Reuters President Donald Trump stands next to his Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh in the East Room of the White House in Washington on July 9.
The attorney for Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault in the 1980s, told NBC’s “Today” that her client is willing to testify publicly before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
“Does she think Judge Kavanaugh should withdraw his nomination?” @savannahguthrie asks Debra Katz, attorney for Kavanaugh accuser pic.twitter.com/PEcFkVpprF
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) September 17, 2018
Attorney Debra Katz said Ford believes Kavanaugh’s actions were “attempted rape.” Ford detailed her allegations in a Washington Post report published Sunday, saying Kavanaugh attacked her during a high school party. “I thought he might inadvertently kill me,” Ford said.
‘Conspiracy,’ says Trump: Trump has told those close to him in recent days that he believes there is a “conspiracy” or organized effort by Democrats to smear Kavanaugh and try to derail the nomination of a “good man,” the Daily Beast reports.
One Trump confidant said on Sunday that they “can’t imagine that” Ford’s coming forward with allegations of sexual assault will change the president’s position, and that it will far more likely cause Trump to dig in and attack those going after Kavanaugh.
White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, meanwhile, said Ford “should not be insulted and she should not be ignored,” in comments to Fox News.
China’s middle class angry over trade war: The Washington Post writes that Trump’s brash approach to try to win trade concessions from China has provoked a public fury that could ultimately thwart his efforts. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s grip on power depends on healthy support from the nation’s exploding middle class, and now that middle class, angered with Trump’s escalating threats, expects China’s leader to respond with strength, says the Post. This could make finding a compromise to end the escalation even more difficult.
The Wall Street Journal reports the economic conflict with China is set to escalate this week, as the Trump administration plans to unveil fresh tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese products entering the U.S.
Record low cite economic issues as top problem: In new Gallup polling, a record-low 12% of Americans cite some aspect of the economy as the most important problem facing the U.S., down from 17% last month and one percentage point below the previous low of 13% recorded in May 1999.
Gallup says as the economy has been receding in Americans’ minds as the top problem facing the country, issues relating to the way the country is being governed have become more prevalent. This month, 29% of Americans cite concerns about government, approaching the all-time high of 33% in October 2013 — when the U.S. government shut down after Congress failed to agree on a spending bill.
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