it's one of the sort of questions in the forefront of the punolic's mind righ, and if there is some question about whether cav knew would be a vote to stop this or not let this vestigation go forward, i think that's something you're going to hear a lot of next week. >>orter: jonathan, how unusual is this? this is a nominee who has things on the written record about an issue that's front burner right t'now. >> tright. first of all, the nominees a lot of presidents refer are sort of blind datey try to get people who haven't said anyining interein their entire lives. he has said a lot that's interesting and controversial. the benef other nominees have are the level of abstraction with constitutional question a thow you to get beyond them. you don't want to talk about rea epartment budget with a five alarm fire down the street that's whappening. there's going to be an immediacy. ople will not be satisfy i expect with the type of answers they get from kavanaugh.>> reporter: robert barnes, jonathan rugman, thank you very much. >> thank you. >> woodruff: stay with us. coming up on the newshour: a f