Since the aside was first uttered during a live recording of Stairway to Heaven, it’s been a familiar phrase: Does anybody remember laughter? After today’s testimony by Christine Blasey Ford, no American will ever forget “the laughter.” When asked by Senator Leahy for her strongest memory of the event, Ford responded: “Indelible in the hippocampus is the laughter, the uproarious laughter between the two, and their having fun at my expense … I was underneath one of them, while the two laughed. Two friends having a really good time with one another.”

+ Key exchange of the Ford testimony: Sen. Dick Durbin: “I am asking you to address this defense of mistaken identity directly. Dr. Ford, with what degree of certainty do you believe Brett Kavanaugh assaulted you?” Ford: “100%”

+ During his portion of the hearings, Judge Kavanaugh spoke forcefully and emotionally (and at times, furiously) accusing Democrats of turning the process into a circus, attacking his character, and running an organized smear campaign against him (even suggesting it was part of revenge plot on behalf of the Clintons). While delivered with more emotion and in a much more partisan way, Kavanaugh’s opening comments echoed those made by Clarence Thomas during the Anita Hill hearings. (However things play out, this was a particularly sad, partisan, and painful day in a particularly sad, partisan, and painful era.)

+ One of the things that today showed us, unequivocally, is that this entire case should have been investigated by the FBI and not dragged out in front of the whole country.

+ Even in the familiar cesspool of Washington politics, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a stronger contrast between the courage of Christine Blasey Ford and the cowardice of the male senators who brought in an outside prosecutor to do their jobs.

+ Key moments from the hearing and photos from the day.

+ As I’m writing this, the hearings are ongoing. Here’s the latest from CNN.