People around the United States were glued to their screens during the testimony delivered by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and his accuser, Dr Christine Blasey.
US President Donald Trump, who said he may withdraw his support for the nominee based on the proceedings, praised Judge Kavanaugh’s opening statement, describing it as a strong performance.
A White House official said the president “was very impressed”.
Brett Kavanaugh opened his testimony with a new statement he had written overnight. In it, he came out fighting, moved to tears of anger as he spoke about the damage the accusation had caused to his reputation and the impact it had had on his family.
“My family and my name have been totally and permanently destroyed by vicious and false additional accusations,” he shouted, before saying he believed the accusations were a revenge tactic.
“You sowed the wind, now I fear that the whole country will reap the whirlwind,” he said, quoting from the Bible."
White House and Justice Department officials were watching the hearing from inside the Senate’s Dirksen Building.
Around the country, people remained glued to their screens. Old and young, in classrooms and on public transport, the views were mixed.
Some of the students watching are the same age as Ford and Kavanaugh were when the alleged sexual assault happened.
Four hours after the hearing began, California psychology professor Christine Blasey finished her testimony, outlining in painstaking detail her recollection of the night in the summer of 1982, when she alleges a drunken Kavanaugh pushed her down on a bed, groped her and attempted to remove her clothes.
Others noted the contrast in demeanour between the two during their testimonies.
“You can pick pictures to tell a story, but the contrast here is immense,” Russell Benson wrote on Twitter.
Actress Alyssa Milano said she admired Christine Blasey Ford’s “strength and courage in coming forward”.
“I know how hard it is, and I know what she has had to go through to be here and present and answer those questions,” she told reporters.
“And I think a lot of women throughout the country and the world understand that idea of not wanting to talk about it, wanting to make it go away.”
Inside the court room, Alyssa Milano said the engagement of senators during the testimonies spoke volumes.
She said the lack of composure in Kavanaugh’s opening statement would be criticised if displayed by a woman.
Founder of the #MeToo movement, Tarana Burke, said she was emotionally affected by Ms Ford’s testimony.
“Listening to this women’s voice shake as she pushes through this moment...my heart,” she tweeted.
However, women supporting Mr Kavanaugh dismissed Ms Ford’s testimony as not credible, saying she was exploiting her knowledge as a psychology professor.
“As a woman, a mother and a former victim of assault myself, how any of you feminazis out there are buying this crock is completely beyond me,” Rebekah Worsham posted on Twitter.
Mr Kavanaugh’s supporters applauded his testimony, with Jeff Giesea describing it as “the perfect blend of pathos, logos, and ethos".
Others said they felt indignant at the damage being done to Mr Kavanaugh’s reputation.
Ms Ford’s supporters said they had no doubts as the truthfulness of her testimony, praising her precision and use of scientific logic.
Others commented on the presence of the largely male make-up of the panel listening to Dr Ford’s testimony, with some calling it “institutional patriarchy”.
