Monday morning news: October 8, 2018

Kavanaugh sworn in » Brett Kavanaugh is now a Supreme Court justice. He was sworn in at a private ceremony Saturday shortly after the Senate voted to confirm him.

The quick swearing-in allows Kavanaugh to start work immediately and be seated for tomorrow’s oral arguments.

President Trump told reporters…

TRUMP: The beautiful thing is he is now in. He’s going to be there for a long time, and he’s just an outstanding intellect, outstanding scholar, brilliant lawyer, brilliant in everything he’s ever done.

Kavanaugh won confirmation on a vote of 50-to-48. West Virginia’s Joe Manchin was the only Democratic to vote “yes.”

The last two Republicans to make up their minds came to different conclusions.

Susan Collins of Maine told her Senate colleagues that in her view the accusations of sexual misconduct against Kavanaugh must at least meet a standard of “more likely than not.” 

COLLINS: The presumption of innocence and fairness do bear on my thinking. 

She said after viewing the FBI’s supplemental report on Kavanaugh, she could not in good conscience vote “no.”

And on Sunday Collins once again pushed back against Democratic claims that the FBI probe was too limited to uncover the truth.

COLLINS: There were a lot of rumors that only the four people that Dr. Ford mentioned in her testimony would be interviewed. That was not the case. I read twelve different interviews on Thursday. 

But Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski said she could not support Kavanaugh. She noted that there are only nine seats on the nation’s highest court and…

MURKOWSKI: Those who seek one of these seats must meet the highest standard in all respects at all times, and that is hard. 

She ultimately switched her vote from “no” to “present,” so Senator Steve Daines, a Kavanaugh supporter, could attend his daughter’s wedding without having to rush back to the Capitol for the vote. 

Indonesia death toll tops 1,700, thousands more could be missing » The death toll from the  earthquake and tsunami on Indonesia’s Sulawesi island continues to climb. The number of confirmed dead now tops 1,700, mostly in the city of Palu. And officials have been unable to locate more than 5,000 others.

There is hope that some of the missing may have fled or been rescued and evacuated. More than 8,000 either injured or vulnerable residents have been flown or shipped out of Palu. 

Chicago officer convicted in teen’s death » A Chicago jury has returned its verdict in the trial of a white police officer charged with murder for shooting a black teenager. 

AUDIO: We the jury find the defendant Jason Van Dyke guilty of second degree murder.

Officer Jason Van Dyke fatally shot 17-year-old Laquan McDonald in 2014.

McDonald had been holding a knife, but squad car video showed he was walking away from police when Van Dyke fired 16 shots. At trial, Van Dyke said the video did not show his point of view, and he believed his life was in danger. His defense team argued McDonald was dangerous, noting he had the drug PCP in his system.

Marvin Hunter is McDonald’s great uncle. He said the family is satisfied with the verdict and if there are any more marches or demonstrations, they must be peaceful. 

HUNTER: This family wanted justice, because revenge belongs to God, and it’s God’s alone. 

Van Dyke was the first Chicago police officer charged with murder for an on-duty shooting in more than 50 years. His attorney says he will appeal the verdict. 

Sec. State Pompeo meets with Kim Jong Un » Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met once more with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Sunday.

Pompeo traveled to Pyongyang to resume nuclear negotiations and to discuss a second summit between Kim and President Trump. After their meeting Pompeo called the conversation…  

POMPEO: Another step forward, so this is I think a good outcome for all of us. 

He did not say exactly what a “step forward” means or whether the two sides have arranged a second Trump-Kim meeting.

But on Sunday, President Trump once again suggested a meeting could come soon, tweeting—quote—“Progress made on Singapore Summit Agreements! I look forward to seeing Chairman Kim again, in the near future.” 

Venom tops weekend box office » AUDIO: [Sound of Venom trailer]

At the weekend box office, the latest Marvel Comics flick Venom set a new  opening record for the month of October. 

TRAILER: I found something really bad — This is a new race, a new species, a higher life form. 

Venom’s $80 million haul beat the previous October opening weekend record by more than $20 million.

The R-rated A Star is Born debuted in second place with $41 million. The animated feature Smallfoot finished third with $15 million.

You can find WORLD’s reviews of current films—along with ratings and content information—at WNG.org – slash – movies.

I’m Kent Covington. Straight ahead: Mary Reichard has oral arguments from the new Supreme Court term on Legal Docket. And Mary Coleman on being an empty nester. This is The World and Everything in It.

(Fred Schilling/Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States via AP) Retired Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, right, administers the Judicial Oath to Judge Brett Kavanaugh in the Justices’ Conference Room of the Supreme Court Building. 

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