Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

While unapologetically coauthored by two conservatives, it’s fair to say, “Justice on Trial” is a riveting, enthralling book. I followed the entire hearings at the time, and here in one place is an accurate compilation of the key elements, bookended by a background on vituperative judicial hearings which began with Bork (second chapter), and an extended essay on the future of judicial “originalism” versus “activism” (last chapter). In between is a nail-biting story that just gets weirder and weirder as the venom and looniness increase. It’s the best political book I’ve read since “Game Change” and "Shattered." One of the strangest chapters is a compilation of the mania of the mobs, beating on doors, being hauled away by the cops, mailing coat hangers to senators, etc. The “fight with everything we have” approach of Schumer, Harris, and Booker culminates on the eve of confirmation with the chapter “All Hell Breaks Loose,” where the woman Ford appears, suddenly, after Feinstein kept Ford's letter secret for 20 days before springing it on the nation at the last minute. Without taking anything away from the book, there are limitations of the written word compared with the actual videoed hearings. Remember Ford's streamed testimony, with her equivocations, memory lapses, supposed fear of flying, the "second front door" that wasn't, and “recovered memory” 30 years later. She didn’t know the year of the assault, or the house, how she got there, how she got home—a 3 hour walk, we are to believe. Supposed party attendees had no recollection of a party or an assault. Supposedly she hadn’t wanted to go public, but earlier had contacted the Washington Post, retained a radical lawyer (recommended by Feinstein), took a lie detector test with no transcript available, and scrubbed clean her anti-Trump social postings. Seeing her live and in person, any rational person could tell she was delusional. By contrast, seeing Kavanaugh defend himself against unfounded and unverified charges with passion and conviction—and yes, disgust—is hard to convey by the written word. And yet, “Justice on Trial” does it well. Regrettably missing from the book (as mentioned by others here) is an investigation into who leaked the letter in the first place—my guess is Sen. Hirono—and a fuller explanation of the final FBI investigation which found no evidence confirming Ford’s assertions and dismissed them out of hand. I can only think that the quick writing turnaround made this further effort impossible. But what we have here is quite enough to illustrate how mad many in the country have become. About the authors’ conservatism: It comes through most tellingly in their respectful treatment of Ashley and Brett Kavanaugh’s faith. It’s mentioned several times without a hint of a sneer. I can only imagine what subsequent books from others will do with this material. The authors also are plain in their judgement of the haters. The writers’ stupendous amazement is clear at the manic mobs, senatorial F-bombs, spittle-sprayed denunciations, and even (yes) threatened violence between senators. Further, the authors' judgement of blatant media bias with absolutely no exculpatory reporting throughout the hearings rings true and accurate. The reporting is thorough. There is no “bias” when what’s before our very eyes is so obvious. Buy this book.