Kavanaugh nomination update August 16, 2018

This nomination is not popular. It’s unfortunate that Supreme Court nominations have become so politicized but I blame McConnell for stealing a seat.

Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court has the lowest public support since Robert Bork in 1987, a new CNN poll finds https://t.co/lDhUe6G7lL

— CNN (@CNN) August 16, 2018

Brett Kavanaugh is the federal judge nominated to serve on the Supreme Court. Would you like to see the Senate vote in favor of Kavanaugh serving on the Supreme Court?
Yes 37%
No 40%
Unsure 22%
(CNN Poll, 8/9-12/18)
more: https://t.co/aEf7FA0Oi0

— PollingReport.com (@pollreport) August 16, 2018

CNN Poll: Brett Kavanaugh nomination has lowest public support since Robert Bork (@jennagiesta) https://t.co/er9ixnojkE

— OpinionToday.com (@OpinionToday) August 16, 2018

CNN POLL: Should Senate Vote to Confirm…
Yes No
Roberts in 05 59% 22%
Kagan in ‘10 54% 36%
Alito in ‘05 50% 25%
Gorsuch in ‘17 49% 36%
Sotomayor in ‘09 47% 40%
Kavanaugh now 37% 40%

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) August 16, 2018

Gave this another stab for you:
"I've been open to supporting Judge Kavanaugh but until we see all the records from his time in government, as is the norm for these lifetime appointments, I am unable to conduct the thorough review my constituents expect."https://t.co/UhqVdxExED

— Brian Fallon (@brianefallon) August 16, 2018

Republicans used to demand transparency for SCOTUS noms. Now they’re blocking nearly all of Judge Kavanaugh’s records from public release and trying to rush through his nomination. What are Republicans hiding? #ReleaseTheRecords https://t.co/qoiGxur01v

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) August 15, 2018

Since Republicans have chosen secrecy over transparency, Democrats issued a FOIA request to the National Archives, seeking the full gamut of Kavanaugh’s records, including from his time as Staff Secretary.

We stand ready to sue the Archives for his full records, if necessary.

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) August 16, 2018

Another reason Kavanaugh cannot take a seat on SCOTUS: his disregard for climate chaos. His “neutral” stance on the interpretation of environmental legislation cannot solve the sweeping problems we face. #TodaysClimateFact https://t.co/wnKpXqeMy6

— Senator Jeff Merkley (@SenJeffMerkley) August 15, 2018

Significant gender gap between men and women over Kavanaugh. Just 35% of women consider his views to be mainstream vs. 50% of men. And just 28% of women back Kavanaugh, compared to 47% of men. https://t.co/hUtAQyhDUg

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) August 16, 2018

Trump administration wants to eliminate protections for people with pre-existing conditions

The Trump administration will be arguing against mandatory coverage for pre-existing conditions.

New: Judge sets oral argument for Sept. 10 in closely-watched Texas lawsuit against ObamaCare, which Dems have made big part of their midterm/Kavanaugh arguments

— Peter Sullivan (@PeterSullivan4) August 14, 2018

Here is what the Trump side will be arguing to eliminate in the Oral arguments 60 days before the election. pic.twitter.com/5yQnpqPLoV

— Andy Slavitt (@ASlavitt) August 14, 2018

Santana at Woodstock

Santana’s performance of “Soul Sacrifice” in Woodstock is one of the highlights of the film (along with Sly and the Family Stone and Ten Years After).

Full of LSD, Santana gave the performance of their careers at Woodstock, 49 years ago today. pic.twitter.com/VbBSoVz934

— Classic Rock Videos (@crockvideo) August 16, 2018

Aretha Franklin

If you weren’t around in 1967 when Aretha Franklin became nationally famous, you have no idea what it was like to hear her for the first time. There was nothing like her and her incredible voice in popular music. Plus, she wrote and arranged many of her songs and played piano.

My sympathy to her family. Her death is a great loss for all of us.

I saw her at Artscape in Baltimore in 1994.

