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AP: USA: Trump entschuldigt sich bei Kavanaugh
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Trump apologises to Kavanaugh for 'suffering'
SHOTLIST:
ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY
Washington - 8 October 2018
1. Various of US President Donald Trump, Brett Kavanaugh and retired justice Anthony Kennedy entering room for ceremony, Trump shaking hands with Kavanaugh
2. Supreme Court justices in attendance
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President:
"I would like to begin tonight's proceeding differently than perhaps any other event of such magnitude. On behalf of our nation, I want to apologise to Brett and the entire Kavanaugh family for the terrible pain and suffering you have been forced to endure. Those who step forward to serve our country deserve a fair and dignified evaluation, not a campaign of political and personal destruction based on lies and deception. What happened to the Kavanaugh family violates every notion of fairness, decency and due process. Our country, a man or a woman must always be presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty (pauses for applause). And with that I must state that you sir, under historic scrutiny, were proven innocent (applause)."
4. Pan of justices in audience
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Brett Kavanaugh, associate justice at US Supreme Court:
"The Senate confirmation process was contentious and emotional. That process is over. My focus now is to be the best justice I can be. I take this office with gratitude and no bitterness. On the Supreme Court I will seek to be a force for stability and unity. My goal is to be a great justice for all Americans and for all of America. I will work very hard to achieve that goal. I was not appointed to serve one party or one interest but to serve one nation. America's constitution and laws protect every person of every belief and every backgrounds. Every litigant in the Supreme Court can be assured that I will listen to their arguments with respect and an open mind. Every American can be assured that I'll be an independent and impartial justice devoted to equal justice under law.
6. Kavanaugh thanking audience
STORYLINE:
Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was sworn in - again for the cameras, this time - Monday night at a White House ceremony, but not before President Donald Trump slammed Kavanaugh's opponents for a "campaing of personal destruction."
In a ceremony that could have been a unifying moment for the nation, Trump instead delivered remarks that even he acknowledged began "differently than perhaps any other event of such magnitude."
"On behalf of our nation, I want to apologise to Brett and the entire Kavanaugh family for the terrible pain and suffering you have been forced to endure," Trump said, addressing the bitter partisan fight over Kavanaugh's nomination that became a firestorm after the emergence of sexual misconduct allegations, which Kavanaugh emphatically denied.
With all the sitting justices in attendance, along with Kavanaugh's family and top admiration officials, Trump said Kavanaugh had been the victim of a "campaign of political and personal destruction based on lies and deception."
But, he told the new justice, "You, sir, under historic scrutiny, were proven innocent." Critics have argued the investigation was not thorough enough to merit that conclusion.
Kavanaugh officially became a member of the high court Saturday and has already been at work preparing for his first day on the bench Tuesday.
In his own remarks, Kavanaugh, who has faced criticism that he appeared too politicised in his Senate testimony, tried to assure the American public that he would approach the job fairly.
He said the high court "is not a partisan or political institution" and assured he took the job with "no bitterness."
