Sampson is a major weasel, but Specter does a pretty good job of forcing him to walk the plank, dragging him back repeatedly to his email about how to end-run the Senate’s authority to confirm US Attorney appointments by what Specter calls “running out the clock,” and Sampson more arrogantly called “gumming it to death.” I might call it stroking them. At any rate, it’s good cross-examination, though not the best. Specter should frame his leading questions more pointedly.

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Part 2 of Specter Roasting Sampson
Sampson admits he suggested that Bush could use The Patriot Act to circumvent the Senate’s authority to approve US Attorneys, and that he spoke to Harriet Myers and Alberto Gonzales about this proposal of his. He keeps saying that Gonzales “never really liked the idea,” but admits that Gonzales didn’t express this supposed disapproval. Sampson will definitely have a great legal career. He is a showcase of adaptable virtues.