Chizzang wrote:If it were even possible for both sides
to have handled a situation worse - simultaneously - I don't see how
Clowns vs. Clowns
a battle that only America loses
This one does make it tough. In the Clarence Thomas hearings, you had the testimonies of two people who were adults at the time in reference to events that happened, at its most recent, a little more than year before the confirmation hearings. In this case, you have the testimony of two people who were minors at the time, regarding events that happened more than 30 years ago, with no evidence of continuing behavior since then (and other than their own testimonies, no evidence of the original event). How could you possibly be sure of guilt or innocence with such accusations?
I'm reading Jeffrey Toobin's book "The Nine", right now, and it's a non-fiction book that deals with the SCOTUS in 2007, with the 2008 election still ahead and with Roberts and Alito coming onto the bench. And it's amazing to hear almost the same exact language in his book as you hear today - the balance of the court is in jeopardy, the next 40 years of the country, if not the Republic is at stake, etc. And the book looks back at the Clarence Thomas nomination 20 years earlier in much the same way. When there's this kind of brinkmanship (and I've said it before, predicting with surety the end of the Republic and democracy itself if the opposition wins is as divisive as you can get) what would anyone be surprised at this nomination and how it has proceeded? Heck, the guy was labeled as a serial gang rapist yesterday, and half of the population nodded their heads as if it was expected.
Going forward, and not per se a bad thing, you're going to have more women nominated. They just aren't going to be as easily tarred with a sexual assault/harassment charge. There's no real defense, outside of court, to these charges right now. If Kavanaugh's nomination fails, that will be even more so. There's not going to be any other evidence other than her word against his, and partisan Democrats believe her and partisan Republicans believe him and what centrists are left don't have the power to sway either side or tilt the decision. It's not a perfect world but it's the one we've created.