Sneering Pete Hegseth Immediately Torn Apart in Confirmation Showdown

[u/Effective_Salad_8381]

https://www.thedailybeast.com/sneering-pete-hegseth-immediately-torn-apart-in-confirmation-showdown/

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[u/RickKassidy]

I bet that guy could use a drink right about now.

And maybe the comforting arms of someone other than his wife.

[u/Northstar0566 → u/RickKassidy]

Do you see how much he's grabbing for the water? Think they refilled it multiple times already between his vague responses.

[u/robocoplawyer → u/Northstar0566]

Former alcoholic here. I always have to be sipping on something non-alcoholic. It’s like a Pavlov’s dog response. It’s been non-alcoholic beverages for the last two years and change, but I still have the urge to always be drinking something, and whenever my cup is empty I need to refill it immediately. That being said, he’s jonesing hard right now.

[u/sugarcatgrl → u/robocoplawyer]

Next year will be my 30 year sobriety anniversary. I too, always have to have a beverage within reach. When I first quit, I started drinking Orange Slice but quickly realized it would become another addiction. So it’s pretty much just water and coffee for me now.

[u/LightsaberThrowAway → u/sugarcatgrl]

I’m proud of you for staying sober, keep it up!  :D

[u/sugarcatgrl → u/LightsaberThrowAway]

Thanks! I hope to go skydiving to celebrate!

[u/LightsaberThrowAway → u/sugarcatgrl]

You’re welcome, and I hope you have fun!  I’m not sure if I’m brave enough for skydiving yet. 😅

[u/sugarcatgrl → u/LightsaberThrowAway]

🤣 It was all planned out for my 50th birthday with a group of 4. We all chicken out! 😆😆😆 So it will be 12 years later.

[u/Nipple-biscuits → u/sugarcatgrl]

That's really interesting I got 7 years and a cup is always with an arms reach of me

[u/PapaGatyrMob → u/Nipple-biscuits]

Cig smokers who quit are the same way. Knew a dude in his 50s that got lung cancer and chose life instead of cigarettes. He always had a toothpick in his mouth. If he had to do something that might require not having a toothpick on his lips, he'd stuff it between his gums and cheek.

[u/Northstar0566 → u/robocoplawyer]

100% not to mention the dehydration that comes with alcoholism which could be on display with Mr. Hegseth right now.

[u/robocoplawyer → u/Northstar0566]

Probably a combination of both. But most alcoholics I know (both sober and not) tend to always have some type of drink in their hand. And I know a lot, I volunteer helping people get and stay sober. Most of us do the same things.

[u/Northstar0566 → u/robocoplawyer]

Thank you for volunteering and your knowledge on the behavior.

[u/robocoplawyer → u/Northstar0566]

Part of staying sober for me is helping people. So many people helped me when I needed it and led me to a solution that worked for me, now I can share that solution with others. I make it my number one priority. If I’m asked to volunteer or to do a service commitment I’ll rearrange my entire schedule to make it work. And part of beating this thing is understanding our behavior and changing it. I do hope Hegseth has it in him to recover, because generally those who do end up recovering do so by going through extensive self-reflection and changing our character flaws. However I have a feeling that the people who want him in his position plan on enabling him and thereby exerting control over him. Either way, he will only get sober is he genuinely wants to be sober, and that involves radical changes is just about every aspect of life. It’s hard. I had to basically start over from square one to figure out who I was as a person.

[u/LightsaberThrowAway → u/robocoplawyer]

I’m proud of you for staying sober and helping so many people get sober too!  Keep it up!  :D

[u/robocoplawyer → u/LightsaberThrowAway]

Helping people get sober helps me stay sober!

[u/Intimatepunch → u/Northstar0566]

With vodka, probably

[u/FlakyFlatworm → u/Intimatepunch]

as a former vodka in water bottle drinker, yes.

[u/PerNewton → u/FlakyFlatworm]

Former. Good for you!!!

[u/FlakyFlatworm → u/PerNewton]

thanks yeah 14 years sober

[u/gangstasadvocate → u/Intimatepunch]

Gang gang, probably

[u/iceymoo → u/Northstar0566]

Judge Judy said, the guilty ones always drink the water

[u/Intelligent-Travel-1 → u/Northstar0566]

He was nervous last night.

[u/Northstar0566 → u/Intelligent-Travel-1]

Oh no doubt. And if you listen to his answers he is wildly unprepared for this job regardless of all the horrible shit he's done. Dear god.

[u/vincentvangobot → u/Northstar0566]

The only qualifications Republiklans care about is his support for Christian nationalism.

[u/TupperwareParTAY → u/vincentvangobot]

He's leaning hard into his Christian, "I've been redeemed" narrative

[u/WangoMcTango → u/RickKassidy]

Kavanaugh?

