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SEPTEMBER 21,  2018

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:55 P.M. ET: 

ENDLESS.  Chairman Grassley had set a 10 p.m. deadline for Professor Ford's Democratic operative lawyer to tell the Senate Judiciary Committee whether Professor Christine Ford would testify and make her charges against Judge Kavanaugh.  As could be expected, the lawyer asked for a further extension.  This is a farce.  It's disgraceful.  From Fox:   Attorneys for Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who has accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, asked the Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday night for an additional day to make her decision to testify.  Shortly before midnight Friday, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley tweeted that he had granted the extension, addressing the tweet to Kavanaugh.  "Judge Kavanaugh I just granted another extension to Dr Ford to decide if she wants to proceed w the statement she made last week to testify to the senate," Grassley wrote. "She shld decide so we can move on I want to hear her. I hope u understand. It’s not my normal approach to b indecisive." The Democrats are turning what should be a serious confirmation process into a partisan joke.  But the Republicans are fearful that they'll be called "anti-woman" if they don't show an excess of "sensitivity."  

WORDS FROM A GREAT MAN – FROM FOX:   The final word of the late Charles Krauthammer, the dean of conservative commentators, was announced by his son, Daniel, on Tuesday.  “The Point of It All: A Lifetime of Great Loves and Endeavors” is a collection of works by the longtime Fox News contributor Krauthammer, a Pulitzer Prize winner, Harvard-trained psychiatrist and best-selling author. He died in June at the age of 68.   His son said Krauthammer had trusted him to bring the book ”to completion on his behalf.”  Daniel wrote in The Weekly Standard that the book, to be released in December, will “ensure that his life’s work — his words, his ideas, his extraordinary contributions to the political life of our country — will continue to live on.”  Anything Charles Krauthammer wrote is worth reading.  He was the best of the best, thoroughly civilized in a coarse world.

THE SILLY SEASON CONTINUES – FROM CBS LOCAL:   CAMBRIDGE (CBS) – Colin Kaepernick is among eight people set to be honored at Harvard University next month.  The former NFL star-turned activist will receive the W.E.B. Du Bois Medal at the Hutchins Center Honors in Cambridge on Oct. 11. It’s described as “Harvard’s highest honor in the field of African and African American studies.”  “The medal honors those who have made significant contributions to African and African American history and culture, and more broadly, individuals who advocate for intercultural understanding and human rights in an increasingly global and interconnected world,” Harvard says.  I wonder how many black lives in Chicago or Baltimore Kaepernick has saved.

September 21, 2018       Permalink

MITCH PUTS IT ON THE LINE – AT 1:53 P.M. ET:  McConnell spoke boldly this morning, and he put himself on the line.  From The Hill: 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Friday said that Brett Kavanaugh will be on the Supreme Court "in the very near future" even as President Trump's nominee faces a sexual assault allegation.  

"You've watched the fight, you've watched the tactics, but here's what I want to tell you: In the very near future Judge Kavanaugh will be on the United States Supreme Court," McConnell said while speaking at the Values Voter Summit in Washington, D.C.

He added that Trump has "nominated a stunningly successful individual" and told conservatives not to get "rattled" because Senate Republicans are going to "plow right through it." 

McConnell's comments come as a sexual assault allegation has thrown the timeline for a potential vote on Kavanaugh's nomination into limbo. 

Republicans hold a narrow 51-49 majority in the Senate. They can only lose one GOP senator before they would need to lean on Democrats for help getting Kavanaugh confirmed. 

Several Senate Republicans remain on the fence, but McConnell's comments indicate that he remains confident that Kavanaugh will get the 50 votes needed to be confirmed. 

Republicans had wanted to get Kavanaugh confirmed by the end of the month, but that timeline has slipped after Christine Blasey Ford publicly accused Kavanaugh of pinning her to a bed and attempting to forcibly remove her clothes at a party in the early 1980s.

Kavanaugh has denied any wrongdoing. 

McConnell's speech came as a 10 a.m. Friday deadline set by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) for Ford to let the panel know if she would testify at a Monday hearing came and went without an announcement. 

Ford's lawyer told Judiciary Committee staff in an email Thursday that the Monday hearing and the Friday morning deadline for a prepared copy of her testimony was a "non-starter."  

Ford's lawyer had similarly shot down the Monday hearing during an email sent Thursday, while leaving the door open to a hearing later in the week. 
“
She wishes to testify, provided that we can agree on terms that are fair and which ensure her safety,” Debra Katz wrote asking to talk with Judiciary Committee staff about the “conditions” for such testimony.

COMMENT:  The Republicans must stand firm against any stunt to turn the hearings into a Democratic Party convention, which is the intent.  I would not be shocked if the sides fail to come to terms.  In that case, the committee should simply vote.

