What this Trump statement did was change the tone of the debate over Ford, from “credible” (repeated ad nauseam for two weeks as I’m sure you’ve red), to comical.
It sapped all the power out of her innocent victim ploy, speaking directly to the truth - that this was a hoax engineered by the Democrats, and this was the proper level of contempt with which to regard it.
Basically, he changed attitudes. Once it was easy to agree that her story was so full of holes no one should take it seriously, the bottom fell out and the votes fell into line.
How does Collins make that vote without Trump preparing the ground? She might not, in that scenario.
How does Collins make that vote without Trump preparing the ground? She might not, in that scenario.
+++++
I agree that Collins was the wild card. And you may be correct. Perhaps Trump did give that speech to put her support over the finish line.
But that is the only vote that Trump could have turned. And yes it did give her cover.
You could be right and that might have been the plan. But I watched that speech, a good one, and it looked like Trump being Trump to me.