# 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:** 211
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/4201 "2018-09-27T19:51:59Z")
At this point, I’d refuse to confirm him even if there was solid proof of his innocence. This guy is fucking unhinged. I hope security is present if/when a confirmation vote goes against him – I can see him becoming dangerous! ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/4202 "2018-09-27T19:52:12Z")
> [@Thing\_Fish](#): > > So…your hypothesis is that women, as a group, will view this statement more positively than men will? We’ll see how that goes. No. My hypothesis is that crying women generally get more sympathy than crying men. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/4203 "2018-09-27T19:52:38Z")
Explain the tactic the GOP showed in the Ford testimony. They are going after Democrats directly and basically ignore Ford after noting the well known problems with her testimony. Maybe if the bloody Democrats had not spent so much time talking in platitudes… ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/4204 "2018-09-27T19:52:43Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > … and, speaking of staying classy, Lindsey Graham’s latest comment: “… Let me tell my Democratic friends, if this is the new norm, you better watch out for your nominees.” > > Democrats are now on notice, because apparently as long as Republicans run things, no Democratic-leaning rapists will be confirmed for the Supreme Court. No failed attempted rapists, either. As if this is not what the Republicans are going to do anyway. They are just mad because they think the Democrats got to use their tactics before they did. Just more projection. ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/4205 "2018-09-27T19:52:49Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Yes. The bias in this thread is palpable. You guys are imagining things that less partisan viewers aren’t seeing. How would you know what less partisan viewers are seeing here? ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/4206 "2018-09-27T19:54:57Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > He needs to significantly reduce the amount of crying. I can understand a tear or two (maybe even three) if he’s recalling some painful event. But he’s crying about everything. And I find it really hard to believe that a Federal judge isn’t capable of controlling his emotions better than this. Not necessarily saying that he isn’t sincere in his feelings of hurt and anger, but it’s clearly a tactical choice he’s making to get this weepy, and I don’t think it’s a good one. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/4207 "2018-09-27T19:54:57Z")
> [@Ashtura](#): > > Maybe it is a job interview, but a job interview where criminal allegations have been made, not something like productivity issues or how they work with others. When you bring up the words “gang rape” you can’t just shrug your shoulders and say “oh this is just a job interview, screw presumption of innocence, she’s telling the truth, he’s guilty.” The implications of that are enormous. IF he did these things, not only should he not be on the SCOTUS, he should lose his job, and be in jail if at all possible. > > I have already said I think there needs to be an investigation as soon as there was a second accuser. But I do want to see witness corroboration from _any_ other person to these accusers. That’s something we have not seen. I honestly can’t understand this. I wouldn’t vote for someone to be on the Supreme Court unless I’m pretty sure they didn’t sexually assault someone. And if the two points of evidence are that she says he assaulted him, and he says he didn’t, then I don’t know what to believe. And in that case I’m not pretty sure he didn’t sexually assault anyone. And so I don’t vote for him to be confirmed to a position of trust like the Supreme Court. In actual fact I’m pretty sure he did assault someone. Pretty sure. But I can see how someone could come to the conclusion that they have no idea who is telling the truth. What I can’t understand is someone saying that they don’t know what to believe, and would therefore vote to put him on the Supreme Court. If I were the hiring manager, I’d tell him, “Hey Brett, you’ve got this attempted rape cloud hanging over you. I don’t know what to believe. Tell you what. You go and get all this straightened out, and after you do, we’ll consider you again.” I mean, I probably wouldn’t keep the job waiting for him. Like, I’d move on and pick some other pro-life, pro-corporate, pro-gun person in the meantime, one who doesn’t have this question of sexual assault hanging over them. If it turns out that he clears his name and this was all a big frame up, then I guess he goes to the front of the line next time a Supreme Court seat opens up? Or maybe not? Cause Merrick Garland isn’t going to be the first Supreme Court nominee next time a Democrat gets to pick. ---
