Media Agrees: Kavanaugh Sails, Democrats in Disarray

MEDIA PRAISES KAVANAUGH’S HEARING PERFORMANCE

Roll Call: “He did nothing while answering questions for two days to lose a single vote.” (John Bennett, “3 Takeaways From Brett Kavanaugh’s Testimony,” Roll Call, 9/7/18)

USA Today: “The judge stands weeks away from being confirmed to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy, whose votes most often decided 5-4 cases for more than a decade.” (Richard Wolf, “Brett Kavanaugh coasts toward Supreme Court confirmation despite document dispute, public protests,” USA Today, 9/6/18)

Washington Post: “Kavanaugh, 53, a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, proved to be an amiable and collected witness during a marathon day of questioning and dozens of interruptions from screaming protesters…” (Robert Barnes, Ann Marimow, et al., “Kavanaugh debates and dodges on Day 2 of his Supreme Court confirmation hearing,” Washington Post, 9/5/18)

CNN: “A number of key senators in both parties are sounding positive about Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court, a clear sign that President Donald Trump's nominee stands a strong chance of winning a pivotal seat on the highest court in the land.” (Manu Raju, “Senators signal Kavanaugh appears on solid ground to win confirmation,” CNN, 9/5/18)

Associated Press:  “NO MISSTEPS: Kavanaugh didn't say or do anything during his confirmation hearings that would seem to stand in the way of his becoming the court's 114th justice.” (Jessica Gresko, “5 Takeaways: Kavanaugh's Supreme Court Confirmation Hearing,” Associated Press, 9/6/18)

Associated Press: “Senate Democrats worked into the night in a last, ferocious attempt to paint Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh as a foe of abortion rights and a likely defender of President Donald Trump. But after two marathon days in the witness chair in a Senate hearing room, Kavanaugh appeared to be on a path to confirmation as a Supreme Court justice.” (Associated Press, “Kavanaugh Avoids Major Missteps, Closing 2 Days of Testimony,” 9/7/18)

Politico: “Despite the clashes on Thursday, Kavanaugh’s prospects for confirmation by month’s end remain strong given the GOP’s 51-49 majority in the chamber. No Republican swing vote has aired public skepticism about his qualifications so far.” (Elana Schor, “Partisan brawl erupts after Booker releases Kavanaugh docs,” Politico, 9/6/18)

DEMOCRATS’ OPPOSITION STRATEGY CRUMBLES

CNN’S Jake Tapper: “I don't think that any Democrats, at least as of yet, have laid a glove on him.” (Jake Tapper, “Inside Politics,” CNN, 9/5/18)

The Atlantic: “The angst over hearing strategy underscored a broader frustration among progressives that Democrats, whether in the Senate or on the campaign trail, have not prioritized judicial nominees in the same way top elected Republicans and conservative activists have to energize their voters every two years.” (Russell Berman, “Democratic Frustration Over the Supreme Court Finally Boils Over,” The Atlantic, 9/6/18)

NPR: “Democratic senators have not even been able to convince their entire caucus, their own caucus…  So far, Democrats have struggled to land on a message on Kavanaugh that resonates with voters. His meetings with senators went mostly under the radar, and the fight over documents - it landed with a thud among activists.” (Kelsey Snell, “Democrats Struggle For A Unified Message On Kavanaugh,” NPR, 9/5/18)