Something weird is happening in the Judiciary Committee. The vote was delayed, and there are rumors that Flake has flip-flopped:
1:30 has come and gone and still no committee vote. Senators still huddling. Becoming increasingly clear that Flake is wavering.
— Sheryl Gay Stolberg (@SherylNYT) September 28, 2018
I’ll believe it when I see it.
In the meantime, find someone who loves you as much as Badger loves this raggedy-ass tennis ball:
Open thread!
UPDATE: Flake voted yes to move the Kavanaugh nomination out of the committee on the condition that there’s an FBI investigation (within the next seven days) before the floor vote. He’ll be a no if there’s not an investigation. I’ll be darned.
daryljfontaine
Things appear to be developing quickly, so while they shake out, please enjoy this bit of remix of yesterday’s blatant Kavanaugh lie-fest.
D
lamh36
Agreed Betty…I’ll believe it when I see it
lamh36
jacy
Badger is such a darling! He just makes me happy every time I see him.
And reposted from below: Jeff Flake is more of a drama llama than Lindsey Graham.
Elizabelle
Badger sighting! He’s a sweet one.
I checked in on a sweet and shy-looking small beagle girl yesterday. Name of Pixie. West Virginia. Turned out she was a “foster fail” and being adopted by her foster family. That is the best outcome evah.
The Dangerman
Unless he wants to switch parties or permanently retire (or switch parties), highly unlikely. Any Republican that flips (other than Murkowski; I think she has cover in Alaska) is puppy chow in their next election.
Ella in New Mexico
Maybe all those rape victims who were crying and begging him as he tried to escape on the elevator poked a hole in his conscience.
Elizabelle
@lamh36: That is the obvious thing to do. So why aren’t they doing it? It’s not a firm NO, yet. It’s a “need more information.” And give the FBI time for a full and comprehensive investigation.
jacy
And I will add on a personal note: I wish if Flake WAS going to flip, he’d do it fucking soon. I’ve got to get in the car and drive an hour to pick up my kid, drive an hour back, and then it’s on to a massive beer tasting with my sweetie. Would be great if those beers were celebratory.
SFAW
Thanks for the Badger pic. And is that Mr. Cracker’s foot in the picture?
If Flake flip-flops (say THAT 27 times fast), I may need my nitro pills at the ready. Still, it would be nice if he did.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
Meanwhile, Trump just signed the spending bill with no wall. So again, is this goat rodeo to distract the Toddler in Chief from shutting the government down right before the election? Those senator were odd bizarrely pumped when Bret did is Budlight King Leer act and Donny approved. This is all damn weird
Betty Cracker
@Ella in New Mexico: When the Repubs were taking their turns at speaking earlier and it was Flake’s turn, he shook his head and walked out. Now this. Like I said, I’ll believe it when I see it. But something’s happening.
Aleta
Grassley and Hatch sitting alone together. Hatch pretending to pray?
I hope it’s a legal maneuver/filing of some kind rather than more drama about a senator’s mouth-brain connection.
SFAW
@lamh36:
Because then POSOTUS will tweet out something mean, calling them “crooked” or “kooky” or “crazy” or “crooked,” and they’ll all worry about getting primaried. Including Flake.
satby
@Ella in New Mexico: he wouldn’t even look at them. He’s scum, and he’s not running again. But he may have realized he’s not going to be able to run for anything else in the future.
This is all leaving me in a really bad place.
guachi
@lamh36:
I said basically the same thing in the last thread. It’s an easy out for these Senators.
jacy
Kelly O’Donnell reporting that serious consideration of delaying for an FBI investigation. Take that with some salt, probably around the rim of a very large margarita.
One thing I do think is that any delay could be deadly to the nom because Kavanaugh is not going to wear well in the next week. They need to vote fast before meme overtake them.
Aleta
Fuck these people.
Chyron HR
Someone in the GOP camp may have realized that the buying three star meals with lobbyist bux loses its appeal when every public meal you eat for the rest of your life will have the chef and/or server’s bodily fluid in it.
Ian R
@The Dangerman: I’m certainly not confident that she will, but voting no would be very unlikely to hurt Collins. She can spin it as (for once) keeping her promise about Roe being a red line, and it keeps her from starting the 2020 campaign $1,666,166 (so far) in the hole.
lamh36
@Elizabelle: if Flake had just done that a week ago (I mean, cause I don’t have must trust in the FBI either)…then voted YES…he coulda at least lie about “due dilligence” and still try to hold on to his “truth to power” cred
Betty Cracker
Okay, some of them are coming back in. Grassley looks like a grouchy old fuck, but he ALWAYS does. Dems are smiling in the hallway, not ready to file in yet. WTF?
Ella in New Mexico
@The Dangerman: he’s not running. Which is another puzzling thing here–he ostensibly has nothing to lose and could vote like McCain would have: “No”.
Unless there’s a shit ton of horrible awful legal shit in these guys background that will come out if they betray the Federalist Society or Brad Parscale or Mogilovich’s aims here. Or anywhere. Certainly explains Lindsey’s meltdown–he’s got over $800k in donations from Russian he needs to explain to Mueller, if he’s allowed to keep investigating.
jacy
@Enhanced Voting Techniques:
In bizarro Pundit world, they can spin it all as Lindsey’s lil’ meltdown was all theater to distract Trump to get the bill signed, and now he’s really going to be the fantasy John McCain moderate they want him to be!
Chyron HR
@SFAW:
I sure wish somebody had primaried Manchin when they had the chance, but for some mysterious reason Their Revolution focused solely on primarying center-left Democrats in safe blue seats.
takebakawashi
@The Dangerman: Flake announced his intention not to run for re-election last year. The question is if he’s willing to sacrifice a very likely post-Senate sinecure of some sort.
cnn.com/2017/10/24/politics/jeff-flake-retirement-arizona/index.html
Ian R
@Ella in New Mexico: He’s in debt, and needs that sweet, sweet wingnut welfare employment.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
as long as we’re speculating: Does an FBI inquiry scare BK out of this?
lamh36
SFAW
@jacy:
When I see that wording, I think of the mofos who say “we have no plans to steal your children” (or whatever), just before they do.
Elizabelle
Grassley just gavelled back into session. Motion before them. Making sure they have a quorum.
raven
Betty Cracker
Flake is making a statement.
raven
Well there ya go.
Martin
One of our hamsters just died (lifespan of about 2 years, and we have 2-3 at any given time, so this is an annual occurrence for us). Wife and daughter are crying as if I had just been murdered in front of them. Been a rough 24 hours. Guessing this just let the cork out of a very big emotional bottle for them.
lamh36
SON OF A BITCH!
@pdmcleod
21s22 seconds ago
More
BREAKING: Flake is calling for a one-week delay for a floor vote so that the FBI can do an investigation.
Elizabelle
Jeff Flake to speak. A point of personal privilege.
He’s been speaking with folks on the other side … re due dligence. It would be proper to delay the floor vote for up to but not more than one week to do an investigation limited in time and scope as to allegations.
Betty Cracker
Flake asks to delay the floor vote for a week to investigate the allegations.
Elizabelle
That’s good. A lot can come up in a week.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
Flake laying down one week for an FBI inquiry in return for BK being advanced out of committee
brace yourselves for rumors of horse-trading from ConservaDems
this is a victory, maybe not the war, or even the campaign, but a battle
jacy
Great Googley Moogley. Countdown to Mark Judge’s mysteries drowning at the beachhouse hideaway.
Mart
He is still a Flake. But good for him, and hopefully the country.
trollhattan
So that’s Badger’s happy face! Lordy, he is a cute critter isn’t he? How can one possibly say “no” to that face? (“Well, given he just ate my [___] it’s easy.)
Cheryl Rofer
Jim, Foolish Literalist
Lee, Cruz and Cornyn look pissed
TenguPhule
Hope is the worst form of torture.
Elizabelle
And Grassely rolls right over Flake. Flake votes yes on advancing the nomination.
Cheryl Rofer
jacy
So wait, Flake calls for a delay and then votes through? I’m not watching it, so somebody explain in small words.
eric
@Cheryl Rofer: but flake can block the floor vote without the investigation, so it just changes the forum for which there is a delay (i think)
satby
@Elizabelle: kabuki only.
Elizabelle
Coons requesting, again, a one week FBI investigation.
DiFi: supports that motion.
dmsilev
@Betty Cracker: Good. Is that an investigation just of Dr. Blasey Ford’s allegations, or of all of them?
trollhattan
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
After that fucker’s performance yesterday afternoon? No way in the world he pulls out [heh]. He doesn’t just want this more than his children, he deserves it.
PenAndKey
Ugg… What I wouldn’t give for this to hinge on a guy am that sounds like he was named following JK Rowling’s “obvious wordplay is obvious motive” character naming rules
TenguPhule
@jacy:
Theatre for the campaign.
“Look, I tried to be reasonable, vote for me!”
Quinerly
Well, I’ll be goddamned.
lamh36
he’s still gonna vote Kavanaugh out of commitee…so we STILL at point Zero…but Flake on record wanting investigation…now when he votes NO after Grassley et al decide to ignore it…
Elizabelle
Lindsey Fucking Graham speaking now. Not really saying anything.
PenAndKey
@PenAndKey: “to not hinge”
Dave
@Martin: I’m my not quite yet wife’s parents. Have to bring their Rottweiler Maximus in to be put to sleep. It’s his time but it sucks and her parents just aren’t up to it. Had to go with Mom recently to do the same with their dog. It’s honestlyy biggest barrier to ever having a dog. It breaks my heart.
eclare
@daryljfontaine: That finally made me smile, thanks! Now returning to incandescent rage.
Elizabelle
I am thinking plan was to vote nom out of committee, but it fails on the floor if there’s not an FBI investigation first.
I can live with that.
trollhattan
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
I guess for them it’s like learning they don’t get Christmas until January 3.
Betty Cracker
Graham points out that the floor vote schedule is up to McConnell. Flake says his floor vote is contingent upon the investigation.
eric
So, now Murkowski holds the investigation cards.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
sounds like the Dems are still nervous– McConnell can now move the vote to the floor at any time, if he’s willing to try to jam Flake, Murkowski and Collins
and he is
TenguPhule
@TenguPhule: Presidential Campaign. Put me down as him trying to run in 2020.
