roe v wade and every other president. chris: to make it clear, your thank you don t view his statement to senator collins, that it is settled law means that therefore it can t be re-examined and conceivably overturned? he would be disqualified if you would not listen to both sides of the story and decide accordingly. this idea that roe v wade will be challenged at the state level. there are all kinds of laws. some may work their way to the supreme court. he will give great deference to roe v wade.but it can be overturned like every other decision but that will be up to the facts in the record. chris: senator lindsay graham, thank you. thank you for your time during a tough week in our deepest sympathies on the loss of a dear friend. joining me now from illinois, another member of the committee that will be questioning brett kavanaugh, dick durbin. the number two democrat. democrats have tried a variety of efforts to upended the
appropriately. chris: one issue, that pro-choice senators on both sides have pressed brett kavanaugh on in their meetings with him on capitol hill is abortion. and he reportedly told them that roe v wade is quote, settled law. is that a firm commitment in your view not to overturn roe v wade. and if it is a fun commitment, how can you as a pro-life senator support it? i wouldn t vote for anybody that said that every decision of the supreme court cannot be revisited. they are revisited through a process. the process of overturning long precedent. this a four-part test you have to apply. from my point of view, what he will do when that case comes if it ever does. you don t just wake up and say i d like to overturn roe v wade. if there s a conflict that makes it to the supreme court, he will apply the test of precedent to that decision.
do you think, he said it s hands off when it comes to a president when it comes to his term in office. i think that s a mistake and when the major reasons people have misgivings about his nomination. chris: let s look at specific issues but as i pointed out, brett kavanaugh has told pro-choice senators that he views roe v wade as settled law. he was asked about obamacare, there s a texas case that will try to take it all down because of the fact the individual mandate has been repealed. he said he was skeptical of that. obviously, these are confirmed commitments. isn t the real problem senator, that this is aconservative judge . donald trump went to the country and promised to nominate conservative judges. originalists who would interpret the constitution as written.isn t he well within the mainstream, yes conservative, but within the judicial mainstream? you
the most unpopular.when did we nominate and confirm supreme court justices based on public opinion polls? shouldn t be but you started off with the premise that you ve never later glove on him. the american people have gone through this nomination and come to the conclusion he s not the right person for the job. let me go furtherhe comes before us at a time when people are concerned with this president or any president is above the law . think about his role, cavanaugh s role when it came to can start going after president clinton. he was the aggressive prosecutor in that respect. a few years later after working in the bush white house had a completely reversed decision. chris: let me ask you about that because as lindsay graham brought up, in 1994, bill clinton was under investigation by an independent counsel on whitewater. he nominated and the senate
for this great american. i was lucky enough to be with lindsay and john involved in some very important negotiations on comprehensive immigration reform. salami just art with brett kavanaugh in this way. he s the most unpopular supreme court nominee in the last 40 years. how did he reach that point? so quickly. i think there are a number of reasons. when you look at first and foremost the fact that this president said, i m not going to put a man on supreme court unless he will overturn roe v wade and the affordable care act.the president is never at a loss for words and he was very explicit in terms of what he wanted in a supreme court nominee. those positions may be popular with his base, they re not popular with theamerican people . chris: weight, he said he would appoint pro-life judges. he never said he asked them on a litmus test about that. i will figure surprised he s