No, this post is not about Republicans who voted for a Democrat (hard to believe) 30 years ago.  It is about how the Republican response to Brett Kavanaugh is so Dukakis-like.

Roger Simon, Politico columnist, called it, “the most controversial question ever asked in a presidential debate.” The date was October 13, 1988.  The late Bernard Shaw, CNN anchor and co-moderator of the second debate between Vice President George H. W. Bush and Massachusetts Governor Mike Dukakis, was known for asking questions which were not in the candidates’ briefing books.  And this was going to be no exception.  He turned to Dukakis and asked:

Governor, if Kitty Dukakis  (his wife) were raped and murdered, would you favor an irrevocable death penalty for the killer?

The room went silent.  But instead of the question ending Shaw’s future at CNN, it was Dukakis’ answer which for all intents and purposes ended any chance of his ever occupying the  White House.

No, I don’t, Bernard, and I think you know that I’ve opposed the death penalty during all of my life. I don’t see any evidence that it’s a deterrent and I think there are better and more effective ways to deal with violent crime.

After eight years of Ronald Reagan governing on good feelings and questionable competency, Dukakis had marketed himself as a technocrat, less interested in ideological battles than making sure the federal government did what it was tasked to do, effectively and efficiently.  And for a while, the message resonated with potential voters aided by Bush’s questionable selection of Dan Quayle as a running mate.  But immediately following the October debate, Gallup gave a 55-38 edge to Bush compared to a mirror-image 55-38 margin for Dukakis in July.  Americans who were okay with a left-of-center technocrat were less comfortable with a dispassionate robot lacking emotional intelligence.

A better answer would have been.

Bernie, my first reaction would be, “I’m going to kill that son of a bitch.”  But that’s exactly why we need judicial process.  Violent crime by its very nature begs for vengeance.  And I know the Bible calls for an eye for an eye. But, as you know, I have never had any interest in using the threat of the death penalty as a crime deterrent.  And I accept a life sentence without parole as an adequate response.  In some ways, it is a more proportional response than executions.

Which brings me to 2018 and the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearings.  Where is Bernard Shaw when we really need him?  When is someone going to ask the question of every Kavanaugh supporter who has a daughter?

Senator, if 35 years later, your daughter told you she had been sexually assaulted by a nominee to the Supreme Court, what would be your response?

There are two ways to respond.  A controlled, logical argument based on ideological and partisan bias.  Or the emotional response of a father whose primary interest is the safety and well-being of a daughter.  An angry parent who would want to get to the bottom of the story regardless of the time or cost required.

Ask Chuck Grassley how he would react if it were one of his daughters Robin, Wendy or Michele.  Or Alysa, Marcia or Kimberly Hatch. Or Danley and Haley Cornyn.  Or Caroline and Catherine Cruz.  Or Elizabeth and Alexandra Sasse.  Or Lara, Michelle and Stephanie Crapo. Or Lindsay Tillis.  Or even Elly or Claire McConnell.

Do you think they would tell their daughters you cannot hold someone responsible for something they did in high school or college?  Would they invite the accused into their home and accept his side of the story at face value even though there were at least a dozen questionable if not outright false statements?  Would they charge their offspring with being part of a conspiracy?  And finally, would they dare suggest their daughter had ruined the accuser’s life?

HELL NO!  They would want to kill the bastard.  You can bank on it.  But that’s exactly what they have done with Dr. Ford and the daughters of other parents.  They have acted like dispassionate robots with no emotional intelligence.  Just like Michael Dukakis.  And they deserve the same fate, if not this November then the next time they are up for re-election.

For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP