.@SpeakerRyan downplays Russian interference: "It is clear that it didn't have a material effect on our elections." (That assertion is not in fact clear at all.)
Ryan dodges question about if House Republicans made mistake by publicly questioning intel community's conclusion about Russian interference, then dodges question about whether Trump's kowtowing to Putin suggests Republicans should stop attacking Mueller so much. #leadership
TRUMP: "[Haley] has been at the UN right from the beginning, & worked w/us on the campaign...it has been a long time, very intense & she told me probably six months ago, 'you know maybe at the end of a 2-year period, but at the end of the year I want to take a little time off.'"
HALEY: "I'm such a lucky girl to have been able to lead the state that raised me and to serve a country I love so very much has really been a blessing, and I want to thank you for that... the US Is strong again. The US is strong in a way it should make all Americans proud."
Nikki Haley describes Jared Kushner as "a hidden genius that no one understands."
Trump is about to deliver a speech to a gathering of police chiefs. Follow me for a video thread.
Trump on Hurricane Michael: "It's looking like it could be a very big one... good luck."
Trump lies, claims "before I took office less than two years ago, our nation was experiencing a historic surge in violent crime." (Violent crime has been steadily declining for more than two decades.)
TRUMP on Rod Rosenstein: "I actually have a good relationship other than, there's been no collusion folks!"
TRUMP attacks Democrats over Kavanaugh process: "The way they tortured him and his family, I thought it was a disgrace. It was one of the most disgraceful performances I've ever seen."
He then lies and says "there was no corroboration of any kind" for Dr Ford's accusation.
TRUMP: "I think a lot of Democrats are going to vote Republican because I have many friends that are Democrats. The main base of the Democrats have shifted so far left that we'll end up being Venezuela...I think a lot of Democrats are going to be voting Republican on Nov. 6."
Trump is about to deliver a speech in Topeka. Follow me for a video thread.
TRUMP: "I want to thank our incredible Republican senators for refusing to back down in the face of the Democrats' shameless campaign of political & personal destruction... radical Democrats launched a disgraceful campaign to resist & demolish right from the beginning."
TRUMP: "If you allow wrong people to get into office, things could change. They could change fast. We will not let that happen. It can go very quickly. We cannot let that happen. You don't hand matches to an arsonist and you don't get power to an angry left-wing mob."
Ahead of @SenatorCollins' speech on the Senate floor, protesters chant "believe women!" from the gallery
COLLINS is using her speech to criticize opponents of Kavanaugh as "frenzied," "spreading outright falsehoods," and representing "special interest groups."
COLLINS: "The president has broad discretion to consider a nominee's philosophy, whereas my duty as a senator is to focus on the nominee's qualifications as long as that nominee's philosophy is within the mainstream."
It sure sounds like she is going to announce a yes vote.
.@ChuckGrassley, who is struggling to read a statement on the Senate floor, baselessly accuses @SenFeinstein of "shameful" handling of Dr Ford's accusation because she didn't violate Ford's wishes and make an issue of it immediately
Grassley flat out lies, claims Ford's accusations are "refuted."
Grassley, getting angry, says "resistance" in a very odd way, closes by urging senators to "say no to mob rule by voting to confirm Judge Kavanaugh." #wut