It’s remarkable that Fox News pundits would level such frank criticism about their Republican BFFs - but what wasn’t said may be more significant. There was zero concern that Ford’s credibility suggests that Kavanaugh did, in fact, sexually assault Christina Blasey Ford and should not be appointed to a lifetime position on the Supreme Court.
The discussion below occurred during the first break in the hearing. Martha MacCallum criticized the way Republicans had set it up, with only five minutes for questions and the use of Rachel Mitchell, an outside sex-crimes prosecutor. “You have to believe that the Republican senators right now are asking themselves whether this was a good idea,” MacCallum said. She wondered whether they had “robbed themselves of their opportunity to ask pointed questions in a way that perhaps might be more compelling.”
Chris Wallace did acknowledge that Ford had been “extremely credible.” Nobody could listen to her recounting of events without having “your heart go out to her," he said.
But clearly undercutting Ford and saving the Kavanaugh nomination was the real concern of the panel. Wallace made that evident as he laid into the hearing. He said his colleagues had been “too nice” in their description of how it was going. “This is a disaster for the Republicans. … She [Mitchell] hasn’t gotten anything from this woman … Meanwhile, the Democrats are making haymakers,” Wallace said. “The Democrats are making their points and building her credibility and Rachel Mitchell has so far not landed a glove on this witness,” Wallace said. He sounded more annoyed than persuaded.
As if to send a message to the Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Wallace later said about Mitchell, “Make your point.”
The entire discussion was from the standpoint of Republican interests. It was, in essence, a tacit admission that Fox News is GOP TV.
My prediction: If the Kavanaugh nomination goes south, Fox and Donald Trump will blame the Judiciary Committee.
Watch GOP TV fret that nobody was able to discredit Ford below, from Fox News’ analysis of the September 27, 2018 Senate hearing.