Thread by @mariliacout

(in the right order now)
1. My first impression was the blunt, raw and almost shocking description of the recruitment process into a criminal organization: "... and yet, I continued to work for him". His detailed descriptions of the crimes *he* committed is priceless.

2. Because of that, and because for any educated person his discourse is coherent, unemotional and, again, blunt and raw, my impression is that I have no reason to doubt him. He said so much himself:

3. "I lied before. I lied for 10 years: you don't need to believe me. That's why I spent two weeks digging into boxes to bring evidence so that you don't have to take my word for anything". If this is not a truthful speech, I don't know what is.

4. The evidence he brought will be credible for one reason: if it isn't, he and his two attorneys will be in serious trouble. That is one thing they cannot afford. So the evidence is solid.

5. The second impression I had was the contrast between @TheDemocrats V @GOP representatives. It is sad and shocking: while the D speakers were articulated, well prepared, logical and rational with real questions, the R speakers were sloppy, emotional, apparently not that bright>

6. and had no questions or only rhetorical questions (which are not actually questions from a logical standpoint). Whether they are mimicking their base's speech or they are actually uneducated, unprepared and unintelligent, I don't know. It can be just marketing.

7. The @GOP speakers were an embarrassment. But for whom? For the small minority of spectators that master critical thinking and are educated enough. For most people, they either sound "a little off" or "damn right" (depending on the person's leaning).

8. That is the third impression: this is scary. Populism and authoritarianism is taking over so many countries because somehow we also failed. We failed to engage, for example, rural America in a conversation. For them, the @GOP representatives' speech is "damn right".

9. @Jim_Jordan was so off in so many aspects, confusing rules and misconstruing facts, deliberately gaslighting the spectators by focusing on the fact - stressed by Cohen himself - that he lied and committed crimes before, that one can't help but think that he is >

10. deliberately engaging in the known tactics of radicalizing the already racist, bigotted and far-right Trump cultist base. Which brings me to my final impression: Cohen's family is at risk not by Trump, but by his fanatical following.

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