(CRACKLING)
I today announce my intention
to nominate United States
Court of Appeals Judge Robert H. Bork
to be an Associate Justice
of the Supreme Court.
The drumbeat continued today
from both camps
in the pitched battle
over the President's nomination
of Judge Robert Bork to the Supreme Court.
The lobbying is having an effect
with the Senate mailroom
reported days behind
under a deluge of mail on Bork.
REPORTER: Mr. President, looks like the
Bork nomination will fail in the Committee.
Over my dead body,
The yeas are 42. The nays are 58.
The nomination is not confirmed.
If we intend to turn
the United States Supreme Court
into an election process,
let's change the Constitution,
and let's elect a Supreme Court judge
of the United States.
I, George Herbert Walker Bush,
do solemnly swear
that I will faithfully execute the office
of President of the United States.
REPORTER: Thurgood Marshall,
the Supreme Court's
first and only black justice,
announced his retirement today,
In a letter to President Bush, Marshall said,
"The strenuous demands
of court work appear at this time
"to be incompatible with
my advancing age and medical condition."
FEMALE REPORTER: President Bush
said today his nomination
to replace retiring
Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall
could come in a few days,
but should that person be black?
MALE REPORTER 2: A minority appointment
could certainly neutralize
a lot of potential opposition.
FEMALE REPORTER 2:
Marshall warned that the emphasis on race
in choosing his successor
might have negative results.
My dad told me way back
that you can't use race.
For example, there's no difference
between a white snake and a black snake.
- They'll both bite.
- (SHUTTER CLICKS)
MALE REPORTER 3: This is a special report.
We are told the President
is going to announce
his nominee to the Supreme Court.
Well, I am very pleased to announce
that I will nominate Judge Clarence Thomas
to serve as Associate Justice
of the United States Supreme Court.
Clarence Thomas fits my description
of the best man at the right time.
BERNARD SHAW: President Bush has
moved to cement the conservative majority
on the United States Supreme Court
by nominating federal judge Clarence Thomas
to fill the seat left vacant by the
retirement of Justice Thurgood Marshall.
As with Marshall, Thomas is a black man,
a man born to poverty in a segregated South,
a man who benefited from
the legal legacy of Justice Marshall.
The more that people see
and hear of Clarence Thomas,
the more they will be persuaded
that his brand of integrity
and independence and common sense
is exactly what we need in this time.
MALE REPORTER 4: In New York City today,
several thousand demonstrators
protested against the Supreme Court decision
restricting abortion counseling
and urged Congress to reject
President Bush's nomination of
Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court.
Clarence Thomas is an insult
to the life and legacy of Thurgood Marshall
- and everything he stood and worked for.
- (CROWD CHEERING)
FEMALE REPORTER 3: At a national gathering
of civil rights activists in Memphis,
black leaders are vocal in their reaction
to the Supreme Court nominee.
Simply to appoint a black person
doesn't make it right.
We have to Bork Thomas.
We don't wait for questions.
We simply immediately Bork him,
kill him politically,
and kill Bush in the meantime.
(TELEPHONE RINGING)
Ricki Seidman.
NAN: Hey, Ricki,
it's Nan at the Alliance For Justice.
You know that thing
we've been hearing all summer
about how Thomas treated women
who worked for him?
- Yeah.
- I finally found a name.
In 1946, a black woman
wanted to study law here
at the University of Oklahoma.
At the time, it was illegal
for blacks and whites
to study together in this state,
so Miss Sipuel sued.
- SHIRLEY: What are you gonna do?
- ANITA: Nothing.
You don't want to say anything?
This man could end up on the Supreme Court.
At the EEOC,
I saw women have their lives ruined
because they spoke out against
a manager at a diner.
What do you think would happen to me?
Okay.
Lots of people will fight this nomination.
It doesn't have to be me.
Okay.
(DOOR BELL RINGS)
- Clarence Thomas?
- Yes.
There you go.
- JACK: There he is.
- (LAUGHING)
- There is the man of the hour.
- None of this...
Now, what did I tell you?
What did I tell you 20 years ago?
You said, "Come work for me,
- "and I'll only pay you $11,000 a year."
- (LAUGHING)
What I said was... What I said was,
you have a huge future ahead of you.
Judge Clarence Thomas appears
headed for confirmation
to the Supreme Court.
I think he'll be confirmed.
I think he should be confirmed.
We'll find it
intellectually stimulating hearings,
but I don't see many fireworks.
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS)
Clarence, Ginni. First day of the hearings.
How you feeling?
- Good. Glad to finally be here.
- Good. Good.
KEN: Now just remember,
some of these Democrats
on the Committee are gonna be a hard sell.
Worst case scenario,
seven of them vote against you.
That still leaves seven voting for you.
And a tie takes you to the full Senate.
We're in great shape.
Even with the Democratic majority?
Ginni, we only need 50 votes.
At last count, we had 60.
And as popular as the President is,
number could even go up higher,
so don't worry if you catch a little heat
in these hearings.
Yeah, good to know that. Thank you.
Let's get in there.
(REPORTERS CLAMORING)
- Judge.
- Senator.
- Mrs. Thomas.
- Senator.
MALE REPORTER 5:
In a clearly symbolic gesture,
Strom Thurmond, ranking Republican
on the Judiciary Committee
and former segregationist, is escorting
Judge Thomas into the chamber.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I...
I would like to first introduce you
to my wife Virginia.
Welcome, Mrs. Thomas.
It's a pleasure to have you here.
And my son Jamal.
JOE: Welcome, Jamal.
(TELEPHONE RINGING INDISTINCTLY)
There are not enough words
to express my deep gratitude
and appreciation to Senator Danforth.
- Hello?
- RICKI: May I speak with Anita Hill?
- This is Anita.
- This is Ricki Seidman.
I'm an investigator
in Senator Kennedy's office.
I'm doing background checks
on Clarence Thomas
in reference to his nomination
to the Supreme Court.
I know you worked for Judge Thomas.
Can I ask some questions about him?
Miss Seidman, the hearings are starting.
Isn't it late to be doing background checks?
You worked for him twice, right,
at Education and EEOC?
- That's right.
- Good experiences?
I was proud of things we accomplished
at both offices.
Professor, we've heard that Judge Thomas
mistreated young women
who worked for him at the EEOC.
Do you know anything about that?
That's not something I can talk about.
Why not?
I'll put it this way.
If I were advising someone who were
a victim of his unwanted advances,
I don't think I would suggest
that she come forward.
In my experience, in a case like this,
when someone comes forward,
the victim tends to become the villain.
Professor, in the next few decades,
the Supreme Court will be
making crucial decisions
that will have a real impact
on the lives of American women.
If there were less at stake, I wouldn't ask.
Were you one of the victims of his advances?
(INAUDIBLE)
(SIGHS)
What I say is
to the Senate Judiciary Committee only,
not for public consumption.
Agreed.
I wouldn't want it to appear
that I had a political agenda.
I'll make it clear.
I came to you.
My earliest memories are those
of Pin Point, Georgia,
a life far removed in space and time
from this room, this day,
- this moment.
- It started at the Department of Education.
CLARENCE: But I have always carried
in my heart the values of my youth.
The values of my grandparents
and my neighbors.
The values of people
who believe so very deeply in this country
in spite of all of the contradictions.
It is my hope that
when these hearings are complete,
that this Committee will conclude
that I am an honest, decent,
fair person.
(LINE DISCONNECTS)
We begin tonight's coverage with
NBC's Andrea Mitchell on Capitol Hill.
Clarence Thomas held
the Judiciary Committee spellbound today
as he talked about
growing up in poverty and racism.
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS)
- Why are you bringing this to me?
- You're an investigator.
Follow up. Call her.
I can't do that, not from this office.
You know how Biden is
about this type of thing. He'd never...
Carolyn, what she's alleging
is sexual harassment.
It's against the law.
Okay, so bring it to your own senator.
Have him deal with it.
Kennedy can lead the charge
on a lot of issues.
Sexual impropriety isn't one of them.
We both know that.
Fine, let's play this out.
Say I do investigate and it pans out.
Then what?
Then the Committee calls Thomas on it.
And which senator is gonna take that on?
Not mine. Certainly not yours.
I don't know. Leahy maybe. Simon.
Okay, but even if they were up for it,
what about the others?
I mean, Ricki,
half these guys have their own
very shaky dynamics with women.
They are not gonna want this door to open.
Well, they might not have a choice.
The people who gave me Anita Hill's name
expect us to investigate it.
If we don't, they'll probably leak it.
(SIGHS)
So she's saying what? That he touched her?
No, she says it was verbal.
- Any other women saying the same thing?
- Not that we know of.
She does have
a corroborating witness, though.
A friend she told at the time.
Somebody credible?
A judge, and Hill is a law professor,
so, on paper at least, yes.
When is she saying this happened?
Ten years ago.
(CHUCKLES)
Ten years ago?
Carolyn, he's been approved
for three federal jobs in that time.
- I know that.
- Why didn't she bring it up before?
She didn't bring it up now, okay?
We called her. She didn't want to talk about it,
and she really does not want this getting out.
Yeah, no kidding. That makes two of us.
