Senate moderates criticise Trump for mocking Kavanaugh accuser

[webfact]

Senate moderates criticise Trump for mocking Kavanaugh accuser

By Amanda Becker and Richard Cowan

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump addresses supporters during a Make America Great Again rally in Southaven, Mississippi, U.S. October 2, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Three moderate Republicans who could be pivotal in determining whether the Senate confirms U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh criticized President Donald Trump on Wednesday for mocking a woman who has accused the judge of sexual assault.

 

Senators Jeff Flake, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski were among the lawmakers who objected to Trump's comments regarding Christine Blasey Ford, a university professor from California who detailed her sexual assault allegation against Kavanaugh at an extraordinary Senate Judiciary Committee hearing last week.

 

The No. 2 Senate Republican, John Cornyn, said the FBI's report on sexual misconduct allegations against Kavanaugh could be given to senators as soon as Wednesday, amid concerns among Democrats about the thoroughness of the probe. The Senate's Republican leaders are planning a vote on Kavanaugh this week.

 

At a political rally in Mississippi on Tuesday night, Trump mocked Ford's testimony about the alleged assault in Maryland in 1982 when she was 15 and Kavanaugh was 17.

 

Ford testified that she could not remember the precise date or location of the alleged assault or how she got home afterward, but offered a detailed account of the incident in which she said a drunken Kavanaugh pinned her down, tried to remove her clothing and covered her mouth when she screamed.

 

"What neighbourhood was it in? I don't know. Where's the house? I don't know. Upstairs, downstairs, where was it? I don't know. But I had one beer. That's the only thing I remember," Trump, who was himself accused during the 2016 presidential race of sexual misconduct with numerous women, said in his imitation of Ford's testimony.

 

"And a man's life is in tatters," Trump added.

 

Flake told NBC's "Today" show that "there's no time and no place for remarks like that, that discuss something this sensitive at a political rally."

 

"I wish he hadn't ... done it. I just say it's kind of appalling," Flake said.

 

Collins told reporters, "The president's comments were just plain wrong." She did not respond when asked if his comments would affect her vote on Kavanaugh's confirmation.

 

Asked whether Trump's comments would affect her vote, Murkowski told reporters, "I am taking everything into account. The president's comments yesterday mocking Dr. Ford were wholly inappropriate and, in my view, unacceptable."

 

Trump's fellow Republicans control the Senate by a 51-49 margin. That means if all the Democrats vote against Kavanaugh, Trump could not afford to have more than one Republican oppose his nominee, with Vice President Mike Pence casting a tie-breaking vote. So far, no Republicans have said they would vote against Kavanaugh.

 

'CLEAR MESSAGE'

Senator Dianne Feinstein, the committee's top Democrat, called Trump's comments "cruel," adding, "He sent a clear message to victims of sexual assault that they should not be believed."

 

A day after the hearing, Trump had called Ford "a very credible witness" who provided "very compelling" testimony.

 

Flake was instrumental in getting Trump last Friday to initiate an FBI investigation into the allegations against Kavanaugh, a conservative federal appeals court judge nominated by the president for a lifetime job on the top U.S. court. Kavanaugh has denied Ford's accusation as well as allegations by two other women, all dating from the 1980s.

 

Trump limited the investigation to no more than a week.

 

Republican Senator John Kennedy said the FBI report should be made public.

 

Opposition among Americans to Kavanaugh has increased in the wake of last week's hearing, Reuters/Ipsos polling data showed on Wednesday.

 

In the latest seven-day average in a survey of 4,057 U.S. adults, 41 percent of respondents opposed Kavanaugh, 33 percent supported him and 26 percent said they did not know. Opposition to Kavanaugh grew 4 percentage points after the hearing, apparently driven by people who previously were undecided.

 

In a Twitter post on Wednesday, Trump did not back away from his rally comments, instead attacking Kavanaugh's Democratic critics.

 

Trump said when he goes to political rallies, which are organised by Republicans, he sees that voters are angry at the "vicious and despicable" way Democrats are treating his nominee.

 

At a White House briefing, Trump's spokeswoman Sarah Sanders defended his remarks in Mississippi and said he was not concerned the comments may have endangered the votes of key senators.

 

"The president was stating the facts" about the gaps in Ford's recollection of the alleged incident, Sanders said.

 

The Kavanaugh confirmation battle comes against the backdrop of the #MeToo movement fighting sexual harassment and assault that has toppled a succession of powerful men. Voters will cast ballots in Nov. 6 elections in which Democrats are trying to seize control of Congress from Trump's party.

