1 00:00:02,033 --> 00:00:04,566 JUDY WOODRUFF: President Trump has triggered fresh cries of foul today in the fight over 2 00:00:04,566 --> 00:00:06,933 Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. 3 00:00:06,933 --> 00:00:09,833 White House correspondent Yamiche Alcindor begins our coverage. 4 00:00:09,833 --> 00:00:11,866 SEN. 5 00:00:11,866 --> 00:00:14,866 SUSAN COLLINS (R), Maine: The president's comments were just plain wrong. 6 00:00:14,866 --> 00:00:16,366 SEN. 7 00:00:16,366 --> 00:00:17,533 JEFF FLAKE (R), Arizona: I wish he hadn't have done it. 8 00:00:17,533 --> 00:00:20,633 I just say it's -- it's kind of appalling. 9 00:00:20,633 --> 00:00:25,566 YAMICHE ALCINDOR: President Trump mocking Brett Kavanaugh's accuser, and key Republican 10 00:00:25,566 --> 00:00:27,300 senators outraged. 11 00:00:27,300 --> 00:00:29,333 DONALD TRUMP, President of the United States: A man's life is shattered. 12 00:00:29,333 --> 00:00:32,933 YAMICHE ALCINDOR: Last night in Southaven, Mississippi, Mr. Trump went after Christine 13 00:00:32,933 --> 00:00:34,466 Blasey Ford. 14 00:00:34,466 --> 00:00:37,700 She said Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in high school. 15 00:00:37,700 --> 00:00:42,666 The president made fun of Ford's Senate testimony last week with his own sometimes inaccurate 16 00:00:42,666 --> 00:00:44,366 version of her memory lapses. 17 00:00:44,366 --> 00:00:45,600 DONALD TRUMP, President of the United States: How did you get home? 18 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:46,600 I don't remember. 19 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:47,600 How did you get there? 20 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:48,600 I don't remember. 21 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:49,600 Where is the place? 22 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:50,600 I don't remember. 23 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:51,600 How many years ago was it? 24 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:52,600 I don't know. 25 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:53,600 (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) 26 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:54,600 DONALD TRUMP: I don't know. 27 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:57,233 (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) 28 00:00:57,233 --> 00:01:00,200 YAMICHE ALCINDOR: The president had previously called Ford a -- quote -- "very credible witness." 29 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:04,866 After last night, Ford's lawyer tweeted that the president's words were -- quote -- "vicious, 30 00:01:04,866 --> 00:01:06,800 vile and soulless." 31 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:09,066 This morning, Senate Democrats took up the cry. 32 00:01:09,066 --> 00:01:11,600 SEN. 33 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:13,100 CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY), Minority Leader: President Trump's outright mockery of a sexual assault 34 00:01:13,100 --> 00:01:17,566 survivor, riddled as it was with falsehoods, was reprehensible. 35 00:01:17,566 --> 00:01:19,033 SEN. 36 00:01:19,033 --> 00:01:20,233 KAMALA HARRIS (D), California: I mean, it was outrageous. 37 00:01:20,233 --> 00:01:22,800 There's no other way to describe it. 38 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:26,000 YAMICHE ALCINDOR: The attack played especially poorly with undecided Republican, like Alaska's 39 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:28,100 Lisa Murkowski. 40 00:01:28,100 --> 00:01:30,800 She called the remarks -- quote -- "unacceptable." 41 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:35,766 But top presidential aides, like White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, defended Mr. Trump's 42 00:01:35,766 --> 00:01:37,833 handling of Ford's story. 43 00:01:37,833 --> 00:01:39,400 KELLYANNE CONWAY, Trump Senior Adviser: She's been treated like a Faberge egg by all of 44 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:41,366 us, beginning with me and the president. 