A must read Atlantic article by Benjamin Wittes, Senior Brookings Institute Fellow/Lawfare Editor in /chief and supporter and friend of Kavanaugh. He says Kavanaugh should withdraw his nomination for the good of the Court and the country as, if rushed to partisan confirmation without a thorough investigation of Dr. Ford's charges, just weeks before an election, his Supreme Court seat will always bear a stain.
Witts writes that
Kavanaugh Bears the Burden of Proof
The question isn’t whether he can win confirmation—it’s whether he can defend against the charge he faces in a manner that is both persuasive and honorable.
Wittes says Kavanaugh really cannot attack Dr. Ford’s credibility and win the votes he needs (unless done devastatingly). (It’s obviously the wrong optics politically).
Clearing one’s name sufficiently to convince only senators who are already ideologically aligned is not, in fact, clearing one’s name. It’s winning. And while winning may be the highest value for Trump, it isn’t actually the highest value—particularly for a justice.
"He cannot play Harvey Weinstein games if he wants to emerge from this episode as a credible figure. A Supreme Court justice is not a movie executive. Simply winning isn’t good enough."
Kavanaugh should take heed of this good advice from a supporter. The country does not need an “asteriked” Supreme Court Justice. Not only will the citizenry always question whether he has the morality and impartiality to sit on the highest bench, he may even come to doubt himself.
The Republican senators should recognize that this unseemly rush to confirmation is not good for the country.