Adam L Silverman
Senator Flake is voting to move the nomination out of committee, but he has just stated he’s a no vote on the floor unless there is an FBI investigation to get to the bottom of the allegations around Judge Kavanaugh. So right now, Senator Flake would be a no, provided he’s actually being legit, on the final vote to move Kavanaugh forward. If Murkowski is, as has been speculated, a no vote, then McConnell does not now have the votes. I don’t know how this all shakes out, but right now McConnell doesn’t have the votes.
lamh36
Did he say this?
eric
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Now i REALLY wonder what DiFi was saying to Murkowski……
TenguPhule
@Adam L Silverman:
Very thin reed to rely on. But its the only one available so fuck it, hope it is.
jacy
@Elizabelle:
I feel like anything that increases the clock gives more time for something else to happen, and as the last couple of weeks have shown, anything can happen. Now we see if this actually increases the clock.
Adam L Silverman
@TenguPhule: Yep, and he doesn’t want this morning’s video with the sexual assault and rape survivors being played on a loop running 24/7.
Ella in New Mexico
@Martin: Awww. Hamsters, guinea pigs, mice–they’re so cute, such great first pets for the little ones. It sucks they have such short lifespans. Having my 4 kids learn about love, compassion, caring and loss with those “training wheel” pets was worth it, though. Wishing you all the best.
Adam L Silverman
Grassley just jammed the committee.
TenguPhule
@lamh36: Yes. Apparently he did.
jacy
@Adam L Silverman:
“providing he’s actually legit” is doing a fuckton of heaving lifting there.
patroclus
Typical Flake. He doesn’t actually vote right (and almost certainly won’t) but he’s going wobbly enough to (perhaps) allow for an FBI investigation.
TenguPhule
@Adam L Silverman:
It tastes like raspberry.
Adam L Silverman
@TenguPhule: I have some contacts you don’t.
Ask me no questions.
Elizabelle
Two hour rule. WTG, Grassley.
I don’t think McConnell has the votes. I wonder if they’ve done this to get Trump off their backs.
SFAW
@Adam L Silverman:
Not familiar with the term. I see it used a lot, but still not quite sure of its exact meaning.
Luciamia
Badger! Oh man . I really wanna scritch that little tushy!
Elizabelle
A LOT can happen in a week.
lamh36
@Adam L Silverman: We’ll see, but I fully expect Flake to FLAKE as he always does
Adam L Silverman
@lamh36: Yes, I just watched him do so. Right now Senator Flake is the most powerful person in the US. This is actually how the Senate is supposed to work.
lamh36
Elizabelle
This is such bullying behavior by the men on the GOP Jud Comttee, except for Jeff Flake.
Women will notice. People who are concerned about the legitimacy of the Supreme Court will notice. (ABA, Yale.)
I do not think they have Murkowski. And who knows, maybe not Collins either.
A Ghost To Most
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: This. Someone(s) sold their vote for a week delay.
Mary G
Looks like we bought another week. McConnell doesn’t have the votes? Seven days is forever in Infrastructure Week.
Grassley cuts off the hearing very abruptly because of the “two hour rule.” DiFi shouts WHAT???? He was running out the clock. WaPo reporters are all WTF???? Will make a great Democratic campaign ad.
I wouldn’t put it past the Republicans to call the floor vote on Monday. Flake is flakey.
Mart
This morning Avenatti said he is going full Julie Swetnick with the media this weekend. That should be both revolting and interesting.
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@TenguPhule:
Which campaign? President? That won’t be until 2024, at the earliest. He’s not running for reelection to Senate and is retiring.
Elizabelle
@lamh36: Call him. We have time to drop a note to his office, too.
Flake’s DC office: 202 224 4521
flake.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/office-locations
PenAndKey
@Ella in New Mexico: Not mice. Those little blighters will attack and each each other one open wound at a time given half a chance.
Aleta
Grassley said to Feinstein right before the mike was cut: this is a gentleman’s agreement an agreement between ladies and gentlemen. If I understand this: Typical, cowardly: to claim it’s about “the ladies” when clearly untrue.
raven
“we are in a better place than we were at 8 am this morning.
A Klobuchar.
M31
The cynic in me says this is a ploy by Collins, Flake, and Murkowski to get BK to withdraw, allowing them all to keep their ‘centrist’ cred without having to actually be centrist.
If there is a legit investigation, no way it doesn’t turn up all kinds of shit.
But I’ll take it.
VOR
@TenguPhule: I am doubtful any Republican will challenge Trump. I could see Flake waiting for 2024 – not that long. Are there any other offices open in the meantime, like AZ Governor? I’m sure there are plenty of Wingnut Welfare lobbyist jobs open for a good little boy who obeys orders and follows the pack.
trollhattan
Jen Ruben, on a tear.
Adam L Silverman
@jacy: It is. But I don’t know him personally. And when I spoke to my contact who does know him last night, he indicated that Flake’s miserable right now, both professionally as a senator and personally, isn’t sure how he’ll respond to the pressure. He could fold, he could crack, he could plant his feet.
TenguPhule
@Adam L Silverman:
I hate the timeline where all of this is true.
lamh36
This is likely the ONLY way McConnell allows an FBI investigation.
If Collins, Murkowski, Manchin and the others join Flake and say they won’t vote YES unless there is an FBI investigaton.
C Stars
So where are the marches this weekend? I’m so there.
Martin
@Elizabelle: If Flake is a no, then so is Collins and Murkowski. They’ll stick together.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Elizabelle: I have no faith in Collins’ courage, character or principle. I’m willing to bet she checks that Not Susan crowdfund every half an hour
TenguPhule
@Adam L Silverman:
Cue world’s tiniest violin.
Aleta
Feinstein repeated his last words: “an agreement between ladies and gentlemen ” ? (word order paraphrased)
Lindsey: “Somebody’s gonna have to explain this to Trump, and I guess that’s me.” Nervous laughter all around.
satby
Today would be a great day for some Mueller indictments.
WereBear
@jacy: Spoken like a novelist :)
M31
What are the current Vegas odds on Mark Judge being found dead in a pool of his own vomit before he has a chance to testify?
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@M31:
Honestly, I’d be happy with the outcome of either, with Kavadope withdrawing or the investigation turning up really bad shit about him
A Ghost To Most
@Luciamia:
I don’t have much trust in dogs, but that face might do it. Taught him to sing “I Will Survive” yet, BC?
trollhattan
@Mary G:
Jeez, and I thought it was the “five-second rule.” All that discarded food….
Martin
@Adam L Silverman: He looks like someone just asked him which leg he wants to amputate.
That said, this is a situation of their own making. I have zero sympathy.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
@jacy: Yes, it sounds like “Oh I was only joking honey..(about the fur suite in the garage and the handcuffs), but this is Donald Trump we’re talking about and a shut down right before the election would be utterly horrifying to the Republicans, they would do anything to stop that, and this was anything, so it makes sense with that logic.
But that would be so much like something out of a British political comedy.
Ian R
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: In fairness, so do I. It’s gone up over $100k since yesterday.
Waldo
Congratulations, Jeff. You just got upgraded to a loge seat. In hell.
TenguPhule
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??:
I suspect Flake thinks he can primary Trump in 2020.
Raven Onthill
(Also posted to my blog)
It is important to take a stand now, even if we do not win.
If your Senator is part of the Senate Democratic Leadership – Schumer, Durbin, Murray, Stabenow, Warren, Warner, Klobuchar, Sanders, Manchin, Baldwin, van Hollen, thank them for their opposition (or not, as appropriate – Manchin), encourage them to vote against Kavanaugh, and to whip the Senate Democrats to vote against Kavanaugh.
If your Senator is a Democrat not in the Leadership, thank them for their opposition (or not, as appropriate) and encourage them to vote against Kavanaugh.
If your Senator is a Republican, urge them to vote against the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh. Remind them that half of their constituents are women. If you can, and feel it is appropriate, give a personal story explaining why the confirmation of Kavanaugh would be an outrage.
Take a stand.
Bill Arnold
Good. Flake found a way to thread the needle. And a week is a lot of time; in a few days I’m sure somebody will have an annotated video up that details all his lies during yesterday’s testimony, including tells used to recognize them.
Woodrow/Asim
@Elizabelle: I do not think they have Murkowski. And who knows, maybe not Collins either.
This tweet mentions those two visited Flake during this…situation.
Flake is damned far from a “maverick” or a “rogue”, as we all know. My bet? He has quiet backing from other Senators, for this play.
Elizabelle
Just left a message at Flake’s Phoenix office thanking him for insisting on an FBI investigation, that he is acting as a public servant.
602 840 1891
press 7 for a human; you will get a voicemail that is not yet full
Adam L Silverman
@SFAW: Committee chairs can do some parliamentary maneuvers, as can the Majority Leader of the Senate, that shuts everything down. Issuing the order to call the roll – meaning immediately moving to a roll call vote – is one of them.
Adam L Silverman
I see they reinverted Lindsey Graham’s temperament again.
TenguPhule
@M31:
Trust me, you don’t want to know.
TenguPhule
@Adam L Silverman:
This is the evil clone.
Shalimar
Flake is still covering his ass for an eventual yes vote, but any delay is good in this case. The FBI doesn’t weigh evidence, they document the evidence that is attainable. And the vast majority of the possible details that will be documented in interviewee statements will contradict lies Kavanaugh has told under oath.
Elizabelle
Flake was so careful to stress the limited scope of the proposed FBI investigation. But if they turn up tendrils of other wrongdoing, they do not have to turn a blind eye, no?
Adam L Silverman
@lamh36: He’s going to fold, plant his feet, or, to be honest, completely crack and go to pieces.
Aleta
Lindsey blames the irrationality of the Dems, an irrationality that is so ‘unnecessary,’ not Flake. ‘He’s just a good guy trying to be fair to his colleagues.’
Lindsey actually likes poor Jeff, he and Susan, they’re so careful ! He respects that, but it’s nothing to worry about…everything is fine. He’s never felt better about this nomination!
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@Adam L Silverman:
Why did Grassely jam the committee?
