How does Mr.Trump know all the accusations against Kavanaugh are false without watching the testimony or a full investigation? More importantly, Mr.Trump lies more than 5000 times since his inauguration. He even lied at UN during his address to the assembly with representatives from 193 countries laughing at him. Our president loses all the credibility both at home and aboard.
2
What trump thinks about anything is increasingly irrelevant to what's good for America. As an example, this whole tempest in a teapot over Canadian dairy tariffs is much less of a problem than Trump tries to make it. Canada has a tiny dairy industry. Trump is burning dollars to get nickels. Long past time for him to grow up and accept that he won't get his way all the time.
If this is winning then I agree with trumps campaign promise, I am so tired of winning.
Trump would be amusing if I were a resident of a different planet.
1
Justice Amy Coney Barrett. Who will have the last laugh?
Let next president nominate. New rule in town says so. Already practiced for last time. Ha by GOP.
A sign of the times is that Trump said Obama told him he was ready to push the button and start a war with North Korea, which I am confident was a lie. But Trump said so many other bizarre things I have not seen any notice of that Obama moment in the press.
I wonder what Brett Kavanaugh's parents have more to say about their quite often massively hungover son. That, a parent doesnt miss, and certainly when it happened so often. Where were they in this too often drunky aspect of Brett's life?
On the subject of why women often do not report sexual assault immediately:
My dad was a paratrooper in WW II. The only time I ever heard him speak about his combat experience was once when I was about an 8 y/o kid "fly on the wall" listening to him speak with a man who had been a tank driver.
The tanker described crawling under his tank when he was strafed by a German plane, and the discomfort of that experience.
My dad spoke about approaching a half track that had sustained a hit to see who he might assist, and when he looked over the side into the bed, observed that every soldier there had been decapitated in the blast.
Pretty difficult stuff to speak about.
In the same vein, women who have been sexually assaulted have undergone an experience similar to combat. They are reluctant to speak about their experience for the same reason that soldiers often do not wish to speak about their combat experience.
Neither wants to relive an experience that has only very bad memories attached to it.
I would not be surprised if women who have been sexually assaulted suffer from PTSD, just as soldiers do.
My son is a Marine who has served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and has earned a bronze star. When he has returned from a deployment, I have only asked him two questions:
1. How are you?
2. What would you like to eat or drink?
I know better than to inquire about what he experienced. If he wants to tell me, he will do so in his own good time. That will be soon enough.
4
@Joe From Boston
Interesting perspective from real experience with your father and son who've lived through real traumas. Thank you for sharing.
1
Go ahead, Emperor Donnie, keep yapping on tv.
Every time you do, a whole bunch of Americans have a good belly laugh, and decide that voting for you or your enablers is a serious mistake.
So please proceed.
5
Trump can stand in front of a mike and ramble incoherently (his favorite thing to do) and it won't make any difference. The Republicans in Congress want this member of the good old boys club on the Supreme Court. Their dogged acceptance of anything Trump the witless fool does and says gives their supporting performances a certain robotic flavor. You can just see their one hand gesticulating, the mea culpa, while the other sneakily stays hidden behind their backs, palms up, all monies happily accepted for tax cuts and dogmatic, undemocratic policy positions. And the best is yet to come.
We must believe that Kavanaugh only concentrated on his studies and went to church religiously and faithfully, as did all his friends - the wild parties did not involve him. He can't even tell the truth about his stupid youth. If he could tell the truth, apologize, and move on, so could we. I'm sure Trump told him to admit nothing - Trump admits nothing, is responsible for nothing, lies about any and everything. We are stuck in a big ball of lies, coming from Trump, Kavanaugh, the Republican Congress, and like a black hole is just grows and swallows up everything it touches.
And the purpose: to continue enriching the very rich, to continue watering down regulations that protect people, to ensure Roe vs. Wade is overturned and women have no control over their bodies and their futures, in all probability to reduce social programs and probably start a few enriching wars.
36
How have we ever sunk so low? Ask any woman about her experiences...and listen.... as a woman in my 70's I do know what I am talking about. I was in the Bretton Woods Hotel during the Anita Hill testimonies. A famous old hotel. I went into the library in the evening to watch the hearing. There were all these wealthy, older white men, swilling whiskey, yelling and hooting as Anita Hill's testimony was given. "Get her, get her!". I left that gathering and returned to my room. I am an older, white, New Englander I was ashamed and horrified. Nothing has changed! How dare Lindsey Graham, whom I used to admire, say that this doesn't matter and he will for sure vote for Kavenaugh. I am ashamed of my Republican roots....my dad would roll over in his grave!
Nothing seems to have changed.
38
It was difficult to take much away from President Trump's press conference because of all of the excessive rambling and interrupting that occurred on his part. However, I was able to see through all that to the blatant hypocrisy that was being touted. One the one hand, Kavanaugh is a wonderful guy who is being unfairly attacked by the democrats and who Trump fully supports; on the other hand Dr. Ford could change his mind and that he may need to find a new candidate. It sounds like he’s setting himself up to come out of this whole ordeal unscathed. If Kavanaugh is not confirmed, than he can say he gave Dr. Ford her chance and took what she said seriously. If Kavanaugh is confirmed he can say he stood by him and didn’t let the democrats railroad him. I also hope viewers noticed a very interesting exchange that occurred: a female journalist asked him about what his remarks about the accusers would say to women in America. His response to this was to interrupt her, not actually answer the questions, change the subject, and then to only allow male journalists to ask questions. I really hope this committee goes down in the books as being on the right side of history. It was also clear to me why Trump's communication team does not encourage him to do many solo press conferences.
51
Mr Trump, speaking, speaking, and speaking, repeatedly failed to answer the actual questions posed to him. In fact he repeatedly failed to listen to them or hear them out. Instead he engaged in ongoing reverie with a halting connection to external realities. Effectively we were offered the opportunity of a most worrisome mental state examination.
It seems that this concern was largely ignored in the media commentary which by and large tried to zoom in on rudimentary links between speech content and the actual world. The truly scary phenomenon is how the "modern day presidential" behavior on display has been accepted as part and parcel of normalcy.
4
I don't remember (maybe I missed something) very many women accusing President Obama of sexual impropriety, maybe he wasn't powerful enough?
5
@Kent If it was as easy as the president implies to get greedy women to lie and perjure themselves with false accusations against a powerful man, I’m sure such a campaign would have been mounted against Obama. The fact is, finding such liars willing to go through what Blasey Ford has been going through is darned hard!
4
@Victor
... not to mention that if what is asserted is known by the person saying it to be false, and is done with malice, even a public figure can sue for defamation and libel/slander, and win.
Trump is so deluded, he thinks that his rambling rant on TV today will help Kavanaugh's case. In fact, it will probably have the opposite effect. Even a FOX poll shows that 50 per cent of general voters oppose Kavanaugh's confirmation. He is less popular than Bork. And I think Trump is suffering from TV fatigue. People are sick of seeing him and hearing his constant whining almost every day.
8
I listened to part of that thing that was called a "press conference" yesterday. The one question that I'd most like some intrepid reporter to stand up and ask:
"Sir, are you even capable of talking about anything other than yourself?"
No matter the subject, when Trump talks it all becomes self-referential.
10
"China has total respect for Donald Trump, and for Donald Trump's very, very large brain."
Isn't that the very same thing Stormy Daniels wrote about Trump in her new book? Something about his very, very large brain, wasn't it?
2
Trump talked about four people who made false accusations about him and how they appeared on the front page of the NY Times. I asked my boyfriend if he knew who Trump was talking about. He said "I'm not sure but I'm pretty certain it was not John, Paul, George and Ringo." Then he started singing....."I read the news today, oh boy...."
2
I rarely watch the failed President because I care about my blood pressure and adrenal glands but I did catch that appalling press conference. We’re truly living in dystopia. The man is mad and he’s president? What? Honestly what is it going to take to end this insanity? Please vote.
4
@MiND
Donald Trump's unfitness for the office was just a theory to most Americans before 2017, now they have experienced it for themselves.
2
Did you watch this press conference? I'm waiting for someone, anyone, to use the word "insane". Please someone, anyone, take the button out of his hands. The man is crazy.
8
Like many of the other commenters here, I too watched the entire Trump press conference this afternoon.
And just like his disjointed, dystopian speech at the U.N. yesterday, it's obvious that Trump has been spoiled rotten by speaking only to rabidly-partisan crowds who cheer wildly for every one of his inane malapropisms. When forced to speak extemporaneously in front of a sane, highly-educated and skeptical audience, Trump reveals exactly who he is - a stumbling ignoramus who is totally out of his depth.
Yes, this afternoon Trump appeared as unhinged as we've ever seen him. He was forced to retreat into his "Trump the Showman" stance, trying to alternately charm and intimidate the press corps.
When a Kurdish journalist tried to ask a simple question, Trump spent almost a full minute rambling on about how great the Kurdish people are and how strongly the U.S. supports the Kurds (no doubt insulting most Kurds in the process). And every time the poor journalist accepted Trump's effusive praise and then tried to start over, Trump would shut him down with another paean to the glory of the Kurds.
Conversely, he savaged many other reporters and their respective employers by name. He declared that, "80% of the people in this room are 'fake news' ".
In short, Trump sparred verbally with every reporter he called on, alternately taunting and fawning, sometimes in the same sentence!
Trump thinks he's still starring on "The Apprentice". In reality, the Emperor has no clothes.
7
After reading through all the comments from both sides of the aisle, I can’t help but ask myself the following question: “Is this all it takes to totally ruin someone’s life and reputation, and possibly even alter the course of the SCOTUS?”
With that said, I notice that most if not ALL of the comments supporting the accusers are based on political "principle” or a projection of one's own personal bias.…irrespective of the evidence at hand...or lack thereof.
