A lot of people ask variations on the question, "Why would she come forward if she were not telling the truth?" They cite the problems it causes for her life. The attention. The anonymous threats. The attacks in the press. Why would anyone put themselves through that if she wasn't telling the truth? This, they say, is a reason she ought to be believed. She has no incentive to lie.
It's the wrong question to ask.
The correct question is more like this: There are 300 million people in the United States. Is there one among those 300 million who would be willing to make up a story to defame him, and whose life experience could make that defamation plausible?
When looked at it that way, it becomes clear that we can't draw any inference from the irrationality of making the accusation. When looked at as whether there is one person in the United States who would do such a thing, it's clear that this is not wildly improbable that someone might lie about it. Yes, it would be irrational to invent a false story, but, among all the people in the country who have interacted with Brett Kavanaugh in his life is there at least one person sufficiently irrational to invent a story that might prevent him from being confirmed? There are plenty of irrational people.
The story she tells is certainly plausible. However, the possibility that the story is false is also certainly plausible.
So how does this work? In 2012 she decides to lie and tell this same essential story to a therapist on the off chance that Kavanaugh someday gets nominated for a SCOTUS position, so she can lay the groundwork for a plausible accusation down the road? Do you know how implausible that is? When has something like that ever happened before?
Last edited: