ONE WEEK?!

Teams get two weeks to prep for Super Bowl.

At the risk of playing party-pooper or spoiler, I am not impressed by Arizona R-Senator Jeff Flake’s “courageous” decision last Friday, when he requested delaying the Senate floor vote on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

Where has Flake – and the other Republican senators – been? It should not have taken accusations by three credible women, all of whom I believe, to seriously consider rejecting Kavanaugh.

Kavanaugh perjured himself in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee on multiple occasions, as he also did in 2004 and 2006 when testifying for a coveted positioned on the D.C. Circuit Court. Kavanaugh should have been outright rejected before anyone heard the name Dr. Christine Blasey-Ford.

Flake is a bit slippery. He initially called for a limited FBI investigation. Limited in scope, i.e. current allegations, and limited in time, “not more than one week.” Huh? Only when pushback developed did Flake retreat and say he was open to the FBI having an open investigation, although still having to be completed within one week.

Flake is less courageous and more chickenshit.

Profiles in courage

Real courage, as we witnessed last Friday, was delivered by Dr. Blasey-Ford who testified nervously, and calmly, about what she alleges (and I believe) transpired during the summer of 1982.

Dr. Blasey-Ford’s accusation that Judge Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her, in the presence of and with help from his best friend Mark Judge, was credible, buffeted by her taking a professionally administered polygraph test and calling for the FBI to investigate her accusation.

Kavanaugh, as we also witnessed, did not testify calmly, instead revealing himself to be a disrespectful, belligerent, ham-handed, heavy drinking (the man likes beer), undisciplined bully and liar. It is no surprise Donald Trump claims he likes Kavanaugh, who at his core is a punk.

Other than drinking (Trump is on record saying he never drinks alcohol) Trump and Kavanaugh are veritable bosom buddies: bullies who’ve been credibly accused of sexual assault, have uncontrollable tempers, are narcissists, and are reflexive pathological liars.

Kavanaugh is a shifty character and had the audacity to float a conspiracy theory about the recent sexual assault allegations that made him appear – if not as mentally unstable as Trump – certainly as kooky as Infowars’ conspiracy-peddling Alex Jones.

And to think Kavanaugh would likely be in the Supreme Court wardrobe fitting room, trying on robes, if not for the last-second change of heart by Senator Flake.

Flake was challenged womano-a-mano, cornered by two women, on his way to Friday’s Senate Judiciary Committee vote. Thanks in part to the bravery and relentless persistence of these two protesters, both of whom are survivors of sexual assault, Flake amended his vote to include opening an FBI investigation into Dr. Blasey-Ford’s, Deborah Ramirez’ and Julie Swetnick’s allegations.

Flake recoiled, qualifying his committee “yes” vote that helped send Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Senate floor, by attaching a ‘rider’ requesting a one-week delay before the full-Senate vote. This forced Trump to authorize the FBI to re-open their background investigation of Kavanaugh.

Bottom rail on top

What felt to many like the eve of doomsday last Thursday evening flipped to euphoria by Friday afternoon.

Amidst it all, The Weekly Opine has not wavered and still believes Judge Kavanaugh will never become Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh. And if he does, he may not last as a lifetime appointment.

And, The Weekly Opine still insists the Big Day is not whatever day the Senate decides to vote on Kavanaugh. The Big Day remains November 6, when all voting-age Americans get to exercise their right to vote.

Flake, who was also inspired by and collaborated with his Democrat senator friend Chris Coons, was hailed a hero. For good measure, he elicited support from Republican senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins for an FBI investigation as well.

But here is where caution needs to prevail as it relates to the canonization of Flake. Yes, a one-week FBI investigation is better than nothing. However, with the stakes being lifetime tenure on the Supreme Court, a real truth-seeker, which Flake is not, would have argued for a delay constrained only by how long the FBI needs to conduct their investigation.

If the FBI finishes the investigation, not constrained by the artificial time limit, in one week, great. If they need two weeks (or longer), also great. The point is, the floor vote should happen whenever the FBI, at their own pace, concludes a thorough, complete investigation.

We need only look to one of America’s favorite pastimes, sports, for guidance.

When the teams that will represent the National Football Conference and American Football Conference in the Super Bowl are determined, the NFL allows the teams two weeks to prepare for the Big Game.

NCAA hoops’ March Madness lasts nearly three weeks.

The World Series, if it goes seven games, lasts nearly two weeks.

The NBA Finals, which seem to carry on for a month, lasts about two weeks if all seven games are played.

The greatest motor sports race in the world, the Indy 500, gives drivers two weeks to prepare.

Horse racing’s Triple Crown covers five weeks, starting with the Kentucky Derby and ending with the Belmont Stakes.

If comparatively trivial matters, like the Super Bowl, are in no rush then democracy-defining (and life-altering) decisions like voting on a lifetime tenure Supreme Court nominee should not be rushed either.

Wax wings

For Trump, tweeting has become his wings made of feather and wax. Too often Trump tweets, then reality sets in and his wings melt. Like Greek mythology’s Icarus, Trump splashes into the sea of “look how stupid I am.”

Case in point, Trump’s tweets about Nike after they revealed a new marketing campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick. Trump predicted doom-and-gloom for Nike while his minions, many of whom seem incapable of taking the time to think for themselves, burned their Nike gear. Meanwhile, Nike’s market value increased by $6 billion dollars. Splash!

Previously, Trump tweeted Jeff Flake is a “flake” and “toast” and “toxic.” Now when he desperately needs Flake to save the nomination of Kavanaugh, who has been transparent about his willingness to help Trump fend off the Mueller investigation, Flake sticks it to Trump. Splash!

Video don’t lie

As Chicagoans and anyone aware of the murder trial of Chicago cop Jason Van Dyke know, the video does not lie. Video lives in perpetuity. And there lies South Carolina R-Senator Lindsey Graham’s problem.

Graham’s unhinged, madman-like (and ignorant) rant during Thursday’s hearing will live in infamy. The top image consultants in the world cannot repair the indelible mark left behind, on video, of a crazed Graham shrieking for the world to see.

From now on, it only takes a couple clicks on YouTube and Graham’s performance, inspired by Kavanaugh, Trump or both, is available as a reminder of what has happened to the Republican party.

Speculation that Graham is auditioning for the attorney general job if/when Trump fires Jeff Sessions may or may not be correct. Whatever the cause, Graham has turned into another cowering enabler of Trump, joining the likes of Republican senators “Lyin’” Ted Cruz, “Little Marco” Rubio, “What’s he doing here” Rand Paul, the devil incarnate Mitch McConnell, wimpy Bob Corker and foot wipe Paul Ryan.

Plan B

As pointed out last week, Kavanaugh should have declined to testify and withdrew his name from consideration. Now, his family is in for more hell and his name and legacy will be tarnished even further. It is entirely possible Kavanaugh could be brought up on perjury charges.

If, The Weekly Opine is wrong and he is confirmed to the Supreme Court, it is also possible he could be impeached and removed from the court, pending the election outcome on November 6 and in the fall of 2020.

Thanks for the delay Jeff Flake. More than just re-opening the FBI investigation, you’ve given Trump and Kavanaugh, if they are smart enough to seize it, time to get their exit strategy in place before what, under normal circumstances, would be a failing Senate floor vote ever takes place.

Douglas FreelandOctober 2, 2018