CNN/Fox News come together to pan Trump lawyer’s impeachment performance: 'Pathetic'

It’s rare that CNN hosts, Fox News hosts and Republican lawmakers come together in agreement, but following former President Donald Trump’s impeachment lawyer Bruce Castor’s performance at the first day of trial, Tuesday evening became one of those moments. Following the first day of trial, GOP senators immediately panned Castor’s performance, calling it rambling and saying he was disorganized. One senator, Bill Cassidy (R-LA), who had previously voted that the second impeachment was unconstitutional, switched his vote, citing the Trump legal team.

Hosts from both cable news outlets weren’t any kinder. CNN’s Anderson Cooper compared it to a drunken wedding speech, saying he’s heard drunk wedding speeches more organized. Chris Cuomo said Trump is receiving the “pathetic” defense he deserves, and Don Lemon was stunned by what he’d witnessed.

Over on Fox News, Sean Hannity welcomed another Trump attorney, David Schoen, and Hannity just couldn’t help but take a shot at Castor, saying, “I like focused arguments.” Laura Ingraham said it was terrible, and slammed Castor for praising Democrats.

Video Transcript

CHRIS CUOMO: This day certainly saw Trump get the defense he deserves. It was pathetic.

KYLIE MAR: In a rare moment, CNN hosts came together with Fox News hosts and Republican lawmakers in agreement over the Trump legal team's less than impressive first day of the impeachment trial. Bill Cassidy, a Republican out of Louisiana, even switched his vote on the constitutionality of the trial, citing Trump's defense team.

ANDERSON COOPER: The lone Republican, as Norm pointed out, who switched his vote tonight, whose words you just heard from Ryan Nobles, he called it the team, the Trump team, disorganized. I mean, I've heard drunk wedding speeches which have been more organized than some of what we heard today.

KYLIE MAR: Most of the ire was directed at Bruce Castor, who opened for the defense on Tuesday, which Fox News's Sean Hannity brought up to another Trump attorney, David Schoen.

SEAN HANNITY: I thought it started a little meandering. It was sort of like a lot of free associating in the beginning. And I'm not-- I'm not attacking your partner. I don't know him at all. But I liked-- I like focused arguments.

KYLIE MAR: As Chris Cuomo was handing off to Don Lemon for CNN tonight, Lemon immediately expressed disbelief at what he'd heard from Caster at the trial.

DON LEMON: I've got to tell you, I've never seen anything like it. I was stunned by the Trump lawyer's performance. Just stunned. It was awful. Let's be honest, it was awful.

KYLIE MAR: Just seconds later, Fox's Laura Ingraham may have had the harshest criticism of all.

LAURA INGAHAM: It was terrible. I'm sorry, it was--

SEAN HANNITY: Extemporaneous.

LAURA INGAHAM: You're way too charitable. If you hired that guy in a case that you were paying the bills on, you-- it would have been like, I'm sure you're a nice person, but enough crazed [INAUDIBLE].

SEAN HANNITY: I was a little nervous in the beginning.

LAURA INGAHAM: Oh my god.

SEAN HANNITY: I'm like, oh boy.