The fact that these scathing accusations against Kavanaugh are highly speculative and uncorroborated seems to make no difference to these people.
Is this "political retribution" for Merrick Garland? What the Republicans did to Garland was political, but they never went after him personally...nonetheless ruin his reputation. This is a far cry from the vicious personal attacks on Kavanaugh that we're witnessing now.
The POTUS has the Constitutional authority to appoint justices to the SC...subject to "advice and consent" of the Senate majority. This arduous and grueling process has taken its course...not to mention years of vetting and FBI screening both prior to and throughout the nominee's career in public service.
And what about the presumption of innocence and the burden of proof?
Can anyone appear out of nowhere and make a last minute accusation...and throw the whole process into a media tailspin and public free-for-all? Is this what we don in a civil and orderly society? Very sad, indeed!
1
@Vcliburn "Presumption of innocence"? He's not on trial. He's being vetted for a position on the Supreme Court.
"Uncorroborated" accusations? Some of them are quite corroborated, and dozens of other people have now stepped forward to speak to his claims that he was a model citizen his entire life. It seems that quite a few people witnessed him drinking himself into a stupor during the years that he said he was going to church and working on service projects and studying hard.
Then there are those questions he submitted to Ken Starr, to be asked of the President of the United States when he was deposed. That was a new depth of creepiness back in that era, a precursor to hearing a presidential candidate openly bragging about sexually assaulting women.
5
@Vcliburn
Ask Senator Lindsey Graham:
https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/article218724510.html
---quote ---
A lawyer and a senator: Graham struggles to play both parts in Kavanaugh drama
When Sen. Lindsey Graham was a practicing lawyer, he prosecuted rapists and defended their victims.
“I learned how much unexpected courage from a deep and hidden place it takes for a rape victim or sexually abused child to testify against their assailants,” the South Carolina Republican wrote in his 2015 autobiography.
“Trying to get a scared, confused, little kid or young woman who feels the best part of her life is over to recall a memory that their every psychological impulse is trying to suppress is not something you forget,” he continued. “It has stayed with me ever since.”
--- end quote ---
I could not have said it better myself.
3
@Katherine It's comforting to know that there are highly intelligent and fair-minded people...like yourself...who are fully capable of stepping back and reaching an impartial, arm's-length opinion based on the reliability of the evidence at hand...especially in light of the fact that it is literally IMPOSSIBLE to prove a negative. So much for the "burden of proof"...even within the context of a so-called "job interview".
There's an old adage, "People see what they WANT to see, and believe what they WANT to believe".
The aforementioned old adage obviously does not apply to YOU, of course, since you're head-and-shoulders above such mundane and crass gullibility...or political motivation.
Trump managed to believe all of Bill Clinton’s accusers, and dragged them to the debate with Hillary in order to humiliate her. He is beyond reprehensible, and always sides with the accuser and excoriates the victim. He is a horror.
4
No. I disagree
He’s an unconvicted sexual predator
Maybe Franklin Graham can ‘ save’ him
When I first tuned in, I was really horrified, and thought if anything should convince those that hide in the White House pretending to work about the 25 th amendment, this performance should set wheels in motion...
3
@citiladi It should! But it won't. Mitch McConnell & his associates are hell bent on appointing a conservative SCOTUS judge before midterm elections. They don't care even the tiniest bit if the guy is qualified or honest or a decent human being. Trump wants him on there because he thinks he can count on him to give him a get out of jail free card.
I remember when the Bush-Gore battle over who won in 2004 seemed like the worst possible thing that could happen in a US election ever. I had no idea.
2
That press conference, wow! Fact checkers are working late tonight.
3
The Oracle of Veracity has spoken!
1
I never thought I’d see the day when 45 exhibited empathy! Today he did! For an accused abuser of women! Like himself! Imagine that!
3
I can only hope the constant attacks on women by Trump finally catches up with him. Branding a potential victim of sexual assault as being ‘part of a con job’ is despicable.
4
I watched the news conference and it was truly a joke. Trump listens to a question and then riffs on whatever holds his short attention. He does not answer any questions. He just talks about himself in this highly fractured stream of consciousness. His grammar is appalling. His ability to speak logically is completely lacking. This man is an embarrassment.
5
While watching the news conference I became truly frightened by two things. The first by this ranting incoherent liar who is POTUS but more importantly by the Republicans in Congress and Cabinet members. How these people can stand by and let this unstable man continue to disparage our institutions is beyond belief.
5
Follow the ( russian) $
That is how
Everything about Trump's presidency and character is a disaster for America. The victories Republicans think they have achieved are transitory and ephemeral and come at the cost of their principles and , probably , their immortal souls. He is a stain on the party, on conservatism and on this country that won't easily wash out
4
How much Amendment 25 evidence is required?
4
@DCBinNYC It won't matter if Trump goes on air and says angels are telling him to kill people, as long as there is a Republican majority in congress he will remain unchecked.
I've been saying it for over a year. The man is mentally ill.
And no, that is not a partisan statement. We - all of us - are in trouble.
4
The movie "Idiocracy" is playing in my head. Was funny when I caught it a few years ago. Not so much now.
2
No surprise that the "man" who bragged about grabbing women by their genitals and admitted to creeping on naked teenage pageant girls is defending a "man" who is credibly accused of sexual assault.
3
NY Times, with bated breath we await your factcheck of Trump's late afternoon press conference — an extravaganza of extravagant lies, the likes of which this 73-year-old has never seen.
2
Recall the tapes of Michael Cohen swearing annihilation to Trump's accusers. Now Trump is exercising his best and last option: If the testimony can't be stopped, rattle the witness.
I hope Dr. Ford is able to keep her cool in this lion's den. Even truth-tellers would be unnerved by the spectacle, and Trump just piled on.
2
The works of Shakespeare are filled with insight about tyrants such as King Lear, Richard III, Macbeth et al, Certainly Trump performance today and record the past two years ranks him with these lying, cruel and very disturbed characters. I pray he will be removed from Office ASAP. Only then can we the people be liberated from this daily living nightmare of chaos, injustice, suffering, and the threat of world war.
4
Trump is one to talk. In the meantime, Kavanaugh has been behaving quite poorly, defending himself on Fox News, denying the accusations, and comporting himself not befitting of a Supreme Court nominee. His true colors are showing, and they are not pretty.
2
Donald Trump says that when women accuse men of sexual assault it is character assassination. Only in Trump's case it can't be character assassination because his character committed suicide years ago.
2
I googled pre-justice or prejudice these are the definitions that came up. Isn't this what this is?
Prejudice and Discrimination. Prejudice is an unjustified or incorrect attitude (usually negative) towards an individual based solely on the individual's membership of a social group. For example, a person may hold prejudiced views towards a certain race or gender etc. (e.g. sexist).
Examples of Prejudice. Prejudice is an idea or opinion that is not based on fact, logic or actual experience. Prejudice is usually referred to as a negative attitude, especially when it is a hatred or intolerance for certain kinds of people. When a person acts on his prejudice, then it becomes discrimination.
The reaction of international political leaders was, I have to admit, right on. They laughed out loud at Trump. Trump even added later that Democratic members of Congress laugh at him when they meet in private.
I listened to Trump's press conference this afternoon and I was rolling on the floor. I mean, how can you help it when Trump modestly credits himself for the victory at Fort Ticonderoga, Louisiana Purchase, writing the first draft of the Gettysburg Address and inventing the atomic bomb to shorten World War II? "All I want to do is save lives, even one life," Trump repeated several times. Also, "I don't get any respect."
What a gas is this Trump. He's Larry, Moe and Curly rolled into one.
86
@jr Unfortunately, does not work for someone who is the POTUS...maybe stand up will be his next gig when he gets out of prison or at least is gone from politics.
@jr
"I don't get any respect."
Seems distinctly more Rodney Dangerfield-ish to me, but point taken.
Trump is projecting again.
"People want fame, they want money, they want whatever. So when I see it, I view it differently than someone sitting at home watching television."
Trump is the man sitting home watching television dreaming of fame, money, and "whatever." According to multiple sources, he prefers Fox News when considering fame and money. However, Shark Week is allegedly more popular when pursuing "whatever."
This is not how everyone views their relationship with honesty and truth. As Christine Blasey Ford's written testimony demonstrates, and I quote, "This was an extremely hard thing for me to do, but I felt I couldn't NOT do it." She says elsewhere, "I believe it is my civic duty to tell you what happened to me while Brett Kavanaugh and I were in high school."
Trump won't even interview privately with FBI investigators and he's stomping around about mispronouncing words and calling women liars. By the way, that's why the false accusations quotes are never in full context. Trump couldn't pronounce the word "accusation." Anyway, I'd like to see Trump define the term "civic duty" under oath. As his lawyers will testify, the man is incapable of perjuring himself.
12
Trump is running his own version of damage control here. He doesn’t believe it and it’s all false, but you know, at the same time, if they’re convincing then he’ll believe it. Translation: I have no earthly idea what’s happening, but if it looks politically expedient then I’ll throw Kanavaugh under the bus in a millisecond and nominate someone else.
22
Total derangement. A total embarrassment. So, Obama got tired of appointing judges, according to Trump. Two words for the Narcissist-in-Chief: Merrick Garland.
12
"At the same time, he added that Democrats had orchestrated 'a big fat con job'"
Two words the press seems incapable of saying to Trump: "prove it".
12
Trump is the "Rotten Apple" in the basket. Get rid of him before he contaminates the whole Bushel.
13
It is impossible to believe a single word from a man who has cheated on every wife he has had, been videoed saying disgusting ways he has behaved towards women.
Kavanaugh isn't being served well with a man like Trump as a defender.
20
What's truly sad is that even after this spectacle, millions -- tens of millions, even -- of Americans will stand by this sorry excuse for a president.
19
Wow! Just wow! I listened to most of this rant. America, listen to him at this event and consider. If a guy like this were a mid-level manager at your organization...
25
Trump is so indiscrete he is whining about his failed SCOTUS nominee at the UN where he has been carrying on his comedy routine regaling World leadership with his ‘fantastic’ stretches of the imagination regarding his administration’s accomplishments the last two years.
14
Fake Prez DJT says Kananaugh "is one of the highest quality people I ever met" - which may be true given the scoundrels, mobsters and thugs with whom he keeps company. In what universe does he think his assessment of a person's character is valued? Time to find a new nominee for SCOTUS. AFTER Nov 6th. Because, as per McConnell's playbook, don't the people have a right to be heard?
14
Me thinks the Don might want to tread carefully, he may emboldened someone who can't forgive his trespasses.
9
"President Trump said on Wednesday that the accusations against Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh, his Supreme Court nominee, “are all false,”"
yea right....the avenatti client with her affidavit indicates that kavanaugh engaged in at minimum conspiracy to commit rape; if they ignore this and fail to fully investigate no gop senator will be believable on anything going forward.
9
I just caught Mr. Trump's comments watching BBC WN America. "A big fat con job"? From a Class A con, no less. "The Democrats ruined this man's children/wife/reputation"? What about Mr. Kavanaugh's part in his trust-killing behavior?
Such arrogance and nonsense, by the POTUS and the nominee, when it goes unchallenged, spells the end of our democracy... and the start of our own, personal Idiocracy.
9
I carefully read the transcript of Trump's "rambling and combative news conference." It was an incoherent, babbling, ping-pong blathering of a lunatic, that can't stay on a topic for half a sentence.
Who could make any sense of it?
30
Today's press conference was a revolting display of a verbal diarrrheic assault on rational minds by the worlds leading narcissist. If Kelly, Pompeo and Bolton, all in attendance did not squirm in their seats at this revolting display, then it's time to worry this countries future.
16
Squirming in their seats is not enough. If there will ever be a time for the 25th Amendment, this is the time.
This is a continuing, daily carnival act. We are being blinded by the slight-of-hand, the saw going through the lady, the rabbit being pulled yet again out of the hat. But stop for a moment: Think of what we are NOT doing: We are not working on legislation to address health care, poverty, the deplorable condition of our public schools, the country's infrastructure, its trade agreement and alliances, and on and on.
Instead, we get the carnival acts and salesman who blinds, dazzles and distracts us. This coming mid-term election will determine whether or not the carnival continues, and whether or not our beloved democracy survives.
13
Lest we forget how completely mad the man is . . . . .
14
For someone who only saw part of today's Trump sudden news conference, the apparent conclusion is that he is paranoid to the extreme, perhaps paranoid schizophrenic, and should be under the care and medication prescribed by a psychiatrist. And yes, my undergraduate degree is in psychology from a reputable college. In addition, he is delusional, and supported by those (Nikki Haley most recently) who seem to be protecting him from the reality that the world is laughing at his actions and antics, presumably in the hopes of keeping him from going completely out of control.
8
I give Trump credit for his certainty, especially about matters of which he has no first-hand knowledge. And we all know he is a studious type who exhaustively researches a subject before he expresses his opinion.
"To be absolutely certain about something, one must know everything or nothing about it." – Henry Kissinger
17
I just received my California mail-in ballot for November. As a dual citizen, I am filling it out today. Voting seems the only remedy to the strange sickness that has caught on since I left the States. It isn't perfect but it's the best chance for healing the tremendous damage this mockery of a president, his lackeys, judges and congressional hoons have made. Please people, vote!
I also can't wait for Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's return from UN, with her young family, to NZ soil. Now that is a head of state.
19
Trump appears to be in Dementia; rambling; incoherent and unfocused. All of the women that Brett Kavenaugh abused should press criminal charges in Maryland. There is no statute of limitations there and once he is convicted there he can be arrested for perjury. Trump can not pardon Kavenaugh on state charges. We need to aggressively persue criminal charges against all these dirty Republicans. Trump DOJ has put priority on investigating immigrants; eliminated pursuit of white collar crime.
17
He makes it sound like the women are going to make business presentations to convince him to make investments. “They have a big shot at making their case... and you know what, I could be convinced.”
21
Trump called Kavanaugh "one of the highest quality people" he's ever met.
Like the vodka, or the steaks, or the real estate school. Or the health care that "everybody" supposedly now has.
In a minimally sane world, that statement would be the kiss of death for Kavanaugh.
17
Amendment XXV
Section 4.
Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.
...
8
I had to turn the radio news off this afternoon. I can no longer stand to hear his voice.
34
@John M I never watch or listen to him....If you watch only with the sound off glancing occasionally at the screen. Did not and will not listen to State of the Union, Inaugural, press conferences, UN address, etc.....You hear enough through the news....Do not listen or watch it will steal your soul like an energy vampire!
1
I remember the first time I saw a homeless person standing on a street corner ranting and raving , sometimes incoherently. It was very disturbing and I remember thinking, we really do have serious problems in our country.
10
At this point, it should be obvious that we need a required FBI background check on anyone getting a major party nomination.
9
Of course Trump can't acknowledge a woman's claims to be worth anything, doing so would lend credit to the multiple claims against him. Women in Trump's world need to be attractive, loyal and mute or be viciously attacked as a liar or a dog. The notion that Trump could be persuaded to believe them (and publicly acknowledge that fact) is laughable.
14
Listening to trump during this press conference was like watching someone undergoing a mental fitness test. trump failed miserably. At times he was literally incoherent. At other times he was oblivious to reality, never answering the question put to him, but instead going on a tangent about his election or Russian collusion. Kelly should have walked over to trump and dragged him from the stage. Instead trump was allowed to make a fool of himself. And trump proved once again how unfit he is for our government.
24
The problem is Republicans. They know he’s unfit for office and refuse to do anything because It would jeopardize their agenda. They are irresponsible, playing with fire, and don’t deserve to hold elected office.
20
TV networks shouldn't participate in these sham "news conferences." These are just opportunities for Trump to do on TV what he does on Twitter--riff on his complaint of the moment, insult three or four people, ramble around on whatever topic comes to mind, tell a few tall tales about how great he is, calling every question put to him "fake news." Not only does he have no intention of providing leadership to the country, he is incapable of doing so. These meandering, meaningless conversations he has with himself are a disorienting display of his delusional world. He has no place on television, frightening children and causing confusion among viewers. Don't let him commandeer the airwaves. He can hold a rally of the faithful if he feels the need to rant. He only makes any sense to them, anyway. The rest of us just stare in amazement.
31
Trump said:
1) 4 or 5 women made accusations about him--more like 15.
2) He said these women will speak tomorrow--only one.
3) He said 52% women voted for him-uh-um- 52% of white women--really the only color that matters.
4) He said the women that accused him were paid--not true.
Bottom Line -Trump takes charge of pushback on Kavanaugh--red meat for red states....
13
From the California poet Douglas Lane:
Breakdown (via Heatwave)
I’m having a breakdown,
A political breakdown,
My temperature's rising,
It isn't surprising,
My bad moon's rising.
I started my break down
by wearing my crown
In such a way that
The citizens say that
I'll take democracy down.
Gee, my psychology
Makes the mercury
Jump to ninety-three.
I'm having a break down,
A political break down,
The way that I move
That thermometer proves
Shows I'm in my groove.
5
Trump's mind is made up. He said he had sympathy for Kavanaugh because he himself has been accused. He's not listening to anything contrary. He may watching tomorrow but definitely not listening.
8
Millions of women who have been victims of sexual assaults and rapes are being traumatized all over again just so a sexual predator without an ounce of remorse for his crimes, (as Trump explains here, he's the victim), can place Brett Kavanaugh, another sexual predator, on the Supreme Court. (As Trump stated, Kavanaugh's a victim too).
Watching this Trump rant should be scary, but at this point nothing Trump does surprises. The stable genius keeps proving how crazy, depraved, and foolish he is, but he only exists because Congressional Republicans, as well as a substantial part of the American people, are profoundly ill. It's why they still love Trump no matter how crazy and hateful he is, or rather, they love him because of how crazy and hateful he is. Trump is the embodiment of the nastiest bully imaginable, with a gang of sycophants more than happy to do whatever he says, no matter how horrible it is.
Which leads us back to Brett Kavanaugh.
Why would Trump nominate Kavanaugh, and the Republicans rabidly back him, when they knew long ago that he was an alcoholic with massive gambling debts, who had no compunction about lying, and learned weeks ago that there were women who would come forward and expose the sexual assaults he committed? There are plenty of right-wing justices who could easily be confirmed. Why pick Kavanaugh? Probably because he's so much like Trump, and because he'll gladly do whatever Trump wants, while another right-wing justice probably wouldn't.
15
The most rambling , incoherent press conference I have heard from an American President.
One question I have which the media should follow up on with full vigor is the comment by Trump that he heard about the Syrian and Russian attack on Idlib Province from a woman at one his rallies and had it confirmed by the NYT.
Surely this situation would have been included in his daily intelligence briefing, if it was total shame on him, if it wasn’t total shame on our Intelligency agencies.
My point is that this Adminstration is so incompetent and all this publicity regarding the Supreme Court is hiding this critical factor.
The world is laughing at us but it is a very nervous laugh
18
My favorite part was when he referred to the King of Saudi Arabia as "King Solomon."
Everyone seems to have missed that zinger.
