Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

It’s the corruption, stupid.

Consistently wrong since 2002

Some judge needs to shut this circus down soon.

“woke” is the new caravan.

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

Red lights blinking on democracy’s dashboard

When your entire life is steeped in white supremacy, equality feels like discrimination.

Second rate reporter says what?

We are builders in a constant struggle with destroyers. let’s win this.

Joe Lieberman disappointingly reemerged to remind us that he’s still alive.

Republicans don’t trust women.

A snarling mass of vitriolic jackals

Good lord, these people are nuts.

New McCarthy, same old McCarthyism.

The cruelty is the point; the law be damned.

We cannot abandon the truth and remain a free nation.

Conservatism: there are some people the law protects but does not bind and others who the law binds but does not protect.

Jesus, Mary, & Joseph how is that election even close?

This year has been the longest three days of putin’s life.

Black Jesus loves a paper trail.

“And when the Committee says to “report your income,” that could mean anything!

Bark louder, little dog.

Balloon Juice has never been a refuge for the linguistically delicate.

You are here: Home / Politics / America / Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing with Dr. Blasey and Judge Kavanaugh Live Feed Part VI

Reader Interactions

266Comments

  3. 3.

    Jerzy Russian

    What an exhausting day, and it is not even halfway over for me (heading into my first class now).

    Thanks to all who posted for the benefit of those of us who could not watch.

  6. 6.

    Leto

    Cynthia Alksne, MSNBC, pointing out how it would look if a woman came in and did what Kavanope was doing, that she’d be walked out/called hysterical. How the double standard for men and women still exist.

  7. 7.

    Miss Bianca

    My God, what is Lindsey Graham on? He’s the first one who shouldered “the prosecutor” aside?

  8. 8.

    PJ

    I said it below, but I feel compelled to say it again: Christ, what an asshole.

    But Trump and the true believers are lapping it up, so it may save him yet.

  12. 12.

    Leto

    Jesus I wish MSNBC would get Brian Williams off the fucking air. Get someone competent in the chair. Ffs.

  13. 13.

    WaterGirl

    I hope Christine Blasey Ford files charges right now. And what about the others credible women? Are they being ignored?

  15. 15.

    TenguPhule

    @Martin:

    I guess the work the FBI does is now useless.

    This all part of Trump’s master plan to make all references to institutions meaningless in the grand scheme of things.

  16. 16.

    Hill Dweller

    Needless to say, “Devil’s Triangle” isn’t a drinking game and “boofing” isn’t a euphamism for farting. The man lies effortlessly.

  19. 19.

    Cheryl from Maryland

    Ugh, the total lack of respect Kavanaugh showed to Senator Klobuchar. Talking over her, asking her questions about her drinking habits and not answering her questions. THAT’S THE GOP’S attitude towards women.

  20. 20.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??

    I tuned into the feed when Koblacher was questioning him and the asshole asked her if she ever had any alcohol problems. WTF! And the Gasbag Grassley sounding so pissy and indignant while he was lying his ass off about the FBI. And condescending too! God, not a good fucking look at all

  23. 23.

    Elizabelle

    @debit: Was out of the room. Who was ranting?

    Glad I have not missed the whole thing. Came back and C-Span had a caller on, whingeing about the “Democrat party.” Of which he claimed to be a member. He has never. been. so. ashamed. for the Democrat party.

    Le sigh.

  25. 25.

    TenguPhule

    Democratic senator Amy Klobuchar questioned Kavanaugh about his drinking habits: “You’re saying there has never been a case where you drank so much you never remembered what happened the night before?”

    Kavanaugh responded by repeatedly trying to ask the senator about her drinking habits: “I think you’ve probably had beers, senator.”

    Mansplaining in real time. So many goats they could start their own hedge fund trimming business.

  27. 27.

    What Have The Romans Ever Done for Us?

    I hope someone points out that when they asked Ford if she wanted Judge to testify she gave a straightforward yes. Kavanaugh’s is dodging a lot of questions. That doesn’t make a person look like they’re telling the truth.

  28. 28.

    burnspbesq

    Kavanaugh is auditioning for Fox News. He has very good reason to be concerned about keeping his gig on the D.C. Circuit, in light of the highly credible information that has emerged during the confirmation process regarding repeated Rule 6(e) violations during the Starr investigation.

  29. 29.

    TenguPhule

    Sarah Sanders
    ✔
    @PressSec
    [email protected] has more decency and courage than every Democrat member of the committee combined. God bless him.

    10:55 AM – Sep 27, 2018

    There is no god because Sarah Sanders is not a cloud of gray ash right now.

  30. 30.

    germy

    @Cheryl from Maryland:

    Ugh, the total lack of respect Kavanaugh showed to Senator Klobuchar. Talking over her, asking her questions about her drinking habits and not answering her questions. THAT’S THE GOP’S attitude towards women.

