
about what you're seeing here now I want
to be clear this was referenced they
didn't play this exact video in court we
pulled it for you Michael Cohen wearing
that same jail Trump shirt and he did it
during the trial on one of his internet
live streams so as with Stormy Daniels
The Lawyers are trying to paint this
witness as somehow so V Ive so bent on
revenge against a person he once like
that maybe you can't take him at his
word now also we should note some of
these questions today floated theories
that don't actually undercut Cohen they
asked how he wanted out of prison early
I could tell you most people in prison
want out but Cohen's Monumental flip on
Trump occurred before he went to federal
prison so that line of questioning
doesn't really get you anywhere and
there are other observers who even with
everything I just told you
found a lot of this lacking at the lines
of attack seemed to be all over the
place and noting how Cohen continued to
keep his
cool today was not a disaster for
Michael Cohen or the
prosecution but I would tell you at
least from observing it both inside the
room and following along it wasn't good
either for them and if this is all
fairly new hearing questions about Cohen
lying and admitting lies and having
varying levels of memory and agitating
for and against against Trump to extreme
degrees if you're a juror hearing all
that for the first time and then hearing
about how he's Hawking this Trump
jumpsuit
merch well that wouldn't be great for
any witness let alone the star witness
who's pretty Central to proving Trump's
intent at the time of these alleged
crimes we're following this trial
together if later they fail to convict a
quiddle or a hung
jury you won't be that surprised about
the possible reasons why I'm not saying
they exploded the casee but today was
one of those days where you could see
Reasonable Doubt being built none of
this was a knockout but it can give the
jurors the examples the visuals things
that you can remember the t-shir to
support Reasonable Doubt especially if
some jurors already had some my point to
you today is not whether that's good or
bad news that would depend on what you
think is fair how you feel about it I
point to you today is that is part of
what is happening in this
trial now how Will trump attorneys
continue their cross exam of this very
calm version of Michael Cohen we have a
season defense attorney who represented
Trump in the second impeachment you can
actually see him right there he also
represented the Trump organization in a
fraud case William J Brennan back with
us in our trial coverage and Bill I want
you to know up front our colleague
Rachel is actually watching your remarks
here last night and mention them in our
coverage take a
look I was interested in your special
coverage today uh you had a guest on who
was very bullish on the defense um and
said that you know Michael Cohen's going
to get destroyed on
cross-examination I walked through some
of what they tried to do today your
thoughts well AR good evening thanks for
having me uh you know it's really
complicated because when I listen to
your last panel you know Lanny Davis is
a well-respected seasoned member of the
bar that I have
uh affection and respect for
representative Cummings was a giant
respected by both sides of the aisle
Reverend Sharpton you know said
wonderful things about Mr Cohen the
problem is the jury won't hear any of
that the jury's going to hear that he
there's just lie after lie after lie
then a Redemption then more lies and
this narrative that the prosecutions
trying to sell that it is all done at
the behest of trump Falls flat because
some of the crimes he uh plag guilty to
lying to the IRS uh the bankruptcy court
uh the the things related to the taxi
medallions have nothing to do with Trump
or the Trump organization so you raised
an interesting hypothetic you what if
the jury thinks this guy would have
wound up in prison anyway I don't see
any other logical deduction that's
possible and you know this guy really
it's one thing to have a witness that
lies
and you work around it you know you're
the prosecutor you get it out there but
this guy's like Olympic uh Gold Medal
winner I mean this guy's whole of Fame
liar and it's a lot to work around when
the jury sees that and judge merchan
instructs him and he will on this falses
and Unum falses and Omnibus charge which
basically says if you think he lied on
one thing you can assume you you can
find that he lied on everything when you
package that like the Daily Double with
the merch the t-shirts the books he's
shopping a reality show as we speak
called the fixer when when when juries
are smart they get it it's a lot of
common sense a lot of common life
experience when they see a witness a
polluted Source like this that not only
is a liar but he has skin in the game
he's making money off uh the defendant
if the defendant's convicted he's likely
to make more money I just don't see how
they can uh give his testimony the Ring
of say it as The Ring Of Truth from a
defense perspective what did you think
they were trying to show with the
t-shirts and the monetizing just that
that you know you you want a witness to
