Oct. 5 Open Thread: Drunken, Lying, Privileged Partisan Hacks Are People, Too
I’m starting to wonder if the Republicans haven’t overplayed their hand on Brett Kavanaugh. For a day or two they gained ground in polls by stoking the fires of white grievance, even stampeding the press and people who should know better (lookin’ at you, Nate Silver) into believing that Republicans were so angry about his “unfair” treatment that the enthusiasm gap going into the midterms had evaporated. I’m sure they are that angry — this week.
By last night, though, reality was intruding on this manufactured story line. Opposition to his nomination — based on his unhinged testimony, not his alleged sexual or drinking peccadillos — was voiced by 2,400 law professors, the National Council of Churches and even retired Justice John Paul Stevens, a Republican. Kavanaugh himself wrote a self-serving op-ed in the Wall Street Journal claiming to apologize for getting “too emotional” and that he was impartial, in direct opposition to what he said under oath. If I thought Kavanaugh had the respect for the law he pretends to have, the claim under oath would carry more weight. Given what we’ve learned about Mr. Brilliant over the past two weeks, it’s clear that he’s a smooth, practiced liar who for years has pretended to be the person Republicans still want to pretend he is.
Josh Marshall points out that the op-ed never would have run if Republicans had the votes to confirm him. I would point out that writing an op-ed arguing for your own appointment is yet another bit of disqualifying behavior. Sen. Doug Jones said the “disingenuous” op-ed convinced him to vote “no.”
Most ominously for Republicans, Sen. Lisa Murkowski held a closed-door meeting with women who had traveled from Alaska to beg her not to vote for Kavanaugh. It’s significant because the senator did not tell the press about it, so it wasn’t just PR window dressing.
Why is the GOP so frantic to get Kavanaugh approved ASAP? It’s not just the looming midterms. SCOTUS will hear number of hot-button cases this session, and they want Kavanaugh on board to give them their victories. The fact that they know how he’ll vote ahead of time is all the reason we really need to call the Supreme Court America’s supreme sham.
More proof, as if any were needed, that conservatives are toddlers in adult bodies — they demand that the Washington Post stop calling columnist Jennifer Rubin a conservative because she doesn’t support Trump.
People who think the Russians were mainly interested only in electing Trump don’t understand their project, which is actually to deepen the rifts dividing the country by putting stress on America’s long-established fault lines. The problem for Americans is that they’re so good at it and we’re so easily triggered, which is why Russian bots helped fuel the backlash againstthe latest Star Wars film, which featured several non-white actors in important roles.
They also might underestimate how far the White House will go to protect Trump’s vodka-drinking buddies. Jesus-humper Mike Pence yesterday said that it’s China, not Russia that’s interfering in American elections. Nobody believes that, but it indicates how Trump will try to defend himself when the Mueller report comes out.
“Why is the GOP so frantic to get Kavanaugh approved ASAP?”
Because they can…maybe.
It’s obviously close or the Dem leadership would have permitted the Dems in the red states to vote for confirmation seeing that it was a lost cause anyway.
You might try actually reading the article.
Dem leadership has no leverage over red state Democrats. In fact, the next Dem Senate will owe its majority to the worst Democrats.
The only one still on the fence is Manchin, so I’m not sure what you mean.
I have little faith in the senate to do what’s right for the country, even if it’s obvious. If seated Kavanaugh will add to the courts already dubious reputation, it will be called illegitimate and far worse. And rightly so as crying, whining and obvious political bias do not equal “Judicial Temperament” and a qualified nominee. The Republicans love to talk about “reform”, would suggest the court is badly in need of reform starting with term limits.
The thing about Kavanaugh’s partisan comments that he “apologized” for is that those comments weren’t said spontaneously. They were part of his opening statements that day and he read them off a document. They were hardly said in the heat of the moment.
Kiddy Koncentration Kamps.
Kewl.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/02/texas-detention-camp-swells-fivefold-with-migrant-children
FYI… Regardless of outcome, this will not stop.
https://mobile.twitter.com/VoteChoice/status/1048232941648846851
In the words of the late, great Chicago comic Bernie Mac…
We ain’t scared of you motherfuckers.
https://mobile.twitter.com/atrupar/status/1048289004532240385
Inside the Senate chamber….
Also Chicago cop who murdered Laquan McDonald found guilty of murdering Laquan McDonald.
Today ain’t all bad, folks.
I agree, this time it doesn’t end, the protests will continue and if anything spread. Also note that Collins is the same lying sack of McConnell that she always was and will vote for Kavanaugh.
Also, silver lining. Coons’ gesture is meaningless. Proving once again he’s fucking useless.
They love him on MSNBC though, so there is that.
Vichy
Activist Ady Barkan’s CrowdPac for Susan Collins’ opponent has raised a quarter million dollars in the last 90 minutes. Already more that $2 million.
https://www.crowdpac.com/campaigns/387413/either-sen-collins-votes-no-on-kavanaugh-or-we-fund-her-future-opponent
“Saying ‘believe survivors’ before voting to confirm Kavanaugh is some ‘Arbeit Macht Frei’ shit.” —-Matt Christman.
Update: Crowdpac site to fund Collins’ opponent has crashed. Already well over $2 million. Once it comes back up it’ll likely be $3 million by tomorrow….
With Crowdpac down due to extreme traffic they’ve opened an Act Blue to donate to Collins’ opponent. It collected $8,000 in the first 5 minutes.
Susan Collins is in huge trouble.
MoveOn.org… for immediate release.
We’re cancelling a planned six-figure digital video ad expenditure for Phil Bredesen in Tennessee due to his Kavanaugh position. And similarly will be pulling all planned campaigning on behalf of Joe Manchin in West Virginia if he votes yes. Kavanaugh is unfit for the Court.
https://mobile.twitter.com/MoveOn/status/1048301380971241472
Seems self-defeating in the Bredesen case.
I don’t know. You don’t hear the phrase “blue state Republicans” anymore because they’ve all quit or been fired. Maybe we need to get there for red state dems?
Like Bill Nelson and Mary Landrieu?
Yeah. Good riddance.
Florida isn’t red. My good riddance was to Landrue
That’s an excellent idea! Given that Donald Trump carried 30 states, that would mean 60 Republican senators.
Even in 2008, when Barack Obama carried 28 states, that would have meant 56 Democratic senators, not the 60 they actually had. In 2000, George Bush carried 30 states, but the GOP had only 50 senators. In 2004, President Bush carried 31 states, but the GOP had only 55 senators, not 62.
Common ground at last.
Small bit of irony I guess. MoveOn.org doesn’t want to move on…ehh.
I’d point out here that the Democrats have attempted to filibuster the last three Supreme Court nominations by Republican presidents, Sam Alito, Neil Gorsuch and now Brett Kavanaugh. The GOP did not attempt to filibuster the nominations of Sonia Sotomayor or Elena Kagan, and though both nominations received significant numbers of negative Republican votes, 31 and 37 respectively, both did have some GOP support.
No shit Sherlock. They were better, more qualified and less paritisan nominations.