Elizabelle
Any way fucking Mitch McConnell can schedule a vote tomorrow?
Would he do it so they can shove BK over the side and try to ram another nominee through? Who knows …
Elizabelle
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??: He was saying “two hour rule”, which surprised DiFi.
Was 2:02 pm Eastern; maybe had to do with time elapsed? Anyway, it was neither full nor fair. It’s Grasshole.
TenguPhule
@Elizabelle:
Donald Trump: Yes they do!
Amir Khalid
@SFAW:
I suppose it could be Mr. Cracker’s foot, if Mr Cracker wears toenail polish.
Ruviana
So is the DC Court of Appeals in session or is Brett kicking holes in the walls of his living room right now?
TenguPhule
@Elizabelle:
Yes. he can do so at any time of his choice now. And until its voted on or Kav withdraws, no other nominee can step up.
burnspbesq
I’m halfway expecting to see McConnell burst into the committee room and punch Flake in the face. It would help sell this to the rubes.
TenguPhule
@burnspbesq:
Flake should avoid fridges or beds for the forseeable future. There may be unhappy surprises in either.
Lee Hartmann
@M31: and it could be someone else’s vomit…
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@TenguPhule:
Then he’s a fool. He’ll end up like Kasich did when he tried running in 2016. Nowhere.
Elizabelle
@M31: I think you’re on to something.
But the chance an FBI investigation doesn’t turn up something seems to me … nil.
BK going by the wayside without them having to take a vote: I can live with that.
And then stall, stall, stall. No action on further USSC nominees until after the new Senate is seated.
Shalimar
@TenguPhule: Whatever he thinks the actual odds are, Flake’s only path to the presidency is in 2020 as a replacement for a disgraced and Dubyafied Trump.
Ridnik Chrome
@trollhattan: Ruben continues to amaze me. And I couldn’t stand her during the Bush-Cheney years.
Martin
@Elizabelle:
Yup. At the very least it’ll be made clear that Kavanaugh lied to the committee.
A Ghost To Most
@TenguPhule:
Also, tea and tall buildings.
Amir Khalid
About the FBI investigaton Flake says he wants: what if the FBI report back that they turned up things about Kavanaugh that need further investigation, and ask for more time?
Jim, Foolish Literalist
I think so. We’re counting on Senatorial arrogance to outweigh partisan loyalty. The Turtle has been burned before
Aleta
Kav lied under oath to the questioner, the Ariz. prosecutor. Was she asked to write her opinions on the credibility of Blasey and Kav. ? Has/can the ABA done anything beyond release a statement? Can a rep for them speak to a reporter on a news show?
Again, on the video (Slate) of Kav answering the question about July 1, watch his wife when the question is asked.
TenguPhule
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??:
He’s a Republican.
randy khan
@M31:
I’d take that result in a nanosecond. Knock out Kavanaugh and I will praise their centrist cred to high heaven. You know, until they do something that shows they’re not centrist.
catclub
@TenguPhule: this is why complex numbers were developed.
Elizabelle
@Amir Khalid: I think that’s a huge possibility. And then Senators can stall again. Give the FBI time to do their job.
Or: BK withdraws. It’s a circus. He is only thinking of his family. Meanie Democrats!
liza
@Martin: How come no one ever mentions Dean Heller? Isn’t he in a dead heat with Jacky Rosen in NV right now?
James E Powell
@C Stars:
I’m down for it. I got nothing going on in my life.
hilts
@Elizabelle:
McConnell will sink as low as possible to jam this nomination through. Don’t put anything past him.
lamh36
Whatever happens….those two women who confronted Flake in the elevator (and CNN caught on video), at the very least gave a chance for something different to happen
Sending love light and vibes to protect these women from what may be coming from them from Deplorables!
guachi
Flake may be covering his rear.
But it’s a reasonable thing to do.
Uhhh… thanks Senator Flake?
Keith P.
@TenguPhule: That’s what I was thinking and am wondering why so much commotion over a committee vote. If Kavanaugh goes down to a 5-4 (or whatever) vote, Mitch will turn right around (probably doing a surprise vote on a Sunday morning) and rush Kav through when no one expects it. They did it before (can’t remember who, though)
Elie
@Mart:
I thought he had been too quiet…. He may actually make things worse, depending on what he does. One good thing (in a manner of speaking) is that Kavanaugh’s ugly performance makes it easier to rough him up without any hesitation. Since the Gop slime senators already gave their show yesterday, no one is gonna care WHAT they say..
So we shall see.
trollhattan
@Ridnik Chrome:
Agree on both points. Somehow, in very non-Republican fashion the scales were lifted from her eyes.
Don’t delude myself she’s a Democrat in the making but using her perch speaking truth to power is plenty.
TenguPhule
@Amir Khalid:
McConnell: “We must look forward, not back and vote to confirm!”
My cynical take on this is that they think a week will buy them enough space for the next deluge of Trump scandals to drive the actual vote to page A9.
Hope I’m wrong.
HeleninEire
@Elizabelle: I think you are right.
different-church-lady
These motherfuckers are still stalling until they think they’ve figured out which way the wind is blowing.
EveryDayIHaveTheBlues
@TenguPhule: Only one man would dare give me the raspberry…
WereBear
Maybe we should have a flash mob team of women cornering Republicans in elevators.
Shalimar
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??: Of course Flake is a fool. He actually has presidential aspirations despite being a back-bench nobody. But I do think 2020 in the aftermath of a Trump implosion is his only chance to be a savior and even get the nonination. Better candidates will have more time to position themselves by 2024.
MisterForkbeard
@Elizabelle: I think the investigation will definitely show things Kavanaugh had done, IF the FBI is allowed to actually investigate those things. Certainly they can show that he’s lied about several pieces of his defense.
I don’t trust Republicans to actually act on that, though. Anything short of a “Yeah, he definitely did it” is going to get ignored.
TenguPhule
@A Ghost To Most:
First comes the offer that can’t be refused.
H.E.Wolf
I followed up my fax message to Flake’s DC office – faxzero.com: 4 free faxes per day; it’s a great service – with a phone call to his Phoenix office this morning.
I got voicemail, and left a *detailed* message. I ended by saying that a yes vote would follow him for the rest of his life.
I bet his offices have been getting thousands of similar calls.
Here are his phone numbers:
DC: 202-224-4521
Phoenix: 602-840-1891
Tucson: 520-575-8633
Here are his fax numbers:
DC: 202-228-0515
Phoenix: 602-840-4092
Tucson: 520-797-3232
Len
So Flake is basically saying that he will be a yes on Kavanaugh if there is an FBI investigation, regardless of what the investigation my reveal?
Fair Economist
@Adam L Silverman:
The Senate *should* have paused for an investigation, and, failing that, the Judiciary Committee should have tabled the nomination after that atrocious performance by Kavanaugh yesterday.
Senator Flake is being more-or-less reasonable for a ravening partisan, but the Senate as a whole is still messed up.
Raven Onthill
“As a sop to the Democrats, at the request of Jeff Flake, the committee included a literally-last-minute pretty-please request for a one-week FBI investigation which depends entirely on both Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump behaving honorably and with great reverence for the institutions over which they now rule.” – driftglass.blogspot.com/2018/09/judiciary-committee-votes-to-send.html
sixthdoctor
Ultimately, the WH still has to approve an FBI investigation, right? Because I cant see them authorizing one just on their general principles, never mind what the FBI could actually find.
HeleninEire
@Adam L Silverman: Of course, if I understand, it is up to Trump to order the FBI investigation, yes?
lamh36
@Aleta: ugh…someone needs to confront ole Lindsey on an elevator….ugh
MobiusKlein
@M31: Could be anybody’s vomit. Hard to know for sure.
Elizabelle
@Len: No. Not necessarily.
D58826
@Amir Khalid: The GOP will claim that one of the Clinton’s and/ or Obama planted the negative evidence.
guachi
@Amir Khalid:
One fight at a time. If the arguments are there, you make your case to the wishy-washy caucus and hope for the best. The arguments for one more week were there (and good arguments, imo).
raven
@HeleninEire: He just said he’d leave it to the Senate but he’s wrong.
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@TenguPhule:
A spoonful of sugar helps the polonium go down.
Aleta
There was SUCH bs from Kav when asked to agree to an FBI investigation.
Until the FBI is requested though, it’s stalling w/o commitment from Repubs famous for treachery and betrayal of promises, incl. Trump.
Fair Economist
@M31:
Oh h*** yes. They (and a number of other Republicans) don’t want Kavanaugh confirmed. Any other wingnut Circuit Judge will be fine for them, and most of the alternatives will not rile up voters nearly as much, and won’t require a process that will rile up Dem Senators to pack the Court in 2021. At the same time they don’t want the flack of voting against Kavanaugh or even opposing him publicly. Kavanaugh withdrawing promptly is by far their preferred outcome.
john b
Where would the FBI findings be aired?
I don’t see McConnell allowing it on the Senate floor, nor Grassley allowing another Jud Committee hearing about this. It seems like this might be another one of those closed-door “Committe Confidential” sorts of situations where no one will talk about what’s actually found publicly.
rikyrah
Badger is sooo cute :)
cain
@jacy:
Not just that, but polls will be coming out making Republican senators even more nervous. Even McConnell is going to have problems if it becomes clear that this one act will put him out of power, no longer able to lead the senate. It depends on whether everyone is willing to fall on their collective sword just to give BK a seat.
catclub
any delay allows passions to dissipate. If you looked at Kavanaugh and even believed every word he said about his beahvior when he was 17, the rest of his unhinged performance was disqualifying. Could he ever give an unbiased judgement to a Democrat whose issue comes before the Court? What exactly does reaping the whirlwind mean as a sitting judge?
Jim, Foolish Literalist
everybody say “Whew!” and don’t let up. Keep their phones ringing
different-church-lady
@MisterForkbeard: Perhaps they will find that he was “extremely careless.”
Adam L Silverman
@TenguPhule: He neither stated it, nor did I repeat it, in order to elicit sympathy, just to provide context and explanation.
raven
@catclub: So what do you suggest that can actually happen?
