Well, we got played again. If we hadn't been so excited and immediately jumped in glee

[Laura PourMeADrink]

for a further FBI investigation and instead AT LEAST said we want 1) input on scope and 2) input on witnesses to interview (i.e. DR FORD), we would be better off.

Now, they can say they acquiesced and ordered an investigation. All we can do now is complain into the wind.

Predict FBI will have found nothing "credible/provable"

[MontanaMama]

1. Just heard on Michelangelo Signorile

that the FBI ‘investigation’ is coming to a close this evening? Did anybody else hear that?

[Laura PourMeADrink]

11. Yup and no Dr Ford. I would give anything

To talk with her. Can think of a million questions to ask her.

[Hoyt]

32. There is a WSJ report that says IT COULD BE finished tonight or tomorrow morning according

to some anonymous aides. We'll see. There is so much disinformation on this, it's almost criminal in itself.

[Merlot]

2. If by "we" you mean democrats...we didn't have any say it it.

And I don't remember anyone jumping in glee about any of this.

[Stallion]

4. Right its called MATH--51-3 Equals 48 Which is less than 50

The power is held not by the Democrats but by the Republicans who can get them to 50 votes-it's the same BS when people said Obama didn't get Single Payor when they didn't have the votes to get past the 60 Senator cloture vote

[CharleyDog]

6. well, I thought (foolishly) that a FBI investigation would mean an actual

FBI investigation. I didn't anticipate that it would be rigged, shackled, hampered, pinioned, leashed, stifled, gagged, a sham, spurious, artificial, and bogus. And then, lied about, and silenced.

Silly me. So, yeah. We got played. We don't think "thug" enough. When will we learn?

[Kaleva]

9. Yes, when will you learn.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

13. Yes...it's hard to think re-thug when a natural

Impulse is to be open and honest. But they had already withheld docs and if they weren't suspicious when they rushed so hard.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

21. I know, we have no power....but millions were watching that moment - and DiFi

saying without hesitation "sure". It could have only helped to at least get it out there that they needed to be involved. Everyone would have heard it and it might* have compelled the creeps to give us some say so at least.

[ZZenith]

3. Hot damn, you are good at what you do!

I have never been more demoralized, so thanks for that.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

16. Sorry didn't mean to do that. But you are 100%

Right. I am demoralized and passing that on. Guess I am frustrated cuz, for once, I saw something immediately - that this would happen. And there's nothing you can do about it. It's a helpless feeling.

[bdamomma]

5. the FBI gets

their marching orders from the WH and apparently there are a lot of people who want to tell their stories about Kavanaugh but that does not seem to be happening. I want to see McConnell go down he will have a vote on this prick and women are going to be paying for this POS on the bench for generations.

Just finished listening to Randi. Just really pissed off. Kavanaugh is a prick who feels he has cover and is entitled by this regime.

That sign I saw posted Vaginas brought you in vaginas can take you out!!

[torius]

7. So is the vote tomorrow?

or tonight?

[FBaggins]

15. Can't happen that fast unless Democrats play along

They still have to go through a cloture vote and then allow 30 hours of final debate.

Could vote Friday if the report is done tomorrow and they don't give anyone a chance to read it.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

18. Are you referring to committee or floor?

[FBaggins]

29. Floor

The nomination is already out of committee

[Laura PourMeADrink]

36. Oh - just assumed that the committee would reconvene to examine FBI

info. So who and how will people see that??

[Freethinker65]

8. Oh. The FBI knows and can prove he lied under oath many times

The question is, will enough Senators care.

I think exposing himself as a partisan hack spewing anti-Clinton and anti-"left" venom at the hearing should be more than enough to disqualify him.

There are plenty of qualified candidates that would pretty much rule the same way as Kavanaugh but at least have the appearance of impartiality.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

22. But was that in their scope? proving he lied?

[Cracklin Charlie]

10. It is absolutely provable that he took an oath to tell the truth, and he did NOT tell the truth.

That should be enough, in a normal world.

[Garrett78]

34. In a sane world...

...there wouldn't be talk of Roberts being a swing vote on the Supreme Court, the likes of Collins and the late McCain wouldn't be considered moderate, Trump would have been laughed out of contention the moment he rode down the escalator, etc., etc., etc.

