# Michael Cohen's House testimony **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 27, 2019, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-cohens-house-testimony/830297 "2019-02-27T15:16:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 19
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-cohens-house-testimony/830297/361 "2019-03-01T00:57:10Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > What a fucking moron! Apparently he uses his sphincter for a brain. “No Republican today refuted the potential crimes committed by Donald Trump … [they] attacked Michael Cohen. That’s all.” They attacked him, why? They attacked him every single time he cited evidence against their malignant, lying, cheating, corrupt hero, why? > [@RickJay](#): > > That’s his point. And with due respect, it was a very obvious and clearly made one. I disagree about it being a clearly made one. A clearly made one would have gone something like this: _“No Republican today refuted **Michael Cohen’s testimony about** the potential crimes committed by Donald Trump … [they] attacked Michael Cohen. That’s all.”_ ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-cohens-house-testimony/830297/362 "2019-03-01T01:11:24Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Wow, this stupid Walsh digression has really taken on a life of its own. Frankly I don’t really give a shit what this douchebag meant, but OK, in the interests of a lesson for me in the English language, a language in which I’m apparently deficient, let’s be charitable and contribute to my education. Here is what Walsh said: > > \*No Republican today defended the character of Donald Trump. No Republican today defended the veracity of Donald Trump. No Republican today refuted the potential crimes committed by Donald Trump. > > Every Republican today attacked Michael Cohen. That’s all. \* > > Here are the two possible interpretations that I suggested, now that we know that Walsh is anti-Trump (which, again, I did not know at the time I made the original comment): > > 1. a condemnation of Republicans who were implicitly supporting Trump by attacking Cohen’s credibility > > 2. a condemnation of Trump on the basis that his support is fading: “there hasn’t been one Republican yet who’s tried to defend the president on the substance. I think that’s something that should be concerning to the White House.” > > Interpretation #1 is supported by the views of dozens of media pundits, along the general lines of “what the hell would it take for Republicans to EVER stop defending Trump?” > > Interpretation #2 is supported by some on the right like Chris Christie, along the general lines of “Republicans now refuse to defend Trump, and he’d better start worrying about it”. > > Maybe I’m missing something obvious. Sometimes that happens, because I’m apparently not very bright. So would any of you highly literate fuckers kindly explain to me why one of those conflicting interpretations of Walsh’s tweet is _ **obviously** _ the correct one, and the other one _ **obviously** _ wrong? Because they are not at all the same. > > Thanks. I look forward to being a better and more literate and better-behaved Bernese Mountain Dog in the future. I might even stop digging up your flower beds. If he meant interpretation 2, he wouldn’t have added “Every Republican today attacked Michael Cohen. That’s all.” Those short sentences position themselves as a contrast to the previous sentences and put them in context: the jackholes aren’t able to substantively defend Trump’s character, honesty, or ignorance, so instead they’re doing their damnest to shoot the messenger, showing that they know he’s a lying criminal scumbag and still support him to the fucking hilt. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-cohens-house-testimony/830297/363 "2019-03-01T01:19:24Z")
I couldn’t watch it live, but how about a round of applause for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez kicking the door wide open for a close look at Trump’s personal finances and taxes!?! ---
**Author:** ![Fair\_Rarity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fair_rarity/32/153_2.png) [@Fair\_Rarity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fair_Rarity)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-cohens-house-testimony/830297/364 "2019-03-01T01:54:48Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Interesting development: > > > [@](#): > > > > President Trump called @mattgaetz last night from Hanoi to talk the Cohen testimony and the threats (since rescinded) Gaetz made about Cohen. > > “I was happy to do it for you. You just keep killing it,” Gaetz was heard telling him. > > (Gaetz told me he doesn’t discuss calls w/POTUS) I read that earlier and I read it wrong. JUST NOW I realized Gaetz said it to Trump. When I clearly poorly skimmed it this afternoon, I thought it read something like “I was happy you did it. You just keep killing it.” Which, to be fair, is totally in line with his character and his staff’s propensity to leak. It’s so much worse that GAETZ said it for himself. Well, probably not. Partisan hackery will probably keep him in the bar and employed. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-cohens-house-testimony/830297/365 "2019-03-01T03:06:41Z")
I was unable to watch the whole thing, but I caught the last leg. Since then, I’ve seen a lot of clips from the earlier testimony. I must say, I’m surprised that Mr. “Says who?” is such a sincere, credible, even surprisingly sympathetic witness. Lanny Davis has done his coaching job well. Not once did Cohen take the bait offered by the Republican clown car. His answers were direct, no more or less than they needed to be, and he was clearly in control of his temper. He was decently spoken. He did really well. I think Cohen’s testimony is going to prove devastating to Trump as time goes on, both with SDNY and Mueller. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-cohens-house-testimony/830297/366 "2019-03-01T03:17:47Z")
Hey, Trump, would you care to explain how this hearing is [fake](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-truth/trump-derides-fake-hearing-but-says-cohen-truthful-on-no-collusion-idUSKCN1QH0UI)? It seems to be legally constituted and conducted according to the rules of Congress and does not violate any law. Personally, I’m really looking forward to Tan the Conman’s eventual sentencing hearing. When the judge asks him if he has anything to say, of course he’s going to start up with his mantra (“Fake…fake…fake…fake…fake…fake”) and then the judge is going to let him know in no uncertain terms that the prison is not fake, the cell walls are not fake, and the guards are not fake, and if he doesn’t like them, that’s not going to make them any less real. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-cohens-house-testimony/830297/367 "2019-03-01T03:56:47Z")
