Donald Trump whole-heartedly backed his pick for the nation’s top bench after the gripping day-long hearing opened with Christine Blasey Ford, 51, who delivered to a packed room her stark account of what she said was an attempted rape by Kavanaugh 36 years ago. “Democrats’ search and destroy strategy is disgraceful and this process has been a total sham and effort to delay, obstruct and resist. The allegations against Kavanaugh by Blasey Ford, a psychology professor in California, have threatened to derail Trump’s bid to tilt the highest US court to the right for years to come. They come against a backdrop of the #MeToo movement — and the hearing included sharp exchanges between Republicans and Democrats mirroring the atmosphere of bitter political partisanship in Washington. “I categorically and unequivocally deny the allegation by Dr Ford,” Kavanaugh said in an opening statement during which his voice shook with anger, repeatedly fighting back tears.

Source: Manila Times September 28, 2018 16:07 UTC