Patterico's Pontifications

7/11/2018

Kavanaugh: Family Man and All-Around Nice Guy

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 7:41 am



Well, the attacks have begun. The #FAKENEWSBEZOSAMAZONPOST has a hit piece on Brett Kavanaugh titled: “I don’t know Kavanaugh the judge. But Kavanaugh the carpool dad is one great guy.” Oh, wait. It’s not a hit piece. It’s actually very kind:

Brett’s older daughter and mine have been classmates at Blessed Sacrament School, a small Catholic school in the District, for the past seven years. On evenings and weekends, you’re likely to find Brett at a local gym or athletic field, encouraging his players or watching games with his daughters and their friends. He coaches not one but two girls’ basketball teams. His positive attitude and calm demeanor make the game fun and allow each player to shine. The results have been good: This past season, he led the Blessed Sacrament School’s sixth-grade girls team to an undefeated season and a citywide championship in the local Catholic youth league. To the parents with players on the squad, it’s no surprise that the team photograph with the trophy is displayed prominently in his chambers.

Brett’s contribution to our school’s community extends beyond the sidelines. He and his wife, Ashley, support their two daughters and other children at countless school and church functions throughout the year. In the summer, Brett is the “carpool dad,” often shuttling students to and from practices, games and activities. And in a city where professional obligations can often take priority over personal ones, Brett is a steady presence at his daughters’ events, even if it means racing across town just to catch the last 15 minutes of a game or program.

Brett’s friendship and mentorship have touched my family in an especially personal way. A few years ago, my husband died. One of the many difficult aspects of that loss was that my daughter had no one to accompany her to the school’s annual father-daughter dance. That first year — and every year since my husband’s passing — Brett has stepped forward to take my daughter to the dance alongside his own.

Although a judge’s intellect, judicial philosophy, clarity of writing, fidelity to constitutional principle, and temperament are more important to his position on the Supreme Court than stories like this, it’s good to know that Kavanaugh seems like a nice guy. Clarence Thomas is another example of a person who is very decent on a personal level, who knows staffers at the Court by name and respects everyone. Just because you are a horrible conservative who rules in horrible conservative ways doesn’t mean you have to be a horrible person too. (This is tongue in cheek; I feel certain I will love the horrible conservative decisions Justice Kavanaugh will write, just as I love Thomas’s decisions.)

The personal tale is also useful to rebut the inevitable attacks on Kavanaugh from the left as Evil Incarnate. Jim Treacher anticipated these in a brilliantly funny piece he wrote before the selection, mocking the press releases that lefty groups release at times like these:

It should go without saying that [FILL IN THE BLANK] is a completely unacceptable nominee, but we’ll say it anyway. This cannot be allowed to happen. It’s not hyperbole or exaggeration to say that [FILL IN THE BLANK] will destroy America and kill us all, and here are just a few good reasons why:

Did you know that [FILL IN THE BLANK] believes women should be treated as second-class citizens by denying them access to [LIBERAL AGENDA ITEM]? Did you know that [HE/SHE] doesn’t agree that [OPINION ALL MY FRIENDS EXPRESS, WHICH I HAVEN’T REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT, BUT I’D BETTER GO ALONG WITH IT OR THEY MIGHT NOT LIKE ME ANYMORE]? I mean… really? It makes you nostalgic for the good old days of [PREVIOUS REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT, WHO I ALSO CALLED “HITLER” ALL THE TIME], doesn’t it?

Did you know that [FILL IN THE BLANK] wants to take away your right to [THING THAT ISN’T ACTUALLY A RIGHT, BUT IT DOESN’T MATTER BECAUSE NOBODY KNOWS WHAT “RIGHTS” ARE ANYMORE]? Um, hello? I literally can’t even.

[FILL IN THE BLANK] is also a kind person who loves his family. Take that, lefties.

[Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.]

79 Responses to “Kavanaugh: Family Man and All-Around Nice Guy”

  1. Ding.

    Patterico (115b1f)

  2. Hunh. This can’t be true. I was reasonably assured from Warren, Schumer, et al have said, I thought Justice Cavanaugh was once caught eating baby seals on the Washington Mall while wearing a fur coat and a Kill A Commie for Christ T-shirt.

    B.A. DuBois (80f588)

  3. How dare you involve the man’s family in a political fight. They are off limits!

    You cynical Republicans just don’t get it.