    And this after telling her he respected her.

  31. 31.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    @Leto: Not sure about it even with guys. Crying, outside your parents or kids dying that’s girly man behavior, the Duke didn’t cry, neither should you, and so on. But apparently Conservatives live in their own world.

  32. 32.

    Rommie

    They got their revenge for Presidenting while Black, and now they want revenge for Women not respecting Hush-Hush. Graham was projecting strongly when talking about wanting power.

  33. 33.

    Elizabelle

    Pink hat time.

    I wonder if I need to straggle up 95 to protest in person. Was gonna stay down here and canvass for Abigail Spanberger.

  35. 35.

    Amir Khalid

    @Miss Bianca:
    Well, they can’t take Kavanaugh off before he does himself any more damage, so this is their only shot at making a change to fix this. It’s very obviously the wrong one. Graham’s performance, and his fellow Senators’, will likely be (as my people would say) akin to a mouse repairing a pumpkin.

  36. 36.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @TenguPhule: avanaugh responded by repeatedly trying to ask the senator about her drinking habits: “I think you’ve probably had beers, senator.”

    He did the same thing to Whitehouse. “What do you like to drink, Senator?” Truculent and belligerent like a teenager who got busted for drinking. The fifteen minutes I could stomach were surreal.

  41. 41.

    germy

    CBSN sort of just repeats GOP talking points during breaks, and then do theater criticism, and then more GOP talking points.

  42. 42.

    TenguPhule

    @Elizabelle:

    I wonder if I need to straggle up 95 to protest in person. Was gonna stay down here and canvass for Abigail Spanberger.

    Canvas would be more productive.

    Another protest isn’t going to be heard when Scandals are on the hour everyhour.

  43. 43.

    MomSense

    Boofed = anal sex
    7Fs = find them French them feel them finger them fuck them forget them forever
    Devil’s Triangle = a threesome with two men one woman.

  46. 46.

    Elizabelle

    “Both sides. This is like a Jerry Springer episode.”

    Why I don’t listen to C-Span callers very much.

  47. 47.

    germy

    Avenatti’s reply to Don, jr.

    Shhhhh! The adults are working. Best that you concentrate on “hunting” big game animals in enclosures.
    Btw, someday you might want to stop trying to trade on your father’s alleged “success” and start working on your own.— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) September 27, 2018

  48. 48.

    banditqueen

    The teetotaler virgin Brett scarcely acknowledges that the FBI actually has a function separate from the senate judiciary committee. The teetotaler virgin Brett believes that he does not only answer questions but also ‘draws conclusions’ for the senate–that everything he says is valid and thorough on the face of it.
    And then he turns around and demands that Sen Klobuchar respond to his question on whether she has ever been blackout drunk–“I want to know about your drinking habits” he says.

  49. 49.

    TenguPhule

    @Amir Khalid:

    akin to a mouse repairing a pumpkin.

    That doesn’t translate well because we have the Disney version of Cinderella were they essentially almost succeed in doing that.

  51. 51.

    Elizabelle

    Caller: Says both were equally credible. Before, said he would not have believed CB Ford.

    But Kavanaugh has evidence. He’s got that calendar. — John, caller to C-Span

    Moderator says Lindsey Graham gave a fiery speech.

    Fiery speeches is what got us the Civil War, no?

  53. 53.

    narya

    Why does he keep saying (apparently; I can’t watch) that he was a virgin for so long? That does not contradict anything the three accusers have said–none of them have accused penetration.

  54. 54.

    Miss Bianca

    @Amir Khalid: I keep trying to imagine, “in what universe do they think this type of pearl-clutching and shrieking makes them look like the he-manly Uebermenschen they so obviously think they are?”

    Then I realize I can’t imagine that universe because I so don’t live there.

  55. 55.

    MisterForkbeard

    @Elizabelle: Look, “Democrats calmly asking factually based questions, Republicans refusing to answer and literally yelling about how awful Democrats are” is exactly the same behavior.

  56. 56.

    trnc

    @Martin:

    I guess the work the FBI does is now useless.

    Bingo. I’m waiting for a senator to ask him if the FBI should be disbanded since we can get written testimony from anyone we need.

  57. 57.

    TriassicSands

    I listened to and watched the testimony of both Blasey Ford and Kavanaugh and by chance I ended up on NBC. Now, I’ve been subjected to Megyn Kelly defending Kavanaugh and making the case for mistaken indentity. Now, Kelly is attacking one Democratic senator after another. When she was on Fox, no one pretended she was fair, but is she still supposed to be a shill for Republicans? When she moved to NBC, did they hire her to simply continue her role from Fox?

    It was remarkable hearing the back and forth between Kelly and Andrea Mitchell. Kelly is a real piece of work.

  58. 58.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??

    @TenguPhule:
    What’s the color of the sky in her fucking world? Is she even watching the same feed? I can’t understand the thought processes of these people

  59. 59.