September 21, 2018       Permalink

QUOTES OF THE DAY – AT 12:52 P.M. ET:  There is nothing new at this hour on the Kavanaugh case.  Presumably, Senate Republicans are negotiating with Professor Ford over her demands, which are ridiculous.  We don't yet know if she'll actually testify. 

However, there are two quotes that I think sum things up rather nicely.  The first is from Candace Owens, the young black woman who has made such an impression in the last year.  From Fox: 

Candace Owens spoke out Tuesday on Fox & Friends against the actions of Senate Democrats, accusing them of "politicizing" sexual assault.

"We have reached peak lunacy on the left. This is, by the way, the most disgusting thing they have done yet," Owens said.

Dr. Christine Blasey Ford publicly identified herself Sunday as the previously anonymous person who accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of trying to rape her at a party in the 1980s when both were in high school in Maryland. 

Ford's accusation was made known by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who announced that she sent the tip to the FBI in July.

Owens, Turning Point USA's communications director, said she has spoken out from the start against the #MeToo movement, and that in Kavanaugh's case, it's being "hijacked" by the left in order to block his confirmation. 

"Any movement that is rooted in victimization is going to be hijacked and weaponized by the left, and that's exactly what we're seeing happen here."

Amen.  And the next, from Professor Alan Dershowitz: 

On "Fox & Friends" on Friday, Alan Dershowitz said the "most disturbing" thing about the controversy surrounding Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh is seeing people on television immediately accept Kavanaugh's sexual assault accuser as a victim and Kavanaugh as a perpetrator.

California professor Christine Blasey Ford has publicly accused Kavanaugh of attempted rape at a house party in the early 1980s when they were both high school students in Maryland.

Dershowitz, a Harvard Law professor emeritus, took issue with the fact that many lawmakers, pundits and celebrities have apparently assumed that Ford's allegation is 100 percent accurate.

"Are women born with a special gene for telling the truth and men with a special gene for lying?"

Dershowtiz asked. "I don't believe her. I don't believe him. I have an open mind. I want to hear both sides of the story and make a determination."

"That's what the American system of justice is all about."

COMMENT:  Amen to both.  They both speak sense.  The notion that Judge Kavanaugh's accuser has an automatic right to be believed, which is being peddled by the Democratic Party and in parts of Hollywood, is an insult to thinking women.  It's patronizing and outrageous. 

September 21, 2018       Permalink

PRESIDENT STEADY – AT 12:08 P.M. ET:  With all the turmoil in Washington, you'd expect the president's poll ratings to be volatile.  They're not, at least according to the Rasmussen tracker: 

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Friday shows that 49% of Likely U.S. Voters approve of President Trump’s job performance. Fifty percent (50%) disapprove.

The latest figures include 36% who Strongly Approve of the president is performing and 43% who Strongly Disapprove. This gives him a Presidential Approval Index rating of -7.

COMMENT:  We stress again that this is only one poll.  Others put the president much lower, but Rasmussen has a history of accuracy, and is the only daily tracker left.  It also polls likely voters, rather than registered voters, or citizens with heartbeats.

There are also a number of state polls that we're looking at.  For the moment, the midterms looks difficult to call.  The election is a month and a half away, with no discernible trend.  We should know more in a few weeks, although we should remember that the outcome of the 2016 presidential race was a complete surprise.

September 21,  2018     Permalink

SEPTEMBER 20,  2018

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:55 P.M. ET:

RIDICULOUS – As you probably know, Professor Christine Ford, Judge Kavanaugh's accuser, has now condescended to testify next week before the Senate Judiciary Committee, but only if certain conditions are met.  It's absurd – an accuser who's already damaged the reputation of a fine man, without providing any proof, demanding her own conditions.  Among the conditions is that the judge testify first.  That is crazy.  The accuser always testifies first, and then the person being accused replies to the accusation.  How can Kavanaugh reply to an accusation he hasn't heard in full?  Another condition is that only senators ask questions.  More nonsense.  It is common for staff lawyers for each side to ask questions, as they are the ones who've directly done the investigating.  I hope the Republicans stand firm and make clear who makes the rules.

ALREADY? – FROM FOX:   Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s campaign on Thursday invited supporters to a fundraiser next month with the two attorneys representing Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford, according to an invitation obtained by Fox News -- only to abruptly cancel those plans after they became public.  The two attorneys, Debra Katz and Lisa Banks, have been in the news advocating on Ford’s behalf and negotiating with Senate Republicans about whether Ford will testify on her allegations. The nominee has denied sexually assaulting Ford in high school.  “Please Join Debra Katz, Lisa Banks and End Citizens United for Cocktails and Conversation with U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) to support her re-election campaign,” read the invitation, which Fox News received from two separate sources.   But the Baldwin campaign told Fox News that Katz and Banks are no longer “involved in the event,” saying the fundraiser was scheduled before Ford made the allegations.  The hell it was.  They simply got caught exploiting the Kavanaugh controversy for political gain, exposing what we already know – that this whole case is a political exercise.

