Page 69 - Murkowski News Today

Concerns valid? i mean, is the invitation itself on monday just so the committee can say they heard her charges? >> no. i dont think so. i think there was a lot of from what i understand internal pressure among the senators, particularly with the two female republican senators, murkowski and collins. stressing to the gentleman in the room that this has to be done in a way in which it does not come off as you aptly described as part of a ham handed, rush past this and do the vote and eventually c...

During that time. we dont know where senator collins and murkowski are here. >> reporter: theres a lot of moving parts and whether or not this happens is an open question. what we have seen over the last 18 hours or so, since dr. fords attorney sent that letter is republicans starting to go around her and give her the opportunity to speak in an open or closed session. this does not have to be on national television in front of the world. republicans say they would be willing to talk to her priva...

To fail, mcconnell would seize an opportunity to step in and say let me take control of this process, this is all about senate votes. its about can you get the 50 plus 1 majority in the united states senate to back a nominee? and mcconnell knows his members much better than the white house does. hes good evening to know who senator collins, senator murkowski, senator flake, who theyre going to support. and i think mcconnell is going to try to make the power play to help drive this process. in te...

Witnesses -- judge brett kavanaugh and professor christine ford and that ford had still not respobded to the committees request for a follow-up phone call or the hearing invitation. >> we have reached out to her in the last 36 hours. three or four times by e-mail and we have not heard from them. so it kind of raises the question, do they want to come to the public hearing or not. >> reporter: while all ten democrats on the judiciary committee called for the hearing to include more witnesses. inc...

The beginning by the allegations against him. the po it makes sense for him to less visible. this is a rare occasion where it is. they are talking about a narrow audience. possibly three or four republican senators will hold this in their hand after the hearings. in the week between now and then, you will see a lot of anxiety among republican consultants if this is bulldozed through by a gop caucus on the committee which is all male, you will compound this problem with college educated white wom...

Happens. do you look for that discipline to hold. >> the fact that they are actually going to have the hearing on monday, we are going to hear her and hear the judge kavanaugh, i still think he is going to be justice kavanaugh. i really do. steve: so do you think that they are -- right now its still up in the air what chuck grassley is going to do after the hearing on monday. they could go ahead and say you know what? we have heard them both. lets vote. >> or they could just bypass that and brin...

>> shepard: if this never happens, then what? >> i think judge kavanaugh can get confirmed. i mean, a lot could be revealed, shep, between now and a vote, but it is not impossible that he gets -- that he gets to the high court. >> shepard: jeff flake said no from committee but i guess they could pass him and go to the floor. >> look, if dr. ford is not willing to come and testify, i truly belief that rebounds to the benefit of judge kavanaugh and is he likely to make it through then. >> shepard:...

Procedures and what theyre doing and i think thats probably what theyre going to do. theyll go through a process and hear everybody out. i think its important. i believe they think its important. but again, he is one of the great intellects and one of the finest people that anybody has known. you look at his references. ive never seen anything quite like it. >> -- >> i dont know, it depends on the process. id like to see a complete process. id like everybody to be very happy. most importantly, i...

Murkowski, theyre not looking for president trump to rally behind kavanagh. they need to make their own die significance. the advice from the senate, stay cool. >> swin, there are times when you can see the president who is sort of notoriously -- has a hard time controlling himself, being able to successfully. weve seen that over the weekend. you have to wonder if that is going to last in the week up until these public hearings on monday. >> of course. the presidents measured posturing is one fo...

Do. theyll go through a process and hear everybody out. i think its important. i believe they think its important. but again, he is one of the great intellects and one of the finest people that anybody has known. you look at his references. ive never seen anything quite like it. >> -- >> i dont know, it depends on the process. id like to see a complete process. id like everybody to be very happy. most importantly, i want the american people to be happy. >> has he offered to withdraw? >> next que...