President Donald Trump’s opinion of Brett Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford appeared to change overnight, and key opinions of him seemingly changed with it.
Following Ford’s testimony last Thursday, Trump called her a “very credible witness.” But at a rally Tuesday night in Mississippi, Trump changed his tune, ridiculing Ford’s memory of the purported events.
“How did you get there? I don’t remember. Where was the place? I don’t remember,” Trump told supporters.
“I don’t know,” Trump repeated multiple times. “And a man’s life is in tatters,” he added.
Sens. Jeff Flake and Susan Collins, two key Republicans who remain undecided on Kavanaugh’s confirmation, did not take kindly to the president’s attack on Ford Wednesday morning.
Speaking to NBC’s Today, Flake claimed that “there’s no time and no place for remarks like that,” noting that it’s “just not right” to discuss “something this sensitive at a political rally.”
“I wish he hadn’t done it,” Flake added. “I just say it’s kind of appalling.”
Last week, Flake had voted in committee to advance Kavanaugh’s nomination, but then called for the FBI to reopen its investigation into the nominee.
Later Wednesday morning, Collins similarly told reporters that “the president’s comments were just plain wrong.” She nevertheless refused to answer how this might impact her view, and ultimately her vote, on Kavanaugh.
Flake and Collins are among five senators who have not publicly said how they will vote on Kavanaugh’s confirmation. They are joined by Sens. Lisa Murkowski, Joe Manchin, and Heidi Heitkamp.