Martin
@lamh36: One of my female staff just went the fuck off on a male instructor that raised his voice at her, not about something she did, just something he was frustrated about and need her help to fix. I just watched. Gave her a long lunch a thumbs up, and explained to him why he just got chewed out.
Feels like we are balancing on an emotional knife-edge here.
TriassicSands
So, if there is no FBI investigation, who will join Flake in voting “No?” It’s unlikely that Collins has the courage or integrity to join Flake. Murkowski? I don’t know.
Lindsey Graham? (Sorry, I had to write that so that I could hear my cat’s raucous laughter at the idiocy of my asking if Trump-Toadly Graham might reveal even a nanogram of decency and integrity. Not going to happen.)
Aside: Oh, shut up, Annie. I was just kidding about Graham.
zhena gogolia
I just called my senator, Blumenthal (who has howler monkeys after him on Twitter) — I was on hold for five minutes and then had to leave a voice mail. I called Flake and got voice mail right away.
catclub
@D58826: what good is a time travel machine if you don’t use it?
Elizabelle
@D58826: Why even say such stupid stuff? And by that, I mean YOU. I’m serious.
Adam L Silverman
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??: 2 PM rule. All committee must conclude by 2 PM. So if he didn’t force the vote, no vote would’ve happened after 2 PM.
SFAW
@Amir Khalid:
That was kinda my Spass, thanks for picking up on it.
raven
@TriassicSands:Murkowski?
Steeplejack (tablet)
@trollhattan:
And yet she still can’t bring herself to say, “Vote the bastards out and vote for Democrats.” She winds down with a hodgepodge of clichés:
Martin
@catclub:
Yeah, good luck with that.
Mary G
@trollhattan: It’s funny, Jennifer Rubin’s blog or column, whatever they call them, was named “Right Turn” and they removed that quietly last week. Now it’s Jennifer Rubin the end.
I think this is a lot of Republican senators covering their asses. If Avenatti’s client turns out to be a dud, and the preppers who Dr. Blasey Ford says were at the house continue with their “I Know Nutzing” routine, and their constituents don’t get all over their asses, they’ll vote yes next Friday. If, as I think may be much more likely, more women and witnesses come out of the woodwork about Kavanaugh and his drinking and lying, and public opinion turns against him so hard it would hurt them to vote yes, they can make Twitler withdraw him and nominate somebody else.
sukabi
@burnspbesq: it would be more a bitchslap than a punch, but you’re probably right.
Sloane Ranger
@Aleta: He was patronising certainly but all I read into this was that he was using a relatively common term “gentleman’s agreement “. That is an unwritten agreement which both sides are bound to follow by their own honour and integrity, then realised he was talking to a person of the female persuasion and clumsily added “ladies”.
Of course gentleman’s agreements rest on both parties behaving like gentleman and you’re dealing with a turtle. As far as I know they don’t have the concept.
debit
@SFAW: Mr. Cracker could be fashion forward. I mean, I assume that sometimes a guy might want pretty feet.
lamh36
lamh36
Cheryl Rofer
@Adam L Silverman:
Good.
A week is a long time. More developments will come out about Kavanaugh’s drinking past, perhaps even that it is not all past. People will have time to digest what has happened – I am seeing much more attention to Ford’s testimony and Kavanaugh’s lies this morning than I saw last night. The Democrats can, if they will, press hard on Kavanaugh’s negatives. More red-state Dems can come out against him.
And these women are heroes.
JMG
Flake wouldn’t do this on his own. He’s not one to be the first guy in the charge. So I am guessing Collins, Murkowski and maybe Manchin told him they were with him on his demand. For him, it’s assuaging a guilty conscience. For them, it’s cover and time. Time to read the polls, time to not have to listen to constituents, those pests, and also puts them in a win-win situation. FBI findings inconclusive? Vote yes with less hassle. FBI funds more bad stuff. Vote no and feel noble.
Martin
@liza: I think everyone forgets that he actually exists.
lamh36
chopper
@Amir Khalid:
i assume that there’s some stuff the FBI would uncover, given how dead set BK is against there being an investigation to ostensibly ‘clear his name’.
Ruviana
@raven: Apparently, yes Murkowski. She is supporting Flake’s delay in the vote.
schrodingers_cat
@zhena gogolia: Did you Jan Crawford Greenberg’s whataboutery regarding Blumenthal, she brought up his Vietnam service in analyzing his questions to K. They fucking go out of their way to be R enablers.
D58826
And for the record I think calling GOP critters ‘weasels’ is an insult to weasels. For one thing a weasel has a backbone, something sorely missing among the GOOPERS. The average GOOPER is more akin to a tapeworm.
TenguPhule
@Raven Onthill:
I want a new timeline.
schrodingers_cat
@schrodingers_cat: *did you see.
Cermet
Well, maybe an FBI inestigation might occur (LOL.) No way they let that happen because the asshole is guilty and they fucking know it.
TenguPhule
@D58826:
Tapeworms typically don’t kill their hosts.
Mary G
And Badger gets cuter and cuter. I keep forgetting to say that.
The woman who yelled at Jeff Flake as he was getting into the elevator has my eternal gratitude. She spoke for millions of us who could not be there, and you can’t fake that kind of emotion. I doubt Flake felt bad, but he can read a poll.
Betty Cracker
@debit: It’s my foot, but now y’all have inspired me to paint Badger’s nails red.
zhena gogolia
@schrodingers_cat:
that’s what all the tweets are about. It’s the “her e-mails” of Connecticut.
Elizabelle
@Mary G: That’s interesting about Jen Rubin and “Right Turn.” LOL.
OK. I feel more hopeful this afternoon. Don’t think Turtle has the votes, and we have more time. And we will use it.
Plus, even though they’re trying to limit it to Brett’s youthful high school days, this gives even more time for his Yale acquaintances to speak out. Do you want BK as poster boy for your university? Maybe not.
Mnemosyne has been suggesting that BK’s harrassment of women has not stopped after college, but that he focused his unwanted attentions on conservative women who may fear coming forward.
Praying that, if so, a few of them are looking at Christine Blasey Ford’s strength yesterday and thinking they could do that too.
Sometimes you get a sea change rather quickly, although this one has been building for a while.
Spanky
@Martin:
Only lied to the Democrats, so it’s still all good.
Cheryl Rofer
According to reasonably reliable reporters on the Twitters, both Collins and Murkowski have stated that they support a week’s delay.
D58826
@TenguPhule: True and the GOOPERS are quite willing to live off of the average persons taxes
Betty Cracker
@chopper: Bingo. Maybe he’s afraid Judge will crack. Or that it will become more widely known that although Leland Keyser doesn’t remember the party, she believes Ford.
Mart
So non-stop squealing that Sen. Dianne Feinstein purposefully tried to derail the process by withholding Ford’s letter to the last minute. Demon Democrat delay tactics for evil political gain. And now we know another week makes no difference. And the true believers will never acknowledge it was all bullshit. (As typing guy on the radio said if this goes thru, hopes the FBI also investigates the six week Feinstein delay.)
Elizabelle
@lamh36: I have always thought she would take that tack. Thank you, Lisa Murkowski. (For now!)
Wonder if we will ever hear from fan dancing Susie of Maine?
lamh36
debit
@Betty Cracker: DO IT!
Cheryl Rofer
Getting ready to avoid losing.
BuzzFeed
Elizabelle
@Betty Cracker: I am wondering if the authorities — or even a private detective — is keeping an eye on Mike Judge.
He would seem to me to be a suicide risk, or even an unexplained accidental death risk. I hope someone is literally watching his back.
Mnemosyne
@WereBear:
I want Republican Senators to not be able to appear anywhere in public — at the movies, at a restaurant, out grocery shopping — without being surrounded by a jeering mob.
cain
@Adam L Silverman:
So great senator collins from Maine is a yes vote? She has betrayed betrayed anyone who wants justice for sexual assault and rewarding this crying fool a bench.
TenguPhule
@catclub:
All Democrats are criminals, All Republicans can do no wrong.
Elizabelle
@Mnemosyne: I think we are on our way there.
If we cannot get heard through normal channels, and if they bully their way through without respecting women or Democrats, they do not deserve peace in public life.
TriassicSands
@Fair Economist:
Kavanaugh was just demonstrating his “judicial temperament” for all to see. Now, we all know that we can expect decades of Kavanaugh using his seat on the SCOTUS to get even with all the Democrats who have so grievously wronged him in his march to occupy the Supreme Court seat that the country owes him. Kavanaugh will soon join Clarence Thomas, the other “supremely” aggrieved and bitter justice, in trashing the Constitution, a woman’s right to control her own reproductive life, the rights of average citizens versus corporations, and in fully supporting the ability of every mindless wingnut to carry the bazooka of his or her choice without being hindered by anything as ridiculous as a background check or minimal questioning of the sanity of batshit crazy gun nuts. Lock and load, Amurka!
cain
@Mnemosyne:
They should be denied all the best restaurants in the DC and New York area. They need to eat at Mcdonalds. Same for their billionaire owners.
TenguPhule
@Cheryl Rofer: That can’t possibly have come from Donald Trump. The words are too long.
Raven Onthill
BREAKING: Sen. Murkowski, key Republican vote for Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation, says she supports Sen. Flake’s call for a brief reopening of FBI background investigation on Kavanaugh – twitter.com/MSNBC/status/1045743596706648064
In McConnell’s and Trump’s court now.
TenguPhule
@Mnemosyne:
Could have stopped right there.
SFAW
@debit:
Understood. But I don’t think he’d go for red, I guess. Too close to pink, and as we all know, “pink is for gurls.”
schrodingers_cat
@cain: Why do you hate people who work at McDonalds?
TenguPhule
@cain:
Why punish folks who eat at McDonalds? They do delivery in DC, don’t they?
Elizabelle
@cain: I don’t see Adam or anyone else saying that.
Are you snarking?
Chyron HR
@schrodingers_cat:
@TenguPhule:
Mickey D’s employees have more leeway to spit in their food.
Mnemosyne
@MobiusKlein:
You can’t, like … dust for vomit.
Aleta
I credit : The mass of people paying attention, the daily reporting about Kav’s past (orgs that gave time and money to reporters to investigate and interview).