say say it's a bank robbery uh yeah
there the guys that robbed the bank they
drove a graet in the weather was cloudy
I was 20 feet away and that's it you
don't want a guy who saying I hate him I
want him to go to jail and by the way
$27.99 you get to buy my Donald Trump
and jail t-shirt I mean the Optics are
horrific the prosecution did the best
job they could to try to get ahead of it
during the first day of Michael Cohen's
cross-examination the defense aimed to
make one thing very clear Michael Cohen
has been allegedly obsessed with Donald
Trump even since before he became
president here's defense attorney Todd
blanch you were actually obsessed with
President Trump weren't you Cohen I
don't know if I would characterize the
word obsessed I admired him tremendous
blanch in disloyal that would be Cohen's
first book you describe your feeling for
president Trump as being obsessed
correct Cohen correct blanch but your
obsession for you you admired him even
before you started working for him
correct Coen that's correct joining us
now are Lisa Rubin MSNBC legal
correspondent who was inside that
courthouse today and Charles Coleman
former New York prosecutor now a
criminal defense and civil rights
attorney thank you it's very good to
have some legal money mind's way in on
this and Lisa let me start with you the
idea that Michael Cohen was effectively
like a single white female like
character in Trump land is the point of
that from a defense point of view to
suggest that Cohen might have acted on
his own to make the Stormy Daniels
problem go away for Trump yes did they
do that
no I'm being cross-examined now see
answering the question squarely before
me no I don't think they did Alex I
think they're trying to both show he was
motivated to do it alone and he was so
obsessed with Trump that having been
spurned by him he is engaging in a
scorched Earth strategy to make the
man's life miserable in a way that's
undeserving of whatever Trump has done
that could be criminally charged and I
don't think they succeeded I I wrote
down after reading the cross-examination
all the different themes that they
floated today and not a single one of
them was a winner at least today on this
cross he's media hungry but he was
before too he's wealthy yes he was
before too he wouldn't take direction
from the da in terms of shutting up
about the case okay but does that make
him not credible he was a leaker they
insinuated that he was leaking
information to the press and they never
got anywhere with that so unless they
can establish that that actually
happened and that he was destructive to
the DA's case I'm not sure where that
goes he's an incentivized witness
because he dislikes Trump he's also a
person who was the only person who
served jail time for crimes related to
the ones that are being charged and he
was sent back to prison retributively
during covid after he was released on
home confinement if he has an axe to
grind it's a deserved one he has a
binder wo the DA's office gave him a
binder with his plea allocution in it
that's supposed to make him somehow
biased no that's to refresh his
recollection about things solely within
his knowledge and then the final one is
that he messed with his phones before he
gave them to the DA's office the
insinuation is the FBI returned them to
him in 2020 the DA's office didn't ask
for them until 2023 and the insinuation
is either Cohen or a man named Jeremy
Rosenberg who was an investigator in the
DA's office somehow messed with the
phones so as to edit that September 6th
2016 phone call through which Trump
makes the most damning admissions in the
case Charles I rest
so the defensive strategy here is that
they have no strategy and what I mean by
that is they do not have strong facts
this is clear we all knew this going in
and so in order to try and get to the
point of a hung jury or a mistrial your
strategy is confusion and misdirection
and that's everything that they've been
doing with respect to the different
legal theories that they have tried to
float now I have been one as an attorney
who is loathed to critique and criticize
other attorneys in terms of how they try
cases but we are at the point where I
can honestly say that Todd blanch may be
in over his head because this is state
court and I want to point that out he
has spent a lot of his career as a
federal prosecutor that is very
different than being a criminal defense
attorney in State Court primarily
because as a federal prosecutor you do
not try many cases you settle cases a
lot and in the cases that you actually
try many of the defendants do not
testify so quite frankly you are not as
used to cross-examination as you would
be if you were an attorney who practices
in State Court that's the value of what
we're talking about so I think that in
in terms of Donald Trump's Federal cases
he might be the guy but in this
situation right now I feel like necklace
would have been a much better choice to
conduct this cross-examination can I can
I ask just I mean I don't just want to
overdetermine this because I was I was I
watched this you know I was there in the
in the courthouse in the Overflow room
during cross I find myself having a hard
time following it but
