Kavanaugh hearings put confirmation process on trial -- and the verdict is guilty

This is not a repeat of what happened in the Fall of 1991. In the Clarence Thomas-Anita Hill hearings, you had to believe one narrative or the other. Either Thomas was obsessed with Hill, or Hill was obsessed with Thomas. I believed Hill.

This is not that. I believe -- and I think many Americans now believe -- that both Ford and Kavanaugh are telling their truth as they know it, and that each of these individuals has paid a high price for doing so.

What a disgusting system we have for confirming judges to the federal bench, including these high-stakes confirmation battles for seats on the Supreme Court.

Advise and consent has now degenerated into horrify and disgust, or insult and attack, or seek and destroy. More and more, it's become painfully clear -- no matter who is president, which party controls the Senate, and who sits on the Judiciary Committee -- that the very last thing this process is about is the nominee.

My wife, who is foreign-born, is still learning about our system, and I sometimes have trouble explaining it to her. This was one of those times.

"You mean this whole thing isn't about figuring out the truth and finally knowing what really happened?" she asked.

She believes Ford, and only Ford. She thinks Kavanaugh is lying to save himself, and that women don't forget details of a sexual assault.

No, I told her, truth is not on the menu in these hearings. Elections have consequences. Presidents pick judicial nominees, and, usually, they're confirmed. These hearings are mostly about giving senators a chance to preen, pontificate and perform. They get to have their "Spartacus" moments and collect "b-roll" footage that they can use to raise money and create campaign commercials when they compete for re-election or run for president.

"Oh c'mon! Are you kidding me?" she exclaimed. Then she threw up her arms and stormed out of the room.

Given the salacious allegations leading up to this week's hearings, I assumed the program would be rated "TV-MA" -- for mature audiences only.

But having binged on the hearings and watched what was probably an unhealthy amount of the proceedings, I would have labeled the spectacle "TV-BS" -- for broken system.

What did you think I meant?

========

Ruben Navarrette's email address is ruben@rubennavarrette.com. His daily podcast, "Navarrette Nation," is available through every podcast app.