SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 10:55 P.M. ET: 

I won't do "Short Takes" tonight because I've been devoting the day to gathering everything possible on the Kavanaugh story. 

One thing becomes immediately clear:  At a time like this a president whose Supreme Court nominee is under siege needs allies, and President Trump has few friends in Washington.   He has made so many enemies with wild attacks on anyone who disagrees with him, and it's payback time.  Jeff Flake of Arizona, a pseudo-Republican who sits on the Judiciary Committee, has already declared that he's not yet ready to vote on Kavanaugh, given the allegations of attempted rape made by a California psychology professor.  Bob Corker, chairman of Foreign Relations, has added his voice to those calling for further investigation.  Both men are known to despise Trump.

Lisa Murkowski of Alaska has also called for more inquiry.  Susan Collins of Maine, perhaps the most prestigious Republican woman in Congress, has not yet declared her intentions. 

We now know that the accuser was a Bernie Sanders supporter, and has signed anti-Trump petitions.  Her lawyer, Debra Katz, is a well-known "women's rights" attorney who had no problem trashing the women who made serious allegations against Bill Clinton.  It's the same old story:  We'll defend women as long as they're our women. We'll destroy those who aren't.

The charge that the accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, a California psychology professor, makes are serious – attempted rape at a high-school party in Maryland in the early 1980s.  Kavanaugh was 17, eligible for trial as an adult for the alleged crime.  But Ford presents no evidence except her own word, and can't seem to answer basic questions about the event, such as the date or even month.

We know that Kavanaugh has withstood six separate FBI background checks for the various federal positions he's held.  He has never had a serious accusation lodged against him.  Some 65 women have already signed a statement in his favor.  The accuser's lawyer alleges that her client has taken and passed a lie-detector test, but that should have no bearing.  First, lie-detector results are not admissible as evidence.  Second, if she believes her story, even if it is false, she will pass the test.

Democrats see an opportunity to delay and possibly destroy the Kavanaugh nomination.  They dream of another Anita Hill show, complete with network TV coverage.  They might get what they want – we should know that within hours or days – and they are being pressured into that approach by their militant left wing.  But wiser Democrats may see danger.  A good part of the public will certainly be repelled by last-minute charges against a distinguished judge filed by a woman with a partisan political past.

The whole episode has a degrading feel to it.  I can't help but thinking that this is a new McCarthyism, a McCarthyism of the left:  destroy a reputation based on a charge, with no evidence needed.

Shame.

September 16, 2018