    Leto

    Cynthia Alksne Stating that Lindsey’s rant was his audition for AG.Maybe that’s why he’s been so cozy with Trumpov: angling for a new job? Throwin’ his buddy, KKKeebler Elf, under the tree.

  60. 60.

    Elizabelle

    @TenguPhule: True. And it might be fun to hear if people ever say anything about this at the doors.

    So far, the topic has not come up. Dave Brat is unpopular enough in his own right, without them wasting breath on BK.

  67. 67.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??

    @Elizabelle:
    That’s the scary part in all of this. That this is like 1849 or 1850 and the 2nd Civil War is a decade or so away. No state has had a civil war that also possessed an arsenal of nuclear weapons. Yet.

  68. 68.

    lamh36

    Uh…huh…someone musta told him he came off looking bad.

    @ddale8
    1m1 minute ago
    More
    Kavanaugh apologizes for asking Klobuchar if she has blacked out from drinking. “I’m sorry about that,” he says, saying the hearing has been “tough.”

  71. 71.

    Elizabelle

    This is worse than Robert Bork. And worse than Clarence Thomas. This is a national disgrace. The way you’re being treated.

    Hatch was telling the truth until he added that last sentence.

  73. 73.

    Leto

    Orrin Hatch up to bat. Just going to repeat: SHUT THE FUCK UP, ORRIN! YOU’RE AN ASSHOLE!

    His voice cracked on “teenage years”. Good for a guffaw

  76. 76.

    germy

    @TriassicSands:

    Now, I’ve been subjected to Megyn Kelly defending Kavanaugh and making the case for mistaken indentity.

    I saw her commentary briefly. I turned her off when she said “Everyone keeps saying ‘This wasn’t done to Gorsuch!’ Well, MeTo hadn’t happened yet, when Gorsuch got in!”

    And my first thought was “But MeTo hadn’t happened when Thomas was nominated. Maybe the problem is with the nominees.”

  77. 77.

    Patricia Kayden

    Hatch is SHOCKED that high school activities are being held against Kavanaugh. Nice message to send to high school boys.

  78. 78.

    lamh36

    @washingtonpost
    Order of Dem. senators questioning Kavanaugh (Republicans will cede time to Rachel Mitchell):

    Sen. Feinstein
    Sen. Leahy
    Sen. Durbin
    Sen. Whitehouse
    Sen. Klobuchar
    Sen. Coons
    Sen. Blumenthal
    Sen. Hirono
    Sen. Booker
    Sen. Harris

  79. 79.

    MisterForkbeard

    @lamh36: “Hey, I know I do totally unreasonable and angry things when I get excited, and I would like to remind everyone that this fact has nothing to do with the current accusations against me.”

  81. 81.

    Immanentize

    I swear to God that if Senator Harris just spent one of her minutes simply looking — staring — at Kavanaugh, saying nothing, he would burst into rage flames.

  83. 83.

    lamh36

    @janestreet
    Follow Follow @janestreet
    More Jane C. Timm Retweeted congress-edits
    A House of Reps IP address edits ‘Devil’s Triangle’ entry on Wikipedia to include Brett Kavanaugh’s claim that it’s a drinking game

  84. 84.

    Steeplejack (tablet)

    Jeez, Orrin Hatch just took a swan dive off the 10-meter board into an empty pool in his opening comments. What an A-hole.

    . . . And his “questions” continue in the same vein.

  86. 86.

    Elizabelle

    Again, DiFi the ranking member as Villain in Chief.

    Beating on a woman. All puffed up about the procedure, when the issue is sexual assault allegations.

  90. 90.

    Patricia Kayden

    @TriassicSands: Kelly is fine with sexism if it’s cloaked in a Republican body. I bet she wouldn’t defend a Democratic Judge under the same circumstances.

  91. 91.

    eemom

    (

    Republicans will cede time to Rachel Mitchell):

    WHEN did that change? I missed it. Was any explanation given?

  94. 94.

    Elizabelle

    @eemom: No. The men are happy being hysterical on their own. The he men of the GOP Senate Judiciary have found their own voices.

  95. 95.

    lamh36

    @ddale8
    Following Following @ddale8
    More
    Dem Sen. Coons asks Kavanaugh about a classmate, Liz Swisher, who told the Post that he was a “sloppy drunk” and she knows because she drank with him. He says, “I do not think that’s a fair characterization.”

  96. 96.

    TenguPhule

    “You may defeat me in the final vote, but you’ll never get me to quit, never,” he said.

    Challenge accepted.

  98. 98.

    MisterForkbeard

    @lamh36: Except when (you know) they don’t cede their time to Mitchell and start yelling about Democrats being evil.

    Following rules and plans is for Democrats, I guess.

  104. 104.

    Elizabelle

    Grassley bloviating about they could have had more time to investigate this.