12
Trump used each question as a springboard to free associate, in painfully twisted English, on whatever seemed to be flashing through his brain at any given mini-second. It was embarrassing to watch, insulting to the reporters and the public and rarely addressed, let alone answered the questions put to him. One thing you've got to give him, aside from his incessant lying, he sure doesn't try to hide anything about his opinions or his motivations. No wonder they don't let him out for news conferences very often.
While he described the Democrats gathering together and laughing about the con job they were pulling off re: Kavanaugh, I couldn't help seeing Kim and Putin and their cohorts sitting in the back rooms of their mansions laughing about the con jobs they pulled off with Trump.
If America can elect this sad man as it's President, can we ever be trusted again by our allies? Should we ever be trusted again by our allies? As Trump would tweet, SAD.
21
I watched, out of curosity, the entire press conference. It left me in a most depressed state. To observe this boorish man treat the press in this fashion once again reaffirms everything I have ever felt about this creature.
This man belongs in a straight jacket, in a rubber room . Anyone watching this performance must see a man just drunken with power, loving himself, lashing out at all those who oppose him, and rambling on for over an hour, sometimes incoherently, often repeating himself, and ignoring many questions from reporters.
The man is deliberately vicious, self serving, and just plain ignorant.
He takes pride in being loathsome, is obnoxious beyond belief, and we are stuck with him. I often wonder, how is it possible that his supporters do not see through this disgusting individual. All I can come up with is"Birds of a feather flock together".
26
I’m developing that “post 11/8 funk” again.
15
Trump has a talent for giving all kinds of answers except the answer to the question he was asked. He can be for and against something at the same time. Now we know that he says the accusers are lying but he might believe them. That covers about everything.
29
This was NOT a news conference ( confession - i could only stand a short bit ) but a bizarre performance. It was a Trumpalogue: raging, rambling, and with his pet themes unraveling. Were any reporters' genuine questions addressed?
For anyone who claimed yesrerday that he intentionally provoked a laugh at the UN -well, no.The guy on Twitter at 4 AM, as opposed to the guy reading Stephen Miller's script. The latter is offensive, the former is a mess.
It was frightening.
74
This was more confessional than news conference. Yes, the details in themselves were disconcerting, but the lingering memory is alarming; a disturbed, deranged narcissist, unclean in heart and soul, frantically trying to justify his presence on the podium. He is no more fit to be president than a raisin.
30
A confirmation of Judge Kavanaugh will only confirm the fact that women are not valued or respected in the USA.
23
"In a rambling news conference …"
"Rambling" doesn't cut it. The questions I heard were about (a) the Kurds, (b) the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, (c) his claim that China is interfering in our election, and (d) the other leaders laughing at him at the UN. He did not answer a single question. He could not provide any details. He did not support his claims with facts or logic. "Fake news" was his answer to every critical question. When asked about other leaders laughing at him at the UN, he lied. The word is "unfit."
59
That presser was beyond surreal.
14
Having to live with this man's presidency is like enduring a continued stench, due to open sewage, that wafts into our kitchen. We can at the least put some covers on the manholes at the upcoming elections and clean up the sewers at the next presidential elections. Go Vote and convince your neighbors to do the same. The midterms are the most important election of the last 50 years.
102
Where did this fever dream come from that accusing someone of sexual assault is a get rich quick scheme? Show me all the millionaires.
33
Trump was full, unthrottled ramble mode, an embarrassment to the country. No surprise there, but seeing Pompeo, Kelly, Kushner, Haley and Shine as the cheering section, smiling and providing the mandatory laugh track, was most distressing. How do they look themselves in the mirror when their rude boss is so incoherent and uninformed.
40
No one on the right has a spine. This is as deplorable as deplorable could be.
45
Wouldn't be more efficient and useful to just have a single tally of the numbers of lies Trump tells each day instead of devoting a column to the details of each new lie?
26
Trump's rambling answers were further signs of his declining mental capacity. Trump thinks if he says something, it must be accepted as fact, without question.
One ongoing issue among many with Trump, is that Trump continues to deliberately muddy the line between fact and fiction. That few of the press are either unable or unwilling to call out Trump's lies, is a sad reflection of how Trump has undermined fact based journalism.
Every Trump comment should be followed by a general warning, as to the high likelihood his comments are deliberately false.
7
I forced myself to listen to this, trying to get a handle on the thought process in DC at the moment. After reaching a point where I was nearly yelling at the radio I had to quit. 7 or 8 minutes- a new personal best.
26
Dumb founded by this man. Trump is sensitive to the issue of sexual misconduct based on his own experience. Any woman who has accused him of sexual misconduct wants fame and money.? So when a woman speaks up for herself it has nothing do with the inappropriate behavior of the man. Because women are gold diggers looking for an easy ride on the coattails of a powerful man.
Privileged white men.
I don't consider myself a feminist. As a 60 year old woman I drank the kool aid a long time ago. I grew up up with a father that believed women should be kept in line with a good smack.
But I am really getting tired of women who have put up with this kind of demeaning behavior (maybe all their lives) being dismissed. I'm tired of the men getting away with it, too. There are a lot of great and wonderful men in the world but the ones who dismiss and treat women as less than, are at the end of the line.
11
This man reminds me everyday that I must go out and vote in November. And I will.
60
The Republican Party, reflecting and advancing the incoherent yammering and desperate expression of the beleaguered chief executive, using the UN venue as a hostage venue, are nonetheless persisting with ramming the nominee to confirmation. Summarily trashing the accusers, without saying their names, which is indicative of the state of mind of a denier of sexual depravity accusations to demean, malign, and corrode their integrity, the chief executive is acting in true to form fashion. Sadly, for America, we've witnessed this act one too many times. The present statement of 45 that 'he might be convinced' but still supports the nominee reveals a weakness in a position originally advanced as airtight strong, basically telegraphing to America that he's playing both sides of the fence. And, the idiotic statement that the accusers should have reported the incidences when they were minors is laughable. Perhaps he should speak to the victims of child molestation committed by Catholic priests that occurred 30, 40, and even 50 years ago. Oh no. That's different because those victims are males and were preyed upon. The chief executive conveniently ignores the hard cold fact that the 1991 Hill-Thomas hearings involved an FBI investigation of the sordid sexually deviance factually described and testified to by witnesses. Both Hill and Thomas-Black Americans-were taken seriously. In 2018 45's support for the nominee who is Caucasian male of privilege, so he is truthful. No. Race matters.
7
Calling this so-called news conference rambling and combative, is an understatement par excellence.
Without a teleprompter the self declared very stable genius never finishes a sentence, doesn't answer questions posed to him, lies again and again, and jumps around them like an energizer bunny talking about his greatest hits, including that President Xi of China - whom he accused at the UN of interfering with this years election - said he had a "the greatest brain".
Impeachment would be dandy, but this man should be sued and indicted for murdering his own native language every time he opens his mouth.
38
Your comments about Trump's language is very insulting.
In 2017, it was the first time the US had a President and First Lady, with English as their second language.
6
@Barry of Nambucca
Indeed Barry, I apologize. Who am I to criticize Trump, having learned English as the second of three foreign languages - Latin, English, French.
We believe you, Donald, you're the litmus test of truth... Such an honest man, such a high quality individual.
15
For Trump to hold a (rare) press conference less than a day before Dr.Ford is to testify to the Senate Committee is disgusting. Based on everything he spewed, this looks to me like an intimidation tactic from America's biggest bully.
I hope this empowers her even more to keep it together tomorrow.
21
I have listened carefully to Trump since that infamous escalator descent; followed (and covered) the RNC in Cleveland; read (and reviewed) Bandy Lee's 'Dangerous Case of Donald Trump'; and spent literally hours per day trying to grasp the reality of what has overtaken the Oval Office and White House.
And then I hear today's press conference.
If it is not way, way past time for serious people to try to execute 25/4 removal of this monstrous, ignorant buffoon, then when?
What will it take to convince members of the oldest and most 'exclusive' deliberative body in the world to motivate the Cabinet to save our Republic? What will it take?
21
When the draft is reinstated for the coming US -China shooting war I think you’ll have your answer. God help us.
3
I'll have to check out the news conference later, but I'm guessing it couldn't possibly be as bizarre as his claiming yesterday's laugh line during his UN General Assembly speech was intentional. Hearing that reminded me of the director of The Room-- considered by many to be one of the worst, most pathetic movies of recent times-- who claimed years later when his movie gained notoriety that it had been intentionally funny, not inadvertently so.
If Trump weren't a clear and present danger to us all, he would be an object of pity (as well as loathing, anger, derision and disgust-- pity doesn't necessarily cancel those out).
8
@Sixofone trust me, it was just as bizarre if not more so. I counted several lies in his first few sentences and it got worse from there. Very hard to follow his conversation - it was all over the board, incomplete sentences, did not answer the questions asked, etc. I could only take five minutes of it.
3
Trump calls all the covfefe about Kavanaugh "a big con job". Well. I guess Trump would know all about "con jobs", wouldn't he...
I want a thorough FBI investigation. I don't understand why Trump, Kavanaugh, and the Senate Republicans are not on board with this... without a solid investigation that clears him, Kavanaugh will always, if confirmed, be mentioned with "the Christine Blasey Ford accusations". Look at Clarence Thomas - every time Clarence Thomas is in the news, Anita Hill is brought up... The Court doesn't need another Justice with a cloud over their reputation forever. Neil Gorsuch will always be sitting in the stolen seat that was due to Merrick Garland, that's on McConnell, but the Court doesn't need three out of nine Justices with alleged skeletons in their closets.
37
If the boys at these parties were, in fat, so famously and notoriously drunk and sexually aggressive and borderline dangerous....why did the girls continue to attend?
5
@Shenoa I'm guessing they wanted to go have fun, said to themselves that they would be in control of the situation and that "it" would not happen to them. But who am I to judge? And who are you to judge? Neither of us were there. These accusations need to be fully investigated to get to the truth. Unfortunately the Repubs have done zero investigating.
