Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia asked some of the toughest questions of Hegseth during Tuesday’s hearing.

Kaine questioned Hegseth about his alleged infidelity, accusation of sexual assault, allegations from colleagues that Hegseth drank on the job, and the fact that Hegseth withheld information about these accusations from Donald Trump’s team during the interview process for the role.

When Kaine asked Hegseth whether it’s disqualifying to show up drunk at work, Hegseth didn’t answer and instead falsely claimed those reports came from anonymous sources. In fact, one of the people who accused Hegseth of workplace impropriety was Jessie Jane Duff, a Marine veteran and former Trump campaign official who in 2016 sought to get Hegseth removed as head of the Concerned Veterans of America group, CBS News reported.

When Hegseth told Kaine he is “an open book,” Kaine scoffed, noting that Hegseth’s accusers are under “multiple nondisclosure and confidentiality agreements” that are “tying the hands of many people who would like to comment to us.”

Kaine also brought up that Hegseth has defied oaths he’s taken in the past, including to be faithful to his wives—of which Hegseth has had three.

“You had just fathered a child two months before by a woman that was not your wife. I am shocked that you would stand here and say you’re completely cleared. Can you so casually cheat on a second wife and cheat on the mother of a child that had been born two months before? And you tell us you were completely cleared?” Kaine said.

Kaine refused to accept Hegseth’s excuse that the allegations against him shouldn’t be believed because they were made anonymously, saying that among the people who made the allegations against Hegseth was his own mother.

“You claimed that this was all anonymous. We have seen records with names attached to all of these, including the name of your own mother. So don’t make this into some anonymous press thing,” Kaine said, basically accusing Hegseth of lying.

Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona built on that line of questioning, saying Hegseth’s excuses about his drinking and sexual misconduct do not add up

“Which is it—have you overcome personal issues, or are you the target of a smear campaign? It can’t be both. It’s clear to me that you’re not being honest with us or the American people because you know the truth would disqualify you from getting the job,” Kelly said. “And just as concerning as each of these specific disqualifying accusations are, what concerns me just as much is the idea of having a secretary of defense who is not transparent.”

Meanwhile, Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, a military veteran who lost both of her legs in combat in Iraq, quizzed Hegseth on basic information about the military, and Hegseth could not answer.

Duckworth asked him to name one member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the relationship the United States has with them. Hegseth couldn’t answer.

“I suggest you do a little homework,” Duckworth told Hegseth, later adding “You’re not qualified, Mr. Hegseth.”

“Hegseth is an excellent communicator.”

I’ve heard that phrase used to describe Hegseth several times today, even by people who otherwise acknowledge his complete lack of qualifications for Secretary of Defense.

But he’s a good communicator… Like what? A host on QVC selling junk jewelry?

He isn’t truthful, he doesn’t explain anything, he doesn’t respond to meaningful questions in a meaningful way, he doesn’t inform people he’s talking to about anything, he has no interest in honest dialog.

How does that make him a “good communicator?”

It just means he’s slick enough for enough people who don’t know the difference to get away with it.

Even worse, he’s not even that talented at being slick, he’s just getting a huge assist by cowardly Republicans.