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Nominee Brett Kavanaugh

(169 Posts)
NanKate Fri 28-Sep-18 08:15:27

Did any of you watch the riveting BBC coverage of the Professor (sorry forgotten her full name) report of the alleged sexual incident over 30 years ago and then BK refuting it.

She was so very brave and came across as a credible person. He was loud, tearful, very boastful and was in fighting mood.

I don’t know what the outcome will be, but it was powerful stuff

lemongrove Fri 28-Sep-18 08:17:13

I agree Nankate
I doubt he will get the job now....fair or not.

Anniebach Fri 28-Sep-18 08:20:04

He should be awarded an Oscar , when he said his little daughters were praying and the ten year old said ‘we must pray for the woman too’ ,

NanKate Fri 28-Sep-18 08:26:35

Did you hear the bit when the older chap who was in charge of the whole procedure was so patronising to her and said ‘We must be nice to her’ ?

They are like a group of old men who are in a club together and all sing from the same hymn sheet, regardless of what they hear.

lemongrove Fri 28-Sep-18 08:34:48

I thought his body language ( all the sniffing and grimacing)
Was very strange.
Who knows what went on at a party 36 years ago it is unprovable, but for all that I thought she was the more credible person.

kittylester Fri 28-Sep-18 08:36:22

I thought she was very credible and he was just playing to an audience of 1 - Trump.

I'm rather conflicted about this though. I'm sure lots of people do things they should be ashamed of while they are at high school and, if he did it, he would have been better to apologise citing teenage stupidity. And, should it count against him almost 40 years later? I wonder how he has lived his life in the interim.

As I said, I'm conflicted!

MawBroon Fri 28-Sep-18 08:38:59

Even if it was teenage fumbling (I haven’t done the maths) he assaulted her. End of.
It may not be fair to “judge a book by its cover” (or even a judge) but his mannerisms, facial expression and way of speaking all suggest a guilty man who is trying to bluster his way out of this.

paddyann Fri 28-Sep-18 08:42:32

if you had been sexually assaulted by someone years ago would you want to see him in a position of power now? Not sure I would.If his judgement was so flawed that he could behave that way then ,and lie about it now ,is he fit for the job?
To be honest even the fact Trump is backing him in the most appalling way BEFORE the hearing makes me cringe ,one liar supporting another?

MawBroon Fri 28-Sep-18 08:49:40

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gG0-6Ntx7w

Enjoy! (I did)

winterwhite Fri 28-Sep-18 09:03:26

Very conflicting thoughts here. Afraid I didn’t find either of them particularly convincing, esp given that they’re both professional adults used to appearing before audiences, and both were - obviously, in the circs - reading from carefully prepared scripts.

Who cares what happened between these two 36 years ago. If BK is by far the best person for this post I don’t think this should be the decisive point against him. Equally, if he’s a bad nominee for other reasons then those other reasons should be the decisive ones.

Anniebach Fri 28-Sep-18 09:14:35

Maw, your link, so funny, ?

MargaretX Fri 28-Sep-18 09:44:51

winterwhite

I agree looking back I was often in such doubtful circumstances in college days. I can't remember the names but if I could I wouldn't bring it up 36 years later.
I thought she was over acting and any drama trained person could have said the same. She must have been expecting it she had her bathing costume on underneath.

sunseeker Fri 28-Sep-18 09:51:56

It should be pointed out that he has not been charged, never mind found guilty of any offence. I don't know whether he did what she is claiming or not and at this late stage it is impossible to prove one way or another.

ffinnochio Fri 28-Sep-18 09:52:29

I believe Dr. Ford.

I don’t believe BK, but expect he will become a Supreme Court Judge.

henetha Fri 28-Sep-18 09:58:33

I'm not defending BK, I don't know if he is guilty or not, but I do have faint concerns about women who suddenly come out with these accusations from many years ago.

nigglynellie Fri 28-Sep-18 10:08:13

Surely innocent until proved guilty?! After all these years how can anyone prove anything? Photos, letters, reported to someone at the time? I doubt it else we'd be hearing about it!

humptydumpty Fri 28-Sep-18 10:20:11

Having backed off prior to the hearing - making sure to keep his a**e covered - I gather DT has now come out in favour of BK - he must feel that is the way the wind is now blowing.

BlueBelle Fri 28-Sep-18 10:31:01

Winterwhite i m totally with you I didn’t find her any more convincing that him I thought they were both acting it went right over my head and I didn’t find it at all powerful neither of their ‘tears’ (not a tear in sight just sobby voices) seemed genuine to me
I m not defending him in the least ( yuk ) but I bet most men can’t remember what they did at parties when they were 17
Through my past job I ve met many women and men suffere terrible abuse i wouldn’t doubt their stories for a second and I am well aware that many keep the story to themselves for years and years but this is a professional strong women why now after 36 years why not after 30/25/20 years
A horrid experience for a 15 year old to go through but blimey I bet loads of us have had similar in our teens at a party etc I was a bit older than that when an elderly man at the hotel I worked at asked me to help him move some furniture then proceeded to push me down on a bed, because he was old and I was young I managed to wriggle away but I put that down to someone to keep away from and make sure I was never alone with That doesn’t make what he did right, and if I could remember his name I d have no problem ‘outing’ him but I wouldn’t go to court about it
I bet we all had stuff like that happen and you learn to deal with it
I just thinks this dilutes the importance of sexual abuse

Anniebach Fri 28-Sep-18 10:43:57

If this woman can be dismissed because it was so long ago then why should Harvey Weinstein face trial?

NanKate Fri 28-Sep-18 11:15:14

She reported the alleged attack in 2015 before he was a nominee I believe.

She is an educated woman and would have known that things could get nasty, but she still went ahead. Well done to her.

MawBroon Fri 28-Sep-18 11:22:34

DT could hardly be seen to be anything other than supportive with his track record!
What is it with some men, does power go straight to their underpants?

sunseeker Fri 28-Sep-18 11:22:44

I don't think any woman should be "dismissed", but I do wonder about her timing.

I fully accept and understand how a woman can keep an assault secret for many years. However, he has had a successful career in law and is a Judge of the Appeals Court, she is a successful woman respected in her field yet instead of questioning his earlier appointment as a Judge she waited until he was put forward as a Judge of the Supreme Court.

As I said earlier, I have no idea whether he did what she is claiming or not and at this late stage without anyone who can corroborate her version of events it would be impossible to prove. Did she complain to anyone at the time - a friend or counsellor, has any other woman claimed he acted in the same way towards them?

Anniebach Fri 28-Sep-18 12:38:21

I think two or three women have claimed assault

eazybee Fri 28-Sep-18 13:10:20

I didn't find the coverage riveting, powerful , moving etc.
I saw a middle -aged, intelligent professional woman with an unfortunate hairstyle attempting to play the ingenue, retailing in a little- girl voice details of an unpleasant drunken fumble, now a violent assault, which she never mentioned and none of her contemporaries can recall, at a teenage party.
I saw an middle-aged, intelligent professional man defending himself in an arrogant, aggressive, loud-mouthed manner, hectoring the questioners and shouting them down. As far as I am aware, he has not ever displayed any of the rapacious behaviour of which he is accused.
I don't think he is suitable material for a high legal position because of his lack of control over his temper in the dock, but I don't believe he committed the offence of which he is accused either.
They would spoil another couple.

Anniebach Fri 28-Sep-18 13:24:42

I was cross the 10.30pm papers review was cancelled two nights running