There’s no positive way to spin this. Whether the allegations of sexual misconduct on the part of Brett Kavanaugh are true or false or—as I suspect—a combination of the two, he is unsuited for a seat on the Supreme Court of the land.
He lacks the requisite character and temperament as demonstrated in his rude, out-of-control performance before the Senate Judiciary Committee last Thursday. And in an interaction with Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), 12 years a senator, Kavanaugh gave a textbook example of sexist attitude and behavior when, offended by her persistence in asking whether he had ever passed out while drinking, he flustered into this dialogue:
Kavanaugh: It’s—you’re asking about, you know, blackout. I don’t know. Have you?
Klobuchar (reining in her shock at this juvenile impertinence): Could you answer the question, Judge? I just—so you—that’s not happened. Is that your answer?
Kavanaugh: Yeah, and I’m curious if you have.
This is the guy the Republicans want to sit as a final arbiter on issues that will affect us all.
He lacks the requisite character and temperament as demonstrated in his rude, out-of-control performance before the Senate Judiciary Committee last Thursday. And in an interaction with Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), 12 years a senator, Kavanaugh gave a textbook example of sexist attitude and behavior when, offended by her persistence in asking whether he had ever passed out while drinking, he flustered into this dialogue:
Kavanaugh: It’s—you’re asking about, you know, blackout. I don’t know. Have you?
Klobuchar (reining in her shock at this juvenile impertinence): Could you answer the question, Judge? I just—so you—that’s not happened. Is that your answer?
Kavanaugh: Yeah, and I’m curious if you have.
This is the guy the Republicans want to sit as a final arbiter on issues that will affect us all.
 I’m not sure which is more appalling—his obvious disrespect in the Klobuchar interaction or his near-meltdown and attack-dog style (yes, I know that sounds contradictory) throughout his appearance. |  |
Contrast that with the grace-under-pressure performance of Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who had nothing to gain, didn’t want to be there, and described herself as “terrified” as she began reading her statement to the committee.
Some will say, of course, that Kavanaugh’s behavior stemmed from anger at what he regarded as unjust accusations. You can believe the last two words of the previous sentence if you want to. But if you do, wouldn't you have preferred to see a calm, reasoned, responsive, believable denial? Instead of that, we had evasion and dissembling, much like we saw in his earlier appearance, but overlaid with anger as he was now, obviously, in extremis. Methinks he doth protest too much.
Others will say he was just doing Donald Trump’s bidding, that in fact it was a performance ordered up by that purveyor of blusterous prevarication and carried out to placate the puppet master. If so, that's just as disqualifying. It reveals lack of independence, no backbone, disregard of truth, and a dysfunctional conscience.
If Kavanaugh is appointed to the Supreme Court, both the court—and he—will be forever tarnished. Already sullied by rulings that are politically tainted (Bush v. Gore, for instance) and strain credulity (Citizens United, for instance), the Court will be seen as the professional home of two accused sexual predators, Clarence Thomas having faced allegations at the time of his confirmation in 1991. It’s time to end the drama and the trauma and find a more credible candidate.
Some will say, of course, that Kavanaugh’s behavior stemmed from anger at what he regarded as unjust accusations. You can believe the last two words of the previous sentence if you want to. But if you do, wouldn't you have preferred to see a calm, reasoned, responsive, believable denial? Instead of that, we had evasion and dissembling, much like we saw in his earlier appearance, but overlaid with anger as he was now, obviously, in extremis. Methinks he doth protest too much.
Others will say he was just doing Donald Trump’s bidding, that in fact it was a performance ordered up by that purveyor of blusterous prevarication and carried out to placate the puppet master. If so, that's just as disqualifying. It reveals lack of independence, no backbone, disregard of truth, and a dysfunctional conscience.
If Kavanaugh is appointed to the Supreme Court, both the court—and he—will be forever tarnished. Already sullied by rulings that are politically tainted (Bush v. Gore, for instance) and strain credulity (Citizens United, for instance), the Court will be seen as the professional home of two accused sexual predators, Clarence Thomas having faced allegations at the time of his confirmation in 1991. It’s time to end the drama and the trauma and find a more credible candidate.
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