'Miserable' and 'Annoyed': What Rachel Maddow saw inside Trump's criminal trial
Summary
TLDRIn a historic courtroom setting, MSNBC's Rachel Maddow provides an insightful account of the atmosphere and proceedings involving the former President Donald Trump. She describes the courtroom as 'dingy', contrasting with Trump's luxury brand image, and details the intense and sober atmosphere. Maddow outlines the distinct styles of the prosecution and defense, with the prosecution presenting a clear, straightforward case, while the defense takes a more emotional and elaborate approach. She also observes Trump's demeanor as 'inert' and 'slumped', suggesting he appeared 'older, thinner, annoyed, and angry'. Additionally, she notes the prosecutor's challenge in extracting direct answers from David Pecker, a key witness who testified under subpoena. Maddow's observations highlight the complexity of the case and the contrasting narratives presented by both sides.
Takeaways
- 🤔 The discussion suggests that the complexity of the case might not resonate as a crime with some individuals, highlighting the prosecutor's challenge to establish it as a felony offense.
- 📚 Rachel Maddow, from MSNBC, was one of the few people inside the courtroom and provided insights into the atmosphere and proceedings.
- 🏛 The courtroom was described as 'dingy' and not reflective of the luxury brand Donald Trump represents, setting a stark contrast to his public image.
- 👮♂️ There was a notable presence of law enforcement and a very sober and intense atmosphere during the trial.
- 📈 The prosecution presented a reserved and prepared case, while Trump's defense was more emotional and ad-libbed.
- 🔍 The prosecution aimed to present the case as both serious and an open-and-shut case, leaving no doubt in the jury's mind about the alleged crime.
- 💭 The defense's strategy involved a counterfactual narrative, suggesting alternative explanations for the evidence and aiming to appeal to the jury's emotions.
- 👶 Donald Trump's demeanor in court was observed to be inert and slumped, possibly indicating stress or discomfort with the situation.
- 👴 Rachel Maddow noted that Trump appeared thinner, older, and annoyed, suggesting a significant change in his physical and emotional state.
- 🗣️ David Pecker, the former head of a media company, testified under subpoena and was described as soft-spoken and somewhat evasive in his responses.
- ✍️ There were procedural interruptions in the court, such as jurors being provided with writing materials, which affected the pace of the proceedings.
Q & A
What was the general atmosphere in the courtroom during the trial?
-The atmosphere was described as very intense and sober, with a striking contrast between the prosecution's reserved presentation and the defense's more emotional and ad-libbed approach.
How did Rachel Maddow describe the courtroom setting?
-Rachel Maddow described the courtroom as 'dingy,' comparing it to a high-sealing DMV office, which was a notable contrast to the luxury brand image that the former president tried to embody.
What was the prosecution's approach to presenting their case?
-The prosecution's approach was straightforward and serious, presenting their case without equivocation, caveat, or parenthetical phrases, aiming to leave no doubt in the jurors' minds about the defendant's guilt.
How did the defense team present their case?
-The defense team's presentation was more baroque and emotional, with a lot of ad-libbing and a detailed, elaborate story that aimed to connect the dots in a way that would appeal to the jurors' hearts as well as their minds.
What was Rachel Maddow's observation of Donald Trump's demeanor in the courtroom?
-Rachel Maddow observed that Donald Trump seemed inert, slump-shouldered, and not particularly animated. She noted that he appeared thinner, older, and seemed annoyed, resigned, and possibly angry.
How did David Pecker present himself during his testimony?
-David Pecker, described as physically small and soft-spoken, presented himself in a somewhat elliptical manner, requiring the prosecutor to ask direct questions multiple times to get a clear answer.
What was the significance of David Pecker's testimony?
-David Pecker's testimony was significant as he was discussing his role in the publication decisions of his former company, which is central to the case involving Donald Trump.
What was the reaction of Donald Trump when he came out of the courtroom?
-Donald Trump was notably annoyed and angry, repeating that the situation should not be happening and describing the matter as a simple bookkeeping issue.
How did the prosecution aim to convince the jury of the defendant's guilt?
-The prosecution aimed to present the case as both serious and open-and-shut, with a clear and cogent story that would set the stage for the jury to believe and understand why the charges were brought.
What was the defense's strategy in response to the prosecution's case?
-The defense's strategy involved advancing a counterfactual narrative, suggesting alternative explanations for the evidence, such as the invoices being for legal retainers and denying any sexual encounter between Trump and Stormy Daniels.
What was the role of David Pecker in the case?
