Aided and abetted by so-called “moderate” Republicans as well.
To my recollection, the GOP never went hard after Democrat nominees such as Ginsburg, Kagan, or Sotomayor.
Yes, clearly the Democrats have adopted as standard operating procedure, that they need to denigrate and assassinate the character of any GOP nominee.
And in the worst case such as Kavanaugh or Clarence Thomas, they take allegations focusing on sexual misbehavior, to turn the hearings into a referendum on what people think of sexual misbehavior.
Thus, as some said, a vote to confirm Kavanaugh was a vote to endorse sexual assault. I know that’s nonsense, but that is what some radical liberal feminist types said at the time. I had a discussion recently with someone, who lamented that we have a “rapist” on the Supreme Court, thanks to Trump.
On the other hand, a “no” vote on Kavanaugh meant that you take women’s rights and women’s charges of sexual assault seriously. They try to make the vote on a Supreme Court nomination, a proxy vote as to how you view some other unrelated issue.
I see no reason for these hearings. Senators can meet individually with nominees to find answers to their “burning” questions and then vote. There is no reason for these “shows” and that is all they have become. There is absolutely zero value in holding the hearings for SCOTUS nominees.