Matt Gaetz says reports of his holding a conversation with Individual 1 are not true. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-cohens-house-testimony/830297/368 "2019-03-01T04:16:54Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Think that’s going to fly with the Florida State Bar, Matt? I hope they decide to make an example of him - disbar him, and file whatever misconduct shit they can throw at him. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-cohens-house-testimony/830297/369 "2019-03-01T04:18:09Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Think that’s going to fly with the Florida State Bar, Matt? > > > [@](#): > > > > President Trump called @mattgaetz last night from Hanoi to talk the Cohen testimony and the threats (since rescinded) Gaetz made about Cohen. > > “I was happy to do it for you. You just keep killing it,” Gaetz was heard telling him. > > (Gaetz told me he doesn’t discuss calls w/POTUS) Gee. That sounds like conspiracy right there. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-cohens-house-testimony/830297/370 "2019-03-01T05:59:45Z")
Nothing happened to the asshole who yelled “You lie!” to Barry-O. Be a weird kind of piety/hypocrisy thing to gig this asshole for dissing a mere Congressgit. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-cohens-house-testimony/830297/371 "2019-03-01T11:08:18Z")
Gaetz threatened Cohen and family via social media the day before Cohen’s testimony. I say throw the fucking book at him. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-cohens-house-testimony/830297/372 "2019-03-01T23:29:26Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Is this what Watergate felt like? From the horse’s mouth: **[John Dean: I Testified Against Nixon. Here’s My Advice for Michael Cohen](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/01/opinion/john-dean-michael-cohen.html?partner=rss&emc=rss)** > [@](#): > > There are several parallels between my testimony before Congress in 1973, about President Richard Nixon and his White House, and Michael Cohen’s testimony this week about President Trump and his business practices. > … > > There are some differences: Unlike Mr. Cohen, who testified for a day, I testified for five days. His prepared statement was about 4,000 words; mine was some 60,000 words. Nielsen reports over 16 million people watched his testimony. I am told over 80 million people watched all or part of mine. > > Polls varied widely after my testimony. One said 50 percent of Americans believed me, 30 percent did not, and 20 percent were not sure. Another poll had 38 percent believing the president, who denied my statement, and 37 percent believing me. The instant polls on Mr. Cohen’s testimony vary by party affiliation, as was the case with my polls. But 35 percent found him credible. I believe that number will grow. > > While my testimony was eventually corroborated by secret recordings made by Mr. Nixon of our conversations, before that it was other witnesses who made the difference. I was surprised by the number of the people who surfaced to support my account. The same, I suspect, will happen for Michael Cohen. The Mafia’s code of omertà has no force in public service. I have heard no one other than Roger Stone say he will go to jail for Donald Trump. > > Mr. Cohen should understand that if Mr. Trump is removed from office, or defeated in 2020, in part because of his testimony, he will be reminded of it for the rest of his life. He will be blamed by Republicans but appreciated by Democrats. If he achieves anything short of discovering the cure for cancer, he will always live in this pigeonhole. How do I know this? I am still dealing with it. > … > > Mr. Cohen has likewise come to see Mr. Trump for his true nature. At the very end of his testimony before the House Oversight Committee, he sought permission to read a closing statement. > > He thanked the members, and again accepted responsibility for his bad behavior. He then told the legislators, “Given my experience working for Mr. Trump, I fear that if he loses the election in 2020 that there will never be a peaceful transition of power, and this is why I agreed to appear before you today.” This was the most troubling — actually, chilling — thing he said in his five hours before the committee. > … > > Indeed, what is most similar about my and Mr. Cohen’s testimony is that we both challenged authoritarian presidents of the United States by revealing their lies and abuses of power. Mr. Trump is the first authoritarian president since Mr. Nixon, and neither he nor his supporters will play fair. Mr. Cohen will be dealing with these people the rest of his life. > … ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2019, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-cohens-house-testimony/830297/373 "2019-03-02T17:59:31Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Meadows drags out a black person to try and prove that Trump isn’t a racist. For those who think Meadows himself may not be a racist asshole, Morning Joe showed two separate clips from 2012 of Meadows saying, in two different venues: > [@](#): > > 2012 is the time that we’re going to send Mr. Obama home to Kenya or wherever it is. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2019, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-cohens-house-testimony/830297/374 "2019-03-02T18:49:43Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Nothing happened to the asshole who yelled “You lie!” to Barry-O. Be a weird kind of piety/hypocrisy thing to gig this asshole for dissing a mere Congressgit. Yelling at the President isn’t a crime. Witness tampering is. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2019, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-cohens-house-testimony/830297/375 "2019-03-03T07:31:21Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > One can make a different interpretation than I did if one knows that Walsh turned anti-Trump after having voted for him, which I did not know. I’ve never heard of this guy before this thread. I was just reacting to the plain text meaning of the words. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-cohens-house-testimony/830297.md?page=18)