Aretha helped define the American experience. In her voice, we could feel our history, all of it and in every shade—our power and our pain, our darkness and our light, our quest for redemption and our hard-won respect. May the Queen of Soul rest in eternal peace. pic.twitter.com/bfASqKlLc5

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 16, 2018

Watching Aretha Franklin perform at the White House, and on so many other occasions, made time stand still. @BarackObama and I are holding Aretha’s family in our hearts right now. She will forever be our Queen of Soul. pic.twitter.com/NhHsbKijpl

— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) August 16, 2018

As Aretha Franklin's stardom grew, she extended the parameters of how we understood and defined black beauty https://t.co/sb9ygfvNao

— The New York Times (@nytimes) August 16, 2018

Robert Christgau on Aretha Franklin, the genius behind a voice unlike any other https://t.co/QNhQb7pE6p pic.twitter.com/hoddxkdYY2

— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) August 16, 2018

After Angela Davis was arrested with Nixon branding her a "terrorist," Aretha Franklin offered to post a quarter million dollars in bail. "I have the money. I got it from black people and I want to use it in ways that will help our people." #BlackLivesMatter R-E-S-P-E-C-T!

— Kevin B. Blackistone (@ProfBlackistone) August 16, 2018

Rep. John Lewis says Aretha Franklin "moved us closer to one America."

"She was brave, courageous, bold, she spoke her mind and she used her music, her voice to bring people together." https://t.co/SG02ge8e8w pic.twitter.com/oUdzEHieGs

— ABC News (@ABC) August 16, 2018

“Soul was and is a revolutionary art, and Aretha belongs in the broader conversation about this country’s revolutionary heroes with any provocateur of patriot who ever lived.” @fivefifths, at his best. https://t.co/HBd1xoZZY5

— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) August 16, 2018

My contribution:https://t.co/FF35VluiLu

— Emily J. Lordi (@ejlordi) August 16, 2018

Trump can't even honor Aretha Franklin properly, @fivefifths writes: https://t.co/Qr0EJmRQzq

— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) August 16, 2018

Hip hop sampled Aretha Franklin like crazy. Here are a few

Mos Defhttps://t.co/lsVaCB0PfJ

— Exavier Pope (@exavierpope) August 16, 2018

"So much of the experience listening to music — gospel and otherwise — is feeling it, catching the spirit. 'Amazing Grace' is a church full of people’s spirits getting caught, over and over — by Aretha," writes @Wesley_Morris https://t.co/AtvdkvbqqQ

— The New York Times (@nytimes) August 18, 2018

Sung by Aretha Franklin at a young age, “Take My Hand, Precious Lord” was an existential cry, a justice prayer shed of pretense: https://t.co/APR2cLwlAe pic.twitter.com/CzJD7uSkxS

— The New Yorker (@NewYorker) August 18, 2018

Cost of Trump military parade now estimated at $92 million

what a waste just to feed his enormous ego

The estimated cost of the military parade requested by President Trump has risen again to as much as $92,000,000, according to a defense official. https://t.co/LWlQHbq7F8

— MSNBC (@MSNBC) August 16, 2018

Screw a military parade to just feed Trump's ego. It's a waste of money. Spend the $92 million on our veterans instead.https://t.co/2MCUjll116

— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) August 16, 2018

If they had any brass, Congress would rein in his parade.https://t.co/lBfI01tUGs

— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) August 16, 2018

Trump's military parade could feed every homeless veteran for almost nine months, based on reported new cost https://t.co/uMj67EMX4i pic.twitter.com/UQZSYNUwHl

— Newsweek (@Newsweek) August 16, 2018

As @paulwaldman1 points out, Trump is going to get his $92 million military parade largely because Republicans won't say No to Trump's raging egomania: https://t.co/3BlbO6wmhZ

— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) August 16, 2018

That’s a lot of clean drinking water for Flint. Just sayin https://t.co/vDi2yc5Zes

— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) August 16, 2018

CEO-to-worker compensation is 312 to 1

A new report finds that the CEO-to-worker compensation ratio is 312-1.

