kavanaugh-ford hearing

Kellyanne Conway says Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony was 'compelling' and 'sympathetic' — but wrong

The White House is coming out in full force to defend Brett Kavanaugh the morning after Thursday's historic Senate hearing.

In an interview with CBS This Morning on Friday, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said Christine Blasey Ford was "very compelling and very sympathetic" when she spoke on Capitol Hill, telling the anchors she has "goosebumps right now" recalling the testimony. But Conway still doesn't think Ford is right when she says she is "100 percent" certain it was Kavanaugh who groped her and attempted to rape her at a high school party.

Conway said it seems Ford "absolutely" was sexually assaulted, but not by Kavanaugh. "[Kavanaugh], and the rest of us, mean her no ill will," she said. "But he wasn't there." On Thursday, Ford repeatedly testified that there is no way she confused Kavanaugh with someone else, citing "basic memory functions." Kavanaugh has denied the allegations and has also argued that Ford is confused.

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders made the same argument on Today using similar language. Like Conway, she called the testimony "very compelling" but said it "lacked any evidence." Watch a portion of Conway's interview on CBS This Morning below. Brendan Morrow