SCOTUS Watch

[Fretmute]

Anything above a small business almost certainly has a "no comments on physical appearance" as part of their sexual harassment policy. That most people choose to ignore this, especially with long standing co-workers and innocuous comments, doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

I've never been anywhere that had one of those.

At my job, if I tell someone, using these exact words, "You look nice today", and they decide that they want to interpret that in a sleazy way, I will absolutely get nailed for sexual harassment.

[Alefroth]

Oh, come on. I agree with everything about the old white men of the GOP and reproductive rights, but that comment from Hatch is completely innocuous. Saying someone is an attractive witness is no different from my comment that she comes across as likeable. He's not saying "She's smoking hot!!!!!" That kind of thing is pure "gotchaism" (I think I made that up, but I'm sticking with it). But I'm sure it will be all over social media in no time.

Well, that says loads about you.

[Remus West]

HOLY MOTHER OF GOD

Don't forget that this is the party of old white men that are dead set on controlling a woman's reproductive system. I find comments like "she's attractive" to be so tone deaf as to be from another era. Like 70+ years ago era. Eventually they'll die off and a new crop of Reps will take their place, and they'll be much more savvy about their misogyny.

Plus...Utah.

Oh, come on. I agree with everything about the old white men of the GOP and reproductive rights, but that comment from Hatch is completely innocuous. Saying someone is an attractive witness is no different from my comment that she comes across as likeable. He's not saying "She's smoking hot!!!!!" That kind of thing is pure "gotchaism" (I think I made that up, but I'm sticking with it). But I'm sure it will be all over social media in no time.

Saying she is likeable implies her personality. Saying she is attractive implies her looks. Very different. Particularly in this situation.

[noxiousdog]

Anything above a small business almost certainly has a "no comments on physical appearance" as part of their sexual harassment policy. That most people choose to ignore this, especially with long standing co-workers and innocuous comments, doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

I've never been anywhere that had one of those.

You work in the Texas oil industry.

And the phrase is: "making graphic or degrading comments about an individual or his/her appearance." which is a sight different from "no comments".

I work for a foreign company and it's a global code of conduct. It's complete reasonable. Don't be degrading or offensive, and more importantly if you're asked to stop, stop even if you don't think you're being degrading or offensive.

[Isgrimnur]

I know, I just like giving you a hard time.

[LordMortis]

That being said. Based on previous Hatch quotes I don't think he gets the benefit of any doubts.

It's easy to imagine a scenario where attractive is conflated to mean having value that holds your attention over physical appeal. We do it all of the time, "That's an attractive offer" "this what the most attractive choice"

That said, no matter how easy to imagine, I also don't imagine giving anyone the benefit of the doubt. It's an ill conceived and inconsiderate reference and the further your tendencies sway from a person how hold consideration for people coupled with the more your livelihood is coupled with effective communication, the more negatively I view you while not giving you the benefit of the doubt.

On a scale from Merlkly to McConnell, Hatch is consistently a 7 or 8 in raising my dander. This is doesn't disappoint. I have as little use from him as I did before his language games.

[Enough]

HOLY MOTHER OF GOD

Don't forget that this is the party of old white men that are dead set on controlling a woman's reproductive system. I find comments like "she's attractive" to be so tone deaf as to be from another era. Like 70+ years ago era. Eventually they'll die off and a new crop of Reps will take their place, and they'll be much more savvy about their misogyny.

Plus...Utah.

Oh, come on. I agree with everything about the old white men of the GOP and reproductive rights, but that comment from Hatch is completely innocuous. Saying someone is an attractive witness is no different from my comment that she comes across as likeable. He's not saying "She's smoking hot!!!!!" That kind of thing is pure "gotchaism" (I think I made that up, but I'm sticking with it). But I'm sure it will be all over social media in no time.

Saying she is likeable implies her personality. Saying she is attractive implies her looks. Very different. Particularly in this situation.

Since none of us know how Dr. Ford would interpret the comment, there's that. Harassment 101 is that any comments like this can be harassment if the comment is unwelcome. I viewed the comment as par for the course for a bumbling old fool that is completely detached from reality. I see nothing wrong with bringing up the comments for derision, but I also agree we have far bigger fish to fry here.

[noxiousdog]

I know, I just like giving you a hard time.

