Until this confirmation hearing, I had never heard a witness argue with the senator asking the questions by turning around and angrily lecturing and questioning the senator. I’d also not heard a committee chairman lecture a senator from the other party each time he disagreed with something the opposing senator was asking — thus using that senator’s time.
This behavior was so different from the questioning of Ford, when the Republican senators were so dismissive of what Ford had to say that they didn’t even bother to question her. They hired a woman they hoped would tear Ford apart and prevent them from taking the blame. What a pity — using a woman again to do their dirty work.
Ford was courteous to both sides. She was never argumentative and never snapped back at senators. She was forthright, never raised her voice and never refused to respond. Then came Kavanaugh, and along with him came the fireworks. He was belligerent, angry, rude, aggressive, confrontational, etc. I could go on, but you get the idea I’m sure.
Ford never mentioned the destruction of her family. Kavanaugh came on like gang busters. He told the senators his family had been destroyed. That left some of us thinking his family does not trust him if what was said about him were true.
If you’ve never seen an angry white man before, you sure experienced a lot of them when the Republican men decided to dump the distinguished woman they had hired, and she didn’t give them what they wanted. She questioned Ford. Ford answered her questions politely — and neither woman ever raised her voice. Then we witnessed the takeover when the Republican men decided they weren’t getting the negatives about Ford they had hoped for. Sexual assault must be taken seriously. Only the Democratic senators seemed to get that.
They were level and measured with no anger, no shouting like the Republican men. They were polite and asked questions that were fair and seeking the truth — not trying to frustrate the witness. The Republican men acted like they were sure they wanted Kavanaugh to prove that he hated all of us, and felt he was above even having to come before the committee. He continued to remind us that Ford was in a “different social circle” than his. It reminded me of how many whites have often treated Black people no matter what our status is in life.
Just as the diplomats laughed at #45 at the United Nations for his ridiculous claims, the world must be laughing at the evasive way the Republicans have tried to obstruct complete fact-finding on their chosen candidate to serve on the highest court in the land. President Barack Obama’s nominee never had a chance to have a hearing. Where is the fairness?
As a lawyer, I would dread going before Kavanaugh in court because he showed us what an angry white man looks like and there would be no way for our causes to be fairly heard.
— (TriceEdneyWire.com)