# 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:** 325
**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 6, 2018, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6482 "2018-10-06T15:51:06Z")
Democracy in action: - [Senators representing less than half the U.S. are about to confirm a nominee opposed by most Americans](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/10/06/senators-representing-less-than-half-us-are-about-confirm-nominee-opposed-by-most-americans/?utm_term=.711e27b8adf8) - More than [2,400 law professors](https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2018/10/04/unprecedented-unfathomable-more-than-law-professors-sign-letter-after-kavanaugh-hearing/?utm_term=.413eeace806b) oppose Kavanaugh. - The American Bar Association is [re-evaluting Kavanaugh’s “well qualified” rating.](https://www.businessinsider.com/the-american-bar-association-reevaluating-kavanaugh-well-qualified-rating-2018-10) - [In Rare Move, ACLU to Oppose Kavanaugh for Supreme Court.](https://www.aclu.org/news/rare-move-aclu-oppose-kavanaugh-supreme-court-0) - [Retired [Supreme Court] Justice John Paul Stevens Says Kavanaugh Is Not Fit for Supreme Court](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/04/us/politics/john-paul-stevens-brett-kavanaugh.html) (remember he was a conservative judge) - [Magazine of Jesuits urges withdrawal of Kavanaugh nomination](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/magazine-of-jesuit-order-withdraws-kavanaugh-endorsement/2018/09/28/62c911c0-c2fa-11e8-9451-e878f96be19b_story.html?utm_term=.e07471b016f8) - The [National Council of Churches](called for the withdrawal of Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination.) have called for the withdrawal of Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination. - Yale Law School (Kavanaugh’s alma mater) [called for further investigation](https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/yale-law-school-dean-kavanaugh-investigation_us_5bae51d8e4b0425e3c233aeb) into Brett Kavanaugh (and we know the one we got was a sham). - Close acquaintances of Kavanaugh [oppose his nomination.](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/10/why-i-wouldnt-confirm-brett-kavanaugh/571936/) - [Dark money](https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2018/oct/05/jon-tester/how-much-dark-money-fueling-kavanaugh-confirmation/) is paying for a substantial amount of pro-Kavanaugh advertising. - There are thousands of protestors at the senate building who Senator Grassley (Chairman of the Judiciary Committee) [thinks were paid by George Soros.](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/10/05/no-george-soros-isnt-paying-kavanaugh-protesters/?utm_term=.026fa5ee924a) (This is not a comprehensive list…I just got tired of Googling) And remember, a lot of those people out there who think Christine Blasey Ford is lying are the same people who thought Hillary Clinton was running a child sex ring out of the basement of a pizza restaurant. :rolleyes: ---
**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:** [October 6, 2018, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6483 "2018-10-06T15:55:11Z")
they don’t want to call her a liar so they came up with “She was confused/mistaken/drunk/etc.” ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2018, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6484 "2018-10-06T15:59:04Z")
I have to wonder how his soon-to-be colleagues on the Supreme Court will treat him. ---
**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 6, 2018, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6485 "2018-10-06T16:16:43Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > OK, it hasn’t happened in nearly two centuries, since the early days of the Republic. Whatever, dude. As far as I can tell, Rutherford B. Hayes lost the popular vote, became president, and promptly put two Justices on the Supreme Court. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2018, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6486 "2018-10-06T16:29:50Z")
> [@](#): > > Women for Kavanaugh, and many others who support this very good man, are gathering all over Capital Hill in preparation for a 3-5 P.M. VOTE. It is a beautiful thing to see – and they are not paid professional protesters who are handed expensive signs. Big day for America! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 6, 2018 ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2018, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6487 "2018-10-06T16:34:25Z")
> [@Bookkeeper](#): > > I have to wonder how his soon-to-be colleagues on the Supreme Court will treat him. I like to imagine that they’ll take turns pranking him, just to watch him lose his shit, and laugh about it when he’s not around. Dribble cup, “KICK ME” sign on the back of his robe, five-gallon water jug and box of Kleenex in his hall locker, etc. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2018, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6488 "2018-10-06T16:50:18Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Collins says she voted for every nominee no matter which president picked them. I guess she forgot about Garland. Lot’s of people have forgotten about Garland. Unfortunately for Garland, Obama wasn’t smart enough, clever enough, or politically astute enough to get his 3rd Supreme pick thru Congress. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2018, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6489 "2018-10-06T16:52:00Z")
Yeah, if only he’d been smart enough to be a white Republican … ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2018, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6490 "2018-10-06T16:54:13Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > they don’t want to call her a liar so they came up with “She was confused/mistaken/drunk/etc.” If only Christine Blasey Ford had been able to come up with some credible supporting evidence of her claim. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2018, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6491 "2018-10-06T16:56:00Z")
You mean, if only Trump had allowed the FBI to investigate it, right? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2018, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6492 "2018-10-06T16:58:04Z")
> [@MemoryLeak](#): > > Preach it! And then when none of the people corroborate her story, … oh, wait a minute. That’s not good enough. They have to provide evidence that it didn’t happen. Darn it! Huhwhat? That makes no sense. Care to spell out your point, if you have one? ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2018, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6493 "2018-10-06T17:03:50Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Yeah, if only he’d been smart enough to be a white Republican … Wasn’t Obama half white, and of Irish descent from Moneygall in County Offaly. [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/barackobama/8528827/Barack-Obamas-Irish-roots-traced-back-to-village.html](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/barackobama/8528827/Barack-Obamas-Irish-roots-traced-back-to-village.html) ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2018, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6494 "2018-10-06T17:03:54Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Huhwhat? That makes no sense. > > Care to spell out your point, if you have one? His point is that no-one that Ford claimed would corroborate her story actually did so, but that’s not good enough for you. So, any accusation against you should be treated the same - that is, true until _proven_ false. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2018, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6495 "2018-10-06T17:08:32Z")
