Today’s Painful Spectacle Didn’t Have to Happen

First Read: “At any moment, especially after the second accusation by Deborah Ramirez, President Trump could have thrown in the towel on Kavanaugh and nominated one of his other finalists to serve on the nation’s highest court (Thomas Hardiman or Raymond Kethledge).”

“Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — who called on Al Franken to resign after multiple groping accusations him — could have pulled the plug and told Trump and fellow GOP senators that time would be better served trying to confirm a different nominee before November’s elections, when Democrats have about a 40 percent chance of winning control of the Senate.”

“And at any point over the last 12 days, especially before he went on Fox News (of all places) to defend himself, Kavanaugh could have said this entire spectacle wasn’t worth it — for his wife, for his family, and for institution of the Supreme Court itself.”