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ffr

(22,644 posts)
Sat Sep 29, 2018, 02:58 PM Sep 2018

Recovering alcoholic: Kavanaugh displays all the behavioral hallmarks of an active alcoholic

Lazy Saturday Reads



Good Morning!!

And for once it really is a good morning. I slept well last night for the first time since the news that Trump’s SCOTUS nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted women in high school and college.
I just hope the FBI investigation will be a thorough and serious one.

Aside from the sexual assault accusations, the investigators must look into Kavanaugh’s drinking habits. As most of you know I am a recovering alcoholic (sober 37 years now), so I speak from experience when I say that Kavanaugh displays all the behavioral hallmarks of an active alcoholic. For example, he is inappropriately defensive–even belligerant–when asked about his drinking; at the same time, he can’t stop talking about it how much he likes beer. Of course, I’m not alone in noticing this.

Robin Abcarian at The Los Angeles Times: Was I the only one who shuddered at Brett Kavanaugh’s belligerent comments about beer?

Like a lot of people who have lived with or been friends with people who love beer a little too much, I experienced some familiar, unpleasant emotions as I watched the Supreme Court nominee’s behavior disintegrate Thursday in his Senate Judiciary Committee hearing….

Once senators started to question him, his high dudgeon, which was defensible, turned into something darker and far more revealing about who he is: a political operative who had the great good fortune to be named as judge to a court that is a proving ground for future Supreme Court justices.

<snip>

Aside from his denial and defensiveness, Kavanaugh demonstrates what people in the recovery community call an alcoholic personality. It’s difficult to explain what I mean by that, but anyone who has been close to an active alcoholic would see it in Kavanaugh. He appears to be a high functioning alcoholic, and because he has been enabled all his life by the people around him he may never before been challenged publicly in the way he was on Thursday. But I’d bet any amount of money that the people close to him have been exposed to his alcoholic behavior. Frankly, as I watched Kavanaugh’s shocking performance on Thursday, I wondered if he might have been drinking before the hearing. - SkyDancingBlog
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Dale Neiburg

(694 posts)
1. My impression of him at the hearing was that he seemed intoxicated.
Sat Sep 29, 2018, 03:12 PM
Sep 2018

I was hoping someone would challenge him and ask how much he'd had to drink that day.

getagrip_already

(14,237 posts)
4. I was hoping someone would ask him to
Sat Sep 29, 2018, 03:25 PM
Sep 2018

submit to a voluntary drug test. He seemed to have trumps sniffle. I wouldn't put a cocaine additction past him either. Not every alcoholic abuses drugs as well, but some do.

peekaloo

(22,977 posts)
13. Cocaine was/is often used for its "sobering effect" after heavy drinking.
Sun Sep 30, 2018, 11:49 AM
Sep 2018

I'm guessing the table he was sitting behind was quite heavy or else his "sniffing" would have made it levitate.

targetpractice

(4,919 posts)
3. What are the chances that he drinks only beer?
Sat Sep 29, 2018, 03:24 PM
Sep 2018

He started drinking in high school... Surely, beer only doesn't do it for him now.

getagrip_already

(14,237 posts)
5. I had the same thought...
Sat Sep 29, 2018, 03:27 PM
Sep 2018

Surely people know what and how much he drinks. Even the restaraunts he goes to probably know.

Wouldn't be hard for the fbi to ask about it anyway, though most people he socializes with won't say.

underthematrix

(5,811 posts)
7. Thanks for this post and article which tweeted
Sat Sep 29, 2018, 03:36 PM
Sep 2018

I wondered in a tweet on Thursday if Kavanaugh was under the influence (alcohol and/or drugs) during his testimony which is the complete opposite of his presentation during initial testimony.

txwhitedove

(3,922 posts)
9. As former wife of a raging beer-aholic, I recognized
Sat Sep 29, 2018, 03:52 PM
Sep 2018

the signs too. Even high functioning beer-aholics have a hard time going all day without a beer. One in the morning before work, sneak one in the movies cause that is too long to sit without a beer, etc.

10. Accurately described
Sat Sep 29, 2018, 04:02 PM
Sep 2018

From professional background for many years in this field your assessment is definitely pretty accurate. He is NoT recovered. He IS in denial. I suspect too he was sipping vodka or similar appearing drink in his necessary dry mouth mode during his hearings

D23MIURG23

(2,833 posts)
11. Well then, there is a minor silver lining if the piece of shit gets confirmed...
Sun Sep 30, 2018, 11:29 AM
Sep 2018

He might die of cirrhosis or a drunk driving accident in a relatively short time. Maybe the next president will pick his replacement.

wiggs

(7,788 posts)
12. GOP ignoring a whole host of obvious problems. It's going to take someone close to him,
Sun Sep 30, 2018, 11:37 AM
Sep 2018

a friend or wife or clerk to step up for the good of the nation and for Kav's own good to shed some light on who he really is.

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