The honest truth is that whatever is said by pundits, or lawyers, or whomever else, really has no bearing on what happens next to Judge Brett Kavanaugh. The only people who matter are those one hundred who currently hold the title of “Senator.” And those in the Senate are having both partisan and measured reactions to the interview published by the Washington Post yesterday.

Despite their grandstanding and faked concern, the majority of Democrats were never going to vote for Kavanaugh in the first place. Therefore, their protestations and comments are meaningless. The only Democrats who actually matter in this case are the few who were actually willing to consider Kavanaugh in the first place. This small number includes Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, and Jon Tester of Montana. All three are from states who voted for Trump, and they know that they have constituents to placate. So far, none of them has made an official statement on their official Twitter feeds, their campaign Twitter feeds, or their websites. Clearly, all three are in a bind. Democrats in the Senate, even marching in lockstep, do not have the numbers to block Kavanaugh’s confirmation. But this 11th hour smearing of Judge Kavanaugh is perfect red meat fodder to drive GOP turnout for the midterm elections. And if that happens, all three senators may find themselves in a lot of trouble in their red states.

Two Republicans in particular are being singled out by the rabid Twitter left’s ringleader of the “Stop Kavanaugh” movement, Alyssa Milano.

A little reminder, @SenatorCollins. This, from 2017, one week after the allegations—

Collins: Franken allegations ‘credible, disgusting and appalling’ https://t.co/KtYbNfGSjY

Your move. The women of America are waiting. #WithdrawKavanaugh #PostponeTheVote #StopKavanaugh

— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) September 17, 2018

A reminder @lisamurkowski!

In your own words on 12/6/17 below.

Your words. Your move. The women of America are waiting. #WithdrawKavanaugh #PostponeTheVote #StopKanavaugh https://t.co/Rioljsvxa1

— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) September 17, 2018

Now, neither Susan Collins or Lisa Murkowski is up for reelection this year (Collins will be facing reelection in 2020, Murkowski in 2022), but they are being singled out because of their insistence that Al Franken should resign from the Senate.

Let us remember @SenatorCollins and @lisamurkowski insisted Sen. @alfranken resign due to reports of sexual harassment. The very least they should do is ask for postponement of vote until accusations are heard publicly by senate.

— Matthew Dowd (@matthewjdowd) September 17, 2018

Senator Collins, during an interview yesterday evening, did say that she will be talking to her Senate colleagues, but that she doesn’t “know enough to make a judgment at this point.”

CNN asked her about the accusations on Sunday while Collins was at the airport.

“Well, I obviously was very surprised and it’s an issue that I brought up with him last Friday and he denied as he did in his written statement,” she said, adding that is all she really had to say at this point.

She was then asked if the committee should vote this week on Kavanaugh given the turn of events.

“I’m going to be talking with my colleagues, but I really don’t have anything to add at this point, as I said. I did ask — I did read the letter last week and — and asked the judge in a telephone conversation on Friday about it, and he was very emphatic in his denial.”

Finally, when asked if she believes the accuser, she said, “I don’t know enough to make a judgment at this point.”

That seems to be the default position of most Republicans at this point – there just isn’t enough hard proof to make a judgement, but they would be willing to hear out Christine Blasey Ford’s allegation.

My statement on Judge Kavanaugh. pic.twitter.com/QGz3uUyzC9

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) September 16, 2018

More news: Sen. Bob Corker tells me that the Senate Judiciary panel shouldn't vote on Kavanaugh until Ford is heard out. "I think that would be best for all involved, including the nominee. If she does want to be heard, she should do so promptly." https://t.co/QgOpMKAtRn

— Burgess Everett (@burgessev) September 17, 2018

NEWS: Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) tells me in an intv he that doesn’t think the Judiciary Cmte should move ahead with its Thursday vote on Kavanaugh until they hear more from Christine Blasey Ford. “For me, we can’t vote until we hear more.”

— Sean Sullivan (@WaPoSean) September 16, 2018

And for what it’s worth, Ford is going to be heard, if not seen, by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

NEWS — Grassley and Feinstein jointly working on scheduling follow up calls with both Kavanaugh and Ford, per spox pic.twitter.com/71PYAU9OqQ

— Seung Min Kim (@seungminkim) September 16, 2018

Correx (but the statement is clear) — It's Grassley working to schedule a call with Kavanaugh/Ford. Routinely, these calls are both with Ds and Rs

— Seung Min Kim (@seungminkim) September 16, 2018

But that’s not what Democrats want. They want the full Anita Hill experience, circa 2018.

Some more news — multiple sources tell me Dems are not agreeing to follow up calls with Kavanaugh and Ford. @SenFeinstein tells the Post: “Staff calls aren’t the appropriate way to handle this.”

— Seung Min Kim (@seungminkim) September 17, 2018

But at this point, the vote is scheduled to go forward within the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday.

What should the Senate do if this is it? If Ford has given all the evidence she has, and no one else emerges to back her claim, does the Senate move forward?

Yes, it should, and put us all out of our misery.

The Senate should just vote. There are lots of competing judgment calls and an “investigation” isn’t going to resolve a he-said/she-said from the mists of time. There are tough judgment calls here, but we need to end this circus one way or another.

— Ilya Shapiro (@ishapiro) September 16, 2018

Of course, this takes place amid broken discourse & poison politics, attempts to impugn Kavanaugh for liking baseball too much or having been in fraternity—not to mention rolling filibuster, orchestrated protests that punctuated hearings (aka, first Dem primary debate of 2020).

— Ilya Shapiro (@ishapiro) September 16, 2018

Any GOP nom now subject to character assassination bc of apocalyptic narrative Dems bring to Sup Ct fights & for being picked by Trump, whose election the left has never accepted, whose authority to make picks further questioned after indictments/pleas of several associates. 3/x

— Ilya Shapiro (@ishapiro) September 16, 2018

Indeed, Justice Gorsuch continues to be seen as “illegitimate” by many progressives because he “stole” Merrick Garland’s seat (though of course Garland was never attacked personally). Only way to end this circus is to vote on Kavanaugh and let political chips fall where they may.

— Ilya Shapiro (@ishapiro) September 16, 2018

I truly believe that most sane Americans are as sick of this spectacle as I am. After Ford’s claim is weighed for its actual evidence and pattern of behavior, and if nothing more comes up, what more is left to do? If the Senate sticks to a party-line vote, Kavanaugh will be confirmed, notwithstanding any Democrats having another “Spartacus” moment. Just let it all end. Please. We’re all so very, very tired of it all.

Featured image: United States Capitol Building (via Pixabay)