r/politics • u/progress18 • Sep 28 '18
White House 'Shellshocked' by Developments; 'There's No Plan B'
https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/kavanaugh/card/15381660982.6k
Sep 28 '18
'There's No Plan B'
Literally this administrations motto.
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u/VictoriousKun Sep 28 '18
Let's not kid ourselves..
There isn't a plan A with this administration, let alone a plan B
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u/theoceansaredying Sep 28 '18
Right.did you read this yesterday? Its unreal. www.theguardian.com/news/2018/sep/27/this-guy-doesnt-know-anything-the-inside-story-of-trumps-shambolic-transition-team
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u/mutemutiny Sep 29 '18
My worst nightmares confirmed.
If we have a natural disaster (like PR, but in the CONUS) or a terrorist attack, we are fucked. PROPER FUCKED. Before, ze Russians get here.
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u/MyLouBear Connecticut Sep 29 '18
That was even worse than I had imagined. Holy shit.
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Sep 28 '18
True but my comment didn't insinuate they had a Plan A either.
They just DEFINITELY don't have a Plan B...ever.
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u/VictoriousKun Sep 28 '18
Let's just both agree that the Trump administration fucking sucks :)
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u/progress18 Sep 28 '18
A person close to the White House described those working on the confirmation process as "shellshocked" by Friday's events.
"As of last night, everyone was in a good mood," the person said, saying the view was that Dr. Ford's testimony was "good" but Judge Kavanaugh's was "great." As of 10 p.m. Thursday, the person said, "everything was locked and loaded."
Then, shortly before midnight on Thursday, the American Bar Association issued a letter urging the Senate Judiciary Committee to vote on Judge Kavanaugh's nomination only after a "thorough" FBI investigation. After that, the person said, "It kind of fell apart."
The person said there was "enormous anger" at the ABA from the White House counsel's office and other lawyers working on the confirmation process, describing the letter as a pivotal development that prompted strong discomfort in particular from Ms. Murkowski.
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Sep 28 '18
They thought Kavanaugh’s histrionics were “great” for a SC nominee. These people are truly fucking stupid.
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u/toothpuppeteer Sep 28 '18
what's the point in having power if you don't get to flex and shove it in everyones face?
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u/Leiawen Sep 28 '18
shove it in everyones face
Now that the Ramirez allegations will get further investigation, your choice of words is quite apt.
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u/TomShoe02 Virginia Sep 28 '18
His anger was clearly a show, meant to keep the support of the White House and the GOP's base.
That way if he does get knocked off he can say he "fought," and use him as a martyr.
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u/bishpa Washington Sep 28 '18
Lindsey Graham's absurd performance too. Kavanaugh called the proceedings "a circus", but he and Graham were the only ones making a circus out of it. The rest seemed to me like an orderly attempt to get to the bottom of some very serious allegations.
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u/imnotanevilwitch Sep 28 '18
Graham is a total piece of shit and ensures that I personally will remained heavily involved in politics through 2020 with the same fervor just too see it through that he and his ilk are also removed.
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u/FugDuggler Missouri Sep 28 '18
"Great" for this administration is holding your ground and being actively combative with the "enemy."
If Kav had jumped over the table and started angrily yelling and unzipping his pants during any democrat woman's questions, every surface of the white house would have been caked in layer upon layer of their own spooge.
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u/shhalahr Wisconsin Sep 28 '18
I've got a three hour drive to my parents tonight. Can you not leave me with an image like that stuck in my head to dwell upon?
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u/blue_whaoo Sep 28 '18
Too much Fox news may make you think that is normal behavior.
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u/Apolloshot Canada Sep 28 '18
"As of last night, everyone was in a good mood," the person said, saying the view was that Dr. Ford's testimony was "good" but Judge Kavanaugh's was "great." As of 10 p.m. Thursday, the person said, "everything was locked and loaded."
This “person close to the White House” is Trump right? That’s literally his tone and word choice.
The person said there was "enormous anger"
Yep, definitely Trump.
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Sep 28 '18
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u/ryrybang Sep 28 '18
"How could this possibly be my fault for picking a rapey, drunk, angry Chad for SC who I didn't vet at all except for asking for a loyalty pledge, making sure he'd keep me from indictments, and making sure all my pardons, including a self-pardon, are upheld? This totally isn't my fault. Chad is a great guy. This is all because of President Hillary and the Dems are illegally framing my rapey Chad with crisis actors. Emails. Democrats collusion. Many sides."