    Ed from SFV (6d42fa)

  4. Well, when you’ve lost Mother Jones… https://pjmedia.com/instapundit/301725/

    Colonel Haiku (5fd258)

  5. The WaPo hit piece is here:

    Judges, particularly those on the Supreme Court, are expected to sit above the partisan fray. But Brett Kavanaugh, whom President Trump nominated to succeed Anthony M. Kennedy on Monday night, is much like the man who selected him — highly divisive in his decisions and rhetoric. According to a deep, data-driven survey of his writings from the bench, he is an uncommonly partisan judge, even compared to other federal appeals court judges.

    Kevin M (5d3e49)

  6. He isn’t HITLER, he’s TRUMP!

    Kevin M (5d3e49)

  7. Love Trump telling Germany to go pound sand.

    mg (9e54f8)

  8. Don’t even like Trump as a person but these SCOTUS picks are just fine. Bonus: am having *such* a good time watching the libs melt down. Day after day after day since 11/9/16.


    the far left in a daily frenzy

    Great piece here, Patterico. And Jim Treacher’s piece is spot on.

    no one of consequence (325a59)

  9. Always trust the WaPo for its dependability!

    Colonel Haiku (5fd258)

  10. According to a deep, data-driven agenda-driven survey of his writings from the bench

    FITT

    Colonel Haiku (5fd258)

  11. The German army marches with broomsticks.

    mg (9e54f8)

  12. This is an important story. We need to get to a place where we can say: “I really don’t want XXX to serve in the Supreme Court/as President/as Senator/Whatever, but they seem like a decent person. I just don’t agree with many of XXXX’s political positions.”

    But that wouldn’t raise money for the DNC/RNC. It wouldn’t get clicks. It wouldn’t generate ad revenue.

    It’s gotten so bad that Colbert made a joke about Kavanaugh’s first name.

    I cannot abide all the childish insults that pass for discussion in our society.

    No wonder we get the politicians we do.

    Simon Jester (c8876d)

  13. I’m not sure how you feel about using RedState links here, Patrick, but when they’re right, they’re right.

    Paul Montagu (91b6ad)

  14. There’s a photo of Judge Kavanaugh with his daughter’s basketball team, with whom he serves as a volunteer coach. I’m just wondering how long it will be before the Democrats take that photo and yell, “OMG, Kavanaugh hangs around with underaged girls!”

    The snarky Dana (8a2cfa)

  15. Brett Kavanaugh must be really great
    ‘Cause he’s someone the left do so hate
    It’ll be a long while
    ‘Fore they choke down their bile
    Perhaps by 2028?

    The Limerick Avenger (8a2cfa)

  16. They said the same things about Souter.

    They say the same thing about every Republican appointee.

    nk (dbc370)

  17. Don’t know why they are being so nice….hmmm.

    Of course the activists predict mass death and destruction, but that’s to be expected.

    Patricia (3363ec)

  18. “The country wants the President to be ‘one of us’ who bears the same responsibilities of citizenship that all share. But I believe that the President should be excused from some of the burdens of ordinary citizenship while serving in office.” – Brett Kavanaugh

    “It’s good to be the King.” – King Louis XVI [Mel Brooks] ‘History of the World, Part 1′ 1981

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  19. England vs Croatia coming on TB now. The winner plays France in the finals for the FIFA World Cup. If you like Soccer, this is about as good as it gets.

    ropelight (64c29b)

  20. Don’t imagine he’ll have the time to be a chauffeur anymore, but it is nice to know he’s a good family man.

    NJRob (b00189)

  21. But he’s got a frat boy name.

    JVW (42615e)

  22. I cannot abide all the childish insults that pass for discussion in our society.

    It’s as if Beavis and Butthead are the model. As I’ve said before, the careless, lazy and thoughtless naïve cynicism that permeates our society will be the end of us if we don’t find a way to stop it.

    We have gotten to the point where, when someone is willing to serve (generally at a great reduction in pay), the first thought from the peanut gallery is about how he’s probably a crook. Even from people who know better, because they also know there are armies of rotted minds out there who will pick up the chant.

    Take Pruitt for example. He leaves the House to serve as a cabinet officer. He does things like (horrors) fly first class, or even zeroth class. He spends 5 figures on desks and stuff. He expects his high office has some perks. And from Congress (where ALL OF THIS is routine) there is shock and outrage, picked up by a strangely uncritical press.

    Does anyone believe that ANY cabinet officer flies coach? Or gets their officer furniture at Staples? They tried this crap last year with Ben Carson, who spent THOUSANDS on new home furnishings, except that was even dumber than the posse could stand.

    Or Trump. Yes, Trump will make money while he’s President. So the F what?! He would have made money (likely more money), and certainly would have a greater life expectancy, had he just ignored his urge to serve a while longer. I may not like the man, but I hate to see puerile attacksed against anyone. And with Trump, it’s just lazy.