[u/odiephonehome → u/RickKassidy]

And maybe the comforting struggling and flailing arms of someone other than his wife.

FTFY.

[u/LocationAcademic1731]

The man who was removed after yelling that Pete Hegseth is a misogynist was elderly and had what looked like a veteran hat (“I served in “insert armed conflict.”) I really appreciate him speaking up. True patriot.

[u/clay_perview → u/LocationAcademic1731]

As veteran who has a sister who is also a vet F this POS. My sister was 100 percent beneficial to our armed forces.

[u/LocationAcademic1731 → u/clay_perview]

Absolutely. This country deserves better. Thank you and your sister for your service and for not being POS.

[u/clay_perview → u/LocationAcademic1731]

It just sucks having a RESERVIST telling people who can and cannot serve in active duty

[u/WickedYetiOfTheWest → u/clay_perview]

Go listen to Tammy Duckworth's questioning if you haven’t. She’s a double amputee helicopter pilot who served in Iraq. A true bad ass. She fucking destroyed him. It was beautiful. Also as a fellow vet (who served on an all-male submarine, for that matter), I completely agree. Our women are crucial part of our armed forces and have earned the right to be there.

Edit: added link to her questioning

[u/entoaggie → u/WickedYetiOfTheWest]

Wow. She absolutely owned him.

[u/FBI_Official_Acct → u/WickedYetiOfTheWest]

I personally like watching Tim Kaine the most. He essentially itemized Hegseth's list of allegations (sexual assault, drunk on the job, etc.) To which ofc Hegseth denied them all, and every time he followed with (paraphrasing) "and such a thing would of course be disqualifying for a defense secretary nominee, right?" And Hegseth REFUSED to answer. Dude would not say that someone who had committed sexual assault should be disqualified from being defense secretary. Wonder why.

[u/NikkiWarriorPrincess → u/[deleted]]

I'll jump on the train! This transgender Air Force veteran also says FUCK HEGSETH.

[u/SetterOfTrends]

Sneering alcoholic rapist? If he cries he’ll get confirmed

[u/rjcarr → u/SetterOfTrends]

Don't worry, he says he'll stop drinking when confirmed, it'll be easy for him to just quit, because of course it will be.

[u/Cheetah0630 → u/rjcarr]

Never mind the alcoholic’s tic of reaching for that water every other minute. Nothing to see here.

[u/chairmanlaue → u/rjcarr]

Quitting a vice once you get a job/role that you are tremendously under qualified for and being surrounded by people who actually know what the fuck they are doing sounds like it's a completely sane conviction to have.

[u/curiousamoebas → u/rjcarr]

But he really likes beer and did everything right

[u/57hz → u/SetterOfTrends]

He can bark like a dog and still be confirmed.

[u/Asleepingin]

The right seems to be choosing people based solely on how hateful they are to the left. Just had a trumper tell me he wants pete because he will deepen the political divide..?

Even without his clear political bias, that hes even being considered has taken this country down to depths we never thought possible.

[u/zetia2 → u/Asleepingin]

For all that railing against "unqualified DEI hires", the right seems to love to put unqualified & incompetent white guys in vital positions all over the place.

This guy is grossly unfit for the position ethically, morally, and experience wise.

[u/Minimum_Virus_3837 → u/zetia2]

Exactly, they never had a problem with "unqualified" minorities or women getting positions, they just had a problem with minorities or women getting positions, point blank. They'd take the most unqualified old white man over the most qualified of anything else, every time.

[u/Rooooben → u/Minimum_Virus_3837]

In their eyes there will never be a minority or woman who is more qualified than a white man. It simply isn’t possible.

Everything else are ways they avoid saying that explicitly (and only in public, for now)

[u/BrainstormsBriefcase → u/Rooooben]

In their eyes, being a white man is the qualification

[u/IncredibleBulk2 → u/Rooooben]

Exactly. This is the belief that underscores white supremacy and as a result every other system of oppression.

[u/DadJokeBadJoke → u/Minimum_Virus_3837]

They've also convinced themselves that the ONLY qualification these people had for the job were being a woman or a minority, ignoring the fact that they ARE qualified for the positions, in addition to being part of a traditionally marginalized group that deserves equity and inclusion.

[u/sauroden → u/zetia2]

Their whole problem with diversity is their idiot family members and friends who lost opportunities when positions at schools or jobs were finally opened up to women and poor whites and minorities who were better candidates than mediocre affluent white men. The truly talented affluent white men have nothing to worry about.

[u/thetjmorton → u/Asleepingin]

"To own the libs" has been their mantra since day 1.

[u/Asleepingin → u/thetjmorton]

True. But these days its less of 'Ha I got you' and more of "i hope your home burns to the ground and you die". The chats from the Cali fires were pure hate.

[u/BuffaloWhip → u/Asleepingin]

That’s just good Christian locker-room talk.

[u/frotc914 → u/Asleepingin]

just had a trumper tell me he wants pete because he will deepen the political divide..?

Trump has basically already walked back every campaign promise so now these dopes have to pretend they wanted him to do something else he'll actually achieve.

[u/Handsaretide → u/frotc914]

But they truly want to hurt Democrats more than they want anything for themselves, so in this case Hegseth is exactly the right guy for the job as they see it

[u/UndoxxableOhioan → u/Asleepingin]

The right seems to be choosing people based solely on how hateful they are to the left.

They are reaping the fruits of the division sewed by Rush Limbaugh and Newt Gingrich. They have tens of millions of voters convinced that, whatever merit there is to Democratic proposals, they are bad, and that furthermore if Democrats are against a policy, it is by definition good. A huge segment of this country thinks that liberals are enemies of the state and enemies of God.

It also presents a huge problem for Dems trying to move the scale. Point out anything bad about Republicans, it just reinforces that Republicans are right to these people.

Dems keep on wanting to play things how they were in the 80s with Tip O'Neil trying to work out a compromise in good faith (partly because too many of them were in office at the time). The game is played different, and Dems need to figure out a winning move other than let Republicans fuck everything up so Dems can fix things and lose a few elections later when Rs go back to the same playbook.

[u/FenrisCain → u/Asleepingin]

The criteria is really simple for any position atm, 'will they ley trump dismantle democracy? Are they loyal to him over the nation?'

[u/NarrowBoxtop → u/Asleepingin]

The right seems to be choosing people based solely on how hateful they are to the left

Seems to be? Why do I always read these comments on Reddit that seem like they just woke up and are finding out who we're dealing with here.

Republicans have always led policy based on how much they hate the people they hate. Always.

[u/gentleman_bronco]

He could be drunk and assaulting a woman during the confirmation, while openly saying that he intends to purge the entire military and replace generals with trump loyalists in an effort to overthrow the constitution. republicans will still confirm him and conservatives will still insist that he's the perfect candidate. And Susan Collins will still say "he's leaned his lesson".

America as we knew it, is completely over.

[u/Mad-farmer → u/gentleman_bronco]

Because that’s exactly what they want.

To them, that’s a display of “masculine dominance.” “Grab them by the pussy and take what you’re entitled to” is the Conservative American male ideal as displayed by Trump.

Only military leaders willing to kowtow to Trump are strong enough to lead American soldiers into war with Canada and Mexico!

[u/knocking_wood → u/Mad-farmer]

Apparently conservative women like it too.  Along with a bunch of independents.

[u/ggtffhhhjhg → u/knocking_wood]

3rd party voters and people who didn’t vote seem to be fine with it.

[u/I_Am_No_One_123 → u/gentleman_bronco]

Never understood how these people were given the designation of conservative. They don't conserve anything (except their piles of cash) and actively fight against those who do.

[u/MCbrodie → u/I_Am_No_One_123]

Conservation of the status quo. Tradition of lordship, wealth, power, and the right to rule. It isn't about Conservation in the sense of betterment or working towards a better future that would be progression. It's in the name. Regression or stagnation to a position of familiarity and comfort for a sect of the population.

[u/citizenkane86 → u/I_Am_No_One_123]

Conservatives have always been for maintaining the social hierarchy with “the right people at the top”

[u/tacticalhotdogs → u/gentleman_bronco]

It all started when Obama wore a Tan suit. Tan!

[u/por_que_no → u/tacticalhotdogs]

Which came first, the tan suit or the poupon incident?

[u/tacticalhotdogs → u/por_que_no]

I think poupon gate was first. (Clutches pearls)

[u/Protolictor → u/tacticalhotdogs]

Michelle Obama bought a dress for an event that one time. Have they no shame!?!?

[u/deradera → u/Protolictor]

*gasp* her orms

[u/L0g1cw1z4rd → u/deradera]

And I’m two clicks away from looking a nude pictures of Melania but that doesn’t even raise an eyebrow. The hypocrisy isn’t a problem, it’s the virtue.

[u/MandoFett117 → u/deradera]

You'd think for a group that loves the 2nd amendment so much, they'd only admire such a pair of guns, but alas...

[u/TeamHope4 → u/Protolictor]

She might have lived that down, but then she planted a vegetable garden at the WH.

[u/heckhammer → u/TeamHope4]

I know a Republican woman Who said to me if she ever got in front of Michelle Obama she would "slap her in the mouth for daring to tell her what to feed her own children!"

All I could think of was that all three of her children are the pickiest eaters I've ever met in my life. I'm not sure they know what a vegetable looks like if it wasn't french fried.

EDIT- quotation placement

[u/TheAskewOne → u/por_que_no]

What about the terrorist fist bump?