 

Several people with information related to the Kavanaugh allegations have said they tried in vain to speak with the FBI. Ford's lawyers said on Tuesday she offered full cooperation with the FBI but received no reply.

 

(Reporting by David Alexander and Richard Cowan; Additional reporting by Lisa Lambert, Amanda Becker, Nathan Layne and Lawrence Hurley; Editing by Will Dunham and Paul Tait)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-10-04

[Boon Mee]

Trump would be criticized if he came up with a cure for Cancer because that would put doctors out of work. 

Mocking an out and out fabricator such as Blasy Ford is very appropriate. 

[spidermike007]

I must admit I was utterly shocked when Tiny Don said Ford was a credible witness. It felt like the first tine in his presidency that he actually listened to advice, and showed some respect. Now, he quickly returns to his old form. He cannot help himself. His hatred, misogyny, lack of respect, lack of empathy and utter lack of kindness are so profound, so intense, that he cannot help but shoot himself in the foot, nearly every time he opens his foul mouth. He is a hater. What else can one say?

 

In my opinion Krazy Kav is more than likely guilty as charged. He just has that guilty white man smirk on his face. I truly hope he does not get confirmed. He is not supreme court caliber. 

[Chomper Higgot]

4 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

Trump would be criticized if he came up with a cure for Cancer because that would put doctors out of work. 

Mocking an out and out fabricator such as Blasy Ford is very appropriate. 

 

Alternatively (and in his own words).

 

”I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot someone, and I wouldn’t lose any voters’.

 

He wasn’t talking about ‘my people’, ‘his base’, people like you.

 

Trump isn’t going to come up with any cures for anything, but like a snake oil salesmen he’ll offer cures, and people like you will buy them.

[Cats4ever]

Most of what he said was bulldust. MSNBC did a mash up of what she said and what he said. Interesting. He is either mendacious or a fool (should that be both). I tied to find a link and failed; there are more connected people than me.

[BobBKK]

He said what we all know as fact. No evidence but let's wait the FBI report.

[Chomper Higgot]

2 minutes ago, BobBKK said:

He said what we all know as fact. No evidence but let's wait the FBI report.

 

These ‘facts’ of yours are based what (other than your own bias)?

[attrayant]

4 minutes ago, BobBKK said:

He said what we all know as fact. No evidence but let's wait the FBI report.

 

Why wait for the FBI report if you already have all the facts?  

[ballpoint]

Take a look at the clips of Ford and Kavanaugh testifying and decide who is the more credible.  

 

 

[Tug]

Compleatly disrespects the office of the presidency a true low life it’s amazing that all the coddling and gifts that man received in his life that this is how he turned out you sir are a cad and a disgrace to the country and the human race 

[DM07]

I really don't need this anymore.

Let's just agree, that the man is a POS!

I mean...let's all normal people agree!

Brainwashed Trumpeteers will just eat up all this BS with a bigly spoon!

[Bluespunk]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

 

At a political rally in Mississippi on Tuesday night, Trump mocked Ford

Cowardly, contemptable and a disgrace. 

[Bluespunk]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

I don't know. Upstairs, downstairs, where was it? I don't know.

Not true. She was very precise on which room. 

 

So liar as well as a coward. 

[Nyezhov]

He was merely pointing out the significant problems with her testimony, which would be of great importance in an evaluation of her credibility under US Law. 

[newatthis]

4 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

Trump would be criticized if he came up with a cure for Cancer because that would put doctors out of work

 because everyone knows he's a snake-oil salesman.

[Jingthing]

Sick president.
Sick fans.
Make it stop!


https://edition-m.cnn.com/2018/10/03/opinions/trump-blasey-ford-taunts-gop-midterms-tara-setmayer/index.html

As shocking as this may sound to many, it's consistent with Trump's paranoia that everyone is out to get him. Despite being credibly accused of sexual misconduct by more than a dozen women, his own history of misogyny, his own words on the infamous "Access Hollywood" tape, and the growing list of powerful men brought down by their sexual misconduct, we're supposed to believe Trump, and more broadly men, are the victims. Talk about gaslighting America.

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Ron19]

A troll flame post has been removed.

 

7) You will respect fellow members and post in a civil manner. No personal attacks, hateful or insulting towards other members, (flaming) Stalking of members on either the forum or via PM will not be allowed.

8.) You will not post disruptive or inflammatory messages, vulgarities, obscenities or profanities.