No worries.

[LordMortis]

At my job, if I tell someone, using these exact words, "You look nice today", and they decide that they want to interpret that in a sleazy way, I will absolutely get nailed for sexual harassment.

I TiVo The Voice. I don't know why. Complementing so many women on The Voice for their look is so common it's probably unnoticeable to most but it makes me wince like it's the Wilhelm Scream. Conversely, they do it so rarely for a man, that is also sticks out and it sticks out so much they tease each other about it.

I'm not even sure I'd notice and therefore have a hangup if it weren't for a show called The Voice. Where is GG's idiosyncrasies thread? I could update that thing daily with stupid shit I can't get over.

[Fireball]

Dr. Ford did an excellent job in a terrible situation. After that, no decent person can support putting Kavanaugh on the Court.

[Isgrimnur]

Dr. Ford did an excellent job in a terrible situation. After that, no decent person can support putting Kavanaugh on the Court.

What makes you think the voters elected decent persons?

[msteelers]

At my job, if I tell someone, using these exact words, "You look nice today", and they decide that they want to interpret that in a sleazy way, I will absolutely get nailed for sexual harassment.

I TiVo The Voice. I don't know why. Complementing so many women on The Voice for their look is so common it's probably unnoticeable to most but it makes me wince like it's the Wilhelm Scream. Conversely, they do it so rarely for a man, that is also sticks out and it sticks out so much they tease each other about it.

I'm not even sure I'd notice and therefore have a hangup if it weren't for a show called The Voice. Where is GG's idiosyncrasies thread? I could update that thing daily with stupid shit I can't get over.

Along that same vein, it bothers me that every time a woman posts a picture to social media, the comments are some variation of telling her how good she looks.

And it’s not just creepy guys that do it. A lot of woman will throw in the obligatory “beautiful!”... or “gorgeous!” to their comments.

[$iljanus]

Is it my imagination that Mitchell is trying to lay blame on Dr. Ford for giving testimony in the Senate vs in private? She should have submitted to a forensic interview? Well Dr. Ford wanted to talk to the damn FBI for crying out loud.

Mitchell set that up like a prosecutor, complementing Dr. Ford for her science references and how 5 minute questioning isn’t really the most effective way to get to the truth which elicited laughs all around. Then after commiserating with the witness, cites her own study about the best way to get testimony in sexual assault cases then asks why she didn’t pursue a forensic interview vs hiring lawyers and submitting to a polygraph. Again she wanted to be interviewed by the FBI who I would think have some experience in interviewing witness and assault victims vs investigators flying out to her from both sides of the aisle who would possibly have some political motivations?

[Paingod]

Dr. Ford did an excellent job in a terrible situation. After that, no decent person can support putting Kavanaugh on the Court.

What makes you think the voters elected decent persons?

[Skinypupy]

Dr. Ford did an excellent job in a terrible situation. After that, no decent person can support putting Kavanaugh on the Court.

Which means nothing has changed from where we started, basically.

[Holman]

Hoo Boy Lindsey Graham is *melting down,* jabbering red-faced at reporters about how the majority was "ambushed" by Ford's accusations.

Then he says that he thinks that Dr. Ford (by being put up to it) is "just as much a victim" as Kavanaugh...

Yup. Said that.

[Isgrimnur]

Dr. Ford did an excellent job in a terrible situation. After that, no decent person can support putting Kavanaugh on the Court.

What makes you think the voters elected decent persons?

Checkmate.

[Archinerd]

I predict a nasty tweet storm heading our way.

[Kurth]

Oh, come on. I agree with everything about the old white men of the GOP and reproductive rights, but that comment from Hatch is completely innocuous. Saying someone is an attractive witness is no different from my comment that she comes across as likeable. He's not saying "She's smoking hot!!!!!" That kind of thing is pure "gotchaism" (I think I made that up, but I'm sticking with it). But I'm sure it will be all over social media in no time.

Well, that says loads about you.

I don't want to further derail this thread, but if you care to elaborate, feel free to PM me. I'd be interested to know your thoughts.

[Holman]

I predict a nasty tweet storm heading our way.

I wonder. A few journos with WH connections have suggested that Trump is angry at fellow Republicans over this, like they should have vetted Kavanaugh better and known what was coming. He is reported to be furious with Don McGahn, who pushed hard for this nominee.

