General Discussion

pnwmom

(110,255 posts)

32. Why did the Senators, including Joe Biden, allow Thomas to testify FIRST?

Sun Nov 19, 2017, 07:12 PM

Nov 2017

Why was he allowed to set the stage for Anita Hill? That was the beginning of the end.

http://time.com/5018066/anita-hill-sexual-assault-hearing-harvey-weinstein/

Almost immediately, it became apparent that Senator Biden thought he was conducting a hearing and Senator Specter thought he and the Republicans were conducting a trial. The Senators agreed that Thomas could testify first, allowing him to continue the assertion of power over Anita Hill. The Senate committee, all white men, seemed to presume that Thomas was right and Hill was wrong; that if she felt harassed, she misinterpreted Thomas’ actions, was retaliating for some promotional reason or simply had unfulfilled sexual fantasies of her own. The Democrats sought to be fair to Thomas; the Republicans fought to convict Hill. The Republicans succeeded.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

105 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Biden tells NPR he "fought like hell" to support Anita Hill and oppose Clarence Thomas' [View all] ucrdem Nov 2017 OP

There were other witnesses ready to testify. And he let the GOP walk all over him. bettyellen Nov 2017 #1

He specifically talks about that tammywammy Nov 2017 #3

So is he blaming Anita Hill for the other witness's decision not to give evidence? spooky3 Nov 2017 #55

He's saying that the other witness/es declined to testify voluntarily. ucrdem Nov 2017 #58

I watched the entire confirmation hearings. He did a terrible job as CHAIR. And if the witnesses spooky3 Nov 2017 #61

I'm watching the special public televised hearing he called to address this matter now. ucrdem Nov 2017 #67

If you did not see the original hearing, I suggest you may want to suspend your questioning of those spooky3 Nov 2017 #70

Many were appalled, and still are...Anita, where are you? pbmus Nov 2017 #103

Other women claimed they were ready to testify. I believe them. bettyellen Nov 2017 #77

He's not blaming Anita Hill at all. tammywammy Nov 2017 #59

self-delete spooky3 Nov 2017 #63

You should listen to the interview. tammywammy Nov 2017 #66

No, I shouldn't. His treatment of her was bad during the hearing, and until he owns it spooky3 Nov 2017 #68

It seems she wasn't even called until after the link I gave you. ucrdem Nov 2017 #74

Yes, "failure to come clean" is a very good reason to not support a candidate... InAbLuEsTaTe Nov 2017 #102

Thanks for posting this excerpt which is an important part of the story. ucrdem Nov 2017 #64

This message was self-deleted by its author creeksneakers2 Nov 2017 #72

52 to 48. ucrdem Nov 2017 #73

I just checked creeksneakers2 Nov 2017 #76

Yes, Biden voted nay per wiki. ucrdem Nov 2017 #79

Biden did not vote for Thomas. n/t tammywammy Nov 2017 #78

You are right creeksneakers2 Nov 2017 #80

So you're going to amend your error by deleting your post #72? oasis Nov 2017 #92

If you think that's a good idea I will creeksneakers2 Nov 2017 #96

Thanks for deleting. There's a certain percentage of DUers oasis Nov 2017 #104

Talking about running and wanting him to address the issue. He chose a fail. SandyZ Nov 2017 #4

AMEN !!! DURHAM D Nov 2017 #8

It's like he thinks we weren't watching at the time? WTF? WhiskeyGrinder Nov 2017 #2

Exactly. DURHAM D Nov 2017 #7

I watched the whole thing. yardwork Nov 2017 #34

Those of us who were watching at the time know exactly what happened EffieBlack Nov 2017 #89

And he was the CHAIR of the committee. He could have interjected when members behaved spooky3 Nov 2017 #56

It's amazing how long people live these days! I remember those hearings enough Nov 2017 #82

He should take a lesson from al franken JI7 Nov 2017 #5

He says there was a corroborating witness who backed out at the last minute ucrdem Nov 2017 #6

There was more than one witness. nt DURHAM D Nov 2017 #9

Were they willing to testify against Thomas on TV? ucrdem Nov 2017 #10

Yes DURHAM D Nov 2017 #11

and? ucrdem Nov 2017 #12

I don't have a direct link to my brain. DURHAM D Nov 2017 #14

Well, I recall listening to the hearings waiting for Wright to be called, but she never was... JHB Nov 2017 #16

Wright seems to be the second witness Biden referred to last night. ucrdem Nov 2017 #17

Post removed Post removed Nov 2017 #21

It's always possible, but that wasn't her position when interviewed shortly thereafter... JHB Nov 2017 #23

You don't need another link. It's transcribed in your NPR link. ucrdem Nov 2017 #24

For the most part I agree, since I think the error was not opposing Thomas earlier... JHB Nov 2017 #27

Just as a point, that's not the interview I'm talking about... JHB Nov 2017 #31

Yes. I'm disappointed in Biden on this. yardwork Nov 2017 #35

Or could it be that Joe is spinning a little? JHB Nov 2017 #13

The conventional DU wisdom is that Biden sliced Hill to shreds in an effort to support Thomas. ucrdem Nov 2017 #15