    But they won’t have the FBI do it. Such drama.

  107. 107.

    Mrs. D. Ranged in AZ

    Can someone explain to me IF and then why Dr. Ford’s friend, Leland? Kaiser, said she didn’t even know Kavanaugh? Dr. Ford said something about Kaiser having medical issues? What’s going on there?

  113. 113.

    Kay

    chewy/stale chips and warm, dented A&W
    ‏Verified account
    @ByYourLogic
    2h2 hours ago
    More
    Kavanaugh taking the “suburban dad goes beast mode on service worker” route. new strategy

    Whatever else we know or don’t know, we now know he’s an asshole. They should bar him from coaching girls sports just for that. We don’t want asshole girls, either :)

    I get that he “loves” coaching. That doesn’t mean he’s entitled to do it. We can find higher quality volunteer coaches.

  117. 117.

    Ruviana

    @TenguPhule: These were the things that surprised me–even stuff that could be softball answers that would reflect well on him he had to get hostile and defensive about. This would’ve been easy to answer with a no or an I don’t recall after so many years.

  119. 119.

    raven

    @Kay: “We can find higher quality volunteer coaches.” One of the main things that drove me out of municipal parks and recreation. It’s not as easy as it might seem!

  122. 122.

    Elizabelle

    And now Mike Lee rolls out a decades old quote about the FBI from Joe Biden.

    So if the FBI is so useless, shall we just disband them?

    Rule of law. No respect for it, by the Senators. Senate procedures, yes. But not the substance.

  124. 124.

    Amir Khalid

    @zhena gogolia:
    I take it that one side is panicking because it sees itself about to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory* on this nomination.

    Winston Churchill may not have done much to earn the admiration of schrodinger’s cat, but he did come up with this delightful turn of an old phrase.

  132. 132.

    Elizabelle

    Blum; the core of why we are here today is credibility …

    now bringing up Renate… Dolphin. Poor woman.

  133. 133.

    Central Planning

    I caught few minutes of his teary testimony on the radio.

    To me, he sounded like one of my kids when they are finally caught in a lie and keep trying to deny it. What an asshole.

  134. 134.

    trnc

    @eemom: “Republicans will cede time to Rachel Mitchell):

    WHEN did that change? I missed it. Was any explanation given?”

    Maybe she felt that she could no longer participate because she thinks BK is lying?

  136. 136.

    terraformer

    He’s a belligerent little prick, isn’t he? He’s angry, he’s bitter, he clearly believes that he shouldn’t be asked questions about his history. He doesn’t belong on ANY bench, much less the SC.

    As a white male, I am embarrassed and apologize to all people, particularly women.

  137. 137.

    Mary G

    @Kay: Yes, one of the reasons he is so furious is that he knows that his whole life as judge, coach, everything is in question now. And his life is ruined and deservedly so, whether he gets confirmed or not.

  138. 138.

    Mrs. D. Ranged in AZ

    So now the GOP argument is, “Since the Dems didn’t ask about rape and alcoholism before, they shouldn’t be asking now.” IE, we know what he is but we don’t care so we are going to put Rapey McRapeface on SCOTUS because we don’t like the timing of your questions.

  139. 139.

    Elizabelle

    WaPost enormous headline:

    Kavanaugh hearing turns partisan as GOP senators lash out at treatment of nominee

  140. 140.

    Elizabelle

    WaPost front page:

    Sen. Graham rejects allegations, rips Democrats in a furious speech
    “To my Republican colleagues, if you vote no, you’re legitimizing the most despicable thing I’ve seen in my time in politics,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said.

    Supreme Court nominee Brett M. Kavanaugh called his confirmation process a “national disgrace” and denied sexual assault allegations, which Christine Blasey Ford detailed in testimony earlier.

  145. 145.

    MisterForkbeard

    @Elizabelle: Credit where credit is due, Republicans knew they could get the media to cover the fact that they’re screaming about partisanship rather than noticing that Democrats are trying to conduct a fair hearing and it’s not going well for Republicans.

    Our media goes after shiny objects. Hopefully the actual article is a little better.

  148. 148.

    psycholinguist

    If this guy is trying to convince people he isn’t a violent, aggressive drunk, he might want to calm his ass down just a bit. I’m glad Corey Booker is sitting by Harris because Kavenah might make a move for her when she starts poking his buttons.

  150. 150.

    Elizabelle

    @jacy: Yeah. I find this kind of exhausting too. Look forward to Mazie and Cory and Kamala.

    But what a horrible thing, to go through his waterworks opening statement.

    And these Republicans are thieves. They are liars. They are not statesmen.

    I don’t recall hearing Jeff Flake. Did he let the woman take his slot?

  153. 153.

    J R in WV

    Our internet connection today, due to really heavy rain and it being a sat link, won’t support streaming video from MSNBC or CSPAN… so.

