# 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:** 315
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6282 "2018-10-05T16:15:25Z")
> [@CoolHandCox](#): > > I disagree. I think getting the FBI to interview, even a few key people, was more helpful than not doing that at all. That’s all he asked for, he got it. > > With that said, there’s still a whole day…this is Flake. That’s the problem. “that’s all he asked for.” Why the fuck should he care if he pisses off Trump and Grassley? He’s headed for the door. If he can’t do the right thing now, there is no situation where he will. Apparently, he thinks voting _for_ this guy is the right thing, which boggles the mind. ---
**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:** [October 5, 2018, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6283 "2018-10-05T16:16:30Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > cite? He said it live on MSNBC. CNN confirmed and is talking to Coons who has confirmed. Coons will give Flake one last pitch before the final vote. It’s all live though, so I can’t point you anywhere specific. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6284 "2018-10-05T16:16:55Z")
> [@Evil\_Economist](#): > > Yeah, I doubt that. The details you point out are just you demonstrating your ignorance about: > > [ul] > > [li]That lots of houses in in middle-class and lower neighborhoods in the 80’s didn’t have first floor bathrooms[/li] > [/ul] Nonsense. My house was built in the 80’s has a first floor bathroom, as do neighbors’ houses I’ve visited. Heck, my parents’ house was built in 1910 and had a first floor bathroom. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6285 "2018-10-05T16:17:17Z")
[Looks like Murkowski’s a No on the final vote](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/murkowski-explains-no-vote-kavanaugh) as well as just on cloture. (Not surprising; why would you vote against cloture if you were ready to vote Yes to confirm?) So it’s down to Collins and Manchin. My guess is that whatever Collins decides today, Manchin will do the same. He’s not going to be the 50th Yes vote if Collins votes No, but will regard it as a free Yes vote if Collins goes that way. But Collins is a weak reed, and she’s consistently telegraphed a willingness to accept any sort of cover for voting Yes. (For instance, yesterday when she called the FBI investigation ‘thorough.’) Can’t say I have much hope. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6286 "2018-10-05T16:17:52Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Kavanaugh was an athlete who regularly lifted weights. If only there was some evidence of this, like a calendar or something or maybe a _Squee_. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6287 "2018-10-05T16:19:22Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Nonsense. My house was built in the 80’s has a first floor bathroom, as do neighbors’ houses I’ve visited. Heck, my parents’ house was built in 1910 and had a first floor bathroom. Well, sure. The fact that most houses have first-floor bathrooms doesn’t disprove the fact that there are still a fair number of houses out there - including in Bethesda, MD - that don’t. ---
**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:** [October 5, 2018, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6288 "2018-10-05T16:19:44Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > And Kavanaugh sometimes got drunk in college and put potty humor in his yearbook. Nitpick: joking about pooping is potty humor. Jokes about successful you are at fucking women, with a strong rapey vibe, are locker room talk. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6289 "2018-10-05T16:26:04Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > Obviously if there is a no vote on cloture, that is **bad** , but the undecided Senators, or even no votes could vote for cloture under the guise that it is time to get the matter over with one way or the other. _psssssst. You misspelled “good.”_ ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6290 "2018-10-05T16:29:43Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > My memory may be wrong/incomplete, but I associate McConnell with the freely stated goal of opposing EVERYTHING Obama supported, and the refusal to allow the Garland nomination to reach the floor… > [@](#): > > One of my proudest moments was when I looked Barack Obama in the eye and I said, ‘Mr. President, you will not fill the Supreme Court vacancy,’ " - Mitch McConnell ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6291 "2018-10-05T16:31:10Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Well, sure. The fact that most houses have first-floor bathrooms doesn’t disprove the fact that there are still a fair number of houses out there - including in Bethesda, MD - that don’t. That is why I said it is not dispositive. The poorer house I am familiar with ONLY have first floor bathrooms. That, again, would be up to the trier of fact to determine how much weight to give it. So, update, 49-49 with Collins and MoJo undecided. My guess is that they are in a room behind three steel walls and four layers of security spooning each other in a non-sexual way to decide how to vote together. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6292 "2018-10-05T16:31:46Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > _psssssst. You misspelled “good.”_ Wait - which one comes with free toppings? ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6293 "2018-10-05T16:36:02Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Wait - which one comes with free toppings? The confirmation…but it is cursed. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6294 "2018-10-05T16:36:20Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Nonsense. My house was built in the 80’s has a first floor bathroom, as do neighbors’ houses I’ve visited. Heck, my parents’ house was built in 1910 and had a first floor bathroom. Well, the house I grew up in had a hot tub and an unfinished carport. Therefore, anyone saying that lots of houses don’t have hot tubs and unfinished carports are wrong. Seriously, do you even read what people post? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6295 "2018-10-05T16:46:44Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > That is why I said it is not dispositive. I was responding to D’Anconia, who seemed to think it was. > [@](#): > > The poorer house I am familiar with ONLY have first floor bathrooms. The poorer houses I’m familiar with, most of them only have first floors. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6296 "2018-10-05T16:53:38Z")
> [@LAZombie](#): > > According to a sex crimes expert I heard, the testimony of Ford is similar to what a very young child gives of being over powered by a much larger person. Ford appears to be very stout while Kavanaugh does not appear to be much bigger. I suspect Ford may have been molested as a very young child and is transferring the incident onto Kavanaugh. Thus, it sounds very real. We haven’t heard much from either Ford’s parents or her brother which is curious. Evidence free accusations of child molestation? This is a warning for trolling. [/moderating] ---
**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:** [October 5, 2018, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6297 "2018-10-05T16:57:59Z")
[OK, new polling data.](https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/a-final-look-at-where-voters-stand-on-kavanaugh-before-the-senate-votes/) Support for Kavanaugh is at -4% and falling. Interestingly, though, it’s been falling at about the same rate since shortly _before_ the Ford allegations. On the seemingly all important question “Would you be more or less likely to vote for a Senator who voted to confirm Kavanaugh?”: Less likely 36%, more likely 27%, neither 37%. And again, the trend has been moving in the anti-Kavanaugh direction for some time now. So if Collins and Manchin vote for him, it’s either because they really WANT to vote for him or because they have reason to believe their voters differ from the nation as a whole on this issue. That’s IMO much more plausible in Manchin’s case, but then as some have said it seems hard to believe that Manchin would actually be willing to be the 50th vote if it came to that. Congratulations to Senator Murkowski for her courage. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6298 "2018-10-05T16:58:46Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > I was responding to D’Anconia, who seemed to think it was. The poorer houses I’m familiar with, most of them only have first floors. All of these things are why before trial I talk to people in the community and do other research. If I get in my head that most/almost all/all two story houses have downstairs restrooms, then I use these tools. Sometimes I get a “Yeah, Ultravires, that’s a good point!” Other times, I get pushback. I use this feedback to make arguments. Sometimes my experiences are correct and sometimes they are an anomaly. As I am posting on a message board, I can think out loud. This is why I hate the comments (not by you) that because I am a lawyer I should know better than X, Y, or Z. We polish our arguments before court. Before you guys? Nah. 🙂 ---
**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:** [October 5, 2018, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6299 "2018-10-05T17:01:12Z")
Any word on whatsisname (R-CO)? Rumors last night were that he was still ambivalent and holding meetings with victims groups. ---
**Author:** ![LAZombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b38774/32.png) [@LAZombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LAZombie)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6300 "2018-10-05T17:03:13Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > Evidence free accusations of child molestation? This is a warning for trolling. > > [/moderating] Are you a sex crimes expert? I specifically heard from a sex crimes expert that Ford’s testimony sounded like the testimony of a very young child not a teenager. Her testimony is the evidence, and the interpretation by an expert on the subject matter is the basis of my speculation. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6301 "2018-10-05T17:06:52Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > All of these things are why before trial I talk to people in the community and do other research. If I get in my head that most/almost all/all two story houses have downstairs restrooms, then I use these tools. Sometimes I get a “Yeah, Ultravires, that’s a good point!” Other times, I get pushback. > > I use this feedback to make arguments. Sometimes my experiences are correct and sometimes they are an anomaly. As I am posting on a message board, I can think out loud. This is why I hate the comments (not by you) that because I am a lawyer I should know better than X, Y, or Z. We polish our arguments before court. Before you guys? Nah. 🙂 But in this case, what you have in your head is about as well backed up as astrology or phrenology. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733.md?page=314) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733.md?page=316)