VOL. CLXVIII . . . No. 58,105 © 2018 The New York Times Company NEW YORK, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2018

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WASHINGTON — For morethan two weeks he held back.Against all his instincts, Presi-dent Trump for the most partresisted directly attacking thewoman whose sexual assaultallegation has jeopardized hisSupreme Court nomination. Theaccuser was to be treated withkid gloves, like “a Fabergé egg,”as one adviser put it.

But Mr. Trump could resistonly so long and told aides it wastime to turn up the heat. So whenhe revved up a political rally thisweek by mocking Christine Bla-sey Ford, he indulged his desireto fight back and galvanized hisconservative base even at therisk of alienating the very mod-erate Republicans he needs toconfirm Judge Brett M. Kava-naugh to the Supreme Court.

The president’s scathing andderisive impression of Dr. Blasey,who has accused Judge Kava-naugh of sexually assaulting herwhen they were teenagers, cameat the same time his Republicanallies stepped up their efforts tochallenge her veracity. Seizing ona sworn statement from a formerboyfriend, Republicans sug-gested that she had not beenfully truthful in her testimonybefore the Senate JudiciaryCommittee last week.

The gloves-off approach couldfurther complicate Mr. Trump’sefforts to confirm Judge Kava-naugh to the Supreme Court bywinning over three undecidedRepublican senators who haveinsisted that Dr. Blasey’s allega-tion be taken seriously, SusanCollins of Maine, Jeff Flake ofArizona and Lisa Murkowski ofAlaska. The Senate will beginvoting on Judge Kavanaugh onFriday and was expected to holda final vote over the weekend.

All three condemned the presi-dent’s rally riff on Wednesday,using phrases like “wholly in-appropriate,” “kind of appalling”

In Risky Shift, President And G.O.P. Slam Accuser

NEWS ANALYSIS

Harsh Turn as VotesHang in Balance

By PETER BAKER

Continued on Page A17

WASHINGTON — SenatorMitch McConnell had just arrivedat Reagan Washington NationalAirport on Monday afternoon toresume the battle over the Su-preme Court nomination of JudgeBrett M. Kavanaugh when he wasmet by an unwelcoming commit-tee — a group of women who an-grily confronted him.

“Do you always turn your backon women like this?” one de-manded of Mr. McConnell, Repub-lican of Kentucky and the majorityleader, as his security detailcleared the way. “Especially wom-en of color who are all sexual as-sault victims?” asked another.

Mr. McConnell is not SenatorJeff Flake, Republican of Arizona,who was moved by similar pro-tests to seek a new F.B.I. inquiryinto claims of sexual assaultagainst Judge Kavanaugh. Mr.McConnell, undeterred by his crit-ics, instead stared straight aheadand marched through the con-course. And that is exactly how heis approaching the confirmationfight — marching straight ahead,unfazed by his opponents, towardhis goal of seating Judge Kava-naugh on the court.

“We will not be intimidated bythese people,” Mr. McConnell de-clared Wednesday in anotherfloor speech where his anger overthe treatment of Judge Kava-naugh spilled out. “There is nochance in the world that they’regoing to scare us out of doing ourduty.”

Underscoring his commitment,Mr. McConnell took the procedur-al steps later Wednesday to set upa key test vote on Judge Kava-naugh’s confirmation for Friday.

To Mr. McConnell, his nearlysingular duty these days is fillingfederal court vacancies with con-servatives, so with a second Su-preme Court confirmation in lessthan two years in sight, he has alot on the line. If he is successful,

Unfazed by Protests,McConnell Focuseson Tilting Courts

By CARL HULSEand JONATHAN MARTIN

Mitch McConnell of Kentucky leads Republicans in the Senate.ERIN SCHAFF FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES

Continued on Page A17

Cardi B had just stepped off-stage after performing for thou-sands in Central Park when a loudpop pierced the air, sounding like agunshot and igniting fears of ashooting. Backstage, police com-manders scrambled to find outwhat was going on, and quicklydetermined no shots had been

fired. They rushed to the stage totell the crowd.