Can you provide examples of the instances you're thinking of when... JHB Nov 2017 #18

Probably, but if I post links the message risks getting removed. ucrdem Nov 2017 #19

Archived OP, 106 replies, most tacitly accepting the OP's version of events: ucrdem Nov 2017 #22

I don't see where anyone is claiming "Biden sliced Hill to shreds"... JHB Nov 2017 #25

The OP above suggests that Biden disputed Hill's story. He didn't. ucrdem Nov 2017 #26

can you provide a link to the op? Or do you mean yours? JHB Nov 2017 #28

OK, I found the thread you're referencing... JHB Nov 2017 #41

You asked for something that is difficult to provide. I complied. You're welcome. nt ucrdem Nov 2017 #48

As I provided recollections of what I remeber from the time, which are not available online. JHB Nov 2017 #50

The conventional wisdom is that he gave lukewarm support to Anita Hill, not that he shredded her. pnwmom Nov 2017 #30

Right, Biden supported Hill and opposed the Thomas nomination. Publicly, on live TV. ucrdem Nov 2017 #39

He gave her lukewarm support. Why didn't he go public with his knowledge pnwmom Nov 2017 #42

Because it wasn't a trial. It was a confirmation hearing. ucrdem Nov 2017 #51

Angela Wright was subpoenaed and she was waiting to be called. She sat there waiting for 3 days pnwmom Nov 2017 #52

Last night Biden said she changed her mind and named a corroroborating witness, Ron Klein. ucrdem Nov 2017 #53

Well SHE never said she changed her mind. And I believe HER, and the other two witnesses pnwmom Nov 2017 #62

Memory can be a little blurry. ananda Nov 2017 #20

"The Anita Hill case was not handled well at all." LenaBaby61 Nov 2017 #37

No, the memory of DU women is correct. Biden's memory is self-serving. pnwmom Nov 2017 #29

Everyone at DU should read the article at your link. n/t spooky3 Nov 2017 #57

Yep Metatron Nov 2017 #87

I just think he didn't have the gumption to make some enemies. Scruffy1 Nov 2017 #91

And he felt torn because Clarence Thomas was a black man pnwmom Nov 2017 #93

Particularly then, when conservative radicalism could still be disregarded.. JHB Nov 2017 #95

Why did the Senators, including Joe Biden, allow Thomas to testify FIRST? pnwmom Nov 2017 #32

Because it was his hearing. ucrdem Nov 2017 #36

Oh, I see. Biden's lukewarm support was enough because Hill could never succeed anyway. pnwmom Nov 2017 #43

Did the other witness agree to testify without subpoenas? ucrdem Nov 2017 #46

They had agreed and were waiting to be called. pnwmom Nov 2017 #49

Biden tells a different story and names a witness, Ron Klein. ucrdem Nov 2017 #54

Were you an adult when this was going on? Do you remember the circus-like atmosphere? pnwmom Nov 2017 #60

+1 spooky3 Nov 2017 #65

Good grief, Mr. Biden, Polly Hennessey Nov 2017 #33

This message was self-deleted by its author WinkyDink Nov 2017 #38

Besides the witnesses, it was the utter disrespect he showed for her robbedvoter Nov 2017 #40

Can you elaborate? ucrdem Nov 2017 #44

His questioning of her was disrespectful. pnwmom Nov 2017 #47

I agree. n/t pnwmom Nov 2017 #45

Sorry Joe, you were so busy pontificating, that you threw Anita Hill to the republican wolves still_one Nov 2017 #69

Wright apparently backed out at the last minute. ucrdem Nov 2017 #71

There is no evidence for that except Biden's say-so, and Angela Wright disagrees. pnwmom Nov 2017 #75

She was there, she was ready, but she wasn't called. But: ucrdem Nov 2017 #81

She said in 2007 that she was "fully prepared to testify" and "committed to going through with the pnwmom Nov 2017 #83

It still doesn't negate the obnoxious grand standing he did, and failure to protect Anita Hill from still_one Nov 2017 #85

Look I need to restart my laptop before I can see any more CSPAN video but ucrdem Nov 2017 #86

He allowed Thomas to rebut her and slur her character and frame her testimony before she had pnwmom Nov 2017 #88

That was my impression, he gave the republicans free reign to slur her still_one Nov 2017 #90

It was a senate confirmation hearing. Yes, Arlen Specter and others ucrdem Nov 2017 #101

Sorry, Joe. You punted and fumbled. VermontKevin Nov 2017 #84

He caught his own punt? Gabi Hayes Nov 2017 #97

The transcript of the 4th day, when Hill testified, runs to 1,032 single-spaced pages. ucrdem Nov 2017 #100

I watched every moment of those hearings that were televised The empressof all Nov 2017 #94

See my post above Gabi Hayes Nov 2017 #98

Biden says she backed out, and he was running the hearings. ucrdem Nov 2017 #99

Joe... Mike Nelson Nov 2017 #105