President Donald Trump Friday reaffirmed support to his embattled Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, and asked the senators to confirm him, after a gripping Senate hearing in which the judge dismissed the allegations of sexual assault made by a clinical psychology professor as a "calculated and orchestrated political hit".
Americans were glued to their television sets Thursday as the historic hearing opened with an emotionally chocked Christine Blasey Ford, 51, recounting the 36 years old incident which "drastically altered her life".
Asserting that she felt it was her "civic duty" to share her story, Ford said at the age of 15 she was sexually assaulted by Kavanaugh in 1982 at a party. Both of them were in high school in suburban Maryland at that time.
A furious Kavanaugh, 53, denied the allegations in a passionate defence.
"I categorically and unequivocally deny the allegation by Dr Ford. I have never sexually assaulted anyone, not in high school, not in college, not ever. I am innocent of this charge," he said, repeatedly fighting back tears.
"This whole two week effort has been a calculated and orchestrated political hit, fuelled with apparent pent-up anger about President Trump and the 2016 election, fear that has been unfairly stoked abut judicial record, revenge on behalf of the Clintons," an aggressive Kavanaugh said in a tirade directed at Democrats.
Within moments of the proceedings concluding, Trump wholeheartedly backed Kavanaugh, saying, "His testimony was powerful, honest, and riveting."
Earlier, to a question posed by Senator Dianne Feinstein whether Kavanaugh was the boy who attacked her, Ford responded, "The same way I'm sure I'm talking to you right now..."
"Absolutely not," Ford said when Feinstein followed up with another question: "So what you're telling us is this could not be a case of mistaken identity?"
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