-David Pecker, the former head of a media company, was called as a witness and testified under subpoena, with his testimony being a part of the prosecution's case against Donald Trump.
What was the general public's perception of the trial?
-The general public's perception was not directly addressed in the script, but it can be inferred that the trial was considered historic and highly anticipated, given the mention of it being a 'hot ticket' and the privilege of being able to cover it.
Outlines
🏛️ Courtroom Atmosphere and Presentation Styles
The first paragraph describes the setting of a courtroom where Donald Trump is present. The reporter, Rachel Maddow, expresses her gratitude for being allowed into the courtroom and acknowledges the historic nature of the event. She paints a picture of the courtroom as a somewhat dingy space, contrasting with Trump's luxury brand image. The summary outlines the intense and sober atmosphere, the different presentation styles of the prosecution and defense, with the prosecution being reserved and the defense more emotional and ad-libbed. It also touches upon the prosecution's clear and direct approach in presenting the case as a serious and open-and-shut case, while the defense's strategy was more complex and detailed, aiming to connect the dots with emotional appeal. The paragraph ends with a mention of David Pecker, suggesting a continuation of the narrative.
👤 Observations on Trump's and Pecker's Demeanor
The second paragraph focuses on Rachel Maddow's observations of Donald Trump's behavior and demeanor in the courtroom. She notes that Trump appeared in a slumped position, not very animated, and seemed to be leaning heavily on the desk while listening to the testimonies. Maddow mentions that she is not an expert in body language but shares her impression of Trump appearing thinner, older, and annoyed, with a sense of resignation and anger. She also comments on Trump's expression of being miserable to be present at the trial. Additionally, she briefly discusses David Pecker's appearance and manner of testifying, noting that he was soft-spoken and his answers were somewhat evasive, requiring the prosecutor to ask multiple questions to get direct responses. The summary also highlights Pecker's self-description as a 72-year-old consultant and his testimony being conducted under subpoena.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Trial Lawyers
💡Rachel Maddow
💡Courtroom Atmosphere
💡Prosecution
💡Defense
💡Objections
💡Jury
💡Complexity of the Case
💡David Pecker
💡Donald Trump's Affect
💡Counterfactual
Highlights
The courtroom atmosphere was described as intense and sober, with a striking contrast between the prosecution's reserved presentation and the defense's more emotional approach.
Rachel Maddow, an MSNBC reporter, was one of the few people inside the courtroom and provided a firsthand account of the proceedings.
The former president was observed sitting in a room that felt like a high-ceilinged DMV office, which was a notable contrast to his luxury brand image.
The prosecution's opening statement was very cogent and presented without equivocation, asserting that the case was both serious and open-and-shut.
The defense's opening statement involved a lot of ad-libbing and was more baroque, with a detailed counterfactual narrative.
There was significant kinetic activity in the courtroom as prosecutors started objecting to the defense's opening statement.
The judge had to call multiple times for counsel to approach the bench to discuss objections.
David Pecker, the former CEO of American Media, Inc., testified in the case and was described as physically small, soft-spoken, and somewhat evasive in his responses.
President Trump's demeanor in the courtroom was observed as inert, with slumped shoulders, and he appeared thinner, older, and annoyed.
Trump was described as seeming miserable to be present in the courtroom, with an affect that was a mix of resignation, anger, and annoyance.
When Trump exited the courtroom, he was notably annoyed and repeated several fact-based claims, emphasizing the case as a simple bookkeeping matter.
The prosecution's strategy was to tell a clear and straightforward story to set the stage for the jury, focusing on why the charges were brought.
The defense, led by Todd Blanche, advanced a counternarrative, suggesting that the invoices from Michael Cohen were for legal services and disputing the allegations.
The presentation styles of the prosecution and defense were markedly different, with the prosecution being more cerebral and simple, while the defense was more emotional and elaborate.
Rachel Maddow emphasized that her observations were not from a professional body language expert's perspective but rather her own keen observations and analytical skills.
The overall tone of the courtroom was described as very serious, with both sides presenting their cases in a manner that aimed to convince the jury of their respective narratives.
The proceedings were interrupted for logistical reasons, such as providing jurors with writing implements and pads of paper, which affected the pace of the trial.
Transcripts
IT DEPENDS ON THE LAWYER.
AS I SAID, IF THEY'RE TRIAL
LAWYERS, AND I DON'T THINK
EITHER OF THEM ARE, THAT'S A
PROBLEM.
>> LET US BRING IN SOMEONE WHO
ACTUALLY SAW DONALD TRUMP IN THE
COURTROOM, RACHEL MADDOW.
