It’s hard to remember a time I felt so exhausted from a day of American civic failure — though late night November 8, 2016 comes to mind. Today the Senate Republicans hid behind a woman fetched from God-knows-where, to challenge the testimony of an extremely cogent witness against Brett Kavanaugh; and then retreated to male-rage politics for the entire afternoon. The tone of the entire afternoon was classic pound-the-table. Kavanaugh’s accuser was eminently credible; in response, he was red-faced, intemperate; his Republican defenders were enraged, piously hypocritical, and male. They had no facts, nor law, on their side; and all that was left was to rage and bluster at the purported unfairness of the whole proceedings — to poor Brett Kavanaugh.
Dr. Blasey Ford was an obviously credible witness; her story adds up. Her delivery was gracious, vulnerable and dignified — “feminine” in a way that ought to be emulated — by men. Even Republicans on the committee had to feign sympathy for her — even as they 100% dismissed her “100% certainty” that her assailant was Brett Kavanaugh.
In the afternoon, Kavanaugh dropped the veneer of dignity and comportment, and let loose a stunning and baseless stream of bitter recriminations which ought to call into question demolish his presumption of suitability for the nation’s highest court:
This whole two-week effort has been a calculated and orchestrated political hit, fueled with apparent pent-up anger about President Trump and the 2016 election, fear that has been unfairly stoked about my judicial record, revenge on behalf of the Clintons and millions of dollars in money from outside left-wing opposition groups.
Furthermore, Kavanaugh lied about matters large and small, blatantly and fluidly: The meanings of the references on his yearbook page — relevant as a character self-witness — are easily disproven by a Google search. Renate was indeed shocked and offended to learn of his inscription to her. But to Kavanaugh, a word means just what he chooses it to mean, neither more nor less. This is also evident in his cafeteria-plutocrat, heads-I-win/tails-you-lose, the rich-shall-inherit-the-earth judicial philosophy. It’s all of a piece, a seamless garment of rationalization.
Naturally, committee Republicans, Lindsay Graham most notably, echoed Kavanaugh’s claim that he was being treated unfairly. (nb. Merrick Garland.) There is no hope in pointing out hypocrisy to the shameless; but we point it out to be entered into the historical record.
They’ve got nothing. They’re all busted, all of ‘em.
I think a lot of us hold out some hope that the Republicans’ insane fever for destruction is going to break at some point; that they’re going to pull it back one of these days. I’ve been waiting for that since at least 1994. It hasn’t happened yet. It never will. And if Kavanaugh is bum-rushed through, the insanity engulfs the Supreme Court.
This party must be destroyed, utterly. GOP delenda est.
SomervilleTom says
I could not watch the second act of today’s travesty. I lasted through a few minutes of the nominee’s bluster and turned it off.
I similarly caught a 4-minute highlight of Mr. Graham exploding in rage about when Ms. Ford’s accusations were made public. At no time during that 4-minute rant did Mr. Graham say a single word about the actual accusation — his outrage was about when the accusation was made public.
Mr. Graham is apparently not troubled by the credibility of Ms. Ford. Mr. Graham shows no reservations at all about putting an attempted rapist of a 15 year old on the Supreme Court.
This party must be destroyed. If Mr. Kavanaugh is seated, then he must be investigated and impeached as soon as the Democrats have a majority.
This party must indeed be destroyed. They really ARE America’s death-eaters.
Christopher says
The preponderance of the evidence certainly favors Dr. Ford, but I for one would have not been able to work up the anger BK displayed unless I really had been falsely accused.
Charley on the MTA says
Ha, no, it doesn’t work that way, Christopher.
Christopher says
It does for me. I guess he’s a better actor than I am.
jconway says
Frankly, it honestly does not matter whether Kavanaugh is innocent or guilty of this specific crime. We will never know with certainty. What we do know with certainty is that Dr. Ford credibly and honestly feels she was assaulted by him. What we do know with certainty is that he responded to her compelling testimony by blaming the Clintons, the Democrats on the Judiciary Committee, and everyone but himself.
As Chris Hayes pointed out, they could both be right. He could have done this as she remembered and he might have been so drunk that he blacked out and did not remember. His other Yale roommates seem to confirm that was a frequent occurrence when they interacted him later in college. Surely his tolerance was substantially lower as a teenager. It ultimately does not matter to the adjudication of this question.
It seems more likely than not that he sexually assaulted Dr. Ford. Is that standard enough to criminally convict him? Absolutely not. Innocent until proven guilty still applies and there is insufficient evidence to criminally convict him. That is not the question at hand however. The question is whether someone wIth a credible but ultimately unproven allegation of sexual assault should be seated on the highest court in the land. For life.
Kavanaugh will still have his day job on the second highest court in the land, his property, and his freedom. Merrick Garland was rejected for a Supreme Court seat for far more callous and arbitrary reasons and resumed his life with grace and dignity after his gross mistreatment by the Senate. Surely Kavanaugh can do the same.
Christopher says
Though I’ve heard accounts regarding previous testimony that indicate maybe he shouldn’t keep his current job either. Today’s electoral-vote.com has good analysis of yesterday’s hearing, I think.
seascraper says
Nobody destroyed Merrick Garland’s life to keep him off the court. This was nakedly political or they would have brought up Ford months ago. You got what you wanted, only time will tell if it plays out the way you hope in the elections.
As for the Democrats, 95% of the Massachusetts Legislature is guilty of something as reprehensible as Ford’s accusations. Democrats would rather have Sex Abuser-D in office than Anybody-R, so I don’t see any Republicans winning seats because a Democrat was a drunk in college. Most of the fallout from this will be the Democrats first-rate politicians getting butted out by their second-raters who were less fun and popular in high school.
SomervilleTom says
“95% of the Massachusetts Legislature is guilty of something as reprehensible as Ford’s accusations”?
Utter garbage. He’s not accused of being drunk, he’s accused of attempted rape.
seascraper says
Most legislators could be accused of rape then. Men and women. 100% did something at least as evil in high school and college, if not strictly criminal. You know Brett Kavanaugh will never be charged with anything in relation to Ford. We have criminal courts that operate the way they do for a reason. If OJ is innocent then BK is innocent. The case to deny him is therefore based solely on rumors of reprehensible behavior, and I stand by my statement that all legislators, in fact all of us,have done something more evil in our lives.
SomervilleTom says
“Men and women. 100% did something at least as evil in high school and college”
Speak for yourself. Not me, not anyone I know or knew.
Christopher says
You need to prove assertions like that! I don’t see how it’s relevant, but I do believe OJ murdered his wife and her lover, FWIW.
petr says
I sure hope that’s not an admission.
Some of us spent time in high school and college watching out for the vulnerable and protecting them. We would warn them about who to not be alone with and stay with them when they were plied with liquor that they not be found in situations for which they couldn’t cope. We honed this particular form of courage in Catholic Schools where we were warned off of predator priests and sadistic nuns. Some of us learned at an all too early age what exactly a predator was…
Brett Kan-I-have-anothers holier-than-thou shtick only works if there are, in fact, people who might be holy. Otherwise it’s just one big lie we’re all telling each other. Not everybody is a venal Republican rat-f**cker. In fact, most of us…
jconway says
Stan Rosenberg lost his Senate presidency and is giving up his Senate seat due to accusations against his husband. Al Franken and John Conyers resigned. If you want to play the “what about Ted?” or “what about Clinton?” game, my only argument is that if they were in office today they would be judged by the same standards and likely facing far different pressures than when they were in office. I know I would be calling for them to resign too.
Christopher says
Ford’s allegations came up pretty much on the timetable she wanted them to, which needs to be respected.
SomervilleTom says
Mr. Garland didn’t need to be destroyed, because the GOP refused to even consider his nomination. That refusal is a case study in flagrantly political abuse of government power.
I’m astonished that you have the audacity to bring up Merrick Garland — I would think you’d want to join the rest of the GOP thugs in keeping that as deeply buried as possible.
SomervilleTom says
You don’t seem to understand the dynamic in play here.
The rage is not an “act”, it is genuine. Sadly, it is a factor in what makes abusers so dangerous.
The abuser truly believes that he is is entitled to do the action. The abuser believes that the accusation is scurrilous and false, because the abuser believes that there is nothing wrong with his abuse.
Men who physically abuse their spouses often believe that they are doing the work of God. They believe that God has made them superior and women inferior. They believe that it is up to them to be God’s instrument in demonstrating the “sin” of the woman’s “pride” or whatever the perceived fault is.
Men and women from privileged classes often believe that they are entitled to do whatever they want to the “lower” classes. When that feeling of entitlement is challenged, the result is often genuine and extreme rage — rage rooted in the correct perception that their entire existential view of the universe is being challenged.
We saw a similar reaction among Trumpist America to the elevation of Barack Obama to the presidency. We saw a similar reaction across America to the prospect of a smart, articulate, and outspoken woman as President. I’m not talking about a decision to vote one way or the other, I’m talking about visceral and extreme rage. It is a visceral and extreme rage that Mitch McConnell and the GOP explicitly pandered to during the entire administration of Barack Obama. It is a visceral and extreme rage that Donald Trump and his Collaborators explicitly and successfully invoked during 2016 campaign.
It is no act, it truly despicable, and it is widespread.
johntmay says
Well written post, Tom. Reminds me of Leona Helmsely who said We don’t pay taxes. Only the little people pay taxes.”
And who can forget Lloyd C. Blankfein’s infamous comment, “We are doing God’s work”.
SomervilleTom says
I appreciate the kind words.
Christopher says
Well then I hope it goes without saying that Kavanaugh and I start with very different premises. I for one know that what he is accused of is wrong on so many levels and would be livid beyond words if I were falsely accused of such.
petr says
But he wasn’t falsely accused. He was truly and accurately accused of doing what he knows he did. What he thinks is false is that anybody would make a big deal about what he did. The entire substance of his anger is just to say ‘so what? She’s only a woman! What’s the big deal?!?!?’
Christopher says
Actually, I pretty clearly heard the “I didn’t do it” defense.
petr says
Right, because he has some appreciation that other men find his behavior unacceptable and so he’s willing to grudgingly lie to protect what he perceives to be their political calculations and against what he perceives to be their weakness: That’s the tipping point for him and also explains the harshness of his testimony. Put that together with his entitlement and raw sexism then you got the full-on, nearly uncontrollable rage, Kavanaugh exhibited in the hearing.
You’re a nice guy, Christopher. Brett Kavanaugh is not. You can’t judge your experience against his experience because they are night and day different. What might make you mad isn’t what will make him mad.
Kavanaugh is, in fact, a dyed in the wool, Karl Rove trained rat-f**cker who the Republicans fully expect to be the second coming of Robert Bork. That’s why they want him on the court so badly… And he’s so eager to fill the role the thought of being so close and losing it is too much for his mental health. That alone should disqualify him
SomervilleTom says
Your inexperience with confronting abusers is showing.
The anger we saw is typical of abusers who think they have gotten away with their crimes. Were you paying attention to Bill Cosby’s outburst when his bail was revoked?
Christopher says
I actually don’t recall that particular incident, though I don’t think his publicist’s outburst this week did him any favors. I certainly don’t have reason in my life to confront abusers on a regular basis, but I do know what would and would not make me that angry.
SomervilleTom says
I was referring to this April 2018 incident (emphasis mine):
fredrichlariccia says
“Ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have.” James Baldwin. That is my conclusion after listening to nine hours of testimony today.
Is this fascist drunken bully creep the best con pukes have? How pathetic. they are.
They must be destroyed on November 6 if our democracy has any chance to survive.
And from those ashes we can only hope that the phoenix of their founder, Abraham Lincoln, will rise again.
fredrichlariccia says
Anger? Hell hath no fury like a creepy, fascist, drunken, bully con puke scorned.
petr says
Is it your contention, then, that the only thing that can explain such anger is righteousness in the face of false accusations? No other reason can explain being so ‘worked up’???
Christopher says
I can only speak for myself. I really do not believe I could present that much righteous indignation if I knew deep down there was something to the accusations.
scott12mass says
Whether he is another Bill Cosby or a Duke lacrosse player this episode has exposed how low the political climate has gotten in this country. I won’t attempt to bring up any questions which might reflect that she is not perfect. I hope she brings charges with the local police which is what some MD politicians are urging her to do. Should have happened earlier.
Obama got screwed by the Republicans when he couldn’t get a vote for his guy. There should be a requirement that the Senate vote on a President’s nomination within 90 days. The President should nominate from a “bullpen” list developed in the first 90 days of his Presidency. This will provide much more time for vetting candidates. Restoration of civility in Washington is not dead but it is on life support.
The National Enquirer like show that has surrounded this nomination cheapens the whole process.
jconway says
I will partially agree with the bullpen idea, and also add that judicial term limits, which former Supreme Court clerk and BMG editor David Kravitz agrees with, are our best way out of this mess. I also think that under such a scenario it would be easier for partisans to vote against their own candidates when they are faced with apalling accusations such as this one. To me, this goes beyond partisanship.
No man or woman, of either party, credibly accused of sexual assault against another person should be allowed on the highest judicial body in the land. I would also urge votes against Al Franken or John Conyers if they were hypothetically nominated to the Supreme Court by a Democratic president, knowing full well that they would ideologically line up with the liberal principles I champion. If Kavanaugh or Thomas had D’s next to their names, I would still oppose their presence on the Supreme Court.
I think Mel Watt should resign or be removed from office if he does not. I certainly would not defend putting him on the Supreme Court. The right could have easily found another nominee who was not accused of an assault of this magnitude. That they choose to double down on the likes of Kavanaugh and Roy Moore is an indictment of all claims they ever held to family values or personal character. or Christianity or basic decency.
SomervilleTom says
I am convinced that the GOP and Mr. Trump LIKE the allegations against Mr. Kavanaugh. These accusations are not, in their view, obstacles to be overcome. They are instead examples of his bona fides.
Civilized America is under attack by a vulgarian Jihad.
jconway says
Looks like President Trump and Judge Kavanaugh
grabbed another p—y
Christopher says
I already proposed an amendment to expedite confirmations, but I do not like judicial term limits and still strongly disagree with your witch hunt against good Dems who have been accused of much less.