Roy Moore, the questionably disgraced Republican Senate candidate from Alabama, made an appearance on "The Sean Hannity Show" Friday afternoon (Nov. 10). This was the first time he had personally addressed the sexual assault allegations against him, as well as allegations that he dated several teenagers when he was in his early 30's. Until this interview, all anybody had to go on was the Washington Post article that initially revealed the allegations and a few statements released by Moore. The interview provided an extra piece of evidence; a new piece to the puzzle.
Roy Moore contradicts himself
Roy Moore began the Hannity interview by unequivocally denying the allegations that he fondled a 14-year-old girl in 1979 when he was 32. Sean Hannity showed brilliant interviewing skills by giving Moore ample time to answer each question. Smart interviewers know that most people will "spill the beans" by accident if you give them enough time to talk. Eventually, they will contradict themselves or begin to show inconsistencies in their defense. That’s exactly what Roy Moore did Friday while live on the radio. He began the interview eat, and seemed to be on point with his responses. The questions became more personal and difficult as Hannty began asking about other women who claimed to have dated Moore when they were in their late teens, and Moore started to falter:
“I don’t remember dating any girl without the permission of her mother,” Moore continued, “and I think in her statement she said that her mother actually encouraged her to go out with me.”
Moore was referencing statements made by Gloria Thacker Deason, the 57-year-old North Carolina woman who claims that she dated Moore in 1979 when she was 18, and Moore was 32.
His barometer for whether or not he should date a teenager seemed to be if her mother approved. Later in the interview, he completely denied dating teenagers when he was in his early 30’s, which was in direct conflict with earlier statements.
Moore makes inconsistent statements
Roy Moore completely denied the sexual assault allegation made by Leigh Corfman, but his only actual defense seemed to be the timing of the Washington Post article, and the fact that he’s been a “public servant” his entire life.
He went straight to defending himself with his past accomplishments, and then small details about his choice of words began to indicate that the sexual assault had indeed occurred:
“I’ve run five statewide campaigns, three in the county. This has never been brought up, it has never been even mentioned, and all of a sudden four weeks out, they’re bringing it up.”
Someone who’s being falsely accused of sexual assault doesn’t get angry because “they’re bringing it up” at the wrong time.
His defense got more diluted and awkward as the interview continued. At one point, he seemed to make the argument that he didn’t fondle a 14-year-old because her allegations were inconsistent with those of other teenagers he had dated.
Roy Moore is a 'creep'
32-year-old men being into teenagers is actually more common than any of us would like to admit. And we already have words for these guys. We call them “creeps.” We call them “pedophiles.” Most honest people should have a hard time believing that a guy who admitted to dating 17-year-old girls when he was 32, had a moral aversion to courting a 14-year-old. That seems to be the tightrope candidate Roy Moore is trying to walk, and judging from his fumbling defenses on "The Sean Hannity Show" yesterday, he’s losing balance.
