WASHINGTON, D.C. — House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) mocked Republican men as “cowardly, patriarchal people” as she addressed an anti-Brett Kavanaugh protest on the steps of the United States Supreme Court on Wednesday evening.

Pelosi made the remark (at 37:42, above) in addressing a gathering of hundreds of protesters backed by groups including Planned Parenthood, the Women’s March, Black Lives Matter, and Ultraviolet that all oppose President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee.

That opposition only grew more vociferous after Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her decades ago at a high school party.

“Thank you for your patriotism,” Pelosi said, claiming that defeating Kavanaugh’s nomination would protect the Constitution.

Pelosi also said Kavanaugh needed to be “vetted” more thoroughly. (Kavanaugh has now endured seven FBI background checks over the course of his career, has worked in sensitive positions for President George W. Bush, and has been a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit for twelve years without incident or complaint.)

Pelosi repeated the protesters’ claim that Kavanaugh had lied to Congress during his 30-plus hours of testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, and praised Ford for her honesty and bravery.

Pelosi, who hopes to become Speaker of the House again if Democrats retake the House of Representatives in the midterm elections in November, also cited a threat to the #MeToo “movement.”

“They want to dismantle the #metoo movement,” Pelosi said. “But we are not going to let them.” She also mocked those defenders of Kavanaugh who said he was a “great guy.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on Wednesday launched the final round of the confirmation battle, filing for cloture to ensure a final vote on President Trump’s nominee by the end of the week.

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