Good morning and welcome to the live blog.
Today the senators will each have 30 minutes to question Judge Kavanaugh. With 20 senators on the committee, it is shaping up to be a long day!
It remains to be seen whether the Democrats will renew their objections to proceeding with the hearing without additional document disclosure.
Things just got pretty quiet. Most of the senators are here now. I expect the nominee will be too soon.
Yesterday morning, Senator Grassley had barely gotten started before Senator Harris spoke up, which got the ball rolling on lots of Democratic senators speaking up about postponing the hearing.
We'll see if something similar happens again.
I don't see Kavanaugh's daughters today.
The nominee is taking his seat now.
Grassley is now explaining what happened yesterday: senators' opening statements, the introductions, and the nominee's opening statement.
Grassley says Democratic senators spoke out of turn 63 times yesterday, and there were 70 people removed from the audience.
And like that, we have our first two people removed from the audience. And a third.
Grassley and Feinstein are whispering about something.
Grassley: Today is the day the American people get to hear from the American people.
One point that two protesters made was that they are speaking for themselves, not the Democratic senators. Grassley had suggested the two groups were coordinated.
Grassley is now beginning his questioning.
But actually, he's mostly giving a statement right now about Kavanaugh's qualifications and judicial characteristics, as he sees it.
Another demonstrator is quickly removed.
Grassley to Kavanaugh: What makes a judge a good one, and what influences in your life have shaped your vision of how a judge should go about doing his job?
Kavanaugh: Independence, as guaranteed by framers with life tenure, so immune from political and public pressure.
It's the first time a protestor speaks up while Kavanaugh is speaking, and he does not hesitate to keep speaking.
Kavanaugh: Sometimes this takes backbone, as in U.S. v. Nixon
Kavanaugh: We are a system that depends on precedent.
Kavanaugh is citing US v. Nixon approvingly -- he had suggested earlier in his career that the case might have been wrongly decided.
Kavanaugh: Precedent is rooted in the Constitution itself and is constitutionally dictated
Kavanaugh: Being a good judge requires human qualities. The confirmation process focuses on one person, but I'm joining a team of nine if fortunate enough to be confirmed. I won't be making decisions by myself.
Another demonstrator is alluding to yesterday's episode when the father of a Parkland victim tried to shake Kavanaugh's hand.
Kavanaugh: I've tried to be a very civil judge. I want the losing party to feel as if I gave them a fair shake.
Kavanaugh: Last thing -- judging is not just about theory. Judging is real people in the real world, and every decision we make affects real people in the real world.
I can't really hear Grassley's question because of two more interruptions.
Grassley: Let's discuss judicial independence from the executive branch.
This, as Grassley himself is noting, was a big point the Democratic senators were making yesterday in opening statements.
Kavanaugh: Federalist 69 makes clear how the executive branch different from monarchy.
Questions have been raised about whether Kavanaugh's views on executive power might suggest reluctance to rule against the president.
Kavanaugh: I go back to Youngstown Steel, a 6-3 decision where the Supreme Court rules President Truman has violated the law by seizing steel mills.
Kavanaugh alludes to Youngstown Steel decision, in which Supreme Court resisted pressure to defer to president's war effort. Cites that as example of judicial independence.
Kavanaugh: Justice Clark was appointed by Truman himself. What a moment of judicial independence.
A particularly raucous group of protestors was just removed.
Refers to US v Nixon again as example of judicial independence.
As a trio of loud protestors are removed, Kavanaugh pauses ever so briefly before resuming.
Grassley: Let these people have their free speech.
Kavanaugh moves to the Hamdan case, in which Kavanaugh ruled on panel with DC Circuit against the defendant involved in September 11.
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