Megyn Kelly, host of NBC's "Megyn Kelly Today" and a former defense attorney, on Thursday argued there are several key weaknesses of the sexual assault allegation against Supreme court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
Kelly spoke directly after Ford’s testimony, in which she described an alleged attempted sexual assault by Kavanaugh, and addressed its impact on her credibility. "Meet the Press" host Chuck Todd said Arizona prosecutor Rachel Mitchell failed to "undermine her credibility," but Kelly said that wouldn’t have been the right line of argument for Republicans in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
"I don't think they were trying to undermine, completely put a lie to the story, because that's not possible. It's her memory," Kelly told Todd.
Kavanaugh has denied the allegation. Ford says she does not remember where or when the gathering occurred during which she was assaulted, and none of the others she says were present have backed up her story.
Kelly still credited Ford for being "sincere" and bringing a "compelling" testimony.
"She's a compelling witness. She absolutely seemed sincere," Kelly added. "I don't think they're dumb enough to think the people at home are going to reject that testimony as completely false. What they were trying to do is plant little markers."
Kelly said those markers came at various points during Mitchell’s questioning.
"[Ford] doesn't remember this, she doesn't remember that, she doesn't know what day it was, she doesn't know what year it was, she doesn't know what house it was, she doesn't know how old she was. She doesn't remember, even modern day, what day she a gave a polygraph, whether it was this day or that day, who paid for the polygraph," Kelly said.
She said all those things planted "little seeds of doubt here and there."
Kelly also brought up the lack of corroboration Ford has for her story. Ford's female friend, Leland Keyser, who she said was at the gathering where the assault allegedly occurred, said she doesn't know Kavanaugh.
"The other message is corroboration. Where's the corroboration? Because they know there isn't any, and there's not going to be any," Kelly said. "The one friend she keeps mentioning who was there, the female friend does not back her up at all, says 'I was never at a party with Brett Kavanaugh, either with or without Ms. Ford.'"