This is a very sick society.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

37. And, it has never been clearer - clear like mud - we are playing fair and they

are not.

[Kajun Gal]

12. That was the plan all along! We really aren't being played. We just don't have the

majority...YET! They only "thank" we are stupid!

[Laura PourMeADrink]

19. You are probably right - it was incredibly odd that after announced (the weak week investigation)

that Trump and Lindsay were so calm - they didn't even fake surprise.

They came up with a devious plan - offer a sham add'l investigation where they would control the scope and witnesses and timeframe.

I imagine they were surprised and happy there was no pushback at all. A simple, "fine, but we want to be there when the agenda's set" couldn't have hurt. It might not have helped - but it couldn't have hurt.

[Kajun Gal]

24. Saw a lady on Ari Melber, republican back in 2015, email got hacked. People forget that

the Russians hacked BOTH dems AND repubs. Anyhoo, they, and Trump, got all sorts of scoop on dems, repubs AND Trump's competitors during the election. One competitor was Graham. So, it makes ME wonder if there may just be something on Graham that has made him make a u- turn towards Trump. Could Trump have all kinds of compramant on ALL the republicans? Is THAT why they kiss his ring? Because I swear, I have never seen these types of beliefs and actions from that party in years. Other than just because a black man was president. Dunno. Politics is a game. A game at all of our expense.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

39. I work from home with the news on in the background all day. I hear everything

- sometimes not the words as much as the tone. And you are right, a definite switch went off with Graham. I heard someone say he is a follower and all these years he's had McCain leading him. He was lost and then he found Trump to be his new replacement leader.

I think you made me realize how HUGE this RNC hack (with no publication) is !! If indeed Trump behind the whole thing, including DNC/Hillary and Russia - you are SO right ! HE has the info. DUH.

And, perhaps, he trickles it out? Because Lindsay definitely trashed him at one point and don't remember Trump punishing him.

I definitely have an intuition that he's got something major on Orrin Hatch - and Hatch is the one who presented the brief on the SC Gamble case which could help Trump with his pardons.

[Kajun Gal]

43. Not sure if Trump was originally behind the hack. He isn't that smart. I think Russia

hacked both parties, then played their cards when it got to the nitty gritty and chose Drumph. Funny thing tho...Drumph doesn't think Putin is playing him!! Putin plays them all!

[Laura PourMeADrink]

45. But, he likely was the recipient, right? This is totally under-reported - what happened

to all the RNC info.

Are you from Nola? I miss it - lived in the Quarter for three years. Another world and a gem that many have never experienced.

[Kajun Gal]

49. Not from NOLA. NOLA isn't NOLA anymore since Katrina. But all these hacks on both

parties HAVE been reported on. They just don't talk much about it.
Not real into NO these days. Used to be a cool place. Gotta be careful these days...it's a shame really.

[Kajun Gal]

50. And yes, Trump most definitely was a recipient!

[Kajun Gal]

51. Yes, Trump was a recipient, I'm quite sure.

[Kajun Gal]

53. Read NancyGregg latest post...

[elocs]

14. There are many on the Left who are prone to irrational exuberance

and appear to believe that if they really, really want something to happen then it will.
Fitzmas comes to mind.
I'm sure there are still many who expect the Mueller investigation will end with Trump marching to prison and if that doesn't happen or at least result in Trump's resignation I would anticipate there will be those ready to throw Mueller under the bus and blame him for not fulfilling their great hopes.
Kavanaugh will be confirmed and we can rant and rave about what happened and the FBI "investigation" and how things were not fair, but reality is a harsh master.
Democrats had a much better chance to retake the Senate than they do now and elections have consequences and this is one of them.
So we can use this moment and things that happen to motivate the Left to turn out and vote next month so there really is a Blue Wave. We need to make our tent as big as possible and not disparage moderate and conservative Democrats who have voted for Democratic candidates for years or even decades as
"DINOs" or "Republican Lite", inviting them to take a hike because they don't meet the far Left purity test. Republicans want us to splinter and fight each other so they can prevail.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

23. Good points..it just gets old - and tiresome always doing contortions - like

always saying/hearing "oh no worries, there's a secret underlying plan, we just don't know it."

