North Texans Glued To Testimony During Kavanaugh, Ford Hearing
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - North Texans were among the millions of people across the country glued to the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing featuring Judge Brett Kavanaugh and his accuser, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford.
Mia Muric, with the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League in Dallas says everyone should believe Dr. Ford's accusation that decades earlier, Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her.
"This is just on the basis on believing women. We know Dr. Ford's allegations are credible based on her polygraph test and a lot of other evidence. I think no matter how long the accusations have been untold, I think they're still credible."
Gina O'Briant, a conservative, says she believes Judge Kavanaugh, and says there are gaps in Dr. Ford's memory and story.
"I have compassion for any woman who's gone through anything like this, but I don't see any clear evidence. I don't see anyone collaborating with her story. It's hard to believe that someone would wait 36 years to come out with this information right before he's about to be confirmed."
Geni Manning, another conservative says she too believes Kavanaugh, but says even if the allegations against him from high school were true, "I don't think it should disqualify him."
John Wellik, a member of the Dallas Democratic Forum says he believes Dr. Ford, but says the alleged incident during their high school years isn't the main consideration.
He questions Judge Kavanaugh's denial. "Lying about his past now is a more critical issue from a Supreme Court confirmation in my opinion."
UT Dallas political science professor Harold Clarke says the hearing raises the stakes in the midterm elections - especially for Republicans. "If the Republican base concludes that the Republicans on the committee and the Republicans in the
Senate, more generally, cave on this, that they don't support Judge Kavanaugh to the fullest extent, I think there's a very good chance that they're going to take it out on the Republican candidates."
Manning disagrees. "I will still be out there doing what I can to get people to vote. That has nothing to do with everything else going on in our country."
O'Briant says, "I think this stirs up the base, all the forgotten men and women, they're going to go out and vote."
Professor Clarke says if Democrats hadn't put up more of a fight against Judge Kavanaugh, their base would have held it against them.
