Trump is gripped with uncertainty as Ivanka suggests cutting the Judge loose
Source: Vanity Fair
CUT BAIT: AS THE KAVANAUGH NIGHTMARE ESCALATES, TRUMP IS GRIPPED WITH UNCERTAINTY AS IVANKA SUGGESTS CUTTING THE JUDGE LOOSE
After days of obsessing over the anonymous New York Times op-ed and Bob Woodwards book Fear, Donald Trumps mood was improving markedly last week as he watched Brett Kavanaughs Supreme Court nomination sailing toward a confirmation vote. Everyone thought Kavanaugh was a slam dunk, an outside adviser to the White House told me. In a phone call with Sean Hannity over the weekend, Trump even boasted hed gotten past Woodwards bookhe told people it was a dud. But his reprieve would be short-lived. On Sunday, college professor Christine Blasey Ford told The Washington Post that Kavanaugh had allegedly attempted to rape her at a party when they were teenagers, thrusting Trump and the White House into a #MeToo crisis at a moment when they cant afford to antagonize women voters ahead of the midterms.
According to three sources, Kavanaughs imperiled confirmation has unsettled Trump and the White House. Everyone knows his predisposition is to punch back, but this is a different situation than an election, a former West Wing official briefed on the strategy discussions said. In the past, Trump responded to allegations of sexual misconduct by channeling his mentor Roy Cohn: deny everything, and go on the attack. But hes been surprisingly measured in his defense of Kavanaugh. In a news conference today, Trump told reporters, I feel so badly for him that hes going through this, but refrained from attacking Ford.
According to sources, several factors are at play. White House advisers are worried that more damaging information about Kavanaugh could come out. Two sources told me the White House has heard rumors that Fords account will be verified by women who say she told it to them contemporaneously. People worry, without apparent evidence, of another Ronan Farrow bomb dropping. One source says Ivanka Trump has told her father to cut bait and drop Kavanaugh.
Another reason Trump hasnt gone to the mat for Kavanaugh is that hes said to be suspicious of Kavanaughs establishment pedigree. Hes a Bush guy, why would I put myself out there defending him? Trump told people, according to a former White House official briefed on the conversations. Trump also has expressed frustration with White House counsel Don McGahn, who aggressively lobbied for him to choose Kavanaugh, a source said. Trump wants this guy on the court, but Trump knows there are five other people he could put on the court if this falls apart, a former official said.
Read more: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/09/kavanaugh-allegations-trump-ivanka
comradebillyboy
(10,175 posts)I'll settle for schadenfreude today.
SeattleVet
(5,479 posts)He's a talented guy (just ask him!)...he can probably do both.
Beartracks
(12,821 posts)That's the standard set by the GOP, so let's do that.
=========
Hekate
(90,793 posts)lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)InAbLuEsTaTe
(24,122 posts)Julian Englis
(2,309 posts)cstanleytech
(26,319 posts)publicly.
What is likely to happen is he will ask Kavanaugh in private to step aside on his own with the vague promise that he will appoint him to something else.
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)I think Trump's wobbling. He knows something else that's going to come out, and is beginning to panic.
Grasswire2
(13,571 posts)I noticed the real fear on McGahn's face during the hearing.
True Blue American
(17,988 posts)What I noticed was how red Mcgahns face was. He was not comfortable when Democrats questioned him.
Another thing was Cornyn's assinine threat to expel Booker. Booker and the Democrats backed him down really quick with his,Bring it on!
sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)No f'ing way. Americans have had enough. We are going to block any Fed Soc judges.
Nominate whoever you want, orange fool. America is pissed and we are not going to let the illegitimate Senate GOP confirm them.
KY_EnviroGuy
(14,494 posts)or forced to retire very early.
As confirmation of his narcissism, Trump can't stand to lose and in fact experts have said his whole persona revolves around perceived "wins" for Trump. That's why his staff kills themselves to make him at least feel like he's winning.
I agree with others in that if the heat gets bad enough, he will privately insist that Kavanaugh withdraw, using the typical Republican excuses to protect his family, yada yada. The real reason is to protect Trump and the GOP.
truthisfreedom
(23,155 posts)Citing time with family
Scarsdale
(9,426 posts)had any integrity, he would have dropped out already. Maybe he is anxious to get that job for life on the SC, to help pay off his gambling debts. I have a feeling this woman is not the only one with a complaint. Already she is getting threats so bad that the family has moved out of their home. THIS treatment is why women keep quiet for years. I wonder how many other women have complained, and been shut up by the gop?
duforsure
(11,885 posts)That's why he was picked, and trump desperately trying to hang on now shows how corrupt he is wanting his get out of jail card judge to protect him and putin with for his kanagaroo court justice in place for them. This is backfiring badly on trump now seeing another sexual predator involved in getting a position on our highest court, and eventually all will expose him and others, and be even worse for all of them. kavanaugh will bring them down with him for the mid terms. The House AND the Senate will be retaken over control by the Democrats , thanks to trump and the kgop's actions now. trump and the kgop hate women, and could care less what they want, think , or do.
DeminPennswoods
(15,290 posts)McConnell didn't.
DeminPennswoods
(15,290 posts)That's probably why Trump's been pretty sanguine about it. Kavanaugh is McGahn's and McConnell's problem. Maybe Trump's evening phone pals will give him the word Kavanaugh is dragging him (further) down, then Trump will revert to his normal attack mode.
Ivanka knows or senses Kavanaugh is going over like a lead balloon.
paleotn
(17,959 posts)would be a "slam dunk". Congressional Republicans knew better. Interestingly, it turns out his achilles heel wasn't his copious paper trail.
duforsure
(11,885 posts)Trump's scared to go before Mueller under oath yet he's anxious for kavanaughs accuser to be put under oath , and the kgop and trump are really scared of the FBI investigating now , and for good reasons. They're hiding more stuff on kavanaugh. It will be exposed and show they knew all along more things on kavanaugh. They're trying to corrupt the justice system with kavanaugh. trump's desperate to install another puppet to protect himself and putin with. trump will bypass this gop Congress when it gets worse for him.
watoos
(7,142 posts)Republicans will confirm Kavanaugh, if Trump wanted Jerry Sandusky on the SC they would confirm him.
This Kavanaugh guy isn't just anti-woman, he is a monster.
Bayard
(22,149 posts)onetexan
(13,058 posts)selfish motives as usual