Thank you, Senator Collins

I don’t have anything to add to the praise that Seth Lipsky and Roger Simon have lavished on the scrupulous and lucid speech Senator Susan Collins delivered on the Senate floor yesterday afternoon in explanation of her vote in favor of the confirmation of Judge Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court (video below, text here). The editors of National Review say “Thank you, Susan Collins.” In that spirit, I only want to express my gratitude for a voice of sanity above the insane leftist din.

In Politico Playbook this morning Anna Palmer, Jake Sherman and Daniel Lippman add color commentary:

SEN. SUSAN COLLINS’ (R-MAINE) defense of KAVANAUGH was, perhaps, better than anything money can buy for Republicans. A woman defending the Supreme Court nominee, standing in front of three women aired live on cable television for almost an hour.

FROM INSIDE THE CHAMBER … COLLINS walked onto the floor at around 2:55 p.m., and sat down at her desk, which is in the middle of the chamber on the aisle. Behind her were Sens. SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO (R-W.Va.), JONI ERNST (R-Iowa) and CINDY HYDE-SMITH (R-Miss.) — all sitting in other senators’ seats, presumably as a sign of support for Collins. Collins shuffled through paper, made notes and drank from water before she started.

— SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH MCCONNELL walked in at 3:04 p.m. and immediately turned his chair around so it was facing Collins — not the front of the chamber, where he is usually oriented toward. SENATE MAJORITY WHIP JOHN CORNYN did the same. It was like they were sitting in a living room, watching television, or in a theater watching a play.

— COLLINS was briefly interrupted at the beginning of her speech by a group of protestors yelling “show up for Maine women, vote no.” They were promptly removed.

— PEOPLE ON THE FLOOR included Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), the chairman of the NRSC; Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) sitting with each other, frequently chatting; Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.); Democrats included: Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.).

— COTTON AND GRAHAM looked at each other and vigorously nodded when Collins said this: “Christine Ford never sought the spotlight. She indicated that she was terrified to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee, and she has shunned attention since then. She seemed completely unaware of Chairman Grassley’s offer to allow her to testify confidentially in California. Watching her, Mr. President, I could not help but feel that some people who wanted to engineer the defeat of this nomination cared little, if at all, for her well-being.”

— COLLINS FINISHED around 3:50 p.m., and McConnell went to shake her hand — she said “Thank you Mitch.” She got a big hug from SENATE JUDICIARY CHAIRMAN CHUCK GRASSLEY (R-IOWA).

Thank you, Senator Collins.

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