Luttig has personal connections to Ted Cruz and John Eastman - and probably others deeply involved, given the insular nature of the upper levels of our government. I think he was struggling with the knowledge that he was not just throwing those people under the bus but driving it over them and still processing the fact that he had no choice because they had abandoned what is clearly, for him, a fundamental principle - that every person, and especially one who wields governmental power, owes to this nation an unwavering commitment to the rule of law.
I think that he's very uncomfortable being in front of a committee that is trying to put together a historical record, and that he's very unused to the spotlight.
Judges as a rule try to keep their words concise and precise. I don't think he's used to being in public with a bank of cameras trained on him as he speaks.
Agree. He speaks at the cadence of my dad who is an old-school attorney. I think it's a combination of habitually slower cadence in older folks and definitely considering what he's saying before he utters it. Although I agree he was noticeably slower than most speakers, I was impressed.
Additionally, I suspect he was/is affected by the gravity of our situation. His ending statement certainly indicates so.
I agree. It's painful to watch. I have to assume there are health problems that are probably not a surprise to Judge Luttig or the committee. If so, it's courageous of Judge Luttig to put himself in this position. My guess is that he feels he has a duty to do this regardless as to how he appears.
Deliberately speaking slowly can be a tactic to be sure you listen to each word. Teachers use it in their classrooms.
Personally, I can't deal with fast talkers. As an introvert, I prefer listening to those who talk slowly.
By the way, today is not about Pence being a hero. He carried out his Constitutional duty. The heroes I am thinking of today are the staffers who had the know how and courage to take those certificates to a safe place during the riots. I think it was Pelosi who told them to get the certificates. Too scary to think what could of happened if the rioters got their hands on those certificates.
I can't imagine that those certificates are the only place those certified results are available. the occasion, as I understand it, is essentially ceremonial and I really can't wrap my mind around the fact that election results are purely dependent on a bunch of pieces of paper. the problem with all of this, of course, is that this was the first time the ceremony and all of its concomitant parts have ever been tested, questioned, whatever. and Judge Luttig's slow speaking was a lot slower than any slow speaker I've ever heard. I did notice that during his long pauses, he's look down at what seemed to be a prepared text and he'd lost his place by taking his eyes off of that text. it was just a thought I'd had and I could be entirely wrong so maybe it really WAS just his discomfort with saying what he had to say. yesterday, I just wasn't aware that he was so hard Right, so maybe it DID have a lot to do with his having to (indirectly) call out his old clerks and friends for their miserable, treasonous behavior in such a public forum. he shouldn't be so worried....most of his people weren't watching. or so they say.
As an RN I don't see Judge Luttig's speech and characteristics as post-stroke. I think he was just being as deliberate and historically correct as he could be. Imagine if every word you said would forever be a part of 9th grade history classes to come. Or be proof in lawsuit$ for everything you have.
That was my thought too. He seemed to be weighing every single word. As a judge, he may well be accustomed to doing this but seldom in such a public setting and never without an opportunity to think things through beforehand. I envisioned him reaching back into his deep experiences with various laws and cases to find the perfect fit for whatever he needed to express. As he closed with the dire warning at the end, he made a comment - almost a spontaneous addition - that he was not using those words "lightly" or something to that effect.
I think he has serious health issues. A friend looked him up online while we were talking about this (while arching) - the guy is only 68. He is a superb writer but an extremely poor witness in person.
Once again, the video testimony and news clips, interwoven with the live is very powerful. Great to see Jason Miller so squirmy in deposition versus his BS on TV.
Luttig has personal connections to Ted Cruz and John Eastman - and probably others deeply involved, given the insular nature of the upper levels of our government. I think he was struggling with the knowledge that he was not just throwing those people under the bus but driving it over them and still processing the fact that he had no choice because they had abandoned what is clearly, for him, a fundamental principle - that every person, and especially one who wields governmental power, owes to this nation an unwavering commitment to the rule of law.
Thank you! This is where Fox will definitely disappear!
I think that he's very uncomfortable being in front of a committee that is trying to put together a historical record, and that he's very unused to the spotlight.
Judges as a rule try to keep their words concise and precise. I don't think he's used to being in public with a bank of cameras trained on him as he speaks.
I would not want to be there.
Agree. He speaks at the cadence of my dad who is an old-school attorney. I think it's a combination of habitually slower cadence in older folks and definitely considering what he's saying before he utters it. Although I agree he was noticeably slower than most speakers, I was impressed.
