Is Christine Blasey Ford a credible witness?
[New York Post] 1) For starters, Ford still can’t recall basic details of what she says was the most traumatic event in her life. Not where the “assault” took place — she’s not sure whose house it was, or even what street it was on. Nor when — she’s not even sure of the year, let alone the day and month. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Ford’s not certain how old she was or what grade she was in when she says an older student violently molested her. (But she doesn’t plead inebriation: She described having just “one beer” at the party.) ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
2) Ford concedes she told no one what happened to her at the time, not even her best friend or mother. That means she can rely on no contemporaneous witness to corroborate her story. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
3) Worse, the four other people she identified as attending the party, including Kavanaugh, all deny knowledge of the gathering in question, including Leland Ingham Keyser, who she calls a “lifelong friend.” ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Keyser’s lawyer told the Senate Judiciary Committee: “Simply put, Ms. Keyser does not know Mr. Kavanaugh and she has no recollection of ever being at a party or gathering where he was present, with or without Dr. Ford.” ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
The other two potential witnesses — Mark Judge and Patrick “P.J.” Smyth — also deny any recollection of attending such a party. The committee took their sworn statements “under penalty of perjury.” “These witnesses directly contradict Professor Ford’s allegations against Judge Kavanaugh,” Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley advised Ford’s attorneys last week. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
In her original letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Ford claimed that Kavanaugh talked to Keyser and Smyth right after he assaulted her. Yet neither shares her memory. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
This is, to say the least, highly problematic for her case. No witness corroborates any part of her story. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
4) Her own immediate family doesn’t appear to be backing her up, either. Her mother, father and two siblings are all conspicuously absent from a letter of support released by a dozen relatives, mostly on her husband’s side of the family. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
The letter attests to her honesty and integrity. “Why didn’t her parents and brothers sign the letter?” a congressional source familiar with the investigation wondered. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
5) This summer, Ford tried to reach out to old friends from high school and college to jog her memory. They couldn’t help her. “I’ve been trying to forget this all my life, and now I’m supposed to remember every little detail,” Ford complained to one friend in July, according to an account in The San Jose Mercury News. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
6) Yet she still pushed forward with her bombshell charge, contacting The Washington Post tip line and Democratic lawmakers, while hiring a Democratic activist lawyer. Ford is also a Democrat, as well as an anti-Trump marcher, raising questions about the motive and timing of the allegations along with their veracity. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
7) Ford contends that notes her therapist took in 2012 corroborate her account. But they don’t mention Kavanaugh. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
They also point up inconsistencies in her story. For instance, her shrink noted that Ford told her there were “four boys” in the bedroom, not two as she now says. The notes also indicate Ford said she was in her “late teens” when she was assaulted. But Ford now says she may have been only 15. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
8) In another inconsistency, Ford told The Washington Post she was upset when Trump won in 2016, because Kavanaugh was mentioned as a Supreme Court pick. But Kavanaugh wasn’t added to Trump’s list of possibles until November 2017, a full year later.
" 3) Worse, the four other people she identified as attending the party, including Kavanaugh, all deny knowledge of the gathering in question, including Leland Ingham Keyser, who she calls a “lifelong friend.” "
If I were a betting person.
I wouldn't be putting my money on her.
No. Dr. Ford is not credible IMO.
The other persons she alleges to have been there at 'the gathering' don't corroborate her testimony.
The other items listed in the post explanation are significant, but honestly don't add to the weight of my decision.
Regardless of the outcome, I hope democrats pay dearly at the voting booth - for generations! Their behavior, actions and words during this circus they created is disgusting.
There's no need to be abusive towards Gronk, she's entitled to her opinion and I'm thankful she chose to participate in this question.
You're right Maze, I should apologize, but I really can't stand the anger from that woman.
Not sure if Kavanaugh molested her or not, but from all I've heard, Kavanaugh has a serious drinking problem. I don't think I want a black out drunk on the Supreme Court.
Proof?
Proof of what? That he may be a black out drunk? Just from what others have said, and Kavanaugh has admitted to underage drinking. Can you "prove" he didn't attempt rape, or that he isn't a heavy drinker?
Nobody has stated anything that I have seen reported of a single "black out" episode. There have just been reports that he drank a lot. What constitutes "a lot" is subjective. Underage drinking is hardly proof that someone is a "black out drunk".
I have not made any definitive statements as to what Kavanagh did or did not do, so cannot be called to prove anything.
Gah, be honest, Kavanaugh is an outstanding nominee, you're not likely to find someone better from either party. You should be happy your president picked him.
Looks like JohnW predicted his demise accurately.
Permanent suspension.
I'm gonna miss him.
Why was he suspended? I didn't see him say anything that would warrant that.
OK, I signed out and THEN JohnW's comments are visible. I clicked on his name and saw a screen I took a picture of;
I'm not certain which user requested his suspension.
I didn't see any comments from JohnW that crossed the line. If someone found him that offensive, why didn't they just block him? Fucking leftists, "I don't like what this person says, so YOU don't get to hear from him." Bloody tyrants.
I didn't either.
Synyster says John pulled his own plug.
[No, Zonkey that is NOT what that means!]
That's too bad.
I will miss him. We got along well.
[sigh]
Sure! Please send me a PM.
I don't know Flanders.
He did have some comments on this very post yesterday - and he expressed some concern that he was pretty fired up over this topic and thought he might get suspended. I clicked on his name when I found it on some comment and it says he's been permanently suspended.
Since we have no say in who is or isn't on the supreme court, getting all fired up over it seems silly to me. Oh well, another one bites the dust I guess.
Oh, I don't know.
We vote for the assholes on the judiciary committee, and recognize that the character assassination that Kanvanaugh suffered could happen to anyone the assholes decide to target.
THAT seems worthy of being fired up about to me.
He isn't my president, and I have no problem with kavanaugh, unless he really is a rapist or black out drunk. I have no dog in this fight, so I really don't care who is on the supreme court. They are mostly just a bunch of old geezers who think their relevant, but really aren't
What country are you in?
I live in California, technically, it is part of the United States, but trump refuses to represent people in this state. So, as far as I'm concerned, we have no president.
A more honest appraisal might be that California (and you) have informally seceded. I mean they disregard federal law, it's hard to be pals with folks that would stab you in the back.
California if fully represented. You have some real trouble makers in the Senate for example.
I think California should really secede, we are the 5th largest economy in the world, so we really don't need the rest of the country, but it would take 75% of the 50 states to allow us to secede, and the rest of the country needs our money and productivity, so it will never happen.
Well, the virtual secession is 'the next best thing'.
So, cheer up!
Hmm, as an actual outsider who actually doesn't have a dog in the fight, it looks to me like Trump has been doing his best to advocate for the interests of all Americans, even those in California.
Are you a citizen of a foreign country living in the US illegally? I know there are lots of them in Cali, I think it could be accurately stated that Trump refuses to represent their interests over those of Americans. But if you're an actual citizen, I think Trump has your back more than the last few presidents have.
But then, I'm just a Canadian on the outside looking in.