    Kevin M (5d3e49)

  23. No it was about Pruitt slaying skydragon and the ethanol beast, of course the staffer that ordered the desk stays.

    Narciso (2980ef)

  24. I heard that he’ll turn back the clock. Good. I hate this daylight savings time and it SHOULD be unconstitutional.

    Kevin M (5d3e49)

  25. One of the more high-strung editors at ThinkProgress had a hissy-fit about the opinion piece that Patterico quotes.

    JVW (42615e)

  26. Oh JVW, that’s just awful. 🙁

    And wow, DCSA, you have uncovered a massive conspiracy to make the president a king!! Thank you. Whew, dodged a bullet.

    Patricia (3363ec)

  27. @28. Gee, thank your friends aboard the Mothership at Fox, too:

    Fox’s Napolitano Pushes Wild Conspiracy Theory About Kavanaugh, Clinton, Vince Foster Death – July 10, 2018

    Andrew Napolitano, Fox News’ senior judicial analyst, pushed a nutty conspiracy theory tying Hillary Clinton to Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and the suicide of White House aide Vince Foster on Fox & Friends Tuesday morning. On to discuss President Donald Trump‘s nomination of Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, Napolitano brought up Hillary Clinton’s ties to the circuit court judge. “You remember Vince Foster who killed himself in the White House?” Napolitano asked his Fox & Friends hosts. “How did his body get from the White House to Fort Marcy Park?” “Who was the prosecutor in charge of figuring out how his body got there? Who was the prosecutor that exonerated Hillary and the thugs that moved his body? A young Brett Kavanaugh.”

    Conspiracy theories have swirled around the death of Vince Foster, former President Bill Clinton‘s White House deputy counsel, since he committed suicide in 1993. The most prominent (but completely unfounded) theory is that Foster was killed in the White House by the Clintons, and his body was then dumped in a park. President Donald Trump is, of course, fond of that theory.

    The reality is that Foster — a childhood friend of Bill Clinton — suffered from depression, and shot himself in Fort Marcy Park, Fairfax County, Virginia in 1993. His proximity to the Clintons and involvement in various controversies that surrounded the administration fueled the conspiracy theories. But there were five investigations into his death, and they all determined he committed suicide, in the park.’ – source, http://www.mediaite.com

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  28. Thanks for watching, DC! I don’t know how I missed it–I only stop watching Fox long enough to sleep! Glad I can count on you, Lol.

    Patricia (3363ec)

  29. @20. England 1, Croatia 0 at the half. The Brits look good; playing loose.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  30. Unlike say Malcolm nance and the other flying monkeys on msnbc?

    Narciso (2980ef)

  31. @20. England 1, Croatia 0 at the half. The Brits look good; playing loose.

    Missed way too many opportunities to go up 2-0.

    JVW (42615e)

  32. @33. True, given the Brit’s snake-bit history. But Croatia isn’t a pushover. So far, a good match.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  33. And this is why you need to go up 2-0 when you have a chance.

    JVW (42615e)

  34. @35. Croatia’s play is aggressive; Goalie Pickford’s earned his pay today. Excellent match.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  35. If schumer can’t stop nomination democratic base says what good are you? Resign and let coumo appoint alexandra ocasio-cortez to your seat in the senate. Corporate establishment democrats who control the left will be discredited and democrats will say conservatives are right these phony hippocrite limousine liberals are worthless. To protect the corporate state the establishment will have to install a police state to control democrats new militant leadership.

    wendell (654f72)

  36. I’m not sure how you feel about using RedState links here, Patrick, but when they’re right, they’re right.

    You can always link Joe Cunningham. In fact, you can link anyone there, but I will disregard any link to anything by streiff.

    Patterico (115b1f)

  37. Congrats England, you just qualified for the Runner-Up Bowl.

    harkin (9d2fbb)

  38. “he is an uncommonly partisan judge, even compared to other federal appeals court judges.”

    IOW – He’s extremely partisan to what the constitution and written law says.

    harkin (9d2fbb)

  39. England loses in double OT to Croatia, 2 to 1. Croatia vs. France in World Cup Final.

    This and warm pints of Watney’s should add to Britain’s foul mood for our Captain’s visit. All he has to do now it top it off with a typical Trumpian quip: “England choked!”

