A riveting, high-stakes exchange of she-said, he-said played out in full view of the world Thursday as Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford traded vastly different versions of their high school days in the summer of 1982, with control of the highest court in the land hanging in the balance.

Under a searing public spotlight, a 害羞草研究所渢errified害羞草研究所� Blasey Ford put a face and a voice to her name as she told her harrowing story of an alleged high-school sexual assault she said she is 害羞草研究所�100 per cent害羞草研究所� certain was committed by Kavanaugh, Donald Trump害羞草研究所檚 nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Later in the day, Kavanaugh himself 害羞草研究所� defiant, at times visibly enraged, other times struggling to hold back tears 害羞草研究所� refuted Blasey Ford害羞草研究所檚 claims before the Senate Judiciary Committee, excoriating its Democratic members as being complicit in what he called a 害羞草研究所渘ational disgrace.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淢y family has been destroyed by this,害羞草研究所� said Kavanaugh, insisting he was not at the gathering at a suburban Maryland home in the summer of 1982 where Blasey Ford has alleged she was forced into a bedroom and sexually assaulted by a man she has 害羞草研究所渘o doubt害羞草研究所� was the nominee.

Earlier, without him in the room, 51-year-old Blasey Ford described fearing for her life when Kavanaugh allegedly covered her mouth to stifle her cries for help.

害羞草研究所淗e began running his hands over my body and grinding into me,害羞草研究所� she recounted, describing in detail how her drunken assailant struggled to undress her.

害羞草研究所淚 believed he was going to rape me,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淚 tried to yell for help; when I did, Brett put his hand over my mouth to stop me from yelling. This is what terrified me the most, and has had the most lasting impact on my life: it was hard for me to breathe, and I thought Brett was accidentally going to kill me.害羞草研究所�

And she denied being part of any political conspiracy: 害羞草研究所淚 am an independent person and I am no one害羞草研究所檚 pawn.害羞草研究所�

READ MORE: Trump says his past accusers influence thinking on Kavanaugh

Blasey Ford spent the morning detailing her story and ably fielding questions 害羞草研究所� alternatively from Democrats and from Rachel Mitchell, the Arizona sex-crimes prosecutor tapped by Republicans to query witnesses on their behalf.

Where Blasey Ford was muted and self-effacing, Kavanaugh was by turns defiant and defensive.

害羞草研究所淭his is a circus,害羞草研究所� he declared, gesticulating at the Democratic side of the dais as he all but accused them of masterminding a 害羞草研究所漜alculated and orchestrated political hit害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� an echo of the sentiments expressed all week by the man who nominated him.

害羞草研究所淭his confirmation process has become a national disgrace,害羞草研究所� and the allegations have 害羞草研究所渢otally and permanently destroyed害羞草研究所� his family and good name, he added.

害羞草研究所淵ou may defeat me in the final vote, but you害羞草研究所檒l never get me to quit. Never.害羞草研究所�

During the morning session, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) asked Blasey Ford how certain she was that Kavanaugh was her attacker. Without hesitation, she replied: 害羞草研究所�100 per cent.害羞草研究所�

Then, when asked about the incident害羞草研究所檚 most indelible moment: the laughter, she said, her voice clear but close to breaking.

害羞草研究所淭he uproarious laughter between the two, and their having fun at my expense.害羞草研究所�

Even GOP-friendly Fox News Channel host Chris Wallace had to acknowledge Blasey Ford害羞草研究所檚 testimony had been 害羞草研究所渁 disaster害羞草研究所� for Republicans.

And despite Kavanaugh害羞草研究所檚 fiery opening statement, things didn害羞草研究所檛 get much better when Democrats began pressing him on two issues central to the political battle: whether he would support suspending the hearing to allow an FBI investigation, and whether friend Mark Judge, purportedly a witness to the alleged assault, should have been called to testify.

Kavanaugh refused to answer the latter question directly, and grew frustrated with Leahy害羞草研究所檚 questions about his high school yearbook and its apparent references to excessive drinking and 害羞草研究所渟exual exploits.害羞草研究所� Leahy eventually gave up, saying, 害羞草研究所淲e had a filibuster, but not a single answer.害羞草研究所�

Durbin appeared to corner Kavanaugh on whether he害羞草研究所檇 support an FBI investigation, leading to an awkward exchange of silence between the two 害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 telling the truth,害羞草研究所� the judge shouted repeatedly; 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 innocent害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� before South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham came to his rescue.

Democrats are simply trying to keep the Supreme Court seat open in hopes of winning the White House in two years害羞草研究所� time, and don害羞草研究所檛 care if they 害羞草研究所渄estroy害羞草研究所� Kavanaugh害羞草研究所檚 life in the process, Graham said.

害羞草研究所淭his is the most unethical thing I害羞草研究所檝e seen since I害羞草研究所檝e been in politics, and if you really wanted to know the truth, you wouldn害羞草研究所檛 have done what you did to this guy.害羞草研究所�

Then, to Kavanaugh: 害羞草研究所淚f you害羞草研究所檙e looking for a fair process, you came to the wrong town at the wrong time.害羞草研究所�

Supreme Court nominations are often hotly contested given the consequences: Kavanaugh害羞草研究所檚 presence there would ensure conservative control of the high court for a generation, and give Trump and Republicans a badly needed win going into the November midterms.

Those elections could also end the narrow Republican majority in the Senate, which would make getting a conservative justice confirmed even more difficult.

The president took to Twitter moments after the hearings ended, backing Kavanaugh and demanding a confirmation vote in the Senate.

害羞草研究所淛udge Kavanaugh showed America exactly why I nominated him. His testimony was powerful, honest, and riveting. Democrats害羞草研究所� search and destroy strategy is disgraceful and this process has been a total sham and effort to delay, obstruct, and resist. The Senate must vote!害羞草研究所�

Then there is the question of two other accusers.

Deborah Ramirez alleges the nominee waved his penis in her face at a drunken dorm party during his first year at Yale. And Michael Avenatti, a lawyer for Julie Swetnick, has accused Kavanaugh and Judge of spiking drinks at parties where there were 害羞草研究所済ang rapes害羞草研究所� of intoxicated women.

James McCarten, The Canadian Press

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