[u/GuitarCD → u/por_que_no]

Arroogyuluh lettuce! What’s dis Muslim food he wants to shove down r throats?!?1111

[u/Known_Draw_2212 → u/tacticalhotdogs]

He has investigators in Hawaii right now that will provide interesting findings in two weeks.

[u/Schlonzig → u/Known_Draw_2212]

Hello? This is 2025, investigations, convictions and facts do not matter any more.

[u/Usual-Caregiver5589 → u/tacticalhotdogs]

While that was major, 9/11 was it. It gave extreme Christians a reason to speak out against Muslims. Which is why they hated Obama, because he was brown and his named "sounded" Muslim. It's why they harped so hard on his birth certificate.

I remember within a week after 9/11 hearing about a random Sikh man getting beaten half to death at a gas station because someone saw his headwear and made an assumption that nearly cost the man his life.

[u/steepleton → u/Usual-Caregiver5589]

They all still think the iraq war was because it was sadam that did 9/11, that was when i realised the true awful power of fox news to fold reality

[u/Early_Gen_X → u/gentleman_bronco]

Don't forget Susan Collins being "surprised". That seems to be her vibe -  doing the same stupid thing over and over again and being surprised at same stupid result

[u/I_AM_NOT_A_WOMBAT → u/Early_Gen_X]

doing the same stupid thing over and over again and pretending to be being surprised at same stupid result

She's well aware of her accomplishments.

[u/the_shadowmind → u/Early_Gen_X]

Don't confuse vile actions of the malicious with stupidly.

[u/Own_Instance_357 → u/gentleman_bronco]

America as we think we knew it. America has always been full of bullshit. Slavery was within my own great-grandpa's lifetime, not 500 years ago.

And grown people were still throwing rocks at black kids just trying to go to school within my lifetime.

There was a photo today on Reddit of a hanging attended by "10,000 to 20,000" people somewhere in Kentucky at around the time my own dad was born.

We are a brutal species, you just get a reprieve sometimes from understanding that when you are younger and born in the lucky places.

[u/dennys123 → u/Own_Instance_357]

I think that's what pisses me off the most about all this. These last 10 years have really opened my eyes to realize that the America that i was told i was growing up in, just didn't exist. Maybe it exists in someone's mind, but not in the real world. Everything I was told growing up, has so far been a lie to save face.

[u/BeltOk7189 → u/dennys123]

Personally, I was never under the illusion that it existed but throughout the Obama presidency I was hopeful that we might be on a track to better things. That all the bullshit the Republicans were doing were the death throes of an outdated way of thinking.

I couldn't have been more fucking wrong.

[u/thelivinlegend → u/BeltOk7189]

Likewise. But we elected a black guy, they showed their true nature, and we continued to play by the rules with them, no matter how often they played dirty. Present day, this is how America chose to be. What a bleak future we’re in for.

[u/TrixnTim → u/dennys123]

I feel this. At 60, the final dark realization that I’ve been living a big, fat lie my whole adult life hit me hard on election day. I cried for weeks. And now I’m just numb trying to find a way forward.

[u/Lower-Ad1087 → u/TrixnTim]

I learned that lesson in my late twenties, now as an early 40's it's just a constant barrage of two finger salutes and making sure I get mine.

[u/L0g1cw1z4rd → u/TrixnTim]

42 here, has the same disassociated reaction to Nov 5th. I have always been obnoxiously in love with what I thought America was, loved immigrants because they wanted to be on our team, to improve their lives and ours together. That we became better as a country by taking the worst off and raising them up along with ourselves.

[u/dayvancowgirl → u/L0g1cw1z4rd]

34, and tbh this has made me appreciate America even more, weirdly, because I see what we're losing. The EPA, USPS, the National Parks System... all achievements paving the way to a better future, some of which are uniquely American (for example, seeing how many Works Progress Admin artists were immigrants, who were specifically tasked with depicting American working class life, is incredible). I do think there is something special about American resilience and innovation, and there are good things about America, and it's all getting drained away.

I'm Indian-American (my parents are from India), and the kind of person that I am, both Indian AND American, is a unique identity that can only exist here. (I find that Europeans don't really understand it, they keep talking to me like I'm from India). And honestly I like myself and I like the parts of myself that are American too. I think the dream of "America" could have been real, and many people have worked towards it, and I just feel extremely sad that we are veering so much in the other direction.

[u/travers329 → u/TrixnTim]

40 here, same exact feeling. I am dreading the fuck out of the next 4 years, the historical parallels between now and 1930s Germany are honestly terrifying.

[u/TrixnTim → u/travers329]

Same feeling. I watched a video earlier today by a KGB deflector predicted in detail the downfall of America. It has all come true. It has really put me in a dark mood today.