Funny you mention us having a better chance at taking the senate. Heard Rush yesterday in the car - and he was saying the exact opposite. I don't know if he was looking at some kind of poll or not - but he was saying that the whole Kavenaugh deal was energizing Republicans and they may even hold the House. Probably all bullshit - but scary bullshit.

[elocs]

26. In 2016 the election in the Senate was just the opposite of what it is now

with Republicans having to defend many more seats than the Democrats.
So the chances for Democrats to retake the Senate are less this year than 2 years ago.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

27. Yup. Nate's got us at only 30% chance.

[triron]

17. Schmidt of the NYT helped with the misleading news that the scope was expanded.

Media was played as well.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

20. You are right. And I got false hope from former FBI on TV. I remember one saying

like it was proof certain that, the FBI would pick Dr Ford up and literally drive her around neighborhoods to spur recollections. HA.

Phillip Mudd (ex FBI Branch Head) initially was very skeptical about the short time - but then later that evening he was optimistic - like this is what the FBI thrives on - a massive search for the truth in a short amount of time. Like it would be a challenge they would take on and do well.

Little did they know their arms would be tied.

[SuprstitionAintthWay]

25. The FBI is signalling they were handcuffed by the WH

...by announcing they're already finished. They're telling us they've already completed every interview they WERE ALLOWED to do by Trump McGahn and Grassley.

Spl agents know the many people they'd have started off interviewing, and then followed leads from there, were this not just political window dressing. They know how BIs are done, and know this isn't it.

Are most of them Repubs? Absolutely. Wild guess, 80% of them, maybe? But the great majority take great pride in their professionalism, and can and want to doggedly uncover and report the truth, wherever that hunt might lead. Even most of the Trump-voting ones.

The agents know when they're being used, and especially when that stops them from doing their job well, they resent it. I have little doubt this whole little exercise infuriated no small number of them.

But they salute (figuratively) and obey their orders anyway.

Yes, we just got steamrollered by an authoritarian White House, and its unhappy tool this week, the FBI.


https://www.democraticunderground.com/100211220893

[Laura PourMeADrink]

40. Know for a fact the NYC FBI loves Trump. They were the ones who did not respond

to Steele about the dossier.

Yet, thought that Trump's treatment of Comey and his persistent demeaning of them would have made them turn?

[SuprstitionAintthWay]

47. NYC FBI agents' role in 2016

I'm aware, sadly.

I hadn't been aware beforehand of how badly politicized and corrupted some of the agents, active duty agents, working with even more politically partisan/Clinton-&-Obama-hating retirees, had become there. Their years of joint terrorism task force work with the Guiliani NPD had to help dirty and radicalize them.

I can only hope NYC FBI is the worst case, and there's more integrity elsewhere.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

61. I have been meaning to dig back to find the interview - maybe you have heard

about it - but it was with the former FBI Head in NYC - Kallstrom and Guiliani. They said that the only reason why Comey brought up the renewed Clinton investigation was because NYC FBI threatened to release that info and Comey didn't want to be shown up by a branch office.

[Codeine]

28. Nobody I know

has assumed for a second that Kavanaugh isn’t going to be confirmed. The math is the math. That shit don’t change no matter how much we scream or wish or hope or stick our fingers in our ears and go lalalalala!

[vlyons]

30. It is far from over and out

ethics complaints against Kavanaugh have been filed with the DC Court, under the purvue of Chief Judge Merrick Garland.

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/oct/2/two-ethics-complaints-filed-against-brett-kavanaug/

[jodymarie aimee]

31. you guys are still on a learning curve...

10 years here in WI with complete R rule..including courts....we are in chains...the only good thing was Obama was president...now you see what it is..

[sarisataka]

33. Is it that we got played

Or is it that many people set unreasonable expectations that had no basis in reality?

Did anyone really believe the FBI could find proof of a a crime that took place over 30 years ago, was never reported to the authorities, no physical evidence exists and there are only three eyewitnesses?