Trump says the economy is doing great.@paulwaldman1 on the basic difference this reveals between Trump/GOP and Dems:https://t.co/BxeARAdZgx

— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) August 16, 2018

Avg. CEO pay, top 350 companies —>

2009: $11.1M
2017: $18.9M
(+72%)

Worker compensation —>
2009: $53.4K
2017: $54.6K
(+2%)

New @EconomicPolicy study, with @jenamcgregor:https://t.co/xTNcoCLVax

— Jeff Stein (@JStein_WaPo) August 16, 2018

2017 was a great year for CEOs. Not so much for the average worker. https://t.co/PLRUIBcb0g

— Vox (@voxdotcom) August 16, 2018

Trump says he’ll ignore defense bill parts he doesn’t like

Of course, he doesn’t want to do something his friend Putin wouldn’t like.

Trump is already objecting to 4 provisions in a defense bill he just signed that would tie his hands in recognizing Russian sovereignty over Crimea. https://t.co/QX5qoxtv4y

— Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) August 15, 2018

When Trump signed the McCain-Shall-Not-Be-Named NDAA, he issued a signing statement claiming right to disregard restrictions on Russia, North Korea, civilian casualties… https://t.co/pRhvoPlUJz

— Charlie Savage (@charlie_savage) August 14, 2018

Trump says he’ll just ignore the parts of the new defense bill he doesn’t like: https://t.co/UXuuICwgwa pic.twitter.com/rpQFQgFyvo

— Slate (@Slate) August 15, 2018

The White House releases the signing statement for the NDAA. Lot to chew on here: pic.twitter.com/9fEmBZNAve

— Phil Mattingly (@Phil_Mattingly) August 14, 2018

Trump’s trade war is affecting farmers

Trump's trade war is starting to hit farmers.

American farmers. https://t.co/G1XiaBsEiS @YahooFinance pic.twitter.com/ReiOnb4zHk

— Rick Newman (@rickjnewman) August 15, 2018

Trump revokes Brennan’s security clearance

That’s what you get for criticizing Trump. He acts more and more like a dictator.

Trump calling Brennan “abusive” or labeling his conduct “erratic” to justify revoking the security clearance that Brennan never once abused is hypocrisy and autocracy rolled into one. I’d call it the last straw, except that this POTUS is nothing but strawhttps://t.co/HNYgMhWs7F

— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) August 15, 2018

Seems that Trump has bypassed the precedents requiring some due process before revoking clearances https://t.co/QTmuNQdwGh

— David Frum (@davidfrum) August 15, 2018

Former POTUS, as a courtesy, are allowed to get nat sec briefings from the CIA. I know Bush 41 has received them in the past and President Clinton has received a couple briefings. Question is, will former POTUS who are critical of Trump be stripped of this courtesy?

— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) August 15, 2018

An official with knowledge tells @JimSciutto that DNI Dan Coats was not consulted on the revoking and reviewing of security clearances. If he had been consulted, he would have been able to tell Trump that Comey, McCabe and Strzok don't have security clearances to revoke.

— Facts Do Matter (@WilDonnelly) August 15, 2018

Trump did discuss the matter of Brennan’s security clearance with Dan Coats, I’m told. He was in the room.
And there were multiple discussions with top officials, WH aides say.

— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) August 15, 2018

.@NedPrice an NBC News contributor says @JohnBrennan NBC/MSNBC Sr National Security/Intel analyst never used classified information in writing or speaking about @realDonaldTrump. No GOP former officials on White House list for security review

— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) August 15, 2018

Donald Trump's list of accusations about John Brennan today:
– "Erratic conduct and behaviour"
– "Frenzied commentary"
– "Wild outbursts on the internet and television"
– Monetizing his official position
– Told lies

— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) August 15, 2018

John Brennan's public service:
-CIA station chief in Saudi Arabia
-CIA chief of staff
-Director of Terrorist Threat Integration Center
-Director of National Counter terrorism Center
-White House Homeland Security Adviser
-CIA director
-Briefed three presidents

— Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) August 15, 2018

As Trump retaliates against political critics by revoking or reviewing their security clearances, it is worth remembering that the president himself revealed highly classified information to Russians in an Oval Office meeting.

— Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) August 15, 2018

This didn’t age well https://t.co/kon1za2LcT

— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) August 15, 2018

Has the White House said what process Trump is using to revoke Brennan's security clearance?

Per @BradMossEsq, there are three possibilities. Anyone know which Trump is using?https://t.co/Z2RjjSXP2c

— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) August 15, 2018

In adding John Brennan to his enemies list, Trump demonstrates again how deeply insecure and vindictive he is — two character flaws dangerous in any President.

An enemies list is ugly, undemocratic and un-American. I also believe this action to silence a critic is unlawful. https://t.co/bfOhThIWfq

— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) August 15, 2018

The date on President Trump's statement about revoking John Brennan's security clearance? July 26. Three weeks ago. I guess it's just a coincidence that the White House decided to announce this as they struggle to deal with the fallout from Omarosa's book. pic.twitter.com/c6TvfmOD9e

— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) August 15, 2018

Brennan may "not relent." But today's action "was designed to be intimidating to others, precluding talented people from giving our government their judgment & eroding the norms of behavior that sustain bipartisan cooperation on national security issues.” https://t.co/QHny5TvyMT

— Eli Stokols (@EliStokols) August 15, 2018

Sen. John Kennedy defends Trump move to revoke Brennan clearance — calling the former CIA director a “butthead.” Sen. Ron Johnson, chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, says: “I don’t have a problem with it at all.”

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) August 15, 2018

In the time I have known him, John Brennan has never been afraid to speak up and give it to you straight. Revoking his security clearance is an act unbecoming of a President. If you think it will silence John, then you just don't know the man.

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 15, 2018

Flashback: Bob Corker in July on revoking security clearances.

"When you're going to start taking retribution against people who are your political enemies … that's the kind of thing that happens in Venezuela."

"It's a banana republic kind of thing."https://t.co/y3e2GY2POi

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 15, 2018

Many Republicans either support Trump's move to revoke Brennan security clearance, don't have an issue with it or say it's his right to do so. No comments from Ryan yet. Susan Collins said the WH move is "unwise" but said Brennan's been "far too political in his statements." pic.twitter.com/tTAPcLAHyr

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) August 15, 2018

Imagine if a President Hillary Clinton had revoked Mike Flynn's clearance for his "lock her up" chants at the RNC. (Spoiler: Right-wing splodey-heads would be exploding about a vindictive abuse of power.)

— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) August 15, 2018

NEW: CIA chief Gina Haspel stays silent while Trump attacks her predecessor and patron, John Brennan. https://t.co/MIlTCeva7B

— Noah Shachtman (@NoahShachtman) August 16, 2018

John Brennan: President Trump’s Claims of No Collusion Are Hogwash https://t.co/aUmnupmBoG

— John Aravosis 🇺🇸 (@aravosis) August 16, 2018

"Donald Trump may be obstructing justice in plain sight, admitting that his decision to strip former CIA Director John Brennan of his security clearances was retribution for his role in the Russia investigation…" – @NicolleDWallace pic.twitter.com/kaaBRzHF7w

— Deadline White House (@DeadlineWH) August 16, 2018

Trump’s astonishing public admission this week: he stripped Brennan of security clearance because of his role in the DOJ’s Russia probe!

It echoes his earlier public admission: he fired Comey for the same reason.

Obstruction of justice squared — in plain view.

Staggering.

— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) August 16, 2018

Great column on Trump supporters and his lame “all sides” condemnation of racism

The feeling that whites are losing out was a more accurate predictor of voting for Trump than economic difficulties.

What many white Americans will hear when they hear "all types of racism." https://t.co/3gUvr88CFI

— Philip Bump (@pbump) August 12, 2018