'Frenzied Republicans' asked Kavanaugh about old girlfriends before Monday's hearing with accuser Ford

Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP

• President Donald Trump's Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation turned into a retrospective on his old girlfriends and love life, Axios reported.
• The outlet said "frenzied Republicans" asked him about his old girlfriends and love life.
• Kavanaugh came under intense scrutiny after Palo Alto University professor Christine Blasey Ford came forward to accuse him of sexual assault at a high school party.
• Kavanaugh's old girlfriends and Ford's old classmates have each jumped to their respective defenses.
• Kavanaugh categorically denies assaulting Ford.

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation turned into a retrospective on his old girlfriends and love life as "frenzied Republicans" asked him about the issue on Monday, Axios reported.

President Donald Trump's nominee came under intense pressure after Palo Alto University professor Christine Blasey Ford came forward to accuse him of sexual assault during high school.

The same day, two women who say they dated Kavanaugh came to his defense, issuing a statement saying he was a "gentleman" and "respectful" towards women.

Coming to Ford's defense, 200 of her high school classmates signed a petition saying they believe Ford's accusations.

Republican senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee, as well as Trump and the White House, all said they would like to hear out Ford in a public testimony, which has now been set for next Monday at 10 a.m.

Kavanaugh spent nine hours on Monday behind closed doors with senators and White House legal counsel, CNN reported. Kavanaugh has since retained a lawyer.

"This gives the judge the opportunity to clear his name. But there is no room for error from members on the committee," senior Republican official close to the process who admitted to some worry on their side of the aisle told Axios.

"Judge Kavanaugh could nail it and she could be terrible. But here's my fear: This all depends so much on the performances of two people," the source continued.

Kavanaugh has so far looked polished in the hearing, where he played up history coaching girl's basketball teams and his employment of female law clerks.

But Democrats and opponents of Kavanaugh have cited some ambiguity over his stance on Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court case, as an indication that he may try to overturn the ruling that gave women access to abortion at the federal level.

Kavanaugh has categorically denied assaulting Ford, who told the Washington Post that she doesn't perfectly remember the details of the encounter that allegedly happened 35 years ago.