# Can Democrats actually stop the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 4, 2018, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733 "2018-09-04T12:49:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 140
**Author:** ![CoolHandCox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coolhandcox/32/16233_2.png) [@CoolHandCox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoolHandCox)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2781 "2018-09-23T21:58:40Z")
His calendar says there was a margarita machine and Ford is alleging it was a keg party. :smack: (this is a joke) Seriously, just deny it and be done with it. What a nerd. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2782 "2018-09-23T22:08:53Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > [Incredible new evidence surfaces!](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/23/us/politics/kavanaugh-senate-calendar.html) What the heck is up with the NYT, lately? > [@](#): > > She said that a “stumbling drunk” Judge Kavanaugh corralled her into a bedroom, groped her on a bed, tried to pull off her one-piece bathing suit and the clothing she was wearing over it, and covered **his** mouth when she tried to scream. (from your link; emphasis mine) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2783 "2018-09-23T22:09:18Z")
> [@CoolHandCox](#): > > …What a nerd. Re: calendars. I think that is largely the point. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2784 "2018-09-23T22:12:35Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > In my opinion she shouldn’t have been shocked that at parties involving liquor, teenage boys, and no adult supervision, the boys would try to see what they could get. Okay. What the fuck does that have to do with rape? Are you saying what the boys want is rape? ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2785 "2018-09-23T22:14:25Z")
I knew lots of partying hard nerds, studied hard then partied hard … but none who put the parties into their planners. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2786 "2018-09-23T22:16:21Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Sure, but I expect nothing but more CRIMESTOP from you: > > [source](http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/09/23/kavanaugh-accusers-details-have-changed-but-remains-certain-about-abuse.html) > > (emphasis mine) …this is really ridiculous. I asked for a cite. You and others kept pushing me back to cites that didn’t say _what you claimed they said._ Whats the difference with this cite? It was published _after the cites I quoted._ It cites the Washington Post, which does indeed identify Ford as saying that Keyser was at the party. But as the partisan [website Red State points out](https://www.redstate.com/streiff/2018/09/23/new.-washington-post-sandbagged-story-might-cleared-brett-kavanaugh) the Washington Post didn’t release the name. Ford didn’t release the name. The name was released by the committee. The committee doesn’t state where they got the name. I strongly suspect based on the statement released that they didn’t have the name and the approach to Keyser was a fishing expedition. Once the name was in the public domain the Washington Post verified the name. In that order. Keyser was never a witness to what happened. Calling Keyser a witness is really a gross mischaracterization of what Ford said in the original interview, which was > [@](#): > > Ford named two other teens who she said were at the party. That was the full extent of her original statement. Keyser was at the party. If there were a number of other people there why would she remember somebody she had never met before and didn’t know? From your most recent cite: > [@](#): > > In a brief interview at her home in Silver Spring, Keyser said that she did not recall the party, but that she was close friends with Ford and that she believes Ford’s allegation. The only remarkable thing about this entire sequence of events was that the committee chose to release Keyser’s name. They didn’t release the name for any other reason but as an attack on Ford’s credibility. The names of the people who attended the party aren’t materially important or relevant to Ford’s claims which is why the Washington Post probably chose not to publish them. Keyser’s original response through her lawyer has been mis-characterized as Keyser “Rejects Kavanaugh’s Accuser’s Allegations.” That literally isn’t what happened. That is not true. This is propaganda. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2787 "2018-09-23T22:17:41Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > What the heck is up with the NYT, lately? [‘New York Times’ Gets Rid of Copy Editors; Mistakes Ensue](https://www.chronicle.com/blogs/linguafranca/2018/06/14/new-york-times-gets-rid-of-copy-editors-mistakes-ensue/) It still is a careful newspaper. Just not as careful as it was when it comes to copy editing issues like the one you showed us. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2788 "2018-09-23T22:19:26Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > …Pretty sure [his less than completely honest answers given previously](https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/opinion-russ-feingold-kavanaugh-lies_us_5ba020f6e4b013b0977defff) will be brought back up this week. Never. Those issues have already been decided upon. The question was raised, investigation was asked, by the wisdom of absolute partisan support, 11-10, it was decided that no such investigation was warranted. Same with Sen Leahey’s question about stolen documents appearing magically in his hand. Investigation requested, no, fuck you, you can’t make us, eleven to ten. Mr Kavanaugh was hired by Mr Starr straight out of law school. After his years as a political operative, he was deemed qualified for the Federal bench. From there, he has rocketed to great heights due to his loyalty and brilliance. The full glory of that brilliance must remain clouded, as the records of his years serving the Bush White House are not available to mere citizens. His brilliance we are asked to take on faith, his loyalty is undoubted. So, no, they will permit the Committee to address those questions when Hans Brinker skates across Hell. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2789 "2018-09-23T22:19:36Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Okay. What the fuck does that have to do with rape? Are you saying what the boys want is rape? Yes. He’s saying it’s natural and normal for boys, so if a girl gets raped she should have known better than to be with boys. Damn women’s libbers, spoiled everything … ---