The (few) journalists and Congresswomen who’ve been honest with, careful and protective of witnesses — this hasn’t happened before, giving control to a witness over her story. (Feinstein’s been attacked over and over for it, and then blamed when she did release it.)
Now Republicans will attack the Ariz. prosecutor, blame her for this. She made him perjure himself! Treachery! Political hit job!
zhena gogolia
@Cheryl Rofer:
Whoa! That’s the most hopeful thing I’ve seen!
Captain C
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??: Also, the next open Gov race is not until 2022. Perhaps he’s trying to square it with his fellow Mormons, so he’s not ostracized for putting a drunk-ass rapey liar on the court without the appearance of a fight.
TriassicSands
So, Senator Murkowski has joined Flake in calling for an investigation. And soopah moderate Collins remains silent. She’s a real profile in courage. With supporters like Collins, women hardly need enemies.
SFAW
@Betty Cracker:
You need a hobby. Stat!
TenguPhule
@Steeplejack (tablet):
Jen Rubin: Vote Third Party! Vote for your FeeFees!
FlipYrWhig
@Mart:
I don’t understand why they find that so convincing. It’s like they’re saying, “well, sure, he appears to have been a sex predator throughout high school and college, but if we find out about that outside of a particular time-window, sorry, our hands are tied and he’s a judge forever.” Who the fuck cares?
lamh36
Joe Manchin supporting FBI investigation per MSNBC…which meant he is also a likely YES…
Mnemosyne
@cain:
Oh, I want them booed out of McDonald’s, too. EVERYWHERE.
No justice, no peace, motherfuckers.
lamh36
@lamh36: talking bout kudos to Flake for rising above these partisan politics…
MAHN FUQ Manchin.
zhena gogolia
@lamh36:
wait, why does that mean he’s a yes?
TenguPhule
@Chyron HR:
Actually they don’t. Cameras monitor food prep now.
LuciaMia
@Cheryl Rofer: Say Whaaaaa?
Cheryl from Maryland
@Ruviana: Whichever it is, booze is involved.
Miss Bianca
@Raven Onthill: Sent a fax to Cory Gardner this morning, just sent one to Michael Bennett now. Thanks for the reminder.
MazeDancer
Mark Judge driving North to Canada right now. Or sailing out past the Coast Guard limit. He only has to be on the lam a week.
Redshift
Jeff Flake: Profiles in Not Complete Cowardice
I’ll take it.
debit
I feel like I’ve been holding my breath and clenching my teeth for the last few days. Finally exhaled, unclenched and am cautiously optimistic. McConnell, Grassley, etc have to know that if the FBI starts asking questions it’s over. Either the evidence will be found or he will lie to them (or both). So now the question is: do they let it play out or talk him into withdrawing?
SFAW
@FlipYrWhig:
They don’t care. It’s whatever bullshit excuse they can come up with to (A) give them cover, but more important (B) fool the rubes.
FlipYrWhig
Who conducts this famous “FBI investigation” now? It had better fucking well not be the New York office. “Investigating Kavanaugh, FBI Sees No Clear Links to Assault.”
Groucho48
How will this work? Can the Committee call for an FBI investigation? Does it determine the parameters? Can it limit the investigation to just the Blasey Ford accusation? If so, not sure how much the FBI can turn up on a 35 year old incident in a week. What happens if they do limit it like that and then the FBI gets credible info about other incidents? Can the FBI open an investigation into those on its own?
Anyone have an idea?
Mnemosyne
@Mart:
Feinstein held the letter back because she was hoping that Kavanaugh’s mysterious debts and long career as a partisan political hack would keep him from being confirmed. When it was clear that the Republicans didn’t give a shit about Kavanaugh’s financial and political corruption, she pulled out the hole card.
germy
What does Flake mean by an FBI investigation “limited in scope”?
I understand “limited in time” means no longer than one week. But limited in scope?
Does that mean they’re not allowed to interview all witnesses?
Aleta
Gotta laugh when Repubs are thwarted so they reframe it as the desire to be nice to colleagues and ‘work in a bipartisan manner.’
Republican definition of bipartisanship: getting a couple of so-called moderate Republicans to vote with them.
trollhattan
@Cheryl Rofer:
He said what now?
Who stole Trump’s Tweet phone?
Paul W.
@lamh36: That isn’t necessarily my take. He could still be looking for a way to get to NO, but needs cover. Or, he could be lying to the 3 GOP folks he is still a potential Yes (which gives them a TON of cover) but needs the FBI before he is willing to even consider it.
At any rate, this is still a positive versus a floor vote Monday. Until I hear from the man’s lips himself what he would like to do I am not going to start stabbing folks in the back (other than Flake, who couldn’t come to this conclusion sooner in the committee but finally did something good with is significant power).
TenguPhule
@Elizabelle:
Sorry, looking for courage there is a real long shot. It would mean the end of their lives. Figuratively and even possibly literally.
Redshift
@lamh36:
I still wouldn’t assume anything other that that he’s really really hoping it’ll find something that’ll get him out of having to decide whether a yes or no vote will hurt him more.
SFAW
@debit:
Although I want to believe otherwise, it’s always possible that they muscle Flake, or get Manchin to vote with them, or both.
trollhattan
@germy:
I think it means they can’t pack heat or their Scully flashlights.
It’s actually a good question. Maybe they’ll assign it to the Hillary-loving NY FBI office.
lamh36
@zhena gogolia: I think he was ALWAYS a yes, or leaning yes. He voted for Goruch and on paper, before the allegations came out, I think Manchin was gonna be a firm YES.
Raven Onthill
“So here’s the deal: Kavanaugh’s nomination has been APPROVED by the committee Sen. Flake will only vote for him on the FLOOR with a one week delay/FBI investigation Flake, it appears, does NOT have McConnell’s agreement to delay a vote – Phil Mattingly, CNN Correspondent, twitter.com/Phil_Mattingly/status/1045734853541593089
Mary G
Here is a tweet thread of zookeepers weighing all kinds of baby animals. That and Flake’s delay have lowered my blood pressure approximately 2,000,000 points.
VeniceRiley
Flake’s nonsense undermines the committee. Isn’t the whole idea of an FBI investigation so that the committee can get the witness statements and call witnesses? If it’s on the main floor vote, none of that can happen, because he already voted yes to move the nomination out of the committee! I smell a rat.
Miss Bianca
@trollhattan: Will we someday speak of a “Jen Rubin” moment the way we speak of a “John Cole” moment? I don’t know if I think so, but I hope so.
germy
@MazeDancer:
Can someone tell me what he does for a living? Surely he doesn’t support himself with his books.
I thought I read somewhere that he tried teaching for a few years, but didn’t care for it.
Trust fund?
TenguPhule
@germy:
Restricted only to looking at Dr. Ford’s allegations and ignore the rest of it. All the lying, unusual debts and mental incapacity must be deliberately ignored.
FlipYrWhig
@germy: I would guess he means limited to the claims of assault.
HeleninEire
@jacy: BUT one of Flake’s conditions was that the FBI investigation be limited to “current allegations.” So only the 3. But you and I and everyone with a brain knows that’s fine.
TenguPhule
@Miss Bianca:
I doubt it. John bailed out fairly early in the insanity process.
Rubin is still a registered Republican 18 months into Crazyville.
Redshift
@germy: I suspect “limited in scope” means “I’ll only withhold my vote for an investigation of things we already know about, not for anything that comes out of the woodwork in the next week.” But I’m not sure that’s a tenable position.
germy
@Cheryl Rofer:
Wasn’t that statement made before Kav’s “spirited and fiery” performance?
I thought after Kav was done, trump was happy satisfied.
TenguPhule
@Raven Onthill:
So McConnell will dare him to make good on his threat or fall into line.
I….do not like these odds.
Fair Economist
@Groucho48: The committee can’t give orders to the FBI. The administration would have to do that. Flake and Murkowski could potentially insist on voting “no” on cloture until the investigation is done, which would give the administration the choice of doing the investigation or giving up on the nomination.
catclub
@Redshift: exactly
lamh36
@Redshift: I figure Manchin has always been leaning more YES than NO…esp before this. And this idea that he was undecided all this time, was and is bullshit. I get that some folks here like to be all accomadating when it comes to Manchin’s bullshit, but let’s not be naive about his non-stance on shit
James E Powell
@Cheryl Rofer:
If Trump pulls the nomination the entire Village will erupt in an orgasm of declarations that finally, at long and dear last, Trump has made The Pivot and has now become president.
Gelfling 545
@Adam L Silverman: Have pity. His backbone passed away not long ago.
bupalos
I kind of ping-pong between a big picture and small picture here, and can’t really figure out where I even want this thing to go.
I mean, results-wise another Gorsuch-type is exactly the same as Kavenaugh, and part of me is like “why am I getting all up in a bunch about Kavenaugh particularly, when the alternative is some other smoother Gorsuch-clone?” From the point of view of plain honesty, seating this little skull-and-crossbones trust-fund-rapist College Republican frat boy at least makes abundantly clear that the SC is just a bad Trumpy joke that has sacrificed it’s legitimacy, now and for the next decade or two, probably for as long as Gorsuch and Kavenaugh are there. And I have little doubt seating him would throw some helpful gas on the fire we’re planning for November.
But then there’s an even bigger picture where this guy is just a shouty drunk sanctimonious scumbucket liar, and his confirmation is its own sociological event, one of those bad things we do that also makes us worse. And hollowing out the SC’s legitimacy might be what the R’s are after anyway.
I’m going to try and stop thinking of his as lose/lose and more as win/win. Don’t seat him, that’s a big win and strong message. Do seat him, that sets us up for bigger wins down the road.
FlipYrWhig
@germy: I did too but that was all Thursday/yesterday. If he said it on Friday that’s today.
TenguPhule
@MazeDancer:
Not unless he’s wearing cement shoes. If I were Judge, I’d find someplace nice and public to be seen in right now.
Tenar Arha
@TenguPhule: @Adam L Silverman: My enculturated heart can’t help but empathize with Sen. Flake’s misery. In fact, that’s why the thought of him never being able to go anywhere in public w/o women walking up to him and metaphorically ripping their guts out in front of him every day for the rest of his life is possible to imagine. But intellectually, I’m at tiny violins as well. The fact that it’s this close is infuriating. That we’re literally doing “Witness me!” of so many people’s misery & pain, is enough that I cannot spare him more than the teeny tiny violins.
