I'm always amazed when stuff like this, totally predictable stuff like this, catches liberals by surprise. I've never known a conservative to be caught by surprise at the liberal reaction to events like these, but that's because every conservative I know spends most of their time if not actually around liberal people, at least absorbing liberal media (it's unavoidable). Liberals have a much bigger blind spot when it comes to conservatives than conservatives do when it comes to liberals, and it helps to know your enemy...

I'm seeing the end of this comment @2: "Liberals have a much bigger blind spot when it comes to conservatives than conservatives do when it comes to liberals, and it helps to know your enemy..."

I'm reading this reference to the "enemy" and I'm reminded of a quote from Sen. Jeff Flake that appears in a recent NY Times op-ed column from Tom Friedman: “We Republicans have given in to the terrible tribal impulse that first mistakes our opponents for our enemies. And then we become seized with the conviction that we must destroy that enemy.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/02/opinion/the-american-civil-war-part-ii.html

You really want to see a motivated GOP base?.... Let the Senate fail to confirm Kavanaugh so that Trump can nominate him a second time and this whole thing can play out again through the actual midterms. Democrats misplayed this hand.

Its kind of amazing to think that liberals have so much power that they even control the behavior of Republican voters. Like "oh, if only you Liberals had left poor Brett Kavanaugh alone, you could have had congress. Now you're all hoist by your own petard". This yarn is an evergreen favorite, forsooth.

It probably bears mentioning that Republicans do not need any Democratic votes to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Not a single one! And yet somehow they wove this demented story for themselves when all this fiasco is the Democrats fault.

What a world.

@3
I don't think that Jeff Flake is the future of the Republican party... But I think he is onto the only truly bipartisan "truth" in America. The "terrible tribal impulses" of both sides are destroying us. As Katie points out "Of course, most liberals don't have conservative friends (and vice versa)."

"Of course".... That should trouble us all.

@6:

We may not have conservative friends, but we have conservative family members (and vice versa), and that's plenty enough as it is.

@5
Democrats probably still get Congress. A couple weeks ago they probably had the Senate (and the judicial confirmation process). Not so much so now. Which could mean two more years of conservative Constitutionalist judges (and maybe another Justice... RBG ain't getting any younger...) being confirmed to the bench.

Congress is always third prize...

@11
God.... I hope so.

As has been recently pointed out, the Republicans thrive off of hate and visiting pain upon their believed enemies. Ford was an uppity woman academic elite. They thrilled to Orange Anus mocking her and other rape survivors.

They will come out in force to help the Republicans in their slow motion coup because the Republicans have promised to cause harm for them. There will not be a Blue Wave.

@13
Your hate is showing.... You seem to be thriving off of it.

...and? What the fuck are we supposed to do? Let an absolutely terrible, unqualified (rich white male) candidate win a lifetime appointment to the highest court in the land without fighting it? What the fuck?! You wanna know why conservatives have won so often over the past few decades? Sure, a lot of it's 'cuz they cheat or at least game the system. And a lot of it's 'cuz the system's always been set up to favor the rural/slave-owning states. But the main reason is 'cuz they fucking fight for what they believe in. What they believe is terrible stuff, but the point is, voters like fighters. The fighters might not win every single election but they win the majority of them. So when it's a case like this, where the right side is really easy to see? You fight for it, even if it hurts you in the short term. (Which it won't.)

I'm with @15. Also, remember when Republicans got together pretty much the day after the country resoundingly elected Barrack Obama and openly colluded to obstruct the democratic process for the next eight years? Not because it was good, or fair, or part of upholding their values ... but because they were buttsore about not winning. Nevermind they lost because their side destroyed the economy and wasted trillions on wars designed to get them and their buddies rich.

And now they get a little, tiny taste of obstruction (but not really since they have the majority), and they cry like babies. Oh it's so unfair to them!

Reminds me of the deficit. You don't hear boo about it when Repubs are in power... but they howl about it non-stop when a Dem's in office. It's beyond stale.

I’m perplexed by the arguments. We all drank like fish, well most of us, and other things in collage. I think it’s important to point out he lied about that, to the Senate. But why hasn’t the conversation focused about his actual testimony??!!!! He is actually lying to congress and the nation about his drinking. That’s one thing. So what. The worst is his demeanor for the rest.