I do not want to go after this guy
on a sex charge, Carolyn.
This is, this is exactly
the kind of thing I hate.
Yeah, I understand.
And what if she's lying?
You understand that?
Then you got me bringing up
a bunch of bogus dirt
on a federal judge's past,
and I'm the bad guy in all this.
She... She didn't want to talk about it?
Not at first, no.
Well, hell, I mean,
I don't want to force a reluctant woman
to have to come in here
and talk about all this stuff.
This is...
(SIGHS)
What if we just... Can we just let it go?
Well, uh...
We're not the, the only people
who know about this, so...
Shit. All right, call the FBI.
Have them look into the whole thing.
They're gonna run
the whole gauntlet on this thing.
They got to go quick on that report.
We've got to vote on this guy in a week.
(BEEPS)
You didn't need to do this, you know.
We have agents coming to interview you.
ANITA: Yes, but since the FBI
reports to the White House,
I thought it was important that I say
what I have to say in my own words,
- so there's no room for misunderstandings.
- (SIGHS)
(KNOCKING)
Judge Clarence Thomas?
Yes.
Anita Hill?
Yes. Come in.
(DOOR CLOSING)
Clarence?
What's wrong?
(SWITCH CLICKS)
A former employee,
someone I hired, mentored,
told the FBI that
I was inappropriate with her...
(SIGHS)
...that I harassed her...
Sexually.
Is there any basis for it?
None. She worked for me.
I treated her the same way
I treat other people working for me.
- Then why is she saying this?
- I don't know.
How can I answer that?
Someone lies about me.
How am I supposed to know why?
Don't yell. I'm just asking.
I'm sorry. I'm upset.
I don't understand.
Maybe someone is putting her up to this.
There are a lot of groups out there
that can't stand the thought
of you on the Court.
They can't beat you honorably,
so they come after you like this,
with lies and slander.
But thank goodness the FBI is on it.
They will see it for what it is, right?
It's political nonsense.
Okay. Thank you.
JOE: So the FBI's looked into it.
The upshot is,
she says one thing, he says another.
How thorough was the investigation?
Oh, it wasn't exhaustive.
Christ, they had two days to do it.
It's a serious charge
that deserves serious attention.
We got a vote scheduled
on this guy in two days.
To dig into all this,
we're gonna have to postpone that,
and I can't do that without an explanation.
Neither of them wants this thing public,
so unless somebody has a better plan,
we're gonna vote on the nominee
on Friday as scheduled.
We'll send him on
to the full Senate for their vote.
He showed the report
to the whole Committee?
Yes, but it's fine.
Clarence, these guys are senators.
They know a BS ploy when they see one.
And even if they wanted
to make something of it,
which they don't, who would dare?
I mean, DeConcini,
he's up to his neck in ethics charges.
And Kennedy, after the summer he's had...
You're saying I shouldn't care that
my name is gonna be linked to this garbage?
You're saying that I shouldn't care
that when people think of me,
they're gonna think of this?
I'm saying no one will think of this.
But I can't not care. I'm not Kennedy.
I'm a black man in America.
This is a very different thing for me.
- WOMAN: Mr. Thurmond?
- STROM: Aye.
- WOMAN: Mr. Hatch?
- Aye.
- WOMAN: Mr. Simpson?
- Aye.
- WOMAN: Mr. Grassley?
- Aye.
- WOMAN: Mr. Specter?
- ARLEN: Aye.
- WOMAN: Mr. Brown?
- BROWN: Aye.
- WOMAN: Mr. Biden?
- No.
The 14 members of the Committee
split right down the middle,
seven for and seven against his nomination.
The message,
Thomas is not a great candidate.
Still, his nomination was sent
to the full Senate,
where it is all but certain
- that he will be confirmed.
- (TELEPHONE RINGING)
- Hello?
- Professor Hill, this is Nina Totenberg
from National Public Radio.
I received a copy of the affidavit
that you faxed the Judiciary Committee
stating that Clarence Thomas
sexually harassed you.
I'd like to ask you some questions.
KEN: Jesus!
God damn it. Fuck.
"Fuck" is right.
I have Nina Totenberg and Tim Phelps
asking me about Clarence Thomas
and sexual harassment.
God damn it.
(SIGHS) Did they say who leaked it?
- No, of course not.
- All right, draw up a statement.
Say the charges have been investigated,
found to be baseless.
The President has total faith in his nominee.
- Does the President know?
- I'll tell him.
(KIDS PLAYING)
Hello.
- Hi!
- (KIDS LAUGHING)
I'm gonna be in the news tomorrow.
Um...
Some of the things they'll be reporting
will be shocking to you.
I'm so sorry for that.
LIANE: This is Weekend Edition.
I'm Liane Hansen.
A woman who served as personal assistant
to Clarence Thomas for over two years
has accused him of sexually harassing her.
NPR's Nina Totenberg reports.
Law professor Anita Hill said she had much
in common with Clarence Thomas
and that she initially believed
that common background
was one of the reasons he hired her
as his personal assistant 10 years ago.
According to Hill's affidavit,
Thomas soon began asking her out socially
and refused to accept her explanation
that she did not think it appropriate
to go out with her boss.
Thomas, after a brief work discussion,
would, quote, "turn conversation to
discussions about his sexual interests."
He never touched her,
she acknowledged in an interview,
and he never directly threatened her job,
but she said she was 25,
and she began to worry
that she would soon suffer professionally
if she did not submit.
Several senators contacted by NPR
say they are troubled by the Hill allegations
and the long delay in investigating them
by Chairman Biden.
Carolyn, all right, look,
she's out there making it sound
like we haven't done a goddamn thing on this.
I want a full chronology,
who called who and when, all right?
I'm not gonna be the bad guy on this thing.
- Tom, I need those phone logs.
- What happened?
I promised her this wouldn't get out.
I gave my word.
That was pretty fucking stupid, wasn't it?
Nothing like this stays secret in this town.
You should know that.
Trouble today for President Bush's already
controversial Supreme Court nominee
Clarence Thomas.
Leading Democrats label the charges,
quote, "very disturbing."
The senator says this is
the kind of thing one expects
in the last moments of a political campaign,
not a judicial confirmation.
The whole thing, says Danforth,
has a very definite and strong aroma to it.
JUDY: I just spoke with Mrs. Thomas.
He's writing an affidavit.
He wants to release it to the press.
Hell, no. Get on that.
Everything goes through me.
Yeah.
It's basically the same as yours,
except instead of refuting her claims
one by one like you did,
we thought it made more sense
to offer a single categorical denial.
Why?
It's just us being extra careful
in the off chance that, at some point,
something was said by you.
Some off-the-cuff comment,
not inappropriate,
but which she took to be inappropriate.
- You don't believe me.
- No, we do. We do.
If something happened and you sign
anything asserting that it didn't,
it's a misstatement of sworn fact.
It's grounds for impeachment.
Forget the Supreme Court, Clarence,
you could lose your current job.
I know that, Ken.
(PEN CLICKS)
- FEMALE REPORTER: She's here!
- MALE REPORTER: Professor Hill!
Anita, did a political group
put you up to this?
Do you have a personal vendetta
against Judge Thomas?
(REPORTERS CLAMORING)
The chronology of this woman
and her participation...
Dozens of women in his office
and only one person
testifies to this 10 years ago.
I've always had my concerns about Anita.
And I wonder, really,
if she knows what she did.
The allegations that are being made
are just absolutely unfounded
and absolutely not true.
I am offended that there is a possibility
that this opportunity
may be snatched from him.
- SHIRLEY: Excuse me.
- MAN: Give us some room.
- Okay. You okay?
- "Okay"?
Have you heard
what people are saying about me?
(SIGHS) Ignore it.
Is that what you'd do if people were lying
about you on national television?
Good morning. I'm Dave Swank,
Dean of the College of Law.
Professor Hill, a member of our faculty,
has asked an opportunity to hold
a press conference this morning
to respond to some of the information
which has been on the television
and in the newspapers.
So without any more, Professor Hill.
(APPLAUSE)
(REPORTERS CLAMORING)
So that's her, huh?
This is good. These girls always think
it'll help to talk to the press,
and every time they come off looking cheap.
Good morning.
I... I have three points
that I really want
to make clear here with you today,
and afterward,
I will attempt to answer any question
as fully and forthrightly as I can.
The first point that I want to address today
is the idea that this is somehow
part of a political ploy.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
This has taken a great toll on me
personally and professionally,
and there is no way that I would do
something like that for political purposes.
It's helpful perhaps for you to understand
how I came to make this statement.
I was approached by the Senate
Judiciary Committee in early September.
- They approached me...
- (INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS)
...as someone who had worked
with Clarence Thomas.
They asked me questions
about work that I had done there,
and they asked specifically
about sexual harassment.
Some people have said that
I have waited until the eleventh hour
to bring this to the press.
I never came to the press.
The press came to me.
(REPORTERS CLAMORING)
Do you think that
the attention that this is getting
will affect the vote on Tuesday?
I think you have to ask your senator.
I don't know what effect it has or will have.
What does the final resolution mean for you?
What do you want?
If the senators fully
consider this information
and come to a conclusion,
I will be satisfied.