So now Flake gets one thank you, but absolutely nothing more from me. Because he’s prolonging the trauma only to prove to that circus peanut in the WH that the party tried to get him his fellow angry white creep.
catclub
@germy: no, friday.
Yutsano
It’s a small victory but an important one. Let’s hope Flake manages to actually stand for something in his miserable existence. And that Yertle tries to overplay his hand.
C Stars
Posted on a dead thread below; does anyone think there’s humiliating information yet to come out about Kavanaugh that the Dems let Flake in on, thereby causing his flip?
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@germy: a public speaker who can’t be interviewed by the FFBI because of social anxiety
Fair Economist
@germy:
He’s probably following TV and early private polling, which are sympathetic to Ford. Pretty much nobody who has to face the public, other than Republican officials, is willing to say “Hey, Kavanaugh is good to go.”
trollhattan
@Miss Bianca:
Good question, init? Perhaps incoming Senator McDreamy Romney will provide the acid test. She was so smitten with him as proto-president, back in the day.
And can I add that Orrin Hatch leaving will be a welcome moment even if it harvests us Senator Romney. Hatch has been turbo-vile since announcing his retirement, which could be the coot years coming out or him displaying the temperment he’s always had away from the cameras. Loath him as much as I loath Turtle and Graham and Grassley, which is saying a lot.
Gelfling 545
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??: I have a feeling that Trump is going to get a lot of primary challengers.
Cheryl Rofer
@germy: “on Friday.” That’s after both testimonies. Dateline on the piece is today.
danielx
@hilts:
And all evidence indicates there are no depths the turtle will not sink to in pursuing his goals.
Also, too: is it just me or is site response time REALLY bad at the moment? I’m typing and it takes eight seconds for characters to appear on screen, cursor freezes for seconds, etc….
TenguPhule
@Mart:
its only the last minute because Republicans are ignoring procedure to hurry the nomination through. THEY are the ones setting the fucking deadlines here.
TriassicSands
@Mary G:
I think the key is Mark Judge. If he testifies honestly, he could do great damage to Kavanaugh. Yesterday, in a truly appalling display of cowardice, Kavanaugh made every effort to pre-emptively discredit Judge on the basis of his lifelong addiction. If Judge is honest, he’s going to destroy Kavanaugh’s claims to being a choir boy in high school and he should reveal that Kavanaugh’s claims about his drinking habits were all lies. In this case the word “lie” is spelled p_e_r_j_u_r_y. Once Kavanaugh’s dishonesty is proven the rest of his testimony could begin to unravel.
Yesterday, as I watched Kavanaugh seesaw back and forth between shouting outrage and weepy victimhood, I thought: Trump has got to be pleased with the belligerence, but what does he think of all the whimpering? Trump likes his manly men to be defiant and to never cede an inch. But all that crying had to be very upsetting to the Bully-in-Chief.
VOR
In the past, Supreme Court nominees have at least claimed to be impartial. Umpire, just calling balls and strikes. Kavenaugh was a naked partisan yesterday, accusing members of one political party of attacking him for purely political reasons. This is a key change and will erode the effectiveness of the court. Of course, they have done plenty of that erosion over the years themselves (Bush v Gore, for example) but this is clearly a visible, obvious change.
Does McConnell need 50 Yes votes (plus Pence) or is it simply 50% of Senators present?
JPL
@germy: Rumor was that the repubs didn’t call him, because he was going to take the fifth.
Martin
@C Stars: I suspect Coons asked Flake where Republicans would find themselves if this evidence came out after the confirmation that these things were true. Could he muster ⅔ of Senators to impeach him, or will he be stuck with the reputation that he let a rapist onto the Supreme Court when all he had to do was hold his vote for an investigation to complete.
germy
@danielx: same here
Michael Cain
@TriassicSands: I figured Graham was auditioning for AG yesterday.
germy
@Cheryl Rofer:
Ah! That’s a whole new ballgame, then.
If the donald is having second thoughts… maybe he’s listening to ivanka’s “cut bait” advice…
TenguPhule
@VOR:
Yes.
psycholingist
IKavenaugh is about to withdraw, at least if it looks like there’s another vote no without investigation. Looks to be a gang of four willing to do that, including Manchin, who likely promised a yes if the investigation happens and no new evidence emerges. Kavenaugh was absolutely clear yesterday that an FBI investigation is a no-go for him, likely because if they get hold of Mark Judge it is game set match.
trollhattan
@TriassicSands:
Is there any chance Judge isn’t the same kind of congenital liar the other judge turns out to be? I can’t envision him opening up. But OTOH would loved to see him dragged before the cameras and mics anyway. How will he blame high school on Hillary?
TriassicSands
@TenguPhule:
I read Rubin’s anti-Trump columns fairly regularly. She is unquestionably a never Trumper, but I fear that what Rubin wants is a return to the GOP of 2015 — pre-Trump, but the party that laid out the red carpet for Trump and whose then long history of dishonesty and hypocrisy had already made it an undemocratic force opposed to free and fair elections, anything remotely resembling fair play in Congress, and a SCOTUS dedicated to unlimited gun rights, unlimited corporate power, tight control over women’s reproductive lives, the abolition of the separation of Church and State, and on and on.
Mnemosyne
@bupalos:
There is at least one case that will be decided in the next SC term that would prevent states from prosecuting people for the same crimes as they were charged federally, which would mean that Trump could pardon Manafort and none of the state with pending money laundering charges could prosecute him.
That is a Trump-protecting vote that Kavanaugh could do IMMEDIATELY if he is approved by the Senate and sworn in in time for this SC term.
So, no, your calculation is wrong. Kavanaugh can do IMMEDIATE damage that cannot be easily fixed in 2020.
WaterGirl
@Elizabelle: That mailbox is full now. :-(
Martin
@JPL: Which he would have to do given there’s no statute of limitations. If he confesses to felony assault under oath to Congress, then the DA in Maryland is pretty much compelled to go after him.
That’s the pressure point in all of this. If they did this, they can’t tell the truth without confessing to a felony. I’m not sure how Judge gets out of this. He pleads the 5th, then Kavanaugh is sunk and Avenatti goes after him through the MD DA. He lies to the FBI, and they get any one of the other people at the party, and both are sunk. Seems like Judge needs to talk to the DA and cut a deal. Kavanaugh is really fucked in all of this because if any of it happens, he loses his law license.
germy
it was quite an audition! But the performance lacked… authenticity.
He yelled and yelled, but his eyes didn’t look angry. In pauses between shouted sentences, his face was calm. It was not a spontaneous eruption of genuine anger, it was something calculated and rehearsed.
At the 2012 GOP convention, he said the republican party needed more “angry white men” in order to survive. He’s just doing his part to rile up the coal rollers. And yes, he’s hoping to replace Sessions.
I’m sure trump finds his southern accent charming…
trollhattan
@VOR:
That was the part I found most shocking–that he let his Offended Republican flag fly so proudly. The Clintons? You have to mention the Clintons? How much more dog-whistley can you get? I now have zero doubt white supremacist trixie was throwing honkey gang signs during the first Q&A. Guy’s a sicko.
Barbara
@Tenar Arha: Honestly, there is nothing worse than someone who allows bad things to happen just to preserve his reputation as a nice guy. No, no, no.
lamh36
Da fuq does this even mean?
Miss Bianca
@Betty Cracker: He’d hold still for that? I can’t imagine either of my two doing that. Well, maybe Watson, but his toenails are jet black.
WaterGirl
@Aleta: Can you provide a link for that?
germy
Mnemosyne
@C Stars:
I know I’m a broken record on this, but I’m convinced that there are Republican and conservative women out there who were assaulted by Kavanaugh but are afraid to come forward because their current friends would destroy their lives if they did.
I suspect that those whispers may be growing louder as gossip travels around Capitol Hill.
TenguPhule
@lamh36:
Someone wants to make a deal. Judge may have figured out just how far up shit creek he is right now.
TenguPhule
@Mnemosyne:
I suspect you’ll find some of his past victims serving John Roberts as legal clerks.
Aleta
Re Badger: Dog delight is a wondrous thing.
NotMax
PETB* is not pleased.
:)
*People for the Ethical Treatment of Balls
debbie
@trollhattan:
Exactly. The last thing this country needs is an obvious partisan on the Supreme Court.
I went my doctor’s this morning for my wellness assessment for next year’s health insurance. After decades of 100-110 blood pressure, it was 138 this morning. I didn’t even turn on the radio to get mad at the news.
Chris Johnson
@Ella in New Mexico:
Bingo. I was saying all yesterday, this is really about getting a guy to cover up massive treason. Not all the Republicans are directly caught up in the treason but they all bear some responsibility, and some of them benefit real directly.
They can’t just get rid of Kavanaugh, they have to get rid of him without Trump’s people punishing them or worse, getting whacked like they were on a London park bench. They are more scared of Russia than they are of the FBI, or Democrats, or even losing control of the House and Senate. So they have to come up with something that will protect them against the exposure they’ve got to Russia, if at all possible without ever admitting how deep the rot went.
So that’s awkward, and one obvious way to do it is to put Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court and then Russia will have both the Executive Branch AND the SC. But that’s difficult because (a) the guy’s a monster and (b) it’s political dynamite to continue to put him through. And they don’t really want him anymore (never did in the first place, he was a Trump pick for obvious reasons) but they must have what he would have done for them: provide immunity for them.
They have to solve that, they can’t just tell him to fuck himself, and he knows what he’s there to do and is OUTRAGED that they dare cross him. Don’t they understand he is the only thing standing between them and massed indictments for treason? He’s so well connected that he can do anything he wants and always could and he’s pissed that anybody dares interfere.
Some of the Republicans are really unhappy about ending up in this position, but they’re afraid they will just be straight up murdered. Just like Paul Ryan said, they don’t talk about this ever ever EVER. But they all know what’s gone down. By now they know. They just have to get out of it without either getting murdered or held to account, and that’s why we’re seeing such insane, impossible behavior.