45 00:01:41,366 --> 00:01:45,566 YAMICHE ALCINDOR: And this afternoon, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said this several 46 00:01:45,566 --> 00:01:47,600 times: 47 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:49,766 SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, White House Press Secretary: The president was stating the facts. 48 00:01:49,766 --> 00:01:53,366 YAMICHE ALCINDOR: Meanwhile, several public senators said the FBI is almost done with 49 00:01:54,533 --> 00:01:56,666 the reopened background check of Kavanaugh. 50 00:01:56,666 --> 00:02:01,333 That's despite complaints from his accusers and Democrats that a number of potential witnesses 51 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:06,233 have not been interviewed, including Christine Blasey Ford herself. 52 00:02:06,233 --> 00:02:10,400 Democrats are demanding that some version of the FBI findings be made public before 53 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:12,500 the Senate votes on Kavanaugh. 54 00:02:12,500 --> 00:02:15,033 Delaware Senator and Judiciary Committee member Chris Coons: 55 00:02:15,033 --> 00:02:17,100 SEN. 56 00:02:17,100 --> 00:02:19,266 CHRIS COONS (D), Delaware: But I do think a summary of the report that doesn't identify 57 00:02:19,266 --> 00:02:23,433 specific individuals or allegations, but that says, this is how many, this is for our topics, 58 00:02:25,500 --> 00:02:28,166 this is the sorts of facts we have presented, I do think, in the interest of transparency, 59 00:02:28,166 --> 00:02:32,266 would be appropriate for the FBI or the Senate to release a report like that. 60 00:02:32,266 --> 00:02:36,733 YAMICHE ALCINDOR: Louisiana Republican and Senate Judiciary Committee member John Kennedy 61 00:02:36,733 --> 00:02:37,733 agreed. 62 00:02:37,733 --> 00:02:40,200 SEN. 63 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:41,700 JOHN KENNEDY (R), Louisiana: Normally, FBI background investigations are not made public 64 00:02:41,700 --> 00:02:46,700 because of privacy rights of the person being investigated. 65 00:02:48,100 --> 00:02:51,233 But I think this is an instance where it should be. 66 00:02:51,233 --> 00:02:54,966 I trust the American people to draw their own conclusions. 67 00:02:54,966 --> 00:02:59,766 YAMICHE ALCINDOR: As both sides wait for the FBI's findings, Capitol Police have stepped 68 00:02:59,766 --> 00:03:03,100 up security for senators, including police escorts. 69 00:03:03,100 --> 00:03:06,000 MAN: You have to stay of one side of the hallway. 70 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:08,100 And we have to make sure doors are clear. 71 00:03:08,100 --> 00:03:11,333 YAMICHE ALCINDOR: Today, police forced reporters away from Susan Collins' office for what they 72 00:03:11,333 --> 00:03:13,500 said were safety reasons. 73 00:03:13,500 --> 00:03:16,600 All the while, Senate debate on the nomination is continuing. 74 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:21,033 Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said again today he's proceeding toward a vote. 75 00:03:21,033 --> 00:03:23,100 SEN. 76 00:03:23,100 --> 00:03:25,833 MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), Majority Leader: It's time to put this embarrassing spectacle behind 77 00:03:25,833 --> 00:03:27,866 us. 78 00:03:27,866 --> 00:03:32,166 The American people are sick of the display that has been put on here in the United States 79 00:03:33,333 --> 00:03:35,533 Senate in the guise of a confirmation process. 80 00:03:35,533 --> 00:03:39,533 YAMICHE ALCINDOR: As of tonight, there's no firm indication of whether Kavanaugh has the 81 00:03:39,533 --> 00:03:42,000 votes to win Senate confirmation. 82 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:46,200 JUDY WOODRUFF: And Yamiche joins me now, along with our congressional correspondent, Lisa 83 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:47,200 Desjardins. 84 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:49,300 Hello to both of you. 85 00:03:49,300 --> 00:03:53,500 So, Yamiche, as you point out in that report, originally, President Trump was respectful 86 00:03:53,500 --> 00:03:55,533 of Dr. Ford. 87 00:03:55,533 --> 00:03:59,700 He was saying she was a credible -- someone who was credible, but then the change of tone 88 00:04:00,366 --> 00:04:01,233 last night. 