Since he repeats himself seven times (“character assassination”; “smear” twice; “horrific treatment,” etc.), we can be sure that Washington Post columnist Marc Thiessen (“Brett Kavanaugh debacle cost Democrats the Senate,” Nov. 9, Page A7) disapproves of exposure of Brett Kavanaugh’s youthful misconduct, pro-corporation bias and extreme political partisanship.
To viewers, present and via TV, Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony was compelling. The chamber was hushed, riveted.
Not only was she coherent, consistent and certain; none accused her of fabrication, and it took days before Susan Collins dared question the accuracy of her testimony, venturing the incredible claim that Ford mistook the identity of her face-against-face assailant, a familiar face no less. Moreover, no motive was ever offered to warrant suspicion of deceit. On the contrary, Ford’s family was indebted to Kavanaugh’s for a favorable foreclosure decision. Thiessen claims no “direct evidence,” as if Ford’s word did not count against Kavanaugh’s, and other “direct evidence” was lacking only because the one witness, Kavanaugh’s friend, conveniently does not remember and refused to testify.
So Republican committee members attacked Democratic members for a last-minute trump, with no evidence that the timing was calculated. They neglected Kavanaugh’s anger at exposure of his privileged youthful conduct, displays of political bias, rude abuses of committee Democrats and refusals to invite an FBI investigation of charges of sexual misconduct.
They refused to acknowledge what retired Justice John Paul Stevens, a lifelong Republican, acknowledged when he judged Kavanaugh unfit for the Supreme Court: Kavanaugh’s hearing conduct suggests biases that would oblige his recusal so often as to make him a part-time justice!
In a know-nothing, factless era, yes, Republican cries of a “campaign to destroy” may well have registered on Election Day. In Tennessee, former Gov. Phil Bredesen was clearly a superior Senate candidate to Rep. Marsha Blackburn, but I’d guess that most of the Democratic House turnover victors openly opposed Kavanaugh.
William H. Slavick
Portland
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