That is what I want.
For them to fully consider it
and take this seriously.
(REPORTERS CLAMORING)
She doesn't look cheap to me.
MALE REPORTER: Based on your experience,
do you feel he's not qualified
to be on the Supreme Court?
You're asking me, would I vote for him
to be on the Supreme Court?
(APPLAUSE)
(SIGHS)
- Oh, boy, there's trouble.
- (TELEPHONE RINGING)
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS)
MALE REPORTER:
In almost every Senate office in Washington,
the phones have been busy all week.
All right, thanks a lot for calling.
Callers are angry about Clarence Thomas
and allegations about sexual harassment.
FEMALE REPORTER:
Senate leaders say the Judiciary Committee
already has investigated
the allegation against Thomas
and they do not intend to delay
Tuesday evening's vote on his nomination.
We're here to see Senator Mitchell.
Pat, this is a private Senate lunch.
Members of the House are...
You're a public servant, George.
You don't have a right to privacy right now.
You need to delay the Senate vote on Thomas
- and hold a full hearing on these charges.
- (SIGHS)
Look, I'm just as upset
about this as you are.
- No, I doubt that.
- He's not the emperor.
He can't stop or delay a vote
on the Senate floor just because...
We know the damn rules, Joe.
Well, Pat, then you know you need
unanimous consent from the entire body.
If, if you want to try to convince
each and every one of these guys...
- Help yourself.
- ...be my guest, yeah.
Fine.
So much power, so little leadership.
(SIGHS)
You heard those phones ringing.
You know what that sound was?
It's the sound of 51%
of your constituents...
...saying if you vote for Thomas
without looking into this...
...they will not forget it.
We are not postponing this vote.
Just hypothetically, how long
would the postponement have to be?
A real investigation of these charges
would take weeks.
You can't hijack the process like that,
not when this woman had months,
years to speak up.
- (KNOCKING)
- If you're gonna allow her to have a platform
for what she's saying,
- you'll be raising rumor to fact.
- MAN: Who the hell dug her up anyway?
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS)
We've lost too many.
Take the full Senate vote right now,
we'll come up short.
MAN: Somebody leaked it.
MAN 2: Yeah, somebody on your Committee.
Jim, I got your message and I want to say
I think you are making a mistake.
If a cheap move like this
can derail anyone's nomination, then...
All right.
I understand, Jim,
and I thank you for calling me.
We can take the vote today, but you'll lose.
Clarence, it's Jack.
It's not that they
don't want to vote for you.
They just don't feel they can with all
the heat they're getting on this thing,
so we need to delay the Senate vote
and hold a hearing.
- Air all this out. Get these votes back.
- (SIGHS)
The only way the Senate will approve
a delay is if you ask for it yourself.
(SIGHS)
Clarence, what do you say?
I...
I need an answer here, Clarence.
Tell me what we should do.
For love of Pete! Give me the damn phone.
Alan Simpson here, Judge. How you doing?
I can't take this, Senator.
I don't know why she's doing this to me.
Well, buckle up your guts, pal.
There's no time for self-pity.
Somebody did this to me,
I'll tell you what I'd do,
and if you can't do that,
I will not vote for you.
You are going to get back on with Jack
and tell him you will do whatever it takes
to clear your name.
Clarence? Tell me what you want to do.
JOE: The Senate has agreed to hold
hearings on your claims, Professor.
We need to have you testify.
In fact, we're gonna
reconvene here on Friday,
Friday? Senator, that's in three days.
And I'm supposed to prepare and travel and...
Don't worry about any of that.
I got a great young staff,
who are gonna help you out with everything.
Logistics and your witnesses.
How many will be allowed to testify
on my behalf?
Well, Anita, I...
Professor, I think Judge Thomas has got
two colleagues that he'll be calling on.
He's already chosen his witnesses.
When did he hear about this?
Oh, kiddo, I feel for you. I do.
You're about to head into...
Pardon my French. A real shit show here.
I'll tell you, if I wasn't chairing
this thing, I'd be your lawyer myself.
You...
You have secured legal counsel, right?
When would I have done that?
I had no idea I needed it.
MALE REPORTER: Good evening,
we begin tonight with a tidal wave of doubt
that swept through the Senate today.
There's been no official announcement
yet of a vote delay,
but that's only because
they're still trying to decide
how long it ought to be,
how long it will be.
JACK: What do I hear every time
I walk on the floor?
"How's the civil rights bill, Jack?
"What are you doing for us
on your civil rights bill?"
Until this mess is resolved to my satisfaction,
I'm not doing one damn thing.
Delay the vote a week?
Full Senate vote next Tuesday.
- That's not ideal.
- What about this is?
This is only to examine the charges
before the Senate vote.
We do not revisit the Committee vote.
That stands.
Of course! Of course!
Nobody wants to go backwards on this thing.
Joe, I have known Clarence Thomas
for 17 years.
I know him to be a man of integrity.
If he tells me this never happened,
it never happened.
Sounds to me like
you got nothing to worry about then, Jack.
This is Emma Coleman Jordan,
Georgetown Law Center.
She's putting together a legal team.
She's called harassment experts.
- Supreme Court experts, litigators.
- Great.
I also included my old roommate
Sonia Jarvis. Very smart.
What about Charles Ogle tree?
He's an amazing litigator.
Emma tried him. He can't do it.
He's up for tenure at Harvard.
Controversy doesn't go over
too well at Cambridge.
Mmm-hmm.
KEN: There's only two
possible scenarios here.
One, she's lying,
or two, she's telling the truth,
in which case the President's an idiot,
and he nominated a pervert
to the Supreme Court.
Obviously, the second scenario
is unacceptable.
We lost Judge Bork.
We need to use every resource at our disposal
to prove the first. Now...
Absolutely cannot lose Judge Thomas.
We're not losing anybody, Senator Thurmond.
Polls are coming in 50-50,
people who support him versus her.
Okay, so we have half a nation to convince.
I've been in touch with the networks.
We'll be live as long as we're in session,
and we're bringing in a busload
of supporters from Georgia. Women.
KEN: It's a strong visual support.
The TV cameras will eat it up.
(CHANTING) We support Thomas!
You put me down and the White House down
and our administration down as 100%
for Clarence Thomas
without wavering in any way.
RITA:
They say you should make a TV address.
What are these things?
(CHUCKLES)
Come on, Rita.
(REPORTERS LAUGHING)
Tim, Senator Jack Danforth here.
I hear you run the student Republican
Party there at University of Oklahoma.
Listen, I think the senators on Judiciary
here in Washington
need to hear from you
and other young Republicans
about this Anita Hill.
Well, call us or fax us
because here in DC,
we have no idea who this woman is.
None whatsoever.
I think it's a cruel thing we're witnessing,
a very sad and harsh thing.
Anita Hill will be sucked
right into the very thing
she wanted to avoid most.
She will be injured and destroyed
and belittled and hounded and harassed.
Real harassment.
Different from the sexual kind.
- Plain old Washington variety harassment.
- (REPORTERS CLAMORING)
Is it the truth, Ms. Hill?
How long did the relationship last?
Is it true? Is the story true?
MALE REPORTER: Are you gonna
get a job on the Hill after this?
Sonia. What are you doing here?
I thought someone other than a bodyguard
should help you through this.
- Can I take that?
- I got a car for you.
Thank you.
Step off, ma'am. Step off.
(REPORTERS CLAMORING)
Get closer.
A little more. A little more.
(TIRES SCREECHING)
(HONKING)
- MAN: Come on!
- I don't know.
- Lady, really?
- Sorry. I don't know.
MALE REPORTER:
They earned law degrees at Yale
and went to Washington
to begin their careers.
Now, in the nation's capital
and before the world,
they are at opposite ends
of a personal, legal,
political, and emotional dispute
of historic proportions.
- Ma'am.
- Thank you.
You're welcome.
- (INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS)
- Here she is. You found us. Good.
Great to see you.
Wish it was under different circumstances.
Hi, Anita. Janet Napolitano.
Ms. Hill, I'm Warner Gardner.
Anita, hi. Judith Resnik.
- Hi, Anita. I'm Michele Roberts.
- Pleasure.
- Sue Ross.
- Hi.
Anita, I'm John Frank.
- Thank you.
- It's my pleasure.
Professor Hill, Charles Ogle tree.
- I'd heard you were unavailable.
- I worked it out.
Well, we have a lot to do
and little time in which to do it.
Let's get started.
You worked for him all of what, two years?
Two and a half.
Hmm.
And you were both single all that time?
Yes. Well, I had a dating life, as did he.
Hmm.
Excuse me. You never dated each other?
No.
I mean, not even two colleagues
at the end of the day,
"Hey, let's go catch a movie"?
Why would I do that?
I couldn't stand to be around him.
- Is that right?
- Yes.
Hmm? Starting when?
At Education or the EEOC?
I suppose you're trying to find out
why I followed him.
Anita, you did stay in touch with him.
By that, if you mean
that there was occasionally a reason
for me to call him on professional
matters, then yes, I...
What about the office Christmas party?
What party?
Nat King Cole roasting chestnuts,
too much eggnog.
You get a little sloppy.
- You wind up knocking boots with the boss.
