Why we should be suspicious of those who believe Christine Blasey Ford's testimony – but still support Brett Kavanaugh

Republicans are astute enough to realise that they must at least appear to support the #MeToo movement – even while knowingly campaigning against its aims

The testimonies of Dr Christine Blasey Ford and Brett Kavanaugh before the US senate judiciary committee have caused a political earthquake in Washington, with aftershocks still being felt across the world.

Shortly after Ford’s testimony, in which she alleged that President Trump’s supreme court nominee sexually assaulted her at a high school party in 1982, Kavanaugh used his appearance to fervently deny her allegations.

The hearing has been inescapable, with soundbites, video clips and images being widely shared across social media and news platforms. Even for a country as politically polarised as America – where mass shootings are part of the regular news cycle and a reality TV star is president – the pair’s testimonies were dramatic and divisive.

Following the hearing, Americans are at odds over who they believe. A YouGov pollshows that 41 per cent of respondents believed Ford’s testimony, with 35 per cent believing Kavanaugh. The number of people who thought Ford or Kavanaugh were lying was similar, with 38 per cent saying they thought Kavanaugh probably or definitely lied during his testimony, compared to 30 per cent saying the same about Ford.

Unsurprisingly, the results were split along party lines, with 73 per cent of Democrats believing Ford's testimony and 74 per cent of Republicans believing Kavanaugh. The results of this poll are not significantly different to a YouGov poll conducted before the hearing on 22 September.

But since Ford’s testimony, public statements from Trump’s prominent supporters have deviated from the fierce and often reality-bending loyalty we’ve come to expect.

Sarah Sanders, for instance, described Ford’s testimony as “compelling” while still defending Kavanaugh. Kellyanne Conway, of “alternative facts” fame, used the same word. But similarly, after describing Ford’s testimony as “very sympathetic”, she also supported Kavanaugh. They join a roster of Republican senators who described Ford’s testimony as “credible” but still plan to support Kavanaugh’s nomination.

In the post #MeToo era, Ford’s testimony has put republican politicians and right-wing commentators in an awkward position. Whatever their private views, they know that publicly dismissing alleged survivors of abuse is politically toxic. Republicans are astute enough to realise that they must at least appear to support the #MeToo movement – even while knowingly campaigning against its aims.

MailOnline columnist Piers Morgan – who often lambasts feminists and was recently criticised for mocking #MeToo while hosting Good Morning Britain – can usually be trusted to follow the Trumpian line. But instead he stated that both Ford and Kavanaugh were “inherently believable” and “equally convincing”. After originally believing Ford, Kavanaugh’s “raging fury” apparently swayed Piers in the other direction. Conservative activist and journalist Tim Montgomerie, who had previously claimed that most people dislike Kavanaugh because “he’s a white man”, called Morgan’s column “brilliant”.

But here’s the problem: it is impossible that Ford and Kavanaugh are both telling the truth.

Ford claimed to be to be “100 per cent” certain that Kavanaugh assaulted her – eliminating any chance of mistaken identity. He denies so much as being at the party where the assault allegedly happened. These stories are not compatible – at least one of them is inaccurate.

It might be comforting for people like Morgan, Montgomerie and even Conway – who are accustomed to taking absolute, unflinching stances on complex issues – to occupy the middle ground for once. Though with allegations this serious and testimonies this ardent, there is no room for fence sitting because Ford and Kavanaugh’s stories cannot both be believed. No ifs, no buts.

Republicans know this, which is why we should be sceptical of those who claim to believe Ford, or find her “credible”, while still supporting Kavanaugh’s nomination – particularly given that their party is led by Trump, who has been accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women.

While Kavanaugh’s college classmates have already accused him of lying under oath about not being a heavy drinker, the reality is we may never know what did or did not happen between Ford and Kavanaugh 36 years ago.

Yet the incompatibility of both stories reveals a dark truth about those claiming to “believe both” people. Either they do not actually believe Ford’s accusations, or worse: they would still support Kavanaugh’s nomination even if they were true.