Andrea Mitchell says McConnell is bluffing and doesn't have the votes to confirm Kavanaugh

[DonViejo]

[dchill]

1. Really.

[beachbum bob]

2. not rocket science to predict that as ZERO democrats will support now AND at least 4 GOP'ers

will demand a proper investigation into the Kavanaugh mess BEFORE committing to support. So the nomination is pretty much dead and a excellent likelihood that kavanaugh will be prosecuted in Maryland AND impeached off the Federal Bench.

Total ineptness by Trump and Republicans they can not run away from

[OnDoutside]

3. AND Dr Ford seems so believable.

[Honeycombe8]

4. I'm not hanging my hat on that. There are conservative Democrats who have a past record....

of voting Republican, even when we thought they wouldn't. Like Manchin.

I also don't forget that Clarence Thomas would NOT have been confirmed, had it not been for 11 Democrats who voted for him. I don't think the world has changed that much for conservatives, who look back wistfully at the 1950s as a great era. The views of some of them are that EVEN IF TRUE, that doesn't mean they wouldn't do a good job. They see it as unrelated to their job.

[beachbum bob]

5. 1991 was 1991, conservstive democrats need cover to say "NO" and now they have it

the basic fact is, if GOP can't muster 100% support by their Senators, doesn't matter. Even Muchin will say no...at this point probably with an * of...wait until an investigation is done and we can have some due diligence on the matter at hand.

[Honeycombe8]

6. I hope so. But they haven't said that, so we don't know. The Repubs can miss one vote...

I think they have 51 Repubs in the Senate. Pence makes 52. So they can miss getting one Repub vote. I believe that's correct.

If even one Democrat votes to confirm, that's all she wrote.

Corker, who is leaving the Senate and so has no reason to feel the pressure from McConnell (and that pressure is mighty), is a YES to confirm. Flake hasn't committed, last I heard. Murkowski & Collins haven't committed, but their statements have given me reason to be concerned. If they want to stay in the Senate, they will feel the pressure from McConnell, who may pull their committee appts, if they are the reason Kavanaugh isn't confirmed.

If several Repubs don't vote, then it's hard for McConnell to blame any one Senator for causing him not to be confirmed. If it's only two, those two Repubs may have to leave the Senate.

[The_Counsel]

8. Pence Only Breaks Ties, Though....

...The only way the VP even gets a vote is if it's 50:50. If they have 51 already Kavanaugh is confirmed and Pence wouldn't even have to go near the Senate Building.

BTW...FUCK McConnell and that damn "nuclear option." They would need more like 60 votes to confirm if not for that.

[rtracey]

9. hmmmmmm

Im not sure about WV Manchin... never count on him

[ffr]

7. I take anything Andrea Mitchell says with a grain of salt. She helped put us here.