# 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:** 71
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/1401 "2018-09-18T19:17:42Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > …make the accusations public so that they can be leaked and then call for investigations… She wasn’t going to get one. There were several points of interest that the Dems noted and asked for investigation. The invariable response was no, fuck you, you can’t make us do shit, eleven of us, ten of you, neener neener. As for Ms Feinstein, she was legally obligated to pass along the letter, regardless of what she might have thought about it. If Ms Ford had declined to press the matter further, to avoid exposure, Ms Feinstein would have to trust in the discretion of the FBI. Not least because if it came out later that she had such a thing and kept it to herself? That would have met with your approval? ---
**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 18, 2018, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/1402 "2018-09-18T19:19:11Z")
Well, was it? Are you mad at Feinstein for leaking the accusation, or mad at her for not leaking the accusation earlier? And why are you trying to change the subject to Feinstein’s actions? Let’s stipulate that she timed the release for maximum political shenanigans. And? ---
**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 18, 2018, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/1403 "2018-09-18T19:21:50Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > You are attempting a distinction without a difference. Feinstein did not investigate the allegations, and did ignore them. Do you understand that? > > You cannot credibly claim that investigating the allegations is important and also that the delay was the fault of anyone but Feinstein. She had six weeks to act, and didn’t. Wasn’t investigation important during those six weeks? > > Regards, > Shodan What the hell are you replying to? This doesn’t have anything to do with my posts. This needs to be investigated and it’s good that it appears that the Senate will not ignore it. ---
**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 18, 2018, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/1404 "2018-09-18T19:26:01Z")
Chuck Todd: How can Kavanaugh deny being at party when accuser never said which party it was? > **[Chuck Todd: How can Kavanaugh deny being at party when accuser never said...](https://www.rawstory.com/2018/09/chuck-todd-can-kavanaugh-deny-party-accuser-never-said-party/)** > > NBC host Chuck Todd expressed doubt on Tuesday that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh was telling the truth when he denied being at a party where he allegedly sexually assaulted a woman.In an interview with The Washington Post, Christine Blasey... ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/1405 "2018-09-18T19:28:20Z")
**Shodan** : What do you think Sen. Feinstein should have done, given Dr. Blasey’s request to keep the letter confidential? I don’t have any trouble believing the timing was some political calculation. But I also don’t think the superficial explanation–that she was following her constituent’s request–is all that hard to believe. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/1406 "2018-09-18T19:28:35Z")
> [@](#): > > Chuck Todd: How can Kavanaugh deny being at party when accuser never said which party it was? Several brilliant and astute Dopers made the same point. Well, one, at any rate. Close enough. ---
**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:** [September 18, 2018, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/1407 "2018-09-18T19:29:35Z")
He didn’t attend ANY parties. If you’re going to double down, double down! ---
**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:** [September 18, 2018, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/1408 "2018-09-18T19:31:35Z")
About two months ago, Senator Grassley had some powerful words about what it means to complain about sexual harassment by a sitting judge: > [@](#): > > I want to thank the brave women who spoke out against this harassment, both publicly and to staff on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Speaking out against powerful federal judges in a system that doesn’t always protect victims takes tremendous courage. That’s true even in the other branches of government. > > So, I shouldn’t just say that’s the judiciary. Being a whistleblower or saying something is wrong, sometimes you’d ruin yourself professionally. And it’s too bad when people just want to be patriotic and have the government do what government is supposed to do and then be punished for it. Let’s see a show of hands: who thinks that Ford is, and will be, treated in a manner consistent with how Senator Grassley said whistleblowers should be treated in this quote? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/1409 "2018-09-18T19:39:15Z")
> [@](#): > > He didn’t attend ANY parties. If you’re going to double down, double down! Later, he got a chance to get down and get funky with the Federalist Society. You can ask **Bricker** , those guys are party _animals_! ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/1410 "2018-09-18T19:40:09Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > … who thinks that Ford is, and will be, treated in a manner consistent with how Senator Grassley said whistleblowers should be treated in this quote? She’s been invited to testify before the committee. What more should Senator Grassley be doing, in your opinion? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/1411 "2018-09-18T19:40:18Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > About two months ago, Senator Grassley had some powerful words about what it means to complain about sexual harassment by a sitting judge: > Let’s see a show of hands: who thinks that Ford is, and will be, treated in a manner consistent with how Senator Grassley said whistleblowers should be treated in this quote? Linky-dinky parlay voo? Not doubting, want it for ammo. ---
