Major Garrett: “President Trump Openly Mocked Dr. Christine Blasey Ford Who Has Accused Brett Kavanaugh Of Sexually Assaulting Her In High School.” GARRETT: “For the first time president trump openly mocked Dr. Christine Blasey Ford who has accused Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her in high school. The president who previously described Ford’s testimony as credible and compelling ridiculed her story’s missing details.” [This Morning, CBS, 10/3/18; VIDEO]
John Berman: “Politically Now What You Are Getting From Republicans Is A Much More Direct Attack.” BERMAN: “When Lindsay graham was shouting he was talking about process, but he has to be talking about professor’s Ford credibility. Now you have the president saying she’s not credible, and you had chuck grassley with the letter questioning the veracity of some of the things professor Ford says. It seems politically now what you are getting from Republicans is a much more direct attack in these waning days before the vote about just what professor Ford is saying in saying she’s not credible.” [New Day, CNN, 10/3/18; VIDEO]
Josh Campbell: “Why Is A Federal Judge Sitting In Front Of The United States Senate Making Statements That Other People Are Saying Are Not Consistent With The Facts. That Is The Issue.” CAMPBELL: “It’s not about drinking or what somebody has done in their past when it comes to alcohol, but why is a federal judge sitting in front of the United States senate making statements that other people are saying are not consistent with the facts. That is the issue. Why is a judge, somebody who is supposed to be fair, honest and truthful being called into question? That’s something we need to get to the bottom of.” [New Day, CNN, 10/3/18; VIDEO]
John Avlon On Kavanaugh Letter Left At Beach House: “This Is Primary Evidence From The Time That Would Contradict Details Of His Self Depiction.” AVLON: “The reason this is relevant to some folks is, does this establish a pattern that Kavanaugh’s defense initially laid out in the Fox interview, where he’s primary interested in football and an alter boy type figure-” CAMEROTA: “How does it not? How does it not counter that?” AVLON: “This is primary evidence from the time that would contradict details of his self depiction.” [New Day, CNN, 10/3/18; VIDEO]
Ben Wittes: “ I Believe Christine Blasey’s Ford Story As Presented Before The Senate Judiciary Committee Is Frankly More Credible And Believable Than His Defense Against It. I Also Believe He Did Not Show The Sort Of Candor About A Range Of Things That One Should Expect And Demand From A Supreme Court Nominee.” [Morning Joe, MSNBC, 10/3/18; VIDEO]
Ben Wittes On Kavanaugh’s Partisanship: “Once You’ve Done That, You’ve Kind Of Ripped The Band-aid Off The Wound And Short Of Showed A Side Of Yourself That Is Really Not What We Want In A Justice.” BEN WITTES: “He think if you imagine that he is wholly, wholly innocent of everything she has accused him of, that is an extremely hard question in the sense that I can totally understand how somebody in that circumstance would be excessive and would let emotion run away with him. And I go back and forth with myself, whether independently I would be unable to forgive that if I believed the substance of the allegations to be wholly without merit. That said, I think the temperament that he showed and the partisanship he showed are deeply upsetting. And I don’t know how you ask a reasonable pro choice Democrat to be comfortable with his sitting on a case that might overturn roe V. Wade or any other issue on which the parties are split after he has looked the country in the eye and sd this whole thing about Christine blasey Ford is simply a function of conspiracies lying in wait for him. Once you’ve done that, you’ve kind of ripped the band-aid off the wound and short of showed a side of yourself that is really not what we want in a justice.” [Morning Joe, MSNBC, 10/3/18; VIDEO]
Daniel Goldman: “I Think What We Are Seeing Now Is It Is Still Not A Complete Investigation. I Feel Bad For My Former Colleagues At The The FBI Because I Am Certain That They Would Like To Do A Real Investigation Where They Follow Leads, They Look For Documentary Evidence.” DANIEL GOLDMAN: “I think what we are seeing now is it is still not a complete investigation. I feel bad for my former colleagues at the the FBI because I am certain that they would like to do a real investigation where they follow leads, they look for documentary evidence, they speak to all Wednesday who may have information about this and they can do that in a short period of time. It may well be that this investigation doesn’t support Dr. Ford’s allegations or to contradict what Brett Kavanaugh said. In that case, there’s a much better case for Brett Kavanaugh to be confirmed. But without that full investigation, we’re left with a rigged system and a hollow assessment that there is no corroboration. Well, there’s no corroboration if you don’t look for corroboration and that’s ultimately the problem that we’re dealing with.” [Morning Joe, MSNBC, 10/3/18; VIDEO]
Daniel Goldman: “It Still Should Be An Investigation Into The Allegations Which Should Include Brett Kavanaugh’s Truthfulness Because That Goes Very Much To His Defense Of The Allegations.” DANIEL GOLDMAN: “So what are hearing is that the white house, because it’s a background investigation, not a criminal investigation. Although I think that’s the only difference. It still should be an investigation into the allegations which should include Brett Kavanaugh’s truthfulness because that goes very much to his defense of the allegations. But what we, the concern that we have here is that the white house is saying, well, she already testified. And she gave a long opening statement. She has said everything she has to say. If the FBI were allowed to do this properly, though, they would go and they would meet with her and they would try to piece together the incident in lots of different ways which they’re very skilled at doing. They would try to jog her memory, try to identify the house, maybe go find the house, see if it matches her description, etc. They would meet with Brett Kavanaugh and Brett Kavanaugh would not be able to deflect and evade the questions as he did the at the hearing. He would not be able to answer questions with questions. He would have to be pinned down.” [Morning Joe, MSNBC, 10/3/18; VIDEO]
Cecilia Vega On Dr. Ford’s Involvement In FBI Investigation: “They Say They’ve Sent Letters And Emails Laying Out Witnesses And Evidence For The FBI. They Have Received No Response So Far. They Are Calling This Inconceivable.” DAVID MUIR: “Dr. Ford’s team has just sent a letter to the FBI director saying they have not reached out to her, and wondering why?” CECILIA VEGA: “Yeah, David. They say they’ve sent letters and e-mails laying out witnesses and evidence for the FBI. They have received no response so far. They are calling this inconceivable.” we asked the FBI, so far no comment. President Trump has said he has no problem, David, with the FBI interviewing Dr. Ford or Brett Kavanaugh.” [World News Tonight, ABC, 10/3/18; VIDEO]
Cecilia Vega: “As The Senate Vote On Kavanaugh’s Fate Gets Closer We Are Seeing A Coordinated Ramp-Up Of Attacks Against His Accusers From The President, Robin, Also From Republicans On Capitol Hill.” [Good Morning America, ABC, 10/3/18; VIDEO]
Cecilia Vega: “They Sent A Scathing Letter To The FBI Yesterday. Saying They Repeatedly Tried To Reach Out To Investigators Identifying Evidence And Witnesses. They Say They Have Not Heard Back.” ROBIN ROBERTS: “Dr. Ford’s lawyers, they continue to question why the FBI hasn’t reached out to their client.” CECILIA VEGA: “Yeah, they sent a scathing letter to the FBI yesterday. Saying they repeatedly tried to reach out to investigators identifying evidence and witnesses. They say they have not heard back. Robin, so far the FBI has not responded to our questions as to why they’ve not responded to Blasey Ford’s letter.” [Good Morning America, ABC, 10/3/18; VIDEO]