also I'm a very I'm not the median juror
right so the one thing that was clear to
me and did seem a itive is Cohen seemed
Shifty I mean he did he seemed he was
taking sips of water he he basically
seemed like he was I I would I would
describing as squirly right that and you
know confronted with things that he had
in the past there were moments where you
felt like he was reluctantly maybe
getting to the truth but not
particularly like
forthcoming does that add up to them
eviscerating any of the corax no does it
to my mind defeat the the the burden or
or or get at the burden no
but I'm just curious what you thought as
someone who's also watching it like
whether that how much that matters
whether that's enough to get you where
you need to go I actually thought
Cohen's worst moment of the day was on
Direct but I don't know how many people
appreciated it at the Civil fraud trial
where Cohen testified he was asked about
the plea he took before judge Paulie in
the southern district and he has
insisted since then that actually while
he plad guilty to tax evasion he didn't
really commit the crime and he was asked
by Alena Hava basically were you lying
then or are you lying now and he said
squarely on the stand there I was lying
when asked to explain that testimony
today on the other hand Cohen gave him a
very different answer and he basically
said well I'm not contesting the facts
but I didn't like the process that's not
going to play well on cross with a well
prepped cross-examiner correct but Chris
to your point ultimately I think a lot
of that depends on the characterization
that the prosecution tries to put
forward about him on summation are you
going to try and sell Michael Cohen as
this sort of form guy who really stood
up for country and Liberty and freedom
and truth and Justice or are you going
to say look this was a guy who was in
caho with Donald Trump he's kind of a
you know a guy who may have been a
little bit of a schlep and and now he's
finally figured it out that this was not
to his benefit and he changed his tune
that's really where it all comes into
play I think that his where he he ended
on cross-exam on Direct he kind of had
this s sort of like you know strong
stance and I I think the defense make
him look Shifty may have S served to
undercut that we are covering the law
and the testimony and I can also tell
you from reporting inside the courtroom
today and Reporting at the courthouse
where you see some of what we were
discussing with our colleagues in that
building behind me in the surrounding
area there were not just lawyers jurors
and reporters like usual there were also
top Republican politicians even more
than on other days not just Trump's
defeated primary opponents now seeking a
job there's one but also the highest
ranking Republican in the federal
government Speaker of the House Mike
Johnson there in the
middle embracing criminal defendant
Trump in this unusual show of
partisanship in the middle of a felony
trial it's an Embrace that actually
Echoes the loyalist term witness Michael
Cohen himself and that was actually one
of the themes in today's testimony If
This Were A Movie and they brought in
all the other top famous National
Republicans to physically be at the
trial you'd say come on they don't all
Gather in the New York courtroom but
they did and they heard some of them who
were present for it Cohen saying he used
to lie for his then boss Trump because
he was kneed deep in the cult of trump
now Cohen says he's broken out
testifying about Trump's hush money
payments not the kind of thing most
candidates want their political peers to
revisit and here in person Cohen
confirming Trump directed the payments
which was a key moment in this
consequential
day it's round two in lower Manhattan
the prosecution star witness Michael
Cohen he's back on the stand he approved
it that's the potentially damning
testimony of Donald Trump's former fixer
Michael Cohen Cohen also described the
Fallout after the FBI raided his
properties back in 2018 Michael Cohen
has testified that he is a liar
admitting he lied to Congress to the
government to the public Cohen is facing
cross examination it is sometimes very
testy it's sometimes very flat you're
not hearing what you usually get from a
defense lawyer which is clear
telegraphed themes to a
jury now there was a key point that
actually hung over Trump's political
tourists if you want to call them that
today the Republicans and wouldbe
running mates auditioning at the New
York Criminal Court this week here it is
a strange place for vep Stakes but think
about it like this
they went and made this trip many of
them taking time away from their
government duties and other obligations
to come all the way to New York to do
this visit and photo op and then they
hear Cohen and these other Witnesses
living the other side of the thing these
people want which is to be tapped or
promoted by
Trump so they actually inadvertently
perhaps witnessed the fate of so many
AIDS and people who have broken with
Trump in and out of the courtroom and
and other observers and Chris Hayes our
colleague discussed this very reality in
contrast today you could end up a
witness you could end up a defendant