> [@SamuelA](#): > > Or so **you think**. And I’m sure if a woman who you knew back in high school came out and said you **did** assault her one time. And you don’t even remember meeting her. You’d be totally cool and collected and wouldn’t get angry at the accusations, right? Anyone who is falsely accuse may be upset. Those who are rightfully accused are oftentimes even more upset. If he had just said that he didn’t think that it happened, then that would be one thing. Even if he got a bit hot under the collar about being called out, I can see that. It is when he is spouting conspiracy nonsense that the whole thing is a paid for democratic operation, and that what goes around comes around threats that make him utterly unsuitable. We are putting someone on the highest court of the land, someone who’s judgement and temperament will affect the lives of hundreds of millions of people, and we are putting someone who is vindictive and paranoid into that position. I agree that it may be hard to stay cool and collected and not turn to blaming others for personal misfortunes, but being a SCOTUS justice is not for the weak of heart and mind. It’s not that big a ask to want someone who could take such accusations without whining and crying about how unfair it all is. > [@RTFirefly](#): > > Actually, that would be kinda interesting, to find out her story of when and where this happened, who else was there, etc. > > First of all, I have never had even the briefest of alcohol-related blackouts, ever. Hell, I’ve never had a hangover. Second, I kept a pretty detailed journal during high school. Third, there are some other atypical details about my life back then that would probably trip up a prospective accuser. And fourth, I wasn’t an asshole in high school; there’s nobody who knew me back then who has reason to be pissed at me. > > I would certainly want to hire counsel, but the odds approach certainty that such a false accuser would trip herself up practically before she started. And would you welcome an investigation of one of the most powerful investigation beauro the world has ever seen? How limited would you want that to be? I certainly would not want such an investigation if I had a feeling that such charges may be true, and especially not if I was worried that what happened at georgetown may end up not staying at georgetown, but if I were confident in the fact that I never did these things, I would want my name cleared by having them interview anyone and everyone. > [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > False. John Quincy Adams won the election of 1824 despite garnering only 31% of the popular vote. In 1826 he nominated Robert Trimble to the Supreme Court, who served there until his death in 1828. > [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > This is false as well. Benjamin Harrison won the election of 1888 despite losing the popular vote. He appointed four justices to the Supreme Court: > > [ol] > [li]David Josiah Brewer in 1889[/li][li]Henry Billings Brown in 1890[/li][li]George Shiras Jr. in 1892[/li][li]Howell Edmunds Jackson in 1893[/li][/ol] > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > As far as I can tell, Rutherford B. Hayes lost the popular vote, became president, and promptly put two Justices on the Supreme Court. > [@](#): > > Rutherford Birchard Hayes (October 4, 1822 – January 17, 1893) was the 19th President of the United States from 1877 to 1881, At least when they say they want to take our country back, we now know what century they want to take it back to. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2018, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6496 "2018-10-06T17:09:52Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > His point is that no-one that Ford claimed would corroborate her story actually did so … Please provide a cite that Ford “claimed” specific people would corroborate her story. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2018, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6497 "2018-10-06T17:10:49Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > 2 out of 9 of the justices were put there by a president who lost the popular vote during the term that they were nominated, and a 3rd was put there by a president who initially lost the popular vote and wouldn’t have been in office otherwise. So, fully one third of the supreme court is there against the will of the majority of Americans. > > All three branches of government are now run by the party who gets fewer votes. That’s not sustainable, and the people can’t be faulted for starting to talk about extreme measures to counter that. You think we have gridlock now, imagine a system where elections are decided 50.001% to 49.999%. Where every vote is narrower than the margin for error in the tally process. That will make our present situation look fair and amicable by comparison ---
**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 6, 2018, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6498 "2018-10-06T17:11:39Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > His point is that no-one that Ford claimed would corroborate her story actually did so, but that’s not good enough for you. So, any accusation against you should be treated the same - that is, true until _proven_ false. - [Christine Blasey Ford’s Attorneys Reveal Statement From Corroborating Witness](https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/christine-blasey-ford-attorneys-keith-koegler_us_5bb82805e4b0876eda9e3d85) Somehow I suspect that won’t be good enough for you. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2018, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6499 "2018-10-06T17:11:49Z")
This, the confirmation of kavanaugh, is the cherry on top of the biggest intelligence victory in history, and the biggest day of Putins career. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2018, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6500 "2018-10-06T17:18:30Z")
It’s really up to the women now. It seems to have been placed on their shoulders to make something happen other than antidemocracy. They need to be heard in November. ---
**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 6, 2018, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/6501 "2018-10-06T17:21:39Z")
[Report](https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/05/politics/lisa-murkowski-senate-vote-present-kavanaugh/index.html) that Murkowski will vote Present rather than No on the final nomination, sparing Montana Senator Daines from leaving his daughter’s wedding to fly back to Washington for the vote. I had been wondering if another senator might agree to pair his vote. Of course McConnell could have pushed the vote to tomorrow and avoided the issue entirely. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733.md?page=324) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733.md?page=326)