MSNBC'S RACHEL MADDOW, ONE OF
THE VERY FEW PEOPLE INSIDE THE
COURTROOM TODAY.
RACHEL, FILL IN THE GAPS.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE?
>> Reporter: FIRST OF ALL,
THANKS FOR HAVING ME AND THANKS
TO EVERYBODY AT NBC WHO MADE IT
POSSIBLE FOR ME TO GET INTO THE
COURTROOM.
I REALIZE IT'S A HOT TICKET AND
IT'S PRIVILEGE TO COVER
SOMETHING THIS HISTORIC.
I WILL SAY JUST IN TERMS OF THE
VIBE IN THE ROOM, WHAT YOU HAVE
HEARD ABOUT IT BEING KIND OF A
DINGY COURTROOM IS REAL.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY IMPORTANT
IN TERMS OF THE WAY THE WHEELS
OF JUSTICE GRIND.
IT IS STRIKING TO SEE THE FORMER
PRESIDENT, SOMEBODY WHO HAS
TRIED TO EMBODY THE LUXURY BRAND
SITTING IN A ROOM THAT
ESSENTIALLY FEELS LIKE A
HIGH-SEALING DMV OFFICE.
LOTS OF PRIS PRESENCE.
VERY INTENSE ATMOSPHERE, VERY
SOBER ATMOSPHERE.
TWO VERY DIFFERENT STYLES OF
PRESENTATION.
THE PROSECUTION WAS RESERVED.
PROSECUTE ERMA THANK YOU
COLANGELO WHO MADE THE OPENING
STATEMENT READ FROM PREPARED
REMARKS ARE VERY COGENT
PRESENTATION.
PRESIDENT TRUM'S DEFENSE WAS
MORE EMOTIONAL, A LOT OF
AD-LIBBING.
THERE WAS -- NOT CHAOS, BUT A
LOT OF KINETIC ACTIVITY WHEN
PROSECUTORS STARTED OBJECTING TO
THE OPENING STATEMENT.
THE JUDGE CALLED MULTIPLE TIMES
FOR COUNSEL TO APPROACH THE
BENCH AND DISCUSS THOSE
OBJECTIONS.
JUST TWO VERY DIFFERENT WAYS OF
PRESENTING THE CASE TO THE JURY.
WE GOT A REAL ROADMAP AS TO HOW
THIS CASE IS GOING TO DO.
>> RACHEL, ONE OF THE THINGS I
KEEP HEARING ABOUTnd READING
ABOUT IS HOW COMPLEX THIS
ACTUALLY IS, WHEN YOU WANT TO
MAKE THE DOTS TO GO TOGETHER,
FOR SOME PEOPLE IT'S NOT GOING
TO RISE TO THE LEVEL IN THEIR
MIND OF A CRIME.
IT'S UP, OBVIOUSLY, TO THE
PROSECUTOR TO MAKE THAT CASE
THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT HUSH
MONEY, BUT HERE IS WHY THIS IS A
FELONY OFFENSE UNDER THE LAW.
DID THEY DO THAT?
WHAT WAS A CLEAR, COGENT STORY
IN YOUR HEARING, UNDERSTANDING
THAT RACHEL MADDOW HAS MORE OF
AN UNDERSTANDING OF THIS CASE
THAN THE AVERAGE JUROR MIGHT,
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MANY
PROSECUTORS HAVE TOLD ME OVER
THE YEARS IS, MY JOB IS TO GO
AND TELL A STORY THAT'S GOING TO
SET THE STAGE FOR THE JURY TO
BELIEVE AND UNDERSTAND WHY I
BROUGHT THESE CHARGES.
THAT SIMPLE.
>> Reporter: YES, AND THAT IS
ABSOLUTELY WHAT YOU SAW TODAY
FROM THE PROSECUTION.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE JURY WILL
ULTIMATELY DECIDE.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW THE EVIDENCE
WILL BE PRESENTED.
WE DON'T KNOW WHICH SIDE WILL BE
COMPELLING IN THE MINDS OF THESE
12 NEW YORKERS.
WHEN THE PROSECUTION GOT UP
TODAY, WHAT THEY SAID WAS,
WITHOUT EQUIVOCATION, WITHOUT
CAVEAT, WITHOUT PARENTHETICAL
PHRASES, THEY SAID THIS WAS THIS
KIND OF A CRIME.
THIS IS HOW WE KNOW HE DID IT.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SHOW
YOU ABOUT HOW HE DID IT.
THERE'S GOING TO BE ABSOLUTELY
NO DOUBT IN YOUR MIND.
