My summary of Popok's main ooints from his video:
Pecker is the first prosecution witness. He is a "road map" witness, being walked through the case as per the opening statement.
Pecker is a willing witness, holding nothing back.
Pecker described how his
National Enquirer bought the Stormy Daniels story with the sole purpose of killing it for the benefit of the campaign. This is crucial because it establishes the factor of intent to commit a further crime (on campaign finance) that upgrades the record keeping crime from misdemeanor to felony.
Popok muses on how Pecker talking about "women selling stories" landed with the jury, especially the 5 women in it. I didn't fully understand what Popok's drift was on that.
Pecker confirmed time and again what the prosecution said in their opening statement: "Pecker is cashing the checks that the prosecution wrote."
Pecker had been stiffed earlier for $150K which he had paid to "catch and kill" the story of Trump's liaison with Karen McDougal so Michael Cohen has to be brought in as an agent or intermediary to handle the Stormy Daniels story. (
Hmm… isn't it ironic that Trump's cheapskatery in stiffing his contractors might be biting him in the ass now?)
Jury is very attentive to Pecker's testimony and understand its significance.
Popok says as a trial lawyer he knows that there first witness is very much the most important, this is when jurors are likely to decide which way their verdict will go and the remainder of the trial is unlikely to change their minds.
Popok says that Trump is trying to signal indifference by leaning back with his eyes closed except when his own lawyers speak, but Trump is wrong if he thinks this will suit well with the jury.
Popok consistently makes 4 errors of pronunciation in Judge Merchan's name (both vowels, the central consonant, and the stress), which I find irritating. But I guess mangling names is the USAian way. 
X 4
X 33
Anyone spot Walt Nauta with tfg in NY trial? Or is he languishing at MaL?