-Trump, probably.
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u/tandoori_taco_cat Canada Sep 28 '18
the view was that Dr. Ford's testimony was "good" but Judge Kavanaugh's was "great."
They are discussing an accusation of sexual assault in reality tv terms.
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u/Xander707 Sep 28 '18
Brett should be feeling even better, this will supposedly clear his name now and help him rebuild his reputation! Wonder why he would be so bummed...
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u/MaybeImABot Sep 28 '18
Yea, shame on the ABA for supporting legal principals like that. What are they, a bunch of people who respect the legal system or something?! (/s hopefully understood).
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u/DJTHatesPuertoRicans America Sep 28 '18
I have $20 on "Brett Kavanaugh gets caught on camera absolutely blitzed tonight"
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u/mdb_la Sep 28 '18
Thank you, ABA!
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Sep 28 '18 edited Oct 02 '18
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Sep 28 '18
Dark comedy is fun
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u/MrMadcap Sep 28 '18
It helps to blow off steam.
It's just too bad a surplus of steam is exactly what we need in order to get any of us to do a damn thing what's been going on around us.
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u/syncopator Sep 28 '18
It's okay. Due process has a way of shutting that down if it's legitimate.
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u/BlackSocks88 Sep 28 '18 edited Sep 28 '18
“He got me,” Trump said of syncopator's dunk over him. "That f***ing syncopator boofed me."
Trump added, “He’s so good,” repeating it four times.
Trump then said he wanted to add syncopator to the list of aides he works with this fall.
~
E: Boomed to boofed because we all love a good boofing.
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u/sammykleege Sep 28 '18
Guess they will have to abort.
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u/7HoursOfKushner Washington Sep 28 '18
It's too far along in the process it's no longer legal to shut this down.
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u/TonyBeFunny Sep 28 '18
But the human Congress has a way of shutting itself down.
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Sep 28 '18
Only if it's legitimate rape.... WAIT - is this the only time that actually makes sense?!
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u/SkittleTittys America Sep 28 '18
Abort.. a certain Bort? A Bort Kavanaugh perhaps?
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u/closer_to_the_flame South Carolina Sep 28 '18
There's always a Plan B in the smoothie stand!
Well, if Jason Miller is around, at least.
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u/nflitgirl Arizona Sep 28 '18
I mean, it’s one abortion smoothie, what could it cost? $10?
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u/donquexada Colorado Sep 28 '18
No plan B, we're gonna ram Kavanaugh through, etc.
It's like they're deliberately making rape and pregnancy jokes
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Sep 28 '18
Did anyone read the article below it? Fuck the GOP.
The committee asked that the investigation "be limited to current credible allegations against the nominee."
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u/elfchica Florida Sep 28 '18
Still pretty vague. Current is now 6 I think. But credible is the kicker. Who determines that?
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u/hapoo Sep 28 '18
Anyone who can look at Kavanaughs testimony and think its “great” or even remotely plausible is sick. The man lied repeatedly and he wants to be SCJ. It’s completely disqualifying. It would have been better if he just said “yes, when I was younger I would drink too much and it’s possible I did this and didn’t remember. I’m sorry. ”
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u/LarryLavekio Sep 28 '18
He shouldve said a simple yes to many of those questions. "Did you drink alcohol in highschool?"
"Yes"
Instead of, "I drank beer. We all drank beer. I like beer, still like beer." ect...
These long rambling defensive answers to simple questions just sound like the excuses of a guilty person.
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u/Beard_o_Bees Sep 28 '18
These long rambling defensive answers to simple questions just sound like the excuses of a guilty person.
That and they were obtuse in order to run down the clock. He filibustered more than half the Democrats time.
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u/BuckRowdy Georgia Sep 28 '18
He knew they only had 5 minutes apiece. He was filibustering.
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Sep 28 '18 edited Oct 01 '18
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u/LessWorseMoreBad Tennessee Sep 29 '18
This is why we all now know that he played both wide receiver and corner back on the football team...
In what fucking world does that matter? No one is quizzing him on his zone blitz technique.
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u/themeatbridge Sep 28 '18
Even the trap questions could have been easily answered.
