Pam Bondi’s ‘Cage Match’ and Trump’s Fraying Coalition
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What insights did Pam Bondi's testimony reveal about the Republican Party?
Hi, my name is Dana. I am a subscriber to the New York Times, but my husband isn't. And it would be really nice to be able to share a recipe or an article or compete with him in Wordle or Connections. Thank you.
Dana, we heard you. Introducing the New York Times Family Subscription. One subscription, up to four separate logins for anyone in your life. Find out more at nytimes.com slash family. This is The Opinions, a show that brings you a mix of voices from New York Times opinion. You've heard the news. Here's what to make of it.
I'm Michelle Cottle. I cover national politics for New York Times Opinion. And this week, I am coming to you from beautiful Austin, Texas, where I am wallowing in the very juicy Senate race that's going on in the state. But do not fear. I still have with me my usual partners in crime, columnists David French and Jamel Bowie. Guys, welcome. How's it going?
Michelle, hot take on calling Austin beautiful. What?
Why the hate?
Why the hate, David? I've never figured out why Austin took off before Nashville, when Nashville is objectively the superior city to Austin. But that's just a me thing. That's just a me thing.
I got no beef with Nashville. I went to school there. I love it. So we're just going to let that slide. It's like there's room for both, David. There's room for both. Jamel?
Hello. I have no opinions on either Nashville or Austin. Parts of the country I visited, and they're fine, in my opinion. He is overwhelming us with his passion. There are other places that I would rather go. And you may notice I'm losing my voice a little bit. So apologies if I start cracking like a 13-year-old.
It's going to just make you sound very emotional for today, which is going to really work with our topics. As listeners are all too aware, because in part, we keep reminding them, this is a midterm election year. And thanks to some early primaries and special elections, we're already seeing some emerging themes in both parties, which, Jamel and David, I trust that you are both prepared to dig into. But... First, we have to talk about this week's Pam Bondi meltdown. The attorney general appeared before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. She was ostensibly there to answer questions about the DOJ's handling of the Epstein files. But she clearly had no intention of answering much of anything.
Her testimony turned into this kind of wild back and forth with lawmakers.
How many have you indicted? Excuse me. I'm going to answer the question.
Answer my question.
No, I'm going to answer the question the way I want to answer the question. No, you're going to answer the question the way I asked it. Chairman Jordan, I'm not going to get in the gutter with these people. How many have you indicted?
Some of them angry about the fact that many of the victims' names were released while the names of possible perpetrators were redacted. But Bondi, to her credit, gave a truly electrifying performance, I have to say. Not in a good way, but still wild entertainment.
You can let her filibuster all day long, but not on our watch. Not on our time. No way. And I told you about that, Attorney General, before you started. You don't tell me anything. Yeah, I did tell you because we saw what you did in the Senate.
So we are taping this on Thursday morning. So as always, facts on the ground may change before you hear it. But Jamel, I have... got to get your thoughts so far on this spectacle, not just on how Bondi did, but also on how members of the committee, like lots of Democrats and even a Republican or two, responded to her just stonewalling.
I'll answer the second part of the question first. I think Democrats and those handful of Republicans like Thomas Massey did quite well, you know? No administration wants their attorney general looking like a raving lunatic for the cameras. And that's what came across. I think any person who watches that hearing does not think, oh, Pam Bondi, a reasonable, sober-minded political official, a law enforcement official, they think Pam Bondi, a lunatic. And I think that the fact that Democrats were able to evoke that reaction from Bondi is a political win for Democrats.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What insights did Pam Bondi's testimony reveal about the Republican Party?
0:00–9:40
2
How are emerging themes shaping the midterm elections for both parties?
9:40–11:02
3
How did the House Judiciary Committee react to Bondi's performance?
11:02–31:16
4
What are the implications of Bondi's testimony for Trump's presidency?
31:16–39:41