WASHINGTON _Sen. Orrin Hatch said Thursday that Christine Blasey Ford is "attractive" and "pleasing," but stopped short of saying definitively whether he found her credible, outside the room where Ford was testifying about her alleged assault by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
The Utah Republican, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is hearing Ford's testimony, told CNN it was "too early to say" if Ford is credible, but added, "I don't think she's uncredible. I think she an attractive, good witness."
When pressed by CNN reporter Shimon Prokopecz on what he meant by "attractive," Hatch responded: "In other words, she's pleasing."
The Judiciary panel will also hear from Kavanaugh later in the day. The committee is scheduled to vote on his nomination Friday.
Hatch spokesman Matt Whitlock offered a clarification on Twitter.
"Hatch uses 'attractive' to describe personalities, not appearances," he wrote. "If you search his past quotes you'll see he's used it consistently for years for men and women he believed has compelling personalities."
Asked by a reporter whether she found Ford's testimony credible, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, replied, "Thus far." The Alaska Republican is seen as a key swing vote on Kavanaugh's confirmation.
