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Robert Costa
A national political reporter covering the White House, Congress and Campaigns
President Trump and Senate Republicans on Wednesday adopted a hard line: Brett M. Kavanaugh's appointment to the Supreme Court grew despite an allegation of sexual assault several decades ago.
But privately, the political spinoffs grabbed the party, with Republican lawmakers and strategists disconcerted by the sex-driven debates that rocked the campaign.
Already overwhelmed by an unpopular president and an energetic Democratic electorate, the male-dominated GOP is now facing a surge of scruples over how he treats Kavanaugh's accuser and high political cost with women and men. independent voters who are the keystone of congressional majorities.
Uncertainty in the Republican ranks sparked disturbing memories of how the hearings for Clarence Thomas' Supreme Court appointment sparked what was known as the "Year of the Woman" in 1992 when a wave of women democrats -change the culture and power of the #MeToo movement.
"The Republicans behaved very badly at Thomas's auditions when they interviewed Anita Hill, and we simply have to be so much better than in the past by recognizing what is appropriate and what is not." Sen said. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) Said, referring to the former colleague of Thomas who had accused him of sexual harassment. "Some of us are trying to be fair and do the right thing, not scramble, but it's obviously a challenge."
Flake criticized the president's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., for appearing to mock the allegations against his father's social media candidate, an example of the number of Republicans who are striving to strongly support Kavanaugh who has told the Washington Post Sunday that Kavanaugh had sexually assaulted her at a party in the early 1980s while they were teenagers.
"It's disgusting", Flake tweeted Wednesday about the post of Trump Jr. "No one should shed light on this situation."
Tensions were also evident when the Republicans responded to Ford's request for the FBI to investigate his allegations before accepting an invitation to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which scheduled a hearing on Monday to hear his testimony and that from Kavanaugh.
While the GOP senators implored Ford to appear before the committee, the tone of the statements about him was slightly different: "I'm going to listen to the lady, but we'll end that." Senator Lindsey O. Graham (RS.C.) said this week – encouraging.
"I hope Dr. Ford will reconsider" tweeted Susan Collins (R-Maine), a moderate whose vote would be critical for Kavanaugh's confirmation. "I understand that the committee has proposed to hold a public or private meeting, as it would make it more comfortable."
The chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), continued Wednesday to take the lead in the Republican response to Ford, refusing to comment on Monday's hearing and dismissing the claim of Ford's lawyers. Some Republicans have found her position fair and decried by the Democrats as being stubborn and cruel, especially since Ford has been inundated with threats since she shared her testimony, according to her lawyers.
Republican campaign veterans have said the GOP relies on Grassley – an 85-year-old bitter Conservative who has been in Congress since 1975 – and no one understands that voters are starting to pay more attention. before the committee.
"The perception of this, regardless of the truth, could be another political issue for Republicans," said Mike Murphy, a long-time Republican consultant and Trump critic. "We live in the age of awakening and the appointments to the Supreme Court have become TV shows. And if your cast is mostly made up of older white Republican Senators, you will have problems in this environment.
Beyond the Senate, Republicans are preparing for the impact of Monday's scheduled hearing and the political consequences of an unpredictable and emotional session that could expand the importance of a senatorial affair, particularly if Grassley or other Republicans his personal life and so-called aggression.
"They have a brave face, but the party's story with the women has been unhappy for about three years and now they've done it with Kavanaugh," said former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele. "By standing behind him, it is really worrying that they make it easier for Republican candidates. There is no escape route here.
In the House, where the GOP has a 23-seat majority, Kavanaugh's question begins to eclipse the Republican campaign touting the GOP's tax laws and economic progress, according to two high-ranking Republicans involved in the national campaign. planning who are not allowed to speak publicly.
One of the Republicans said that several of the GOP's key lawmakers had told their colleagues that they were hoping that Ford would not come to the hearing as they issued statements urging Ford to help the GOP avoid the risky television dramas. hold a vote next week.
Trump on Wednesday offered Kavanaugh a strong defense but stayed away from joining the growing chorus of Republicans who expressed skepticism about Ford's credibility, encouraging White House officials to contain the president's allegations of allegations. sexual misconduct.
"If it shows up and makes a credible demonstration, it will be very interesting, and we will have to make a decision," Trump told reporters as he left the White House to study the damage caused by hurricanes.
Trump's comments echoed the message presented for the first time by White House advisor Kellyanne Conway, who spent years advising Republican candidates on how to appeal to women.
"This woman should not be insulted and she should not be ignored," Conway told Fox News earlier in the week.
Republicans are on a tightrope defending Kavanaugh without reinforcing public perception that the party and president do not want to hold members of their party accountable for alleged sexual misconduct against women, including the former US Senate candidate Roy Moore assaulting teenagers in their thirties.
On the eve of Moore's defeat last year in Alabama, a National Associated Press-NORC survey found that 60% of Americans thought Republicans were "too lenient" towards other Republicans accused of misconduct sexual. the Democratic Party.
Kavanaugh's position among voters at the national level is tenuous, complicating the Republican effort to defend the federal judge.
Unlike many Supreme Court candidates, Kavanaugh had no obvious popularity before the allegations were made, with roughly equal numbers of Americans supporting and opposing his confirmation and to record divisions according to party lines. A post-CBA survey revealed a significant gender gap, with men supporting Kavanaugh's appointment significantly and women opposing with a margin of 16 points.
Still, saving Kavanaugh's appointment has become a cause for conservative activists, who see conservative ancestry in the justice system as one of the few strong ties within a fractured Republican Party. On Twitter and elsewhere, the Conservatives rallied around him and remembered that Kavanaugh's vote on the Supreme Court could change the form of federal law for generations.
"This is the key issue for the Conservatives, and they are examining and supporting Justice Kavanaugh's way of life," said Gary Marx, advisor to the Judicial Crisis Network. The group announced a $ 1.5 million advertising campaign to strengthen Kavanaugh's appointment.
Senate Democrats are closely monitoring Republican maneuvers, aware of the GOP's determination to use Kavanaugh's nomination to drive out his grassroots voters in an increasingly difficult election year and to ensure that their own constituents are informed issues.
"I still think there is a gap between Republican voters and Democratic voters in terms of the number of people interested in the courts," said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.). "We have work to do to explain to progressive voters why the courts should be as important to them as the Conservatives."
Seung Min Kim and Scott Clement contributed.
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