like Trump you could end up convicted as
some of these people are these are just
the lawyers let alone all the other
officials and so the people competing to
be his running mate appear to be in
denial about how that goes about how it
went for Mike Pence not only politically
ruined in the party because he was only
loyal through Jan 5th but then targeted
for assassination and hanging on Jan 6th
from mob in cited by Trump so the
courthouse vep Stakes includes people
who are saying oh they want that job
they want to be Pence or frankly Cohen
and there's Republicans like JD Vance
and Rick Scott there's other ambitious
figures conservative Congressman Byron
Donald's was seen there be I mentioned
speaker Johnson who is the party leader
or perhaps follower in this incarnation
of the Republican party and that's the
photo you
see these individuals
feeling like they had to do this pass
this litus test or they want to do it
because it's not enough to just defend
Trump in public and it's not enough to
say you believe he is innocent which of
course you're allowed to say but they
actually had to show up within the
criminal
trial and then they waited on the legal
process with their talking points
today I wanted to be here myself to call
out what is a travesty of Justice
where's the crime there is no crime this
is a sham this is not the United States
of America this is some Third Rate
Banana
Republic Banana Republic or bananas you
decide it's an especially Stark
departure for speaker Johnson you can
see him spot shadowed as he's nodding
along and doing his thing but the point
here isn't whether outside observers are
critical of Johnson meaning someone
else's view our job is to show you and
remind you of the facts we have
available and here is Johnson as
recently as 2015 which was just before
Trump had more power he then before all
these other things were exposed even
then had the view that Trump lacked the
character and moral Center needed for
the White House I'm afraid he would
break more things than he fixed as he's
a hotthead by nature and that's a
dangerous trait to having a commander
and chief so we know where Johnson was
at when he didn't have to say something
opposite for political or other
self-interested reasons the times
reports the Republicans also have told
on themselves how has Trump changed the
GOP his criminal trial guest list tells
the tale again this is not just normal
politics this is Extreme and you can see
the shift with your own
eyes remember the tape alone and not
everything else that's been alleged and
sometimes really documented in this
trial the tape alone back then had
Republicans saying that that was too
much house Speaker Paul Ryan released
this statement cancelling Trump's event
I am sickened by what I heard today
former Republican Presidential nominee
Senator John McCain pulled his
endorsements Mitch McConnell called
Trump's comments repugnant and
unacceptable Mitt Romney calling his
comments
vile that's what they said then that
tape and that conduct is at the heart of
this trial not because the tape itself
was illegal but because it was bad
enough politically that they went to
these extremes allegedly to do all these
other things to stop the political
bleeding and remember conservative media
was in a panic mode because this
obviously was going to allegedly hurt
Trump with voters but many were just
reeling And
discussing the facts in a way that well
they don't really do as often today if
it involves Donald Trump back then even
in places that you might have gotten
used to getting in trouble places that
have had to pay out for defamation and
lies even in some of those places people
on the right were not yet in the habit
of saying the sky is red if it helped
Donald Trump they said what they heard
was
bad the Trump campaign is in full damage
control mode following a troubling story
broken by The Washington Post today it's
the sheer entitlement that he ex
exhibits where he just feels like he's
entitled as a powerful person that
suggests that he uh feels that U you
know he is entitled to take what he
wants well I always love that apology if
I've offended anyone then I apologize
that's not an actual apology I think
that last night's apology was not uh
heartfelt I don't think that he really
meant it that is a contrast to what many
of the same Outlets same types of people
are saying amidst the
trial it's a big contrast and again it's
not to say everyone has to agree on
everything and it doesn't pertain to the
fact that legally he's Presumed Innocent
but a trial of this defendant who
insisted on running again and managed to
capture the nomination is now a kind of
a new low for some figures in the
Republican party not because others
disagree with them as I'm being careful
to emphasize but because it is again
putting a spotlight on the facts that
they knew better that they oppose this
and the only thing that's changed is a
crave and pursuit of power and a desire
to work for Donald Trump which if you
attend this trial is a thing you might
question whether that's even in your
self-interest
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)
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