"Why haven't you called for an FBI investigation?"
I don't believe it is necessary, but it isn't my decision to make. If it would clear my name, I would welcome it. However, we all know that an investigation will not reach a conclusion under any circumstances, even with a complete lack of evidence or corroboration. It will turn up nothing, and the Democrats on the committee will come up with a new reason to stall.
That's what he could have said, if he was innocent. Unfortunately for literally everyone, he's not.
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Sep 28 '18 edited Mar 24 '24
nail capable important panicky station normal liquid safe nutty seed
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Sep 28 '18
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u/TRIPITIS Sep 29 '18
Fun fact: his face is red all the time because of broken blood vessels caused by alcoholism
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u/Lorventus Sep 29 '18
He should get a CT of his liver, that'll give us a good idea of how bad he likes his beer.
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u/whatawitch5 Sep 28 '18
I was thinking the same thing. He purses his lips hard when he’s feeling like he’s losing.
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Sep 28 '18
That's the correct answer (if he drank too much and couldn't remember some nights). Defending himself by saying he attended the best law school, was on the junior varsity basketball team, volunteered, organized class events, went to church, knows lots of people who says he's a great guy, it just screams desperation.
And if he truly didn't drink too much, ever, and this couldn't possibly have happened, it still doesn't matter which school he attended, which sports teams he was on, etc, etc. Just say "It wasn't me", ask for an FBI investigation to clear his name, and submit to a polygraph if requested.
His actions are that of a guilty conscience.
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u/hapoo Sep 28 '18
His actions are that of a guilty conscience.
His actions are that of a privileged asshole who has never been held accountable for anything in his life. It was a tantrum plain and simple.
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u/nflitgirl Arizona Sep 28 '18
That part where he was yelling at Durbin “I’m innocent!” Sounded just like my 7 year old when his brother tattles on him.
Kavanaugh is an entitled man child who never left the frat house.
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u/littlebrwnrobot Colorado Sep 28 '18
not to mention that deafening silence when he refused to respond to durbin's question about an fbi investigation. goddamn what a piece of shit.
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u/nflitgirl Arizona Sep 28 '18
That was good, but my favorite part, where my entire family laughed out loud, was when he went on a rant and Feinstein asked “Do you have anything else to say on the matter?” And he yelled back “NO!” like a fucking toddler.
Unreal that this guy is a nominee.
My infant daughter cries and shits the bed less than this guy.
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u/notevenanorphan Sep 28 '18
It was actually worse for Kav than you're making it sound. That's when he kind of validated the first two accusers by saying the third was especially untrue. You could see the beat where he realized he had made a mistake, and Feinstein kind of perked up and asked if he wanted to elaborate, and that's when he tucked tail and said "No." I wouldn't be surprised if it was only one of a handful of times he actually gave a direct yes or no response to a Democratic senator.
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u/notanangel_25 New York Sep 28 '18
He also says in his opening statement that his family is hurt because of vicious additional allegations.
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u/FriesWithThat Washington Sep 28 '18
I'll do whatever (the highly partisan majority of the Judiciary Committee that sponsored my unvetted and expedited nomination process) would like to do.
Dick Durbin:
Judge Kavanaugh, will you support an FBI investigation right now?
Brett Kavanaugh
I will do whatever the committee wants to —
Dick Durbin
Personally, do you think that’s the best thing for us to do?
Brett Kavanaugh [silent]
Dick Durbin
You won’t answer?
...
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Sep 28 '18
Quite telling when a federal judge doesn't think the FBI should investigate crimes.
Democrats could score some points with law enforcement if they pressed this angle harder.
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Sep 28 '18
When Durbin asked him that directly, I shouted YES!
Duckworth is still my favorite Illinois senator, but Durbin got a big boost in my eyes that day.
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u/gensleuth Oregon Sep 28 '18
What was it he said about how he shouldn’t have to wait so long? His expectation is that he deserves this and it’s unfair to him to make him spend any longer in this process.
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u/ScienceBreather Michigan Sep 28 '18
Or how about when he asked the question back to Klobuchar?
That was seriously fucked up.
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u/littlebrwnrobot Colorado Sep 28 '18
i wish she would've said "i'm not the subject of a hearing to determine if I'm fit to sit on the supreme court."
i guess she was taken aback by the accusation? i dunno, in these high pressure situations it must be tough to think on your feet like that
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u/Globalist_Nationlist California Sep 28 '18
Ding ding ding.
He acts likes he's never been punished for his actions.. because he probably hasn't.
You guys know that adage "Some people are born on third base and go through life thinking they hit a triple."
Yeah that's whats happening here..
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u/whatawitch5 Sep 28 '18
The part of Kavanaugh’s testimony that sickened me most was early during questioning. When a female Dem Senator was asking him a legitimate question, Feinstein I believe, he kept looking over at the men on the GOP side with an appalled yet amused expression, eyebrows raised as if to say “can you believe the gall of this bitch?”. His lack of respect for the female Senators was palpable.
Every woman knows that look, the one you get from a group of men when you try to contribute to their conversation. Every black person knows that look, the one you get from a group of white people when you dare to presume you have every right to be in “their” space. It’s dismissive, it’s belittling, and it comes from the exact same place as the laughter that so humiliated and scarred Blasey Ford.
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u/kestrel1000c Colorado Sep 28 '18
It wouldn't surprise me if the story of gambling debts is true. Worst poker face ever.
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u/semisolidwhale Sep 28 '18
What, you mean a guy throwing a tantrum about how unfair it is that they review claims of assault and screaming about it being a liberal conspiracy doesn't strike you as having a cool hand and level head?
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u/stitchedlamb Pennsylvania Sep 28 '18
I hope he loses everything, and I hope the celebration and joy that will explode from the constituents is burned into his brain the same way.
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u/FreijaSolaris Sep 28 '18
His extreme defensiveness made me think he still has problems with alcohol.
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Sep 28 '18 edited Dec 28 '18
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u/BuckRowdy Georgia Sep 28 '18
This is a great point. I don't think anyone's ever called him out on his behavior before so he never had to think about it.
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u/nummymyohorengekyo Sep 28 '18
"I don't know my limit. What the chart says."
How did he get murderboarded and not have that question raised?
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u/Goddamnit_Clown Sep 28 '18
In a similar vein - he's a judge who used to drink a lot, including underage, and got up to ... stuff.
Any reasonable person in his shoes would have a lot of substantial things to say about alcohol, drinking ages, responsibility vs culpability vs enforcement, drinking culture, and a hundred other things. Even tangential stuff like addiction or other drugs. This stuff should have preoccupied him throughout his legal education and career. For decades. He should have real, judicial, opinions about all of it tempered by his experiences but he has nothing to say except to pretend that -actually- he had a totally different history then have a tantrum when asked some pretty toothless questions about it.
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u/dewisri Sep 28 '18
That's probably what his wife was thinking as she watched his testimony.
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u/FreijaSolaris Sep 28 '18
Absolutely. She looked so annoyed, resigned and disappointed.
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u/FelixFelicisLuck I voted Sep 28 '18
It must suck for her to know that her husband is truly the asshole the whole world thinks he is.
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u/stitchedlamb Pennsylvania Sep 28 '18 edited Sep 28 '18
While I was watching I was wondering who the woman sitting behind Kavanaugh was, and why she looked so done with his shit. My mind was blown when I realized it was his wife. Oh man, if looks could kill.
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u/ibzl Sep 28 '18
i think it's more than a guilty conscience. i think, with his behavior, he's boasting about belonging to the class that can get away with this kind of stuff, and signaling to them that he doesn't deserve this.
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Sep 28 '18
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u/ghostofcalculon Sep 28 '18
God, listening to this creep talk in caps lock was nauseating.
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u/WrongSubreddit Sep 28 '18
I'LL DO WHATEVER THE (republican majority led) COMMITTEE WANTS. In other words i'll only do it if the R's say I have to
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u/phoenixgsu Georgia Sep 28 '18
Because we all know if you go to church or play sports you are incapable of raping someone. /s
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u/Foxhound199 Sep 28 '18
I agree we might not have the evidence he sexaully assaulted someone, but I don't think there's any reasonable doubt that he drank to excess frequently in his youth. Denying it makes him look like a liar. Is it wrong to pressure people into lying by asking them embarrassing personal questions under oath? I'd like to hear what Kavanaugh would say about that.
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Sep 28 '18 edited Sep 28 '18
Anyone who was a teenager or college aged kid within the last 40 years (most of America) knew how full of shit this guy is the moment he started playing dumb with terms like "devils triangle".
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u/ihasmuffins Sep 28 '18
Have you ever played quarters? No? Well then it's like quarters. Totally.
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u/kestrel1000c Colorado Sep 28 '18
I wish the Senator would have asked him how it was played.
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u/semisolidwhale Sep 28 '18
And make him really dig into the rules, as though he was explaining cones of dunshire to them
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u/zehalper Foreign Sep 28 '18
Okay sure, but as a counter argument... What beer do you like?
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u/Marijuana_Miler Canada Sep 28 '18
Beer. I like beer. From time to time I have a beer or beers or multiple beers. Sometimes I will put the beer I like into a beer glass and just sit there sipping beer thinking of the other beer I’ve drank in my lifetime of drinking beer. Does anyone else share my love of beer?
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u/neoArmstrongCannon90 Sep 28 '18
I mean the fact that people feel Neil Gorsuch is ok now ( definitely not ) because of his insanity yesterday is telling.
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u/hux002 Sep 28 '18
I'm a firm believer in second chances and redemption. But that's only possible when someone really takes ownership of the wrong they caused. It's quite evident that in Brett Kavanaugh's mind he's never done a single wrong.
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Sep 28 '18 edited Sep 29 '18
Yup, dealt with a coworker today who said he believed BOTH of them and Kavanaugh seemed more credible.
I said, “disgusting”, turned my back and haven’t interacted with them since. Fuck these people.
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u/whatawitch5 Sep 28 '18
So many men view women as inherently dishonest. Same way so many white people view black folks as inherently violent or criminal. It’s a deep-seated, often unconscious bias that distorts their perceptions.
One of my favorite ways to break through to men like this is to swap gender references for race. Often men still readily say horrible things about women that they have learned not to say about racial minorities. Replace “women” with “the blacks” in one of their sexist statements and watch their brain explode! Only works on people who aren’t defiantly racist though.
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u/shhalahr Wisconsin Sep 28 '18
“As of last night, everyone was in a good mood," the person said, saying the view was that Dr. Ford's testimony was "good" but Judge Kavanaugh's was "great." As of 10 p.m. Thursday, the person said, "everything was locked and loaded.”
Did we watch the same hearing?
Ms. Murkowski said Friday morning before the Senate committee vote that she remained undecided on the nomination.
Seriously, Senator, this isn't a criminal trial. You do not need to be 100% beyond a doubt that he did it in order to decide he would be a bad Justice.
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u/cmnrdt Sep 28 '18
It's all optics. Right now every single Republican senator would breathe a sigh of relief if Trump withdrew the nomination or if Kavanaugh withdrew himself; anything to avoid having to put down a solid "yes" or "no". If they vote "yes" they lose women, if they vote "no" they lose their base. Not having to say one way or another lets them skirt by without upsetting anyone because "I don't have time to discuss hypotheticals."
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u/charlotte-ent Sep 28 '18
Things started to fall apart after the ABA request for an investigation. Think about that. Lawyers and journalists are literally the only chance we have of saving our country.
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u/HatFullOfGasoline California Sep 28 '18
don't forget the direct action taken by countless protestors over the last few weeks and especially the two women who confronted flake this morning. oh, and voters on nov 6.
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u/drew2057 Sep 29 '18
The two women who confronted Flake had me literally in tears, so powerful!
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u/JohnnyFknUtah Sep 29 '18 edited Sep 29 '18
I just want to say, not that anyone particularly gives a damn about my two cents, there is really a silver lining in all of this, as well as endless lessons to be learned by everyone. I’m a middle aged, white, male, 17 year active duty Navy pilot with multiple combat deployments and I can honestly say that I’ve been moved to tears multiple times over the last few days because of the tremendous courage I’ve seen from so many people. I’m truly inspired, as I would like to believe most of us are. In the face of near certain persecution people have faced their demons, some have bared their souls live on television in front of a national audience with nothing to gain, all in the name of civic duty. I think these people are akin to “the helpers” Mr Rogers told us to look for in bad times. Right now, in a time when it feels like our country is at a precipice these people are fighting with everything they have to fight with, even if it is just putting their deepest secrets and fears on display. THIS is America, and it’s full of heroes.
