Forget The Damn Women Who Were Molested-- We Know Who The Real Victim Was

Did Judge Kavanaugh take out his dick and wiggle it in Lindsey Graham's face? Or is Lindsey auditioning for the Attorney General job when Trump fires Jeff Sessions after the midterms? Raise your hand if you can't envision Lindsey derailing the Mueller investigation. Considering that his colleague, Joe Donnelly is up for reelection in an extremely red state-- PVI is R+9, same as Mississippi-- Donnelly, a long-time Blue Dog, was pretty brave yesterday issuing this statement and announcing he will be voting against confirming Kavanaugh.

I have deep reservations about Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination to this lifetime position and, as I stated, we have been unable to get all the information necessary regarding this nomination, despite my best efforts. Only 113 people have ever served on the Supreme Court, and I believe that we must do our level best to protect its sanctity.

While I would gladly welcome the opportunity to work with President Trump on a new nominee for this critically important position, if Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination comes before the full Senate for a vote under these circumstances, I will oppose it.

Stephany Rose Spaulding is a progressive Democrat and a pastor running for Congress in Colorado Springs, one of the capital cities of American evangelicalism. "I am overwhelmed by the bravery Dr. Christine Blasey Ford displayed in reliving the horrific details of the sexual assault that occurred when she was just 15-years old," Rev. Spaulding said on Thursday. "She said that her most vivid recollection was of the laughter of her attacker and his friend, and that the trauma lives on today in the form of PTSD, anxiety and claustrophobia. Tragically, her story is a common one in America, with 1 in 2 women and 1 in 5 men experiencing sexual violence. Her testimony also reminds us how difficult it is for survivors to share their stories, even with loved ones. Hopefully Dr. Ford’s bravery will inspire millions of survivors-- whether the assault occurred today or 40 years ago-- to begin the healing process by reaching out to loved ones and healthcare professionals. The Administration sends the wrong message to generations of sexual assault survivors by not asking the FBI to investigate the claims of Dr. Ford and the other accusers. I'm calling on Congress and the President to take action today."

Dayna Steele is the Democratic candidates a tough district east of Houston. She wasn't buying into the Kavanaugh-as-victim narrative either. She was struck by Vermont Democrat Patrick Leahy's question to Dr. Ford on Thursday: "What is the strongest memory you have from that event?" Dayna:

Ask any woman you know-- mom, sister, grandmother, daughter, aunt, or friend that same question. The majority will have a memory and will have an answer. I am 59. My memory was 47 years ago. I still remember that moment as clear as anything.

I was 12. He was in his mid 20’s and worked for my dad who trusted him.  He was supposed to be taking me to lunch and said he needed to stop by his apartment to pick up something.  My memory? It is opening his front door and walking out of his cold, dark apartment into the warm daylight just as he came up behind me and tried to put his arms around me. The feeling I will never forget is that I escaped something dangerous, something bad that day.

We need women and men in positions of leadership who know this reality and will work to stop it by first acknowledging it happens and people need to be held accountable. It is why we need a government that reflects our society, our people, our decency, our integrity, and our majority belief that sexual assault is not “horse play,” sexual harassment is not “locker room talk,” and young men laughing at a frightened girl is not “boys being boys.”

I want to be one of these leaders. 

Leahy had his own thoughts worth pondering on the matter: "This Judiciary Committee is no longer an independent branch of government. And we’re supposed to be. The Senate is supposed to be an independent, equal branch of government. We’re no longer that. We are an arm-- and a very weak arm-- of the Trump White House. Every semblance of independence has just disappeared. It’s gone." Lindsey? How about Jeff Flake? Monday he'll be in New Hampshire pretending he's not campaigning for president, giving a speech entitled "After the Deluge: A Rejection of Destructive Politics and a Return to Principle." Wait, wait; don't tell me-- Flake and Murkowski announced they won't vote to confirm Kavanaugh until after the FBI investigates the charges against him. Looks good for a rejection of his nomination for the first time! I bet this video from early Friday had something to do with Flake's decision.