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 91裸聊视频渢errified91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频�100 per cent91裸聊视频� certain was committed by Kavanaugh, Donald Trump91裸聊视频檚 nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Later in the day, Kavanaugh himself 91裸聊视频� defiant, at times visibly enraged, other times struggling to hold back tears 91裸聊视频� refuted Blasey Ford91裸聊视频檚 claims before the Senate Judiciary Committee, excoriating its Democratic members as being complicit in what he called a 91裸聊视频渘ational disgrace.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淢y family has been destroyed by this,91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频渘o doubt91裸聊视频� 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.

91裸聊视频淗e began running his hands over my body and grinding into me,91裸聊视频� she recounted, describing in detail how her drunken assailant struggled to undress her.

91裸聊视频淚 believed he was going to rape me,91裸聊视频� she said.

91裸聊视频淚 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.91裸聊视频�

And she denied being part of any political conspiracy: 91裸聊视频淚 am an independent person and I am no one91裸聊视频檚 pawn.91裸聊视频�

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

Blasey Ford spent the morning detailing her story and ably fielding questions 91裸聊视频� 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.

91裸聊视频淭his is a circus,91裸聊视频� he declared, gesticulating at the Democratic side of the dais as he all but accused them of masterminding a 91裸聊视频漜alculated and orchestrated political hit91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� an echo of the sentiments expressed all week by the man who nominated him.

91裸聊视频淭his confirmation process has become a national disgrace,91裸聊视频� and the allegations have 91裸聊视频渢otally and permanently destroyed91裸聊视频� his family and good name, he added.

91裸聊视频淵ou may defeat me in the final vote, but you91裸聊视频檒l never get me to quit. Never.91裸聊视频�

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: 91裸聊视频�100 per cent.91裸聊视频�

Then, when asked about the incident91裸聊视频檚 most indelible moment: the laughter, she said, her voice clear but close to breaking.

91裸聊视频淭he uproarious laughter between the two, and their having fun at my expense.91裸聊视频�

Even GOP-friendly Fox News Channel host Chris Wallace had to acknowledge Blasey Ford91裸聊视频檚 testimony had been 91裸聊视频渁 disaster91裸聊视频� for Republicans.

And despite Kavanaugh91裸聊视频檚 fiery opening statement, things didn91裸聊视频檛 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 Leahy91裸聊视频檚 questions about his high school yearbook and its apparent references to excessive drinking and 91裸聊视频渟exual exploits.91裸聊视频� Leahy eventually gave up, saying, 91裸聊视频淲e had a filibuster, but not a single answer.91裸聊视频�

Durbin appeared to corner Kavanaugh on whether he91裸聊视频檇 support an FBI investigation, leading to an awkward exchange of silence between the two 91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 telling the truth,91裸聊视频� the judge shouted repeatedly; 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 innocent91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� 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 years91裸聊视频� time, and don91裸聊视频檛 care if they 91裸聊视频渄estroy91裸聊视频� Kavanaugh91裸聊视频檚 life in the process, Graham said.

91裸聊视频淭his is the most unethical thing I91裸聊视频檝e seen since I91裸聊视频檝e been in politics, and if you really wanted to know the truth, you wouldn91裸聊视频檛 have done what you did to this guy.91裸聊视频�

Then, to Kavanaugh: 91裸聊视频淚f you91裸聊视频檙e looking for a fair process, you came to the wrong town at the wrong time.91裸聊视频�

Supreme Court nominations are often hotly contested given the consequences: Kavanaugh91裸聊视频檚 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.

91裸聊视频淛udge Kavanaugh showed America exactly why I nominated him. His testimony was powerful, honest, and riveting. Democrats91裸聊视频� 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!91裸聊视频�

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 91裸聊视频済ang rapes91裸聊视频� of intoxicated women.

James McCarten, The Canadian Press

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