THEY WILL BE IN THAT HEARING ROOM TODAY TO SUPPORT HER.
HODA AND SAVANNAH.
>> PETER, THANK YOU.
NICOLE WALLACE IS WITH US ALONG
WITH KASIE HUNT.
KASIE, YOU’RE HEARING A LOT FROM
DIFFERENT SENATORS.
DIFFERENT SENATORS. IS THERE A REAL DEEP WELL OF
SUPPORT FOR BRETT KAVANAUGH AT
THIS POINT OR DO YOU THINK
REPUBLICANS ARE NERVOUS?
>> IN PUBLIC IT’S FULL SPEED
AHEAD ON KAVANAUGH.
BUT THAT’S A STRATEGY FROM THE
REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP TO TRY TO
HOLD THINGS TOGETHER, BECAUSE MY
SOURCES ARE TELLING ME THAT
BEHIND THE SCENES THERE’S A
PRETTY WIDE GROUP OF REPUBLICAN
SENATORS FOR WHOM THIS HEARING
IS GOING TO MATTER IMMENSELY AND
WHO COULD CHANGE THEIR MINDS IF
IT DOESN’T GO THE WAY SOME WOULD
LIKE IT TO FOR BRETT KAVANAUGH.
WE’VE BEEN FOCUSSED CLEARLY ON
THREE SENATORS, SUSAN COLLINS,
LISA MURKOWSKI, JEFF FLAKE.
THEY’RE THE MOST CRITICAL GROUP.
THE FACT THAT THEY ARE CONCERNED
THERE COULD BE MORE, I THINK IS
TELLING, AND I DO THINK THE ONE
PLACE WHERE BRETT KAVANAUGH
COULD REALLY GO WRONG IS IF HE
IS ESSENTIALLY CAUGHT IN A LIE.
IF THERE’S A PERCEPTION THAT
HE’S NOT TELLING THE TRUTH, I
THINK THIS COULD SWING AGAINST
HIM QUICKLY.
HIM QUICKLY. >> NICOLE, WHAT IF THIS THING
REALLY DOES BOIL DOWN TO A HE
SAID/SHE SAID.
SAID/SHE SAID. WHAT IF AT THE END OF THE DAY
YOU BELIEVE HIM OR HER, WHAT
HAPPENS THEN.
HAPPENS THEN. >> WELL, SPOILER ALERT, THAT’S
WHERE WE’RE HEADING.
I TALKED TO A SOURCE CLOSE TO
KAVANAUGH WHO SAYS SHE CONTROLS
HIS OWN DESTINY.
THIS IS IN HIS HANDS.
IF HE’S VIEWED AS CREDIBLE,
THAT’S HIS ONLY PATH TO
SURVIVING.
SURVIVING. IF YOU LOOK AT FORD’S ACCOUNT IN
THE WASHINGTON POST, IT’S
CERTAINLY A CREDIBLE ACCOUNT OF
TRAUMA AND PAIN.
I THINK THAT WILL BE THE TASK
KASIE LAID OUT FOR THE SENATE
REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE
PRESIDENT?
PRESIDENT? HE SPOKE AT LENGTH YESTERDAY.
ON THE ONE HAND SAYING HE
BELIEVES THE ALLEGATIONS TO BE
FALSE, BUT THEN HE SAID HE COULD
BE CONVINCED.
BE CONVINCED. HE HAS AN OPEN MIND AND IS GOING
TO WATCH.
TO WATCH. >> LISTEN, I THINK HAVING THE
PRESIDENT WHO IS ACCUSED OF
SEXUAL MISCONDUCT HIMSELF HAVING
HIM DEFEND YOU IS DOUBLE EDGED.
YOU NEED HIS SUPPORT BECAUSE
YOU’RE HIS PICK, BUT HE’S NOT A
CREDIBLE FACT WITNESS IN THIS
BODY OF -- I’VE HEARD THERE’S A
LARGER GROUP OF UNDECIDED
SENATORS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE
AISLE.
AISLE. I’M NOT SURE HOW REASSURING THAT
IS.
IS. THIS IS A MISSION, THIS HAS
ALWAYS BEEN A MISSION IF YOU
LOOK AT THE DECISION TO DO THE
FOX NEWS INTERVIEW.
THE DECISIONS HAVE BEEN TO BRING
ALONG A VERY SMALL GROUP OF
SWING REPUBLICAN VOTES.
YOU CAN BE CONFIRMED WITH JUST
REPUBLICAN SUPPORT, AND THE FACT
THAT HE DOESN’T HAVE IT THIS
MORNING MAKES HIS MISSION AND
TASK ALL THE MORE DAUNTING.
>> THIS IS A DELICATE SITUATION.
IS THERE A POINT IN HERE WHERE
SOME REPUBLICANS SAY THIS IS A
LITTLE TOO MUDDY?
WHY DON’T WE PUT BRETT KAVANAUGH
OVER HERE AND GO WITH THE NEXT
PERSON IN LINE?
>> I THINK THAT’S AN ENTIRELY
REALISTIC POSSIBILITY, STANDING
HERE AT THIS HOUR OF THE DAY.
WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO REASSESS
ONCE THIS HEARING HAS CONCLUDED,
BUT IF YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT IT’S
LIKE TO BE SUSAN COLLINS OR LISA
MURKOWSKI, THEY’RE THE TWO
REPUBLICAN WOMEN IN THE SENATE
WHO HAVE BEEN SUCH A FOCUS OF
THIS.
THIS. THIS IS GOING TO BE A
HISTORY-MAKING MOMENT FOR THEM.
THIS COULD POTENTIALLY BE WHAT
THEY ARE REMEMBERED FOR
DEPENDING ON HOW THIS HEARING
GOES TODAY, AND IT’S A LOT TO
ASK THOSE WOMEN, ESPECIALLY IN
THE CONTEXT OF THIS ME TOO
MOVEMENT THAT WE HAVE BEEN
LIVING THROUGH.
LIVING THROUGH. THERE’S GOING TO BE A LOT OF
VERY EMOTIONAL PRESSURE ON THEM,
AND MY SOURCES HAVE ALSO TOLD ME
THAT THERE’S A LITTLE BIT OF A
STANDOFF AND A PUSH/PULL BECAUSE
MITCH McCONNELL HAS MADE HIS
LIFE’S WORK OF SHAPING THE COURT
AND HE’S ASKING THEM TO
POTENTIALLY DO A VERY DIFFICULT
THING.
THING. THEY MAY SEE HIM TAKE THE
PRESSURE OFF OF THEM.
ALL THOSE DYNAMICS WILL BE AT
PLAY OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS.
>> THANK YOU BOTH.