**Author:** ![CoolHandCox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coolhandcox/32/16233_2.png) [@CoolHandCox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoolHandCox)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2790 "2018-09-23T22:21:11Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Re: calendars. I think that is largely the point. I mean, today, he’s using the calendar of his 17yr old self to deny a sexual assault - what a nerd. This will go down with the Twinkie defense. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2791 "2018-09-23T22:32:26Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > [‘New York Times’ Gets Rid of Copy Editors; Mistakes Ensue](https://www.chronicle.com/blogs/linguafranca/2018/06/14/new-york-times-gets-rid-of-copy-editors-mistakes-ensue/) > > It still is a careful newspaper. Just not as careful as it was when it comes to copy editing issues like the one you showed us. Yeah. (Are there any professional copy editors left today, or has that job joined the ranks of buggy-whip making and key-punch machine operation?) ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2792 "2018-09-23T22:34:11Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > I knew lots of partying hard nerds, studied hard then partied hard … but none who put the parties into their planners. Maybe you didn’t know any who had a frequent-enough need of alibis to make calendar-keeping worthwhile. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2793 "2018-09-23T22:39:20Z")
> [@CoolHandCox](#): > > I mean, today, he’s using the calendar of his 17yr old self to deny a sexual assault - what a nerd. This will go down with the Twinkie defense. I would not assume that either of us is smarter than Kavanaugh and his advisers, nor that we can sit here at our computers and understand what their full strategy is. If I had to guess, he’s probably doing this because he knows they are going to ask him how much partying he did. Rather than just say “not much”, he can say he doesn’t really remember each party he went to, but they can look at his calendars and judge for themselves. It might be fun to speculate, but neither you nor I really know why he’s doing what he’s doing. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2794 "2018-09-23T22:43:35Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I would not assume that either of us is smarter than Kavanaugh and his advisers, nor that we can sit here at our computers and understand what their full strategy is. I don’t see evidence of any strategy other than panic and hoping to muddle through somehow. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2795 "2018-09-23T22:46:02Z")
> [@CoolHandCox](#): > > I mean, today, he’s using the calendar of his 17yr old self to deny a sexual assault - what a nerd. This will go down with the Twinkie defense. The mind boggles. Which 17 year olds actually keep calendars? Having kept calendars when they were 17, and on paper, given the time frame, who then keeps them for 35 years? ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2796 "2018-09-23T22:53:26Z")
> [@you\_with\_the\_face](#): > > This will probably get me marked as a Hysterical Woman, but fuck it. We are steadily inching towards Handsmaid territory right now. I don’t know many more setbacks we can take before we slip slide into dystopia, but documentaries and history books will show Kav’s confirmation as one of those polarizing defining moments. If only a woman could have raised the issue during the hearings? Really, what’s your point? ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2797 "2018-09-23T22:54:47Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > In my opinion she shouldn’t have been shocked that at parties involving liquor, teenage boys, and no adult supervision, the boys would try to see what they could get. According to the article in the _Washington Post_ such behavior was common knowledge among her peer group. I would think a more realistic reaction would have been anger, disgust, exasperation, and even fear. But shock? No. Honestly, I’m literally just reading this thread to keep a catalogue of how disgustingly far our resident republicans are willing to go in support of rape culture. This isn’t quite as bad as the **Shodan** post where he said that these accusations will happen to every republican nominee, but it’s pretty far up there! We should hold a competition, and the person with the worst take on a sexual assault victim gets a very large, very shiny trophy, assuming they can catch it when it’s thrown at them. (Speaking of which, just for reference, how many of you think that it’s impossible for the republicans to come up with a judicial nominee who won’t get accused of sexual assault like **Shodan** does?) ---
**Author:** ![Modesty\_Blaise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Modesty\_Blaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Modesty_Blaise)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2798 "2018-09-23T22:55:03Z")
> [@you\_with\_the\_face](#): > > This will probably get me marked as a Hysterical Woman, but fuck it. We are steadily inching towards Handsmaid territory right now. I don’t know many more setbacks we can take before we slip slide into dystopia, but documentaries and history books will show Kav’s confirmation as one of those polarizing defining moments. Polarizing defining moment. This seems exactly right to me, another hysterical woman. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2799 "2018-09-23T23:02:55Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > (Speaking of which, just for reference, how many of you think that it’s impossible for the republicans to come up with a judicial nominee who won’t get accused of sexual assault like **Shodan** does?) I do wonder if it is possible for the republicans to come up with a judicial nominee who hasn’t committed sexual assault, from what has been said about how normal and common this behavior is by Kavanaugh’s defenders. They may have a point that anyone they nominate will be accused, because anyone they nominate will be rightfully accused by someone that they sexually assaulted. Some would take this as a time to reflect on what they are doing to nominate all these people who have committed sexual assault, but others have a different mileage, and use this time to complain about people coming forward about it. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/2800 "2018-09-23T23:05:53Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > …this is really ridiculous. > > I asked for a cite. > > You and others kept pushing me back to cites that didn’t say _what you claimed they said._ > > Whats the difference with this cite? > > It was published _after the cites I quoted._ > > It cites the Washington Post, which does indeed identify Ford as saying that Keyser was at the party. But as the partisan [website Red State points out](https://www.redstate.com/streiff/2018/09/23/new.-washington-post-sandbagged-story-might-cleared-brett-kavanaugh) the Washington Post didn’t release the name. > > Ford didn’t release the name. > > The name was released by the committee. The committee doesn’t state where they got the name. I strongly suspect based on the statement released that they didn’t have the name and the approach to Keyser was a fishing expedition. Once the name was in the public domain the Washington Post verified the name. In that order. … What does it matter what order it was released in or by whom? The fundamental point you were disagreeing with yesterday was whether Ford alleged Keyser was at the party. Do you now concede that point? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733.md?page=139) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733.md?page=141)