MSNBC "All in with Chris Hayes" - Transcript: Interview with Sen. Chris Coons
Interview
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HAYES: Joining me now, one of the Democratic Senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Chris Coons of Delaware. Senator, thank you so much for making time after what was an extremely long day. What was that hearing?
SEN. CHRIS COONS (D), DELAWARE: That`s a great question, Chris. That hearing was not what the American people deserve today. I did think Dr.Ford came forward and gave compelling and powerful testimony. I do think we should have had more than two witnesses in front of us today. It`s striking to me for example that Mark Judge was not a sworn witness in front of the testimony today, someone who still has not given a sworn statement to the committee and so that`s why I joined a number of colleagues and saying to both Judge Kavanaugh and to my colleagues we should be pausing for a week and having the nonpartisan FBI investigate a number of these troubling allegations.
I was encouraged frankly that although the Republicans hired a prosecutor to do their questioning for them, that Dr. Ford was able to get out most of her story. And I experienced today something really striking, Chris, in that during her testimony several people I know, several women I know from Delaware reached out to me to share their stories of surviving sexual assault. So I know if nothing else was accomplished today that Dr. Ford 27 years after the hearing where professor Anita Hill was really put on trial.
She was able to tell her story and it inspired and encouraged survivors all over this country to know that they can come forward and share their stories too.
HAYES: Brett Kavanaugh, Judge Kavanaugh, did you find him credible? Do you think he was truthful and forthright with the committee?
COONS: There`s a number of areas where I have concerns about his credibility from specific issues around his stories about his drinking habits and it being just a few beers here and there and him being someone who does not become aggressive when drunk and has no -- has never forgotten the events of a previous evening. I think there`s lots of evidence his high school and college years that goes against that characterization. To my experience with him in the previous round of the confirmation hearings where I tried to get him to answer directly my questions based on his speeches, his writings, law review articles, dissents and I felt like he was evasive and frankly on some issues gave answers that were just not credible. So I have real concerns with his credibility.
HAYES: His tone was remarkable in a remarked contrast. I want to ask you about an exchange that happened between Amy Klobuchar, your colleague and himself, a back and forth precisely on a topic that you asked many questions about, about his drinking. He said under oath that it was never the case that he drank so much you forgot events from the night before, never the case. And Senator Klobuchar had some questions for him on drinking. Take a listen to this.
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HAYES: What did you think about that?
COONS: Pretty unprecedented. There were quite a few moments in today`s hearing that were jaw-dropping. Frankly, my colleague Lindsey Graham launched into an angry screed at one point that was unprecedented in my eight years here in the Senate. And I thought the opening moments of Judge Kavanaugh`s a very lengthy opening statement where he accused the Democrats of a left-wing conspiracy fueled by the desire for revenge by the Clintons was very off-putting and suggested not a very judicial temperament. And that exchange with Senator Klobuchar was very striking.
HAYES: I should note that he did come back after recess and apologize for that exchange.
COONS: He did.
HAYES: Senator Chris Coons, thank you very much. I really appreciate you taking time tonight.
COONS: Thank you, Chris.
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