89 00:04:01,233 --> 00:04:02,466 He's mocking her. 90 00:04:02,466 --> 00:04:04,566 What was behind the thinking here? 91 00:04:04,566 --> 00:04:06,933 YAMICHE ALCINDOR: Well, this nomination has really become a moment of cultural reckoning. 92 00:04:06,933 --> 00:04:10,233 And President Trump is responding to how polarized everyone has become. 93 00:04:10,233 --> 00:04:14,300 He senses this us-vs.-we mentality, and he's in there last night, and he feels as though 94 00:04:14,300 --> 00:04:17,033 he wants to really give the crowd what they're asking for. 95 00:04:17,033 --> 00:04:21,166 The crowd last night was laughing and clapping as he mocked Dr. Ford, and that's just as 96 00:04:21,166 --> 00:04:23,266 important as the president mocking her. 97 00:04:23,266 --> 00:04:27,033 And this idea that people are really kind of -- especially Republicans are really feeling 98 00:04:27,033 --> 00:04:30,333 energized by this is backed up by a new poll that came out today. 99 00:04:30,333 --> 00:04:33,300 "PBS NewsHour," NPR and Marist put out a poll today. 100 00:04:33,300 --> 00:04:35,666 And I want to walk you through some of these numbers. 101 00:04:35,666 --> 00:04:40,666 In July 2018, this summer, Democrats had a 10-point lead over Republicans when it came 102 00:04:42,566 --> 00:04:45,366 to who thought was -- who thought the midterm election was very important. 103 00:04:45,366 --> 00:04:48,566 So you have this idea that Democrats really felt as though this is really important, but 104 00:04:48,566 --> 00:04:50,700 that has all basically evaporated. 105 00:04:50,700 --> 00:04:54,666 The poll now shows that 82 percent of Democrats describe the midterms as very important and 106 00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:58,966 80 percent of Republicans also describe the midterms as very important. 107 00:04:58,966 --> 00:05:03,100 And Democrats, that should be really bad news for them, because Democrats have been talking 108 00:05:03,100 --> 00:05:06,666 about this blue wave, talking about taking back the House, even the Senate. 109 00:05:06,666 --> 00:05:10,700 And now what you have are Republicans saying, this nomination is why I might go to the polls. 110 00:05:10,700 --> 00:05:13,733 JUDY WOODRUFF: So energizing Republicans. 111 00:05:13,733 --> 00:05:16,333 But you have been talking to people at the White House. 112 00:05:16,333 --> 00:05:20,700 How concerned are they -- or are they concerned that this could cost them somehow in the midterms, 113 00:05:22,233 --> 00:05:23,700 especially among women voters? 114 00:05:23,700 --> 00:05:26,166 YAMICHE ALCINDOR: The president let loose last night. 115 00:05:26,166 --> 00:05:29,766 So the simple answer is, no, they are not concerned about this. 116 00:05:29,766 --> 00:05:33,100 Sarah Sanders said that the president was really just stating the facts. 117 00:05:33,100 --> 00:05:37,300 He's not worried about whether or not Lisa Murkowski or Susan Collins or Jeff Flake are 118 00:05:37,300 --> 00:05:40,566 going to look at his comments last night and say, you know what, this has really gotten 119 00:05:40,566 --> 00:05:42,900 out of hand and I can't vote for Brett Kavanaugh. 120 00:05:42,900 --> 00:05:45,700 So the president is really just saying, you know what, I'm going to go with my gut. 121 00:05:45,700 --> 00:05:49,000 This isn't a large change of strategy, from what I can tell from sourcing. 122 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:51,400 It's really the president looking at this crowd and saying, I'm going to give them what 123 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:53,933 they want. 124 00:05:53,933 --> 00:05:56,766 JUDY WOODRUFF: Now, Lisa, there's some late-day developments on the part of Senate Democrats 125 00:05:56,766 --> 00:05:57,766 on the Judiciary Committee. 126 00:05:57,766 --> 00:05:59,833 What are you hearing? 127 00:05:59,833 --> 00:06:02,333 LISA DESJARDINS: A lot to talk about tonight, but we just saw a letter posted by Dick Durbin. 128 00:06:02,333 --> 00:06:03,966 He's the number two Democrat in the Senate. 129 00:06:03,966 --> 00:06:06,000 And he's on the Senate Judiciary Committee. 