.@PressSec begins the first White House press briefing in nearly a month by announcing Trump will be donating his 2018 second quarter salary to the Small Business Administration. #hero
.@AmbJohnBolton announces that he is "announcing that the president has decided that the United States will withdraw from the optional protocol to dispute resolution to the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations."
The drums of war can be heard in the distance.
BOLTON: "We will commence a review of all international agreements that may still expose the US to purported binding jurisdiction dispute resolution in the International Court of Justice"
Bolton is basically announcing that the US is becoming a rogue state.
Bolton dismisses the International Court of Justice as "politicized and ineffective."
.@kwelkernbc: Are you seeking regime change in Iran?
BOLTON: "I'll say it again, maybe you'll listen this time. Our policy is not regime change."
Bolton downplays lack of European support for US hostility toward Iran: "European companies don't want to be caught up in the pressure campaign we are applying."
Bolton derisively talks about "the so-called 'state' of Palestine."
WOW- Sanders unloads on Democratic opponents of Kavanaugh: "They are not opposed to Judge Kavanaugh's judicial views, they are trying to undercut the voice of the American people when they elected Donald Trump"
She then falsely claims there's "no evidence" for Ford's claims!
Sanders says Trump was "just stating facts" when he mocked Ford last night, inciting thousands of his supporters to boo her.
Sanders smears Democrats for "exploiting" Dr Ford, says Senate Democrats hold "all the responsibility"
Sanders can't cite a single thing that's wrong with the NYT's report finding Trump committed tax fraud, but actually spins it as showing that Trump's dad "had a lot of faith" in him 😂
Says Trump won't release his tax returns
Sanders won't even try to explain why she lied about Michael Cohen during a briefing earlier this year
REPORTER: Bloomberg reports that the White House is limiting the FBI investigation into Kavanaugh. Is that true?
SANDERS: If senators had questions, they should've asked them during the hearing.
REPORTER: Trump now says he supports due process. But he called for the Central Park 5 to be executed before trial. Does he only want due process for some people?
SANDERS, DODGING: Not at all!
Sanders' talking point on Trump mocking a sexual assault victim is that it's okay because her allegations are uncorroborated. (There's actually a good bit of corroboration!) thinkprogress.org/kavanaugh-dr-c…
Sanders won't say if Trump still finds Ford's testimony's credible, confirms Trump wants Kavanaugh to be confirmed even without the FBI investigation being completed.
Beyond parody -- Pressed on Trump never siding with sexual assault victims, Sanders points out that that's not true because he sided with Bill Clinton accusers.
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