- No. No.
- Happens all the time.
- Absolutely not. Not to me.
- No?
- No.
Charles, I don't know
- what the hell goes on at Cambridge.
- No judgment.
But I do not get sloppy.
That is not who I am.
And for you to imply that it might be means
that you are grossly mistaken
about me personally,
and more importantly tells me
that you need to learn
the damn truth about sexual harassment.
Hmm.
Okay?
Okay.
And tomorrow will be much worse.
Yeah.
MALE REPORTER: There is in Washington
almost a giddy sense of anticipation
about the impending drama.
It's like the flash of lightning
in the summer sky just before a big storm,
and all around town
it's all anyone's talking about.
Oh, yes, it's much more fun
than talking about national health insurance.
Joe. Joe, you are not seriously
having Anita Hill testify first, are you?
She's the one who made the claim.
She's asked to go first, so yes.
She's already gone first.
She's told her story to the media.
Her claims are out there,
and they are hanging over Clarence's head.
That is exactly why in these proceedings,
Clarence deserves the right
to speak first and clear his name.
- So you're asking me to change the order?
- Yes, I am.
The hearing is less than 12 hours away.
You're the chairman, Joe.
You know what's right here.
So, listen, you go on and get some sleep.
- I'll meet you at the hotel in the morning.
- Hang on.
- We'll ride over together.
- Hang on, guys. Change of plans.
They switched the order.
They're gonna let Thomas testify first.
Danforth convinced Biden
the order wasn't fair to Thomas.
But that doesn't make any sense.
The hearings are about my charges.
What is there to talk about
until I introduce them?
It's strategic.
You get out in front first, you set the tone.
But he can't just make a big change
like this hours before we start.
He's the chairman.
He can do whatever he wants.
MALE REPORTER: Judge Clarence Thomas is,
as surely the whole country knows now,
accused by Professor Anita Hill
of sexually harassing her
when he was the head
of the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission,
the government agency
where one would file a complaint
of sexual harassment if one felt
they had been victimized by it.
The country has not heard
from Judge Thomas in person all week,
though he did issue a statement
denying all the charges against him.
Sometime after Judge Thomas testifies,
Professor Hill will be called.
The Judiciary Committee stands accused
of not taking these charges seriously
when they were made.
And this week at least,
virtually the entire Senate
stands accused of being indifferent
to women's rights.
(KNOCKING)
ANNOUNCER: The number six Oklahoma
Sooner drive for perfection is over.
Their dream for an undefeated season
saw its biggest test and challenge last week
during the Red River shootout
at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas...
Football?
It relaxes me.
...swarming throughout the game.
Oklahoma could not
get anything done offensively
while being held to under 100 yards passing.
FEMALE REPORTER:
Anti-Thomas protesters rallied this morning
before what is expected to be
a dramatic Senate hearing.
Supporters of Judge Thomas gathered
to show solidarity for the nominee, and...
ANNOUNCER: ...despite this outstanding
24-yard touchdown catch
by running back Ted Long.
Quarterback Cale Gundy
was under constant pressure...
That was a hell of a throw.
...late fumble recovery for
the winning touchdown late in the game.
(CROWD CLAMORING)
We're wasting time.
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS)
I'm sorry for this setting.
It's the only quiet spot around here.
(DOOR CLOSING)
In Acts, how do Paul and Silas
prepare for trial?
They sing.
(ONWARD, CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS PLAYING)
Where's Clarence? They're ready for him.
Judge, do you swear to tell the truth,
the whole truth, and nothing
but the truth, so help you God?
I do.
Mr. Chairman, Senator Thurmond,
members of the Committee.
As excruciatingly difficult
as the last two weeks have been,
I welcome the opportunity
to clear my name today.
(SHUTTER CLICKS)
The first I learned of the allegations
by Professor Anita Hill
was on September 25th, 1991,
when the FBI came to my home
to investigate her allegations.
When informed by the FBI agent
of the nature of the allegations
and the person making them,
I was shocked, surprised,
hurt, and enormously saddened.
I cannot imagine anything
that I said or did to Anita Hill
that could have been mistaken
for sexual harassment.
If there is anything
that has been misconstrued
by Anita Hill or anyone else,
then I can say that I am so very sorry
and wish I had known.
Thank you so much for calling.
- That's great. Thank you. It's very helpful.
- (SNAPS FINGER)
Okay, thanks.
That's three more friends of Anita's
in addition to the one we already knew about
who remember her telling them at the time
that Thomas was harassing her.
Go to the chairman's office.
Tell them we need to fly these people in.
- They can all testify together.
- Got it.
...or this country can do
to give me my good name back.
I am not going to engage in discussions,
nor will I submit to roving questions
of what goes on
in the most intimate parts of my private life
or the sanctity of my bedroom.
These are the most intimate parts
of my privacy.
And they will remain just that.
Private.
JOE: Thank you, Judge.
You will not be asked to.
Um...
What's he doing?
Realizing unless we can
introduce Hill's affidavit,
he's got nothing to ask Thomas about.
JOE: Before I begin my questioning,
um, Judge, I just want to point out
to the Committee
that we are somewhat limited
to permissible questions at this stage.
- Limited why?
- I understand, as recently as late last night,
Professor Hill has asked us to maintain
the confidentiality of her statement.
- I said no such thing.
- I know.
Hmm.
This is an open forum
in the nomination process
to allow her attorneys or her...
I said I'd present my statement myself
when I testified.
Biden changed the rules.
He can't blame this on me.
I'm calling him.
Now that this man's reputation
has been very badly hurt...
- Senator, would you please yield?
- I'm not finished yet.
She wants to tell her own tale
and maintain the confidentiality,
I gather from
Chairman Biden's description of this.
CHARLES: Biden just misrepresented
my client as not being forthcoming.
If he had stuck with the plan
for her to go first,
we would not be having this problem.
This is not her doing.
Well, if Professor Hill would just allow
for her affidavit to be released,
then they'd be able to
question Judge Thomas.
No. No. That was never the plan.
The plan was for her to present her charges
in person, which she is fully prepared to do.
Okay, well, then I guess we need her here
at the Senate building now.
And you need to have Biden clarify this now.
Fine, yes, just get her over here.
Orrin Hatch of the Republican minority side
of the Committee is, for the moment,
taking charge of the Committee.
This is just an extraordinary development.
When you have a member
of a Senate Committee saying
"If you don't allow
a certain procedure to take place,
"I'm gonna resign from the Committee
and quit," as Senator Hatch just did,
now, that doesn't happen up here every day.
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS)
Hearing will come to order.
Committee has resolved the impasse
the following way.
Professor Hill has indicated on the telephone
that she is prepared to release her statement.
- (REPORTERS CLAMORING)
- We will excuse temporarily Judge Thomas,
and we will call momentarily,
as a witness, Anita Hill.
Professor Hill will be sworn
and will make her own statement
in her own words.
MAN: You did good.
(REPORTERS CLAMORING)
- Is there a room set aside for Professor Hill?
- Not that I know of, sir.
- Then find us one, damn it.
- Yes, sir.
(REPORTERS CLAMORING)
Thanks.
Not exactly concerned about
my comfort, are they?
Don't worry about that. You'll be fine.
(SIREN WAILING IN DISTANCE)
Why are you doing this?
I've got students more qualified than Thomas.
Plus, I believe you.
What about tenure?
Hell, in 24 hours,
I'll be able to get any job I want.
(CHUCKLES) Fuck tenure.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
Come in.
Professor, they're ready for you now.
Thank you.
(REPORTERS CLAMORING)
(SIGHS)
(CAMERAS CLICKING)
Hearing will come to order.
Welcome, Professor.
We thank you on behalf of the Committee for
making time for this. I know it wasn't easy,
and we appreciate that.
Uh, please stand to be sworn in.
Do you swear to tell the truth,
the whole truth, and nothing
but the truth, so help you God?
- I do.
- Okay.
Go ahead, then,
with your opening statement, please.
- Mr. Chairman...
- Excuse me. Excuse me.
I'm going to instruct the officers to not
let anybody in or out of those doors
while Professor Hill is making
this opening statement, please.
Can we do that?
(DOOR CLOSING)
Mr. Chairman,
Senator Thurmond,
members of the Committee.
My name is Anita F. Hill,
and I am a professor of law
at the University of Oklahoma.
I was born on a farm
in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, in 1956.
I'm the youngest of 13 children.
(DOOR CLOSING)
During this period
at the Department of Education...
- Are you watching in there?
- I'm not gonna watch at all.
But when they bring you back,
they'll assume that you saw it.
They can assume whatever they like.
I've heard enough of these lies.
After approximately three months
of working there,
he asked me to go out socially with him.
What happened next
and telling the world about it
are two of the most difficult things...
Experiences of my life.
My working relationship
became even more strained
when Judge Thomas began to use
work situations to discuss sex.
He spoke about acts that he had seen
in pornographic films
involving such matters
as women having sex with animals
and films showing group sex or rape scenes.
- (EXHALES)
- He talked about pornographic materials
depicting individuals with large penises
- or large breasts involved in various sex acts.
- (TELEPHONE RINGING)
On several occasions, Thomas told me
graphically of his own sexual prowess.