@Shenoa, When young people attend parties, they have no idea what is going to go on at the event. Sometimes it's fun, sometimes its VERY wrong. Often times, when a woman finds herself at a party that is going wrong, she is very intimidated to leave alone since it's a well known fact that she will very possibly be a target of assault.
2
Are you serious? Were you a teenage woman in the early 80s? Unless you were, you have no business passing judgement. I was and can state that this is a typically judgmental remark completely disconnected from the reality of the young female experience at the height of white heterosexual Christian male patriarchy in the US while also navigating sexist programming, intense peer pressure, entitled male aggression, fluctuating hormones, self-doubt, low self-esteem, and more - I can’t even name all the nuanced reasons for why teenage women end up in these situations.
As a woman who had the looks in my early 80s youth that made me a magnet for aggressive unwanted male attention, I can’t tell you how many times I found myself at a party that started out innocently in the company of trusted friends which then devolved hours later into a fog of war of the sexes with other attendees who were outside my initial group of friends. It wasn’t until my early to mid 20s that I had gathered enough experience, self-esteem, tricks up my sleeve, and blatant moxie to not end up in difficult situations with men anymore.
Why are you targeting the women anyways? Where’s your compassion for young inexperienced women under tremendous social pressures? Why aren’t you instead asking, “why are these men drinking so much and feeling so boldly entitled to women’s bodies?” That’s the question to be asking; otherwise you’re totally supporting the continuance of that kind of sick culture.
4
The question that was asked by the nytimes reporter, please include the verbatim answer in it's entirety, in either an update on this web edition or in full print in tomorrow's paper. Seeing his trumpspeak in black and white will be "magnificent ".
15
Anyone that watched and listened to his press conference could see that this man was totally unhinged and incoherent. Was he on drugs? Highly possible. He's crazy. He's out of control. He needs to go. Now!
40
I saw Trump in the press conference insulting the women heroes who have come forward to stop this immoral judge from getting into this job. There out for money , I am famous they are out after me. He makes it about him . He went after his home wrecker women and ended up with latest third wife and 19 others we know of have been abused. The third women who said Kavanaugh was involved in gang rape parties . He needs a lie detector test. The Mormon women are against him why aren't the evangelical women.
41
Trump defending Kavanaugh. Birds of a feather flock together. Enough said.
12
I am so impressed by the professionalism/sheer will power of the reporter NOT laughing when Trump said "they even make false accusations about ME"!
It's a MasterCard commercial:
Keeping that snort of laughter in on camera - PRICELESS.
22
Donald Trump believes Brett Kavanaugh who says he didn't do it but Donald Trump does not believe Rod Rosenstein who also says he didn't do it. Donald Trump denies the truth of Stormy Daniels' statements about his affair with her but he apparently does believe her statements when it comes to withdrawing his objection to her opening up their settlement agreement about her lawsuit. The truth to him is whatever serves his needs minute to minute. Talk about a big fat con job!
27
As garlic is to vampires, so is truth to Mr Trump.
45
“People want fame, they want money..."
I haven't seen any of that from any of these women. In fact, I've seen the exact opposite.
27
Over the course of 80 excruciating minutes, one thing became abundantly clear. There are no adults in the room.
24
Trump has passed 5000 false statements, so what's a few more?
In the bizarro land we live in, if he says all are false, all are probably true.
I respectfully suggest suggest an FBI investigation Mr. President, so we can lock em up lock em up, lock up the liars. It would be a brilliant bit of stable genius to do so. Only a person with your education and high I.Q. might understand it.
1
Our President has no "delay" button when speaking. As soon as his brain forms the word it simply falls out of his mouth. There is no forethought to content or format or delivery.
Truly embarrassing for our country.
15
That was . . . something all right. Aside from the numerous provable lies and the repeated theme that women are liars who won't hesitate ruin the reputations of good men - the best men, the thing that really stood out is just how incoherent and ignorant our president is. He can't string a series of related thoughts together. He gives facile answers that frequently contradict what he said minutes before (sometimes even within the same sentence!). How any serious member of the Republican Party can support this man is a mystery. Oh wait, no it isn't. They have sold their integrity (and sold out our country) for political power. Deplorable. Volunteer, and Vote on November 6th!
34
Every so often, while listening to the babbling of an obviously delusional person, there's an instinctual moment where your patience snaps - you want to save your own sanity - and you think to yourself "Why the heck am I listening to this distorted rant, this mind-numbing attack on reality that is an assault on my own mental health?" That's how I felt today listening to this elderly man's "news conference", and then the coverage of it.
The media, which Trump derides 24/7, is actually enormously charitable in its reporting of this evil nut, compounding the problem.
60
@JCam
I quit his news conferences, coverage of his rallies, and any random statements he makes months ago. I couldn’t maintain any mental health otherwise. I only came here after seeing it trending on Twitter which is currently eviscerating his performance and questioning his mental state.
5
Trump has already acknowledged his own serial sexual assault when he didn't realize he was being recorded. He is presumptive of Kavanaugh's own legal jeopardy because of his proximity to this subject and intimate knowledge of its potential outcomes. Make America Guilty Again.
19
Yeah, he is hedging his bets, but you know he wants Kavanaugh on the bench.
1
He can be persuaded? When pigs fly. Trump was Master at this Press Conference. He let the women reporters question him. He didn't answer the questions but he let them ask. Knowing when to stop short of the cliff he stated "Women are really mad. They are incensed." He said no more. What did that mean? Clever, really clever. Trump will do anything, ANYTHING to ram Kavanaugh through............
3
It's terrible that the president goes on record calling Ms. Blasey's accusation false before she has even had a chance to testify. I don't know how she can walk into that room tomorrow and face those hostile, antagonistic and closed-minded senators. She has already been treated so harshly, and for no other reason than coming forward with her story of what happened to her one night when she was in high school. The senators on that committee have been so malicious to her. They could have treated her better, staying silent and allowing her to come forward, but they chose instead to be callous, spiteful and just plain mean. They could have kept their comments private and at least pretended that they would reserve judgement, but they couldn't even do that. And, Kavanaugh has proven himself to be no better--as a judge, he should be most interested in both sides having a chance to speak. Yet, he has done all he can to demean and discount her story. You don't have to believe her, but she still deserves respect. I don't know if she's telling the truth or not, but I admire Ms. Blasey more than I can say. I don't know how she can go into that room tomorrow and look at all those unsympathetic faces, knowing everyone has already decided she's a liar. She is a brave woman, and I wish her luck.
90
@Ms. Pea
Well said. Thank you.
The Senate hearing should be fair, impartial and informed. As things stand now, it will be none of those.
3
All false. BK’s answers about the legal drinking age (he was clever in his dodge) and more?
2
Exactly... our President bases whether assault accusations are truth or lies, on his own sexual assault history. Anyone remember the tape of Trump telling the reporter he can grab whatever portion of the female body he wants? I sure do. Maybe this is why women have come forward over the years, charging Trump with sexual assault claims.
And I don't think the Democrats are laughing at Americans, but I do think the United Nations enjoyed a big laugh at our narcissistic President stating his "untruths of incredible accomplishments as President".
Incredibly embarrassing for the US. Will this nightmare ever end?
12
“All false?” What, is the president a lawyer now, armed with facts?
What he’s eternally angry about is “losing,” and his precious Supreme Court is taking on water in the court of public opinion.
Donald Trump made a fool of himself at the United Nations and now returns to Washington empty-handed.
6
Trump said he would watch some TV...alas I don't think the part where he spoke over the CBS reporter and continued to do so after saying something along the lines of "You've been asking for 10 minutes."
Yes -- because you haven't answered the question about how your experience being accused has informed your opinions in this matter.
6
Just watched a reprise of the movie 'Network'! This madness need end in November....
6
“How uninformed and uncaring do we have to be to say things like that, much less to believe them?” Mr. Flake said of the president he has often condemned. “Do we have any idea what kind of message that sends, especially to young women?”
So much more can and will be said, but pretty much sums it up doesn't it?
9
@Michael
I have a good idea of the message Flake is sending. Especially when, in the end, he's going to vote yes for this nominee.
2
I listened to that news conference on the radio as I did chores. Usually I quickly mute the sound of Trump’s voice, because it’s so grating on the nerves. He was completely unhinged. Calling it “rambling” is being way too understated. Not for the first time, I have wondered about the possible role of pharmaceuticals in Trump’s weird and wildly extreme demeanor in various settings: during this news conference he exhibited rapid fire speech and thoughts, constantly interrupting and jumping from one topic to another, but his speech to the assembly was almost soporific, complete with slurring of words and strange pauses. He really seems to be sedated at times, and on stimulants other times. I’d suspect a bipolar condition, but the settings seem consistent with strategic pharmaceutical management by himself or others (on speed for rallies and boisterous news conferences, but sedated for important speeches).
16
@Just Curious I think his halting, awkward speaking style, at the UN and whenever he is on teleprompter, is an illustration of his learning disability. He has trouble reading and has to do so very slowly.
2
I am a teacher of two home-bound high school students who are asking me to post this comment/question:
"We just watched the news conference and wonder about President Trump’s thoughts on Bill Cosby’s and Morgan Freeman’s sexual assault allegations, after he just defended several powerful white men like himself and Roy Moore.
We don't want to suggest that any sexual assault is OK, but we just wonder which is stronger, his racism or his sexism.
Would a reporter be willing to ask him what he thinks about those cases?"
18
The entire interview was an incoherent mess - from beginning to end he made no sense and embarrassed himself and the country. Shame on us for letting this go on. He is ill and republicans are craven. November 6th cannot arrive too soon.
23
It's all on tape now - 25th Amendment, please.
15
“Rambling” news conference? Isn’t “incoherent” a fairer way to describe it? How else to square: “These allegations are false/I haven’t made up my mind”. I pity America.
17
I don't see how anyone can be convinced of anything tomorrow beyond the fact that it would be an outrage and a disservice to Judge Kavanaugh, the women who have come forward, the credibility of the Supreme Court and the American people for the Republicans to go forward with a vote without investigating these claims.
The FBI would never issue a security clearance without investigating such allegations. Looking into events that happened long ago in a nominee's life are what they do on a daily basis. The attorneys representing these women have undoubtedly told their clients they face criminal prosecution with potentially very long sentences if they were to be found to have lied about any part of their story. Judge Kavanaugh's future as a judge, let alone sitting on the Supreme Court, is at stake.
President Trump's suggestion, without any evidence, that the accusers are lying given the legal peril they have accepted in coming forward is deeply troubling. This is no laughing matter. And the Senate should not treat it as such by failing to task the FBI to conduct an investigation.
8
It goes without saying and has been reported widely that most of the big wigs accused of sexual impropriety were praised as really good guys by DJT. Sooooo 1 + 1 = 2.
BTW Neil Gorsuch went to the same prep school. Crickets from anyone when he was nominated and confirmed. There are good men in the Republican party. Not so much in Congress though as they pander for power.
5
Every time I listen or watch even a small segment of Trump unscripted, it scares me. Trump unscripted is a clear window into how Trump thinks, how his "super genius" brain works. Or doesn't. Trump videos of him rambling, disjointed, discoherent, unfocused and jumping from subject to subject, dropping thoughts in mid-sentence... Trump is his own best argument for the 25th Amendment. Read a verbatim transcript. This isn't new - read a transcript of him during the campaign. If anything it is worse. He repeatedly noted how he knows what ABC, CBS, NBC (but "not CNN") say about him. When does he find time to DO HIS JOB? 'Loose cannon' doesn't begin to describe the danger Trump represents to our country and the world. I would laugh right along with the UN ambassadors at him, but he's just too scary.
25
The accusations are false..It's a Democratic con...he can be be persuaded otherwise. A man accused by over a dozen women of sexual assault, who was caught on tape bragging about sexually assaulting women contradicts himself in the space of a few sentences.
If the Republicans and their standard bearer push ahead with a vote without having the FBI investigate, it will send a message to every woman in this country they are not concerned about sexual assault. That if a man assaults a woman when he's young, he'll get a pass later on in life.
We know Republicans don't respect women, but do they really want to put an alleged rapist on the Supreme Court without investigating the allegations? There is over a month until the election, surely we can wait a little longer to try and find out the truth.
12
He's really tightened his act up, honestly he got incredible guffaws without even a snare drum at the United Nations, and that is one of the toughest crowds to play on Earth! Ask any comedian.
Todays news conference caught me off guard, at first I thought it was part of a promo book tour for Bob Woodward. Turns out Bob wasn't even there?
Incredibly kind of him to dispel any doubts over his own self importance regarding everything that has ever happened in America... including hiring Russian affiliates to help him gain power.
8
Everyone has been amazed at “my big brain.” That one was my favorite.
23
WHY can't any of these seasoned (?) White House reporters get one good question in - don't do follow-ups, guys, please!! Trump has been speaking for long enough that a white house reporter should know his style!! And they can't find some way to cut through the garbage??? Because that is all the 'news interview' with trump was - JUST GARBAGE..
36
@Grace Thorsen Most of them couldn’t even get a question out. He loves those Kurds though.
1
@Grace Thorsen
They're all afraid that if the ask a difficult question in a way that Trump cannot ignore they will lose their white house press credentials.
5
Looks like Trump is waiting to see if Kavanaugh passes his test tomorrow. If he doesn't, Trump's solution to his own troubles will be to fire Rosenstein. Nothing very subtle about this President.
9
Senator Murkowski asked that these allegations be taken seriously, and Donald Trump does just the opposite. How will the witness have a chance to be taken seriously with the President of the United States repeatedly impugning her honesty and her character before she has even spoken?
31
Donald Trump: "Because I’ve had a lot of false charges made against me... People want fame, they want money, they want whatever."
Is that was Stormy Daniels wanted? Maybe we should ask Mr. Cohen.
No one is laughing, Mr. Trump.
39
That Kavanaugh has not already withdrawn speaks volumes about his innate unfitness to be confirmed.
Gross.
The Federalist Society is clearly an extremist front for anti-women partisans.
53
So he has nothing better to do with his time than watch this? He can't just have an underling tell him what happened? It's good to know that he has so much free time, who knew that being POTUS was such an easy job.
14
As with the Bill Cosby case, first it was Andrea Constand who came forth with allegations that were deemed without merit at first but now, years later, more than 60 women admitted to having been drugged and sexually abused by Cosby.
The president has made it clear that he won't be convinced by Christine Blasey Ford's testimony. He hasn't even heard Ms. Blasey Ford's side of the story to label it false.
The president can blame Democrats all he wants to but he has only himself to blame for the sloppy vetting of his Court choice.
27
I am certain Trump's base loved every minute. When will the man talk to the rest of us in a way that makes sense? Is this even possible?
14
None of these women making assault claims against Kavanaugh would be risking their safety and reputation to get their mortgage paid off. But what remains unanswered about Kavanaugh is the wealth of unreleased documents and his massive credit card debts. He clearly has much to hide. This GOP-led obstruction is evidence enough that November 6th can't come soon enough.
57
@TM We are seeing a glimpse of why those documents are still hidden....
6
Please direct your reporters' attention to more newsworthy stories that do not waste the readers' time and attention. Trump lies and dissembles so often that it is not worth reading day to day his comments and assertions. I would like to see more analysis of what is happening with policy changes in government, and what this means for the environment and American people and society. I want to see Trump and the Republicans turned out of office, but I do not want to waste time with Trump's dissembling.
61
@Rod Stevens
Sorry, that's what reporters do. They report what people in power say and do, even if it's a lie -- especially if it's a lie!
6
@Rod Stevens
OK, be that way, but you're missing the party.
1
@Rod Stevens less comments from you and more reading is requested.
Surely there must be other pro-Trump anti Roe v. Wade judges out there; why are the Republicans trying to cram this guy onto the SCOTUS bench.
14
@MiniBar Because they picked the person they thought had the best chance of flying through this rocket of a nomination process (once they declared 90% of his paper trail off limits) before they lose their majority in the legislative branch, and would be forced to actually (gasp!) choose someone both sides of the aisle could agree on (I hear Merrick Garland is available?). This trainwreck is all the GOP's own doing. They are forced to stick with him because they can't get any one else on the docket before the mid-terms.
From a bumper sticker I saw today: "I am woman, watch me vote"
wasn't he caught doing it on tape? this guy tells so many lies he can't remember them. he needs a better assistant to keep things straight.
8
This explosive disaster, self-created by Republicans seeking to pacify their base, is so swift-boat like that I'm wondering if their exalted leader didn't know exactly who he was getting. After all, he's the master of the slight of hand - tossing out diversions right and left to both keep him in the spotlight and the glare off of his misdeeds. Here's Kavanaugh, here's firing Rosenstein, maybe fire Sessions, love Putin, no Kim, as he hovers tantalizingly over a cliff edge.
From all reports half of Yale knew about the gang of binge drinkers and debauchery. That hardly makes for privacy - in today's world secrets generally last as long as it takes to type a Tweet. But as the extreme right spent decades building a cabal of friendly votes from the ground up it completely ignored character flaws. Fervent belief and following orders mattered, past or present sins not at all. Once discovered, hit their only note, to double down and plow through, as it crumbles beyond all repair.
The only person to emerge unscathed will be Donald Trump. How and why is a mystery it will take decades to unravel.
10
It is understandable that the "Kavanaugh Affair(s)" are front and center but so many more crucial issues were raised during this latest rendition of "The Trumpman Show"; the charges against China; the acidic comments towards Canada; and worst of all, his deplorable patronizing of the Kurds! The reporter ,respectfully, twice asked what is being done to help the Kurds, and all he got was some lying drivel that the administration is "working on it ". As the world's leaders were gathered , the U.S. once again showed the international community its self-absorbed myopia. The Kurds are literally dealing with life and death and their own freedoms that have been on-going for decades; the Kurds have been one of our greates allies of the last 30 years and not one member of the American press backed him up or put pressure on trump for details. It is no wonder we will be going it alone in the near future.
15
This man continues to keep our country in a state of near-havoc. He has no sense of leadership, responsibly or true concern for anyone or anything but his self interest. Healing is subordinated to instigation, truth is not, reality increasingly escapes him. I sincerely fear for the woman and men in our country - especially the children.
22
Trump's support for Kavanaugh may waver because of the dissolute, alcoholic behavior of Kavanaugh's crowd in high school as documented in numerous current news stories and in the book "Wasted" written by his old high school crony Mark Judge.
The tragic loss of Trump's older brother due to alcoholism sticks with him. Alcoholism seems to be the one vice--perhaps the only vice--that disqualifies prospects for jobs in the Trump administration. Trump, ever the fair-weather loyalist, may choose to drop Kavanaugh for another reactionary from Leonard Leo's Federalist Society list.
16
“People want fame, they want money, they want whatever. So when I see it, I view it differently than someone sitting at home watching television.”
So in the Donald's mind, you're either
- a lying fame-and/or-fortune-seeker out to hurt someone else for your own benefit (which, sorry to digress, pretty much sums up Trump himself),
- a falsely maligned, innocent victim against whom the allegations are made,
- or a spectator misinterpreting the situation.
