# 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:** 160
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3181 "2018-09-24T20:12:40Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > This is really fucking gross, dude. It’s gross based on what you’re saying, and what you’re implying. I really hope this type of thinking is eradicated as soon as possible. I’m dubious that the idea people should by rights be able to go through life blithely putting themselves in all sorts of jeopardy while remaining totally blameless for what happens as a result will ever be eradicated. And I’m at a total loss as to why you would find my comments about her possibly feeling shame or apprehension about her parents finding out she’d been at a party involving booze, boys and no adult supervision objectionable. What responsible parent wouldn’t disapprove of their 15-year-old daughter getting herself into such a situation, and what child of that age wouldn’t be apprehensive or fearful of being found out if they had? I’m astonished at the things I read here sometimes. ---
**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 24, 2018, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3182 "2018-09-24T20:14:54Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > This is really fucking gross, dude. It’s gross based on what you’re saying, and what you’re implying. I really hope this type of thinking is eradicated as soon as possible. Oh good, I’ve been wanting to say this basically every other post for the last dozen pages, but was afraid it was across the line in terms of flaming. Good to know it’s okay to call out _obscenely gross bullshit_ here. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3183 "2018-09-24T20:15:18Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > Not sure the network known for covering up sexual assault and harassment is the right choice for this infomercial. They planned to get Cosby to do the interview but he’s tied up with some court case. ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3184 "2018-09-24T20:16:31Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > First, she did not ‘flee’ to California to escape the memories of what happened that night. I know this because she remained in the town and at the school she was attending when the attack occurred for two to three years afterward. She then moved to North Carolina to obtain her bachelor’s degree. So now we’re up to six or seven years after the fact before she is alleged to have found it necessary to flee 3,000 miles to California to escape the memory of that night. > > The nonsense about her wearing blue jeans and surfing is obviously intended to show that she was finally able to relax, throw off the binds (and apparently the clothing preferences) of her former prep school environment in Maryland, and at long last wrest some enjoyment from life. > > In other words, it was a ridiculously clumsy and tortured attempt at creating a deliberately false impression, which was that she was so uptight and haunted that she fled to the West Coast immediately after high school to seek refuge from her memories of that night, when the reality is that she still lived at or near home for some six or seven years afterward and then merely moved to California to continue her education, as countless people have done before and since. Do you think you may be, if not just a like bit, conflating the author’s artistic license with Ford’s personal beliefs? That said, there is nothing absurd about believing Ford didn’t start her healing process until after she was able to separate herself from the crowds she grew up with and reinvent herself in a completely new environment. Can you see how West coast surfer culture might differ enough from the rather loud and raunchy booze-centered party culture of the East Coast elites. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3185 "2018-09-24T20:17:59Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > I’m astonished at the things I read here sometimes. A feeling shared by many of the people who’ve interacted with you, I assure you. ---
**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 24, 2018, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3186 "2018-09-24T20:18:29Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > I’m dubious that the idea people should by rights be able to go through life blithely putting themselves in all sorts of jeopardy while remaining totally blameless for what happens as a result will ever be eradicated. > > And I’m at a total loss as to why you would find my comments about her possibly feeling shame or apprehension about her parents finding out she’d been at a party involving booze, boys and no adult supervision objectionable. What responsible parent wouldn’t disapprove of their 15-year-old daughter getting herself into such a situation, and what child of that age wouldn’t be apprehensive or fearful of being found out if they had? > > I’m astonished at the things I read here sometimes. Many have tried to explain these things to you, calmly and not-so-calmly. You’ve shown no ability to take criticism or learn from others on this board. When literally all the women who post in these threads are telling you that you’re wrong in how you approach these issues – and not just wrong, but disgustingly wrong – why don’t you consider that maybe the way you post in these threads is entirely the wrong approach? ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3187 "2018-09-24T20:18:51Z")
I’m not a political expert, but I have followed politics for 30 years, so I have a feel for it. If McConnell had the votes, he would say fuck the world, the vote is tomorrow. If he didn’t and the cost of a Flake, Murkowski, or Collins vote was an FBI investigation, we would be having one. From the tone of his speech today, I think he got the answer from those three that they still would not commit, but were fine with ignoring the latest allegation and letting the hearing go forward on Thursday. He’s not a moron, he did not discard those three’s wishes in pushing this forward. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3188 "2018-09-24T20:20:17Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > And I’m at a total loss as to why you would find my comments about her possibly feeling shame or apprehension about her parents finding out she’d been at a party involving booze, boys and no adult supervision objectionable. What responsible parent wouldn’t disapprove of their 15-year-old daughter getting herself into such a situation, and what child of that age wouldn’t be apprehensive or fearful of being found out if they had? > > I’m astonished at the things I read here sometimes. The good old days as you remember them–where guys (you? please clarify how you know how common this was) could pin a girl down, stifle her screams, and only fail to rape her because another drunk dude crashes into him, and where the girl gets blamed for it–are precisely the bad old days that others of us remember. When my daughter is 15, you bet I’ll caution her that there are guys out there (like you? please clarify) who think it’s no big deal to sexually assault girls, and that they’ll try to look for opportunities where they can commit these crimes, and that my daughter should try to stay away from guys like this (like you? again, please clarify how you know how common these events were). But you want to know what responsible parent wouldn’t disapprove of their daughter, getting herself into such a situation? (I’m going to assume that your post is missing a comma, not an apostrophe). Me, dude. Me. Because if I blame my daughter when guys commit these acts that you consider no big deal, she won’t tell me, and that means I won’t be able to help her, and putting her in the position where an assault like this festers for decades is about the most irresponsible fucking thing I’ve heard of in a long damn time. There is room for agreement between us. The shit I read here sometimes is indeed astonishing. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3189 "2018-09-24T20:23:22Z")
[Michael Avenatti promises new Brett Kavanaugh accuser will go public in TV interview in next 48 hours](https://www.rawstory.com/2018/09/michael-avenatti-promises-new-brett-kavanaugh-accuser-will-go-public-tv-interview-next-48-hours/#.W6lC8LNN2uI.twitter) If the folks on team Kavanaugh don’t fear Michael Avenatti they are simply not very good at allocating their fears. Recall the Stormy Daniels matter. It started out with Cohen threatening to sue her and bragging about the vacation he was going to take on her dime. It ended with Stormy released from the NDA while keeping $130k, Cohen pleading guilty, and Trump an unindicted co-conspirator. I would be wary of tangling with Michael Avenatti. ---
**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 24, 2018, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3190 "2018-09-24T20:25:28Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Perhaps the problem lies in the fact that I don’t think what she alleges to have happened to her is all that serious. During the days of my own youth such occurrences during drunken parties was fairly commonplace, and the reaction of the girls involved was usually that the guy was just a drunken asshole and then they forgot about it. > > You do raise an interesting point though, which is that Ford may have felt shame for having put herself in the position where such an attack could occur. She was underage, in a swim suit, at a party where alcohol was flowing, there was no adult supervision, and with boys who were known to become sexually aggressive when drinking. I can certainly see how she would feel a certain sense of responsibility for what happened to her (though I doubt anyone here will profess the same), and that she was probably also fear of her parents finding out. You’ve hit China, so you can definitely stop digging. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3191 "2018-09-24T20:31:07Z")
> [@Lance\_Turbo](#): > > [Michael Avenatti promises new Brett Kavanaugh accuser will go public in TV interview in next 48 hours](https://www.rawstory.com/2018/09/michael-avenatti-promises-new-brett-kavanaugh-accuser-will-go-public-tv-interview-next-48-hours/#.W6lC8LNN2uI.twitter) > > I would be wary of tangling with Michael Avenatti. Fox news? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3192 "2018-09-24T20:31:39Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > You’ve hit China, so you can definitely stop digging. In fairness, he didn’t say any of that was right or proper, just that is how it was. Do you disagree? ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3193 "2018-09-24T20:33:56Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > In fairness, he didn’t say any of that was right or proper, just that is how it was. Do you disagree? Here’s what he said, since apparently you forgot: > [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Perhaps the problem lies in the fact that I don’t think what she alleges to have happened to her is all that serious. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3194 "2018-09-24T20:35:27Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Fox news? 🙂 You’ll be one of the viewers at 7pm. Room for one more, honey. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3195 "2018-09-24T20:37:30Z")
> [@Evil\_Economist](#): > > Here’s what he said, since apparently you forgot: Right. In 1982, that was called “trying to get laid.” In 2018 it is sexual assault. I’m not endorsing it, but in the interests of having an open conversation on a message board, let’s not just attack people and debate the merits. ---
**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 24, 2018, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3196 "2018-09-24T20:38:20Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > In fairness, he didn’t say any of that was right or proper, just that is how it was. Do you disagree? > [@Evil\_Economist](#): > > Here’s what he said, since apparently you forgot: Even worse, he said: > [@](#): > > I can certainly see how she would feel a certain sense of responsibility for what happened to her A girl going to a party with (gasp!) bathing suits and such is partly to blame if some guy tries to rape her. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3197 "2018-09-24T20:39:21Z")
Snippet of Kavanaugh interview on Fox News. Kav looks very nervous while his wife looks at him like if she had a knife, she would cut his balls off. I hope the rest of the interview is better than that. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3198 "2018-09-24T20:40:38Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > A girl going to a party with (gasp!) bathing suits and such is partly to blame if some guy tries to rape her. Not what he said. Not that she was partly to blame, but that in the climate of the early 1980s SHE felt guilt because of how society was. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3199 "2018-09-24T20:41:38Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > Right. In 1982, that was called “trying to get laid.” In 2018 it is sexual assault. I’m not endorsing it, but in the interests of having an open conversation on a message board, let’s not just attack people and debate the merits. She thought she might die. While he was “trying to get laid,” she thought he might actually smother her to death. Jesus fuck. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/3200 "2018-09-24T20:42:09Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > Right. In 1982, that was called “trying to get laid.” In 2018 it is sexual assault. I’m not endorsing it, but in the interests of having an open conversation on a message board, let’s not just attack people and debate the merits. Holding a girl down, trying to forcibly remove her clothing, while covering her mouth was just “trying to get laid”? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733.md?page=159) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733.md?page=161)