I started writing this roundup yesterday, as is my custom.
It wasn’t easy.
For a while, in the morning, I wasn’t even sure I would be able to do it. Everything felt hopeless and dark. Thursday dragged me down in an awful way. It seemed like everyone I knew was in the same disappointed and angry mood as me. What the heck would I find to write?!
I decided to scrap the other good news that I have -- which is focused on the progress of the Russia investigation and the strides we are making for November -- and just focus on us.
I decided to focus on the millions and millions of us all over the country not giving in and fighting, fighting, fighting against this injustice.
My plan was to argue that this defeat will only make us stronger. To argue that this has brought us out again and united us and that, although it might not feel like it, we would eventually win.
and then something crazy happened:
Our protests started to work.
First Flake announced he would vote for Kavanaugh, which was very disappointing but not surprising. Then this happened:
Flake confronted by two female protesters after announcing he'll back Kavanaugh
Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) on Friday called for a one-week delay in a Senate floor vote on Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court, saying he would vote to advance the nomination given that deal.
Flake said he was voting for Kavanaugh with the understanding that Republican colleagues would support a one-week delay to give the FBI time to investigate.
"I have been speaking with a number of people on the other side … in regard to making sure that we do due diligence here," Flake said.
"I think it would be proper to delay the floor vote for up to but not more than one week in order to let the FBI do an investigation, limited in time and scope," Flake added.
and it happened!
I am not sure what is up with this, but all of a sudden, since the announcement, Trump doesn’t seem as sold on his buddy and seems a lot more open on Ford:
Trump Called Christine Blasey Ford "Credible" And Said He's Not Sure Kavanaugh's Nomination Will "Continue Onward"
President Donald Trump on Friday called Christine Blasey Ford's testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee "compelling" and "credible," adding that he was not sure if Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court would "continue onward."
Trump also said Ford, who alleges that she was sexually assaulted by Kavanaugh at a house when they were teenagers, was "certainly a very credible witness."
"I thought her testimony was very compelling and she looks like a very fine woman to me. A very fine woman," he said
that is… weird. Hard to know what is up but it would be awesome if they are all of a sudden hedging their bets because they know an FBI investigation might turn up real dirt.
Remember, this is a historically unpopular candidate, who has only gotten less popular, in particular with women and this was from polling BEFORE the hearing.
And here are the two ladies to thank in part for this (along with everyone else who called, wrote, tweeted, and showed up):
Here is the story on the brave women who confronted Flake
And remember, a week is a long time. Trump weeks last about 87.54 years, by my estimation. A lot can happen in a week, in particular when this guy is involved:
that is true. Love him or hate him (or a little of both) the man follows through.
And we weren’t just there with those two women confronting Flake. We were all over this beautiful land, supporting Christine Ford, supporting one another, and letting the world know that we are not going to take this anymore.
'Rise up, women!': Emotions run high as protesters, backing Christine Ford, shout 'shame'
Angry demonstrators, fists raised and shouting "Shame!," poured into two Senate office buildings Friday to oppose the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. At one point, two women who said they had been sexually abused blocked an elevator door to directly confront Sen. Jeff Flake on live TV.
"What you are doing is allowing someone who actually violated a woman to sit in the Supreme Court," a distraught woman told the Arizona Republican. "This is intolerable."
A second woman, equally upset, told the senator: "You have power but so many women are powerless."
At noon, more than a hundred protesters — mostly women — gathered in front of the Supreme Court ahead of a press conference by Women’s March
Here are some amazing women and men at Yale Law School:
People all over the US joined protests yesterday: People are walking out nationwide to protest Kavanaugh’s nomination vote
The world is still reeling from Christine Blasey Ford’s powerful testimony at Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing for the U.S. Supreme Court, but the Senate Judiciary Committee is moving forward with the vote on his confirmation.
For many, though, the fight is not over. A massive walkout and protest is planned for today (Friday, September 28) at noon ET.
Dozens of “rapid-response” protests are planned outside of U.S. senators’ offices in support of Ford and other survivors of sexual assault who have come forward with their stories. Groups including the National Women’s Law Center, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, National Domestic Workers Alliance, American Federation of Teachers, Friends of the Earth, NARAL, Sierra Club, MoveOn, and many more will be walking out and protesting today.
Two Salt Lake City protests against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh share same message: ‘Believe women'
and elsewhere around the US:
Here are some beautiful young women at the Hart Building.
They were among many there to show solidarity: Hundreds of people showed up to thank Ford for testifying
As Christine Blasey Ford testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, a dozen women who had attended her high school joined hands in the atrium outside the building and began singing their alma mater song.
The women had all been students at Holton-Arms School, the prep school that Ford attended when, she says, Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in the 1980s.
They told me that they wanted Ford to know that they had her back.
“We want her to know that we support her, that we believe her,” said Lawren Wooten, a 29-year-old medical student who graduated from Holton in 2008. “As a survivor myself, I am shocked and disgusted that women’s stories are still being disregarded.”
And many Democrats joined us in protest:
House Members Standing in Silent Protest of Kavanaugh Vote Led Out by Police
Female members of the House of Representatives stood in silent protest on Friday during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to confirm Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court. The vote comes one day after the committee heard Christine Blasey Ford’s powerful and gutting testimony about the assault she incurred as a teenager at, she says, the hands of Kavanaugh. The representatives, after standing, were led out by Capitol Police officers.
and Senators:
People in Maine took over Collins’ office:
And the Right felt our fury, and they were scared:
Karl Rove warns GOP: Kavanaugh hearing could benefit Dems ahead of midterms
Fox News contributor Karl Rove warned Republicans that their handling of the sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh could benefit Democrats in November’s midterms elections.
“This thing has become a Democrat cause célèbre,” Rove said on Fox News Thursday. “It helps them with the electorate, it keeps the focus on something they want. And if they succeed in delaying it, so much the better, but even if they don’t, they occupy valuable space in the weeks leading to the midterm election.”
Brett Kavanaugh is terrified
Whatever happens with Kavanaugh’s confirmation, men are no longer safe from the testimony of women. And they’re starting to get scared.
the message of Kavanaugh’s threats was clear: If he wasn’t safe, then no one was
That message comes from a place of deep privilege. While women have never been safe when coming forward to report sexual misconduct, men like Kavanaugh — white, educated in the country’s most prestigious schools, groomed through high-profile jobs — have long been able to glide smoothly to the highest levels of our government and other arenas of power.
Many observers have remarked on Kavanaugh’s anger during Thursday’s hearing. But his shouts and threatening words may have revealed something else: the fear of a man whose rise to power has been interrupted — even if only briefly — by a woman.
the suggestion that Brett Kavanaugh in particular should be safe from sexual assault allegations was a perfect example of privilege at work. The implication of Graham’s remarks was that the American people essentially owed Kavanaugh a Supreme Court seat, and that the allegations by Ford and others were an unjust attempt to take it away from him.
and I know I promised no good news other than our amazing movement of millions of beautiful Americans, but I just can resist these two things:
from 538 → Election Update: Why Our Model Thinks Beto O’Rourke Really Has A Chance In Texas
and this giant news → Congressional Democrats’ lawsuit alleging Trump’s private business is violating the Constitution can proceed, federal judge rules I am so proud of our party!
I often say that I am proud and lucky to be in this with all of you and I always mean it but this week in particular, you all got me through. Not only did I need the GNRs every week, but I also needed to come here and read the live feeds of the testimony and all the amazing comments from people here. I wouldn’t have made it though without that.
Oh, and a housekeeping poll for you all if you don’t mind!