**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:** [September 18, 2018, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/1412 "2018-09-18T19:42:31Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Linky-dinky parlay voo? Not doubting, want it for ammo. > **[Grassley: Judicial Employees Deserve Protection from Harassment, Misconduct |...](https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/grassley-judicial-employees-deserve-protection-from-harassment-misconduct)** > > Prepared > Statement by Senator Chuck Grassley of IowaChairman, > Senate Judiciary CommitteeHearing > on... ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/1413 "2018-09-18T19:46:20Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > She’s been invited to testify before the committee. What more should Senator Grassley be doing, in your opinion? Calling other witnesses, including Mark Judge. Having counsel for the majority and minority asking questions, instead of the Senators. Not rushing the hearing, to allow more investigation before putting Kavanaugh back under oath. ---
**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 18, 2018, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/1414 "2018-09-18T19:49:14Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Several brilliant and astute Dopers made the same point. Well, one, at any rate. Close enough. I don’t see the problem. We don’t, btw, have his exact words anyway. We have someone paraphrasing what he said. Perhaps he said something like: “I was not at a party like the one she described”. Or any number of other ways of putting it that could be paraphrased the way it was. ---
**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 18, 2018, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/1415 "2018-09-18T19:51:02Z")
Somebody suggested allowing Kavanaugh’s lawyer to ask questions of Ford before the committee, and Ford’s lawyer to ask questions of Kavanaugh. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/1416 "2018-09-18T19:56:07Z")
Ms Collins of Maine. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/1417 "2018-09-18T19:57:43Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > … Having counsel for the majority and minority asking questions, instead of the Senators. … > [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Somebody suggested allowing Kavanaugh’s lawyer to ask questions of Ford before the committee, and Ford’s lawyer to ask questions of Kavanaugh. Both of these sound like foolish suggestions from a Republican perspective. All Ford has to do is shed a few tears during her cross-examination and there will be memes for weeks about how mean the Republicans are for having their lawyer rough up ‘this poor innocent woman that deserves to be believed’. A cynic might even think that’s the goal here. ---
**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 18, 2018, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/1418 "2018-09-18T20:00:28Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Both of these sound like foolish suggestions from a Republican perspective. All Ford has to do is shed a few tears during her cross-examination and there will be memes for weeks about how mean the Republicans are for having their lawyer rough up ‘this poor innocent woman that deserves to be believed’. A cynic might even think that’s the goal here. “Cynic” isn’t the word I’d use for someone who thinks that Ford has any participation in such a scheme. I get why you’d prefer that word, and more strongly get why you don’t want to take ownership of such a repugnant suggestion. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/1419 "2018-09-18T20:03:57Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Both of these sound like foolish suggestions from a Republican perspective. All Ford has to do is shed a few tears during her cross-examination and there will be memes for weeks about how mean the Republicans are for having their lawyer rough up ‘this poor innocent woman that deserves to be believed’. A cynic might even think that’s the goal here. Oh please. In any other context you’d see that reducing the means for political grandstanding, and increasing the chance of careful incisive questioning, would be a good thing. That you’ve spun it into some kind of chauvinist fear of women manipulating men with their tears is on you. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733/1420 "2018-09-18T20:04:44Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Both of these sound like foolish suggestions from a Republican perspective. All Ford has to do is shed a few tears during her cross-examination and there will be memes for weeks about how mean the Republicans are for having their lawyer rough up ‘this poor innocent woman that deserves to be believed’. A cynic might even think that’s the goal here. The Republicans are being played for suckers and they are falling for it. There is no winning in this scenario. Short of Ford having a Perry Mason moment where she admits that she lied, the Dems will talk about how believable she was in her testimony and how they are convinced that Kavanaugh is a serial rapist. Further, Grassley can call every witness in the world, up to and including Jesus Christ himself, and Schumer and the Dems will accuse them of “rushing” the process and not doing a “full” investigation of an uncorroborated allegation which will be nothing but a 36 year old he-said, she-said. This is a clear partisan attempt to delay the vote past the mid-term elections and/or hope to peel off Collins and Murkowski. If they cared about Ford’s allegations, this could have been investigated and questioned during the confirmation hearings. This was a gotcha ploy to release it at the 11th hour. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733.md?page=70) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-democrats-actually-stop-the-nomination-of-brett-kavanaugh/820733.md?page=72)