Because I was extremely uncomfortable
talking about sex with him at all
and particularly in such a graphic way,
I told him that I did not want
- to talk about these subjects.
- (TELEPHONE RINGING)
Somebody answer those.
I would also try to change the subject
to education matters
or to nonsexual personal matters,
such as his background or his beliefs.
My efforts to change the subject
were rarely successful.
During the latter part of my time
at the Department of Education,
the social pressures
and his offensive behavior ended.
I began both to believe and hope
that our working relationship could be
a proper, cordial, and professional one.
When Judge Thomas was made
chair of the EEOC,
I needed to face the question
of whether to go with him.
I was asked to do so, and I did.
The work itself was interesting
and at that time it appeared
that the sexual overtures
which had so troubled me had ended.
However, during the fall and winter of 1982,
these began again.
One of the oddest episodes I remember
was an occasion
in which Thomas was drinking a Coke
in his office.
He got up from the table
at which we were working,
went over to his desk to get a Coke,
looked at the can, and asked,
"Who has put pubic hair on my Coke?"
On other occasions,
he referred to the size of his own penis
as being larger than normal,
and he also spoke of the pleasures
he had given to women
with oral sex.
(SIGHS)
Finally, he made a comment
that I will vividly remember.
He said that if I ever told anyone
of his behavior,
that it would ruin his career.
I have no personal vendetta
against Clarence Thomas.
I seek only to provide the Committee
with information
which it may regard as relevant.
It would have been more comfortable
to remain silent.
I took no initiative to inform anyone,
but when I was asked
by a representative of this Committee
to report my experience,
I felt that I had to tell the truth.
I could not keep silent.
There's no way he survives this day.
JOE:
Professor, before I begin my questioning,
I notice that you have
a number of people here.
You've got friends or family
joining you here today?
- My family hasn't arrived.
- (INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS)
They... I'm sorry.
They are here, but they're in the hall.
We will make room for your family.
- It's a very large family, Senator.
- (CHUCKLES)
Well, let's...
Can we open those doors, please,
- get Professor Hill's family in here?
- (DOOR OPENING)
If we can clear some of these chairs here.
If you're not essential,
maybe you can clear over here.
Love you, baby.
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS)
JOE: Here you go.
What's the backroom conversation
at the White House?
I'm just speculating here, Peter.
It isn't over, and I don't know,
but the sense that you get here,
although they won't say it publicly,
is that they're pretty gloomy.
By all means, let's get loving close-ups
of the salt-of-the-earth parents.
That's not prejudicial.
Is the President watching?
He's still behind the guy? Okay, yeah.
Just making sure. All right.
(LINE DISCONNECTS)
I had to ask.
JOE: I must ask you, Professor,
to explain again
and more fully, if you would,
the behavior that you have alleged,
that you say went beyond, uh, professional,
um, business practices.
Did all that behavior take place at work?
Yes, it did.
And just in your own words, as best you can,
can you tell the Committee
where each of these incidents
that you mentioned in your opening statement
took place specifically?
Well, I recall specifically
that the incident about the Coke can
occurred in his office at the EEOC.
What incident was that?
The incident with regard to the Coke can
that's spelled out in my statement.
Okay, one more time again for me, please.
The, (SIGHS), uh, incident involved him
going to his desk...
Getting up from a work table,
going to his desk,
looking at a can, and saying,
"Who put pubic hair on my Coke?"
And were there other incidents
that took place at the office?
I recall at least one instance
in his office at the EEOC
where he brought up the substance
or the content of pornographic material.
And again for the record,
what was the content of...
What the hell is he doing?
Does he think
people want to hear this trash again?
...to an individual who had, um,
a very large penis
and used the name that he was referred to
in the pornographic material.
- Um...
- JOE: Do you recall what that was?
ANITA: I do.
The name that was referred to
was Long Dong Silver.
Jesus Christ Almighty.
JOE: Can you tell the Committee here
what was the most embarrassing
of all these alleged incidents?
ANITA: I think the one
that was the most embarrassing
was his descriptions of pornography
involving women with large breasts
engaged in a variety of sex
with different people or animals.
That was the thing
that embarrassed me the most
and made me feel the most humiliated.
(CROWD MURMURING)
Professor, I'm going to yield the floor now
to my good friend from Pennsylvania,
Senator Specter.
Professor Hill, you testified
that you drew an inference
that Judge Thomas might want you
to look at pornographic films,
but you told the FBI specifically that
he never asked you to watch the films.
Is that correct?
He never said,
"Let's go to my apartment and watch films."
He did say,
"You ought to see this material."
But when you testified, as I wrote it down,
"We ought to look at
pornographic movies together,"
that was an expression
of what was in your mind.
That was the inference that I drew, yes.
What with his pressing me
for social engagements, yes.
But the fact is flatly he never asked you
to look at pornographic movies with him?
With him?
- No, he did not.
- No, he did not.
Professor Hill, you said you took it to mean
that Judge Thomas
wanted to have sex with you,
but, in fact, he never did ask you
to have sex, correct?
No, he never asked me to have sex.
He did continually pressure me
to go out with him.
He would not accept my explanation
as being valid.
You think she should be more emotional?
If she were, we'd be saying
she should be less emotional.
All right, all three networks
are going to stay live
as long as we're in session,
so if we can keep her talking
for a few more hours,
Clarence will have prime time all to himself.
Call the Committee. Let them know.
Professor Hill, what went
through your mind, if anything,
on whether you ought
to come forward at that stage?
If you had, you would have stopped this man
from being head of the EEOC.
What went through your mind? (CHUCKLES)
How could you allow
this sort of reprehensible conduct
to go on right in the headquarters
without doing something about it?
I can only say that when I made the decision
to just withdraw from the situation
and not press a claim against him,
I may have shirked a duty,
a responsibility that I had.
And to that extent,
I confess that I am very sorry
that I didn't do something or say something.
But at the time, that was my best judgment.
It may have been a poor judgment,
but it was not dishonest.
It was not a completely unreasonable
choice given the circumstances.
MALE REPORTER:
I think it really does underscore
the basic difference how men and women
look at this issue.
I've had a number of occasions.
Did I report them? No.
And for the same reasons you've heard
every other woman in this country state.
There has been disclosed in the public
the records of certain telephone logs.
You've been quoted
in The Washington Post as saying,
"Ms. Hill called the telephone logs garbage."
Have you seen the records
of the telephone logs, Professor Hill?
Yes, I have.
Do you deny the accuracy of
these telephone logs?
No, I do not.
Then you now concede that
you had called Judge Thomas 11 times?
I do not deny the accuracy of these logs.
So they're not garbage.
Senator, what I said was,
the issue is garbage.
Those telephone messages do not indicate
that somehow I was pursuing something more
than a cordial relationship.
A professional relationship.
Each one of those calls was made
in a professional context.
Several of those calls involved one incident
where I was trying to act
on behalf of another group.
So the issue that is being created with
the telephone calls, yes, indeed is garbage.
If what you say this man
said to you occurred,
why in God's name
when he left his position of power
or status or authority over you...
Why in God's name would you ever speak
to a man like that the rest of your life?
That's a very good question.
And I am sure that I cannot answer it
to your satisfaction.
That is one of the things
that I have tried to do here today,
I have suggested
that I was afraid of retaliation.
I was afraid of damage
to my professional life.
I believed that... You have to understand
that this kind of response is not atypical,
and I can't explain it.
It takes an expert in psychology
to explain how that can happen.
But it can happen.
'Cause it happened to me.
(REPORTERS CLAMORING)
Well done.
MALE REPORTER:
But the fact of the matter is that
Anita Hill was a very compelling witness
who told in graphic detail
how she was sexually harassed
by Judge Thomas.
There's a feeling here that, that this witness
has held up pretty well this afternoon,
and there has been
a sense of apprehension about it.
- Here she is.
- (APPLAUSE)
ARLEN: Let's face it, Clarence has
his work cut out for him tonight.
No shit. We got to do
everything we can to back him up.
- Everything.
- Excuse me. Excuse me, Mr. Duberstein.
I was asked to tell you that Senator Biden
decided to adjourn till tomorrow,
so they're not gonna need
Judge Thomas tonight.
What? No fucking way. Move.
- You are not adjourning.
- Ken, everybody is completely exhausted.
- We had an agreement. Same news cycle, Joe.
- I already got a tooth that's killing me.
This country's gonna hear
Clarence Thomas tonight.
It's either gonna be in there
at the witness table
or parked right outside this door
explaining to a bank of television cameras
why Joe Biden is denying him
the right to defend himself.
Clarence. The car's here.
We're going to be late.
Did you talk to Jamal?
Yes.
- How is he?
- Angry.
He's confused.
What do I say to him?
How can I explain all of this stuff
that they say about me?
Hmm?
Vile things no child should ever have
to hear about their father.
And these men judging me,
half of them are under an ethics cloud
at this very minute.
Money charges, sex charges.
You don't see their lives
going up in flames around them, do you?
Do you?
No.
They're gonna be just fine.
(GAVEL BANGING)
- JOE: Judge, you may want...
- Senator, I would like to start by saying
unequivocally,
uncategorically...
