Dori’s listeners weigh in on Kavanaugh confirmation

With the breaking news this afternoon that Brett Kavanaugh will indeed sit on the United States Supreme Court, Dori Monson switched gears from the normal schedule and took phone calls from listeners to get their reaction to the now-inevitable Kavanaugh confirmation.

“We don’t do this a lot, but when it’s a story this momentous, I think you, your voice, your opinion, is a huge part of what we should be talking about here,” Dori said.

Overwhelmingly, most listeners who called in supported Kavanaugh and applauded swing vote Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) for the lengthy speech in which she outlined her reasons for ultimately voting to confirm Kavanaugh, essentially clinching his status as soon-to-be Supreme Court justice.

RELATED: Rape survivor wants Seattle #CancelKavanaugh rally to change the status quo

Jake in Monroe called Collins “an American hero.” He praised her for “extending an olive leaf branch” to the Democrats at the same time that she dismantled their arguments.

“She was really trying to unite us as a country,” he said.

Jake’s only disappointment was that Collins did not receive a standing ovation after she finished her speech.

Matt in Seattle said that he had “a newfound respect for Sen. Collins” and wished Washington had a senator like her.

Rob in Bellevue said that he doesn’t identify as a Republican or Democrat, but agreed that Collins’ speech was incredible. He called it one of “the top 10” speeches in history, comparing it to John F. Kennedy’s most famous rhetorical moments.

“I would love to know the backstory of how long it took her to write that speech,” he said.

Mike in Tacoma said that he has firmly stood by Kavanaugh throughout the entire process, even though this opinion has not made him popular at work.

“I just think the flimsy allegations that these people are coming forth [with] are a sham,” he said. “It’s a sham and it’s a shame that they are trying to ruin this good man’s name.”

Tom in Seattle said that both his wife and daughter are rape survivors, yet still believe that “Judge Kavanaugh is getting raked over the coals.”

Tom revealed that he himself once did time in jail for a false accusation. Though Kavanaugh has been widely criticized for his anger during his testimony at last week’s hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Tom said that the judge’s emotions are understandable given the high stakes.

“You be accused of something that is going to follow you for the rest of your life, and see if you get a little bit aggressive,” he said.

Not everyone who called in celebrated the coming Kavanaugh confirmation, however.

Ryan in Redmond said that while he supports the judge, both the idea of a Kavanaugh confirmation and the idea of Kavanaugh losing out on the Supreme Court seat are “scary for both reasons.”

“If he gets confirmed, then that kind of sets back the whole #MeToo movement, with, ‘Oh, all these allegations are false’ … If he’s not confirmed, then that sets back the #MeToo movement, because now it’s going to be a political weapon, and it’s not going to be taken seriously,” he said. “Either way, this is the most horrible thing that I’ve ever seen in my life as an American.”

Frances in Lynnwood said that Kavanaugh’s response to the allegations struck her even more than the accusations themselves.

“As I was watching it, I thought, ‘He is not giving a straight answer to any of this,'” she said. “Why couldn’t he just say, ‘Yeah, I did party and I was drunk, that was when I was 17, and I’m not that way now?’ … He denied the extent.”

Frances said that while she knew the hearing was about the sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh rather than his teenage drinking habits, the alcohol consumption could well have played a role.

“If he was drinking as much as what they said, he could have done that and not remembered,” she said.