IT'S GOING TO BE BEYOND A
REASONABLE DOUBT IN ALL OF YOUR
MINDS THAT HE DID THIS.
THEY PRESENTED IT AS BOTH AS A
SERIOUS CASE AND AN OPEN AND
SHUT CASE.
I SAY THAT, THE PLATONIC IDEAL
OF EVERY ARGUMENT.
THE DEFENSE SIDE WAS MUCH MORE
BAROQUE, A DIGRESSION FROM TODD
BLANCHE ABOUT HOW YOU'LL HEAR US
DESCRIBE HIM AS PRESIDENT TRUMP.
THAT WAS A TITLE HE EARNED.
HE WAS RUNNING THE COUNTRY.
HE KEPT GOING BACK TO THINGS
LIKE THAT.
AFTER THE JUDGE INSTRUCTED THE
JURORS THAT THE DEFENSE DOES NOT
HAVE TO PROVE THE INNOCENCE OF
DONALD TRUMP, THEY JUST NEED TO
MAKE SURE THE PROSECUTION
DOESN'T PROVE WITHOUT A
REASONABLE DOUBT THAT HE DID IT,
BLANCHE, IN FACT, ADVANCED A
WHOLE COUNTERFACTUAL.
THOSE INVOICES FROM MICHAEL
COHEN WERE REALLY ABOUT A LEGAL
RETAINER FOR HIS LEGAL SERVICES,
AND THERE WAS NO SEXUAL
ENCOUNTER BETWEEN DONALD TRUMP
AND STORMY DANIELS AND ALL OF
THESE OTHER COUNTERNARRATIVES
THAT MIGHT EXPLAIN THE EVIDENCE
THAT, AGAIN, NOT JUST CONNECTING
THE DOTS, KIND OF A BAROQUE,
DETAILED, ELABORATE STORY WITH A
LOT OF EMOTION ATTACHED TO IT
THAT THE JURY WAS EXPECTED TO
BUY INTO AS MUCH WITH THEIR
HEART AS THEIR MINDS.
A MUCH MORE CEREBRAL, SIMPLE
CASE FROM THE PROSECUTION.
>> RACHEL, CAN YOU DESCRIBE
DONALD TRUMP'S AFFECT,
PARTICULARLY WHEN DAVID PECKER
CAME IN AND WHEN HE WAS
TESTIFYING OR WHEN HE WAS BEING
DESCRIBED BY THE PROSECUTION?
>> Reporter: YES, AND I SHOULD
SAY, IN THE COURTROOM PRESIDENT
TRUMP'S BACK IS TO ALL OF US
SITTING AS OBSERVERS IN THE
COURTROOM.
THERE ARE MONITORS THAT ARE
MOUNTED IN THE COURTROOM WHERE
WE CAN SEE A FORWARD-FACING VIEW
FROM HIM, BUT IT'S A LITTLE
OCCLUDED.
IT MAY BE THE PEOPLE IN THE
OVERFLOW ROOM LOOKING AT THE
MONITORS MIGHT HAVE HAD A BETTER
LOOK.
FROM WHERE I WAS SITTING, HE
SEEMED BASICALLY INERT.
HE KIND OF SLUMPED HIS SHOULDERS
AND WAS KIND OF, I'M A SLUMP
SHOULDERED PERSON.
HE WAS SLUMPED AT TIMES.
WHEN MR. PECKER TESTIFIED, I
NOTICED HE WAS LEANING HEAVILY
ON THE DESK.
I DIDN'T SEE HIM AS PARTICULARLY
ANIMATED.
AGAIN, I MAY NOT HAVE BEEN IN
THE BEST POSITION TO OBSERVE
THAT CLOSELY.
I'VE SEEN HIM IN PERSON IN MY
LIFE A FEW TIMES.
I WOULD SAY SEEING HIM GO UP AND
DOWN THE AISLE, SEEING HIM WALK
PAST ME IN THE AISLE SEVERAL
TIMES INCLUDING A RECESS, I
WOULD SAY HE SEEMS THINNER THAN
I'VE SEEN HIM IN THE PAST.
HE SEEMS CONSIDERABLY OLDER AND
HE SEEMS ANNOYED, RESIGNED,
MAYBE ANGRY.
HE SEEMS LIKE A MAN WHO IS
MISERABLE TO BE HERE.
I'M NO BODY LANGUAGE EXPERT.
THIS IS JUST MY OBSERVATION.
HE ZOO SEEMED OLD AND TIRED AND
MAD.
