Now that a blip – that’s how Republicans review it, a little nuisance – has arisen in the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh, there’s even less need to rush through his nomination.

Christine Blasey Ford’s allegation that he attempted to rape her when they were teenagers certainly is enough to slow down the process, especially since she has passed a lie detector test.

Yes, as a former newspaper reporter who covered courts, I know lie detector tests aren’t perfect, but they’re certainly more reliable than the blanket denial of a man who desperately wants a lifetime job on the U.S. Supreme Court and seems offended that he has to answer so many pesky questions.

These are different times from the days when Clarence Thomas was similarly offended by having to answer questions about Anita Hill’s sexual harassment allegations. This is not sexual harassment, which, fortunately, today is viewed as unacceptable behavior.

This is an allegation of attempted rape. That it dates to Kavanaugh’s high school days – “boys will be boys” – is probably offensive to many of his die-hard Republican supporters, but it’s offensive to me that a privileged prep school kid with high hopes for his future can think even decades later that he’ll get a pass for such behavior.

Sen. Mitch McConnell and Sen. Susan Collins should heed the words of Sen. Robert Byrd 27 years ago: “No individual has a particular right to a Supreme Court seat. … If we are going to give the benefit of the doubt, let’s give it to the court. Let’s give it to the country.” We gave a pass to Clarence Thomas. Never again.

Donna Halvorsen

South Portland

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