130 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:10,566 He posted a letter questioning a tweet by Republicans in which they said that the FBI 131 00:06:12,566 --> 00:06:16,800 background checks to this point on Mr. Kavanaugh have come up with not a whiff of any issue 132 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:23,200 related to either inappropriate sexual behavior or with inappropriate behavior with alcohol. 133 00:06:24,700 --> 00:06:26,733 That's what the Republicans tweeted out. 134 00:06:26,733 --> 00:06:31,666 Dick Durbin has said, we reviewed these files confidentially, and that is inaccurate. 135 00:06:34,233 --> 00:06:37,533 What he's saying is, past FBI background checks have come up with something related to inappropriate 136 00:06:38,666 --> 00:06:40,733 behavior, either sexual or alcoholic. 137 00:06:40,733 --> 00:06:45,600 But, you know, Judy, this is a classic just tit for tat, and everyone using any kind of 138 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:48,266 weapon they can at this moment as we wait for the FBI report. 139 00:06:48,266 --> 00:06:53,266 JUDY WOODRUFF: So, state of play right now, Lisa, I mean, if the FBI continues, doesn't 140 00:06:55,166 --> 00:06:57,300 talk to Kavanaugh, doesn't talk to Dr. Ford, what does it look like? 141 00:06:57,300 --> 00:07:00,433 LISA DESJARDINS: Well, I can report I spoke just a short while ago from a good Senate 142 00:07:00,433 --> 00:07:05,400 Republican Judiciary source, who said they have put no limits on the FBI, the FBI is 143 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:10,900 free to talk to both Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh, but it's the FBI choice. 144 00:07:10,900 --> 00:07:15,633 It is possible the FBI will just use the committee testimony as the basis of its report. 145 00:07:15,633 --> 00:07:18,433 So, they're saying it's not any limits that they have put on this. 146 00:07:18,433 --> 00:07:21,466 But I think what Yamiche said is very important. 147 00:07:21,466 --> 00:07:26,266 I do not think Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, as much as they don't like what the president 148 00:07:26,266 --> 00:07:29,700 said last night, my sourcing is, they're not going to vote based on that. 149 00:07:29,700 --> 00:07:34,500 So the president's not really taking a risk in ginning up his base. 150 00:07:34,500 --> 00:07:37,366 I think that there are bigger questions here about votes. 151 00:07:37,366 --> 00:07:40,866 Democrat Joe Manchin came out today and said he is still firmly undecided. 152 00:07:40,866 --> 00:07:45,533 Also, his office confirmed to me Chuck Schumer is not really putting pressure on him, maybe 153 00:07:45,533 --> 00:07:50,533 because Chuck Schumer realizes a Democratic presence on these undecided votes really might 154 00:07:51,266 --> 00:07:52,433 not help them at all. 155 00:07:52,433 --> 00:07:54,533 And I think we're seeing that most of all. 156 00:07:54,533 --> 00:07:58,100 A quick -- another figure from the poll, Judy, very quickly, the partisan divide on this 157 00:07:58,100 --> 00:07:59,600 question is unbelievable. 158 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:02,633 Do you support or oppose the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh? 159 00:08:02,633 --> 00:08:04,266 Look at that. 160 00:08:04,266 --> 00:08:08,633 Republicans, 88 percent support, but Democrats, 83 percent oppose. 161 00:08:09,766 --> 00:08:10,833 That divide is just getting larger. 162 00:08:10,833 --> 00:08:12,866 JUDY WOODRUFF: It's hardening. 163 00:08:12,866 --> 00:08:17,333 Yamiche, Bloomberg News is reporting that the FBI says the reason they're not talking 164 00:08:19,333 --> 00:08:21,966 to Brett Kavanaugh, to Dr. Ford is because the White House has told them not to. 165 00:08:21,966 --> 00:08:23,966 What is the White House saying about that? 166 00:08:23,966 --> 00:08:25,600 YAMICHE ALCINDOR: The White House is pointing to the Senate and saying that the ball is 167 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:27,633 in their court. 168 00:08:27,633 --> 00:08:30,333 Sarah Sanders today from the podium at the White House said that the -- that they're 169 00:08:30,333 --> 00:08:34,900 really taking and deferring all their direction from the Senate. 170 00:08:34,900 --> 00:08:39,200 The issue with that, of course, is that the FBI is really something that is really an 171 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:42,400 organization, an agency that answers to the White House. 