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 sa国际传媒渢errifiedsa国际传媒� 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 sa国际传媒�100 per centsa国际传媒� certain was committed by Kavanaugh, Donald Trumpsa国际传媒檚 nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Later in the day, Kavanaugh himself sa国际传媒� defiant, at times visibly enraged, other times struggling to hold back tears sa国际传媒� refuted Blasey Fordsa国际传媒檚 claims before the Senate Judiciary Committee, excoriating its Democratic members as being complicit in what he called a sa国际传媒渘ational disgrace.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淢y family has been destroyed by this,sa国际传媒� 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 sa国际传媒渘o doubtsa国际传媒� 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.

sa国际传媒淗e began running his hands over my body and grinding into me,sa国际传媒� she recounted, describing in detail how her drunken assailant struggled to undress her.

sa国际传媒淚 believed he was going to rape me,sa国际传媒� she said.

sa国际传媒淚 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.sa国际传媒�

And she denied being part of any political conspiracy: sa国际传媒淚 am an independent person and I am no onesa国际传媒檚 pawn.sa国际传媒�

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

Blasey Ford spent the morning detailing her story and ably fielding questions sa国际传媒� 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.

sa国际传媒淭his is a circus,sa国际传媒� he declared, gesticulating at the Democratic side of the dais as he all but accused them of masterminding a sa国际传媒漜alculated and orchestrated political hitsa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� an echo of the sentiments expressed all week by the man who nominated him.

sa国际传媒淭his confirmation process has become a national disgrace,sa国际传媒� and the allegations have sa国际传媒渢otally and permanently destroyedsa国际传媒� his family and good name, he added.

sa国际传媒淵ou may defeat me in the final vote, but yousa国际传媒檒l never get me to quit. Never.sa国际传媒�

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: sa国际传媒�100 per cent.sa国际传媒�

Then, when asked about the incidentsa国际传媒檚 most indelible moment: the laughter, she said, her voice clear but close to breaking.

sa国际传媒淭he uproarious laughter between the two, and their having fun at my expense.sa国际传媒�

Even GOP-friendly Fox News Channel host Chris Wallace had to acknowledge Blasey Fordsa国际传媒檚 testimony had been sa国际传媒渁 disastersa国际传媒� for Republicans.

And despite Kavanaughsa国际传媒檚 fiery opening statement, things didnsa国际传媒檛 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 Leahysa国际传媒檚 questions about his high school yearbook and its apparent references to excessive drinking and sa国际传媒渟exual exploits.sa国际传媒� Leahy eventually gave up, saying, sa国际传媒淲e had a filibuster, but not a single answer.sa国际传媒�

Durbin appeared to corner Kavanaugh on whether hesa国际传媒檇 support an FBI investigation, leading to an awkward exchange of silence between the two sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 telling the truth,sa国际传媒� the judge shouted repeatedly; sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 innocentsa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� 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 yearssa国际传媒� time, and donsa国际传媒檛 care if they sa国际传媒渄estroysa国际传媒� Kavanaughsa国际传媒檚 life in the process, Graham said.

sa国际传媒淭his is the most unethical thing Isa国际传媒檝e seen since Isa国际传媒檝e been in politics, and if you really wanted to know the truth, you wouldnsa国际传媒檛 have done what you did to this guy.sa国际传媒�

Then, to Kavanaugh: sa国际传媒淚f yousa国际传媒檙e looking for a fair process, you came to the wrong town at the wrong time.sa国际传媒�

Supreme Court nominations are often hotly contested given the consequences: Kavanaughsa国际传媒檚 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.

sa国际传媒淛udge Kavanaugh showed America exactly why I nominated him. His testimony was powerful, honest, and riveting. Democratssa国际传媒� 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!sa国际传媒�

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 sa国际传媒済ang rapessa国际传媒� of intoxicated women.

James McCarten, The Canadian Press

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