Attorney General Jeff Sessions displayed flashes of anger during questioning by Sen. Ron Wyden when the senator pressed him about suggestions that he had failed to provide full disclosure about his meetings with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak. USA TODAY <\/p>\n
Each week, USA TODAY's On Politics blog will take a look at how media from the left and the right reacted to one of the week's top political news stories, giving liberals and conservatives a taste of life in the other's media bubble. <\/p>\n
This week, we look at the articles and opinion pieces that got political junkies' attention on social media that were written about Attorney General Jeff Sessions' testimony before the Senate IntelligenceCommittee Tuesday. <\/p>\n
Political pundit Charles Krauthammer spoke for many conservatives who thought Sessions crushed it during his Senate testimony. Krauthammer said the attorney general \"exposed the absurdity of the whole exercise\"about alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. <\/p>\n
\"I mean this is supposed to be about Russia meddlingin our election. That wasn't even an issue,\"Krauthammer said during an interview with Fox News. \"Then it was supposed to be about the collusion. There's not an ounce of evidence.\" <\/p>\n
The conservative commentator called the efforts to build a case of impeachment against Trump\"un-American\" and said that Sessions testimony was a \"side show of a side show.\" <\/p>\n
For many liberals, the hearing was all about Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif. <\/p>\n
\"California Sen. Kamala Harris has once again shown a room of old white men how to do their damn jobs,\"wroteJezebel reporter Prachi Guptain apost headlined, \"Kamala Harris just handed Jeff Sessions his a--.\" <\/p>\n
She tried to pin Sessions down on what notes he tookcalendar appointments, memos, emailsabout these critical conversations and meetings, and asked him to submit them to the committee. He dodged, eventually giving a wishy-washy assurance that he will give documents pending a conversation with lawyers as to what is appropriate. <\/p>\n
Then came the moment that grabbed the most attention on left-leaning media: the exchange between Harris and Sessions over his claims he couldn't talk about his conversations with President Trump: <\/p>\n
It was at this point, in her last question, when other Senators interrupted her to come to the defense of the poor old white guy with the bad memory. They did not, of course, so rudely cut off any of the men who spoke beyond their allotted time before her. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Attorney General Jeff Sessions says Senator Kamala Harris' speedy pace of questioning \"makes him nervous.\" USA TODAY <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
A post on Sean Hannity's website lauded Sessions for slamming \"leakers and themedia overfalse news reports and innuendos.\" <\/p>\n
Attorney General Jeff Sessions lashed out at federal leakers who spread false rumors, saying they will not intimidate him from fulfilling his responsibilities at the Department of Justice. <\/p>\n
During the hearing, Democratic senators like Harris challenged Sessions' claims that there is a Justice Department policy which prevents him from sharing the details of his conversations with the president. And several pieces from the liberal press backed up their skeptism about Sessions' assertion. <\/p>\n
Vox's Sean Illing said he reached out to 10 legal experts to ask if \"Sessions' claim that hes protecting the president's constitutional right to executive privilege makes any sense.\" <\/p>\n
All but one of the experts rejected Sessionss argument on its face, insisting that Sessions is legally permitted to discuss conversations with the president, provided the president hasnt yet invoked executive privilege (which he hasnt). One expert believes there is a precedent for Sessionss actions, but that Congress can and should compel him to answer their questions. <\/p>\n
Not all conservatives thought Sessions' performance inthe hearing was a total success. While Sessions was effective in arguing he colluded with the Russians, he \"did little todispel\" the evidence that Trump \"tried to interfere\" in the Russia investigation,\" wroteThe Weekly Standard's Michael Warren. <\/p>\n
Sessions was unable to provide any more context to this question: Did Trump fire Comey because of, or in response to, the FBI director's refusal to \"let go\" of the investigation into Trump's national security adviser, Mike Flynn? Because this question has gotten reasonably complicated. <\/p>\n
Sessions' refusal to talk about his conversations with Trump may have meant there were no major revelations from the attorney general's testimony, but he did admit to a stunning lack of curiosity about Russian efforts to interfere in the election,wrote David Corn for Mother Jones. <\/p>\n
So the person picked to be attorney generalone of the chief national security officials in the US governmenthad not bothered to educate himself about the Russian operation. He had not even read the public report issued by the intelligence community. This seemed a strong indication that the Trump camp really didnt give a damn about Putins clandestine effort to undermine American democracy. <\/p>\n
Read more: <\/p>\n
Sessions: Any suggestion I colluded with Russia is 'detestable lie' <\/p>\n
Analysis: AG Jeff Sessions defends Jeff Sessions. But what about Donald Trump? <\/p>\n
GOP: Testimony shows Sessions integrity <\/p>\n
Jeff Sessions' testimony was unconvincing <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Read or Share this story: https:\/\/usat.ly\/2svDXXO<\/a> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n See the original post here: <\/p>\n The Bubble: How conservative and liberal media reacted to Sessions' testimony - USA TODAY<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Attorney General Jeff Sessions displayed flashes of anger during questioning by Sen. Ron Wyden when the senator pressed him about suggestions that he had failed to provide full disclosure about his meetings with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak. USA TODAY Each week, USA TODAY's On Politics blog will take a look at how media from the left and the right reacted to one of the week's top political news stories, giving liberals and conservatives a taste of life in the other's media bubble Continue reading