Takeaways from inside the Ford-Kavanaugh hearings

When Christine Blasey Ford finished her testimony, everything seemed to be going badly for Brett Kavanaugh. At first, when he strode across the hearing room and started yelling about a Democratic conspiracy against him, it seemed to be going even worse. But by the end, the normal partisan equilibrium was restored and it seemed he was likely to be confirmed.

Key takeaway from inside the hearing room: Republicans found a way to rally to Kavanaugh’s defense without ever really saying what about Ford’s testimony they found unpersuasive.