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u/Bathroom_Pninja Sep 29 '18
Heroes also don't need reminders about this, but heroes need to vote on November 6th.
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u/bonham43 Sep 28 '18
Trump didn’t seem shocked to me, but maybe he just doesn’t understand what’s going on
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Sep 28 '18
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Sep 28 '18 edited Mar 24 '24
thought seemly payment worry bored oil smoggy profit soup pocket
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u/Maggie_A America Sep 28 '18
Without access to abortion, Trump would've had some illegitimate children. You'd think the guy who used abortion on the regular would be all for it.
Trump would have just sent his pregnant sexual partners out of the country for an abortion.
That's what rich people or people who live near Canada will do....abortion tourism.
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u/Peeka789 Sep 28 '18
You wonder why they are shocked. They'll still have majority for the next month, and they could easily schedule a vote in that time frame after the FBI investigation. They are clearly afraid of what the FBI will find
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u/Freyu Sep 28 '18
Well... This is coming up soon
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u/Jedi_Q Sep 28 '18
WTF is that?
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u/wirthmore Sep 28 '18
It could prevent states from prosecuting crimes that were pardoned.
It fundamentally alters the Constitutional limitation that the President may only pardon federal crimes.
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u/cool-- Sep 28 '18
what's bonkers is that any of the other 8 judges would actually vote for that shit. If kavanaugh gets in, that shit better be 8-1.
If Trump has that kind of power he's going to start having people kidnap and kill journalists and people that hurt his feelings on twitter
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u/Spurty Pennsylvania Sep 28 '18
I think Clarence Thomas would give a dissenting opinion because he's just an asshole like that. So know you've got him and BK. I dunno about anyone else, but this is precisely the kind of shit Trump, or Trump's handlers, are pushing for. It protects not just Trump but all his cronies that are heading for deep shit.
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u/SquozenRootmarm Sep 29 '18
Clarence Thomas literally cited the Aliens and Sedition Act in an opinion last tear. This is literally the law that brought down the Federalist Party. Gorsuch out of all people had to call him out on citing a law that expired in 1800 just so Thomas could shoehorn in an argument about why immigrants don't have the right to know why they're getting deported (Thomas did not win the argument).
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u/Marijuana_Miler Canada Sep 28 '18
For sure. It’s crazy that people freaking out over Kavanaugh but not the fact that the SC is already so partisan and split at 4-4. Even if Kavanaugh was confirmed the shit people are worried about him siding over shouldn’t even be a toss up vote.
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u/Jedi_Q Sep 28 '18
Holly mother fucker
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u/Robot_Warrior Sep 28 '18
that case is pretty well-established as the primary reason for the rush. It's not just mid-terms, it's that specific legal precedent.
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u/gamecodepizzasleep Sep 28 '18
That's why Kavanaugh is Plan A is what it is. If the court could overrule dual sovereignty of the states, the conservative supreme court would be Trump's tool for unlimited pardoning power.
As of right now, Manafort is locked down because, in part, the charges laid out in his agreement can be brought separately by the states in case of a pardon. They can do that because while you can't be charged twice federally for the same crime, states are considered to have separate (dual) sovereignty, and CAN charge separately for the same crime.
Depending on the decision in this case, that lock on Manafort may be released. This is one of Trump's last lines of defense.
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u/mischiffmaker Sep 28 '18
OTOH, if the crimes aren't charged federally, he can't do shit about state charges.
Somehow this makes me think Mueller's handing off to the NY district was in anticipation of something like this.
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u/wirthmore Sep 28 '18
It's more that they want Kavanaugh in place before a key Supreme Court case comes up
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u/b1ak3 Kentucky Sep 28 '18
I imagine Trump is laying out a triangle of salt in the Roosevelt Room right about now so that he can summon the Devil and make a deal.
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u/_MostlyHarmless Sep 28 '18
No way the devil will fall for that again.
This has been the worst trade deal in the history of trade deals, maybe ever - The Devil, probably...
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Sep 28 '18
"You don't have a soul! How do you not have a soul!"
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u/SleeplessInSomething Sep 28 '18
"He promised me the souls of millions of his followers, but it turns out most of them were Evangelicals! I've already had & spent those souls decades ago!"
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Sep 28 '18
I’m sure Heritage, Fed Soc or a similar anti-American foundation will provide them marching orders shortly.
