Conservatives seize on Christine Blasey Ford's fear of flying to try to prove that she isn't credible
In some critics' eyes, Christine Blasey Ford was a liar from the moment she set foot in a California airport.
Ford testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday to allege that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were teenagers in the 1980s. Republican members of the committee hired Arizona prosecutor Rachel Mitchell to question Ford.
Mitchell called into question how Ford had managed to fly from California to Washington, D.C., when she has previously said she is afraid of flying. Ford mentioned the fear when negotiating the terms of the hearing, saying she'd prefer not to fly if possible. Conservative outlets latched on: Breitbart called it Ford's "fly lie," and the National Review crowed that Ford had "admitted" to flying for business or vacation despite her phobia. Even Donald Trump Jr. grabbed the opportunity to criticize Ford, calling it a "selective fear."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Many other conservatives, including President Trump, have said Ford seemed exceptionally credible, leaving Kavanaugh defenders grasping to dismantle her testimony. Ford told Mitchell that she "unfortunately" had to take flights for her job, and that she'd gone by plane on vacation to visit her family on the East Coast. She said she didn't like it, but that she had gotten up the "gumption" for the purpose of the hearing.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.
-
Today's political cartoons - November 23, 2024
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - qualifications, tax cuts, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Long summer days in Iceland's highlands
The Week Recommends While many parts of this volcanic island are barren, there is a 'desolate beauty' to be found in every corner
By The Week UK Published
-
The Democrats: time for wholesale reform?
Talking Point In the 'wreckage' of the election, the party must decide how to rebuild
By The Week UK Published
-
Judge blocks Louisiana 10 Commandments law
Speed Read U.S. District Judge John deGravelles ruled that a law ordering schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms was unconstitutional
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
ATF finalizes rule to close 'gun show loophole'
Speed Read Biden moves to expand background checks for gun buyers
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Hong Kong passes tough new security law
Speed Read It will allow the government to further suppress all forms of dissent
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
France enshrines abortion rights in constitution
speed read It became the first country to make abortion a constitutional right
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Texas executes man despite contested evidence
Speed Read Texas rejected calls for a rehearing of Ivan Cantu's case amid recanted testimony and allegations of suppressed exculpatory evidence
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Supreme Court wary of state social media regulations
Speed Read A majority of justices appeared skeptical that Texas and Florida were lawfully protecting the free speech rights of users
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Greece legalizes same-sex marriage
Speed Read Greece becomes the first Orthodox Christian country to enshrine marriage equality in law
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump and his lawyer Alina Habba have a rough day in defamation court
Speed Read Trump's audible grousing as E. Jean Carroll testified earned him a warning he could be thrown out of court, and Habba showed she 'doesn't know what the hell she's doing'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published