I don’t usually watch Hardball — I find Chris Matthews hard to take because he routinely interrupts his guests and/or talks over them. He even does so not only when they are making a good point but one he seems to have invited them on his show to make, sometimes even in response to a question where they were affirming his beliefs. However, tonight I’ve had it on and I learned an interesting tidbit I hadn’t seen reported yet.
As anyone reading this knows SCOTUS nominee Brett Kavanaugh spent much of his day at the White House trying to salvage his nomination. He met with Don McGahan and surely others in the WH Counsel’s Office. WH staff was setting up calls for him to GOP Senators. They were crafting (along with the folks in the WH Communications Office) statements. Including the “I wasn’t even at that party” although the part about “Even though I don’t know when that party took place — whatever. Pick any date and I promise I wasn’t there. I wasn’t even in the zip code. Hell, I wasn’t even in Maryland, DC or Virginia. No matter what date that party I don’t remember when it even was held took place.” Hell, he probably made it a point to thank Stephen Miller who I am convinced was the author of the anonymous lawyer’s statement this weekend that basically said “Hey guys — we’ve all done what Kavanaugh did so back him up — and have a “chat” with your wimminfolk about this hint hint!” (I’m still furious about that statement btw — offended so much that I couldn’t write a diary that would make ShowerCap or even my DI’s blush and turn away)
Anyway, Kavanaugh met with a bunch of people at the White House today and talked with plenty of others by phone. Yet, according to a WH reporter I saw on Matthew’s show despite being literally feet away from Trump he never met with Trump!
Geez — you’d think that the staff and even Trump himself realizes it would be “bigly” bad for the two of them to have met for a little chat today. Because the nomination is in trouble and for all the bluster from Kavanaugh and others the WH (including Trump) may be thinking about cutting their losses. The fact Trump made a “The process should play out even if it means a little delay” was surprising. But what’s really surprising is that he hasn’t tried to outdo his P.O.S. namesake Uday (aka Donald Jr.) with an attack tweet. Or two or three (dozen). IOW even Trump is thinking that he might have to cut Kavanaugh loose. McConnell never wanted him in the first place, and warned Trump about nominating Kavanaugh. McConnell is a survivor and ruthless. He sees the polling like everyone else and if GOP internals do in fact show what public polling shows which is that the GOP might actually lose the Senate this fall he will be begging Trump to cut Kavanaugh loose. He’s seeing wavering in his own ranks, and if he thinks he can’t hold his own folks (not just the few women btw) in line (and Capito of WV has come out this evening and called for a delay and hearings) he’s going to be lining up the entire WH staff and even Mike Pence to do an intervention with Trump. Who as I’ve said surely realized that he might not get his dream nominee through to confirmation.
The reporter was unclear (from what I could tell) but seemed to suggest Kavanaugh actually wanted to meet with Trump but was blocked from doing so. If THAT went down today ole Brett is having himself a bad night. Which doesn’t bother me in the slightest. Even before his past as a sexual assaulter (and possible predator — planning and carrying out that attack they way it went down suggests to me a certain level of experience) I though he was a no good, lying piece of shit ultra right wing/conservative attack dog/hack. I’d be just fine with him having every night for the rest of his life filled with bitterness over finally having his piece of shit nature finally catch up to him.
But to conclude I think it’s “YUGE” that Trump wouldn’t meet with Kavanaugh today. I’m not going to go counting chickens just yet. But I think there’s an actual chance that the WH has convinced Trump of at least the possibility that they might have to withdraw Kavanaugh’s nomination — or convince him to withdraw himself.
Given what we know of Trump the fact he’s even considering such a thing is a big crack in the armor. It’s up to us to keep the pressure on Senators (regardless of where we live) to widen that crack. Tonight. And tomorrow. Don’t give Trump & Kavanaugh a chance to repair the crack.