Two groups he conveniently ignores are people who either legitimately have been harassed or abused in their own lives, or who haven't been but still recognize that harassment and abuse are real.
No matter the circumstance, Trump proves himself repeatedly to represent a sliver of a subset of a minority of the public.
24
@D Price
That's only when Republicans are accused. When Juanita Broaddrick leveled her rape allegation against Bill Clinton, conservatives were 100% certain she was telling the truth. Trump repeats it as if it were proven fact, referring to Bill Clinton as a "rapist" without even inserting the word "alleged." Trump wasn't in her case the least bit troubled that Broaddrick never reported a rape, swore under oath that Clinton didn't assault her, and then more than two decades after the alleged rape came forward with her accusation after she saw how lucrative it was for Paula Jones to make an allegation that was virtually impossible to disprove. Blasey Ford never told a different story under oath and passed a polygraph, yet Trump labels her story false before he's even heard her testify.
Someone in the press corps needs to ask Trump why he has such a double standard.
6
So as President Trump explained, he was once accused by 4 or 5 women. But they later admitted they'd been paid to accuse him. Fox broke the news. But everyone else ignored it.
So why didn't a reporter ask him about the 20 other accusers?
And exactly why did he pay off Stormy Daniels?
30
@Don
I was wondering the same thing. Not that he would have dignified the question with an answer anyone could understand.
Wow. He reminded me of people you'd see at the Port Authority in the 70's talking to no-one and hope they had some sort of support system somewhere.
But this man is the president.
95
It sounded like a ruder Goodfellas but there are really no words. Certainly nowhere near Presidential.
16
Why was he not asked about the 25th Amendment: "Are you fit to be president? Please convince us that you are capable of fulfilling the requirements of your office?"
12
@Robert He was asked about it. He didn’t answer.
5
“People want fame, they want money, they want whatever.”
Given that he’s never met the women making these accusations, he can only make this statement based on his own understanding of the world, his own wants, his own decision-making history. This may be the most honest statement of his life.
20
Yes, Mr. Trump. Six years ago Dr. Ford told several friends, her therapist, husband and family members that she was assaulted by Kavanaugh because she knew this day would come. She wanted fame and fortune and the Democrats engineered it all.
Brilliant!
Except her life is in a shambles, she's hiding and trying to protect her family from right-wing zealots who threaten her life. I think she would rather have her quiet and productive life back in Palo Alto. Except she is a patriot who understands the concepts of integrity and service to country even when it comes at an enormous cost.
107
I watched him say the US will stay out of your nation’s policies but you must stay out of ours. Then hardly pausing for breath he began telling country after country how bad their policies are and how they better change them or else the US will punish them. I had to turn off the tv at that point.
39
Today set a new record for most rambling, disjointed news conference ever. The level of narcissism and number of self-contradictory statements were beyond belief, even after 20 months of this man's ranting.
Did John Kelly purposely let him keep going so we could all see what White House staff are dealing with from day to day?
90
Trump tells it like he sees it. We got so accustomed to hearing Democrats in power only saying what they wanted us to think and never saying what they really thought about anything.
But this man lets us in on exactly how he sees things.
We can't wait for 11/6/18!
6
@L'osservatore you, and Trump voters, seem to have no abiltiy to detect BS when you hear it..He doesn't answer questions, he doesnt speak sentences.Who can possibly be fooled by such an obvious charlatan? Every word he speaks is designed to deceive, obfuscate, put off reality.. Why do you not see that? just the voice intonations are so disgusting - so obviously the sentence intonations of a liar..Don't you have liars in your life that you recognize as liars, or is a liar s something new in your life
23
@L'osservatore -- Watch Trump's press conference. Read a transcript. Trump has dyslexia about reality.
4
@L'osservatore'
And he sees it as would a mad man.
6
" Because I've had a lot of false charges against me ". Yes. But certainly not as many as the TRUE charges. Kavanaugh is the perfect choice for Trump. A JUDGE that desperately needs an alibi. Seriously.
42
If there is one person in this country that knows something about "con jobs" and lying, it is our president Donald J. Trump.
There is no one that can do it as good as he does.
The only real question is will this committee treat Ford with respect or will they allow her to be berated by their lawyer?
20
This latest exhibition by way of a news conference was simply too frightening for me to watch. Trump's turning into Captain Queeg, for God's sake!
Someone needs to throw a butterfly net over our president. As for Senate Republicans, Nov. 6 can't come fast enough. Kavanaugh is a joke and the more he protests about how he's practically virginal and horrified by these accusations, the more guilty he looks to me.
99
Hail to the rolling Dumpster-Fire-In-Chief !
“ only the best sexual assaulters, thieves, liars, crooks, creeps and cretins....”
November 6 2018
Vote !
174
I think its important to remain neutral until we can be totally sure on whether or not Kavanaugh actually is guilty because as it stands we can't be completely sure.
7
@Alfredo M.
Yes--let's all be fair and neutral, following the example of the GOP Senate who declined to even give Merrick Garland a hearing. Funny thing--no women came forward accusing Garland of sexual assault. Perhaps that's why the GOP killed his nomination--he wasn't "manly" enough.
14
@Alfredo M.
We don't need to be completely sure. This is a job interview. Do you expect someone to get a job if the interviewer suspects they committed crimes and and are lying about it? I wouldn't. I'd expect them to throw out their application and look for someone else.
If it were a fair and open job posting, that is. We know it's not and that the interview is just a formality.
14
@Alfredo M. It's not a criminal case of guilt or innocence. It's essentially a job interview for one of the most important jobs in this nation. Do rules of evidence for confirmation hearings? Remember, OJ was found not guilty in a criminal trial and then found liable in a civil trial.
9
My God. I just watched his entire press conference. There is something seriously wrong with Donald Trump. "Talky, talky, talky, talky. No more talky." -Billy Madison
241
@Wow, You're better than me. I can't watch one more minute of him live. I"ll read the recaps.
19
@Wow:
This has been abundantly clear since well before his election.
Welcome to reality.
3
I survived seeing some of that news conference on WNBC here. Ye gods, "covfefe", at least FINISH EACH SENTENCE when you go off on a wacky mess of spoken lies and assorted yakety-yak.
No matter; I'll vote to ensure you'll get a chance to finish one more. It'll be a sentence that won't require grammar or reading skills—just daily subminimum-wage labor. (13th Amendment loophole and all.)
48
After the violence in Charlottesville Donald Trump said he wanted to wait until all the facts were in before he denounced the white supremacists
But now he has zero hesitation to denounce these women speaking up about their traumatic experiences.
There is a word for that.
142
Trump and his minion’s goal is to pit women against men. Plain and simple. When he’s tired of stoking those fires, he’ll return to race-baiting. Then he’ll take aim at our LGBTQ families....etc, etc., etc.
47
Because he's never engaged in that kind of behavior!
17
Every country in the World is laughing at the madman in the White House. We are witnessing a person that is completely unhinged. Trump is pretending to have an understanding of issues critical to the United States and the World, he's clueless.
199
@Stephan No it's not that he's clueless. It's that he couldn't care less whether he's making it up, or whether you know he's lying. He throws mud on the wall and doesn't care how much of it is going to stick. He knows that it doesn't have to.
All we can hope at this point is that the old saying that pride comes before the fall still holds true. And that "the fall" won't hurt too much.
4
Con job. What is the “con” Trump is referencing? Is he saying that the Democrats got together with these women and somehow convinced them to lie? He says Chuck Schumer and the Democrats are laughing behind closed doors. Exactly why would they be laughing?
I get so frustrated at these Press Conferences sometimes, but I have to remember that they’re dealing with his paranoid, disordered mind, and it’s hard to keep up.
And the laughter at the UN was good natured joking and they were all laughing together. Oh, yeah. I remember it that way, too....
102
“They” will not be speaking as Grassley, et al will only let Christine Blasey Ford testify
16
...and he is our President. Heaven help us.
92
I witnessed with horror this presser by Trump at the UN, much the way you can't stop watching a car crash. Rambling indeed, as Trump showed the world just how delusional he is, at rare length. A few takeaways, from the President who stands strongly by his fantastic, multiply-accused of sexual asault nominee and choir boy. To wit; the UN was laughing WITH him, his brain is quite enormous (encephalopathy may explain much!) AND he gets that women are quite angry... about how Kavanaugh is being treated so outrageously. Pretty sure I could hear all the face palming off camera.
153
@Sal A. Shuss I particularly liked how he said they were laughing about something completely different than they actually were!
4
Trump claims that all of the accusations from the women he allegedly assaulted are false?
I wish someone would've asked him about the women he bragged about assaulting in the Access Hollywood tape.
Trump seemed awfully proud of his actions while giggling with Billy Bush.
51
I swear at the beginning of the news conference he was just as incoherent and rambling as I've ever seen him. It was frightening.
241
@Jeffrey Lazar
Trump's meltdown was epic and historic. Make no mistake, it was jaw dropping! I wasn't sure if Trump was overly medicated or just being himself.
6
If they're false charges, Mr. Trump, then why did you brag about sexual assault to Billy Bush?
It's so disappointing to have a president like this. It goes beyond politics or policy - it's about basic human decency.
245
Exactly..his very existence as our President is so incredibly depressing that it puts a pall over my entire daily life. No matter what is going on there is always that nagging feeling in the background that something is seriously and tragically wrong. Luckily I have a wonderful family that counters that to a point. I will never forgive those that voted for or support this horrid, disgusting man nor will I ever allow them to be in my company. How dare they do this to our Country
Not fit to be president.
It is obvious. He is getting worse. His lies more blatant, his delusion more delusional.
Both Trump and Kavanaugh should be investigated for sexual assault. We deserve better than this.
321
@S B. He's not fit to run a lemonade stand. Can you imagine any company employing someone like this?
