Nearly two-thirds of the country will be watching the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing today. I had planned to post on a related topic, but decided to keep the Spark and Spitfire platform open for spontaneous comments throughout the day. Feel free to post at any time. Peace to all.
Regular reader and occasional commenter, AC, will not be able to comment today, but sent me this link to the complete transcript of Dr. Ford’s opening statement:
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/26/christine-blasey-ford-opening-statement-senate-845080
In the interest of fair play, here is the transcript of Judge Kavanaugh’s opening statement:
https://www.npr.org/2018/09/26/651940992/read-brett-kavanaughs-opening-statement-for-senate-hearing
Here are both opening statements, annotated by the Washington Post, meaning that when you click on a sentence, phrase, or section that is highlighted in yellow, a menu will pop up on the right with commentary that puts the highlighted portion in perspective:
The annotation for Dr. Ford’s opening statement:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/09/26/seared-into-my-memory-christine-blasey-fords-opening-statement-senate-annotated/?utm_term=.c0839762cf13
The annotation for Judge Kavanaugh’s opening statement:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/09/26/i-have-never-sexually-assaulted-anyone-brett-kavanaughs-testimony-congress-annotated/?utm_term=.8c27132ea764
I watched the complete 81-minute sh!t show of the President’s press conference late yesterday afternoon. It was jaw-dropping in its pathological narcissism. Here is a link to how Ashley Parker, who won a Pulitzer Prize this year for her reporting for the Washington Post, sees it:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/give-it-to-me-trump-lets-loose-with-81-minutes-of-bluster-falsehoods-and-insults/2018/09/26/29dee98a-c1d7-11e8-97a5-ab1e46bb3bc7_story.html?utm_term=.537c43cd3b47
Thanks for keeping the platform open. Teaching yoga and offering voter and gun safety information at the community college will keep from joining you.
Emma’s Revolution has released a new song today, I Believe Her, available for download free: http://www.emmasrevolution.com
Thanks for the link, Beth. I love Emma’s Revolution and will listen to this song today.
Thanks, too, for your commitment to the things that really matter: voter and gun safety information in your community, not to mention, yoga!
Andrea Mitchell made this observation on “Morning Joe” this morning: the outcome of this hearing won’t rest on the facts as much as it will rest on the presentations by Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh.
Sigh.
Senator Grassley is giving his opening statement. Could he be any more petulant and irritated? Time to retire, Senator. Seriously.
Fascinating article about the captions that various cable news networks are using to characterize this hearing:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2018/politics/kavanaugh-ford-hearing-chyrons/?utm_term=.97703942de7f
I’ve got tears in my eyes, people. This testimony is so profoundly sad on so many levels.
Out of curiosity, I took in a few minutes of commentary on FOX News during this first break. Chris Wallace said that Dr. Ford’s testimony was “very emotional, very difficult and [he paused] . . . very credible.”
Just re-read Kavanaugh’s opening statement. Couldn’t find anywhere any sense of “I’m so sorry this terrible incident happened in her life.” Nothing. Doesn’t question that she “may have been” assaulted, but there is no empathy there, no recognition of her pain. It’s all about “ME!” and my wonderful, if not perfect, activity in my earlier years. Purely defensive. Sounds a little bit like the man who nominated him! SAD.
Carol — I haven’t yet read Judge Kavanaugh’s opening statement. Based on what we’ve heard from Dr. Ford so far, I don’t know how in theeeeee hell he will have the gall to even show up to deliver his statement.
Dr. Blasey-Ford’s testimony was extremely credible. I thought she handled herself very well being under excruciating circumstances. And, you are right, Sharie, time for Grassley to retire. I just wanted him to shut up already. I don’t know what I think about the attorney that is questioning Dr. Ford. What’s up with all the questions about her fear of flying? Get to the real point of all of this – she was sexually assaulted and justice needs to prevail.
Merrie Lee — Dr. Ford could NOT be more credible. She is humble, reluctant, honest and very astute about psychological behavior. The Republicans on this committee as well as Rachel Mitchell are clearly outmatched. If Kavanaugh is watching, I hope he’s completely intimidated. He MUST BE STOPPED.
I don’t know if you’ve heard and/or read what Lindsey Graham said during the lunch break. He is still saying he doesn’t believe Dr. Ford because she doesn’t remember the time or place and there are no corroborating witnesses.
WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM?! How did he become a pit bull for Trump?
I just checked Facebook, and a friend posted about an hour ago that because of Dr. Ford’s testimony, she now has the courage to share that she was raped decades ago. She never told anyone, not even her husband.
I can’t stop crying.
An assessment of how awful Senator Grassley was this morning:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/09/27/chuck-grassleys-heavy-handed-stewardship-very-delicate-hearing/?utm_term=.d3da9bb31fc1
I remember during the wee hours of the last election, stopping to pray to God and asking Him to intervene somehow so Trump would not get elected. When Trump did get elected, I wondered if God was punishing us. I feel the same way about this Supreme Court nomination. I feel kind of weird sharing these feelings, but am feeling this way nonetheless. If Kavanaugh is voted into the Supreme Court, what does this say about America? Is God trying to teach us a lesson?
Just read your comment, Merrie Lee.
Judge Kavanaugh is MAD AS HELL. MAD AS HELL. MAD AS HELL. LIKE HE IS THE VICTIM.
So yes, where is God?
Reporting in from my voter registration/information outpost at the community college. It is truly stunning how many young people are not registered to vote and who do not intend to vote. If there are young people anywhere in your life, please encourage them to register and vote. Many seem jaded. Tell them they matter and that their votes matter. They may not believe you … but keep encouraging them. This democratic ship needs ALL HANDS ON DECK!
Thanks for your report, Beth, which is, well, alarming.
What a day. I’m so saddened.
(That being said, I am grateful that my sadness is related to something of national import. Makes me feel less selfish.)
I can’t tell if Kavanaugh’s opening statement is a defense or a confession of sorts. He is scathing in his attack on the Democrats, taking a page from the Trump play book. But this lengthy defense/confession is over the top. He’s pissed. He’s pissed that a man from his white-male-privileged station has to face such allegations from a woman who was brought up on the “other side of the tracks.”
He just said he was grateful to Trump.
That’s it. Done.
He just cemented why he will get no credibility from me.
OMG, he is using Mark Judge’s addiction as a way to feel more victimized.
Nicole Wallace on MSNBC commented that in his inaugural address, Trump referred to “American carnage.” Watching Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh, she thought, “This is human carnage caused by Trump. Look at the carnage Trump brought upon these two families.” She also said that Kavanaugh’s defiance and outrage during his opening statement is not the Kavanaugh she knew when she worked in the Bush White House with him.