(thread) a few dynamics on Kavanaugh, based on my conversations with several top Republicans today... 1. A week is a long, long time in politics and many people involved in Sen and at WH priv. see next Mon's planned hearing as an eon away and still wonder if it'll happen...
... and there are ongoing debates internally over whether Dr. Ford wants to go through with it, whether Judge Kavanaugh can hold on, and whether the votes in Senate GOP can hold until then. 2. While the WH wants to drive the process, McConnell remains central to everything...
... McConnell is the one who early on thought Judge Thapar would be best choice, but went along w/ WH. Now, as process cracks open, he's asserting himself even as he remains a team player. Allies tell me his priority is the SCOTUS seat, not protecting Kavanaugh every news cycle.
3. Don't underestimate the jockeying going on in GOP circles for a post-Kavanaugh world. Advocates for Hardiman, Coney Barrett, Thapar all talking w/ plugged-in friends in Congress or WH, ready for the possibility of further disruption of Kavanaugh nomination between now and Mon.
4. Kavanaugh's most important ally right now is Don McGahn, the soon-to-be departing WH counsel who has made Kav's confirmation his personal legacy project/swan song, eager to score one last victory for the conservative legal estbmt. Huddled w/ the judge most of Monday...
5. McGahn's ability to keep a tight grip on the WH side of the Kavanaugh nom. will be tested in coming days. He still has capital w/ POTUS going back to campaign and Gorsuch, but it has been depleted over time... McGahn working closely w. Hill & legal Rs to keep Sen Rs together
6. Several GOP consultants who work on Senate races tell me they don't want a hearing, period, at this point in the election year in the #MeToo era. Too charged, too unpredictable, they say. Expect this private grumbling to be heard more publicly as nerves over next Mon grow...
7. The other concern about next Monday's scheduled hearing among top Rs: the likely blizzard of questions for Kavanaugh about his teenage habits, behavior, alleged drinking during that period, etc. Wld be more than just a "he says, she says" endeavor. Under oath. Unpredictable.
8. So, you have an on-edge Senate GOP and a WH in defense mode + a president so far typically defensive of his pick, but also watching it all play out... I'll be at Cap on Tuesday to find out more... here's our latest deep dive from late Monday (end) washingtonpost.com/politics/with-…