That I deny each and every single allegation
against me today
that suggested that I, in any way,
had conversations
of a sexual nature
or about pornographic material
with Anita Hill,
that I ever attempted to date her,
that I ever had any personal
sexual interest in her,
or that I, in any way, ever harassed her.
Second...
And I think it's the more important point.
I think that this today is a travesty.
I think it is disgusting.
I think this hearing
should never occur in America.
How would any member on this Committee,
any person in this room,
any person in this country
like sleaze said about
him or her in this fashion,
or this dirt dredged up
and these lies displayed in this manner?
This is a circus. It's a national disgrace.
And from my standpoint,
as a black American,
as far as I'm concerned,
it's a hi-tech lynching
for uppity blacks who in any way
deign to think for themselves,
do for themselves,
to have different ideas.
And it is a message that,
unless you kowtow to the old order...
This is what will happen to you.
You will be lynched,
destroyed,
caricatured...
By a Committee of the US Senate
rather than hung from a tree.
(CAMERAS CLICKING)
(CROWD MURMURING)
(EXHALES)
(CLEARS THROAT)
Judge, tomorrow we will reconvene.
I assume, Judge... It's your choice.
I assume you wish to come back tomorrow.
The Committee is not demanding
that you come back.
Would you like to come back tomorrow?
I think so, Senator. I'd like to finish this.
(GAVEL BANGS)
Most, most of the senators
who were, uh, on the Committee tonight.
Uh, I think, were stunned at the anger...
It is impossible to absolutely
resolve these two stories.
MALE REPORTER: Does he not have a point
when he says the leakage of this stuff,
the dirty character of it
amounts, in part at least,
to an attempting
lynching of Clarence Thomas?
(REPORTERS CLAMORING)
- This is about sexual harassment.
- Agreed.
And about his fitness to be
an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court.
None of what he said has any relevance.
But this is not a judicial proceeding.
This is political theater,
and Thomas just performed.
- So he got you?
- No.
- I'm not saying anything he said was relevant.
- (SCOFFS) Mmm-hmm.
And I hate that it was him of all people,
but he did tell a truth.
"A truth"? By saying that supporting me
is synonymous with supporting lynching?
- No, no, no. I'm not trying to say that.
- He is not the victim here.
I'm not trying to say that, either.
- Then what are you trying to say, Charles?
- Listen.
White folks are already talking this bullshit
that this can't be about race
'cause you're both black, right?
- So what Thomas just did...
- No, listen to me. Listen to me!
My grandfather fled Arkansas
because he was threatened with lynching.
- I appreciate that.
- A real lynching.
Not this metaphoric kind
that Thomas is talking about.
But he doesn't care about that.
He only acknowledged race
because it was about him.
But that's not right.
- I'm not saying it is right.
- It's not the issue.
- The issue is sexual harassment.
- But it was effective. Now, you think
any of those white boys on that Committee
are prepared to challenge him now?
(SIGHS)
You know what really pisses me off?
He's trying to dismiss you
precisely because you're a black woman.
- Hmm.
- You and I both know
that this hearing and his nomination
would be in a very different place
if you looked like his wife.
Hmm. (SCOFFS)
Good, you're still here.
You're not gonna believe this.
There's another woman.
Her name is Angela Wright.
She worked for Thomas after Anita Hill.
They never met,
never even heard of each other.
She's a newspaper editor now, but what
she really wants to be is a columnist,
so to prove herself to her bosses,
she wrote a sample column.
"I know Thomas is capable of doing
these things because he did them to me."
We need to depose her.
(CLEARS THROAT)
I can tell you that during the course of
the year that I worked for Clarence Thomas,
there were several comments that he made.
And Clarence Thomas
did consistently pressure me to date him.
- Right, and was there...
- ANGELA: At one point,
Clarence Thomas made comments
about my anatomy.
- Can you...
- ANGELA: He often said,
"I've got some fine women on my staff."
I remember him saying
that one woman had a big ass.
Clarence Thomas commented
on a dress that I was wearing
and asked what size my boobs were.
Clarence Thomas came
by my house at night...
- Miss Wright...
- ...uninvited, spoke in general terms,
but then tried to move the conversation
over to the prospect of me dating him.
- Is this on?
- We're talking about a thing that, you know..
She can hear?
...pretty much pops out of
Clarence Thomas's mouth
whenever the hell he feels like saying it.
Does the White House know about her?
We sent over a copy of her deposition.
Oh. (CHUCKLES)
- They're gonna love that, aren't they?
- Yeah.
Okay, triple-check her credibility.
I mean, these situations
pull all sorts of people out of the woodwork.
- Attention seekers.
- Yeah, I don't think that's the case here.
She didn't call us.
Someone else sent her column in.
And she has a corroborating witness.
It took some convincing to get her to talk,
but, boy, once she started...
- A loose cannon?
- Possibly. Plus, he fired her.
- Oh.
- (DRAWER CLOSING)
Ex-employee disgruntled loose cannon.
- Yeah.
- Better yet.
- All right, bring her in.
- She won't come.
"Even though I have got the guts of a bull,
"I don't necessarily relish the fallout
from speaking up in this kind of situation."
Well, I'm not gonna be the chairman
who knew about a second accuser
and didn't call her in.
Subpoena her if that's what it takes,
- but get her down here however you have to.
- Okay.
And somebody find me a goddamn dentist!
MALE REPORTER: An eleventh hour surprise
in the Clarence Thomas case.
According to the North Carolina newspaper
The Charlotte Observer,
one of its own employees, Angela Wright,
has some charges of her own to level.
New accusations are being leveled
against the Supreme Court nominee.
This in addition to
the allegation of sexual harassment
made by law professor Anita Hill.
If that's the best witness they can dig up,
we bring her in. Arlen has a field day.
I disagree completely.
Any woman telling the same story,
whoever she is, is bad for Clarence.
- Sir.
- Yes?
Jamie Bush, the President's nephew, called.
- About what?
- A Dr. Satinover.
Another psychiatrist in addition to
the one we're bringing in tomorrow.
Thank you.
MALE REPORTER: Who told the lies?
Well, two witnesses,
Judge Thomas and Anita Hill,
told precisely opposite stories under oath.
Which one lied?
A word to boys and girls who may be
in front of the television set at the moment.
We parents know
this is usually your time of day.
If today's testimony
is anything like yesterday's,
there may once again be
extremely graphic testimony
that you may not want your children to watch.
MALE REPORTER: It was hot off the presses
in San Francisco this morning.
The controversy with more questions
than answers.
The wind-burned fisherman
who believes the professor.
When a woman at her age
gets down in front of the public
and gives herself up like that,
that man is guilty as far as I'm concerned.
MALE REPORTER: The sex harassment victim
who trusts the judge.
Just didn't seem to me
like she was telling the truth.
MALE REPORTER: In Compton, California,
at the nation's only NAACP chapter
to support Clarence Thomas,
people still can't believe
a black woman is his accuser.
The ordeal continues
on this Saturday morning
and it can only be called that, an ordeal,
for Clarence Thomas, for Anita Hill,
for the Senate Judiciary Committee,
and for the nation as well.
This is round two of these
renewed hearings, of course,
on Anita Hill's accusations of
sexual harassment against Clarence Thomas.
CHARLES: They'll be finished with Thomas
by end of day,
Do we have all our folks
lined up for tomorrow?
The four friends of Anita who remember her
telling them about
the harassment at the time.
Three lawyers, one judge.
Make sure
the Committee has their credentials.
We also sent them the names
of the three psychologists who will say
that Anita's behavior is consistent
with victims of sexual harassment.
Get them the published research
on that as well.
- That other woman?
- Angela Wright.
She's gonna bring this thing home.
SUSAN: (ON TV)
I think the line is the absolute truth.
They are delighted with
Thomas's performance last night.
They felt that the whole dynamic
of the hearing changed.
John, did the White House
have a piece of this strategy?
Were they in on the idea of invoking race?
They were in on the idea.
They knew exactly
what Clarence Thomas was going to say.
CLARENCE: In this country,
when it comes to sexual conduct,
we still have underlying racial attitudes
about black men and their views on sex.
Once you pin that on me, I can't get it off.
Anita Hill said he discussed
oral sex between men and women.
Yes, I'm a client. Can you tell him I'm here?
But nobody in the Senate bothered telling me
where the hell I'm supposed to go.
"Thomas liked to discuss specific sex acts
and frequency of sex."
Now that last... "Frequency."
That could have to do
with black men supposedly being
very promiscuous or something like that.
So it could be partially stereotypical?
Yes.
Well, I'm concerned.
Well, I was talking about these hearings
with a friend of mine,
and when I told him what I thought
as a mental health professional,
he said to me, "This is something
the senators need to hear."
- Doctor...
- And at first I was just flabbergasted,
but then halfway through her testimony,
it hit me.
Erotomania.
- I beg your pardon?
- It's a psychiatric disorder.
The person suffering has delusions
that another person,
usually of a higher status,
has a romantic interest in him or her.
You're not kidding? Now, this exists?
Ever read this book?
No.
The Exorcist.
- What the hell is he doing?
- No, Senator.
