Mr. Graham was referring to the extraordinary fusillade he directed at his Democratic colleagues a day earlier, accusing them of trying to execute a “sham” power grab to leave vacant the seat Judge Kavanaugh was nominated to fill. The speech has turned Mr. Graham into a heroic figure on the right, where he has often been seen as untrustworthy and opportunistic. For his part, Judge Kavanaugh hurled conspiratorial accusations at Democrats, charging them with exacting “revenge on behalf of the Clintons” and evoking images of the country on a precipice. After watching Judge Kavanaugh on Thursday, the president told friends and staff that he was pleased the judge fought back so hard, according to one person who spoke with him. “They’re destroying this guy and his family,” said Mr. Trump, according to this person, who spoke anonymously to divulge private conversations.

Source: New York Times September 29, 2018 16:27 UTC