A quiet week for the Trump Supreme Court candidate

Following the announcement of the extraordinary retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy and the unveiling of Federal Conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh by President Trump, the first week of the candidate was perhaps the most notable for his discreet play and without blunder. , buttoned order.

Even "Never Trump" politicians like Michael Gerson, who worked with Kavanaugh at George W. Bush's White House, and who regularly criticizes Trump in the Washington Post's editorial pages, praised Kavanaugh's selection. although he added the former colleague would probably be among those who would "stand up" against the "anarchy and intimidation" of the president.

The Conservatives – even those who shrugged and called the candidate "uninspired" or expressed initial concern – held their fire.

But, of course, it's still early, and honeymooners do not usually last long in the nation's capital. To be exact, there is at least 40 days in advance of the 53-year-old candidate before the start of the confirmation hearings – if the past is prologue, that is to say. The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Chuck Grassley, confirmed this week.

Susan Walsh / AP

But the path to Kavanaugh's confirmation is littered with paper, potentially more than 39 million documents from the Bush Presidential Library in Dallas only, if all are released. Kavanaugh worked in the White House Attorney's office and was the staff secretary, a position that affects almost everything in the president's office.

So, delays are certainly possible for any reason, and Grassley has admitted that too.

Opponents and supporters are now in Dallas reviewing the 16,180 documents published so far. Proceedings contesting the production of documents were filed in federal court this week by Gabe Roth, head of the non-partisan group "Fix the Court", which calls for greater transparency on the part of the High Court.

One can guess where all this will lead, but if the Democrats and their activist allies get their way, the tedious production of documents will delay the confirmation hearings. After all, as pointed out by Justice Demand, a group that fights against the appointment, former Senator Jon Kyl – who is the "Sherpa" of Kavanaugh – and other members of the Judiciary Committee in 2010, is fighting for the publication of all possible documents. Elena Kagan, Supreme Court nominee, who also served in the White House, like Kavanaugh. Some 170,000 have finally been released.

The Democrats call it the "Elena Kagan Standard" but Grassley, while acknowledging that he would probably honor legitimate demands for documents, cautioned against any political gambling, particularly by those who have already announced their opposition to the candidate, who happens to be every democrat sitting on his panel.

For his part, Kavanaugh, in making the traditional "courtesy visit" tour visiting senators before his confirmation hearings, carefully avoided saying anything in the presence of reporters. Nary a "hello" to be heard from him – just a broad smile and an enthusiastic handshake with the congressman with him as the treasure of the cameras took in the always awkward show.

It should be noted, however, that each visit this week was with a Republican, so Kavanaugh must still wander into a potentially hostile territory.

Interest groups, which had been waiting for Kennedy for more than a year, have predictably triggered their affluent campaigns, with Republicans having a clear advantage.

A group, the conservative Judicial Crisis Network, has launched a $ 1.4 million cable and digital advertising purchase in Alabama, Indiana, North Dakota and West Virginia, in the United States. hope to support Kavanaugh. The group's chief counsel, Carrie Severino, told ABC News: "We are ready to spend everything we need.

Republicans have long put judicial confirmation at the top of their list of priorities, which means that they have thicker bases, much more money than their political rivals, so Democrats play catch-up – trying to capture the same type of lightning in their blue bottle, aiming to excite their base in the fall when congressional control is at stake.

The anti-Kavanaugh advertisements released Friday by Demand Justice focus on a topic popular with voters from all walks of life: guaranteed health insurance for people with pre-existing illnesses and the possibility that a Judge Kavanaugh makes a decisive decision guaranteed in the Affordable Care Act.

The ads target the same three Democrats as JCN who will be re-elected this year in conservative states that Trump won, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Joe Donnelly of Indiana. Doug Jones of Alabama will not be re-elected until 2020, so Democrats, unlike JCN, do not focus on him.

Two moderate GOP senators were harassed by legions of political journalists around the Capitol this week to glean their position. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska were affected from all sides. Democrats want them to stay on the fence for as long as possible, to prevent their Red Democrats from announcing their support. Republicans, who hold a slim majority of 51, need their votes.

"The first week went as planned, after the deployment of reality TV," said Jim Manley, a veteran Democratic strategist who worked for the Senate leadership and a member of the judicial committee involved in the confirmation of the Supreme Court. fighting. "Republicans are working hard to represent him as an everyday American while showing to business and other people in their base that this is the kind of candidate they're looking for." On the other hand, the Democrats tried, in my opinion, to go beyond abortion politics and to represent Kavanaugh as a threat to a wide range of issues. , including health care.

The only visible bump for Kavanaugh, up to now, was a report on tens of thousands of debts that the 53-year-old accumulated on baseball tickets and home improvements, as reported for the first time by the Washington Post. The Conservatives quickly rallied around the candidate, mocking the report, the Senate majority leader tweeting: "In a last-minute report, we learned that Judge Kavanaugh appreciates the hobby of America .

As for the coming week, White House aides have not set the Judge's schedule, although he does not have a meeting on Monday. The goal is for the judge to sit down with a democrat, but that remains to be seen.
White House deputy secretary Raj Shah tells ABC News that vigorous preparatory sessions simulate confirmation hearings, which in the past were called "assassination commissions" for their intensity, and White House lawyers now call "pleadings". ), should start next week. Kyl should participate.

"They will be as real as possible in length and subject," said Shah, saying that they will perform in a large room in the Eisenhower Executive Office building next to the White House.

As for Kavanaugh, no matter the preparation work, and apparently, the candidate is known as a perfectionist, he has one thing that he clearly likes: Tuesday night's MLB all-star game that's just about right. he plans to attend, according to a source.