How did Christine Blasey Ford first come forward and who interviewed her?

1. How she first came forward — from anonymity to an on‑the‑record interview

Ford had initially been connected to an anonymous allegation circulating during Kavanaugh’s confirmation process; she then “came forward” publicly by granting an exclusive, on‑the‑record interview to The Washington Post in mid‑September 2018, in which she described an incident in the early 1980s when she said Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed and groped her at a party ^{[1] [2]}. Multiple news outlets reported that the interview identified her as the author of a previously anonymous letter and presented her account in detail ^[1].

2. Who interviewed her — the Washington Post and subsequent media appearances

The first on‑the‑record interviewer was The Washington Post, which published the profile that publicly named Ford and carried her full account ^{[1] [2]}. After the Post interview, Ford’s account was amplified across broadcast and cable news and later in long‑form media—she testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee (a formal congressional hearing) and later discussed her experience on programs including NPR’s Fresh Air and in her memoir excerpts covered by NPR and Reuters ^{[3] [5] [6] [4]}.

3. The shift from reporting to a Senate hearing — who questioned her on the record

Following the Washington Post interview, Ford appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 27, 2018, where she delivered a prepared opening statement and answered senators’ questions in a televised proceeding that drew an estimated audience of about 20 million viewers ^{[3] [4]}. That hearing was the formal public forum in which elected officials — senators on the Judiciary Committee — interviewed and scrutinized her testimony ^[3].

4. Why she said she spoke up — stated motives and public framing

In the Post interview and contemporaneous reporting, Ford said she felt a “civic responsibility” to speak out about a Supreme Court nominee, framing her decision as motivated by the public stakes of a lifetime judicial appointment ^[2]. Media coverage presented that rationale consistently while also documenting the intense public reaction to her decision to go public ^{[1] [7]}.

5. Competing perspectives and the media’s role

News coverage documented competing narratives: Ford and journalists framed the Post interview as the decisive step in identifying the accuser and beginning a public process that culminated in Senate testimony ^{[1] [2]}. Other reporting emphasized how the hearings polarized viewers and politicians, and how the White House and some Senate offices engaged in witness selection and investigation decisions related to the confirmation process ^[7]. Available sources do not mention private legal steps she may have taken before the Post interview beyond reporting that she initially hesitated about retaining an attorney ^[4].

6. Aftermath and how she continued the story

After testifying, Ford remained a subject of national coverage: she described the emotional and practical consequences of coming forward in interviews and in her memoir; outlets such as NPR and Reuters covered her reflections and the broader cultural impact of her testimony ^{[5] [6] [4]}. TIME and other outlets documented how the episode resonated both domestically and internationally, affecting public conversation about sexual misconduct allegations surrounding powerful figures ^[7].

Limitations and sourcing note: this analysis relies solely on the supplied reporting items. Details beyond these sources — for example, every private contact she made before the Post interview or internal editorial decisions at The Washington Post — are not described in the provided material and therefore are not asserted here (not found in current reporting).