**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 27, 2018, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/4208 "2018-09-27T19:55:04Z")
> [@Thing\_Fish](#): > > I think the point that most posters are making, and which Kavanaugh’s defenders here are willfully avoiding addressing, is that it DOESN’T MATTER if he’s guilty or not. The mere existence of multiple plausible allegations of this nature casts sufficient doubt on his integrity to justify withdrawing his nomination. If he’s not guilty, that sucks for him personally. But keeping people of questionable integrity off the Supreme Court is more important than being fair to any one particular person. > > (edit: that was to XT a few posts above) Wait. It doesn’t matter if he’s guilty or not? If he’s not guilty, the multiple allegations against him are not only not plausible, they’re not true. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/4209 "2018-09-27T19:55:07Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > He’s certainly come out with a lot more passion today. Yes he is. I thought after seeing Fords testimony that his best strategy would be outrage. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/4210 "2018-09-27T19:55:09Z")
Doing a read on the various right blogs and news sources. They love the crying. Seriously? ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/4211 "2018-09-27T19:55:15Z")
Paraphrasing: Waaah waaah waaah waaah poor poor me… Dammit I wouldn’t confirm him just for that awful performance. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/4212 "2018-09-27T19:57:32Z")
"I ask you to judge me by the same standards that you would apply to your father, your brother, your son … " Right, Judge. In matters of justice, one must always apply the same standards that one would apply to one’s blood relatives. Fucking moron. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/4213 "2018-09-27T20:00:29Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > At this point, I’d refuse to confirm him even if there was solid proof of his innocence. This guy is fucking unhinged. Yea and if he gets confirmed now he’s going to rage-judge against liberals. ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/4214 "2018-09-27T20:00:36Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Wait. It doesn’t matter if he’s guilty or not? If he’s not guilty, the multiple allegations against him are not only not plausible, they’re not true. Statements can be both plausible and untrue. If I told you I had sushi for lunch, would you consider that plausible? It doesn’t happen to be true, but how could you possibly know that? And since it seems highly unlikely that any clear evidence will emerge either confirming or rebutting the accusations against him, why shouldn’t we err on the side of making sure we don’t put a rapist on the Supreme Court? ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/4215 "2018-09-27T20:00:47Z")
Why do the Republicans feel it’s necessary to hand out a definition of sexual assault? Is this a courtroom? Are they going with the “It wasn’t attempted rape” defense? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/4216 "2018-09-27T20:01:10Z")
> [@XT](#): > > Gee, you think? And of course you are assuming that he’s guilty…and that he knows he’s guilty and has perfect recall of the events. It’s an assumption of guilt that most in this thread seem to be making. I’d say he’s pretty genuinely pissed off from what little I’ve seen…no need to ham it up or play to the crowd. Let’s just flip it around: suppose, in response to the 'female assistant’s questioning, Ford had erupted in anger like that. Here she knows she was attacked, and has had to deal with the scars from that for the rest of her life, and she’s being treated like she’s the one on trial. Hell yeah, I’d be pissed, any reasonable person would. But if she’d shown it, it would have been game over. Here you have a guy who wants to be on the Supreme Court. It’s a position that requires you to be able to put your personal feelings aside, and come to decisions that are within the scope of what the Constitution, statute, and precedent allow. And at the first hint of pressure, he goes apeshit. I don’t care if he’s got good reason to be pissed. It’s his job to _not_ be pissed when the lights are on him. Game over. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/4217 "2018-09-27T20:01:48Z")
OK, this guy is totally fucking unstable. Wow! The grimacing, sniffling, scowling is just pathological! ETA: Ah, he just starting yelling again in response to a question from Feinstein! ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/4218 "2018-09-27T20:03:19Z")
Yelling at Feinstein is a bad move. ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/4219 "2018-09-27T20:03:23Z")
Doubling down on “My family has been destroyed wah wah wah”. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/4220 "2018-09-27T20:04:38Z")
I must be the only anti-Kavanaugh that thinks he did an excellent job of making a case. I don’t believe him but I think he provided great cover for a “yes” vote. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733.md?page=210) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733.md?page=212)