Aleta
@TenguPhule: and from when he clerked for Kozinsky
joel hanes
@TenguPhule:
As soon as a Dem government makes any move that Jen feels is any kind of threat to Israel, or offers any help to the Palestinians, she’ll pivot again.
TenguPhule
@NotMax:
Please don’t kick.
TenguPhule
@debbie:
FTFY.
Mai Naem mobile
I was wondering if the Russians had tape of Miss Lindsey in bed with a live boy or dead girl. Now I’m thinking they have tape of him in bed with a dead boy. There’s no other reason for him to go completely whackjob.
Miss Bianca
@germy:
If so, that is arguably the first good thing Ivanka will ever have done.
WaterGirl
@Elizabelle: I have really appreciated your comments and your attitude this week.
i hereby nominate Elizabelle as MVP for the week on Balloon Juice. I guess that should be MVC for most valuable commenter.
Thank you, Elizabelle
Aleta
I suspect some of these Senators may also have suspicious stock profits that can be held over them. Trading or illegal information crimes. And Trump would use that pressure.
Gelfling 545
@Steeplejack (tablet): Actually she has said that, very nearly in so many words, repeatedly.
Elizabelle
@Chris Johnson: I think there may be a lot to your suspicions. It explains a lot.
Hurry up, Mueller Time. His team has to have been transfixed by yesterday’s hearing, and the outrageous nomination, too. They do not want to do all this meticulous work and have it all come to naught because the criminal’s Supreme Court justice won’t deal fairly and in the best interests of the people of the United States.
I wonder if we’ll get some Mueller indictments next week. Could not hurt, one bit.
FWIW, if they are uncovering blatant criminality, I don’t see the purpose to not letting the voters in on it. That … did not work out so well in 2016.
chopper
@debbie:
last time i went to the dentist they measured my BP before the cleaning at 130/80. 130 apparently now is the new minimum for hypertensive. the guy was all ‘that’s a little high, have you talked to your doctor?’ and i’m all FUCK MAN DONALD TRUMP IS THE PRESIDENT AND I’M AT THE DENTIST OF COURSE IT’S HIGH
Elizabelle
@WaterGirl: You are so kind. Thank you.
I just don’t like to give up until there is not any option left. I am not a cynic.
Jinchi
I’d be impressed with Flake if he had used his power to hold up the nomination in Committee, where he could single-handedly assure an FBI investigation, instead of kicking it to the floor where he becomes just one of 100. I’ll hope for the best now but I still remember his “deal” with McConnell to have a vote on a DACA bill.
catclub
@Mnemosyne:
There was already the article of fellow Yale students who did NOT remember a light drinking choirboy. and were outraged that he would casually lie about it to the Judiciary Committee.
eemom
@daryljfontaine: @daryljfontaine:
Just came here to post that. Love it!
WaterGirl
@Mnemosyne: Is that really accurate? Feinstein was asked to keep the information confidential and released it after Christine Blasey Ford came forward because there were reporters snooping around.
TenguPhule
@Aleta:
That ship has sailed. Guess who’s still running after his insider trading?
WaterGirl
@germy: I took “scope” to mean “time”. For what it’s worth.
debbie
@chopper:
I lose some wellness funds if my BP is over 120. Bastards.
TenguPhule
@WaterGirl:
its not. Feinstein was honoring Ford’s request for confidentiality. She stepped forward because some bastard leaked information to the press.
Gelfling 545
@TenguPhule: more than once she has stated that the only cure is to vote in Dems, perhaps for a good, long time.
Millard Filmore
@danielx:
I am not an expert, but isn’t that activity done by Java Script locally on your own computer?
TenguPhule
I welcome our new bloghost: Database Error.
Fair Economist
@TriassicSands:
Absolutely. But she’s Jewish, and she knows what she risks in a country run by fascists. If she can’t get the crony capitalism she wants, she’ll take liberal democracy over fascism. Another case of co-belligerent and not truly an ally, but currently we need those.
MJS
@WaterGirl: Seconded. So let it be written, so let it be done. Elizabelle is the tops.
Aleta
McConnell: We listened to a claim, he denied it, there’s no proof, we go with him because otherwise it’s not rule of law.
That reasoning crumbles because he lied to the Senate in the past, and he
lied again yesterday to Mitchell. There are others out there who might tell the FBI it happened more than once yesterday.
When I call Collins again, my focus this time will be the lies that undercut everything he said.
Keith P.
@TenguPhule: I, for one, welcome our erroneous overlords.
Elizabelle
@Martin:
I agree. And Heitkamp and Manchin, too. Although they may hope they never have to go on record. But I think they are with us, if they do.
Folks: call their offices. Tell them you will do some phone banking for them, or help their campaigns in some way. They love hearing that you have their back, even if you are not one of their constituents. Heitkamp’s staffer was so kind to me, and I will definitely be in touch with the HH campaign. (They’re one hour behind Eastern. Another hour in the day to contact voters! Some of North Dakota — Dickinson, wherever that is — is two hours behind.)
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Martin: There’s no law saying you have to be a lawyer to be a judge, or a justice. It’s norms, and we all know how much norms are worth these days.
lamh36
Elizabelle
@MJS: You guys are so kind!
Gotta go get changed to go out canvassing. Was a bit too bummed last night (and enervated, from listening to BK and seeing those GOP peacocks scream and strut). Tonight, I am resolute! We are finding enthusiastic voters! (Chesterfield County near Richmond, VA, red that is maybe now purple with blue enclaves and lots of fed up women).
Elizabelle
@Elizabelle: May I add about Chesterfield County: lots of voters of color. I exhale when I see who has answered the door, and they’re more likely to be enthusiastic than apathetic. They lift my spirits. Although we are finding plenty of GOP-leaning white folks who are giving a respectful hearing, and even their votes, too.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Mnemosyne:
As our legal eagle law prof pointed out the other night, this is limited to EXACTLY the same crime. For instance, the LAPD officers who beat the crap out of Rodney King could have still be changed, even though it was the same crime. The federal charges, acting under the color of authority, were different than the state charges, which IIRC were assault.
catclub
@lamh36:
or if Flake had voted in the Judiciary – where he has actual power – no until there is an investigation, he would get more credit from me.
Chris Johnson
@lamh36: It means Judge requires protection in a serious way if he’s gonna talk. That would be because he has a lot more to tell than rapey college stories.
Millard Filmore
@WaterGirl:
That is what CBFord said in her testimony yesterday. Ford said she did not authorize the release of the information in any way, and did not know how reporters zeroed in on her.
Miss Bianca
@TenguPhule: You got that too, huh? But we’re back now.
Gelfling 545
@TriassicSands: I read her column most days. This is not the impression I get at all.
debit
@catclub: Wasn’t McConnel going to hold a floor vote regardless of whether or not he passed out of committee?
lamh36
Chris Johnson
@Mai Naem mobile: He works for them. They need their guy on the SC: in for a penny, in for a pound. The reason the Republicans are having such a difficult time and attempting such outrageous things is, they’re thoroughly compromised and have to get out of it somehow.
catclub
@debit: sure, but if Flake is a no, then there might be enough no’s to defeat it. And McConnell does count votes, and resists putting things to vote he does not know he will win.
Barbara
@Millard Filmore: Even assuming no one told them anything other than the information had been given to the California delegation, they could start by cross checking Holton Arms yearbooks between 1980 and 1985 against alumni who are now residing in California. That’s probably not that big of a universe. Then they start making phone calls at random.
Tenar Arha
@Barbara:
This is also true. I regret that what I said even implied I think that. I believe that this is the way Flake plans to maintain his position within the ecosystem of right wing welfare; he’s already proved he’s not a “good guy” by going along with all the various dogwhistles to get elected for all these years. As far as I am concerned his reputation as a either a principled man or nice guy is long gone.
This raises a good question for the future is how are we going to handle positive and negative reinforcement when the entire GOP is made up of empathic voids like Graham, Cotton, & Circus Peanut, who also have no shame. At some point they’ll all just eat at private clubs, or Circus Peanut Hotels, or restaurants with private rooms.
Mnemosyne
@catclub:
There’s also an anonymous accusation with anonymous witnesses saying that Kavanaugh publicly groped a Republican staffer in a bar around 1998. But everyone involved is unwilling to come forward because it would end their careers.
This is how this shit works: powerful people abuse the people lower on the totem pole, and nobody talks about it because they don’t want to be ostracized or unemployed. Catholic Church, Weinstein, Moonves … it’s all the same dynamic. People fear the punishment that will come from speaking up more than they fear the abuse.
jonas
Well, this is interesting. Kavanaugh has clearly been trying to avoid an FBI investigation like the plague, even though that would seem to be the best way to clear his name if he didn’t do anything. If Trump orders the investigation, I’m wondering if Kavanaugh doesn’t withdraw his name. He was counting on McConnell ramming him through and being done with it, but now the cat’s out of the bag. I don’t see this ending well for him.
MomSense
So it would seem that the Democrats knew what they were doing when they all pushed Kavanaugh about an FBI investigation. They were speaking to the Republican Senators who need a way out of this nomination without having to vote against Kavanaugh.
Kavanaugh and the rest of the committee know full well an investigation into the issues of his drinking and sexual assault will not go in his favor. I bet he will drop out.
Mnemosyne
@?BillinGlendaleCA:
I don’t want to take a chance that Kavanaugh and the other Republican apparatchiks will make a broad decision that protects Trump and other law-breaking Republicans. Do you?
Aleta
@lamh36: And nothing he said (some denials are broader than JS’s allegations) denies that Kav was aggressive toward and assaulted CBF.
jonas
@Millard Filmore: IIRC, it was staffers on the JC who ended up leaking Ford’s identity.
Yutsano
@lamh36: Cornyn does not set the schedule. Yertle does. And ol’ Mitch is gonna get his Dolt45 protector on the Court even if that means minority vote approval.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Mnemosyne: I’m not all that worried about that, it would disrupt a lot more than any of Trump’s exposure, and in ways conservatives wouldn’t like.
WaterGirl
@Millard Filmore: I’m fairly confident the Republicans leaked it as a thread to Christine Blasey Ford.
Pure speculation on my part. Leroy Jethro Gibbs isn’t the only one whose gut can be trusted. Mine is pretty good, too.
Yutsano
101 to Tbogg?
Chyron HR
@Yutsano:
So, what, if Kavanaugh gets less than 50 votes to confirm, they’ll just declare him a Supreme Court justice anyway?
Chris Johnson
Find out who PAID OFF HIS DEBTS. If you know who paid off Kavanaugh’s debts it might provide some insight into why Flake dared not ruin his nomination in a situation where he’d be personally responsible, but instead wants to kick it to a larger deliberative body and bargain for some more time for Congress to handle things without blowing up everything.
If Kavanaugh (Trump’s guy) and his most frenzied supporters are Russian agents and deeply in debt to the Russian mob (mob, government, same difference) which controls Trump, here’s the deal: to expose everything is to completely ruin and invalidate the government. It also means treason of many high-ranking and powerful Republicans.
And you can’t just do that, even if you’re Mueller or the FBI. You’re not there to outright blow up the government. Hell, Russia can be laughing at you going ‘how are you going to get out of this one? Maybe we’ll just reveal it all and your country can descend into chaos. Maybe we’ll let you continue to pretend to run your country, if you put our guy on the Supreme Court. Yeah, we can do that… if you’re good.’
They have to untangle this without actually revealing what’s happened. Too many of the Republicans bought into the lure of continued power and took money and influence/hacking/etc from willing Russians, and the situation became ‘too big to fail’.
So they have to somehow wind it down in a way that is acceptable to Democrats, Republicans and Russia. That’s a very tall order. And if they cross Russia they will have certain kinds of trouble they truly don’t want to face.
The Dangerman
@Martin:
Good riddance to bad rubbish.
He could have probably kept his job if he backed out earlier (i.e., no FBI investigation). Now, he’s all in and gonna bust out.
Fuck him.
Fuck Graham, too. People in glass houses…
errg
@Aleta: Yes, the lies are the thing to focus on.
RobertB
@chopper: An hour of Fox News in the doctor’s waiting room == 20 points on my blood pressure.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Chyron HR: He doesn’t need to have 50 votes if there are less than 100 Senators voting, he just needs a majority plus one of those voting.
Mai Naem mobile
Whatever happened to Rod Rosenstein’s meeting with Trumpov? Is it all forgotten?
rikyrah
@jacy:
You ain’t never lied
Chyron HR
@?BillinGlendaleCA:
So, what, he’s going to start having Democratic senators killed? I feel like you guys are in reverse vampire territory here.
WaterGirl
I would be money that his wife is begging Kavanaugh to cut his losses before the whole world KNOWS what he is, rather than half the world being believes that’s what he is.
trollhattan
@jonas:
Was scratching my head yesterday when Kamala Harris spent a good chunk of her time asking him whether he’d be willing to personally ask for an FBI inquiry. The hearings were like trying to follow 11-dimensional chess and a game of cornhole simultaneously.
Pro tip: not recommended is listening while driving. Think I ripped the leather off the steering wheel, I need to check.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@The Dangerman: Kav could loose his law license and still be a judge on the appeals court. The only way he leave that job, is resignation, death, or impeachment.
Mary G
Another two bite the dust:
Just glanced at Google, Coffman is complaining about Gaby Giffords’ organization shoveling money and volunteers against him, and Bishop is complaining that his female opponent is a carpetbagger. Wonder what they have in common?
Miss Bianca
@Mnemosyne:
Sad but true. Unless and until the pressure builds and builds to the point where the levee breaks.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@MomSense: Yup. I was confused and irritated that nobody asked about Ed Whelan– and I’m still curious– but it sounds like they knew that Flake and Murkowski and probably a few others who are tougher electoral situations wanted more info
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Chyron HR: I didn’t say anything about killing anybody(I’m not TP), just pointing out that he doesn’t need 50 votes. The day they hold the vote may be the same day that some Senators sort their sock drawer.
Aleta
The Trumps had her number from early 2017 on. They weren’t fooled by the ‘strong independent voice for Maine’ schtick. They knew just how to play her; as always, used Ivanka to flatter. The stuff about Ivanka having Trump’s ear, being a moderating influence wasn’t just directed at voters but at non-RW politicians who were told they could speak to Trump through her. It’s one reason she insists on the first daughter label.
C Stars
@Mnemosyne: Well, with a demeanor like that, there’s no way he doesn’t have some enemies who might be starting to crawl out of the woodwork. Whether they’re assault victims or just victims of the awful blotchy-faced temper performance we got yesterday… they’re definitely out there.
And with all the desperate avoidance and deflection and dissembling the GOPs have done, they must know that too.
NotMax
@BillinGlendaleCA
Not so. Needs a majority of the membership, not the attendance. He would need fewer than 50 if there are open seats, as opposed to unoccupied seats.
WaterGirl
Preet has a new special podcast up re: the Kavanaugh hearings – taped just before Jeff Flake flipped.
Also, I now officially want to marry Alexandra Petra and have her babies:
HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO BRETT KAVANAUGH?
Aleta
@?BillinGlendaleCA: Down with socks!
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Mary G: I’ve seen Mimi Walters commercials on heavy rotation on the local news. The commercials that Harley(Dana’s opponent) and Katie Hill(Steve Knight’s opponent) are getting more pointed.
Mnemosyne
@WaterGirl:
Feinstein was definitely keeping it confidential, and I do think that her hand was forced by the leak, but I’m guessing that she was hoping to convince Dr. Blasey Ford to agree to come forward as a last-ditch attempt to stop the confirmation.
There are some claims that Feinstein leaked the name, but I do not believe them. The leak to the press seems to have happened a few hours after Feinstein was forced to share the accuser’s name with the White House.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@NotMax: Nope, A simple majority of the Senators present and voting is required for the judicial nominee to be confirmed. If there is a tie, the Vice President who also presides over the Senate casts the deciding vote.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Aleta: That’s what the kid keeps telling me, socks are so old doodish.
catclub
@NotMax: yet another crazy rule of the senate, so if 10 senators miss a vote, and the vote is 49-41, then no go.
Immanentize
@Chyron HR: I agree. This is the most wingnutty conspiracy leftynut thread I think I have ever read on BJ. And, that my friends is saying something!
cain
@Mnemosyne:
No surprise there. Surprised the nuclear codes isn’t public knowledge.
Miss Bianca
@WaterGirl: YOU LISTEN!! No, YOU listen!!
God, if nothing else, that smarmy fuck deserves to go down for yelling over everyone. Petri captured that dynamic perfectly.
debit
@WaterGirl: And today’s made me cry.
It’s very difficult to get the train to stop.
bemused
@Adam L Silverman:
If Flake is that miserable in his professional and personal life, wouldn’t that be a big, fat clue that he needs to bite the bullet and change his life. He could get a lot of advice from folks like David Frum, Jennifer Rubin, Bruce Bartlett, Nicolle Wallace, Steve Schmidt, Charlie Sykes, Rick Wilson and a few others. Some them broke away years ago and were blacklisted, had a difficult adjustment period but seem to feel it was the right choice in the longer run. It’s similar to the struggles people have breaking away from a cult.
Aleta
@cain: also, other possibilities:
Someone close to the reporter she’d communicated with.
Someone on the staff of the Ca rep she phoned (she gave some info to a receptionist) and then sent a letter to. She prob didn’t identify Kav by name in the first call, but it could have alerted someone.
bemused
@Ridnik Chrome:
Me too. I would never have believed then that I’d be reading Rubin, watching her on cable and enjoying it.
TenguPhule
@?BillinGlendaleCA:
Two out of three is acceptable.
TenguPhule
@?BillinGlendaleCA:
I am your future from 2022.
you will understand my current and prior rage then.
WaterGirl
@debit: I hadn’t seen today’s yet. I cried while reading it just now.
She really has a voice that speaks to me, and a week ago I didn’t know her name.
The Dangerman
@?BillinGlendaleCA:
Maybe on a hypertechnical basis that could happen, but no law license, no job. Politically untenable. Then again, I thought Trump was untenable, so what the fuck do I know.
bemused
@germy:
I read something like this and immediately think, what’s the catch? I’m cynical about and suspicious of anything and everything coming from R’s.
zhena gogolia
@bupalos:
He wasn’t in Skull and Bones. He’s not upper-crust enough.
debbie
@WaterGirl:
Hopefully she says that while she’s packing suitcases for her daughters and herself.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@TenguPhule:
Nah, I’m an old fart.
Aleta
@Sloane Ranger: I’m fine with “gentleman’s agreement “. Meaning giving one’s word and trusting in honor. But McConnell said “agreement between the gentlemen and ladies.” (word order paraphrased) (And Feinstein repeated that part.) It was Flake and other Dems who asked for the condition.
I interpret it as a familiar pretense when cornered: announcing that men are being courteous or respectful of women who object to something. (Which goes to their framing that the issue is a ‘he said, she said’ question, a way to say ‘no way of knowing’ or to say ‘cultural problem–govt (or military) can’t fix.) Avoiding the actual reasons for the delay which are democratic not gender-based. If I misinterpreted, it’s OK to let me know.
Aleta
So it’s official. Kav says he will cooperate. Not sure what the limits are.
TenguPhule
@?BillinGlendaleCA:
undeath is rejuvenating.
Duane
Lying Lindsey was on the floor explaining that none of the evividence against Kravenaugh would justify criminal charges. For a former prosecutor, defense attorney and judge, his ability to recognize the difference between criminal charges and a SC nomination is surprising. Or he thinks we’re stupid.
Aleta
@Aleta: I think I did interpret this wrong. By gentlemen and ladies he was prob. including women in the term, not saying it was a gent.’s agreement w/ ladies … mea culpa
Chris Johnson
Perez wants to support Dems that vote for Kavanaugh.
I don’t want that. He needs to stop that. FFS we are wanting Republicans to cave, not Democrats to join them.
bupalos
@Mnemosyne:
Well sure, there bigtime damage to be done immediately, but there’s no one going on who won’t do that damage. Any Trumpy appointee is going to vote the straight Trumpy line. The idea that we’re actually going to get this seat back is something I won’t even allow myself to dream, I think it’s between confirming this particular rapey asshole, or getting some slightly less obvious but equally damaging asshole like Gorsuch.