George Stephanopoulos, who attempted to destroy sexual abuse accusers of Bill Clinton, is worried about people not believing the accuser of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. The former Clinton White House operative turned Good Morning America co-host on Tuesday fretted, “... To vote for Kavanaugh, you’re going to have to, at some level, be saying, ‘She’s not telling the truth.’”
The woman in question is Christine Blasey Ford and has accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault. Talking to panelists Dan Abrams and Sunny Hostin, Stephanopoulos lamented, “If this hearing happens on Monday, they are both up there. They both tell their story to the country. What will be the standard of proof?”
When it came to his old boss, Bill Clinton, Stephanopoulos wasn’t so worried about standing up for female accusers. The New York Times in 2016 recounted Democratic operative’s role in dismissing claims about Clinton:
George Stephanopoulos, the communications director of the 1992 campaign, recalled in his book, “All Too Human.”
But Mrs. Clinton demanded action.
“We have to destroy her story,” she said, according to Mr. Stephanopoulos.
In what became a common tactic, affidavits were collected, from an aide and two others who stated that they were with Mr. Clinton at the hotel and that Ms. Hamzy’s story was false. (Contacted recently, Ms. Hamzy said she stood by her account.)
When the work was done, both Clintons called Mr. Stephanopoulos, together, to offer their thanks.
The future GMA host also went after Gennifer Flowers.
A partial transcript is below. Click “expand” to read more.
Good Morning America
9/18/18
7:06:09GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: As we said, Dr. Blasey Ford has not yet agreed to testify formally. Democrats are saying you have to have an FBI examination before a public hearing. Why would that be important?
DAN ABRAMS: The Democrats, they would say they want the FBI to follow leads. They want to talk to witnesses etc. The FBI is not investigating a crime What the FBI is doing is effectively a background check. What the Democrats want is, that investigation to continue And, the issue's going to be, does that investigation move forward? Do they spend a lot more time on that? Or does this simply become a question of watching him testify again and potentially her?
STEPHANOPOULOS: And you think she has no choice?
SUNNY HOSTIN: She has no choice. She has to testify. And I think it’s very important that the background check continue. When I was a federal prosecutor, I was only looking at a three year appointment. This is a lifetime appointment. The FBI went to my former neighborhood and interviewed my neighbors. I hadn’t lived there since I was 16-years- old, George. And so, this is a very, very serious background investigation that needs to continue.
STEPHANOPOULOS: In other words, one of the points that Republican defenders of Kavanaugh has made the point that he’s been through these background checks several times for federal judgeships, for working in the White House and this never came up.
HOSTIN: Yes, but this is also different. This is also different. This is a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court. Character matters. And this woman’s bravery, I think, coming forward, is extreme important. To those people I keep hearing saying things like this happened in high school. He was only 17-years-old. Well, guess what. In Maryland and states all across the country, for sexual assault, we do criminalize 16-year-olds. You can to prison for that.STEPHANOPOULOS: And that gets to the question: If this hearing happens on Monday, they are both up there. They both tell their story to the country. What will be the standard of proof?
...
STEPHANOPOULOS: If they both testify, to vote for Kavanaugh you’re going to have be, at some level, saying, “She’s not telling the truth.”
HOSTIN: You must disbelieve her.
