In a showcase of how much they could act like spoiled children, Senate Democrats (and liberal activists) spent most of Tuesday’s confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh obstructing the process and making a scene. Of course, many in the liberal media cheered on the behavior since they’re all on the same side. And on ABC’s World News Tonight, correspondent Terry Moran praised it as Democrats doing their job.
From the get-go, Moran touted how wild Democrats were breaking order and shouting over Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA). “Before Judge Brett Kavanaugh's hearing even began, Democrats tried to end it,” he announced. “One by one, raising objections.”
Moran boasted about how the nonsense “was all carefully choreographed” by liberal Senators and how the out of control protestors “chimed in, too.” And as if it was somehow the fault of Senate Republicans or Kavanaugh himself, he chided how “as the room grew ever more raucous, his young daughters were removed. Apparently, it wasn't a scene fit for kids.”
Clearly trying to rewrite the history of what actually happened during the proceedings, Moran falsely claimed Republicans were “struggling to defend their nominee through the clamor.”
Fulfilling his role as a messenger for the Democrats, Moran suggested that all they wanted was transparency:
At issue for Democrats today -- transparency. Overnight, 42,000 documents from Kavanaugh's long paper trail from his time as a key aide in the George W. Bush White House dumped on the committee. This, after the Trump administration claimed executive privilege and blocked the release of tens of thousands more. Democrats claim they cannot do their job, evaluate and vote on the nominee, with so much evidence missing.
Of course, Moran failed to do his due diligence as a journalist and note that most of those documents were not written by Kavanaugh, but simply went through his office. Meanwhile, the liberal media didn’t care too much about Hillary Clinton’s handling of sensitive documents, but now they’re critical.
And despite Democratic howling (and Moran’s) about them trying to “do their job,” they all had pledged to vote “no” on the nomination anyway.
“With so much at stake, Democrats are making clear, they will ask tough questions on the issue of presidential power and the president who nominated Kavanaugh,” Moran opined. “A real concern, Kavanaugh, as Trump's nominee, who has written that sitting presidents shouldn't be investigated, could protect the President if a challenge to the Mueller probe hits the high court.”
Here, Moran tried to make it sound as though Kavanaugh opposed congressional oversight. What Kavanaugh said was that a sitting president shouldn’t be prosecuted. Nothing about impeachment.
In addition, Moran pushed Democratic fears for the future of abortion and there being yet another conservative on the Court. “And looming over everything else here, the fact that Kavanaugh's likely confirmation would cement a conservative 5-4 majority on the court for generations, and for the first time in decades, put decisions like Roe v. Wade back up for debate,” he exclaimed with an irritated huff.
ABC wrapped up the segment with Moran noting how long the odds are for Democrats to halt Kavanaugh’s inevitable confirmation:
But they don't have the votes, and with Jon Kyl, a conservative stalwart from Arizona, former senator, who has been shepherding Kavanaugh through the nomination process, he's now taking John McCain's seat. The odds got even longer.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
ABC's World News Tonight
September 4, 2018
6:41 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: Next, to those fireworks at the confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Tonight, what happened before the hearing could even begin, and at one point today, the tensions were so high, Judge Kavanaugh's children, his young daughters, had to be removed. Democrats furious that 42,000 pages relating to his record were just revealed on the eve of his hearing. Republicans furious the other side trying to delay because of that. Watching it all, Terry Moran, who has covered the court for years for us.
[Cuts to video]
TERRY MORAN: Before Judge Brett Kavanaugh's hearing even began, Democrats tried to end it.
(…)
MORAN: One by one, raising objections.
(…)
MORAN: Talking over the Republican chairman, Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa.
(…)
MORAN: It was all carefully choreographed, and it wasn't long before protesters chimed in, too. All the while, the nominee sitting stone-faced, although, as the room grew ever more raucous, his young daughters were removed. Apparently, it wasn't a scene fit for kids.
At issue for Democrats today -- transparency. Overnight, 42,000 documents from Kavanaugh's long paper trail from his time as a key aide in the George W. Bush White House dumped on the committee. This, after the Trump administration claimed executive privilege and blocked the release of tens of thousands more. Democrats claim they cannot do their job, evaluate and vote on the nominee, with so much evidence missing.
(…)
MORAN: Republicans fired back at their colleagues.
(…)
MORAN: Struggling to defend their nominee through the clamor.
(…)
MORAN: With so much at stake, Democrats are making clear, they will ask tough questions on the issue of presidential power and the president who nominated Kavanaugh.
(…)
MORAN: A real concern, Kavanaugh, as Trump's nominee, who has written that sitting presidents shouldn't be investigated, could protect the President if a challenge to the Mueller probe hits the high court. And looming over everything else here, the fact that Kavanaugh's likely confirmation would cement a conservative 5-4 majority on the court for generations, and for the first time in decades, put decisions like Roe v. Wade back up for debate.
(…)
MUIR: But Terry, bottom line here, do Democrats have the power to stop this nomination for a judge that would really shift the court for a generation?
MORAN: He would, David, but the odds are long against Democrats. Today, they tried to fire up their base, grab the public's attention so in the coming days when they go at him hammer and tongs, they can show in their view he's not fit for the court. But they don't have the votes, and with Jon Kyl, a conservative stalwart from Arizona, former senator, who has been shepherding Kavanaugh through the nomination process, he's now taking John McCain's seat. The odds got even longer.
