This entire Brett Kavanaugh saga epitomizes all that is wrong in politics — and America — today. Instead of witnessing a sober deliberation to select a person to hold a lifetime seat on the Supreme Court, we have a ringside seat on a Worldwide Wrestling Entertainment match. But that’s not surprising given that Donald Trump, the man who sets the tone, appeared in some WWE matches, true to his huckster roots.

Speaking of Trump. In my view, four factors accounted for Trump’s win in November, 2016. 1. A skilled con man, Trump managed to fool many of the people all of the time; 2. Russian interference in the election; 3. The outdated electoral college system; and 4. Trump’s promise to appoint Supreme Court Justices from a list of very conservative justices, a critical factor for the evangelical Christian community. (81 percent of white Christian evangelicals voted for Trump.) One might also toss in the reluctance of many Americans to elect a woman for president, but we’ll address gender bias later.

Brett Kavanaugh was added to the original list along with many other names designed to appease Trump’s conservative base. He held special appeal for the evangelical Christian base, because it seemed he might be the swing vote to overturn Roe vs. Wade.

Everything was going well for Kavanaugh, as he skillfully evaded answering the tough questions from Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee. But then the path to coronation got blocked when Dr. Christine Blasey Ford came forth with very serious sexual assault allegations. Old fossils like Sen. Orrin Hatch immediately launched into the blame-the-victim attack, claiming the accuser was “mixed up.” Other Senators fumed but said they’d hear the victim out and then vote for Kavanaugh, confirming their closed-mind stance.

After other accusations emerged, Trump called the whole thing a “con game” created by the Democrats. Swamp critters like Mitch McConnell had the audacity to blast Democrats for disrupting a normal process, when he himself has majored in disruption when it has suited his political purposes. (Remember, “My number one priority is to make Barack Obama a one-term president.” And his refusal to consider the nomination of Merrick Garland?)

Dr. Ford’s testimony came off as totally authentic and believable. The GOP Senate Judiciary fossils looked glum, and the internet buzzed with phrases like, “Kavanaugh is toast!” But then Brett Kavanaugh came before the committee, guns blazing, indignation flashing. Trump loved Kavanaugh’s performance, calling it “an incredible moment in American history.”

Well, I agree with Trump’s choice of the word “incredible,” because Kavanaugh’s testimony was filled with little lies (the definition of terms like “Devil’s Triangle” and “boofing” and the explanation for the phrase “Renate alumnus”) and bigger lies re his drinking background and his this-is-a-conspiracy-by-people-who-were-mad-that-Clinton-didn’t-get-elected” screed.

Incidentally, Sen. Lindsay Graham (who perhaps forgot that he once called Trump a “jackass”) had the audacity to launch into a venomous tirade against Senate Democrats in his quest to curry Trump’s favor and thereby land a post in the cabinet.

The ever oily evangelical leader Franklin Graham gave his opinion: “These are two teenagers. It’s obvious that she said no and he respected it and walked away.”

After he was verbally accosted in an elevator by two women who had been sexually abused, Sen. Jeff Flake slowed down the confirmation train by requesting a one-week FBI investigation. (That investigation had not been completed at the time I wrote this article.)

Sen. Susan Collins has been playing her usual coy I-haven’t-yet-decided game in spite of an outpouring of pleas and protests by her constituents. One wonders if she’ll choose to ignore that outpouring and her previous support of Planned Parenthood and pro-choice stance, rather than risk the wrath of her GOP bosses.

It seems to me that Brett Kavanaugh has forfeited his right — and he views it as a right — to become a Supreme Court Justice, even setting aside the several sexual assault allegations against him. His belligerent outburst and rude treatment of members of the Senate Judiciary Committee (especially the women) reveal that he lacks the temperament for such a post. His lies, even the little ones, should not be tolerated in one who aspires to this position. His obvious political bias destroys any chance that he will be viewed as impartial by Americans. If he had fessed right up when the allegations first came out — :Yes, I drank way too much and did lots of stupid things when I was young and I am so sorry for any people I hurt along the way” — then maybe he deserved a little consideration. He did not, so he does not.

On the brighter side, whatever the outcome of this sordid tale, women — and thinking men — have been energized. Women — and men — who have been assaulted might now feel freer to stand up and speak out. As important, the obvious sexism of senior members of Congress — and the right-wing media — and, for that matter, all too many segments of society has been exposed. (Can you imagine a woman screaming at members of a Senate Judiciary Panel like Kavanaugh did?)

In any case, I am trying to catch a glimpse of the sun amidst the storm clouds. I remain hopeful. I guess.

David Treadwell, a Brunswick writer, welcomes commentary or suggestions for future “Just a Little Old” columns. [email protected].