Has anything really changed on the Hill?

Poor Republicans. They’ve tried so hard to be subtle, to seem respectful of Christine Blasey Ford, even as they’ve manoeuvred to undermine her. They would hear her accusations that the Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh assaulted her in high school, they wanted us to know, if only she’d testify on their terms. They wanted Americans to think they had evolved in the 27 years since Anita Hill accused another Supreme Court nominee, Clarence Thomas, of sexual misconduct. Leave it to Donald Trump to strip away the mask and reveal the troglodyte beneath. He tweeted: ‘‘I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local law enforcement authorities by either her or her loving parents. I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!’’ Blasey has already said that she did not tell anyone about the assault at the time, much less file charges — most victims don’t.

This is the response we have come to expect from this president. Then there’s the popular mistaken-identity theory that says Blasey isn’t lying about the attack, but is simply confused about who did the attacking. The needle that Republicans have been trying to thread is exceedingly fine — and they have been doing a rotten job of it. Which is why Trump’s tweet was something of a relief in its shredding of pretence.