The New York Times apologized on Thursday after posting an “insensitive” online poll asking Twitter users whether they believed Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee was “credible.”
“We’re sorry for this tweet. In retrospect, a Twitter poll is insensitive in light of the gravity of this hearing. We’ve deleted it,” read a terse statement posted to the Twitter account of the New York Times opinion section.
We're sorry for this tweet. In retrospect, a Twitter poll is insensitive in light of the gravity of this hearing. We've deleted it. pic.twitter.com/4CqRhkuCat
— New York Times Opinion (@nytopinion) September 27, 2018
The original poll, which came in for criticism from left-leaning Twitter users to vote “yes” “no” or “unsure” on whether they believed Ford, who was testifying that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh attempted to sexually assault her when they were teenagers in the 1980s (an accusation he has denied).
“Christine Blasey Ford is testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee today. Do you find her testimony credible,” read the original poll.
On Thursday, Professor Ford laid out in detail her account that the now federal judge tried to rape her while drunk at a high school party in the early 1980s.
“Brett groped me and tried to take off my clothes. He had a hard time because he was so drunk, and because I was wearing a one-piece bathing suit under my clothes. I believed he was going to rape me,” she said.
“I tried to yell for help. When I did, Brett put his hand over my mouth to stop me from screaming. This was what terrified me the most, and has had the most lasting impact on my life. It was hard for me to breathe, and I thought that Brett was accidentally going to kill me.”
Kavanaugh has categorically denied the allegation as well as two others from women who have also alleged sexual misconduct from the judge while he was drunk at parties in the early 1980s.
He is expected to testify himself before the Judiciary Committee later on Thursday.