Team Kavanaugh wants the nominee to push back hard this week, though they are advocating restraint with reactions to Sen. Jeff Flake’s (R-AZ) last minute call for an FBI investigation, lest he make another critical decision based on his heart.
According to a Sunday Politico report, Kavanaugh’s advisers — including Bill Burck, former counsel to President George W. Bush, and Leonard Leo, executive vice president of the Federalist Society — want him to come out swinging while the FBI completes its investigation.
“Seven days is an eternity,” a Kavanaugh ally told Politico. “No good things can happen to Kavanaugh in that time except for calling the vote.”
On the other hand, strategists have reportedly urged a light tread around Flake despite the frustration his sudden about-face caused on Friday.
Assuming that all the Democrats vote as a bloc, only two Republicans would have to cross the aisle to sink the confirmation, giving moderates like Sens. Flake, Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME) outsize influence.
Repost from other thread, sorry
Christine Todd Whitman (former Repub NJ Governor 1994-2001) has a piece, very critical of the process (including the snubbing of Merrick Garland) in todays Financial Times. ( Oct.1 /2018).
The title is “There should be no rush on Supreme Court Decision” she suggests there may be better choices than BK, ouch.
Makes me think she is aiming for a 2020 POTUS run ? (She is 72, maybe not the best age )
some bits
and
I take it as a ‘NO’ to Judge Kavanaugh, right ?
"Seven days is an eternity,” a Kavanaugh ally told Politico. “No good things can happen to Kavanaugh in that time except for calling the vote.”
Who talks like this? Seven days is an eye-blink. If given free reign (which they haven’t been), the FBI are fully capable of screening out ridiculous allegations from fame-seekers and otherwise unreliable witnesses.
When your strategy isn’t “the truth shall set you free”, isn’t that consciousness of guilt? Asking for a friend…
Is perjury one the table as part of the investigation?
In what light is Flake a moderate? Once he decided to retire, he became somewhat vocal against Trump, but so far has given little hope of a no vote on Kavanaugh. If he had serious concerns he would have held up the committee vote until the investigation had been completed.
Where’s the assurance or confidence that the full FBI report will even be seen by the full Senate? No, I would NOT put it past this administration to leave out any negative info from this 7 day “investigation” in the materials they turn over to the Senate.
There’s your “moderate”…