    We’ll be limited to watching NBC network news at 6:30… so… I’m grateful for all of you who were able to watch the BS and comment on it for the jackals who were unable or unwilling to watch those Republican bastards and “Judge” Kavanaugh refusing to answer questions, still, again. What an ass.

    No opinions on whether shitfaced “Judge” gets promoted to “Justice” or not. Hoping not, but Republicans work for Russia, not for Americans, so who knows?

  159. 159.

    Redshift

    @Elizabelle:

    BK reminds me of Donald Trump with how he speaks of Ms. Dolphin. It’s uncanny.

    He knows Trump is watching, and he knows that if he acts like Trump, Trump will love it and keep enthusiastically supporting the nomination.

    It’s not just foreign dictators who have figured out how easy it is to manipulate Trump…

  160. 160.

    Caravelle

    That whole “piece together the evening” quote is pretty damning; I hope somebody comes back to it and asks him *what he meant by that* if he actually remembered everything perfectly.

    Overall Kavanaugh isn’t coming across well to me. He keeps embroidering his answers with irrelevant tangents, interrupting the questions, and often ends up not answering the question at all.

  162. 162.

    MisterForkbeard

    @Quinerly: I know what you mean. 2 hours ago it was so obvious that Ford was really doing a great job and Republicans were faceplanting. They still are, but…

    Republicans are basically banking on yelling about disprovable ‘facts’ and acting incredibly aggrieved will distract the media enough and get their own people back on board. And they might be right about it – the Republicans involved are demonstrating that they’ll do literally anything to get their way.

    This long, rambling hearing does do one good thing, though – if he gets confirmed, Kavanaugh has provided a number of statements here that can be looked into and disproved. So that’s nice. Maybe we can use that in future impeachment hearings where Republicans line up behind him and officially support lying to the Senate.

  163. 163.

    MazeDancer

    Am muting the GOP questioners now.

    Alternately sobbing and raging.

    They’re going to do it, aren’t they? All these entitled white men are going to put this whiney, low-life on the Supreme Court. They’ll chalk it up to Christine was hysterical, clearly molested by someone, but not our Brett.

    Fortunately, it will cost them the House and the Senate. And then there will be an FBI Investigation.

  166. 166.

    debbie

    @Elizabelle:

    I listened all day at work and had to stop around 5:00 when Miss Lindsey went off.

    I believe it was he who said this was the most shameful scandal since the McCarthy hearings? Suh, Misters Bork, Thomas, and even Clinton, would like words with you.

    “I like beer. Boys and girls like beer. Don’t you like beer, Senator? Don’t you, don’t you, don’t you?”

  167. 167.

    PPCLI

    @Elizabelle: Huh? They do have more time. It’s the Republicans who want to force a vote quickly before even talking to Ramirez. Really, Senator Grassley, take all the time you need. We won’t object.

  168. 168.

    tobie

    @debit: Sasse’s reputation as an independent Republican just went out the window with that minute of venting. Glad he revealed himself. That outburst will be replayed should he ever run for President.

  171. 171.

    debit

    @Elizabelle: It does seem like they’re circling the wagons and doing their best to rehabilitate him. I had hoped that there would be a sense of shame after Dr Ford testified, but no, they’re all going full steam ahead.

  174. 174.

    Quinerly

    @Elizabelle: @??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??: Maybe I’m on overload. I just see all the Repugs sticking together and Kavanaugh being confirmed. I was optimistic a couple of hrs ago actually thinking that Trump might pull the nomination due to his hatred of drunks….Kavanaugh just saying “beer” over and over would send Trump over the edge. Then I came to my senses. Very upsetting day.

  177. 177.

    jacy

    @Quinerly: yeah. My best two hopes were trump pulling Kavanaugh or Kavanaugh withdrawing — both of those less likely now. So then it comes down to two senators, and I just see Murkowski standing by herself.

  179. 179.

    WaterGirl

    @Quinerly: Exactly how I feel.

    Trump is deliberately using propaganda and misinformation (his fake news) to overturn the table and do what he pleases. I feel literally sick again. He has learned well from Putin. As far as I’m concerned, most of the news media can be burned at the stake for their complicity.

  180. 180.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??

    @MazeDancer:

    Fortunately, it will cost them the House and the Senate.

    Fuck I hope so. That Doug! post downstairs about the generic ballot tightening slightly has me worried a little. Didn’t the polls tighten towards a few months before Election Day 2016?

  181. 181.

    Mike in NC

    Lindsey Graham quickly went from being a Never Trump to a Trump Can Do No Wrong. Pathetic weasel.

  183. 183.

    debbie

    @Elizabelle:

    I heard a couple commentators saying she made mistakes in questioning Ford this morning. You just know, don’t you, that men are far better at running things? //

  184. 184.

    JGabriel

    @Caravelle:

    Overall Kavanaugh isn’t coming across well to me. He keeps embroidering his answers with irrelevant tangents, interrupting the questions, and often ends up not answering the question at all.

