Prediction

In Josh Marshall's opinion, Kavanaugh acted as though he were gearing up for his next job -- not a job on the Supreme Court.

There were various moments, bread crumbs spread through the statement that suggested Kavanaugh does not think he’ll ever make it to the Supreme Court. And I think this assumption shaped his testimony. He looked like someone cuing up another career.

My sources tell me that Kavanaugh was, in fact, auditioning for the Elizabeth Taylor role in a new production of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? You can visualize his line delivery:

"WHAT a DUMP!"

"You make me PUKE!"

"Swampy! Hey, SWAMPY!"

"I am the Earth Mother, and YOU are all FLOPS!"

"I'm loud and I'm vulgar, and I wear the pants in the house because somebody's got to, but I am not a monster."

(Perhaps memory is deceiving me, but I seem to recall that he actually said that last line.)

It will be a great loss to the theater when Brett Kavanaugh becomes a Supreme Court Justice. Yes, I think he'll make it. Look, dire predictions are kind of my thing, okay? Don't be surprised if he squeaks through.

This tweet, from a source who seems reliable, indicated that Joe Manchin (D) of WV is going to vote for Kavanaugh. If so...that's it. 

Even if this prediction proves wrongheaded, Kavanaugh's invocation of the Clinton Conspiracy Theory will energize the base in the midterms. Example:

Democrat blood lust has energised Republicans ahead of the midterms
Anyone can see the Kavanaugh slanders for what they are: brass-knuckled, any weapon at hand, dirty dealing

Yes. That is the very image that popped into everyone's mind while watching Christine Blasey Ford: Brass knuckles.

Meanwhile, the Democrat Party has been taken over by Michael Avenatti. He’s the ambulance chasing porn lawyer who is under investigation by the California Bar Association for $5 million in unpaid payroll taxes, but who has found a new professional purpose as the face of the Democratic Party. Good. Because this circus is proving to normal people once again just how radical and vicious the Democrats have become. And it demonstrates that they simply cannot be trusted with power.

Translation: The Republicans have polling which indicates that Avenatti rubs people the wrong way (he rubs me the wrong way), so now the game plan is to pretend that Avenatti owns the party, even though, in the real world, no leading Democrat wants much to do with him.

It is always cute to see Avenatti labeled a "porn lawyer." As far as I know, the guy has represented only one porn star. Has Donald Trump fucked only one porn star?

Back to Kavanaugh: Frankly, I thought he sounded drunk when he asked Senator Amy Klobuchar if she had even been drunk to the point of blacking out. The exchange made me curious: Just what constitutes a "black out" episode?

I rarely drink to excess. On the very first occasion, I was a 22 year-old visitor to a British pub called the King's Head Inn in Santa Monica. Everyone knew that Patrick McGoohan sometimes came there to quaff a stout. According to report, if you annoyed him, he would snarl and tell you to fuck off, which was considered a high honor. (He was easily annoyed. All you had to do was ask about the final episode. Those of my generation will understand the reference.)

Alas, I may have had a pint too many while waiting for Patrick, who was a no-show.

A friend drove me back to my car, parked near UCLA. (Free street parking existed in those days.) Realizing that I ought not drive home, I decided to walk to Kerkhoff Hall, where surprisingly comfortable couches awaited. On the way, I decided to sit and rest on a bench near the inverted fountain -- and promptly fell asleep. (You can see the very bench in the photo to your right.)

Around 3:00 am, a strange ringing/clanking/laughing sound awoke me. About a dozen roller skaters were practicing their moves around and around the fountain: SKREE SKREE SKREE. The sight was so surreal that I became momentarily convinced that I was in a Fellini movie, and thus tried to speak to them in Italian, despite not knowing the language. Their laughter echoed eerily. HEE HEE HEE. SKREE SKREE SKREE.

I haven't really been drunk since -- not like that. Does that incident count as "blacking out" or as simple falling asleep?

Why, you may ask, did I tell you this story? Hey, just trying to make you smile. You need it. Anything to ease the pain of seeing Brett fucking Kavanaugh, perjurer and likely rapist, make his way onto the Supreme fucking Court.

Dunno what Patrick McGoohan would have said to that guy, but it probably would have been glorious. Patrick did not care for men who treat women with disrespect.