Politico: “With Kavanaugh considered likely to win confirmation absent a major misstep, Democrats must keep pushing against long odds while carving out an upside to potential defeat. They’re readying an intense volley of questions for the 53-year-old appellate court judge on hot-button liberal issues from abortion to the Russia probe and aiming to create viral social media moments from particularly controversial exchanges in the hopes of chipping away at Kavanaugh’s credibility.”

“Even if Democrats can’t quash Kavanaugh’s confirmation, though, they know they’ll have to walk away from the fight with the minor victory of weakening Kavanaugh’s public persona and forcing Republicans to come up with the votes to approve him before a single one of their members comes off the fence.”

For members: Democrats Should Set a Trap for Kavanaugh

“Hours before the start of hearings on Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court, the lawyer for former president George W. Bush turned over 42,000 pages of documents from the nominee’s service in the Bush White House, angering Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, who issued what is certain to be a futile call to delay the proceedings,” the Washington Post reports.

Said Schumer: “Not a single senator will be able to review these records before tomorrow.”

“Senate Democrats plan to hammer President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh over his views on abortion and presidential power in hearings starting on Tuesday, but the conservative judge looks likely to be confirmed,” Reuters reports.

”Trump’s fellow Republicans hold narrow majority control of the Senate so they can approve Kavanaugh if they stay united. So far, there were no signs of defections, with the Senate likely to vote by the end of the month.”

“Democrats are expressing alarm over the Trump White House decision to claim executive privilege and withhold some 100,000 pages of documents from Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s time with the George W. Bush administration,” ABC News reports.

“More than 400,000 other pages have been handed over to the Senate Judiciary Committee, but Democrats say the withheld documents would give details and color to Kavanaugh’s time as White House Counsel in the Bush White House — when he was involved in some of its most controversial decisions and judicial nominations.”

“It’s a time Democrats say is key in giving context to his time as a partisan Republican.”

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) “criticized Republicans on Sunday for the unprecedented way they are conducting the confirmation process for Brett Kavanaugh,” the HuffPost reports.

Said Klobuchar: “It’s not normal because we are not able to see 100,000 documents because the administration has said we can’t see them, exerting their executive power.”

She added: “I think that you could ask some very interesting questions about these documents that I’m unable to even say.”

“On Monday, Kavanaugh participated in his last full moot court session, which lasted nearly the entire day. Sitting in a large office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, he took questions from aides who played key members of the committee, mimicking their style of questioning,” Politico reports.

“The mock hearing room has been outfitted with a dais, nametags, microphones and a clock with red and green lights meant to keep his answers within the allotted time limit. The sessions, which are often referred to as ‘murder boards,’ have also featured faux protesters to make sure Kavanaugh stays cool in the event of a mid-hearing outburst.”

Vice President Mike Pence blamed a lack of progress on Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court in the Senate on Democrats, tweeting that in a more “respectful time” Kavanaugh would already be on the court.

Said Pence: “Justice Antonin Scalia was confirmed 98-0 and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg received support of 96 Senators. If we lived in a more respectful time, Judge Brett Kavanaugh would be overwhelmingly confirmed by the United States Senate.”

“Democrats have all but acknowledged that they are unable to stop the Senate from confirming Trump nominee Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court this fall,” the Washington Post reports.

“Moderate Republican senators such as Susan Collins of Maine, the most closely watched GOP swing vote, are sending strong signals that they will back Kavanaugh. Several Democrats facing difficult reelections this year have indicated they are open to voting for the judge. And leaders of the resistance are already delivering post-mortem assessments and blaming fellow Democrats for a looming failure.”