Obviously it makes the party look weak, but Kavanaugh going down in flames doesn't touch Trump personally the way Mueller's indictments do. He probably figures he can just pick another nominee to get the same results.

Trump isn't deeply in invested in anything but Trump.

[Blackhawk]

t my job, if I tell someone, using these exact words, "You look nice today", and they decide that they want to interpret that in a sleazy way, I will absolutely get nailed for sexual harassment.

And yet, as an autistic person with trouble communicating with people, the first piece of (professional, official) advice I always get is to compliment them on their appearance. Apparently they can decide that makes you a predator.

Fuck society.

[Holman]

OK. Here we go. "Angry preppy" it is.

He's going off on Democrats and "The Left" without even a pretense of judicial impartiality. Even Scalia hid his cards better than this.

Presumably he is not drunk at the moment, but he's certainly belligerent.

[Fireball]

What a fucking snowflake.

[Smoove_B]

I'm pretty sure at this point, the court of public opinion has ruled that Kavanugh is a giant pile of shit. I'm sure the GOP will fully take that into consideration.

[LawBeefaroni]

t my job, if I tell someone, using these exact words, "You look nice today", and they decide that they want to interpret that in a sleazy way, I will absolutely get nailed for sexual harassment.

And yet, as an autistic person with trouble communicating with people, the first piece of (professional, official) advice I always get is to compliment them on their appearance. Apparently they can decide that makes you a predator.

Fuck society.

That's 20 years old advice.

Now you just say, "Hashtag: you're so amazing!" and smile vapidly. Unless you're a congresscreature or the president. Then you just do/grab whatever.

[Paingod]

I'm pretty sure at this point, the court of public opinion has ruled that Kavanugh is a giant pile of shit. I'm sure the GOP will fully take that into consideration.

Naw, man. They good. They brought the Poo-Pourri. He might look bad, but he smells good.

[Holman]

There's no martyr like a spoiled, entitled prick with his birthright at risk.

[Scoop20906]

What a fucking snowflake.

He didn’t get what he deserves and It’s not fair.

[Fretmute]

There's no martyr like a spoiled, entitled prick with his birthright at risk.

[Holman]

He's going all-in on the claim that Ford and Ramirez are part of Democratic Party conspiracy to derail him and get revenge for the Clintons.

This alone should disqualify him from the Supreme Court. How could he be trusted to rule impartially?

He himself has claimed that justices must be nonpartisan and don't sit on opposite sides of any aisle.

[Kraken]

I'm pretty sure at this point, the court of public opinion has ruled that Kavanugh is a giant pile of shit. I'm sure the GOP will fully take that into consideration.

Presidential material!

[Scoop20906]

Wow. He is losing his composure. What’s wrong with this guy?

[Grifman]

OK. Here we go. "Angry preppy" it is.

He's going off on Democrats and "The Left" without even a pretense of judicial impartiality. Even Scalia hid his cards better than this.

Presumably he is not drunk at the moment, but he's certainly belligerent.

After Ford, I think this is a mistake. “Hurt” and “bewildered” Kavanaugh would come off better than “angry” Kavanaugh .

[Unagi]

Hey, I drink beer. I drank beer. And I didn't assault someone too!

We should just let him get the seat.

[LawBeefaroni]

Wow. He is losing his composure. What’s wrong with this guy?

He's hearing "No" and doesn't quite understand the concept. It's extremely frustrating (for infants and spoiled dickbros alike) and may result in tantrums.

[gbasden]

It's amazing that he's constantly bring up his peers as character witnesses when so many of them from High School and College have talked about him being a frequent, mean drunk.

[$iljanus]

So essentially if you think he sexually assaulted Dr. Ford, you hate beer.

[Default]

Heard some of his statement on the way back from getting a haircut. I turned it off because Kavanaugh's rebuttal was such an unhinged rant that I wanted to vomit.

[The Meal]

Spoiler:

Trump and Pence have both phoned Kavanaugh to voice their support ahead of today's hearing. Trump had a message for Kavanaugh, per a person familiar with the call: Be aggressive and forceful in your denials. Don't be afraid to push back on these allegations.

[Scoop20906]

This is embarrassing to listen to. Even Trump would make a better showing.