    “I say, hard cheese old boy!” – Raymond Delauney [Terry-Thomas] ‘School For Scoundrels’, 1960

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  40. The final pits old stagnant Islamifying Western Europe vs. new dynamic Nationalist Eastern Europe.

    urbanleftbehind (5eecdb)

  41. Did the mayor approve the Baby Khan blimp or just the Trump one?

    https://www.independentsentinel.com/enough-raised-to-fly-giant-khan-baby-blimp-over-london/

    harkin (9d2fbb)

  42. “The final pits old stagnant Islamifying Western Europe vs. new dynamic Nationalist Eastern Europe.”

    Guess which one has had 1,296 knife attacks in its capital city so far this year?

    harkin (9d2fbb)

  43. Croatia’s stronger midfield was a decisive advantage. Great play on both sides.

    ropelight (64c29b)

  44. @46. Yep. Croatia earned this one. Though Pickford earned his keep today. Excellent match all ’round.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  45. You can always link Joe Cunningham. In fact, you can link anyone there, but I will disregard any link to anything by streiff.

    We’re in agreement. What a knob.

    Paul Montagu (e7d63b)

  46. Er, streiff, that is.

    Paul Montagu (e7d63b)

  47. Missed way too many opportunities to go up 2-0.

    And they say baseball is slow.

    Kevin M (5d3e49)

  48. @30. I don’t know how I missed it–

    You only see and hear what you want to, that’s how.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  49. Why does any American care about soccer?

    Real football begins on Friday, August 31, when the Army Black Knights visit the Duke Blue Devils, 7:00 PM on ESPNU.

    The Dana who knows what real football is (8a2cfa)

  50. Meanwhile….

    “Conservative commentator and activist Ben Shapiro happily announced the lawsuit against him by Ahmed Muhammed, dubbed “clock boy,” was dismissed on Wednesday with attorney’s fees awarded to Shapiro.

    Shapiro celebrated his victory against what he called a “frivolous use” of the court system in a statement posted to his website:

    This is an excellent day for free speech. Using law as warfare is perhaps the most disgusting tactic of politically correct activists across the country, and we couldn’t be more excited to stand up against such frivolous use of our court system. My initial comments suggested that false charges of Islamophobia only muddy the waters when it comes to policing actual dangerous activity, and I’m proud to fight back against such charges.

    Shapiro was represented by Kurt Schlichter, a popular conservative commentator and lawyer. “I could not be prouder than to have had the opportunity, along with Chris and Ross, to help Ben protect every American’s right to speak out on important issues,” Schlichter said. “Ben never once wavered, never even considered giving in, and we are grateful that the Court has unequivocally reaffirmed his and every American’s right to speak freely.”“

    https://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/02/02/judge-dismisses-clock-boy-lawsuit-against-ben-shapiro-awards-attorneys-fees

    harkin (9d2fbb)

  51. hey Mr. Kavaslut i gotcher world cup right here

    take a sip

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  52. European “football” vs. American football: Do you like to see guys in short pants or tight spandex?

    nk (dbc370)

  53. i hate tv number one

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  54. so glad leggy meggy’s piss-stained ginger-britain ain’t gone git no cup

    trash don’t git no cup

    got yer brexit right here

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  55. NATO and a two-dollah thai-tranny hooker

    and maybe you got some money left on a gift-card at IHOP

    and some boats (but you need tatters what know how to drive them in cargo ship heavy seas)

    the sun goes down

    the stars come out

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  56. i like how President Trump pointed out how not-safe-for-kids it is how Angela Merkel gets down on her knees and takes Mr. Putin in her mouth

    Nazi Germany lol

    they just don’t get it

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  57. oh it is so real

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  58. Cuomo got his law degree out of a cracker jack biz right?

    Narciso (51d5d7)

  59. Anti-Trump Protest at NATO Draws Only a Couple Dozen

    “Make Peace Great Again” organizers were expecting few thousand protestors to gather outside the NATO summit in Brussels on Wednesday evening to protest President Trump’s attendance, but only a couple dozen demonstrators showed up.

    Euro News’ Damon Embling reported that organizers were expecting a few thousand people to attend the protest, but just a few dozen turned out.

    The protesters were rallying around the slogan “Make Peace Great Again,” a play on Trump’s 2016 campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again.”

    Embling asked one of the organizers why only a couple dozen demonstrators showed up at the protest.