[pintobean]

35. The three "eyewitnesses"

all said they didn't remember any such gathering.

[SuprstitionAintthWay]

38. I don't remember small gatherings from 36 years ago that were uneventful for me, either.

And I doubt you do either if you're honest about it.

This was one of MANY high school years drinking gatherings for these very privileged kids, and an uneventful one for those who stayed downstairs.

I wonder if spl agents had driven each of the attendees back to the actual house this week, any memories might have been jogged? But... whoops... we'll never know now.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

42. And she said it wasn't even a party - but a "pre-party" gathering - so no - you likely

wouldn't remember that. In fact, heard someone say that this gathering might not have been the actual party that evening - might not have even been the house on the calendar. It might have just been a stop off before the real party. In that case, if the FBI had driven her around (like I heard an optimistic former FBI agent say on TV when no one knew the whole thing was a sham) to every friend of BK's it might have spurred some memories.

[pintobean]

56. The bottom line is the same

regardless of the reasons they don't remember. They are useless as witnesses.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

41. You're probably right. Hard to squelch "autopilot" optimism and belief that things

should be fair. Guess you are saying -- stop being like that and become completely cynical. That way, we won't be disappointed, huh. You're right - but not sure I want to.

Actually, Phillip Mudd, FBI Branch head, was very optimistic - said FBI can do anything and would rise to the occasion. Yet, he, at the time, probably thought it was gonna be a "real" investigation. would love to hear him now.

I think that people believed Dr Ford, that's pretty much undisputed. If the FBI could have talked to her more - they might have added even more to her credibility. Sure, that's not proof - but it would add to her already high credibility level. No?

[sarisataka]

54. Not so much cynical

As a realistic.

Looking at the situation it is prudent to set proper expectations as to what may be achieved. For over a week people demanded and FBI investigation then immediately when it was announced it was criticized and dismissed. There never was a chance of there being conclusive proof at the end of any investigation with or without any restrictions whatsoever. And it doesn't matter how much credibility you add to an accuser it would still split on partisan lines and there would be no proof.

What the whole process has done however is reveal the temperament of the nominee which has been objectively shown to be completely unfit for someone to sit on the Supreme Court. In a perfect world we would already be awaiting the announcement of a new nominee.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

58. I never heard anyone "immediately, when it was announced it was criticized and

dismissed." Except from some of us. I think it took days for the thinking masses to figure it out. (Natural, since people are still living in thinking it's a somewhat just world).

You don't see a disconnect between the broad idea of an "FBI Investigation" and what that devolved to in, what, 4 days" (yikes, can't believe it has only literally been 4 days.

[Sugarcoated]

44. Didn't fool me

I'm a very optimistic person by nature but come on. Did anyone really believe these lying fucks?

[Laura PourMeADrink]

46. sometimes it's not good to know so much. Maybe it would be better to be one

of those people on the street that doesn't know who the VP is. It is horrible to know more than 90% of the people on TV - just from being on DU and reading and learning things. Chuck Todd and a newbie from WaPo - didn't even know that the former BI's didn't delve into time before aged 18. It is so obvious who is intellectually lazy of the people on TV.

[Fred Sanders]

52. The FBI is investigating Trump directly so I would not say so at all.

[JHan]

48. Was the WH going to listen to the demands of Democrats though?

I expected Trump to pick an awful Nominee, I expected Democrats to do their damndest with the limited powers they have to challenge such an awful nominee. Conservatives overplayed their hand with the Whelan fiasco and they're losing even more women but I also know we're going to have to face the consequences of 2016.

[bigtree]

55. it was always a long shot to stop the nomination

...but look how far we've come from the depressing end of the first hearing.

We've delayed the vote and are still in the game.

All of this self-flagellation is a curious strategy. I'd suggest something more productive than apathy and cynicism.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

59. I agree - but I always look at things like - things could be better - we could be in

a better position if we did X, Y or Z.

Probably a useless exercise - just where my mind goes. You mistakenly think that somehow, someway, what we discover here is heard by the PTB. It is ludicrous to think that. I see that now.

[lame54]

57. This is all on you...

The rest of us have nothing to do with it

[Laura PourMeADrink]

60. ????