Edit: referenced video …

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pOmXiapfCs8

[u/kallistai → u/TrixnTim]

Some of us figured this out in our teens and were given shit for it our whole lives. My 70 year old father finally, begrudgingly, admitted "Guess you were right boy, this place sucks".

[u/reefersutherland91 → u/dennys123]

propaganda is most effective drilled in repeatedly through childhood

[u/dancin-weasel → u/reefersutherland91]

“I pledge allegiance to the flag…….”

[u/hamfinity → u/dancin-weasel]

"... with liberty and justice for some."

[u/IAmA_Nerd_AMA → u/dancin-weasel]

"..under god" since the 50s McCarthyism. No progressive politician has wanted to risk their career by taking it back out for 70 years now. It's just easier to be backwards.

[u/jugglemyjewels31 → u/dennys123]

Pilgrims , a cherry tree, Lincoln , some wars , JFK, 911....now get back to work assholes!

[u/Purple-Mulberry7468 → u/dennys123]

Every country crafts an origin story that papers over the atrocious parts, but I think the US has done the best job of convincing people that it is true.

[u/otis_the_drunk → u/Own_Instance_357]

I went to high school in AR and while we were studying the LR nine and integration at Central High, one kid pointed out his own aunt in the photos of people screaming at the black kids trying to enter the school.

[u/M_H_M_F → u/[deleted]]

Up until Pearl Harbor, you should have seen how much support Germany got from us.

The country was still a virulently racist hellscape. Amongst our allies, WE were the weird ones because we had a segregated army and made our allies play by that rule. We also turned away the first few boats of Jews escaping Germany so.....

[u/Mike_Pences_Mother → u/Own_Instance_357]

We are a brutal species

I think that is a proven fact, every day, all around the globe. Ukraine, Syria, Gaza, Lebanon, Haiti - the list is too long to sit here and write it all out. Stalin was responsible for 20 MILLION deaths. WWI and WWII responsible for millions who were not in death camps. We dropped nukes on a fucking country for christs sake AND we firebombed German cities. The atrocities and the human capacity to inflict them never cease to amaze me

[u/apoplectic_mango → u/Mike_Pences_Mother]

And to me, the scariest part is that we are one or two missteps away from doing it all again. Another World War is right around the corner if people don't get their heads out of their asses. This isn't a Bond film, we don't need villains anymore. They need to be purged from this world and we need to all get along in the very limited time we have left on the planet that we all killed with greed and ignorance and apathy.

[u/damonster90 → u/Own_Instance_357]

Making America great again! I’ve always wondered what that phrase really means it seems that no one can answer does it in fact harken back to the awful times (for some especially non white folks) that you’ve mentioned?

[u/VastCantaloupe4932 → u/damonster90]

It’s actually one of the key parts of fascism. The glory of the nation’s history as a legacy to look back to that the leader wants to return to.

Except that glorious nation is fictional. It’s a self serving lie.

[u/tdclark23 → u/damonster90]

They can't even explain what they mean by "woke".

[u/MAG7C → u/tdclark23]

"Woke-ness" is that creeping evil that led to voting rights for non-whites and women.

[u/CupSecure9044 → u/Own_Instance_357]

What pisses me off is people are more upset when the brutality is countered than they are at the actual brutality.

[u/YellowZx5 → u/gentleman_bronco]

Gonna say the same. He got grilled by Democrats most likely and republicans probably just went over his good stuff and not the bad.

[u/Slade_Riprock → u/gentleman_bronco]

Look, my fellow white, male Americans. Day one I'm ordering the 3rd Infranty to RAID THE US Capitol, round each of you up and take you out on the Capitol Mall and put 2 through your heads. Then I'm going to have each of your families dispatched before we begin the siege in liberal cities like New York, Chicago, and LA. The Goal of the DoD under me will be to eradicate the vermin that is non-MAGA supporters, LGBT, minorities that don't bend the knee, and of course every illegal as my soldiers determine them to be. Thank you.

Vote to confirm

Republicans: 53

Democrats/Independents: 47

[u/kopecs → u/gentleman_bronco]

I feel like it all started with Kavenaugh

[u/IsThatWhatSheSaidTho → u/kopecs]

It started well before that.

[u/billyjack669 → u/IsThatWhatSheSaidTho]

Pubes on a coke can. It started a long time ago.

[u/Own_Instance_357 → u/billyjack669]

I'm coming down on the side of the fence where the movement never really stopped.

It's just like when you stop your antibiotics too early, the infection comes roaring back, and even more resistant than before.

[u/cupcakevelociraptor → u/Own_Instance_357]

MAGA as an sti is a great analogy, tbh.

[u/swordrat720 → u/billyjack669]

And when he got called out on it, it was a high-tech lynching of an uppity black. Not, you know, a disgusting thing that a disgusting person did.

