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I am pacing in my office, listening to Stephen, pumping my fist, softly saying “f yeah” to myself
A fundamental principle of our system of laws is the right to face your accuser.
The latest stunt and dance is shameful. They’re trying to force a Clarence Thomas II: Electric Boogaloo situation, without giving the nominee the chance to do what Thomas did – stuff their smears and allegations down their throats. (I wrote that just as @redsteeze also said “down their throats.” Eerie.)
They’re going to slime Kavanaugh no matter what. Steamroll them. Confirm him.
Yes, but if you engage in this line of thinking be prepared (because it’s a tactic going around) for the following pushback:
“It’s not a criminal trial, and no one has a right to a lifetime appointment. What if they did it? You should find someone with no such baggage.”
and Stephen is right: this is the norm from now on until the Democrats get power again.
After going back and forth with fellow NR plus members where I am one of only a few that feels the same way you both do this was so cathartic. Had my earphones in and turned up to 11!
She wants an FBI investigation so she can conform her testimony to whatever they might find. If she says something without an investigation, it can be checked. If she waits for the investigation, she can pick any day where Kavanaugh can’t confirmed he wasn’t attempting rape and then say it happened then.
FBI: We’ll, we found out that Kavanaugh and you might have been in . . .
Ford: Yeah, that was totally when and where it happened. It happened at . . . what was it you said?
FBI: We didn’t. We were going to say it was Port . . .
Ford: Republic. Port Republic, Maryland, that’s correct.
FBI: . . . Tobacco. We were going to say Port Tobacco, Maryland.
Ford: I always get them confused. It definitely happened in Port Tobacco.
FBI: . . .
That’ll do, pig.
Bravo Stephen. You cut through all the bullsh*t beautifully. They should vote to confirm – stat.
Points from show — Maryland Police will not do this kind of investigation, plus the FBI has already investigated when they did their background check, so there’s nothing to start an investigation on. The hearing under oath could still proceed, having advised the accuser that an investigation cannot be done. As mentioned, the accuser (Ms. Ford) might well balk at this and refuse to show for the special hearing, but I think it needs to be mentioned that the purpose of the airing of the accusation is not to affect any of the Dems’ votes on the Committee. It’s to gain the support of either Susan Collins, who said she needed to hear the testimony before making up her own mind, or; Jeff Flake, who announced that he wouldn’t feel comfortable going ahead with a vote without a fuller airing of Ms. Ford’s complaint. The Dems only need to peel off one vote from the 11 Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee to join with the known 10 Democrat votes against to win. Either this or preventing the vote will enable them to stop the nomination and prevent a vote by the full Senate before the election.
Thank you for doing the show in midweek. Great show.
Jon and Stephen, I agree with all points made. One. Hundred. Percent. End this and confirm.
I am glad to hear the slam on DiFi. By sitting on the letter she robbed the accuser of credibility. If the accuser doesn’t complain about that, then Ms. Ford is complicit in the trade of credibility for a more effective smear.
Update: a reporter finally found DiFi and she said this:
It appears that sanity will prevail after all …
Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake, who had previously called for Ford to testify before voting on Kavanaugh’s confirmation, indicated he’s willing to move forward if she doesn’t show.
I agree with everything said, except for the anger at Feinstein. I *get* it viscerally, and if I thought she cared at all about sexual assault victims I’d be pissed at her too. However, I think she’s simply pursuing her goals, which have nothing to do with giving Ford justice. She wants the Dem voters furious at a rapist sitting on the Supreme Court, and Republican voters either embarrassed by their Senators or happy with them. If they’re happy, they’re less likely to be knocking on doors getting out the vote, whereas the furious Dems will be talking to friends and family. She waited this long to make it as close to the election as possible. Early voting starts in a week and a half.
I was thinking I had to give it a 1, because I thought you said on a scale of 1 to 10. I think you are too generous with your 0 score, if someone else came with a credible claim, I’d believe the new person, and I still wouldn’t believe Hill (I mean Ford…).
I enjoyed this podcast very much, and I didn’t mind the “yelling” because, indeed, I was working out while listening to it! :)
To add to the indignation expressed, which I have shared along with a taste of nausea in my mouth per this whole affair, I don’t understand how any woman in the United States can feel this is helpful for American women. I don’t understand how they don’t see the simple reality that if this hearing is derailed by such a vague accusation from decades ago despite a man’s stellar professional and personal reputation, their own sons will never be safe from Soviet style justice in future decades.
Of course I know the big issue here is retaining the right to kill sons–and daughters–in the womb, but some of ’em live, right? Therefore, I recall Sting’s voice during the Cold War: “We share the Saaaammmeee biology, regardless of IDE-e-OL-ogy… [Democrats] must love their children, too.”
I am a tepid supporter of today’s Republican Party (at best), but President Trump (and I think Senator Grassley) has handled this whole farce well. And while I wasn’t sure I cared enough about politics to vote in the midterms, I do now. Oh my goodness. I definitely do now.
This actually made me consider, briefly, voting for Corey Stewart in VA. But I just can’t do it.
I don’t know enough about Corey Stewart to have any opinion about him, but I know enough about what’s going on in my own state to feel as if showing up is now a priority, even though I’m not in love with my options. It’s interesting to me how inept the Democrats seem to be at not appearing like lunatics. I don’t say it lightly. I actually find them scary.
My first post as a member here. I wanted to thank you guys for cranking out this early edition. It was a great listen. Hope you can even update with another one later this week!
We were driving all day yesterday and I had no idea what the Mario Kart thing was about until I heard Andrew Klavan’s show this morning. Now I unfortunately know too well.