Amy Coney Barrett’s hearing before the Senate concluded this afternoon, and we are starting to get some clips rolling in. Ted Cruz gave his first statements this morning, taking apart the Democrat argument that Barrett is somehow unqualified. Yes, the party that put Elena Kagan, a rabid partisan who had never even been a judge before, onto the Supreme Court has thoughts about qualifications.

Cruz was having none of it. He lit into his colleagues for ignoring Barrett’s credentials and attempting to turn the hearing into a referendum on Obamacare.

Ted Cruz: "Judge Barrett’s credentials are impeccable."pic.twitter.com/IpsrWY2hEg

— LifeNews.com (@LifeNewsHQ) October 12, 2020

Cruz may take a different path than Trump in how he handles hostility, but he’s effective nonetheless. He’s always in control of his facts and ready to fire them off. Here, he lays out a concise picture of Barrett’s accomplishments, noting that even the liberal American Bar Association couldn’t justify kneecapping her nomination with a bad rating.

Barrett taught at Notre Dame for decades and now serves on the 7th Court of Appeals as a well-respected and highly-praised member. Democrats have no argument against her. That’s how you get blasts from the past like “she’s gonna take your healthcare away!” being the primary attack today. They’ve got absolutely nothing to hit her with, and it’s only pure cowardice that they aren’t bringing up her religion thus far. I fully expect someone like Mazie Hirono to take that road eventually, though.

Of course, the media are doing the work Senate Democrats may not want to do themselves. You see, Barrett is somewhere between a submissive, dystopian handmaiden and a vicious, independent opportunist. I guess it depends on what day it is?

Barrett has established who she is: a shameless careerist who believes nobody can stop her. https://t.co/0EffANIGGK

— Slate (@Slate) October 12, 2020

Again, they’ve got nothing. What we’ll see from here is attempts at parliamentary games. Chuck Schumer is saying he won’t provide a quorum in committee to advance her nomination. That’s only a problem if a Republican can’t show up, as they hold the numbers to form a quorum on their own. Unless someone else comes down with COVID, that shouldn’t be an issue, but that’s an example of the desperation ploys that are to come.

Barrett is infinitely qualified for the court, and Cruz laid that case out perfectly. It’s only a matter of time now.

(Please follow me on Twitter! @bonchieredstate)