# 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:** 296
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/5902 "2018-10-04T00:01:34Z")
> [@xenophon41](#): > > Can I interject into the “micromanaging” thing? Just for a frickin’ minute? Regardless whether and by how much you may think President Stupid is “making the big picture decisions,” that in no real world way means he’s “micromanaging” a damned thing. Learn your management terms. > > A **micromanager** pays attention to intricate details of the roles and processes in her/his organization. Often, someone with this management style will exert control over aspects of subordinates’ tasks which are directly within the ambit of the particular subordinate, and this is often to the detriment of organizational efficiency or a distraction away from proper management oversight of those “big picture” aspects of being the damned boss. President Carter was a micromanager. Mayor Giuliani was a **control freak** who frequently micromanaged. President Trump is not a micromanager. > > Trump’s style of management is **seagull management**. He will fly into a situation, once he’s made aware of it, look for superficial aspects which he either likes or dislikes but does not understand, and then shit his commands onto the heads of whichever subordinates are present and regardless of their responsibilities for or involvement in the particular superficial aspect which he has deigned to notice, and will then take his leave, confident that he has shat pure gold onto the situation and that his people -the best people- are now equipped to turn the situation around to his desires. > > Trump just wants his SCOTUS Justice seated, and he has commanded the investigation be wrapped up without damage to that candidate. And that’s the extent of his ‘management’ of the situation. Ok, I’ll cop to this correction. Good point. I never heard the term ‘seagull management’, but it’s perfectly apt. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/5903 "2018-10-04T00:02:20Z")
On a related note, the Dem that (allegedly) doxxed the GOP Senators has been arrested: > ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/5904 "2018-10-04T00:08:40Z")
> [@Evil\_Economist](#): > > I think it probably is a revelation to you, given that you repeatedly get it wrong. > > That the person limiting the scope of the FBI investigation is a friend and supporter of Kavenaugh’s is pertinent, whether you understand it or not. There are at least three limitations as I see it. Maybe more. With all the sniping back and forth about limitations on the investigation I find it odd that there seems to be little said in the last few pages of this thread about one other significant limitation on the FBI investigation - lack of subpoena power. The Democrats obviously pressed hard for an investigation specifically by the FBI, but the FBI is hamstrung a bit by not being able to compel the production of documents, testimony, or other evidence. The time limitation, up to one week, seemed to come from Senator Jeff Flake. He apparently spoke with other Senators before his committee vote where he expressed his desire for a time and scope limited FBI investigation. Whether the idea of a time limit initially came from Flake or was proposed by someone else is not known at this time, as far as I can tell. But it seems that the time limitation was not Trump’s doing. And whether a longer investigation would have occurred had Feinstein not withheld the information initially is something we may never know. And then the Executive branch has reportedly limited the witnesses the FBI may speak to. Whether the limitation on witnesses came from McGahn, from Trump, or from someone else is not clear. The whole damn thing is a mess. The nomination. The Senate investigation. And now the FBI investigation. And it all seems to give each and every Senator something they can try to cling to to justify their upcoming votes. Political cover at its finest. Makes me miss the old days of just voting on nominees a couple days after the president sends the nomination over. Or even ignoring an nomination outright rather than turning the Senate into some sort of sideshow circus. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/5905 "2018-10-04T00:19:16Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I only felt it was necessary to come up with one. I’m sure with a modest amount of exertion, I could come up with more, but that’s not necessary or relevant to the point I was making. If you were refuting a point that no leftists ever shoot someone then yeah…you only need one example. But no one was suggesting that leftists never hurt anyone (at least not in this thread). If you want to make a case about the danger that leftists pose then I think you need a fair bit more than one example. You are trying to obfuscate what is at issue. It’ll probably work with the kind of people you hang out with but not here. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/5906 "2018-10-04T00:34:47Z")