172 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:45,566 It's the White House who can tell the FBI what to do, not the Senate. 173 00:08:45,566 --> 00:08:50,566 I talked to a lawyer, a Republican lawyer who has gone through vetting judicial nominees 174 00:08:51,433 --> 00:08:53,500 for Republicans in the past. 175 00:08:53,500 --> 00:08:57,500 That lawyer told me that, in normal times, the Senate would request the FBI to make some 176 00:08:57,500 --> 00:09:00,900 sort of an investigation or some sort of supplemental background check. 177 00:09:00,900 --> 00:09:03,433 And the White House will just pass off that information. 178 00:09:03,433 --> 00:09:06,433 In this case there, that really could not be the case. 179 00:09:06,433 --> 00:09:08,533 In this case, we're not really in normal times. 180 00:09:08,533 --> 00:09:13,400 So it's not beyond doubt that the White House could say, you know, I want the FBI to only 181 00:09:14,266 --> 00:09:16,300 look at this and look at that. 182 00:09:16,300 --> 00:09:19,233 But this lawyer said that it would be very unusual for the White House or the Senate 183 00:09:19,233 --> 00:09:22,000 to tell the FBI, do not talk to these two people. 184 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:26,400 That person said, what is really likely happening is that the FBI is making a calculation, saying 185 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:29,933 if we have a week to do this, and there are 40 people who want to talk to us, here are 186 00:09:29,933 --> 00:09:32,100 the people that we really need to prioritize. 187 00:09:32,100 --> 00:09:37,100 All that being said tonight, Dr. Ford's lawyers came out with a letter thing that they will 188 00:09:39,066 --> 00:09:41,133 not -- that they want the FBI basically to talk to their client, and that they won't 189 00:09:41,133 --> 00:09:45,533 give up her therapist notes or her polygraph notes that she took to Senator Grassley, as 190 00:09:47,066 --> 00:09:50,333 he's requested, unless the FBI talks to her. 191 00:09:50,333 --> 00:09:52,433 So, really, her lawyers are pushing for that interview. 192 00:09:52,433 --> 00:09:53,433 JUDY WOODRUFF: Fascinating. 193 00:09:53,433 --> 00:09:55,500 Fascinating. 194 00:09:55,500 --> 00:09:57,766 Lisa, just very quickly here at the end, you have been also talking to Republicans about 195 00:09:57,766 --> 00:10:00,100 their concerns, and as they intersect with this poll. 196 00:10:00,100 --> 00:10:03,166 LISA DESJARDINS: Yamiche reported that the White House may not be worried about the midterms, 197 00:10:03,166 --> 00:10:04,600 but congressional Republicans are. 198 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:06,100 And here's why. 199 00:10:06,100 --> 00:10:07,866 Let's look at something in this poll about white women. 200 00:10:07,866 --> 00:10:10,233 This is a critical vote for Republicans. 201 00:10:10,233 --> 00:10:13,533 Remember, a majority of white women voted for President Trump. 202 00:10:13,533 --> 00:10:17,733 Look at -- when asked, do they oppose or support for the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh, look 203 00:10:17,733 --> 00:10:19,800 at that split. 204 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:24,033 There you see white women, 45 percent oppose this nomination vs. white men, 30 percent. 205 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:28,933 And I spoke to members of Congress in the last day who have said they're seeing that 206 00:10:28,933 --> 00:10:30,500 gender split in their districts. 207 00:10:30,500 --> 00:10:32,400 They're worried about what that means in November. 208 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:35,800 Remember, women turn out more than men at the polls in midterms. 209 00:10:35,800 --> 00:10:36,800 JUDY WOODRUFF: Huh. 210 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:37,800 Wow. 211 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:39,900 LISA DESJARDINS: Yes. 212 00:10:39,900 --> 00:10:41,800 JUDY WOODRUFF: Well, we will be watching that as we get closer to these midterms. 213 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:45,000 Lisa Desjardins, Yamiche Alcindor following this Kavanaugh story, thank you both.