Supreme Court

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Listening to Kavanaugh's opening statement was a window into how he views himself. I don't think his testimony is going to provide much sway due to how unlikable he is.

I don't see how that opening statement plays any way but badly outside of the conservative base. The way he sat there and raged made me dislike him more by the minute. After seeing Ford's quiet, earnest testimony, to see it countered by what felt like Entitled White Male Rage only made it seem more likely that Kavanaugh committed that assault all those years ago.

 

No empathy, no reservation about this terrible situation, just pure rage about how people were treating HIM so badly.

 

Almost exactly what you'd expect from a privileged private high school student who's all growed up now, actually...

[gunnarthor]

Kavanaugh is coming across really bad in his hearing. I don't think he'll get on the court now.

[USAFChief]

 

I don't see how that opening statement plays any way but badly outside of the conservative base. The way he sat there and raged made me dislike him more by the minute. After seeing Ford's quiet, earnest testimony, to see it countered by what felt like Entitled White Male Rage only made it seem more likely that Kavanaugh committed that assault all those years ago.

 

No empathy, no reservation about this terrible situation, just pure rage about how people were treating HIM so badly.

 

Almost exactly what you'd expect from a privileged private high school student who's all growed up now, actually...

Mentioning both Trump and Clinton was a nice touch.

[D. Hocking]

Dan Rather

Kavanaugh, by his words, actions, and demeanor right now is either a man who has been horribly wronged or a stunning personification of white, male, privilege on display. It is up for America and the Senators to decide which, especially in the wake of Dr. Ford's testimony.

 

 

From his other comments, I think he is leaning towards the latter.

 

Also he might not be a Lindsey fan either:

 

Dan Rather

‏It may very well be that Senator Graham's comments in the wake of Dr. Ford's testimony will be played in future documentaries of these times - sort of like we hear from segregationists when talking about the history of the Civil Rights era.

 

 

Lindsey does not exactly show much empathy or awareness here:

 

https://www.newsweek.com/graham-woman-rape-sorry-tell-cops-1142445

[Brock Beauchamp]

And he just started yelling over Feinstein.

 

Oy. This is going to hell in a handbasket.

[TheLeviathan]

 

And he just started yelling over Feinstein.

 

Oy. This is going to hell in a handbasket.

 

Someone gave some poor coaching on this.

 

Not that I'm complaining.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Someone gave some poor coaching on this.

 

Not that I'm complaining.

Yep. I mean, to be clear, I'd like to yell over Feinstein some time. It sounds like fun.

 

But in this case, it's a terrible decision.

[D. Hocking]

 

Someone gave some poor coaching on this.

 

Not that I'm complaining.

 

It actually seems like how Trump would suggest to go - be angry, be the victim, double down on everything and make sure you shower blame at the Democrats.

[D. Hocking]

Speaking of Trump --

 

Robert Costa
President Trump is "riveted" and telling people, "This is why I nominated him," in a positive way, per person close to him. Talking to lots of people inside WH about how he likes how Kavanaugh is fighting back. Admires the defiance.

 

 

[ashbury]

Grassley opening the hearing by taking Feinstein to task without using her name.

 

And he should. She handled this terribly. It's not a political piece to be played, the letter (maybe sans name) should have been given to the committee immediately, not six weeks later at the eleventh hour.

Don't you think there's an argument to be made not to take an irreversible step (such as going to the committee) when the accusation is anonymous? Until the accuser is ready to face the accused, there's no substance to go on.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Don't you think there's an argument to be made not to take an irreversible step (such as going to the committee) when the accusation is anonymous? Until the accuser is ready to face the accused, there's no substance to go on.

I don't know how it should have been handled on a step-by-step basis, but some notification should have gone to the committee. How one goes about that and the process? Dunno, but that's well outside my scope of knowledge.

 

Sitting on it was the one solution I consider extremely wrong and probably the worst route to take.

[stringer bell]

I’m still saying that won’t stop them. I heard some of Ford’s testimony on the radio and she sound credible, but I believe proof positive is the only thing that will stop Mitch and his band of (mostly) merry men.

[gunnarthor]

 

I’m still saying that won’t stop them. I heard some of Ford’s testimony on the radio and she sound credible, but I believe proof positive is the only thing that will stop Mitch and his band of (mostly) merry men.

