Two hearings and a slew of media controversies dominated the headlines this week.
Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh began his confirmation process on Tuesday. And while he stated in opening remarks that “the Supreme Court must never, never be viewed as a partisan institution,” subsequent court activity suggested otherwise.
From Time:
Kavanaugh’s invocation of the lofty ideals of teamwork in partnership marked a stark contrast to the stunning partisanship and rancor that dominated the first day of his hearings. Even as the nominee stuck to the script that has successfully guided predecessors from both parties to the nation’s highest court, Democratic senators were prepared to show just how much they think the norms have been broken. […]
Tensions in the hearing room, already high among the senators on the dais, were amplified by near-constant interruptions by protesters from the seats reserved for spectators in the back. As the committee bickered up front, dozens of protesters were removed throughout the day for standing up and yelling during the proceedings. “Kavanaugh is a danger to the future of America!” one protester cried. “My daughter deserves the right to choose!”
We discussed the ongoing hearing with a panel of experts earlier this week. You can hear that conversation here.
On Thursday, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey testified before Congress about disinformation, privacy, censorship, and election interference on their platforms. Google, in its absence from the hearings, garnered a lot of attention.
Here‘s a breakdown of the key moments from the hearings, courtesy of Politico. And here‘s our conversation about them from earlier this week.
Washington Post associate editor Bob Woodward rocked the White House and beyond on Tuesday after excerpts from his new book, Fear: Trump in the White House, leaked to reporters. In line with other tell-all books like Michael Wolff’s Fire and Fury or Omarosa Manigault Newman’s Unhinged, Woodward depicts a White House in turmoil.
President Trump’s response? “It’s just another bad book. He’s had a lot of credibility problems.”
A day later, The New York Times published a shocking op-ed by an anonymous “senior administration official.” The writer lambasts President Trump and reveals that “many of the senior officials in his own administration are working diligently from within to frustrate parts of his agenda and his worst inclinations.”
The president immediately retaliated:
Does the so-called “Senior Administration Official” really exist, or is it just the Failing New York Times with another phony source? If the GUTLESS anonymous person does indeed exist, the Times must, for National Security purposes, turn him/her over to government at once!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 5, 2018
Meanwhile, the guessing game has exploded, and many White House staffers have publicly denied their authorship.
We discussed the op-ed earlier this week. To hear that conversation, click here.
Finally, The New Yorker drummed up controversy after rescinding Steven Bannon’s invitation to headline its upcoming festival.
Editor David Remnick explained his decision in a statement:
A statement from David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker, explaining his decision to no longer include Steve Bannon in the 2018 New Yorker Festival. pic.twitter.com/opayiw5GQ2
— The New Yorker (@NewYorker) September 3, 2018
And Steve Bannon shared his take:
In a statement to CNBC, Bannon slammed The New Yorker’s decision: “In what I would call a defining moment, David Remnick showed he was gutless when confronted by the howling online mob.” https://t.co/TDSrIw8fId pic.twitter.com/FfXBjMxER4
— CNBC (@CNBC) September 4, 2018
We’ll get into all of this, and much more, on the Friday News Roundup.
Text by Kathryn Fink.
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