“Ford has come forward, with full knowledge that she is likely to experience threats, smears, the usual gamut done to women who speak out against men in power."

Huffington Post

“The idea that we should just ignore Ford's allegations because we are unlikely to know beyond a shadow of a doubt who is lying and who is not is beyond ridiculous."

CNN

“In a criminal case, the burden of proof would be necessarily high, in order to make sure that an innocent man is not punished. In a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, the burden of proof is not about punishment but about evaluating qualifications and also [appraising] potential harm if a bad person is made a judge...

"If there is credible reason to believe [Ford’s account of events], even if those reasons don’t meet the threshold of legal certainty, then the accusation is highly relevant.”

New Republic

“Experts say that some of the most commonly raised causes for doubt, like a long delay in reporting or a foggy recall of events, are the very hallmarks of sexual assault."

New York Times

“Studies have found that false accusations are quite rare, but when they do happen, they tend to share several important characteristics. To anyone familiar with false rape accusations, the striking thing about this story is that it’s so undramatic. False stories typically have a lurid quality, often involving bizarre forms of cruelty that don’t always strictly make sense... [Moreover] Ford doesn’t fit the profile of somebody who makes a false accusation."

Vox

Many point out that even if one were inclined to excuse the alleged behavior, it would first be necessary for Kavanaugh to take responsibility.

Instead, “he’s denied that the incident ever happened and has stood by while those who support his nomination mock and smear Blasey Ford. If one were to argue that we should consider that a person can harm another, acknowledge the harm, do the best they can to work on themselves and try to mitigate that harm, Kavanaugh has done none of these things.”

ThinkProgress

Some are asking, “should Brett Kavanaugh withdraw?... One can believe that Kavanaugh might be perfectly innocent and still think that, unfair as it is to him, the political interest of the country would be better served with a nominee who didn’t have to be confirmed under a cloud of suspicion."

New York Times

“The choice — the dilemma — will be whether to block the rise of a widely respected judge based on something he might (or might not) have done as a juvenile, or to promote to the highest court a man accused of trying to rape an underage girl. Either choice presents the acute possibility that a grave injustice will be done... [But] Kavanaugh can put the country ahead of his personal ambitions. While maintaining his innocence, he can withdraw for the sake of the court’s credibility.”

Washington Post