    “I think it’s, what went wrong is not the good question to ask,” the clearly frustrated organizer said.”

    https://ntknetwork.com/anti-trump-protest-at-nato-draws-only-a-couple-dozen/

    harkin (9d2fbb)

  60. NATO’s a turk-infested bathhouse we’re all paying to fumigate every month and for what i ask you

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  61. whose idea was it to let the dirty trash-turks into nato to begin with?

    not me that’s for sure

    i can see dick cheney licking that idea clkean straight off the bone

    but he’s kind of a slut

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  62. oopers *clean* straight off the bone i mean

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  63. https://mobile.twitter.com/KevinDaleyDC/status/1017207936823758853

    Kevin Daley
    @KevinDaleyDC
    A friend of mine spotted Judge Kavanaugh serving hot dinners to the poor this afternoon, after a day spent huddling with lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
    __ _

    Ben Shapiro
    @benshapiro
    MILLIONS WILL DIE
    __ _

    Andrew
    @AdFontemVeritas
    Replying to @benshapiro
    How dare he impose his religiously derived virtue of charity on the homeless! Oppression!
    __ _

    Tyler
    @Tyler_Olea
    Tomorrow’s headline: “Trump’s SCOTUS nomination seen contributing to the county’s obesity epidemic.”
    __ _

    Deplorable Towel
    @dtowelie
    Replying to @benshapiro
    they would be ok if he were handing out needles.

    __

    harkin (9d2fbb)

  64. Flake drops opposition to Trump’s judges after [symbolic] tariff vote

    who can even take this arizona pedophile dork-morm seriously not me that’s for sure

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  65. Well they didn’t want to seem judgemental, snordle, actually before ecmettin and erdogan turkey was fairly pro western.

    Narciso (51d5d7)

  66. Also they were becoming wobbly in the time of tansu ciller

    Narciso (51d5d7)

  67. when are we gonna stop pretending that dirty racist Alabama coward Jeffy Sessions is the de facto Attorney General

    when it’s actually this dirty dirty slut

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  68. During the confirmation process for Judge Merrick B. Garland, the Obama nominee whom Senate Republicans refused to consider, the office helped pull together the more than 2,000 documents needed for Mr. Garland’s Senate questionnaire.

    “When we gathered documents required to be turned over to the Judiciary Committee, we did not ask anyone from outside of the Office of Legal Policy to help out,” said Michael Zubrensky, a former Justice Department lawyer who oversaw the judicial nominations at the time and the current legal director of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.

    “But the number of documents for Judge Kavanaugh will be different by an order of magnitude,” Mr. Zubrensky said.

    the doj’s corrupt and slut-infested while jeffy sessions sucks his pudding cup sucksucksuck

    so nasty so sick all up in it

    laughingstock justice system

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  69. It’s like that geico commercial, that’s not how any of this works.

    Narciso (51d5d7)

  70. What’s Rod Rosenstein up to, keeping an eye on Bob Mueller???

    WASHINGTON — Rod J. Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, has asked federal prosecutors to help review the government documents of Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh, President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, according to a letter obtained by The New York Times on Wednesday.
    Mr. Rosenstein’s request was an unusual insertion of politics into federal law enforcement. While the Justice Department has helped work on previous Supreme Court nominations, department lawyers in Washington typically carry out that task, not prosecutors who pursue criminal investigations nationwide.
    But in an email sent this week to the nation’s 93 United States attorneys, Mr. Rosenstein asked each office to provide up to three federal prosecutors “who can make this important project a priority for the next several weeks.” Names were to be submitted to Mr. Rosenstein’s office by the end of Wednesday.

    Former law enforcement officials described Mr. Rosenstein’s directive as a troubling precedent.
    “It’s flat-out wrong to have career federal prosecutors engaged in a political process like the vetting of a Supreme Court nominee,” said Christopher Hunter, a former F.B.I. agent and federal prosecutor who is running for Congress. “It takes them away from the mission they’re supposed to be fulfilling, which is effective criminal justice enforcement.”



    Trashy NYT’s

    Pinandpuller (de20d0)

  71. One of the reasons that the DoJ is such a swamp is that the Senate won’t confirm nominees.

    The following nominations have been blocked in the Senate since mid-2017:

    Assistant Attorney General for the criminal division
    Assistant Attorney General for the civil division
    Assistant Attorney General for the civil rights division
    Assistant Attorney General for the environment and natural resources division

    https://www.washingtonpost….

    They have all been reported favorably out of committee and await a Senate vote. But the Democrats are gaming the rules on debate, demanding their maximum debate period on each, during which time nothing else can happen. A pre-filibuster filibuster.

    So far McConnell has just nibbled on the edges of the problem.

    Kevin M (5d3e49)

  72. He coaches not one but two girls’ basketball teams.

    Where does this guy find the time ?
    I believe I read that in addition to being a federal judge, he also teaches at Harvard, Yale and Georgetown.

    The guy is “super human”

    Neo (d1c681)


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