9) You will not post inflammatory messages on the forum, or attempt to disrupt discussions to upset its participants, or trolling. Trolling can be defined as the act of purposefully antagonizing other people on the internet by posting controversial, inflammatory, irrelevant or off-topic messages with the primary intent of provoking other users into an emotional response or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion.

[neeray]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

 

These ‘facts’ of yours are based what (other than your own bias)?

 

He has no respect for the FBI. Why would he believe their report?

The report outcome is a foregone conclusion anyway.

[Morch]

3 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

Trump would be criticized if he came up with a cure for Cancer because that would put doctors out of work. 

Mocking an out and out fabricator such as Blasy Ford is very appropriate. 

 

More like you'll go on cheer-leading Trump even if turned out he causes cancer. I doubt you would have expressed anything but faux indignation and outrage if someone of the other side would carry on like that. But it is amusing how things Trump does are hailed as either "non-PC" or "appropriate". Last, but not least, even if she was proven to be a "fabricator" - then by your own "standard" mocking and outing Trump, on a regular basis, would be "very appropriate" across multiple issues and topics.

[Morch]

1 hour ago, BobBKK said:

He said what we all know as fact. No evidence but let's wait the FBI report.

 

You do not speak for any "we". Certainly not for "all".

You don't seem to have much issues with Trump not waiting for the FBI report, obviously.

But do carry on about not being a supporter, by all means.

[Morch]

1 hour ago, Nyezhov said:

He was merely pointing out the significant problems with her testimony, which would be of great importance in an evaluation of her credibility under US Law. 

 

He wasn't "merely" anything. He was his usual abusive, ill mannered, self-serving person he is. His views and the way he presents them do not carry "great importance" as to evaluating the lady's credibility "under US Law".

[Srinivas]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I must admit I was utterly shocked when Tiny Don said Ford was a credible witness. It felt like the first tine in his presidency that he actually listened to advice, and showed some respect. Now, he quickly returns to his old form. He cannot help himself. His hatred, misogyny, lack of respect, lack of empathy and utter lack of kindness are so profound, so intense, that he cannot help but shoot himself in the foot, nearly every time he opens his foul mouth. He is a hater. What else can one say?

 

In my opinion Krazy Kav is more than likely guilty as charged. He just has that guilty white man smirk on his face. I truly hope he does not get confirmed. He is not supreme court caliber. 

krazy kav has not been charged.  accused without a shred of evidence or corroboration sure. 

[quandow]

11 minutes ago, Srinivas said:

 accused without a shred of evidence or corroboration sure. 

There sure have been plenty of former classmates singing the same song of what a party monster he was and not a ONE coming forth to validate his "choir boy" image. Where there's smoke . . .

[Srinivas]

I find it funny that Trump has been mocked from the beginning of his campaign and yet the outrage and over excitement when Trump mocks/summarizes the obvious lack of credible memory in Ford.

I for one enjoy his delivery.  

[Nyezhov]

12 minutes ago, Srinivas said:

I find it funny that Trump has been mocked from the beginning of his campaign and yet the outrage and over excitement when Trump mocks/summarizes the obvious lack of credible memory in Ford.

I for one enjoy his delivery.  

I personally dont. I think he is, basically, a blue collar dude that should tone it down a bit. That being said, to me, its the message, not the way its delivered. Obama was a egotistical great speaker that said basically nothing other than to praise himself, and got nothing done. Trump is a lewd, crude, egotistical poor speaker who gets stuff done. 

[Srinivas]

3 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

Trump would be criticized if he came up with a cure for Cancer because that would put doctors out of work. 

Mocking an out and out fabricator such as Blasy Ford is very appropriate. 

Barbara Striesand tweeted that Trump doesnt even own a dog. 

"He’s the first president in 130 years who hasn’t had a dog in the White House"

[DM07]

5 minutes ago, Srinivas said:

Barbara Striesand tweeted that Trump doesnt even own a dog. 

"He’s the first president in 130 years who hasn’t had a dog in the White House"

He has plenty of lap- dogs, though!

Eating up all the crazy, he drops every day!

[Jonnapat]

Trump mocking a brave woman and the crowd lapping it up.

Is it possible for a US President to sink any lower in his lust for total power?

[Jingthing]

7 minutes ago, Jonnapat said:

Trump mocking a brave woman and the crowd lapping it up.

Is it possible for a US President to sink any lower in his lust for total power?

Yes. Wait a week. 

[Thailand]

12 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Yes. Wait a week. 

Tomorrow!