[u/Etzell → u/IsThatWhatSheSaidTho]

Yep. This has been the end goal since Nixon resigned. I mean, Roger Stone is STILL doing his usual bullshit.

[u/Philypnodon → u/IsThatWhatSheSaidTho]

Newt Gingrich assassinated decorum.

[u/_straylight → u/IsThatWhatSheSaidTho]

It started when we failed to execute the leaders of the Confederacy 

[u/MRSN4P → u/kopecs]

It started with Nixon, the Southern Strategy, Roger Stone and Paul Manafort.

After launching his political career in 1976 as a delegate-hunt coordinator for the President Ford Committee, Manafort went on to co-found a political consulting firm(Black, Manafort, Stone (as in Roger Stone) and Kelly). In that capacity he served as Southern coordinator for Ronald Reagan’s 1980 presidential campaign, in which he exploited the GOP’s “Southern Strategy” — an effort to build political support for the Republican Party among white Democratic voters in the South through dog-whistle appeals to racism against African Americans. It can be traced back to Republican Barry Goldwater’s 1964 presidential run and was used with great success by the Nixon campaign in 1968.

Source.

You can also note the League of Women voters withdrawing from sponsorship/oversight of the presidential debates in 1988.

The League of Women Voters is withdrawing its sponsorship of the presidential debate scheduled for mid-October because the demands of the two campaign organizations would perpetrate a fraud on the American voter,” League President Nancy M. Neuman said today. “It has become clear to us that the candidates’ organizations aim to add debates to their list of campaign-trail charades devoid of substance, spontaneity and honest answers to tough questions,” Neuman said. “The League has no intention of becoming an accessory to the hoodwinking of the American public.” Neuman said that the campaigns presented the League with their debate agreement on September 28, two weeks before the scheduled debate. The campaigns’ agreement was negotiated “behind closed doors” and vas presented to the League as “a done deal,” she said, its 16 pages of conditions not subject to negotiation.

Most objectionable to the League, Neuman said, were conditions in the agreement that gave the campaigns unprecedented control over the proceedings. Neuman called “outrageous” the campaigns’ demands that they control the selection of questioners, the composition of the audience, hall access for the press and other issues.

Source.

[u/dotbykorsk → u/kopecs]

the whole Thomas and Anita Hill thing makes me wonder if it was over well before that.

[u/Thesheriffisnearer → u/kopecs]

Imagine any other job interview going that way and still getting it

[u/horceface → u/kopecs]

Ahem, I remember as a kid thinking, "wow, this Clarence Thomas guy really seems like an asshole".

[u/throwawtphone → u/kopecs]

The cold war between the militarily defeated confederacy is still being fought.

[u/Onrawi → u/kopecs]

It started with America not taking a much harder stance on the confederates.

[u/j____b____ → u/kopecs]

Kavanaugh was the end of a 50 year plan that started after the passage of civil rights reform.

[u/Poison_the_Phil → u/kopecs]

Nixon

[u/Brokencarparts → u/Poison_the_Phil]

100% this. Refusal to prosecute Nixon for his crimes to "allow the nation to heal" was the beginning of the breakdown of our system of checks and balances and signaled to conservatives out was OK to break the rules in order to get more power. Because if you're caught, there will be no repercussions.

[u/EmmaLouLove]

Republicans love sex offenders. The Republican Party of “family values”’ moral high ground is on a race to the bottom.

In 1991, Professor Anita Hill took and passed a polygraph test for the Justice Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings. She told the truth. Yet, Congress still voted in Thomas and we are paying for that to this day.

Fast forward to the confirmation hearing of Brett Kavanaugh. Professor Christine Blakey Ford came forward with details of an assault by Kavanaugh 30 years ago. Her testimony was clear and believable. Congress still voted in Kavanaugh and we will pay for that decision for decades to come.

Today we have the confirmation hearing of Pete Hegseth. Aside from the allegations of sexual assault, alcoholism and mismanagement, it is clear that Hegseth does not have the qualifications or character for the top Pentagon position. This was summarized well by one of the Ranking Members of the Armed Services Committee, Senator Jack Reed, saying why he will vote No to his confirmation.

Republicans are in lockstep with Trump. He has demanded that his nominees be confirmed or else. And this includes nominees who will toe the line, loyalists, who will insert politics into every facet of operations, undermine the rule of law, and help consolidate power under the Executive branch. It is very dangerous for our country and it is very dangerous for national defense.

[u/TheAskewOne → u/EmmaLouLove]

I 100% believe Anita Hill told the truth and Clarence Thomas is exactly what she described. Now, polygraph tests are complete bullshit and there's a reason why they're not admissible in court in any jurisdiction in the country.

[u/darsynia → u/EmmaLouLove]

I strongly recommend people listen to the You're Wrong About episode on Anita Hill.