You said you never did say,
"Who has put pubic hair on my Coke?"
You never did talk about Long Dong Silver.
I submit those things were found
from page 70 of this particular version
of The Exorcist.
"'Dennings had remarked to him
in passing, ' said Sharon,
"'that there appeared to be," ' quote,
"'an alien pubic hair
floating around in my gin,"'
unquote.
This is ridiculous.
ORRIN: You think that was spoken
by happenstance?
ALAN: I think it is very well that you were
not here to hear the testimony of Miss Hill.
(SIGHS) I'm Angela Wright.
I'm here to see my lawyer, Gil Middlebrooks.
Okay.
Welcome to DC.
They haven't called you in yet.
You can wait here till they do.
ALAN: And here we are.
You've been before us for 105 days.
I'm waiting for 105 days
of surveillance of Miss Hill.
Then we'll see, you know,
who ate the cabbage...
- The fuck is he talking about?
- ...as we say out in the Wild West.
And now...
- Christ's sake, rein these guys in.
- I can't.
...I really am getting stuff over
the transom about Professor Hill.
I have got letters hanging out of my pockets.
I have got faxes.
I have got statements
from her former law professors.
Statements from people that know her.
Statements from Tulsa, Oklahoma,
saying, watch out for this woman.
But nobody has the guts to say that
because it gets all tangled up
in this sexual harassment crap.
- Have they scheduled Angela Wright?
- Call you back.
- She's in the mix.
- What does that mean?
There's a schedule.
- She's either on it, or she's not.
- (KNOCKING)
Carolyn, there's a Washington Post reporter.
He's found a video store owner who claims
that Thomas is a longtime customer of his.
Rented lots of hardcore porn.
- What?
- What?
Should I get his number
so we can talk to him? Or is that...
- No!
- Yes, absolutely!
- No!
- Yes!
- God, there is a law against that.
- (TELEPHONE RINGING)
We do not expose
citizens' private viewing records.
Carolyn Hart.
Wow.
Angela Wright...
- That's us, we should go.
- ...will soon be with us.
We think,
but now we're told that Angela Wright has,
what we used to call
in the legal trade, cold feet.
Wait, what?
Is Angela Wright backing out?
No, I went over the witness list
with Biden's office. She's still on it.
- So he's lying.
- He knows she's a threat.
- He's discrediting her.
- SONIA: Exactly.
Did you fire her? And if you did, what for?
Um, she referred to a male member
of my staff as a faggot.
That's a lie. I did no such thing.
- That was enough for you?
- That was more than enough.
That is kind of the way you are, isn't it?
That is how I am
when it comes to that kind of conduct.
She's a credible witness
that'll testify Thomas harassed her, too,
and they're smearing her
just like they smeared Anita.
- This is completely unethical.
- Exactly.
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ON TV)
I won't get into those old saws,
but I will tell you
that I do love Shakespeare,
and Shakespeare would love this.
This is about love and hate,
and cheating, and disgust, and avarice.
All those things
that make that remarkable bard read today.
Othello. Read Othello,
and don't ever forget this line.
"Good name in man and woman,
dear my Lord."
Christ.
You remember this scene?
"Is the immediate jewel of our souls."
(REPORTERS CLAMORING)
MALE REPORTER: Good evening.
Clarence Thomas went on the attack today
- accusing his critics of using blatant racism...
- Thank you.
...to keep him off the Supreme Court.
But he said he had rather died...
They said they'll call you tomorrow.
The dramatic testimony
- came during a grueling...
- Mmm-hmm.
They apologize for any inconvenience.
Did they apologize
for trashing my reputation?
Did they apologize for that?
Have a nice day, sir.
Chief of Staff John Sununu telling CNN
Anita Hill's credibility has been undermined
and that calls to the White House
are overwhelmingly in Thomas's favor.
Even the people at the White House
were stunned
by what they consider the lackluster
performance of the Democrats.
They couldn't understand
why they were just sitting there
and not challenging Thomas
and being more assertive.
We need to be pushing harder to the press.
- CHARLES: We need to push back.
- SHIRLEY: Well, they beat us to that.
Journalists calling to confirm
Anita's lesbianism
(ALL BICKERING)
...and to inquire about
an official diagnosis of erotomania.
- What is that?
- Think it means what it says.
FEMALE REPORTER:
In a decision that apparently
was personally approved by the President,
they decided to go after her
and to float all sorts of stories
about erotic fantasies
and that she has psychological problems.
MALE REPORTER: Today, spectators will
watch corroborating witnesses
attempt to support both
Judge Thomas and Professor Hill
and continue to struggle
with who is telling the truth.
Have you seen these?
Fifty percent of Americans believe him.
Twenty-five percent believe her.
- Ricki.
- Your boss is fucking this up.
It is not your place to tell the chairman
of the Judiciary Committee how to do his job.
(SIGHS)
(CLEARS THROAT) Last time I checked,
you worked for a senator, too,
and maybe you should bring it up with him.
Are you sure you want to do this?
Yes.
Because there'll be no way to keep it quiet.
Checked on Anita Hill's
former students in Oklahoma.
- And what'd you find?
- They basically all said the same thing.
She's tough but fair.
Senator Brown's office did talk
to some guys from Oral Roberts,
where she worked before Oklahoma,
and they did have a story,
but it seemed pretty...
What'd they say?
Well, they said
that Anita Hill had put pubic hair
between the pages of their term papers.
Anita Hill put pubic hairs
in her students' term papers.
No, I don't think so.
That is what they said, but it was
after the whole Coke can thing, so...
We need affidavits from them.
We do? Okay.
Um, sorry, it just seems so unlikely that...
Well, we have no idea what's
likely or unlikely from this woman.
Sorry, sir. Yes, sir.
A CBS news poll conducted just yesterday
shows most Americans believe
that neither Thomas nor his accuser
Anita Hill told the entire truth.
I was hoping I could
have a quick word with you, if it's okay.
- Sure. Sit.
- (TV SWITCHES OFF)
Okay, so let me start by saying
I get why you've been quiet
through all of this.
I'm sure a lot of people much smarter than me
have told you that's the way to go.
And who knows? Maybe they're right, but...
She's all alone out there, sir.
You ever taken a polygraph before, Miss Hill?
- No, I have not.
- Okay.
WOMAN: She told me she was being subjected
to sexual harassment from her boss.
That boss was Clarence Thomas.
She told me Clarence Thomas
asked her out on dates
and showed an unwanted
sexual interest in her.
PATRICK: Is she, in your estimation,
a woman who suffers
from fantasies in any way
or is she pretty levelheaded?
She's one of the most
levelheaded people I know.
PATRICK: Thank you, Judge.
- MAN: Is your name Anita F. Hill?
- Yes.
Various psychiatrists have come forward
to state as a general principle,
not as a diagnosis of an individual
but as a general principle,
that there is a specific disorder.
So here is this foul stack of stench
justifiably offensive in any category,
and I ask you why, after she left his power,
or whatever it was that gave her fear
or revulsion or repulsion...
Why did she, twice after that,
visit personally with him in Tulsa, Oklahoma?
I get Christmas cards from people I don't see
from one end of the year to the other end
and do not wish to.
I also return their cards
and will return their calls.
And these are people who have insulted me
and done things which perhaps
have been degrading at times.
But these are the things
you have to put up with.
And being a black woman,
you have to put up with a lot.
So you grit your teeth, and you do it.
- Senator Kennedy.
- Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Some people just don't want to believe you.
You have to understand
that they just don't want to believe you,
- and they don't want to believe Professor Hill.
- (SIGHS)
But I hope, Mr. Chairman...
I hope that we're not going to hear
a lot more comments,
unworthy, unjustified comments
about fantasy stories picked out of books
and law cases
after we've heard from this panel.
I hope we can clear this room of the dirt
and innuendo
about over-the-transom information.
I hope we're going to be sensitive
to the attempts of character assassination
on Professor Hill.
They're unworthy.
And quite frankly, I hope we're not going
to hear a lot more about racism
as we consider this nominee.
Fact is that these points
of sexual harassment
are made by an Afro-American
against an Afro-American.
The issue isn't discrimination and racism.
It's about sexual harassment.
And I hope we can keep our eye
on that particular issue.
Thank you.
JOE: Thank you, Senator Kennedy.
CAROLE: Within the last few minutes,
we just found out
that Professor Anita Hill
has taken a polygraph test,
and according to the expert that
administered it to her, she passed it.
She offered to take a lie detector test.
That's not the hallmark
of someone who's lying.
FEMALE REPORTER: At a golf outing,
President Bush said he saw no reason
for either Hill or Judge Clarence Thomas
to take such a test.
I don't want to be in a position of advocating
that every nominee takes a lie detector test.
And I think it's a stupid idea.
JACK: Of course she'll pass a polygraph
because the disorder makes her believe
she is telling the truth.
FEMALE REPORTER: Republicans complaining
bitterly that, as Orrin Hatch said,
you can find any polygraph tester
to produce any results you want.
He called it "the sleazy tactic
of a two-bit sleaze lawyer."
MALE REPORTER:
It seems to me that in the country
for that great band in the middle somewhere,
that their judgment swings
from session to session.