    Yep. And he’s an asshole.

  185. 185.

    sam the fucking turkey

    not enough has been said about the indefensible choice of these idiots on cbs as a live feed.
    what the actual fuck were you thinking? do you watch this group regularly?
    it’s this dour, 4th tier repub mouthpiece kabuki with literally no useful observations.
    there must be 50 other sources without these asshats providing color commentary.
    do better.

  186. 186.

    Mary G

    @MazeDancer: I was sure they wouldn’t, but I guess they are:

    Republicans have confirmed that the Senate Judiciary Committee's vote on Kavanaugh is still scheduled for tomorrow. And Mitch McConnell says he wants to hold the confirmation vote as soon as possible.— Caroline O. (@RVAwonk) September 27, 2018

  187. 187.

    Chris Johnson

    @different-church-lady: They have to because they’e traitors and Kavanaugh is a Russian asset who will let them get away with it. They have no choice, and can’t use other rapey Yalie judges, of which they have loads. It’s gotta be THIS guy and it’s not because of the rapeyness.

    I think it’s a dead giveaway if they do indeed force through this guy in spite of this debacle. It would be so easy to get mostly the same right wing fanaticism from so many Federalist Society pukes, but no, it’s got to be THIS guy and it’s being handled in this desperate last-ditch way. They cannot do otherwise because he’s the one who will save them from getting busted as traitors. Apparently none of the other Federalist Society creeps are Russian assets? Which seems weird since the NRA have Russian assets, but go figure.

  188. 188.

    chopper

    @MazeDancer:

    They’ll chalk it up to Christine was hysterical, clearly molested by someone, but not our Brett.

    they’re not even going to go that far. they’re just going to dismiss her experience as irrelevant. like men, in both politics and the rest of society, do to women every single day.

  189. 189.

    Fleeting Expletive

    I interviewed for a county judgeship one time. It was an excruciating business and I was really, really ambivalent. My ex wanted to be married to a judge, that was about the size of it. They wound up asking me about my medical history (this wouldv’e been late-ish eighties), and I blurbled out when asked about prescriptions that I had been on antidepressants. Well, that was the end of that and ultimately plenty okay by me—I bailed on lawyerhood a few years later, and on the marriage almost a decade later.
    I’ve been investigated by the FBI two or three times. First for the Peace Corps in late 60’s, later as a federal agency drone and then the state. It was thorough according to what friends from high school related. For the PC, I had to list every residential address back to “1955 or your birthdate”.
    This situation is baffling on many levels.

  190. 190.

    Elizabelle

    @Mary G: We don’t know that they have the votes, though.

    Mitch has said that before and then delayed the vote. This is all theatre.

    Calling Murkowski’s office now.

  191. 191.

    cynthia ackerman

    I’m with Elon Musk.

    Today is a good day to be the subject of very bad news.

    Invisible due to the Senate/Kavanaugh tsunami.

  193. 193.

    Mary G

    Oooh, Mazie is going to temperament. The Democrats are pretty organized in cutting up the topics and building up to the worst bits for Kamala Harris.

  195. 195.

    Elizabelle

    If you guys are going to be “this is over, he’s on the Court” I am out of here. Who needs to hear that?

  196. 196.

    lamh36

    And…I’m done…I can’t watch anymore of this sham.

    I’m can’t wait long enough just for Kamala and Cory.

    Kavanugh will be confirmed…cause Flake, Sasse, Collins, and Murkowski, all of them are cowards

    @RVAwonk
    3m3 minutes ago
    More
    Republicans have confirmed that the Senate Judiciary Committee’s vote on Kavanaugh is still scheduled for tomorrow. And Mitch McConnell says he wants to hold the confirmation vote as soon as possible.

  197. 197.

    MisterForkbeard

    @Mary G: My hope for this is that Murkowski and another Senator have souls in the wake of this obvious refusal to do a real investigation and to ignore Avenatti’s client.

    I doubt it will happen, but it’s a thing.

  198. 198.

    debit

    Hey guys! Did you know that Brett studied really hard? He worked his butt off! He played sports! Did I mention he worked his butt off?

  199. 199.

    different-church-lady

    OK, I’m trying to imagine this without having seen it: “I’ve blacked out! Of course I’ve blacked out! Everyone’s blacked out! Haven’t you blacked out? You’ve blacked out!”

    “Judge Kavanaugh, I’m not sure what it is you’re…”

    “You’ve blacked out! DOZENS of times, haven’t you!”

  200. 200.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??

    @Mary G:
    Even after today’s performance? My god, what the fuck is wrong these people? Why are they so deranged? All of the polls show this guy is underwater. Nobody thinks he should get a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court. Kavanaugh better have good security for the rest of his miserable fucking life. That goes for the rest of Senate majority as well.

  204. 204.