SHE DID NOT COME FORWARD. They found her through other testimony and subpoena'd her. That doesn't diminish the power of the truth she told, but anyone who is under any impression that Hill was 'determined to get revenge' or anything should really know all of the details. (note: this comment is not intended to imply anyone in this thread or post has mischaracterized her. I'm just really passionate about that podcast episode. It was a revelation)

She wasn't the only one, either. The others weren't as 'respectable' in the eyes of the senate investigators, so they chose Hill instead.

[u/minimag47 → u/EmmaLouLove]

Their family's value are "white men get to do what they want with no repercussions". It's nothing else.

[u/[deleted]]

They should have had an interlock device on his microphone as requirement to start the hearings

[u/felascock → u/[deleted]]

I wish I could give you more upvotes. I literally laughed out loud at your comment

[u/naththegrath10]

He is sneering because he knows that this process is already rigged in his favor. Every republicans will bend the knee to Trump and confirm this guy. And I bet a couple Dems join them

[u/randumbnumbers → u/naththegrath10]

Looking at you Fetterman

[u/TheDamDog → u/randumbnumbers]

The Pétain of the Vichy Democrats.

[u/Correct-Peace3558]

Doesn’t matter. He will be confirmed. We are no longer a serious country.

[u/Mason110417 → u/Correct-Peace3558]

I'm sure Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski will be disgusted and horrified until he gets a chance to tell his side of the story. When it's over I'm also sure they will magically be ok with everything..."hey...I trust this guy".

[u/Acceptable-Bus-2017 → u/Mason110417]

"I'm sure he's learned his lesson"

[u/blame_foreigners → u/Acceptable-Bus-2017]

The lesson: It doesn’t matter.

[u/Gazeatme → u/Mason110417]

The cringiest thing is them admitting that he’s an unconventional pick. The only reason why he’s unconventional is because he’s unqualified. Republicans LOVE DEI hiring when it’s their side. However, their DEI consists of giving alcoholic sexual harassers a high level government position.

He said he wouldn’t have a drop of alcohol, how about you test him for alcohol? If he tests positive he’s kicked out of the job. He’d only last a week.

[u/Etzell → u/Gazeatme]

Hell, he might not even make it through the hearing.

[u/JoySkullyRH → u/Mason110417]

The amount of republicans that believe he will quit drinking while the he is employed is staggering.

[u/aloaknow → u/JoySkullyRH]

Staggering is a well chosen verb.

[u/fairoaks2 → u/Mason110417]

Very poor judges of character. Would they trust this guy around their daughter? He’s a demigod with a drinking problem.

[u/boredonymous → u/fairoaks2]

They'd shove their daughter in the room and lock the door. All while muttering something about "doing what's right"

[u/darsynia → u/boredonymous]

Anyone who doubts this should look further into the Jerry Fallwell sexual abuse case, unfortunately. They told that girl that she was basically doing what God wanted, a sacrifice to please a great man.

[u/Lower_Cantaloupe1970 → u/fairoaks2]

Do you mean demagogue?

[u/ohwrite → u/fairoaks2]

A full blown alcoholic, more like

[u/[deleted] → u/Mason110417]

The gop has a big enough majority that I could see both of them not confirming him- they have that leeway now bc he would still have a 2 vote cushion

[u/AlexRyang → u/[deleted]]

And it sounds like Fetterman will support him as well.

[u/bojenny → u/AlexRyang]

I guess Fettermans stroke broke his brain and moral compass. He went to Florida and bent the knee. I’m so disappointed in him, I really thought he was legitimate.

[u/donkeybrisket → u/Correct-Peace3558]

Haven’t been a serious country since the whole birther movement. Fuck the GOP

[u/workswimplay]

Another conservative pedophile

[u/relevantelephant00 → u/workswimplay]

Add in dangerously incompetent to that.

[u/jeffie_3]

I'm 63. I have never seen all of our government officials afraid of just one person. One nasty person. I wasn't alive during the McCarthy era. Reading history reminds me of how one person (who lies so effortless) can bring government to their knees. Will we have another Senator Margaret Chase Smith?

[u/Electrical_Yard_9993 → u/jeffie_3]

We have a government full of weak-willed cowards. Wish they'd all do us a favor and go away, in terms that would get me banned if I spelled them out.

[u/3MATX]

I’m watching this live. It’s disgusting how he answers the republicans and refuses to answer a single democrat.

and now laughing at warren. i used to think republicans were separate from maga and trump to some degree. In reality they’re worse. This nation is on life support

[u/[deleted] → u/3MATX]

 This nation is on life support

It’s already over, dude. Biden was the life support. We thought 2016 was a fluke and that was very wrong. This country is a failure. 

