Nancy Cordes: “Remember, The Make-Up Of The Supreme Court Is Hanging In The Balance Here. The Stakes Could Not Be Higher.” NANCY CORDES: “Remember, the make-up of the supreme court is hanging in the balance here. The stakes could not be higher. So far, the senate judiciary committee has invited two witnesses. Ford, who says that Kavanaugh attempted to rape her, and Kavanaugh, who says it never happened.” [CBS This Morning, CBS, 9/18/18; Video]
Nancy Cordes: “Republican Leaders Agreed To Hold The High-Stakes Hearing After Prodding From Democrats And Some Of Their Own Members.” [CBS This Morning, CBS, 9/18/18; Video]
Nancy Cordes: “21 Senators, 17 Men And Four Women, Will Have A Chance To Question California Psychologist Christine Blasey Ford.” NANCY CORDES: “21 senators, 17 men and four women, will have a chance to question California psychologist Christine Blasey Ford about her claim that Brett Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed, put his hand over her mouth, and groped her at a high school party in the early 1980s.” [CBS This Morning, CBS, 9/18/18; Video]
John Berman: “Less Than One Week From Today A Professor Could Sit Before The Senate And The Country And Say She Was Sexual Assaulted By A Supreme Court Nominee.” JOHN BERMAN: “Less than one week from today a professor could sit before the senate and the country and say she was sexual assaulted by a supreme court nominee. Now, if this takes place this will be a public hearing with huge political and societal consequences.” [New Day, CNN, 9/18/18; Video]
Alisyn Camerota: “President Trump Continues To Defend His Supreme Court Pick And The President Is Showing Uncommon Restraint In Not Attacking Kavanaugh’s Accuser.” ALISYN CAMEROTA: “Meanwhile, president Trump continues to defend his supreme court pick and the president is showing uncommon restraint in not attacking Kavanaugh’s accuser.” [New Day, CNN, 9/18/18; Video]
Suzanne Malveaux: “This Puts The Issue Of Sexual Assault Before The American People Front And Center, Just Seven Weeks Before The Midterm Elections.” SUZANNE MALVEAUX: “This really is a dramatic development, extraordinary showdown between these two. It is on Monday when we expect to see judge Kavanaugh and his accuser in public under oath tell their story and essentially what this does, this puts the issue of sexual assault before the American people front and center, just seven weeks before the midterm elections.” [New Day, CNN, 9/18/18; Video]
Suzanne Malveaux: “Conservatives Have Made It Clear That The President Cannot Afford To Do Anything To Derail The Imperiled Nomination.” SUZANNE MALVEAUX: “A source tells CNN that the president’s restraint is a sign of how critical Kavanaugh’s confirmation is, noting that conservatives have made it clear that the president cannot afford to do anything to derail the imperiled nomination.” [New Day, CNN, 9/18/18; Video]
Laura Coates: “You Have Somebody Who Is Poised Potentially To Talk About Women’s Rights Issues, Not The Least Of Which Is The Roe V. Wade Case That May Be Looming In The Distance For Brett Kavanaugh.” LAURA COATES: “On that point the idea of culture wars, one of the things that’s so important and especially for a lifetime position one’s entire life has to be on display and up for at least some sort of reckoning. You have somebody who is poised potentially to talk about women’s rights issues, not the least of which is the Roe V. Wade case that may be looming in the distance for Brett Kavanaugh.” [New Day, CNN, 9/18/18; Video]
Hoda Kotb: “A Vote On Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court Nomination Put On Hold So Lawmakers And The Public Can Hear From Him And His Sexual Assault Accuser.” [Today, NBC, 9/18/18; VIDEO]
Kristen Welker: “Report 51-Year-Old Christine Blasey Ford Tells ‘The Washington Post’ Kavanaugh Sexually Assaulted Her At A Party In The Early ’80s When Both Were In High School. Ford Says Kavanaugh, Then Age 17, Was Stumbling Drunk At A Maryland House Party Alleging Pinning Her To A Bed And Groping Her While Another Teenage Boy Watched.” [Today, NBC, 9/18/18; VIDEO]
Chuck Todd: “I Definitely Think It’s [Kavanaugh Nomination] In Trouble.” KOTB: “Tell us what your gut tells you about this nomination. Is this thing in trouble?” TODD: “I definitely think it’s in trouble. I think nothing would surprise me, including him by the end. Week, if judge Kavanaugh decides he doesn’t want to go through it isn’t worth it, it wouldn’t surprise me if he chose to withdraw and back down. It depends on what we learn this week.” [Today, NBC, 9/18/18; VIDEO]
Terry Moran: “Next Monday, The Accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, And Judge Kavanaugh, In The Senate. Judge Kavanaugh Was Here All Day At The White House, And They Issued A Statement At The End Of The Day Where He Said He Is Ready To Defend His Name And Testify.” DAVID MUIR: “Judge Kavanaugh said he’s ready to testify late today, and this hearing with the accuser, as well, will be next Monday?” MORAN: “That’s right, David. Next Monday, the accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, and Judge Kavanaugh, in the senate. Judge Kavanaugh was here all day at the White House, and they issued a statement at the end of the day where he said he is ready to defend his name and testify.” [World News Tonight, ABC, 9/17/18; VIDEO]
Mary Bruce: “The Pressure Is Tremendous. And Now We’ve Learned That Both Kavanaugh And Ford, The Accuser And The Accused, Will Both Appear Before The Same Panel On The Same Day, One Right After Another.” DAVID MUIR: “Mary Bruce, just minutes ago, that news of a hearing now, Judge Kavanaugh and the accuser and the American people will hear from both of them a week from today, and those senators you spoke with today facing real pressure now from constituents on both sides watching this very closely.” BRUCE: “David, the pressure is tremendous. And now we’ve learned that both Kavanaugh and Ford, the accuser and the accused, will both appear before the same panel on the same day, one right after another.” [World News Tonight, ABC, 9/17/18; VIDEO]
Terry Moran: “Blasey Ford Has Told Friends She’s Been Trying To Forget This Incident Her Whole Life, According To A Story In The Local Newspaper. She’s Bracing For Attacks On Her Credibility.” MORAN: “Blasey Ford has told friends she’s been trying to forget this incident her whole life, according to a story in the local newspaper. She’s bracing for attacks on her credibility. The newspaper says she was inspired to come forward this summer by all the women who have done so in the me too movement.” [Good Morning America, ABC, 9/18/18; VIDEO]
Dan Abrams: “What The Standard Is Going To Be Is, Today, Do They Believe Kavanaugh’s Telling The Truth? He’s The One Up There. He’s The One Who’s Up For The Appointment. He’s The One Accused. And He’s Going To Be The One They’re Focusing On In Terms Of His Credibility.” GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: “What will be the standard of proof for Kavanaugh?” ABRAMS: “What the standard is going to be is, today, do they believe Kavanaugh’s telling the truth? He’s the one up there. He’s the one who’s up for the appointment. He’s the one accused. And he’s going to be the one they’re focusing on in terms of his credibility. Do they believe he’s telling the truth? And, remember, unlike in a trial, where you’re told, do not read things. Do not let people affect your opinion. Here, public opinion is going to matter enormously, as to whether they believe him, and do they believe her?” [Good Morning America, ABC, 9/18/18; VIDEO]