Kavanaugh's memory of himself in high school is very different than his portrayal in the yearbook

By James Hohmann
September 25 at 9:44 AM

THE BIG IDEA: Brett Kavanaugh did more than just emphatically reject the allegations of sexual assault from Christine Blasey Ford and Deborah Ramirez during an interview with Fox News on Monday. President Trump’s nominee to the Supreme Court portrayed his teenage self as a sort of 1980s version of Wally Cleaver, the good kid on the sitcom “Leave it to Beaver.”

“The vast majority of the time I spent in high school was studying or focused on sports and being a good friend to the boys and the girls that I was friends with,” Kavanaugh said earnestly. “I went to an all-boys Catholic high school where I was focused on academics and athletics, going to church every Sunday … working on my service projects and friendship – friendship with my fellow classmates and friendship with girls from the local all-girls Catholic schools. … I’ve always treated women with dignity and respect…

“And, yes, there were parties,” the 53-year-old added. “The drinking age was 18, and yes, the seniors were legal and had beer there. And, yes, people might have had too many beers on occasion, and people generally in high school – I think all of us – have probably done things we look back on in high school and regret or cringe a bit, but that’s not what we’re talking about. We’re talking about an allegation of sexual assault. I’ve never sexually assaulted anyone. … And the girls from the schools I went to and I were friends.”

-- Kavanaugh repeatedly cited a letter signed by 65 women who said they knew him in high school and that “he has behaved honorably and treated women with respect,” but one of the signatories has just renounced her support.

There is a cryptic reference on Kavanaugh’s yearbook page that describes him as a “Renate Alumnius,” Kate Kelly and David Enrich report in the New York Times. “The word ‘Renate’ appears at least 14 times in Georgetown Preparatory School’s 1983 yearbook, on individuals’ pages and in a group photo of nine football players, including Judge Kavanaugh, who were described as the ‘Renate Alumni.’ It is a reference to Renate Schroeder, then a student at a nearby Catholic girls’ school. Two of Judge Kavanaugh’s classmates say the mentions of Renate were part of the football players’ unsubstantiated boasting about their conquests.

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