Calling out Democrats( the Clintons and more) as coming after him??!!! That is some one who can NOT be Objective. His testimony showed that he is partisan. A person like that should not be on our highest court. I may be al liberal hack but I still respect the hope for balance.
I believe in a libral and conservative reality. I think it is healthy. I also believe a third party should have a voice. But why is the focus on his drinking? Fuck that!!!!

Replay his testimony and he has proven to be vindictive, partisan and a self-serving boo hoo
I’m the victim….. Bullshit!! That alone should cancel him out no matter where you are political…

Yeah people seem to forget Trumptard won via electoral college. There is no electoral college in congressional races. The rabid hate filled base of this Jim Jones wannabe and his GOP regime believe they have more numbers than they do. 3 million more people voted for HRC than Trump. Trump won a fraction of the voters in 2016. Midterms bring out a fraction of the fraction that vote in presidential elections. We'll see who has the blind spot and who shows up in November. People are angry and it's not MAGA hat wearers who think their leader is doing a great job and showing dem libruls what's what.

@18: xina, you just plain fucking ROCK for being so spot on!

The elephant's butt ugly truth has become inescapably revealed and so many of us won't stand for it. It's quite an obvious sign when the usual blindsided trolls are suddenly quiet and too chickenshit to come forward to worship their Criminal-in-Chief and its minions---or admit that they were duped again by RepubliKKKans.

I have tried to watch the raging heads on Fox. The shit they say and how they spew it either pushes me to wanting to smash or completely sick to my stomach and needing to literally vomit.

Conservatives are much more aware of Liberals than the other way around, particularly here in Seattle. Liberals think they don't really know any Conservatives, it's likely you're very wrong.

I know a number of closet Conservatives in a number of my circles. Most of them are LGBTQ, which is interesting. They would ever admit it openly.

I think it's interesting watching most Liberal think types I'm friends with react to my nuanced views, even though I consider my views to mostly occupy a moderate progressive place.

Just because there were 3 million more votes for Hillary, that doesn't necessarily translate into winning House and/or Senate seats. I've voted Democratic my entire voting life. Thinking about sitting this one out.

Kavanaugh is going to end up on the Bench. Advice and Consent. If you don't like it, change the Constitution. I would prefer someone else, but the hard fact is we are going to have a slightly more Conservative bench for another generation; the Left has squandered the opportunity as usual.

I think part of the reason Conservatives are much better at harnessing political power is they are more organized, and determined. I also think the U.S. in the aggregate leans right of center.

All the gnashing, and wringing of hands about Hillary not wining is kinda funny. Hillary was right of center on a number of big policy issues such as the military, and military policy overseas. She would have been Obama 2.0.

@22 You are correct. As a conservative since high school, I've learned that if you want to have friends just act apathetic towards politics.

@22 & 23,
Excellent points. I do believe Conservatives especially in Seattle are unlikely to reveal their political orientation. They don't tend to be outspoken. They may nod and engage in careful nuanced conversation but they don't disclose their orientation.

It's not necessarily because of safety (Seattleites are very civil) but there probably wouldn't be any real civil exchange of views. This is largely because Seattle is a very Liberal town and has been for quite a while and is arguably, far more activist/advocate oriented than other US cities.

@25 Even a moderate like myself can get into some sticky discussions in Seattle. For the most part I don't hold back though because if someone wants to have a conversation with me they are going to get one. To me it's not about battling, it's about sharing ideas.

Really wish Conservative Seattleites would be more outspoken because it gets boring listening to Leftist think. The Leftist soapboxery is strong here.

@26,
Indeed, I rarely back down from a civilized conversation. And ranters from any angle are irritating. I too, think it would be boring incessantly talking with my 'bandwagon'. I wouldn't learn anything.

FWIW, I've been on SLOG for 10 years and have disclosed that I am right-of-center. I think I've engaged with Sloggers fairly well. Many are bright and civil.

I'm glad I'm on it.

@22
Most Seattle conservatives are in the closet. I certainly am. As a gay man who spent the first 1/2 of my life in the closet, I’m pretty practiced at that skill. Oddly enough, I’m closeted about my politics in Seattle for exactly the same reasons and fears I was closeted about my sexuality outside of Seattle. Hateful bigots come in all shapes, sizes and sects.