Once again First Daughter Ivanka Trump seems to be making matters worse by trying to help her father in a difficult situation. The Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court nomination has hit a rough patch, so apparently she thought that she could make it better by commenting about it.
According to a new Vanity Fair article Ivanka has told her dad to “cut bait†and withdraw the Brett Kavanaugh nomination. Nobody thinks that Ivanka can really convince the president to do this. If she’s trying to help her dad politically, it certainly will backfire.
“NEW: White House advisers are worried that more damaging information about Kavanaugh could come out. Two sources relayed rumors that Ford’s account will be verified by more women. Another said Ivanka Trump has told her father to “cut bait†and drop him”
NEW: White House advisers are worried that more damaging information about Kavanaugh could come out. Two sources relayed rumors that Ford’s account will be verified by more women. Another said Ivanka Trump has told her father to “cut bait†and drop him https://t.co/aDtKT4PbRM
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— The Hive (@VFHIVE) September 18, 2018
The problem with Ivanka’s public statements is that they usually are tone-deaf and do more harm than good. Her comments won’t help her father in the public debate about sexual assault and the treatment of victims.
We know she’s trying to help, but her motive seems to be fear, not caring for the victim. Just last week we reported on her fears for her father’s presidency:
“Ivanka Trump is worried that her father is going to be impeached as the situation at the White House has deteriorated to a new low.”
If his own daughter thinks Kavanaugh should be abandoned, the president looks bad by not doing it. Kavanaugh‘s nomination will not help either Trump or Republican candidates in the midterms. And Ivanka’s comments will not help either.
According to the Vanity Fair article:
- “White House advisers are worried that more damaging information about Kavanaugh could come out,†and
- “The White House has heard rumors that Ford’s account will be verified by women who say she told it to them contemporaneously.â€
The fear of losing the House and Senate seems to have convinced Trump to appear reasonable and not fiercely attack Kavanaugh’s accuser, Dr. Christine Ford. He knows that he should not antagonize women voters, who already favor Democrats over Republicans by a two-to-one margin.
Trump is walking a tightrope here, trying to avoid doing anything that would increase the odds of Republicans losing both houses of Congress.
“Trump knows the Senate is not looking good,†one GOP adviser said. “It’s all about the impeachment, he knows it’s coming.â€
Ivanka may be worried about her father, but she also may be worried about herself and the rest of the Trump clan. In August we reported that “the Southern District of New York federal investigation into the Trump Organization could be looking at Trump kids Don Jr., and Ivanka along with son in law Jared Kushner.”
I am a lifelong Democrat with a passion for social justice and progressive issues. I have degrees in writing, economics and law from the University of Iowa.