    Mike in NC

    Still reading “The Man Without A Face” by Masha Gessen, but it’s amazing how much Trump and Putin have in common: a need to humiliate and punish adversaries, an inability to accept any form of criticism, boundless vanity, etc. The difference is that Putin has allowed hundreds of Russians to die in staged terrorist attacks in order to consolidate his power. Trump so far has merely let Americans die from a profound lack of interest in anybody but himself.

  206. 206.

    MazeDancer

    @Quinerly:

    Very upsetting day

    Devastating.

    Not only are the GOP destroying SCOTUS, and, well, Democracy, they are ignoring abused women. They don’t care a whit this guy was a drunk who tried to rape women.

    Want to know who does care? WOMEN!

    We will take them down. Every one. They will go down.

    And if Murkowski and Collins vote against Women, they should go first.

  208. 208.

    Elizabelle

    These Republican traitors think they might lose the Senate.

    They have to keep their mouth-breathing base involved. That is what this is.

    Please show more courage. It is hard to be up against liars.

  209. 209.

    MisterForkbeard

    @JWR: Yeah. I think the committee will vote him through, because the Republicans have all demonstrated they’re soulless monsters who side with a crying rage-golem rather than a woman who carefully and quietly stands up to abuse.

    There’s some hope that the larger Republican senate won’t be 100% in, but my God this country has fallen so far in just two years.

  212. 212.

    VeniceRiley

    Good gad, the faux outrage is at level 11. Republicans only point is Democrats are evil and DiFi is the DEVIL’s own ringleader prancing with a pitchfork around a bonfire. What the actual F? Oh, how put out and put upon they are!

  214. 214.

    Quinerly

    @Leto: I hate to be a downer on this but that’s the huge problem and one of the main reasons I feel like the good guys are losing. Dems never get to finish their questions/get their points across. Repugs love this belligerent crap from Kavanaugh. Makes Dems look weak. I’m not saying we are weak but people who love Trump are laughing at us, I’m sure.

  216. 216.

    Patricia Kayden

    @Leto: It’s a pretty neat strategy. He gets to cut into Democrats’ time knowing that they get no chance to follow up on questions.

  219. 219.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??

    @Quinerly:
    These are the same people who think being a belligerent asshole is a sign of strength. They were always going to think that. Make them irrelevant by outvoting them

  220. 220.

    Elizabelle

    Cory Booker up now. It’s one more GOP senator, the fabulous Kamala Harris, and then this shitshow wraps up.

    Work the phones. Leave voicemails. Do not assume they have the votes. They are liars and traitors. We have to keep this crying jackhole off the Supreme Court.

  221. 221.

    chopper

    @MazeDancer:

    i think there’s a good chance murkowski votes no. collins of course has no fucking spine. the fact that an opponent who hasn’t even declared yet will be sitting on a bigger warchest than hers if she votes yes may influence her vote, maybe, but expecting her to ever vote against the GOP is a mug’s game.

    i’m hoping that one more gooper will vote no and BK will go down by a vote. but hoping for republicans to do the right thing is a pretty lousy idea.

  222. 222.

    Leto

    @Patricia Kayden: yeah, I know. It’s frustrating. I’m glad Booker is shutting that shit down. Making him stay in topic. Interrupting Him To make sure he stays on point. Good on Sen Booker.

  224. 224.

    Jeffro

    Q: why did the GOP bring in an outside prosecutor to question Dr. Ford today, but choose to spend their whole afternoon praising Brett Kavanaugh? What was the point? Do they really think anyone beyond their base is dumb enough to not see this for what it is?

    See ya in November*, GOP!

    *btw while I most definitely don’t want this to happen, if Kavanaugh is eventually seated, my guess is that it keeps R turnout low – they will have already gotten what they want – but mobilizes D voters like crazy. Lemonade out of lemons, I guess…

  225. 225.

    JGabriel

    Quinerly:

    I’m not saying we are weak but people who love Trump are laughing at us, I’m sure.

    Let’s see if they’re still laughing the day after the mid-term elections.

  233. 233.

    MisterForkbeard

    @Ian R: Yeah. I’m going to do the same thing.

    @khead: And that’s when you unfriend those people for being gigantic sexist assholes.

    @Patricia Kayden: This is the entire point of the “five minute” rule. He can easily run out the clock on literally everything and just whine about his kids or coaching.

    @??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??: Yes. Don’t address the actual allegations except to say that you didn’t do it. And then yell and attack constantly and Republicans will probably stick by you.

  235. 235.

    Mary G

    @chopper: The fix might be in where Murkowski votes no and all the other Rs vote yes, so it will be 51-49. I would think some of these senators would get how bad they will look, but I don’t know.

  237. 237.

    JWR

    Oh dear God, Ted Cruz. (Go Beto!)

    PS. Hmm. This blurg is suddenly retaining my nym & email, and then not.

  240. 240.

    Eljai

    He keeps saying that the others at the party say it didn’t happen. But that’s not correct. They say they don’t recall. And why would they? There were three people in the bedroom, Mark Judge, Kavanaugh, and CBFord. The rest of the party was in the living room not being assaulted so how the fuck would they know what was happening in an upstairs bedroom? And when he was asked previously if Mark Judge should testify, he bloviated without answering.

  241. 241.

    texasboyshaun

    @VeniceRiley: JFC, always a gay joke with you? Maybe that’s ok back in Irkutsk or wherever you’re from in Siberia, but in America we’re moving on. Your Disqus avatar is probably Pepe.

  244. 244.

    randy khan

    Apropos of nothing, LGM’s thread on the Kavanaugh testimony is about to hit a double T-Bogg unit. But I think BJ is well ahead in total comments on the hearing.

  247. 247.

    Matt McIrvin

    @Jeffro:

    Do they really think anyone beyond their base is dumb enough to not see this for what it is?

    I think we might be underestimating how many shitty Democratic-leaning guys with a past of arguable sexual harassment there are. This performance could flip them to vote Republican. If it’s more than the number of gettable Republican-leaning women’s votes, we’re in trouble.

  248. 248.

    Elizabelle

    @schrodingers_cat: I don’t like being around defeatism.

    I know we are up against liars and traitors and thieves.

    But we should not act helpless. And this is not over.

    I hope that people here are too cynical about the Republicans. Maybe they are, maybe they aren’t.

    And never forget the cheating.

    BK just said he did not watch CB Ford’s testimony. Wow.

  249. 249.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??

    @chopper:
    And you know that fucker Pence will break the tie. That’s all he’s good for! He ranks #8 out of all of the US Vice-Presidents for number of tie-breaking votes cast. He’s cast 9 so far and it’s barely been two years.

  252. 252.

    Mrs. D. Ranged in AZ

    @Elizabelle: Acknowledging probable reality is not defeatism. I still think we should and will be able to impeach Kavanaugh after the midterms, and we still have a chance to take back not only the House and also the Senate, plus we have the results of the Mueller investigation. So I still have hope, just not about this nomination. Just calling it like I see it. Sorry to be a debbie downer but there it is.

  254. 254.

    FlipYrWhig

    @Matt McIrvin:

    how many shitty Democratic-leaning guys with a past of arguable sexual harassment there are. This performance could flip them to vote Republican

    How does this work, exactly, as a thought process? “I’m normally a Democratic voter, but like the Republican Supreme Court nominee’s record of groping drunk chicks, so I’m voting Republican this year”?

  255. 255.

    schrodingers_cat

    @Mrs. D. Ranged in AZ: Its not over until its over. What they want to do has been clear from the outset. There are two more steps to his confirmation. Doug Jones was not supposed to win and ACA was going to be defeated as well. If they push him through we make them pay a price.

  256. 256.

    ruemara

    @Quinerly: We were never going to win them over anyway. I don’t know why I’m supposed to care.

    @Matt McIrvin: If you’re not drunk as you type that “thought”, you should still claim that as an excuse because it’s some shit logic on display.

  260. 260.

    Emerald

    From what I hear, the Rs are willing to lose the House and the Senate in order to get this $hithole onto the SCOTUS for the next 40 years.

    He’s going to make voter suppression legal, so they’ll get both Houses back in short order anyway.

  262. 262.

    TriassicSands

    If the Democrats take back the House, they will have the power to investigate Kavanaugh. Will they do that or will they believe that they will just look like sore losers? It seems like the key to whether Democrats can make a convincing case against Kavanaugh (not simply whether I and others believe Dr. Blasey Ford — I do) is Mark Judge. If he’s questioned effectively under oath even some denials could prove very damning. Would he be willing to perjure himself under oath (FBI)? Maybe not if he saw the way Kavanaugh tried to discredit him today. Kavanaugh brought up what an addict Judge is more than once — even when it wasn’t a necessary part of answering a question. The first time he did it, I thought what a weasel.

    One place where I thought the Democrats were weak today was on the question of the “other witnesses.” Kavanaugh kept saying that they said it “never happened,” but isn’t it more accurate to say they “don’t remember it happening,” where “it” is the party in question? Anyone not physically assaulted at such a small gathering might have no recollection of such a minor event.

  264. 264.

    Mrs. D. Ranged in AZ

    @TriassicSands: You are correct. What Kaiser, Dr. Ford’s friend, said was “she had no memory of the party” (because like you say, why would she) and that “she believe Dr. Ford”. But the Dems simply didn’t emphasize that enough. They should have countered him every time Kavanope tried to spout that lie.

  266. 266.

    Citizen Alan

    Well, I think I just severed contact with my sister over this. All she cares about is the possibility of someone falsely accusing her 2 boys of rape. I got so mad I blocked her.

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