Conservative Media Cheers Kavanaugh’s ‘Decency,’ ‘Emotion’ In Senate Testimony

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 27: Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh testifies before the US Senate Judiciary Committee in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill September 27, 2018 in Washington, DC.  Kavanaugh was called back to testify about claims by Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused him of sexually assaulting her during a party in 1982 when they were high school students in suburban Maryland.  (Photo by Saul Loeb-Pool/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 27: Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh testifies before the US Senate Judiciary Committee in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill September 27, 2018 in Washington, DC... WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 27: Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh testifies before the US Senate Judiciary Committee in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill September 27, 2018 in Washington, DC. Kavanaugh was called back to testify about claims by Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused him of sexually assaulting her during a party in 1982 when they were high school students in suburban Maryland. (Photo by Saul Loeb-Pool/Getty Images) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Some of the same pundits who criticized Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony on Twitter chimed in hours later to praise the emotion displayed by Brett Kavanaugh, the Supreme Court nominee she accused of sexual assault.

Both mainstream and far-right conservatives praised Kavanaugh’s 45-minute opening statement, in which he forcefully denied the allegation and expressed blistering anger at the predicament he found himself in.

“I love Kavanaugh’s tone,” Donald Trump Jr. wrote. “It’s nice to see a conservative man fight for his honor and his family against a 35 year old claim with ZERO evidence and lots of holes that amounts to nothing more than a political hit job by the Dems. Others in the GOP should take notice!”

Trump Jr. had previously shared over a dozen tweets questioning Blasey Ford’s credibility and emotionality during her testimony.

“She was fake crying. Fake tears,” far-right conspiracy theorist and journalist Laura Loomer opined. “Kavanaugh was actually crying.”

“Number one thing I’m hearing from female friends is that they’re crying or even ‘sobbing’ while watching Kavanaugh’s testimony,” the Federalist’s Molly Hemingway weighed in.

The consensus seemed to be that Kavanaugh’s anger was justified given the weight of the allegations against him, and that it was refreshing to see a man behave so emotionally.

“Judge Kavanaugh dug deep down and did something most of us will never do in front of the world stage He showed us his immortal soul,” said Pizzagate promoter Jack Posobiec.

The Resurgent’s Erick Erickson even likened the 53-year-old federal judge’s bearing to that of a child who had been bullied.

“If you’ve ever had your child come home after being seriously, abusively bullied, you recognize Brett Kavanaugh right now and your heart breaks for him,” Erickson wrote.

The Federalist’s Sean Davis turned on his own profession, calling the response to the proceedings evidence that the American media is “much, much worse” than the “enemy of the people.”

“As we are watching right now, they delight in evil and scoff at decency,” he wrote.

Latest News

Notable Replies

  1. Avatar for robg robg says:

    Somebody get these crocodiles a goddamn handkerchief.

  2. The consensus seemed to be that Kavanaugh’s anger was justified…

    Therein lies the problem - another angry white man that we make excuses for. He may be angry but he should have the temperament (isn’t he a judge?) to keep himself under control in a hearing. Is Dr. Ford justified in being angry that his guy assaulted her and left her with persistent emotional trauma? Certainly, but if she had shown half the rage that Kavanaugh did, she would be crucified.

  3. It’s always about the 25-30%, always a show for the GOP base. That’s who Kavanaughty has been appealing to from the beginning of his introductory diatribe.

  4. More accurate headline:

    Butt Hurt White Folk Applaud Butt Hurt White Man

  5. Avatar for mrf mrf says:

    Put aside for a minute Dr. Ford’s testimony today. Judge Kavanaugh’s anger seems to be reflected in the opinions and the cases he has chosen to work on. They show a distain for women and private family matters. His opinion in the case of the 17 year old migrant girl who was raped and needed an abortion showed a lack of empathy and subtle misogyny toward the victim of a crime. He was also part of Jeb Bush’s legal team in the Terri Scheivo case. Could he been that insensitive or just plain oblivious to the families wishes in order to intervene in the matter of a woman in a vegetative state? Apparently there is a blind spot here. Remember all of the discussion about judicial empathy when Kagan and Sotomayer were confirmed?

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

20 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for jennifer_holland Avatar for robg Avatar for playitagainrowlf Avatar for sniffit Avatar for ralph_vonholst Avatar for serendipitoussomnambulist Avatar for mrf Avatar for tiowally Avatar for canadachris Avatar for socalista Avatar for thinski Avatar for lisaport Avatar for checkmate2016 Avatar for skeptical Avatar for outis Avatar for ancoraimpara Avatar for rascal_crone Avatar for autumnwinds Avatar for heathendan

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: