Ford hearing draws rapt audiences on planes, in waiting rooms, and on the New York Stock Exchange

Few events cause Americans to stop what they're doing and watch them unfold live. But Christine Blasey Ford's Senate hearing appears to be one of them.

During Thursday's historic hearing, Ford offered emotional testimony about her allegation that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh groped and attempted to rape her in high school. Carried live by every major news station, the event held captive audiences in waiting rooms, office buildings, airplanes, and even the New York Stock Exchange. In a video posted by Cheddar's Brad Smith, Ford's testimony could be heard across an unusually quiet NYSE floor as traders watched intently.

Vanity Fair writer Maya Kosoff tweeted that she was watching from the waiting room at a doctor's office. "Everyone sitting here is watching rapt, nobody is saying a word, and one woman is crying," Kosoff wrote.

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The Washington Post described Ford's words as echoing across the country everywhere from a senior center in Florida to a coffee shop in Milwaukee. As the Post points out, the hearing has especially resonated with victims of sexual assault — one of whom, a 76-year-old woman, was inspired to share her story with C-SPAN during one of the hearing's breaks. "This brings back so much pain," she said.

Kavanaugh, who has denied the allegations against him, will speak later this afternoon.