On Friday afternoon, moderate Senators Susan Collins and Joe Manchin announced they both would vote yes on Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court. As you might expect, MSNBC hosts didn’t take the news well. Liberal host Chris Hayes actually dropped his head in sorrow at the news.
MSNBC’s Ali Velshi interrupted Hayes to tell him that, yes, it's likely Kavanaugh will be confirmed to the Supreme Court: “We have breaking news now. Senator Joe Manchin, who did not want to be the deciding vote on this, has announced he will support.” Hayes sputtered, “He’s a yes?” The host then bowed his head in amazement.
A few minutes later, MSNBC journalist Kasie Hunt cornered moderate Democrat Joe Manchin. As protesters screamed at him, Hunt demanded to know how he would respond to women who feel “that the Senate is essentially slapping them in the face.”
She then asked the only Democrat who will be voting for Kavanaugh: “Senator, do you think there's still a place in the Democratic Party for you after this?”
In contrast, Chris Matthews earlier in the day praised moderate Republican Lisa Murkowski as a “profile in courage” for voting no on Kavanaugh.
A partial transcript is below:
MSNBC Live
10/5/18
3:55pm ET
ALI VELSHI: We have breaking news now. Senator Joe Manchin who did not want to be the deciding vote on this has announced he will support.
CHRIS HAYES: He’s a yes.
VELSHI: He's a yes on Brett Kavanaugh. So that is happening. Chris Matthews has been talking about the purple state of Maine.
...
KASIE HUNT: Senator, what do you say to women who watch this process unfold, Heard Dr. Ford's story and feel like judge Kavanaugh is getting confirmed anyway, even though they've stepped forward and that the Senate is essentially slapping them in the face.
...
HUNT: Senator, do you think there's still a place in the Democratic Party for you after this?
SENATOR JOE MANCHIN: I’m just a West Virginian. I’m a good old boy.
