Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade got riled up Wednesday morning discussing the multiple allegations of sexual assault and misconduct levied against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh over the past two weeks.
“We’re focusing not on Brett Kavanaugh’s career, we’re focusing on his high school years,” Kilmeade said. “I was actually at back-to-school night last night for my 10th and 12th grader. Little did I know I was just trying to see if they had blown any shot at success in life in 10th and 12th grade. Because that’s what I’m getting from this whole process: When in doubt, go back to high school and college, even if you’re in your 50s.”
After Brian Kilmeade diminishes Ford/Ramirez's allegations as "when in doubt, go back to high school and college" his co-hosts try to do damage control, but he yells over them about how unfair it is that we “go back to high school to stop you from moving forward.” pic.twitter.com/VUWrKt38wc
— Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) September 26, 2018
Kilmeade’s co-host Steve Doocy attempted to counter Kilmeade’s outburst. “But there are serious allegations that have been leveled against Dr. Kavanaugh by Dr. Christine Ford,” he said. “They’re serious.”
“They are serious but they are unproven,” Kilmeade interrupted, raising his voice. “And for people to go back in life and say ‘let’s go back to high school to stop from you moving forward….’ I heard of your transcript mattering in ninth grade for college, but I didn’t know your ninth and 10th grade actions could really reflect on what happens in the Supreme Court.”
Earlier in the program Kilmeade stated, “If this is true 36 years ago, I mean the accusations are to be taken seriously.”
Kavanaugh was accused last week by California professor Dr. Christine Blasey-Ford of attempting to rape her a high school house party in 1982, when the two were teenagers. A second woman, Deborah Ramirez, also came forward Sunday, claiming Kavanaugh exposed himself to her at a college dorm room party at Yale University, thrusting his penis in her face against her wishes.
Kavanaugh has categorically denied the allegations, even going so far as to submit his personal calendar from 1982 to the Senate Judiciary Committee claiming it proved he had not attended a party like the one Ford described. The word “party” appears on the calendar several times.
Judge Kavanaugh’s 1982 calendar, submitted to Senate Judiciary Committee pic.twitter.com/VxzMQvgxNE
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) September 26, 2018
Despite the allegations, Republicans have granted Kavanaugh their unwavering support. Many have also denigrated his accusers, suggesting they are part of a coordinated smear campaign against the Supreme Court nominee.
Rep. Steve King (R-IA) went so far as to describe Ford’s account as a “false allegation” because she couldn’t remember all the details of what happened 35 years ago.
“I’m thinking, is there any man in this room that wouldn’t be subjected to such an allegation? A false allegation?” King said at an Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition event Saturday. “How can you disprove something like that? Which means, if that’s the new standard, no man will ever qualify for the Supreme Court again.”
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has maintained Kavanaugh should be considered for the man he is today, even if he sexually assaulted someone years earlier.
“… I think it would be hard for senators to not consider who the judge is today,” Hatch told reporters at the Capitol last week. “That’s the issue. Is this judge a really good man? And he is. And by any measure he is.”
Republicans are trying to push Kavanaugh’s nomination through as quickly as possible. On Friday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) confidently told a group of conservatives at the annual Values Voters Summit that Kavanaugh would be on the Supreme Court “in the very near future.”
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) also said Monday it was time to hold a vote, regardless of the two women’s claims.
“The Democrats are engaged in a campaign of delay and character assassination against Judge Kavanaugh,” he tweeted. “It’s time to vote this week.”
Dr. Christine Blasey Ford is scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday, during which time she is expected to lay out her allegations against Kavanaugh.
As ThinkProgress previously reported, Senate Republicans have already scheduled Kavanaugh’s vote for Friday morning.
This post has been updated to reflect context from earlier in the program that Kilmeade said the accusations against Kavanaugh should be taken seriously if true.