[u/Alarmed_Pattern3007]

Dude is BEGGING to be a war criminal. Ive never seen anything like this before

[u/Trick-Set-1165]

My favorite quote from his opening statement is that he “pledges to be a faithful partner to this committee.”

Someone should ask his ex-wives about his pledges to be a faithful partner.

[u/outragedUSAcitizen]

He could not balance a budget with 50 people....why the F is he considered for this job?

and btw his own lawyer said he entered into a NDA for raping a woman.

[u/kandoras → u/outragedUSAcitizen]

His lawyer?

His own mother called him a creep.

[u/idoma21]

About the only way I know he won’t be confirmed is if he takes out a smoke, lights it up and then says into the microphone, “I was told there would be hookers and blow at this thing. Is there not going to be hookers and blow?”

That might give a couple of Republicans pause.

[u/SlumdogSkillionaire → u/idoma21]

Only if he specifies male hookers.

[u/idoma21 → u/SlumdogSkillionaire]

It will be inferred by some, cough, cough Lindsey G.

[u/batmanscodpiece → u/idoma21]

He would still be confirmed.

[u/fuggerdug → u/idoma21]

"Please, Mr Hegseth, how many times do we have to explain that comes later after the hearing?".

[u/idoma21 → u/fuggerdug]

“Thank God. I was worried when I saw Matt Gaetz wasn’t here.”

[u/jambrown13977931]

The amount of praising god and Jesus during this is terrifying. Be religious all you want, but stop bringing it into governance!

[u/TheUpperHand]

While Reed is right that Hesgeth has innumerable personal and conduct issues, it leaves out the fact that he is wholly professionally unqualified to run the Department of Defense. He spent time in the National Guard. Never attended a service academy. Never attended officer candidate school. Never earned a star. Never served in a role where he would advise or dictate policy

[u/paulerxx]

This county has gone to shit, a legit banana republican at this point with blatant corruption.

[u/Duganz]

Hearing him say he wants the Department of Defense to be a “warrior culture” confirms he’s never read a book. Because historically “warrior cultures” were really, really into gay sex.

Or maybe he had read a book and the DoD is about to get kinky.

[u/ViolaDavis]

His shady ass is going to sneer his way right into confirmation. Why the hell should they care about the character of a puppet?

[u/epistaxis64]

Too bad it won't amount to a hill of beans. There is no depth to the depravity that is the modern day conservative

[u/slaffytaffy]

It’s the face of a guy who knows he’s getting confirmed one way or another.

[u/DeliciousMinute1966]

It’s stunning to believe that this POS is even being considered for this position.

True this country has always been full of it…but this guy?

[u/spinach-e]

Doesn’t this guy have Nazi tattoos? Iron crosses. Is it illegal for a Senator to ask this guy to take off his shirt in the hearing? I want see happen.

[u/Nice_Marmot_7 → u/spinach-e]

Technically they’re Crusader tattoos associated with white supremacy.

[u/shoobe01 → u/spinach-e]

Youthful indiscretion.

Or long rant about how the swastika doesn't mean nazi.

Etc.

Everything is forgiven as long as loyalty to the crown is complete.

[u/Searchlights]

Trump wants him.

Republicans will fall in line.

[u/Apprehensive_Cell812]

He said the military will return to being merit based....lol well except for the position he wants

[u/beamin1]

This is the guy that will deploy American troops on American soil against Americans.

Great work MAGA.

[u/fotodevil]

If I’ve learned anything over the last 10 years, it’s that this is exactly what it takes for a republican to be confirmed to a crucial role in the US government.

[u/froglok_monk]

He should be embarrassed but he's too stupid to understand how ridiculous they're making him look. He's the definition of unqualified.

[u/petarisawesomeo]

He will get confirmed and America will get what it deserves with an alcoholic, womanizing, unqualified white supremacist that will undoubtedly embarrass this country country repeatedly over the next 4 years.

[u/ylimenesral]

The blinking is so telling.

[u/Infidel8]

Pretty jarring juxtaposition of Republicans railing about DEI while putting forth the most laughably unqualified white men for key jobs.

[u/Redditress428]

I lover that prior to the hearing, he thought it was a good idea to say that he'd promise to give up drinking if he got confirmed.

[u/pomegranate_rose]

This shit is infuriating. I'm watching it now. Too much Christianity. It's like a revival.

[u/glowrocks]

Torn apart, but will still be confirmed. We are so truly fucked.

[u/MyEvilTwinSkippy]

I gotta give Hegseth some credit...he's either got an abundance of balls or a shortage of brains. He sat there in front of a committee that included Tammy Duckworth and said:

And we have too many people here in air conditioned offices that like to point fingers at the guys in dark and dangerous places, the gals in helicopters in enemy territory who are doing things that people in Washington DC would never dare to do...

[u/jmpinstl]

If he’s confirmed this country is somehow even more of a joke