First Read: “The good news for Kavanaugh is that he wrote the op-ed, acknowledging that his tone last Thursday was way off key. But here’s the bad news about the op-ed: It was poorly placed (why the conservative Wall Street Journal opinion pages and not, say, USA Today?); it didn’t spell out what he wants to dial back; and it neglects to mention that he wrote those opening remarks himself — the day before his testimony.”

“The question you have to ask yourself after reading the op-ed: Does Kavanaugh truly believe he was wrong to say the things he said at the hearing? Or does he just wish he hadn’t said them? Remember, Kavanaugh’s past partisanship (hello, Ken Starr) was always one of the most problematic parts of his resume before Christine Blasey Ford.”

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) told CBS News that he will never forget the “fire” in Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s eyes during last week’s dramatic hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Said Durbin: “I understand his emotion and his anger. This has to be a terrible ordeal for him and his family and I understand that part. But the fire in his eyes when he turned into this partisan screed is something I’m not going to forget. I cannot imagine a Supreme Court justice who would be so partisan, make such wild claims, and then ask to be put on a bench and trusted his temperament.”

The U.S. Senate will move ahead on Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination with a procedural vote expected Friday, the Washington Post reports.

“McConnell’s move came as five senators — three Republicans and two Democrats — have not said how they would vote following an FBI investigation into misconduct allegations against Brett Kavanaugh. A simple Senate majority to end debate would clear the way for the Senate to confirm Kavanaugh as the next justice this weekend.”

The Hill: “If Kavanaugh overcomes the procedural hurdle, the Senate could then take a final vote on his nomination as early as Saturday.”

A new Reuters/Ipsos poll finds 41% of Americans opposed to Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court, while 33% support him and 26% said they did not know.

“Opposition to Kavanaugh grew 4 percentage points after the Sept. 27 Judiciary Committee hearing… Opposition grew every day after the hearing in the poll, conducted between Sept. 25 and Oct. 1.”

“The increase in opposition to Kavanaugh, facing a confirmation vote in the Senate after being nominated by Trump for a lifetime position on the court, appears to be driven by those who previously did not have an opinion.”