Twitter Agonizes, Celebrates, Melts Down as Susan Collins Delivers Longest Kavanaugh Endorsement Possible

In a lengthy speech, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) announced that she will vote for Supreme Court justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation, which means the judge will almost certainly be appointed to the bench.

Collins, who praised Kavanaugh’s judicial record and attacked liberal “special interest” organizations for getting involved in protests, quickly breezed over Christine Blasey Ford’s sexual assault allegations against the nominee and attempted to play both sides.

“I found her testimony to be sincere, painful and compelling. I believe that she is a survivor of a sexual assault and that this trauma has upended her life,” the senator said. “Nevertheless, the four witnesses she named could not corroborate any of the events of that evening gathering where she said the assault occurred.”

Collins concluded that Ford’s claims cannot “fairly prevent Judge Kavanaugh from serving on the court.”

The senator was ripped on Twitter by many progressive pundits, as well as criticized by the media for dragging out her yes vote into a long Senate speech that barely addressed the misconduct allegations. Additionally, many noted that it is unlikely Collins prepared much of the speech after Ford went public with her claims, since much of it focused on Kavanaugh’s judicial record instead of the allegations.

Check out a few of the responses below:

This sounds like a speech Sen. Collins would have made if none of the sexual assault allegation drama had happened.

— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) October 5, 2018

Rachel Maddow is like “wtf this windup is insanely long.”

— Noah Shachtman (@NoahShachtman) October 5, 2018

Collins is saying everything she can think of.

Everything except Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s name.

— Max Burns (@themaxburns) October 5, 2018

Susan Collins thinks b/c Ford can’t remember who drove her home has something to do with anything. Has she spoken to a single trauma expert? This is shameful.

— Kirsten Powers (@KirstenPowers) October 5, 2018

“The #metoo movement is real. It matters,” @SenatorCollins says.

She, however, is going to viewed as a great villain by those in the movement.

— Kasie Hunt (@kasie) October 5, 2018

Collins’ speech is turning out to be the longest TV ad FOR Kavanaugh I’ve seen so far.

— ????? ?. ??????? (@CNNJason) October 5, 2018

Reports of @SenatorCollins ‘s undecidedness were greatly exaggerated.

— Glenn Thrush (@GlennThrush) October 5, 2018

At this rate, she’s more likely to call out George Soros than vote no

— Will Rahn (@willrahn) October 5, 2018

i cannot fucking get over collins having the nerve to bring up left wing dark money when the judicial crisis network is largely funded by a single unknown donor

— libby watson (@libbycwatson) October 5, 2018

This is how you make being a sought after swing vote into a political showstopper as @senatorcollins gets to make her case in the way she chooses with a big audience

— Kelly O’Donnell (@KellyO) October 5, 2018

Collins maybe giving the longest answer to a yes or no question ever right now.

— Paul Connolly (@paulconndc) October 5, 2018

[image via screengrab]

Follow the author on Twitter (@calebecarma).

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