Senate Democrats said earlier this week that they hoped to defeat the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court by focusing “on the issues and the merits.”
Now, on day two of her testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Dems are telling reporters are impressed with what they see.
While Barrett was still being grilled Tuesday, even liberal reporters on CNN and NBC had to admit that she was doing a good job answering the Senators’ questions.
Democrats have in the past tried to portray Barrett as an unfit candidate for the high court because of her traditional Catholic beliefs.
During a CNN panel discussion on the hearing, anchor John King said Democrats on the Hill were telling him that Barrett is “very impressive, handled herself well, and [has] not made any mistakes.”
A reporter on the panel wholeheartedly agreed.
“Absolutely,” said Dana Bash. “I’m hearing the same thing from Democrats.”
CNN reports: even Democrats think Judge Barrett has been “very impressive”https://t.co/YGIv20TPCe pic.twitter.com/gpQqhJjJCA
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 13, 2020
“In another age … Judge Amy Coney Barrett would be getting 70 votes or more in the U.S. Senate because of her qualifications,” King acknowledged.
CNN’s John King: “in another age…Judge Amy Coney Barrett would be getting 70 votes or more in the U.S. Senate”https://t.co/tzkiIX6Ily pic.twitter.com/hK5Is12hwQ
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 13, 2020
“No question,” Bash agreed, pointing out that Barrett was answering the senators’ questions without the benefit of notes.
“I think that is going to be very impressive to Republicans and Democrats, not because people didn’t think she was that smart, but because she was that confident in how she was going to express herself,” Bash added.
CNN’s Dana Bash: Judge Barrett is showing she is incredibly “impressive,” “smart,” and “confident”https://t.co/OTPpX2CxsI pic.twitter.com/igoAcPced4
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 13, 2020
Sen. John Cornyn, (R-Texas) had earlier asked Barrett about how she had prepared for the hearing.
All morning long, Barrett effortlessly answered questions on a wide range of judicial matters, and was able to summon from memory her own past judgments and those of other courts.
The 48-year-old judge has served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit since 2017.
“You know most of us have multiple notebooks and notes and books and things like that in front of us,” Cornyn said. “Can you hold up what you’ve been referring to in answering our questions?”
Barrett smiled and held up a blank notepad that was sitting in front of her.
“Is there anything on it?” Cornyn asked.
“The letterhead that says ‘United States Senate,’” she responded.
“That’s impressive,” Cornyn said.
Sen. Cornyn just asked Amy Coney Barrett to hold up her notes she brought with her.
She held up a blank piece of paper. She isn't taking notes. She's that smart. pic.twitter.com/CmoFgMmTvt
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) October 13, 2020
Judge Barrett is using no notes. pic.twitter.com/zqZ6QGckOq
— Trish Turner (@caphilltrish) October 13, 2020
On NBC, even uber-liberal Andrea Mitchell was impressed with Barrett’s answer to Senator Durbin’s (D-Ill.) question about racism in America, gushing that the judge was “very accessible and touching to me.”
As the mother of two adopted black children, Barrett had said in her answer that her family had been shaken by the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.
NBC News’ Andrea Mitchell: Judge Barrett was "very accessible and touching to me” pic.twitter.com/BGosh729KI
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) October 13, 2020