This was arguably one of the wettest weeks we've seen during @realDonaldTrump's presidency, at least from the standpoint of water that Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination took on.
Kavanaugh's troubles began late last week, when word got around that Sen. Dianne Feinstein was in possession of a confidential letter accusing him of attempted rape as a high school student.
Then, on Sunday morning, Kavanaugh's accuser—Dr. Christine Blasey Ford—identified herself in the Washington Post and called upon the FBI to conduct an investigation into her claims, creating a public relations nightmare for the GOP.
Rather than accede to Dr. Ford's requests, Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans (11 white men) dug in their heels and demanded that she agree to testify toot sweet.
Meanwhile, Kavanaugh's acquaintances, allies, and ex-girlfriends sought to discredit Dr. Ford by suggesting that she might be mixing him up with his doppelgänger—or, alternatively, arguing that attempted rape isn't really rape.
And besides, it all (allegedly) happened so long ago, and boys will be boys.
In the White House, Trump's aides were reportedly stunned that—until Friday—he had refrained from directly attacking Dr. Ford; after all, when you're a star, they let you do it—you can do anything.
Morning lineup:
Meet the Press: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo; Roundtable: Helene Cooper (New York Times), Jonah Goldberg (National Review), Eliana Johnson (Washington Post) & Chris Matthews (MSNBC).
Face The Nation: US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley; Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA); Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC) ; Roundtable: Dan Balz (Washington Post), Reihan Salam (National Review), Seung Min Kim (Washington Post) & Amy Walter (Cook Political Report).
This Week: US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley; Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL); Roundtable: "Independent" Strategist Matthew Dowd, Cokie Roberts (ABC News), Former New Jersey gov.B<>Chris ChristiePatrick Gaspard & Sheryl Gay Stolberg (New York Times).
Fox News Sunday: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo; Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC); Roundtable: Katie Pavlich (Townhall), Former National Security Council Member Gillian Turner, Bob Woodward (Washington Post) & Juan Williams (Fox News).
State of the Union: US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley; Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI); Roundtable: Republican Strategist Amanda Carpenter, Karine Jean-Pierre (MoveOn), Former Mchigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm & Carrie Severino (Judicial Crisis Network).
Evening lineup:
60 Minutes will feature: a report on the power of Google (preview); and, a profile of renowned wildlife photographer Thomas D. Mangelsen (preview).
Late night shows:
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Monday: Actress Emma Stone; Comedy Duo Flight of the Conchords.
Tuesday: Actress America Ferrera; Rapper Nas.
Wednesday: Actress Candice Bergen; Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern.
Thursday: Actor Jeff Bridges; Actor Cedric the Entertainer; Mark Leibovich (New York Times Magazine).
Friday: Actress Kristen Bell.
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Monday: Author Jenny Han; Tuesday: Rapper M.I.A.; Wednesday: Philanthropist Bill Gates; Thursday: Actress America Ferrera.
Elsewhere...
Jason Miller resigned from CNN after being accused of inducing an abortion in one of his mistresses without her knowledge.
Facing scandalous headlines, CNN pro-Trump contributor Jason Miller announced on Saturday that he is leaving his position so he can focus on "clearing [his] name and fighting the false and defamatory accusations being made against [him]."
Miller, who served as communications director for the Trump campaign and remains plugged into the president's orbit, has been embroiled in a protracted legal dispute with A.J. Delgado, a former campaign staffer whom he fathered a child with.
Miller and Delgado have battled on Twitter and in various legal motions involving custody of their child.
On Friday, the website Splinter published a story detailing new allegations against Miller, put forth by Delgado. "Delgado’s legal team alleges that Miller—prior to their own high-profile extramarital romance—carried out an affair with a woman he met at an Orlando strip club," according to the report. "Additionally, the court documents claim, when the woman found out she was pregnant, Miller surreptitiously dosed her with an abortion pill without her knowledge, leading, the woman claims, to the pregnancy’s termination and nearly her death."
Meanwhile...
A Minnesota State Rep. dropped his re-election bid after his daughter accused him of inappropriately touching her since she was 9 years old.
Republican state Rep. Jim Knoblach abruptly ended his re-election campaign Friday as MPR News prepared to publish detailed accusations from his daughter of inappropriate behavior toward her since childhood.
The announcement came hours after an attorney for Knoblach denied the allegations in an interview.
Knoblach's daughter, Laura, alleges that the prominent legislator inappropriately touched her for most of her life, behavior she confided to close friends, family and authority figures at her school and church for more than a decade.
She said she decided to tell her story to MPR News after exhausting other means to hold her father accountable, including a 2017 investigation by local law enforcement. No charges resulted. She provided MPR News with extensive documentation about her attempts to get help.
Laura Knoblach, 23, said she first remembers her father, an eight-term state representative, touching her when she was 9 years old. He came into her room after she'd gone to bed and climbed in and laid down behind her.
All men must die.
– Trix