The week Brett Kavanaugh went from sure thing to not

Seven days ago, Judge Brett Kavanaugh seemed certain to be the next Supreme Court justice. A vote had been set in the Senate Judiciary Committee for this Thursday and the expectation was that all 11 Republicans would vote for him, ensuring that he would get a full floor vote. Where, in the very near future, the Republican majority would confirm him for the seat being vacated by retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy.

Then came the news Sunday that a woman named Christine Blasey Ford, a professor in California, had spoken to The Washington Post -- putting a name and a face to the previously anonymous allegations that Kavanaugh had sexually assaulted a woman when they were both teenagers in the early 1980s.

Suddenly, everything was up in the air.

The past five days have been dominated by Senate Republicans and the White House trying to wrap their arms around just how big a problem all of this is for Kavanaugh's confirmation. And each time they seemed to have a handle on it, the story started in another direction.

Here's where we've landed (I think) at the end of this week: There is a very high likelihood that Ford and Kavanaugh will testify -- separately -- next week. The exact day remains up in the air as does whether the senators who sit on the committee will be the only people allowed to ask questions of the two witnesses. But Ford's attorneys and the Judiciary Committee are now talking -- and at this point it's hard to see how they don't find a way to get to an agreement, particularly given the stakes.

As I've written, a hearing featuring Ford telling her story lessens the chances of Kavanaugh getting confirmed if for no other reason than it adds an element of uncertainty and drama into a proceeding that seemed drama-free at this time last week.

The Point, part 1: It remains true that Republicans have a one-seat edge on the Judiciary Committee, meaning that if they all support the President's nominee -- regardless of what Ford says -- Kavanaugh will make it out of committee and will likely be confirmed.

The Point, part 2: It is also true, however, that Ford's testimony -- and what Kavanaugh says in response -- could change things, perhaps profoundly. When the eyes of the country are on the two of them -- and the 21 senators on the Judiciary Committee -- it's impossible to predict the final outcome.

Below, the week that was in Kavanaugh (and other) news in 27 headlines:

Monday: 

Trump stands by Kavanaugh, supports 'a full process'Haley accuses Russia of 'cheating' to help North Korea evade sanctionsConway says Kavanaugh's accuser 'should not be ignored or insulted'Trump orders documents relating to Russia investigation declassifiedTrump administration slashes refugee admissions cap to record lowWSJ: Investigation into FEMA Chief Brock Long referred to prosecutors

Tuesday:

Trump on Kavanaugh: 'This is not a man who deserves this'Kavanaugh accuser wants FBI investigation before testifyingTrump administration rewrites Obama-era rule for potent greenhouse gasStormy Daniels shares details of her alleged affair with Trump'Fort Trump'? Polish President urges US to consider opening base

Wednesday:

Trump heads to Hurricane Florence-ravaged CarolinasTrump Organization prepares for a fight if Democrats winTrump says he wants to see Kavanaugh's accuser testifyMichael Flynn's sentencing is set for DecemberSessions moves to further tighten immigration courtsAdministration again couldn't find nearly 1,500 immigrant kids

Thursday:

Admin moves $260M to cover custody of immigrant children costsTrump sends Carson to Puerto Rico for Hurricane Maria anniversaryABC: Michael Cohen has done multiple interviews with Mueller teamTrump questions why Kavanaugh accuser didn't call the FBI after alleged assaultSpanish foreign minister claims Trump told him to build wall across the Sahara desert to stop migrants

Friday:

Trump unleashes on Kavanaugh accuserTrump suggests allies are concerned about release of Russia documentsLawyer for Kavanaugh accuser says Monday hearing would be a 'deal breaker'Melania Trump's spokeswoman reprimanded for Hatch Act violationTrump backs away from demand to declassify documents related to Russia investigation