'A profoundly heart-breaking day': Celebration and anger for Brett Kavanaugh confirmation

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The polarizing battle over Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh has ended, but voter repercussions could be coming soon.
USA TODAY

WASHINGTON – The nation’s highest court officially has its ninth Supreme Court justice. 

The road to get there was not pretty and by all accounts divided the country even further by party lines. As senators cast their final votes on Kavanaugh’s future, large protests erupted outside. Dozens were arrested. 

The reaction to Saturday’s historic decision, unsurprisingly, varied by Democrat or Republican. Many progressives took issue, in particular, with Kavanaugh’s victory in the face of numerous sexual assault allegations and made clear their distaste in protests Saturday outside the Capitol and Supreme Court. Kavanaugh has denied the allegations. 

Republicans, on the other hand, touted Kavanaugh’s fair judicial record and pointed to an FBI investigation that they say found no proof of the claims.

Either way, Kavanaugh’s appointment will shift the balance of power to conservatives for decades to come. 

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Here’s how people across the nation reacted: 

An attorney for Christine Blasey Ford, the first woman who accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault, called the decision “appalling.” Ford testified before Congress, detailing a house party where Kavanaugh groped her and covered her mouth when they were teenagers. 

A week that will live in infamy for the US Senate, permanently diminishing its stature. It treated serious allegations as a nuisance to be sidestepped rather than a call to investigate seriously. It then deemed a perfunctory investigation sufficient when it was not. Appalling.

— Michael R. Bromwich (@mrbromwich) October 6, 2018

“A week that will live in infamy for the US Senate, permanently diminishing its stature,” said Michael R. Bromwich. “It treated serious allegations as a nuisance to be sidestepped rather than a call to investigate seriously. It then deemed a perfunctory investigation sufficient when it was not. Appalling.” 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said after the final Senate vote that Kavanaugh’s appointment would “good impact” for Republicans. “Our base is fired up,” he said. 

“It’s a good day for America and an important day for the Senate,” McConnell said, adding the division throughout this process was something the Senate and country would move past. 

Likewise, Kavanaugh’s confirmation drew praise from President Donald Trump and his confidants. Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president, posted her congratulations on Twitter. 

Congratulations to Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court Brett Kavanaugh, and to his family.

Your refusal to quit amidst the bullying, harassment, insults and lies is a great lesson to our children.

Millions of women are thrilled you are on the Court. #metoo 💃🏼 pic.twitter.com/eitmyQ8cZh

— Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls) October 6, 2018

“Your refusal to quit amidst the bullying, harassment, insults and lies is a great lesson to our children,” she wrote. “Millions of women are thrilled you are on the Court. #metoo”

Minority House Leader Nancy Pelosi called Saturday “a profoundly heart-breaking day for women, girls and families across America.” She added Republicans had done “violence to the reputation of both the Senate Judiciary Committee Supreme Court” with its limited FBI investigation of the sexual assault allegations Kavanaugh faced. 

Inside the Senate chambers Saturday, protesters interrupted the final vote numerous times. 

When the final vote, 50-48 was called a victory for Kavanaugh, one woman shouted: “This is a stain on America.”

Here’s how other Democrats reacted: 

What happened to today is not okay. It will change our country forever. I’m furious. The only good news today is that a big election is four weeks away, and we have a chance to change the conversation in the country if we work our tails off for the next month.

— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) October 6, 2018

I have no confidence that Judge Brett Kavanaugh will approach cases with the impartiality restraint required of a Supreme Court Justice.

— Senator Cortez Masto (@SenCortezMasto) October 6, 2018

The confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh shifts the court far to the right, putting women’s reproductive rights, civil rights, environmental protections, worker’s rights, the ability to implement gun safety rules and the ability to hold presidents accountable at risk for a generation.

— Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) October 6, 2018

Here’s how Republicans reacted: 

I just spoke with Judge Kavanaugh congratulating him on Senate confirmation to serve as Associate Justice on the Supreme Court.

I told Judge Kavanaugh I was very happy he was recognized for the good man he is, but sad that the process was so despicable.

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) October 6, 2018

 

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