Cross-examination throws Michael Cohen off balance, but belabors point that he hates Trump

The prosecution's star witness, Michael Cohen, was kept off balance by Trump defense attorney Todd Blanche's questions in a Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday.

But I don’t see what the defense gained by showing that Cohen was constantly slamming Trump on social media and his podcast, such as a "Cheeto-dusted cartoon villain." Or sold mugs saying "Send him to the big house, not the White House." We already knew that Cohen despises Trump and has built a lucrative career trashing him since pleading guilty more than six years ago. How does that advance the ball? Howard Kurtz is the host of FOX News Channel's MediaBuzz (Sundays 11 a.m.-12 p.m. ET). Based in Washington, D.C., he joined the network in July 2013 and regularly appears on Special Report with Bret Baier and other programs.

Blanche also asked about such seemingly side issues as whether Cohen was involved in leaks to the AP and CNN. He did score a point in asking whether the Manhattan D.A.’s office had repeatedly asked him to stay off TV. After an initially evasive answer, Cohen said yes, but it was "fewer than five times."

And when Cohen was asked about objecting to the terms of his home confinement after his COVID-related release — he was allowed to spend three hours a day outside his home — it was a not-so-subtle reminder that he had served time in prison.