A riveting, high-stakes exchange of she-said, he-said played out in full view of the world Thursday as Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford traded vastly different versions of their high school days in the summer of 1982, with control of the highest court in the land hanging in the balance.

Under a searing public spotlight, a 鈥渢errified鈥� Blasey Ford put a face and a voice to her name as she told her harrowing story of an alleged high-school sexual assault she said she is 鈥�100 per cent鈥� certain was committed by Kavanaugh, Donald Trump鈥檚 nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Later in the day, Kavanaugh himself 鈥� defiant, at times visibly enraged, other times struggling to hold back tears 鈥� refuted Blasey Ford鈥檚 claims before the Senate Judiciary Committee, excoriating its Democratic members as being complicit in what he called a 鈥渘ational disgrace.鈥�

鈥淢y family has been destroyed by this,鈥� said Kavanaugh, insisting he was not at the gathering at a suburban Maryland home in the summer of 1982 where Blasey Ford has alleged she was forced into a bedroom and sexually assaulted by a man she has 鈥渘o doubt鈥� was the nominee.

Earlier, without him in the room, 51-year-old Blasey Ford described fearing for her life when Kavanaugh allegedly covered her mouth to stifle her cries for help.

鈥淗e began running his hands over my body and grinding into me,鈥� she recounted, describing in detail how her drunken assailant struggled to undress her.

鈥淚 believed he was going to rape me,鈥� she said.

鈥淚 tried to yell for help; when I did, Brett put his hand over my mouth to stop me from yelling. This is what terrified me the most, and has had the most lasting impact on my life: it was hard for me to breathe, and I thought Brett was accidentally going to kill me.鈥�

And she denied being part of any political conspiracy: 鈥淚 am an independent person and I am no one鈥檚 pawn.鈥�

READ MORE: Trump says his past accusers influence thinking on Kavanaugh

Blasey Ford spent the morning detailing her story and ably fielding questions 鈥� alternatively from Democrats and from Rachel Mitchell, the Arizona sex-crimes prosecutor tapped by Republicans to query witnesses on their behalf.

Where Blasey Ford was muted and self-effacing, Kavanaugh was by turns defiant and defensive.

鈥淭his is a circus,鈥� he declared, gesticulating at the Democratic side of the dais as he all but accused them of masterminding a 鈥漜alculated and orchestrated political hit鈥� 鈥� an echo of the sentiments expressed all week by the man who nominated him.

鈥淭his confirmation process has become a national disgrace,鈥� and the allegations have 鈥渢otally and permanently destroyed鈥� his family and good name, he added.

鈥淵ou may defeat me in the final vote, but you鈥檒l never get me to quit. Never.鈥�

During the morning session, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) asked Blasey Ford how certain she was that Kavanaugh was her attacker. Without hesitation, she replied: 鈥�100 per cent.鈥�

Then, when asked about the incident鈥檚 most indelible moment: the laughter, she said, her voice clear but close to breaking.

鈥淭he uproarious laughter between the two, and their having fun at my expense.鈥�

Even GOP-friendly Fox News Channel host Chris Wallace had to acknowledge Blasey Ford鈥檚 testimony had been 鈥渁 disaster鈥� for Republicans.

And despite Kavanaugh鈥檚 fiery opening statement, things didn鈥檛 get much better when Democrats began pressing him on two issues central to the political battle: whether he would support suspending the hearing to allow an FBI investigation, and whether friend Mark Judge, purportedly a witness to the alleged assault, should have been called to testify.

Kavanaugh refused to answer the latter question directly, and grew frustrated with Leahy鈥檚 questions about his high school yearbook and its apparent references to excessive drinking and 鈥渟exual exploits.鈥� Leahy eventually gave up, saying, 鈥淲e had a filibuster, but not a single answer.鈥�

Durbin appeared to corner Kavanaugh on whether he鈥檇 support an FBI investigation, leading to an awkward exchange of silence between the two 鈥� 鈥淚鈥檓 telling the truth,鈥� the judge shouted repeatedly; 鈥淚鈥檓 innocent鈥� 鈥� before South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham came to his rescue.

Democrats are simply trying to keep the Supreme Court seat open in hopes of winning the White House in two years鈥� time, and don鈥檛 care if they 鈥渄estroy鈥� Kavanaugh鈥檚 life in the process, Graham said.

鈥淭his is the most unethical thing I鈥檝e seen since I鈥檝e been in politics, and if you really wanted to know the truth, you wouldn鈥檛 have done what you did to this guy.鈥�

Then, to Kavanaugh: 鈥淚f you鈥檙e looking for a fair process, you came to the wrong town at the wrong time.鈥�

Supreme Court nominations are often hotly contested given the consequences: Kavanaugh鈥檚 presence there would ensure conservative control of the high court for a generation, and give Trump and Republicans a badly needed win going into the November midterms.

Those elections could also end the narrow Republican majority in the Senate, which would make getting a conservative justice confirmed even more difficult.

The president took to Twitter moments after the hearings ended, backing Kavanaugh and demanding a confirmation vote in the Senate.

鈥淛udge Kavanaugh showed America exactly why I nominated him. His testimony was powerful, honest, and riveting. Democrats鈥� search and destroy strategy is disgraceful and this process has been a total sham and effort to delay, obstruct, and resist. The Senate must vote!鈥�

Then there is the question of two other accusers.

Deborah Ramirez alleges the nominee waved his penis in her face at a drunken dorm party during his first year at Yale. And Michael Avenatti, a lawyer for Julie Swetnick, has accused Kavanaugh and Judge of spiking drinks at parties where there were 鈥済ang rapes鈥� of intoxicated women.

James McCarten, The Canadian Press

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