Accessibility links
A Nation Is Riveted As Christine Blasey Ford Testifies Across the country, Americans tuned in to watch the testimony given by Ford, who says she was sexually assaulted decades ago by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

Politics

A Nation Is Riveted As Christine Blasey Ford Testifies

  • Holton Arms alumnae show their support for Christine Blasey Ford at the Hart Senate Office Building.
    Holton Arms alumnae show their support for Christine Blasey Ford at the Hart Senate Office Building.
    Tyrone Turner/WAMU
  • Protesters rally against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh as they march near the Capitol.
    Protesters rally against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh as they march near the Capitol.
    Tyrone Turner/WAMU
  • Outside the Supreme Court, people gathered Thursday morning to protest Kavanaugh's nomination.
    Outside the Supreme Court, people gathered Thursday morning to protest Kavanaugh's nomination.
    Tyrone Turner/WAMU
  • Demonstrators march in front of the Capitol.
    Demonstrators march in front of the Capitol.
    Tyrone Turner/WAMU
  • Holton Arms alumnae supporting each other and Ford in the Hart Senate Building.
    Holton Arms alumnae supporting each other and Ford in the Hart Senate Building.
    Tyrone Turner/WAMU
  • Protesters in the Dirksen Building, not permitted on the floor of the hearing, lined the stairwells instead.
    Protesters in the Dirksen Building, not permitted on the floor of the hearing, lined the stairwells instead.
    Tyrone Turner/WAMU
  • Outside the Kavanaugh hearing, people protest.
    Outside the Kavanaugh hearing, people protest.
    Tyrone Turner/WAMU
  • As the hearing goes on inside, a Kavanaugh supporter gets into an exchange of words with protesters.
    As the hearing goes on inside, a Kavanaugh supporter gets into an exchange of words with protesters.
    Tyrone Turner/WAMU

1 of 8

As Christine Blasey Ford testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, people across the U.S. tuned in to watch her tell the emotional story of her alleged sexual assault by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavavaugh more than 30 years ago.

Across the country — on the radio, television or the phones they carried — Americans listened.

Enlarge this image

Adam Kruppa, bartender at the Billy Goat Tavern in Chicago, watches the testimony on a television at the bar. Scott Olson/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Scott Olson/Getty Images

Adam Kruppa, bartender at the Billy Goat Tavern in Chicago, watches the testimony on a television at the bar.

Scott Olson/Getty Images
Enlarge this image

A news ticker in New York City's Times Square shows headlines about the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings. Bebeto Matthews/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Bebeto Matthews/AP

A news ticker in New York City's Times Square shows headlines about the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings.

Bebeto Matthews/AP

On airplanes, they watched. And some cried.

They watched on C-SPAN, where some viewers began calling in with their own stories of sexual assault.

They watched in classrooms, where some students were the same ages as Ford or Kavanaugh, who were both high-schoolers when the assault allegedly took place.

And, of course, they watched in Washington, D.C.

Enlarge this image

Protesters and supporters of Brett Kavanaugh's nomination watch Christine Blasey Ford's testimony from Sen. Chuck Grassley's office in Washington, D.C. Zach Gibson/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Zach Gibson/Getty Images

Protesters and supporters of Brett Kavanaugh's nomination watch Christine Blasey Ford's testimony from Sen. Chuck Grassley's office in Washington, D.C.

Zach Gibson/Getty Images
Enlarge this image

Protesters rallying against Kavanaugh watch testimony from Ford on a smartphone inside the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C. Drew Angerer/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Protesters rallying against Kavanaugh watch testimony from Ford on a smartphone inside the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C.

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Recognizing the cultural moment, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., shared photos of themselves watching Ford's testimony.

After nearly 2 1/2 hours, Ford's testimony and questioning ended. Kavanaugh arrived and sat before the committee to deliver his own testimony and submit to questioning.

And America watched.