WE'LL BUY YOU THE TICKETS – FROM CTV NEWS:  TORONTO -- If things go awry for Michael Moore following the release of his latest politically charged documentary, the progressive provocateur says he has a plan to escape potential persecution in the U.S.: He's moving to Canada.  It's a pronouncement so common among aggrieved American liberals that it borders on a political trope. But Moore says he's serious about his plot to vacate the U.S., and not only because of his long-standing affinity for Canada.  For Moore, the prospect of becoming a political refugee seems starkly plausible under the leadership of U.S. President Donald Trump, whom he portrays as a geopolitical threat in "Fahrenheit 11/9," set to hit theatres Friday.  Please carry out your threat.  Pretty please.  John Kerry can get you a good tax deal.

September 20, 2018       Permalink

OH DEAR, ET TU CORY? – AT 1:45 P.M. ET:  As Justice Brandeis said, sunlight is the best disinfectant.  From Fox: 

New Jersey Democratic Sen. Cory Booker is facing accusations of hypocrisy over his calls to delay the confirmation vote of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh amid sexual misconduct allegations, as he once admitted groping a friend without her consent in high school.

The senator, who urged the Senate Judiciary Committee to first let the FBI conduct an investigation after California professor Christine Blasey Ford accused the high court nominee of sexual assault over 35 years ago, once wrote an article detailing an instance where he groped a female friend.

“New Year's Eve 1984 I will never forget. I was 15. As the ball dropped, I leaned over to hug a friend and she met me instead with an overwhelming kiss. As we fumbled upon the bed, I remember debating my next 'move' as if it were a chess game,” Booker wrote in the student-run Stanford Daily newspaper in 1992.

“With the 'Top Gun' slogan ringing in my head, I slowly reached for her breast. After having my hand pushed away once, I reached my 'mark,’” he continued, without explaining what he meant by “mark.”

“Our groping ended soon and while no 'relationship' ensued, a friendship did. You see, the next week in school she told me that she was drunk that night and didn't really know what she was doing,” he added.

Booker’s intent of the column was to detail his transformation from a 15-year-old who was “trotting around the bases and stealing second” to someone who was called a “man-hater” over his pro-women views.

COMMENT:  Nothing will happen to Booker.  He's a Democrat who, like Bill Clinton, is entitled to 30 or 40 free gropes.

Hypocrisy indeed.

September 20, 2018       Permalink

SLAM DUNK – AT 12:33 P.M. ET:   AMERICANS ARE WORKING, JOBS ARE INCREASING – FROM CNBC: 

The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week, hitting near a 49-year low in a sign the job market remains strong.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits fell by 3,000 to a seasonally adjusted level of 201,000 for the week ended Sept. 15, the Labor Department said on Thursday. That is the lowest level since November 1969. Data for the prior week's claims was unrevised.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast claims rising to 210,000 in the latest week.

The Labor Department said only claims for Hawaii were estimated last week. The four-week moving average of initial claims, considered a better measure of labor market trends as it irons out week-to-week volatility, declined by 2,250 to 205,750 last week, the lowest level since December 1969.

The labor market is viewed as being near or at full employment. It continues to strengthen, with nonfarm payrolls increasing by 201,000 jobs in August and annual wage growth notching its biggest gain in more than nine years. Job openings hit an all-time high of 6.9 million in July.

COMMENT:  Who could ask for anything more?  However, we're not sure that this will translate into votes for the GOP in November.  Some political analysts note that the economy is a political factor only when it's poor.  When it's good, some voters forget about it and go on to other issues.

It's the oldest political story:  What have you done for me lately?

September 20, 2018       Permalink

THE PRESIDENT HOLDS – AT 11:56 A.M. ET:  One key question is whether President Trump's standing is being hurt by the Kavanaugh circus.   So far the answer is no.  From Rasmussen: 

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Thursday shows that 48% of Likely U.S. Voters approve of President Trump’s job performance. Fifty percent (50%) disapprove. 

The latest figures include 33% who Strongly Approve of the way Trump is performing and 43% who Strongly Disapprove. This gives him a Presidential Approval Index rating of -10.

COMMENT:  Remember that we are facing midterms, not a presidential election.  It may well be that the Kavanaugh thing has no immediate political effect, although it may affect the approval ratings of those directly involved in the Senate confrontation.

September 20,  2018     Permalink