People across U.S. transfixed by emotional Ford, Kavanaugh testimony

As Christine Blasey Ford and Brett Kavanaughchoked back tears during hours ofemotional testimonyon Thursday, so too did people across the United States.

In college lecture halls, doctors'offices and commuter trains, Americans sat captivated by their phone screens, TVs, radios and computer monitors as Ford gave an exhausting, first-hand account of her alleged sexual assault to the U.S. Senate judiciary committeeand Kavanaughvehemently attempted to clear his name and salvage his nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court.

From thousands of feet in the air, people on flights watched the hearings unfold from seat-back TV screens.

Ron Lieber, a columnist with the New York Times, tweeted during a flight to Salt Lake City:"16A: Crying. 14B: Crying. 17C: Weeping."

"I am one of the criers,"Lieberlater added, as people started sharing their own experiences watching and listening on flights or in airport loungesfrom Dallas toLaGuardia.

On commuter trains and subways, people were plugged in, too.

Students on college campuses and high schools watched from classrooms. Some said they were watching from work or while at the doctor's office. One woman tweeted she was watching the hearing in hospital with her father, who is undergoing chemotherapy.

Elsewhere, people crowded around televisions at barsand organized watching events.

Even Wall Street, one of the country's most notoriously frenetic, raucous workplaces, took on a more muted atmosphere.

"[I] could decipher nearly every word of the hearing anywhere I walked," tweeted Brad Smith, an anchor at Cheddar, the business news network.

As protesters crowded on Capitol Hill, staffers and lawmakers alike stopped to watch the hearing, before the Senate judiciarycommittee, which marked a crucial juncture in Kavanaugh'snomination process. One photo posted to Twitter showed people eating lunch in a Senate cafeteriawhere all the screens were turned to CNN so people could watch Ford and Kavanaughtestify.

Kavanaugh'sconfirmationwas once considered a sure bet, butturned into an acrimonious battle for Republicans after Ford's sexual assault allegation was initially reported. Two other women have since come forward toaccuse Kavanaughof sexual misconduct.

As Kavanaugh and Ford gave clashing testimony, many women shared personal stories in solidarity with the Palo Alto University professor. Others spoke of the difficulty of hearing Ford's storyand reliving their own experiences.