This afternoon,
Anita Hill's friends and supporters
made a very credible appearance.
Tonight, his friends and supporters
and coworkers
are making credible performances.
He's a man of high moral standing,
and I tell you that it's not possible
that he could be linked
with the kinds of things
that have been alleged against him here.
I have known Judge Clarence Thomas
for more than 30 years,
and I find the allegations by Miss Hill
not only ludicrous but totally inconsistent,
and in opposite to his principles
and his personality.
She played the role of a meek, innocent,
shy Baptist girl from the South
who was a victim of this big bad man.
Chairman Thomas
that I have known for 10 years
is absolutely incapable
of the abuses described by Professor Hill.
In my case,
she had fantasized about my being
interested in her romantically.
Et tu, Brutus?
You, too, Anita?
FEMALE REPORTER: Extraordinary hearings
on the nomination of
Judge Clarence Thomas continue
and are expected
to go on long into the night.
Tomorrow, Professor Anita Hill
and Judge Clarence Thomas
have been invited back
to wrap up their testimony,
Extraordinary is a word that may be
not quite strong enough, Carole.
This thing has ground on now for hours
through the day and into the night.
Some Republican senators are still trying
to prevent the Committee from hearing
testimony from another witness
who's come forward against Thomas.
MALE REPORTER:
At first, we thought it was going to be
a national encounter on sexual harassment.
And now it has turned ugly.
It's almost a murder-suicide pact
between Democrats and Republicans.
Just no one wins.
I talked to Joel Paul.
He's been getting threatening phone calls,
and he's worried he won't get tenure.
Because he was a character witness for me?
Yes.
If we can get Thomas's porn rental records,
I say we get them.
- Absolutely not, no.
- Joe, this is a dirty fight.
There's no second place.
If we don't win, we lose.
At what cost, Patrick?
I'm getting calls into my office.
Hundreds an hour.
American citizens saying
whatever the hell
you people are doing down there
with the Coke cans and Long Dong Ding,
whatever the fuck it is, stop it.
We have an obligation to make sure
we're putting the right person
on the Supreme Court.
I also have an obligation
to uphold the dignity
and the credibility
of the United States Senate.
Yeah? How's that going?
MALE REPORTER: If there is
a consensus in this nation tonight,
it is that no one likes what's going on
and there are no real winners.
We have gone from shock to discomfort,
now to a combination of anger,
depression, and shame.
(DOOR OPENS)
No, you are not introducing
that vile, obvious bullshit.
Maybe it's BS, and maybe it's not, Joe.
You don't know.
It's just like this bogus movie
rental stuff and this Angela Wright.
If you want to introduce questionable
testimony on national television,
I've got a doozy right here.
You know we've got the votes back, Joe.
We have a solid 51 in the Senate.
We'll probably pick up
one or two more by Tuesday,
so we can keep talking dirty
to the nation if you want,
but it won't change the outcome.
Jack, is this who you want to be?
This is a free-for-all, Joe.
There are no rules.
Somebody who goes after a woman
like this with no holds barred?
You know this is a street fight, Joe.
And if a friend of mine is attacked
in a street fight,
I'm gonna pick up a crowbar.
Hey, take that shit with you.
(DOOR CLOSING)
So I came all the way here for nothing?
The Committee appreciates
your willingness to participate.
"Willingness"? I was subpoenaed.
While it is Chairman Biden's desire
that you testify,
the time constraints we find ourselves under
are making that impossible.
"Time constraints"?
I've been here a day and a half.
So the chairman would like
to withdraw your subpoena.
He will enter your deposition
into the written record unrebutted.
This agreement is by mutual consent.
He would like you to sign it.
What if I don't?
They'll fill the time with other witnesses
so they really do run out of time.
Angela Wright is not going to testify.
- What?
- ALL: No!
By mutual agreement, they say.
WOMAN: That is bullshit.
The deposition is going
into the written record,
so the senators will know what she said.
If they read it, which they won't.
- Which they won't.
- Correct.
This was a mistake.
This is why I never came forward before.
What good have we done?
My friends' jobs are being threatened.
My reputation is ruined.
- For what?
- You will testify tomorrow
and set the record straight.
I have said everything that I came here
to say, but they don't want to hear it.
They don't care. They only want to win.
There's got to be something we can do.
There has to be something else
that we can do.
We need to get the names.
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS)
You all have worked very hard.
And if I'm letting you down, I'm sorry.
Call Judiciary.
Tell them I'm done. I want to go home.
JOE: Ladies, thank you so much.
We certainly appreciate
your testimony here today.
Obviously we didn't recognize or realize
we were going to go quite as late
as we did tonight.
- Senator.
- But that's...
Both Professor Hill and Judge Thomas
have decided not to appear tomorrow.
Based on that,
this entire proceeding is ended.
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS)
- Fifty-two votes.
- Fifty-two votes! Congratulations!
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS)
(SIGHS)
ERIC: (ON TV) Thomas's supporters claim
that he has the votes
to win the confirmation when the full
Senate votes at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday.
But the situation is now
so muddled and so confused
after three days of lurid,
inconclusive testimony
that nobody's sure of anything,
except that the whole process
has been distasteful.
Hey.
Who'd you believe, him or her?
Her.
(REPORTERS CLAMORING)
The chair will remind the galleries
that expressions of approval
or disapproval are prohibited.
The question is on the confirmation of the
nomination of Clarence Thomas of Georgia
to be an Associate Justice
of the United States Supreme Court.
The clerk will call the roll.
- MAN: Mr. Adams.
- ADAMS: No.
- MAN: Mr. Akaka.
- No.
- MAN: Mr. Baucus.
- BAUCUS: No.
- MAN: Mr. Bentsen.
- BENTSEN: No.
- MAN: Mr. Biden.
- JOE: No.
- MAN: Mr. Bingaman.
- BINGAMAN: No.
- MAN: Mr. Bond.
- BOND: Aye.
Hey.
Welcome home.
Thank you.
Is this all...
For you? Yup.
All of it.
What's it say?
"Dear Professor Hill,
"For 25 years, I've been a cashier.
"All that time, my boss has treated me
like his personal property.
"I never said anything,
not even to my husband.
"It's been really scary and lonely,
"but watching you this week felt like
I was watching someone standing up for me.
"So thank you.
"Sincerely, Elisa Nelson."
SHIRLEY: Wow.
(CRYING)
- MAN: Mr. Wellstone.
- No.
- MAN: Mr. Wirth.
- WIRTH: No.
- MAN: Mr. Wofford.
- WOFFORD: No.
The yeas are 52, and the nays are 48.
The nomination of
Clarence Thomas of Georgia
to be Associate Justice
of the United States Supreme Court
is hereby confirmed.
Clarence.
It's good news.
WOMAN: It was not too long ago
that a colleague of mine
complimented me on my appearance
and then said that he was going to
chase me around the House floor.
MALE REPORTER: The last time the federal
government polled all its workers,
42% of the women reported
they had been recently sexually harassed.
So, Hal, tell us what happens now.
Well, what happens now is we've got
a political issue for the 1992 campaign.
Two percent may be good for milk,
but it ain't good
for the United State Senate.
FEMALE REPORTER: What's different this
year is the record number of women
running and winning up and down the ticket.
One factor there and elsewhere is backlash
over the Senate's treatment of Anita Hill.
A woman's voice does not count
in America today.
I have not been sexually harassed,
but I have been very obviously
discriminated against.
Happened something like 20 years ago.
- But you're aware that women also...
- Wait. Wait, Sam!
I remember every word of it.
If we stay mad about
Clarence Thomas and Anita Hill,
we'll never remember our lines.
Oh... Please.
Sir, would you please state your name?
Long Dong Silver.
The rules of the old boys' club
that prevailed in this hearing
are simply not going to work anymore.
MALE REPORTER: The Senate
Judiciary Committee is getting diversity,
Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois
and California's Dianne Feinstein
have been assigned to the panel.
Women for the first time
in my lifetime have said
we are players in this society,
and we intend to stay that way.
On Thursday, President Bush signed
a long-awaited civil rights bill.
MALE REPORTER: ...which will make it much
easier for women and minorities
to sue for discrimination...
...and harassment on the job.
MAN: It does not have to be
a physical touch or a specific threat.
Companies now produce videos explaining
it can be any unwanted sexual advances.
A bill to combat violence against women
was introduced in the US Senate.
You should have the civil rights protection
as well as the criminal laws protection.
This has become a national teacher
on the issue of sexual harassment.
I just think that you're getting caught up
in the politics of it
when what you're forgetting is that
there's a human being, a woman involved.
- There's a man, too.
- MAN: Okay.
That'd be Clarence Thomas.
His is the name that's been made mud of.
There's clearly a brass-knuckles,
totally unfair process
of brutalizing Presidential appointees.
How much of an exploration
of not only Supreme Court candidates but
all candidates for public office do you want?
Do you have anything further to say about it?
Senator, my reaction to this has been...
Over the last two weeks,
has been one of horror.
I can't tell you what I've lived through.
I think I did the right thing.
I think I did what was proper and correct
in this situation.
(CAMERAS CLICKING)
- Rasputin.
- Rasputin.
Rasputin.
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS)