Dahlia Lithwick wrote a good assessment of the whole situation:
Our System Is Too Broken to Assess the Sexual Assault Claim Against Kavanaugh
The real tragedy is that we do not need this woman’s story to understand who the current Supreme Court nominee is. Because here is what we do know about Judge Kavanaugh: We know that he clerked for and had a yearslong close relationship with a serial abuser of women and claims he knew nothing about it. He claims he doesn’t recall being on a hypersexualized and misogynistic email list and claims he didn’t bother to search to determine whether he was. He claims that when the serial abuser of women for whom he clerked was revealed to be a serial abuser of women, he believed the victims and yet called the abuser, because he was worried about the abuser’s mental health. Worrying more about the accused judge than the accusers one claims to believe is the system protecting the system. This is why women don’t come forward.
Dahlia Lithwick wrote a good assessment of the whole situation:
Our System Is Too Broken to Assess the Sexual Assault Claim Against Kavanaugh
The real tragedy is that we do not need this woman’s story to understand who the current Supreme Court nominee is. Because here is what we do know about Judge Kavanaugh: We know that he clerked for and had a yearslong close relationship with a serial abuser of women and claims he knew nothing about it. He claims he doesn’t recall being on a hypersexualized and misogynistic email list and claims he didn’t bother to search to determine whether he was. He claims that when the serial abuser of women for whom he clerked was revealed to be a serial abuser of women, he believed the victims and yet called the abuser, because he was worried about the abuser’s mental health. Worrying more about the accused judge than the accusers one claims to believe is the system protecting the system. This is why women don’t come forward.
The reality is that this accuser tells us nothing new about this guy. In that sense, I feel for Feinstein and the impossible position she was put in. I don’t know if I agree with the decision she made but I can also see why she made it.
Is she even old enough to have been in high school when he was in high school?
I was trying to suss that out. Everything I was reading said she was from his second marriage, which means post-1996, or was unclear. Nothing said she was from his first marriage, although they were clear her brother Sandy was. But her Linked-In has her at a prep school from 1977-1983 and graduating from Vanderbilt in 1987, which makes her 52-53 (born in about 1965-66.) Kavanaugh was born in 1965 so they'd be of an age.
Post by seeyalater52 on Sept 16, 2018 17:57:12 GMT -5
Maybe I’m being overly cynical. I’d love to be wrong. They don’t need his vote to move the nomination so I kinda feel like he’s playing CYA knowing that it will move forward anyways. The rest of the GOP committee members are trash so I don’t see any of them siding with Flake on this.
I don't expect a whole lot from the GOP, but I admit, I have more hope now that we can get him withdrawn then I have had at any point in this process.
There ton of reliable reporting about what a drunk little shit Kavanaugh was back then. Pictures of things from his yearbook, stories about his secret society at Yale, etc. His friend that was supposedly the witness has written a memoir talking about what drunken, privileged shitheads the two of them were back then. If the GOP wants to pull the "she's a liar" card, the Dems better bring a gun to this fight.
I don't expect a whole lot from the GOP, but I admit, I have more hope now that we can get him withdrawn then I have had at any point in this process.
There ton of reliable reporting about what a drunk little shit Kavanaugh was back then. Pictures of things from his yearbook, stories about his secret society at Yale, etc. His friend that was supposedly the witness has written a memoir talking about what drunken, privileged shitheads the two of them were back then. If the GOP wants to pull the "she's a liar" card, the Dems better bring a gun to this fight.
I completely agree. And while I don’t think he will be withdrawn the process has been mucked up quite a bit, which is mostly all we can realistically hope for.
I think the closer we get to Nov the harder it is for me to imagine him getting withdrawn anyways considering the weird optics about how they stole the last SCOTUS seat due to “election timing.”
I am so angry about how this is going down. You have a credible source who 1) is going public despite knowing she's going to be ripped to shreds by a bunch of assholes, 2) has passed a polygraph and 3) spoke about the incident 6 years ago, well before Kavenaugh was a nominee for anything and he's going to be a motherfucking Supreme Court justice for the next 40 years. Fuck this shit.
"Hello babies. Welcome to Earth. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. On the outside, babies, you've got a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of, babies-"God damn it, you've got to be kind.”
Post by MrsAxilla on Sept 16, 2018 20:22:01 GMT -5
If we’ve learned anything from #metoo it’s that entitled, rapey white dudes don’t just do it once. I’d bet real money that there are more women out there, some of whom are feeling a little braver today.....
If we’ve learned anything from #metoo it’s that entitled, rapey white dudes don’t just do it once. I’d bet real money that there are more women out there, some of whom are feeling a little braver today.....
I grew up in montgomery county and slightly knew some private school kids when I was in public high school. Landon and Prep boys had lots of expensive drugs and were known to be rapey.
Then in my 20s, I tutored kids in those circles and heard similar stories.
I believe every single word of her story and I am certain there are more.
I don’t like how they all want an opportunity to abuse her further. Put Kavanaugh and his buddy under oath and ask them about it publicly and let the FBI talk to her instead.
I admit I didnt see this one coming. They may not end up delaying the Judiciary vote but unless these guys do a total flip flop they’re going to have trouble rushing a full Senate floor vote.
Sadly I don't think it will make a difference. Also, there are reports on twitter of threats being made toward her and sources saying 45 is going to go after her, which I fear would make any other possible victims hesitate.
Burgess Everett Verified account @burgessev
People close to the White House tell @elianayjohnson that they are prepared to mount a strong Kavanaugh defense, questioning accuser. And they also say Trump is likely to go after Christine Blasey Ford and stick with the judge (he's done it before)
So we know Trump won’t withdraw the nomination, but I wonder if there comes a point where Kavanaugh withdraws his name himself.
I don’t really see him withdrawing but I admit I see him as a pompous frat boy manchild. It’s possible they’ll delay the Judiciary vote and then struggle with the vote count on the floor vote. Leadership will be freaking out but this is the ultimate test of the party line.... can they control two members who are out after this term? Will they back down or will they stand strong for once? Will Flake and Corker taking a halfhearted stand about this be enough to give Collins and Murkowski cover? So many questions.
So we know Trump won’t withdraw the nomination, but I wonder if there comes a point where Kavanaugh withdraws his name himself.
If Kavanaugh withdraws, he goes with the stretch of the truth. He likely wants to a vote in his favor to clear his name. So it’s going to be interesting to see what happens.
Post by miniroller on Sept 17, 2018 2:09:29 GMT -5
Ex-Trump staffer, 20 minutes ago (11:41p): “I witnessed some crazy days in the White House, but today was unreal. More Republicans are sure to join Corker & Flake in calling for the vote to be postponed. What was a sure thing yesterday is now totally — and I mean totally — up in the air.” ——- My hopes are getting higher...
I hate the idea of these assholes grilling her. I just feel so bad for her. She didn't want to be named publicly. Now she is entering into a visceral political situation.
I don't expect a whole lot from the GOP, but I admit, I have more hope now that we can get him withdrawn then I have had at any point in this process.
There ton of reliable reporting about what a drunk little shit Kavanaugh was back then. Pictures of things from his yearbook, stories about his secret society at Yale, etc. His friend that was supposedly the witness has written a memoir talking about what drunken, privileged shitheads the two of them were back then. If the GOP wants to pull the "she's a liar" card, the Dems better bring a gun to this fight.
The secret societies are like a real life Life and Death Brigade from Gilmore Girls. You'd think that if the secret societies were so well known they would have been more proactive about distancing Kavanaugh from them. But then again they are the kinds of groups that typical white males get rewarded for joining.