I WOULD PROBABLY SEEM THAT WAY,
TOO.
>> WHEN HE CAME OUT, HE WAS
NOTABLY ANNOYED, THIS SHOULDN'T
BE HAPPENING AND HE REPEATED A
LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE
FACT-BASED.
WE CUT OUT OF IT AND CORRECTED
IT, SAYING THIS WAS A SIMPLE
BOOK KEEPING MATTER.
HE SEEMED REALLY ANGRY, ANNOYED
AND ANGRY.
>> YEAH.
I THINK THAT'S RIGHT.
YOU'LL OBVIOUSLY SEE IT AND HEAR
IT WHEN YOU COME BACK AND YOU'RE
PREPARING FOR YOUR SPECIAL
TONIGHT WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT.
I'M VERY CURIOUS ABOUT DAVID
PECKER AS WELL.
HE WAS ALSO DESCRIBED BY SOME OF
THE FOLKS IN THE ROOM AS SEEMING
OLD.
THERE'S THE FACTS THAT A WITNESS
GIVES AND THERE'S ALSO THE WAY
THEY PRESENTED.
DID THEY SEEM RELUCTANT?
ARE THEY CREDIBLE?
WHAT ARE YOUR OBSERVATIONS?
I KNOW YOU'RE NOT A BODY
LANGUAGE EXPERT.
I'M ASKING ABOUT YOUR
OBSERVATIONS ABOUT DAVID PECKER.
>>
>> Reporter: IT'S INTERESTING.
WE DIDN'T GET A TON OF TESTIMONY
FROM MR. PECKER.
THE PROCEEDINGS ENDED AT
12:30EST EARN TIME.
THERE WAS A LONG BREAK, THERE
WAS AN INTERRUPTION BECAUSE THE
JUDGE TOLD THE JURORS THEY COULD
HAVE WRITING IMPLEMENTS AND PADS
OF PAPER IF THEY WANTED.
HE FORGOT TO ASK THEM IF THEY
WANTED THEM.
THERE WAS ANOTHER INTERRUPTION
WHERE EVERYONE GOT SCHOOL
SUPPLIES.
THAT ATE UP A LOT OF TIME SO WE
DIDN'T GET A LOT FROM MR.
PECKER.
MY IMPRESSIONS OF HIM -- YOU'LL
SEE IT IN THE TRANSCRIPT LATER
TODAY.
HE DESCRIBED HIMSELF AS 72 YEARS
OLD.
HE'S NOW SELF-EMPLOYED AS A
CONSULTANT INCLUDING CONSULTING
FOR THE COMPANY THAT HE USED TO
RUN, BUT HE DOESN'T RUN THAT
COMPANY ANYMORE.
HE DID SAY HE WAS AT THIS
PROCEEDING UNDER SUBPOENA AND HE
HAD A LAWYER PRESENT IN THE
COURTROOM.
HE'S A PHYSICALLY SMALL MAN,
SORT OF SLIGHT.
HE LOOKS JUST LIKE HE DOES IN
HIS PICTURES, BUT HE'S SMALL,
HE'S SOFT SPOKEN.
I WOULD DESCRIBE HIS SPEAKING
STYLE, THE WAY HE ANSWERED
QUESTIONS FROM THE PROSECUTOR AS
SOMEWHAT ELLIPTICAL.
MEANING HE WOULD BE ASKED A
DIRECT QUESTION, HE WOULD GIVE
YOU THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE
ROOM.
THAT MEANT THAT THE PROSECUTOR
HAD TO ASK HIM THREE OR FOUR
TIMES WERE YOU ULTIMATELY IN
CHARGE OF WHAT STORIES WERE
PUBLISHED IN YOUR PUBLICATIONS
OR WHAT STORIES WERE NOT
PUBLISHED, THE PROSECUTE HAD TO
SAY, WERE YOU THE ONE.
HE DIDN'T USE THE WORDS THE BUCK
STOPPED WITH ME.
THE STORIES THAT WERE NOT
PUBLISHED, THAT WAS ULTIMATELY
UP TO ME.
TOOK HIM A WHILE TO GET THERE.
WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES IN
FORTHCOMING DAYS.
IT MAY TAKE A WHILE TO GET
THROUGH DIRECT EXAMINATION WITH
MR. PECKER.
>> FOR WHATEVER PROFESSIONAL
TRAINING YOU MAY NOT HAVE, YOUR
KEEN OBSERVATIONS AND ANALYTICAL
SKILLS ARE BEYOND INTACT.
RACHEL MADDOW, WE'RE A LITTLE
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