By Dan Cohen, Santa Monica reporter
I view an article like this the same way I regard movie reviews. May be time to revive the Santa Monica reporter.
I watched the entire debacle yesterday and came away with a bad taste in my mouth over Kavanaugh’s opening statement and general posture. His anger, his accusations, his outcries agains an alleged conspiracy and the way he lumped the predictable remarks from crazies together with reasonable questions about his past pointed to uncomfortable aspects of his personality.
I don’t have any more insight into his teenage indiscretions or the veracity of Ford’s testimony than anyone else on the planet and I think the ABA is right in calling for a deeper inquiry, but in my mind there’s no erasing the judge’s anger, exaggeration and outright resentment of the process and the right of an individual to question his past.
Positions of great responsibility come with liabilities that include criticism both responsible and irresponsible. The job he courts is a flashpoint for divisiveness. A temperate man demonstrates and relishes the task of separating the two.
Kavanaugh’s angry outburst courted the support of those disinclined to measured responses. Emotional outbursts reflect the rejection of complicated feelings and introspection.
EDITOR: Initially we felt that what ever happened during Kavanaugh’s teenage years should not reflect on his candidacy. But having witness his unhinged and vitriolic testimony yesterday, my heart goes out to him but I no longer believe this damaged man is suited to sit as a judge on any court.
