[Ed. – They’re eyeing reelection, and know a knee-jerk anti-Kavanaugh posture is not an asset in their voters’ view. If you see what Manchin of WV actually says, for example, it’s not that he’s by any means pro-Kavanaugh. He’s just being fair-minded. The Politico writers are obviously characterizing that as disloyal.]
Democrats have all the cover they need to vote in lockstep against Brett Kavanaugh. But a half-dozen of them have refused to go there, even after the pair of sexual assault allegations against the Supreme Court nominee. …
[T]he undeclared bloc of Democratic senators could be a problem for Democratic leaders, who want to put the weight of the nomination entirely on a handful of holdout Republicans.
“I’m very open. I haven’t closed any doors at all on Kavanaugh. I just want to make sure there’s a fair, open and civil hearing,” said Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, perhaps the most conservative Democrat. “The man has to have a chance to clear his name, but these ladies have the complete opportunity to tell their story.”
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