[The Hill is reporting](https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/409786-senators-will-view-fbi-report-on-kavanaugh-thursday) that the FBI supplemental background investigation report will be made available to Senators on Thursday: > [@](#): > > Senators are being told that they will get to review a supplemental FBI background investigation into Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh on Thursday … I hope McConnell files the cloture motion tonight. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/5907 "2018-10-04T00:37:39Z")
> [@XT](#): > > The question is basically to consider two scenarios and to ask, how would things be different. Scenario one…let’s say that everything is exactly as it is today, except there is no McGahn…the FBI guy is just a guy. Doesn’t know Kavanaugh from adam, isn’t his buddy or anything. Scenario two is, McGahn is the FBI guy, but there isn’t any Trump…instead, let’s say that Obama is president (and obviously Kav is alternative Kav who is a progressive nominee) and this situation happens, and, for some reason he decides to have the FBI investigate instead of just dumping the clown. Hard to say. Supposedly McGahn is a pal of Kavanaugh. So if McGahn goes to Kavanaugh and tells him he has to let him (McGahn) what skeletons are in his closet so McGahn can formulate a plan on who to interview and who not to interview I think Kavanaugh will be more forthcoming than he would be to Joe MAGA advisor to the president. The thing is the administration, any administration, will organize things to see to it that they get the best information so they can work towards the goal they all want to achieve. If McGahn and Kavanaugh were pals then that only helps the process. Any president will do the same for any nominee they put forward. Presumably though their nominee will be pretty clean from the get-go, something they will have vetted long before they announced the nominee. They do not want surprises. But as I noted earlier I think there was a deal made with Kennedy to get him to step down and that was nominating a former clerk of his. Only two were on the short list and Kavanaugh was the one who had a really expansive notion of presidential prerogative. That would be hugely attractive to Trump at this juncture so here we are. I do not know but I suspect if they had nominated Raymond Kethledge (on the short list, also a Kennedy clerk) there would have been comparatively little fuss. Trump wants the guy who thinks the president is nearly immune from prosecution though. Go figure. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/5908 "2018-10-04T00:42:39Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I hope McConnell files the cloture motion tonight. McConnell has already said they are having the vote this week. He wants this to end, figures more time only hurts the cause, so will shut the book on this ASAP. Doubtless he has counted the votes. So Flake and Murkowski and Collins are certainly on board despite their pious protestations that they are on the fence. McConnell has been in the senate long enough to make sure his votes are lined up (yeah…McCain burned him that one time). It amazes me how well republicans can whip the vote. Democrats have never been able to do as well. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/5909 "2018-10-04T00:45:11Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > … It amazes me how well republicans can whip the vote. Democrats have never been able to do as well. Meh, they did OK on ObamaCare: 60/60 ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/5910 "2018-10-04T00:51:16Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > [The Hill is reporting](https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/409786-senators-will-view-fbi-report-on-kavanaugh-thursday) that the FBI supplemental background investigation report will be made available to Senators on Thursday: > > I hope McConnell files the cloture motion tonight. Only one copy to be shared by 100 Senators? There won’t be a vote until next week. Mitch gets boned again. Unless the the vote is scheduled before everyone can read it… ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/5911 "2018-10-04T00:55:20Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Meh, they did OK on ObamaCare: 60/60 Obama gave a lot up to get that to happen which is why we have this bastard step-child of healthcare reform instead of single-payer. In fact, we got the healthcare proposal that the republicans were pushing in the 90’s when Hillary Clinton was working on healthcare reform. Read up on the [Blue Dog Democrats](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Dog_Coalition). Also, Joe Fucking Lieberman. Why the dems tolerated his shit I will never understand. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/5912 "2018-10-04T00:56:52Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Hard to say. > > Supposedly McGahn is a pal of Kavanaugh. So if McGahn goes to Kavanaugh and tells him he has to let him (McGahn) what skeletons are in his closet so McGahn can formulate a plan on who to interview and who not to interview I think Kavanaugh will be more forthcoming than he would be to Joe MAGA advisor to the president. > > The thing is the administration, any administration, will organize things to see to it that they get the best information so they can work towards the goal they all want to achieve. If McGahn and Kavanaugh were pals then that only helps the process. > > Any president will do the same for any nominee they put forward. Presumably though their nominee will be pretty clean from the get-go, something they will have vetted long before they announced the nominee. They do not want surprises. > > But as I noted earlier I think there was a deal made with Kennedy to get him to step down and that was nominating a former clerk of his. Only two were on the short list and Kavanaugh was the one who had a really expansive notion of presidential prerogative. That would be hugely attractive to Trump at this juncture so here we are. > > I do not know but I suspect if they had nominated Raymond Kethledge (on the short list, also a Kennedy clerk) there would have been comparatively little fuss. Trump wants the guy who thinks the president is nearly immune from prosecution though. > > Go figure. Ok, thanks. Appreciate the reply. I agree with you about why Trump picked Kav…that aligns pretty well with what I’ve read. It’s militantly unsurprising that Trump would pick someone like Kav, or that Trump would pick someone who would blow up in his face like this cluster fuck has blown up. I haven’t seen anything indicating that the FBI talked to Ford, or that the investigation is over. I guess we shall see where things stand tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/5913 "2018-10-04T01:08:49Z")
As an aside. What actor does Kavanaugh look like. It’s driving me nuts and please don’t say Matt Damon. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/5914 "2018-10-04T01:10:34Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > As an aside. What actor does Kavanaugh look like. It’s driving me nuts and please don’t say Matt Damon. Sorry, but he does look like Matt Damon. And the Matt Damon thing on SNL was hilarious, so I’ll always associate Kav with Damon from here on out. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/5915 "2018-10-04T01:11:47Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Only one copy to be shared by 100 Senators? There won’t be a vote until next week. Mitch gets boned again. > > Unless the the vote is scheduled before everyone can read it… I don’t think there’s any reason they can’t start the procedural clock on some of these things. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/5916 "2018-10-04T01:14:55Z")
He sounds like Kevin Costner. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/5917 "2018-10-04T01:18:05Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > It amazes me how well republicans can whip the vote. Democrats have never been able to do as well. Pelosi is no slouch in the whip department. So I disagree with you. Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/5918 "2018-10-04T01:23:34Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > As an aside. What actor does Kavanaugh look like. It’s driving me nuts and please don’t say Matt Damon. Gotta go with **XT** on this one. He looks like Matt Damon and yeah, the [great SNL skit](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRJecfRxbr8) just drove that home. ---
**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:** [October 4, 2018, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/5919 "2018-10-04T01:26:39Z")
[Kavenaugh’s former roommate](https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/10/brett-kavanaugh-college-roommate-jamie-roche.html): I can say that he lied under oath. He claimed that he occasionally drank too much but never enough to forget details of the night before, never enough to “black out.” He did, regularly. He said that “boofing” was farting and the “Devil’s Triangle” was a drinking game. “Boofing” and “Devil’s Triangle” are sexual references. I know this because I heard Brett and his friends using these terms on multiple occasions. … His lies about sexual terms and his drinking are directly relevant to the accusations of Christine Blasey Ford and Debbie Ramirez, which both involved sexual behavior and heavy drinking. The truth would make him look bad and would bolster the credibility of both of these women. In this climate, had he simply said “I don’t remember” or even “If I did these things in my youth I am sorry,” he might have sailed through the confirmation process. But he lied, under oath, like it was nothing. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/5920 "2018-10-04T01:30:00Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > As an aside. What actor does Kavanaugh look like. It’s driving me nuts and please don’t say Matt Damon. You ever watch [Superstore](https://www.google.com/amp/s/mashable.com/article/scotus-nominee-brett-kavanaugh-glenn-superstore.amp)? ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/5921 "2018-10-04T01:37:34Z")
No and never saw THAT guy before. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733.md?page=295) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733.md?page=297)