1
He sounded like one of your Junior High social studies teachers who when asked about the Civil War talked about his dog, old socks and his last vacation for the rest of the period.
144
@Tom Anderson hey! Us Jr High teachers really resent that comment. We may go on and on about personal experiences but we don't sound anything like Trump.
16
Imagine that. A sexual assaulter and con artist aggressively accusing women of being part of a con-job to protect another sexual assaulter.
221
This press conference was a tour de force. Trump is to the English language as Charlie Parker is to music. That he riffs on thoughts is a given, but he's doing more than that. He's making it up as he goes along. You can see it in the briefest of moments as he searches for the right thing to say. And if can't find it, he just repeats himself until he does find it. It's genius of a sort. This is a beautiful example of "the fast talker".
But behind the brilliance is something much more sinister. For instance, when tried to explain about the laughter at the UN, he tells us first what he was saying. He says he went into a detailed litany about the unemployment figures for all sorts of different demographic, number by number. And then a few other things, which I've forgotten. But then he gets to the laughter and claims that they were laughing with him, as if to suggest they were joyful with him for the good unemployment figures. And then he claims that when he said he didn't expect that it was because he didn't expect the appreciation.
What he really said of course was, "In less than two years my administration has accomplished more than almost any administration in history of our country." He states this matter of factly with out much of a smile, and then nervous laughter starts slowly at first and then defensively his "It's so true". Then the general laughter louder this time. And he makes an embarrassed single huff of a laugh.
That's sharing joy about unemployment figures?
51
@Jim Cricket, "Trump is to the English language as Charlie Parker is to music." Really? That is such an insult to Charlie Parker, who was a musical genius. Trump is no language genius, nor is he a genius of any sort. He's an entertainer; he doesn't belong in the White House. His brain is bent. He has no intellectual curiosity. His vocabulary is limited, hence the word salad on full display at tonight's press conference.
6
Charlie Parker blew that sax like it was part of his body, it was his soul, his blood ran right through the brass and the keys. To sully Charlie Parker with Donald Trump is something I don’t understand. Trump is an abomination, his use of language repels me, Charlie Parker was one of the finest musicians to have graced our planet and he left us the gift of his music. I have no comment on what Trump may be leaving us.
5
@ScottC @CD
I know who Charlie Parker was and I know he was a musical genius. If the metaphor offends you, I'm sorry. Then just replace "Charlie Parker" with "jazz improviser". I understand the limits of metaphor, and comparing music to speech is tenuous at best. But the gist of what I meant holds true. Trump is speaking on an extemporaneous basis, and to just suggest he is "bent" doesn't get to the bottom of what he's doing.
I fully believe in the old fairy tales that say you must understand the evil to get the better of it. You need to understand what is going on. And I submit again that Trump knows exactly what he is doing. Maybe not as creatively as Charlie Parker, or a jazz improviser, but you could still notate his speech and find similarities.
CD says it is "word salad" but I submit that like Charlie Parker, Trump knows what he is doing. Any fast talking salesman does. Trump isn't after convincing someone like either of you, or me. He's trying make it both complex and simple at the same time. Complex in that you can't quite ever follow him. (Just like any improviser, he is one step ahead of you.) So if you're an unthinking person, you easily surrender to it. Simple in that he wants you to believe the world view is as black and white as he suggests.
1
If the accusations are "all false," how could Trump be persuaded by any testimony? Well, of course he was never receptive to the possibility that the allegations were true, anyway. If Trump were open minded, he would not have said that Dr. Ford and her parents would have taken the assault to the police long ago.
131
@NM
Mr.. Trump is all too familiar with the assault accusations. Familiarity breeds contempt. No pun.
1
@NM Because if there's one core belief Donald Trump holds, it's that TV Is Real.
No one is laughing and anger has swept over the nation leading me to believe this confirmation must be abandoned to stop any further damage to society. There is more to this than Trump, Congress and Kavanaugh.
I firmly believe, risking ridicule, that a Republican Coup is taking place backed by arms.
24
Trump very quickly veered away from questions to bring up women who had accused him of sexual assaults and the money they had been paid. He claimed George Washington (who enjoyed a 40-year marriage with Martha) would be turned down by Democrats.
Three accusers with a fourth one surfacing.
Only an investigation can clarify this situation, not a defense from Trump or questions of the victim by a prosecutor.
The strange case of Republicans whom Trump claimed would support him if he shot someone on Fifth Avenue and who are determinedly ignoring the multiple accusations of sexual assaults and heavy drinking is beginning to look like the mystery of the dog that didn't bark in the night.
22
What a rambling, nearly incoherent performance President Trump gave this afternoon. In my opinion he deflected the conversation away from Kavanaugh and back to the possibility of invoking the 25th Amendment.
155
It's simply horrifying this man is the President of United States. If he were the head of any public company, he'd be booted out by the board. For a variety of reasons, the Republicans hang in, but those chickens will come home to roost eventually. But one thing is sure- Republicans can never claim to have moral authority, or expect to be believed when they talk about "family values." As the adage goes, power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
111
“People want fame, they want money, they want whatever. "
That he thinks justice is "whatever" speaks volumes.
84
Simply apply what Trump claims are his enemy's motivations to him and you can see how toxic narcissism works. Democratic senators aren't laughing or propagating a "con-job." But someone is.
37
“It’s possible they will be convincing.”
- Trump
Does he mean Kavanaugh and Blasey Ford?
I thought he already believed Blasey Ford?
5
So he's exactly as loyal to facts as to people.
“I can be persuaded.”
We shall see, Mr. President, we shall see....
4
Donald Trump just talked to his base, so he hedged a bit on withdrawing the nomination and firing Rod Rosenstein. I remember Richard Nixon being less confrontational and more sympathetic as the end of his Presidency was near.
10
I see. So the allegations "are all false," but he can be convinced otherwise by the testimony. So it's like the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland: "Sentence first -- verdict afterward."
50
What more do we need to see to realize that Donald Trump should be removed from office immediately?
These are not the actions of a president - this is a middle-school bully throwing a tantrum. This is a petty tyrant out of his depth. The Republican Party has shown itself to be no better. They aren't reining him in - they're enabling him.
Watching this spectacle, it's easy to see why people welcome military coups - they just want the madness to stop.
This will not end well.
173
@Larry Roth "his will not end well." These are prophetic words, indeed! I am worried too as to how this will end. I have been here for 48 years and am a citizen for 40 years but I have never seen such degradation of our institutions.
2
Who are the "they" Trump refers to? There is only one woman being allowed to speak at the hearing. His party are doing all they can to silence the other 2 (so far) accusers, so who, exactly, is he hoping he's going to be listening to tomorrow?
27
I can assure you, resident Trump, Democratic senators are not laughing. Nor are your 350,000 bosses laughing at their incompetent employee. There is no laughter regarding your administration, unless it's from the U.N.
To coin a phrase, you're fired.
41
No, Trump, democrats are not “laughing behind closed doors” as this is no laughing matter. Tearing down a misogynist culture of sexual violence - a culture you promote and perpetuate in word and action daily - is serious work. Thankfully the dems are taking it seriously. The con job falls squarely with your administration and the Republicans who have withheld hundreds of thousands of pages of documents, refuse to engage an impartial investigation, and blame Ford for not responding quickly enough to their immediate and arbitrary demands. I am sickened by this charade of Justice. Kavanaugh repeatedly calls for a fair process yet knows as a judge that a fair process would involve an FBI investigation, not an interview on Fox TV. McConnell, Grassley, and the Repubs are the ones continuing to wink at and rib each other by getting away with stealing one S.C. seat and proceeding to hijack another. They tarnish the sanctity of the democratic structures we have respected for more than 2 centuries. I’m aghast that somehow they are able to get away with it. What a travesty for women and for our nation.
128
@Louise Extremely moving and cogent piece. The only way to arrest this slide is to take both the Houses in the November election.
This was, once again, an embarrassing performance by Mr Trump. If this is Trump winning for America, then yes, I'm tired of winning.
70
"All false?" From a man who doesn't understand truth in the most basic sense of the word--and who has lied repeatedly about women who said they had affairs with him--his veracity on this subject is risible. The fact that Brett Kavanaugh was always a gentleman around Trump and others is like a Wells Fargo branch manager who says of a serial bank robber, "He didn't stick me up, so he's gotta be innocent!"
26
Does Trump understand that these off the wall remarks, "All False" "Can be convinced by testimony" hurt Kavanaugh.
If he had the business acumen he says he has, he'd make a statement endorsing the Judiciary Committee and it's thorough vetting process, and if it takes longer, ok, just get it right.
But then again, we're dealing with someone whose business skills are honed on lying, and cheating his contractors, so guess there's not a chance he'll change.
60
Wow! I watched as much of this news conference as I could handle. In my 62 years as a citizen of this country I have never seen such a display of misplaced hubris and cluelessness from an American President. Astonishing.
214
Cannot wait for tomorrow. When they finally vote to confirm Kavanagh and stop this charade
1
@Wilfrido Freire You will have to wait, at least until Friday, that's when the vote is scheduled. How nice for you to know the tally in advance. It's an area of conservative expertise, I guess.
2
Good Lord! If I had tuned in to this news conference spectacle and heard Trump without knowing he was the President, I would have thought him an escaped Carnival Barker from a 4th rate Tent Show.
285
@DHC "Carnival Barkers" are generally people with sound moral fibre" Therein lies the difference between them an Trump.
5
@DHC
He IS an escaped Carnival Barker. Unfortunately, it appears that enough of the voting public wanted a circus. Now we have one. Complete with clowns and a constant sideshow.
3
@DHC
He was laughed at at the UN so now he thinks he's the best comedian ever!
3