Kathrine Frich
“It’s a fact that the Electoral College vote was more for Joe Biden,” Cook said.
When politicians step in front of the cameras, the toughest questions usually involve complex policies or future plans.
Sometimes, though, basic historical facts cause the biggest headaches. A recent legal confirmation hearing proved just how difficult a simple answer can be.
Testing the waters
During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, one official faced a very unusual line of questioning. Senator Adam Schiff focused his attention on Gregory Carl Cook. Cook is Donald Trump’s nominee for United States District Judge in Alabama, HuffPost reported.
The senator ignored recent events at first. He started by asking who won the 2008 contest between Barack Obama and John McCain.
“I believe President Obama was sworn into office, so I’m certain he won, Senator,” Cook responded. The nominee quickly agreed that McCain lost the race.
Schiff moved on to the 2012 election. Cook noted that Obama was sworn in and elected as a matter of law. The pattern seemed perfectly clear.
Changing the tone
The conversation shifted toward recent history. He asked about the 2016 race between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Cook stated that Trump was sworn into office, calling the victory a natural assumption.
“Is it really an assumption you have to make? Did Donald Trump defeat Hillary Clinton in the Electoral College?” Schiff asked.
“No. I’m trying to be precise about what I’m saying,” Cook replied. He then confirmed that Trump won the Electoral College. The trap was finally set.
A difficult answer
The atmosphere changed completely when the questions reached the 2020 election. Schiff wanted a direct statement about Joe Biden defeating Trump. The nominee immediately returned to careful legal phrasing.
“Well, Joe Biden was certified by a joint session of Congress, and so, as a matter of law, he was the elected president,” Cook said.
Schiff pushed back hard. He asked how the nominee would respond to a normal person on the street asking who won and who lost. Cook refused to give a simple name.
Dodging the question
“It’s a fact that the Electoral College vote was more for Joe Biden,” Cook said.
“You seem to have real difficulty with that question,” Schiff pointed out. He wondered how anyone could expect a judge to rely on facts if they cannot answer a basic historical question.
“Why is it difficult for you to answer a simple factual question about who won presidential elections?” Schiff asked.
Sources: HuffPost
