A few minutes ago the top three Senate Republicans all came out and bashed Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s handling of the Ford/Kavanaugh letter. The thing is, it’s hard to get anyone to say explicitly what she should have done differently.
Republicans say Feinstein botched the process. When I ask what she should have done differently given that Ford asked her not to go public, I haven’t gotten a straight answer back.
Take this interaction with Sen. John Thune (direct quotes in quotation, the rest paraphrase):
Take this interaction with Sen. John Thune (direct quotes in quotation, the rest paraphrase):
Q: Given that Ford asked for the letter to be kept secret, what should Sen. Feinstein have done differently?
Thune: "Well, I mean, I think ultimately the letter was made public.”
Q: The woman came forward.
Thune: Well Democrats have had the letter for a long time...
Thune: "Well, I mean, I think ultimately the letter was made public.”
Q: The woman came forward.
Thune: Well Democrats have had the letter for a long time...
Q: But you just condemned the Democrats handling of this. What should they have done differently?
Thune: "I think that if she (Ford) wanted to get the letter out there she should probably have given Sen. Feinstein the authority to do that..."
Thune: "I think that if she (Ford) wanted to get the letter out there she should probably have given Sen. Feinstein the authority to do that..."
Thune cont: "Sen. Feinstein could have talked to her about doing that. Don’t you find it a little bit ironic that we’ve had two months of this and all of the sudden at the 11th hour they’re launching an ambush attack?”
Q: Should Feinstein have disregarded her wishes and released the letter?
Thune: "Well, no, but I think they could have had some consultation with her. I mean clearly, to me, the timing of this I think is very, very suspect.”
You get the idea.
Thune: "Well, no, but I think they could have had some consultation with her. I mean clearly, to me, the timing of this I think is very, very suspect.”
You get the idea.
Many people, including in the media, condemn Feinstein for keeping the letter secret but won’t say she should have gone against Ford’s wishes. I wish they’d explain how Feinstein could do one without doing the other.