Additionally, I suspect he was/is affected by the gravity of our situation. His ending statement certainly indicates so.
I agree. It's painful to watch. I have to assume there are health problems that are probably not a surprise to Judge Luttig or the committee. If so, it's courageous of Judge Luttig to put himself in this position. My guess is that he feels he has a duty to do this regardless as to how he appears.
Deliberately speaking slowly can be a tactic to be sure you listen to each word. Teachers use it in their classrooms.
Personally, I can't deal with fast talkers. As an introvert, I prefer listening to those who talk slowly.
By the way, today is not about Pence being a hero. He carried out his Constitutional duty. The heroes I am thinking of today are the staffers who had the know how and courage to take those certificates to a safe place during the riots. I think it was Pelosi who told them to get the certificates. Too scary to think what could of happened if the rioters got their hands on those certificates.
I can't imagine that those certificates are the only place those certified results are available. the occasion, as I understand it, is essentially ceremonial and I really can't wrap my mind around the fact that election results are purely dependent on a bunch of pieces of paper. the problem with all of this, of course, is that this was the first time the ceremony and all of its concomitant parts have ever been tested, questioned, whatever. and Judge Luttig's slow speaking was a lot slower than any slow speaker I've ever heard. I did notice that during his long pauses, he's look down at what seemed to be a prepared text and he'd lost his place by taking his eyes off of that text. it was just a thought I'd had and I could be entirely wrong so maybe it really WAS just his discomfort with saying what he had to say. yesterday, I just wasn't aware that he was so hard Right, so maybe it DID have a lot to do with his having to (indirectly) call out his old clerks and friends for their miserable, treasonous behavior in such a public forum. he shouldn't be so worried....most of his people weren't watching. or so they say.
As an RN I don't see Judge Luttig's speech and characteristics as post-stroke. I think he was just being as deliberate and historically correct as he could be. Imagine if every word you said would forever be a part of 9th grade history classes to come. Or be proof in lawsuit$ for everything you have.
That was my thought too. He seemed to be weighing every single word. As a judge, he may well be accustomed to doing this but seldom in such a public setting and never without an opportunity to think things through beforehand. I envisioned him reaching back into his deep experiences with various laws and cases to find the perfect fit for whatever he needed to express. As he closed with the dire warning at the end, he made a comment - almost a spontaneous addition - that he was not using those words "lightly" or something to that effect.
It could be stress. Stress is a toxin on the brain. Yes, he is very halting in his delivery. Seems as if he is parsing every word before he speaks.
That was my thought as well. I think he’s scared shitless
Turns out Judge Luttig is recovering from a stroke. That explains his halting but deliberate speaking style.
I am wrong about this. Seems someone seeded Twitter with the idea he was having a stroke. Another said he had had a stroke. It needs to be verified.
Agreed.
Happy to hear that someone else seemed as alarmed as I am...
Having seen this phenomenon before it seems to be stroke related| which surely should have come to the attention of committee staff earlier.
I thought he was being judicial AND stressing we almost LOST The United States of America. Gravitas. But I also know how it feels to be 68 ...
75 is the new 68...
Look forward to it!
Update--hopefully I have to revise my previous negativity--'good sound bites "lay my body across the road..." circa 1104 Pacific time.
I just noted the (almost) alacrity when the judge started talking about the 12th Amendment.
I guess I’m in the minority. Despite his slow delivery I was impressed by him and happy that he appeared.
His printed statement powerful, some of you are acting like Former.
Luttig's closing comments are devastating. He has redeemed himself considerably in the final two minutes of the hearing.
I think he has serious health issues. A friend looked him up online while we were talking about this (while arching) - the guy is only 68. He is a superb writer but an extremely poor witness in person.
Only 68? He definitely looks like he’s older. I bet this testimony weighed very heavily on him.
While watching, I meant to say - not “arching”
One gets the impression he needs to take a moment before each answer to force back the ever-rising gorge within that conservative rock star esophagus.
I, for one, appreciate these Herculean efforts to spare us the vomitty visuals.
Once again, the video testimony and news clips, interwoven with the live is very powerful. Great to see Jason Miller so squirmy in deposition versus his BS on TV.
Yes, I agree. That POS should be squirming!
My feeling exactly. Kudos for writing it down beforehand. Seems to be loosening up a bit right now.