Cross posted to the MRC's NewsBusters blog
On Tuesday's New Day show, CNN host Brianna Keilar served softballs to Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin as she gave the Illinois Democrat a forum to complain about the GOP's questions for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. The CNN host did not seriously question whether any of Judge Brown Jackson's views deserve to be challenged during the segment.
Keilar undermined Republicans by calling some of their claims "questionable" as she began setting up her first question: "We watched yesterday. The stage was really set for some of these angles Republicans will pursue, some of them questionable. I did want to listen to one from Senator Marsha Blackburn."
Tennessee Senator was then seen posing a rhetorical question about whether Judge Brown Jackson would lean too far left on racial issues when it comes to sentencing: "You have praised the 1619 Project, which argues the U.S. is a fundamentally racist country. And you've made clear that you believe judges must consider Critical Race Theory when deciding how to sentence criminal defendants. Is it your personal hidden agenda to incorporate Critical Race Theory into our legal system?"
After noting that it was a rhetorical question which Judge Brown Jackson has not yet had a chance to respond to, Keilar asked Senator Durbin how he would respond to such criticism.
Senator Durbin gave the kind of response one would expect from a liberal Democrat as he accused his Republican colleague of being "extreme" and behaving in a "startling" manner in posing her question:
It was a startling moment. Senator Blackburn said some things which were pretty extreme. and the worst part, Brianna -- let's be honest about it -- is there sits Judge Jackson unable to respond -- she'll get a chance today -- but she sat there for four hours. The Democrats, by and large, were positive. And the message many Republicans were negative.
After the Democratic Senator noted that Judge Brown Jackson would get to make a response to Senator Blackburn later, Keilar then fretted about Senator Blackburn's history of pressing liberal judicial nominees:
She (Judge Brown Jackson) has clearly made an effort to stay out of the fray, some of it pretty unappetizing. I do want to touch again on Marsha Blackburn, though. She had said previously -- I think folks may recall -- when judicial nominee Andre Mathis was up for his confirmation process -- he's black -- she said he had a rap sheet when he doesn't. I mean, is that a pattern with one of your colleagues that concerns you?
Durbin complained about Senator Blackburn's use of the term "rap sheet" as a metaphor, and Keilar then pivoted to Senator Josh Hawley complaining about the liberal judge's history of not being tough enough on sexual predators. Durbin then praised liberal media outlets like CNN for arguing against Senator Hawley on that point.
This slanted segment was sponsored in part by Sleep Number. Their contact information is linked.
Transcript follows:
CNN's New Day
March 22, 2022
7:52 a.m. Eastern
BRIANNA KEILAR: We watched yesterday. The stage was really set for some of these angles Republicans will pursue, some of them questionable. I did want to listen to one from Senator Marsha Blackburn.
SENATOR MARSHA BLACKBURN (R-TN): You have praised the 1619 Project, which argues the U.S. is a fundamentally racist country. And you've made clear that you believe judges must consider Critical Race Theory when deciding how to sentence criminal defendants. Is it your personal hidden agenda to incorporate Critical Race Theory into our legal system?
KEILAR: It was a rhetorical question. It's not something that actually Brown Jackson was able to answer. I just want to be clear about that since we didn't play that. What did you think of that moment?
DICK DURBIN, SENATE MAJORITY WHIP: It was a startling moment. Senator Blackburn said some things which were pretty extreme. and the worst part, Brianna -- let's be honest about it -- is there sits Judge Jackson unable to respond -- she'll get a chance today -- but she sat there for four hours. The Democrats, by and large, were positive. And the message many Republicans were negative, Senator Blackburn among them. And she had to sit there and wait for her turn. Well, her turn starts this morning.
KEILAR: And we will hear that. She has clearly made an effort to stay out of the fray, some of it pretty unappetizing. I do want to touch again on Marsha Blackburn, though. She had said previously -- I think folks may recall -- when judicial nominee Andre Mathis was up for his confirmation process -- he's black -- she said he had a rap sheet when he doesn't. I mean, is that a pattern with one of your colleagues that concerns you?
DURBIN: That was an unfortunate choice of words for Senator Blackburn -- and many of us raised that point later. If a speeding ticket or a parking ticket constitutes a rap sheet, I guess we all have one, but the notion of a rap sheet is the commission of a serious crime which neither that nominee nor this nominee has any problem with. I hope that we're careful wording for the committee today and fair questioning and give her a chance finally to respond.
KEILAR: Senator Josh Hawley wants to focus on her record when it comes to issuing sentences for defendants in child pornography cases, This is what he said about that.
SENATOR JOSH HAWLEY (R-MO): And if you look at her record, what you see is this is someone who consistently let sex predators -- let child sex predators off the hook or people who had been convicted of child porn offenses. She's consistently given lenient sentences, slaps on the wrist.
KEILAR: What's he doing there as you see it?
DURBIN: Well, I can tell you, he isn't listening to his critics because CNN news, ABC News, Washington Post, writers for the National Journal, have all concluded the following: The charges being made by Senator Hawley against this nominee are "meritless to the point of demagoguery," quote, unquote, It's terrible that he has taken this approach and unfortunate that he chose to do it yesterday in front of her family. There's no truth to these charges, and he's been told over and over, but he is bound and determined to make his case for those political followers who listen to Senator Hawley.
. Craig Millward
