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Emily Maitlis’s Kari Lake interview was a masterclass in holding politicians to account – 14 five-star reviews
Since the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, those on both sides of the political picket fence in the US have been insisting that the rhetoric of the campaign needs to become less aggressive. Trump, himself, claims his keynote speech at the Republican National Convention has been rewritten to that end.
We’ll see.
Former TV presenter Kari Lake, who is the Republican Senate candidate for Arizona, had clearly not got the memo when she spoke to Emily Maitlis.
This is four and a half minutes on how to hold politicians to account.
“Can you answer the question?”
“Emily, you need your head examined.”
Key Trump ally Kari Lake, who is being sued for repeated false claims of election interference, doubles down.@maitlis | @GlobalPlayer pic.twitter.com/QwN4OSRfv8
— The News Agents (@TheNewsAgents) July 17, 2024
“You lied about a top Arizona election official. You defamed him. You falsely accused him of injecting 30,000 illegal votes into machines, intentionally misprinting ballots.”
“Yeah. It happened.”
“Do you stand by those claims? Would you like to repeat them on air now?”
“It happened.”
“He said that you had turned his life upside down. He said that you had made him the target of threats of violence and death.”
“I’m in the middle of a lawsuit and I’m not going to talk about it.”
“You made him the target of violence and death. You saw what happened on the stage on Saturday night, you heard Donald Trump say ‘Let’s lower the temperature.’ Do you accept the part you played in inflaming the political rhetoric in this country?”
“You are just part of the fake news and you’re lying. You don’t know a damn thing about Arizona. You don’t know one thing about our election, and you sit there with a smirk on your face.
You’re sitting over in England, in the UK, in a country that’s being destroyed.”
“I guess I’m just asking what it says about the Republican Party that they need to lie, to intimidate, to threaten, because you don’t believe you can win at the ballot box. Why would you need to do that?”
“You are just a sad case of a human being. I’m so sorry for you. I’m sorry that you bought into the propaganda. I hope you’ll look in the mirror and see that you’ve been following propaganda, and you don’t understand what’s happening.”
“So, I’m guessing if you don’t win in November, you won’t concede. That’s the rule that you’re playing by now, is it?”
“You are …I actually think you need your head examined.”
“Can you answer that?”
“I think you need your head examined.”
Nice work making the rhetoric less aggressive, Ms. Lake.
People loved Emily Maitlis’s refusal to roll over.
1.
Another example of the joyless trance-like seizure they go into when challenged. https://t.co/Pd6kHpLC2U
— Armando Iannucci (@Aiannucci) July 17, 2024
2.
Brilliance at work. https://t.co/XbHmhV8sMS
— James O'Brien (@mrjamesob) July 17, 2024
3.
What a scene. https://t.co/dPUId6UPGR
— richard bacon (@richardpbacon) July 17, 2024
4.
A masterclass by @maitlis.
Strap in. You’re in for a ride!
— Miffy (@miffythegamer) July 17, 2024
5.
Do not mess with Maitlis. https://t.co/SqEPOcEjjZ
— lee kynaston ✍ (@grooming_guru) July 17, 2024
6.
This is what fine journalists like @maitlis face when they question fascists like Kari Lake. Kudos to Emily Matlis for doing her job.
pic.twitter.com/TZvSNuSm85— John O’Brennan (@JohnOBrennan2) July 17, 2024
7.
I genuinely have no idea how you managed not to absolutely nut her one, @maitlis https://t.co/udypAwdr3A
— Helen (@Cacophonic) July 17, 2024
8.
This is how it's done. This should be required viewing for the American press — who are still engaging in bothsidesism, balance over objectivity, and false equivalencies. This is how you conduct an interview with a serial lying sociopath like Kari Lake. pic.twitter.com/RdRFAhVevi
— Bill Madden (@maddenifico) July 17, 2024
9.
How dare Kari Lake think that people like Emily Maitlis and other journalists don't know or don't understand what is going on in America.
To dismiss Emily as touting fake news, as MTG did to The Times journo, is crazy and we should sit up and take notice. Fast or… Project 2025— Paul Swallow (@HirundoRustical) July 17, 2024
10.
The fact that Emily is no longer at the BBC says a lot about the state of our national broadcaster. Fearless takedown of this lying, sinister piece of excrement. They all need calling out. Love Emily. https://t.co/sUet7bKEIX
— Isobel Oakeshitt (@isobeloakeshitt) July 17, 2024
11.
HOLY SHIT LET'S FUCKING GO @maitlis
SMOKED, COOKED, ATE, AND LEFT NO GOD DAMN CRUMBS https://t.co/aOTEfQ80CJ
— melancoffee (@melancoffee1) July 17, 2024
12.
If you box these fuckers in, challenge their bullshit, remind them of their past comments and actions, and push them to answer straight questions, they just crumble and have nothing to say. They look slightly bewildered and just resort to insults. Great interviewing from @maitlis https://t.co/KfAWyTHjZv
— Moog (@a_toots) July 17, 2024
13.
NO ONE loved trump before he ran except his kids.
— Criscee (@wininmad) July 17, 2024
14.
American tv anchors looking on like a Victorian urchin shown an iPhone: what, you can just interrupt someone? And ask follow up questions? What is this sorcery? https://t.co/Y0mVXkagl0
— Oliver Milman (@olliemilman) July 18, 2024
We can’t argue with this.
This new dialled-down temperature still feels, er, rather https://t.co/7aWLRZq4Oi
— Arthur Snell (@SnellArthur) July 17, 2024
READ MORE
Liz Cheney’s blistering takedown of Trump-backed election loser Kari Lake was simply magnificent
Source The News Agents Image Screengrab