Joe Scarborough and Mike Barnicle discuss the likelihood of Republicans blowing up the Monday hearing with Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused SCOTUS nominee Brett Kavanaugh of attempted rape.
"I said it yesterday, I'll say it today. You talk about a thankless task for these Republicans on the judiciary committee, I don't think they understand it, because so many of them on that committee are so bad with optics," Scarborough said.
"But it seems to me -- and again, this is just political analysis -- other than, let's say -- well, let's just say there are two or three ticking time bombs on the Republican side of this Judiciary committee. and my God, if I am a Republican senator, a candidate running somewhere across America, next Monday i'm going to keep my head buried in the sand because this a no-win situation for them. Facts be damned, it is a no-win situation for those Republicans on the Senate Judiciary committee. That's not me feeling sorry for them in the least. that's just me saying the political dynamics are set up in such a way where they are going to look -- they're just politically going to look very insensitive in a year that a lot of women are going to be elected to Congress."
"Well, Joe, that key phrase you just mentioned, they are going to look -- okay. Let's put that graphic back up again and the composition of the Senate Judiciary Committee that we just had," Barnicle said.
"Take a look at the Republican side of your screen. There are 11 men there, 11 men and they are going to be questioning the witnesses this coming Monday. I mean, this is about an event that happened 36 years ago. There is, I would think, no way you're going to really get to the truth of what may or may not have happened 36 years ago, but there has to be a hearing on it. and Ron Klain had a pretty sensible suggestion he's made. That is, the Senate Judiciary committee ought to go out and retain a professional prosecutor to do the questions of both witnesses rather than leave it to the extraordinary sweep of politics you are going to see next Monday."
