Abby Phillips: “Whether Brett Kavanaugh’s Past Drinking Habits Will Have Any Bearing On That Probe At All, But Republicans Are Saying That That Issue Is Moving The Goalposts.” ABBY PHILLIPS: “After president Trump’s freewheeling press conference yesterday we still this morning have a lot of questions about the scope of this FBI probe and there are questions now also about whether Brett Kavanaugh’s past drinking habits will have any bearing on that probe at all, but Republicans are saying that that issue is moving the goalposts.” [New Day, CNN, 10/2/18; Video]
Abby Phillips: “Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Saying He Will Move Forward With A Vote On Judge Kavanaugh’s Confirmation, Despite The White House Allowing The FBI To Expand Its Investigation Into The Nominee.” ABBY PHILLIPS: “Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell saying he will move forward with a vote on judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation, despite the White House allowing the FBI to expand its investigation into the nominee. His pledge coming amid backlash over the restricted probe.” [New Day, CNN, 10/2/18; Video]
Alisyn Camerota: “Mitch McConnell Says A Vote On Brett Kavanaugh’s Nomination Will Take Place This Week No Matter What The FBI Finds.” ALISYN CAMEROTA: “Mitch McConnell says a vote on Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination will take place this week no matter what the FBI finds. Senator Jeff flake one of the key Republicans who holds Kavanaugh’s fate in the balance demands a real investigation and not one that just gives his party cover.” [New Day, CNN, 10/2/18; Video]
John Berman: “Should The Senate Confirm Brett Kavanaugh? 48% Now Say No According To Quinnipiac.” JOHN BERMAN: “Should the senate confirm Brett Kavanaugh? 48% now say no according to Quinnipiac. That is up six points since September 10th.” [New Day, CNN, 10/2/18; Video]
Abby Phillips: “These Poll Numbers Bear Out That Republicans And The White House Have Lost The War Of Public Opinion Here On Kavanaugh.” ABBY PHILLIPS: “On some level it does seem that these poll numbers bear out that Republicans and the white house have lost the war of public opinion here on Kavanaugh, but they are gambling that that doesn’t matter because if he’s confirmed then that’s the long game, they’ve already won that part of it, he’s going to be on the court for the rest of his life and he has a lot of life left to live. It does pose a problem for the court. I think it’s just an issue when the American public believes that there is someone on the court for the rest of his life who shouldn’t be there. So that’s a problem that Republicans will have to deal with probably at the polls in November and beyond.” [New Day, CNN, 10/2/18; Video]
Pierre Thomas: “A Number Of Kavanaugh’s Yale Classmates Have Contradicted His Testimony That He Never Blacked Out From Drinking.” THOMAS: “A number of Kavanaugh’s Yale classmates have contradicted his testimony that he never blacked out from drinking. And they have suggested that he became aggressive when intoxicated.” [Good Morning America, ABC, 10/2/18; VIDEO]
Pierre Thomas: “According To A Police Report Obtained ‘The New York Times’ Kavanaugh’s Accused Of Instigating A 1985 Bar Fight And Refusing To Answer Questions About His Role In The Scuffle.” [Good Morning America, ABC, 10/2/18; VIDEO]
Kasie Hunt: “It Is Clear That Behind The Scenes, The FBI Feel Kind Of Hamstrung In What They Were Able To Do And A Bit Worried About Being Set Up As The Fall Guy If There Were For Something To Come Out Later On.” KASIE HUNT: “I don’t think that there’s a sense that the time limit on this is a problem for the Republicans who matter. All of the FBI, Jim Comey among them, but our own analysts, Frank Fuguzili, they all say, look, the FBI can do this in a week. However, it is clear that behind the scenes, the FBI feel kind of hamstrung in what they were able to do and a bit worried about being set up as the fall guy if there were for something to come out later on. Clearly, there was pushback yesterday. Jeff Flake was in New Hampshire. He talked about how he was on the phone and pushed for them to actually reopen the scope of this investigation. But the deadline is real.” [Morning Joe, MSNBC, 10/2/18; VIDEO]
Willie Geist: “The Messages Between Kerry Bercham Suggest [Kavanaugh] Was Talking With Former Classmates About Ramirez Story In Advance Of The New Yorker Article That Made Her Allegation Public.” WILLIE GEIST: “Deborah Ramirez accused judge Kavanaugh of exposing himself, the judge and his team were communicating behind-the-scenes with friends to refute that claim. The messages between Kerry Bercham suggest he was talking with former classmates about Ramirez story in advance of the new Yorker article that made her allegation public. In one question Kavanaugh asked her to go on record in his defense. That points to a discrepancy between what senators said last week and new reporting from NBC news.” [Morning Joe, MSNBC, 10/2/18; VIDEO]