“Remain calm,” Assistant ChiefKathleen O’Reilly pleaded into amicrophone, saying the sound hadbeen a fence falling over.

But it was too late. Frantic con-certgoers ducked and rushed for alimited number of exits. Somepeople screamed “Shooter!” Bar-riers and tall fences were toppled.People fell and were trampled.Many fled shoeless. Some police

officers even contributed to thepandemonium, telling people toduck and run.

Though no one was seriously in-jured, the chaos at the Global Citi-zen Festival on Saturday joltedlaw enforcement authorities, se-curity experts and policymakers.It has forced an examination ofwhether the police need new waysof curbing the risk of crowd panicin an era when mass killings haveheightened public fear of attacks.

By the next day, police com-manders had determined that ithad not been a falling barrier thathad started the original stampede.It was, instead, a fight betweentwo people near the stage. As con-certgoers scattered, they steppedon empty water bottles, causingloud popping sounds.

Once the false reports of ashooting spread, controlling the

Noise Wasn’t Gunfire, but Crowd’s Panic Was Real, and DangerousBy ASHLEY SOUTHALL

and ALI WINSTON

Continued on Page A21

DOUG MILLS/THE NEW YORK TIMES

Melania Trump, in Ghana on Wednesday, visited a fort once used by slave traders. Page A10.Touring Africa, a First Lady at Ease

ADAM DEAN FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES

Many homes in Indonesia were destroyed last week by liquefaction, a churning of the earth that left people buried in rubble. Page A4.Where the Ground Turned to Jelly

HONG KONG — The com-ments were couched in carefullanguage, but the warning aboutChina’s direction was clear.

China grew to prosperity in partby embracing market forces, saidWu Jinglian, the 88-year-old deanof pro-market Chinese econo-mists, at a forum last month. Thenhe turned to the top politician inthe room, Liu He, China’s eco-nomic czar, and said “unharmoni-ous voices” were now condemn-ing private enterprise.

“The phenomenon,” Mr. Wusaid, “is worth noting.”

Mr. Wu gave rare official voiceto a growing worry among Chi-nese entrepreneurs, economists

and even some government offi-cials: China may be stepping backfrom the free-market, pro-busi-ness policies that transformed itinto the world’s No. 2 economy.For 40 years, China has swung be-tween authoritarian Communistcontrol and a freewheeling capi-talism where almost anythingcould happen — and some see thependulum swinging back towardthe government.

State-controlled companies in-

creasingly account for growth inindustrial production and profits,areas where private businessesonce led. China has stepped upregulation of online commerce,real estate and video games. Com-panies could face higher taxes andemployee benefit costs. Some in-tellectuals are calling for privateenterprises to be abolished en-tirely.

Dissenters in China these daysmust walk a careful line. But asense of urgency — fueled in partby China’s slowing growth and ris-ing pressures from PresidentTrump’s trade war — has driven agrowing number of officials andeconomists to speak out on thegovernment’s changing stance onprivate business.

China Muscles In on Its Free-Market ProsperityBy LI YUAN Communist Party Takes

a Greater Role in thePrivate Sector

Continued on Page A12

MADISON, W.Va. — Lula Hillvoted in just about every electiononce she became old enough in1952. Her coal mining family ofregistered Democrats believedthat elections were like churchservices: You didn’t skip them.

But over time, her sense of civicobligation faded. Mines startedlaying people off. Opioids startedpoisoning her neighbors. As hertown lost its vigor, Ms. Hillwatched as smiling politicianskept making promises and, in herview, growing richer. By the late1990s, when political leaders —Democrat or Republican — talkedabout the greater good, she nolonger believed them.

“I just got to the point, I said,

‘I’m not going do it anymore,’”said Ms. Hill, sitting on a couch inthe lobby of the hotel she ownsand runs, the Hotel Madison, 30miles south of Charleston. “I justcan’t vote for any of them in goodconscience.”

She has not voted since 1996and said she has no intention ofstarting in November. Ms. Hill ishardly alone in West Virginia, astate with one of the lowest ratesof voter turnout in the country andwhere the Democratic senator,Joe Manchin III, faces a toughrace.

This year’s election carriesenormous political stakes, but if

Eager to Vote in the Midterms?Great! (You’re in the Minority)

By SABRINA TAVERNISE

Continued on Page A14

Vanessa Friedman reports from therunways in Paris, where at least onelabel (Thom Browne, above) was neverentirely unveiled. PAGE D8

THURSDAY STYLES D1-10

They’ll Save Tons on MakeupAaron Judge’s first-inning homer set thetone in the Yankees’ 7-2 win over the A’sin the A.L. wild-card game. PAGE B9

SPORTSTHURSDAY B9-13

No Doubt About ItThe recipients, including the first wom-an since 2009, used evolution in thedesign of practical molecules. PAGE A11

INTERNATIONAL A4-12

3 Share Nobel in Chemistry

Manohla Dargis found a lot to like at theNew York Film Festival, includingAlfonso Cuarón’s “Roma” and JulianSchnabel’s “At Eternity’s Gate.” PAGE C1

ARTS C1-8

Calling All CinephilesMarsha Blackburn, a firebrand Trumpsupporter, squares off against PhilBredesen, a moderate. PAGE A13

NATIONAL A13-18

Tight Race in Tennessee

Through the heart of trendy New Yorkto a stunning Hollywood home, andback again to Brooklyn, where a garagebecame a townhouse.

SPECIAL SECTION

On Tour in Design

Nicholas Kristof PAGE A23

EDITORIAL, OP-ED A22-23Eight teams have new coaches — somewith disasters on their hands. We rankthe jobs in order of difficulty. PAGE B10

N.B.A. From Lemons to PlumsVice President Mike Pence is to give aspeech accusing China of aggressivemoves and election meddling. PAGE A8

U.S. Outrage Toward China

The ex-Assembly leader Sheldon Silverwill stay out of prison pending appeal ofhis corruption conviction. PAGE A19

NEW YORK A19-21

Silver Remains Free

America’s rivals in a trade war areclearly targeting rural areas wherevoters went for Donald Trump. PAGE B1

BUSINESS DAY B1-7

Tariffs Send Political Message

The stage door of New York CityBallet is where dancers find fanmail, extravagant bouquets andthe occasional request for auto-graphed toe shoes.

But a very different sort of mes-sage was posted there anony-mously in September as the com-pany was preparing to open its fallseason. It demanded “justice forthe accused men of City Ballet,”called for a boycott of the com-pany and urged people to “stop be-lieving the word of jilted whores,”along with even cruder insults.

The country’s premier balletcompany, which has definedgrace, speed and precision sincethe days of its co-founder GeorgeBalanchine, is now also a stage forthe era’s #MeToo convulsions.

Within the past nine months, ithas weathered the abrupt retire-ment of its leader of more thanthree decades, Peter Martins,amid an investigation into reportsof physical and emotional abuse.It forced out three of its 14 maleprincipal dancers after they wereaccused of sharing texts of sexu-ally explicit photos of women.

And it has begun to reassess itsculture, installing safeguards nowcommon in corporate America butfar less so in the performing arts,where autocratic personalities of-ten hold sway.

“We’ve really tried to make it amore nurturing environment, andnot a kind of sink-or-swim envi-ronment, which in the danceworld is kind of a common thing,”said Jonathan Stafford, the balletmaster and former principaldancer who is leading the interimteam running the company.

Scandals TearAt House BuiltBy Balanchine

By ROBIN POGREBINand MICHAEL COOPER

Continued on Page A20

Late EditionToday, clouds and sunshine, late-af-ternoon or evening showers or thun-derstorms, high 80. Tonight, cloudy,low 59. Tomorrow, partly sunny,high 69. Weather map, Page B8.

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