Fox News Programs Launch Smear Campaign Against Dr. Christine Blasey Ford
Following Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s moving testimony against Supreme Court Judge nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, Fox News looks to discredit her in a series of on-air smear campaigns.
Ford took an oath and gave hours-long testimony, detailing her accusations of sexual assault against Kavanaugh, only to be victim-blamed and bashed by various anchors on Fox News, according to videos compiled by Think Progress.
Right-wing commentator, Michelle Malkin, appeared on Thursday’s The Laura Ingraham Show and said Ford’s testimony “seared a hole in her brain.”
.@IngrahamAngle @michellemalkin Apparently Ford's 'traumatic incident' has "seared a hole in her brain" and Kavanaugh has been convicted and hung by these "hang them high justice feminists" pic.twitter.com/FYqehJ37vw
— Jason Campbell (@Dasein90) September 28, 2018
During another segment of Ingraham’s show, lawyer Joe diGenova — who called Ford a “loon” early in the week — took aim at Ford once again, this time calling her “a deeply troubled person. She has a history of psychological discord.”
Laura Ingraham guest Joe diGenova calls Dr Christine Blasey Ford "a deeply troubled person. She has a history of psychological discord … She went to the West Coast for one reason: She had so many problems in that school that they sent her away. She is a very sad woman" pic.twitter.com/ctjLNO2dOZ
— Andrew Lawrence (@ndrew_lawrence) September 28, 2018
He wasn’t quite done, though. DiGenova also appeared on Fox Business and called Ford “a very troubled woman.”
Joe diGenova: Christine Blasey Ford "is a very troubled woman. Her testimony had the sound of a teenager — let's remember, she is in her 50s. She has been an emotional wreck for a number of years, and the testimony today showed that she is a very sad person. " pic.twitter.com/xqcSy9lf8B
— Brendan Karet ? (@bad_takes) September 28, 2018
Senator Lindsey Graham — who openly accused Democrats of attempting to “destroy” Kavanaugh’s life during Thursday’s hearing — appeared on Sean Hannity’s show and said Ford “has a problem, and destroying Judge Kavanaugh’s life won’t fix her problem.”
Lindsey Graham on Hannity: "I am now more convinced than ever that he didn’t do it, that he’s the right guy to be on the court, that Ms. Ford has got a problem and destroying Judge Kavanaugh’s life won’t fix her problem."
— Andrew Prokop (@awprokop) September 28, 2018
Newt Gingrich also joined the panel at Fox News and tried to discredit Ford’s testimony by saying, as a psychologist, Ford should understand that her own recollection of the events 36 years priors may not be true.
Newt Gingrich: Christine Blasey Ford "is a psychologist. She ought to understand people often believe things 36 years later that just aren't true." pic.twitter.com/nGDyONdJQB
— Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) September 28, 2018
And then, commentator Malkin smeared Ford once again, this time by citing an unfounded statistic about the number of rape allegations that are proven to be lies.
Fox News finds another new low:
"The actual rate of lying about rape or sexual assault is anywhere between 8 percent and 41 percent, and in some precincts in New York City it's actually 90 percent." (h/t @giphychiller and @tylermonroe7) pic.twitter.com/hEJdYIjnPS
— Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) September 28, 2018
Fox News hosts and commentators haven’t just relied on the network to get their point across about Ford. Ingraham has also taken to her Twitter in an attempt to discredit Ford’s compelling testimony.
She did not want to talk to press but contacted the WashPost three times in 4 days?
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) September 27, 2018