I think the GOP members of the committee will probably vote for him but I think he's ****ed this up enough that a few republicans not on the committee probably can't vote for him. Susan Collins might actually be on the fence now. 

 

His anger in this hearing is off-putting.

[PseudoSABR]

[Brock Beauchamp]

Durbin is pinning him down HARD on the FBI investigation right now. Well done.

[PseudoSABR]

 

Durbin is pinning him down HARD on the FBI investigation right now. Well done.

I wish I worked from home!  I've been cheating by being on twitter, but streaming is probably too inappropriate.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Graham is actually killing it up there. Had the GOP been smarter about this, they would have let the Senators be indignant on Kavanaugh's behalf and told Kavanaugh to keep it respectful.

[ashbury]

I don't know how it should have been handled on a step-by-step basis, but some notification should have gone to the committee. How one goes about that and the process? Dunno, but that's well outside my scope of knowledge.

 

Sitting on it was the one solution I consider extremely wrong and probably the worst route to take.

I don't know the processes either, but I am guessing that there is a ton of "chatter" going on, via all available sources of input, to each senator's office, during a confirmation hearing. There might be various "this Kavanaugh dude didn't pay me when I painted his house, here are my invoices as proof", sorts of incoming messages. Assault and attempted rape isn't on that scale, but anonymity is a negative, and there might be a dozen accusations at a given time that need to be fleshed out in one manner or another before telling the committee chair, "I think you need to know about this." For all we know, Ford asked her not to, until she was sure she herself could carry through.

 

I just expect that the everyday complexity of being a senator makes it hard to guess whether an approach was anywhere near the worst. Kavanaugh's the one who wants to be approved for high office, so it's poor form to be complaining that someone with possibly criminal evidence didn't do it right.

[ashbury]

Cornyn denies that this is a job interview. He says these are criminal allegations, and to vote against Kavanaugh means to say the allegations are true.

 

Dis-concur, senator. To vote for a judicial appointee means you are sure. A vote against can simply mean, try again, Mr President.

 

The sense of entitlement on Kavanaugh's behalf continues to astound me.

[PseudoSABR]

 

The sense of entitlement on Kavanaugh's behalf continues to astound me.

This.  It's not whether or not he committed these acts; it's that he's being denied something he is entitled to.

[gunnarthor]

I missed Klobuchar's questioning. How'd she do?

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I missed Klobuchar's questioning. How'd she do?

Typical Klobuchar. By the book and I nodded off at one point.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Honestly, separate from the sexual assault accusation, does anyone here believe one word out of Kavanaugh's mouth regarding his drinking habits as a teenager?

 

He's so obviously lying up there.

[D. Hocking]

 

Honestly, separate from the sexual assault accusation, does anyone here believe one word out of Kavanaugh's mouth regarding his drinking habits as a teenager?

 

He's so obviously lying up there.

 

And he was not exactly completely honest and forthcoming at his initial hearing.  Even disregarding the sexual assault accusations,  this is not someone who seems qualified to be on the highest court  of the land for the next 30 years.  Plus, as angry as he is now, you can't tell me he is not going to allow his resentments against anything relating to the Democrats affect how he will rule from the bench.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Flake is coming up soon. I hope this part is interesting and Flake doesn't just phone it in.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b82Hqf6x0ZQ

[gunnarthor]

Kavanaugh is doing a good job of stalling when the dems question him to eat up their 5 minutes. Very annoying.

[TheLeviathan]

If eyes had lasers, Sasse just zapped the hell out of Feinstein.

[ashbury]

Kavanaugh is doing a good job of stalling when the dems question him to eat up their 5 minutes. Very annoying.

Yep. He has yet to answer a direct question from the minority with a direct answer, sometimes interrupting to answer what he'd rather talk about.

 

If this Supreme Court gig doesn't work out, he can always be the president's press secretary. He's adept at spin. Or, with Michael Cohen gone, maybe he can be the president's fixer.

[Vanimal46]

Too funny not to share...

 

[Badsmerf]

I listened top the past few hours of and on and wow.... He is a total douche. His combative attitude toward legitimate, easy questions by democrats makes me wish I met him in college. I really think the democrats need to bite back at him, and not allow him to stall and Bull**** the entire time.

 

There is no doubt he engaged in parties when he was younger, and that he is practically lying about it.... without it being necessary. I was on the fence with him before about executive power, and conflict of interest. Now, I'm completely against him based on his testimony alone not to mention Ford's.