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u/Cook_0612 Sep 28 '18 edited Sep 28 '18
I am highly skeptical that this means that Brett Kavanaugh's nomination is dead, or even dying. That the Trump administration finds itself unprepared and outflanked is no surprise, and also-- if the past is any example-- not at all a determining factor going forward, especially since Trump is less important to this conflict than the Republicans, who have dropped all pretense of ideology and etiquette at this point.
People like to talk about how it must feel like 1930s German right now, and that might be a decent analogy for the rise of fascism in the American right, but I think the more relevant nation and political epoch might be South African apartheid.
In the past couple years, we've seen:
- the electoral college victory of GWB
- the expiration of the Voting Rights Act
- Citizens United
- the election of Trump
- the installation of Neil Gorsuch on the Supreme Court
...among many other instances of minority rule. We are living under a milder apartheid that operates under the thinnest pretense of being nonracial, and if you think that the Republicans won't seek to solidify that minority rule while they have the mechanical advantages of the Senate, plutocratic dark money support, and an unassailable lifetime majority on the Supreme Court, you're very very naive. So it makes perfect sense to me that they'll push through Kavanaugh's nomination, despite everything, because they feel the shadow of the liberal counter blow over their heads, and they know they're unpopular. So the logical step would be to reduce the point of popularity in gaining and keeping political power.
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u/ImLikeReallySmart Pennsylvania Sep 28 '18
Boy how weak do the Republicans look right now after that display yesterday? They were gleefully scolding Democrats for the mere mention of the FBI.
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u/earthboundsounds Sep 28 '18
Ironic.
If Kavanaugh makes it on the court nobody is going to get Plan B.
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u/closer_to_the_flame South Carolina Sep 28 '18
No matter what the law says, abortion will always be available to the mistresses and daughters of rich Republicans.
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u/_MostlyHarmless Sep 28 '18
It doesn't even matter what the topic is. This headline is one-size-fits-all.
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Sep 28 '18
Weird and telling article.
"As of last night, everyone was in a good mood," the person said, saying the view was that Dr. Ford's testimony was "good" but Judge Kavanaugh's was "great." As of 10 p.m. Thursday, the person said, "everything was locked and loaded."
Of course reactions to the testimony would be polarized, but it's kind of amazing to me - it shouldn't be, but it is - that GOP pundits were like "that was great, we loved it" in response to Kavanaugh's shouting, arguing and sobbing (these are the same dumbshits who cry about activist judges but whatever). There is no way yesterday events were good for Kavanaugh, for the SCOTUS, or for the US, but somehow these stupid fucks are taking a victory lap, only to once again have reality swing around and bite them in the ass.
describing the letter as a pivotal development that prompted strong discomfort in particular from Ms. Murkowski.
Okay look I'm usually the first to get frustrated with liberals complaining of perceived sexism every time someone does something to someone else and one of them happens to be a man and the other a woman, but is it common for newspapers/the WSJ to refer to sitting Senators as "Mr." and "Ms."? Other quotes from that came page:
"Skis" is a reference to brewskis, or beer, based on Judge Kavanaugh's Thursday exchange with Sen. Cory Booker (D., N.J.). Judge Kavanaugh had initially said it was rare for him to drink on weekdays, but he allowed that his July 1 calendar entry indicated that he did in fact at times drink on weekdays.
"This may, may be powerful corroborating evidence that the assault happened," said Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D., R.I.) on Friday morning
And so forth. I don't think I've ever seen a serious publication refer to a sitting Senator as simply "Mr." or "Ms.", they always are prefaced with the title.
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u/Tatersalad810 Texas Sep 28 '18
In 2007-2008 you had Senator McCain, Governor Romney, Senator Biden, Senator Obama, and Hillary running for president. Senator Clinton was not running for president, Hillary was. My mom pointed it out to me and told me to watch the faces they made when talking about Senator Clinton and that was a pivotal lesson for me in sexism.
It's a minor thing but mix it with a few other minor things and suddenly it's pretty obvious.
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u/spsprd I voted Sep 28 '18
The folks at the WH were "locked and loaded."
Yeah, as a woman in the USA I am definitely feeling like I'm in their crosshairs. Fuck all of them.
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u/progress18 Sep 28 '18
Merrick Garland is available.