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DeepModem Mom

(38,402 posts)
Thu Oct 22, 2015, 06:08 PM Oct 2015

GOP's Benghazi Committee comes unglued: (HILLARY GROUP)

It’s easy to forget that when the Republicans’ Benghazi Committee initially sought testimony from Hillary Clinton, GOP officials wanted her to provide private, closed-door testimony. The former Secretary of State was eager to answer questions publicly, for all the world to see, but Republicans desperately wanted the discussion to be kept far from public view.

And after watching this farce unfold today, we now know why.

It’s hard to say exactly when today’s hearing descended into total farce, but it was arguably when Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), for reasons that didn’t appear to make any sense, quizzed Clinton repeatedly on her correspondence with informal adviser Sidney Blumenthal. The New Republic’s Brian Beutler highlighted the problem.

Republicans have intoned darkly about this relationship and played up, in deceptive fashion, Blumenthal’s influence over Clinton’s policy in Libya – despite the fact that he has no Libya expertise, and has apparently never been there. Republicans even deposed him for hours. But here’s the catch: while they continue to make an issue of Blumenthal’s relationship with Hillary Clinton, and their email correspondence, they’ve refused to release the transcript of that deposition, where he had a full opportunity to contextualize it.

Today, after Gowdy pressed Clinton on this – reinforcing every suspicion about the entire exercise being brazenly partisan and political – Ranking Member Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) couldn’t take it anymore. The Maryland Democrat insisted that if Republicans are going to reference Blumenthal’s role, then the committee has a responsibility to release the full transcript of Blumenthal’s testimony to the public.

Gowdy refused and a shouting match ensued. The far-right chairman, however, simply couldn’t defend his position or explain why GOP lawmakers insisted on keeping relevant information hidden from view.

It was arguably a low point in the hearing, but it had plenty of competition in the category.

It’s practically impossible to go through the several hours’ worth of exchanges we’ve seen so far, but I sincerely hope that it’s dawned on Republicans that this hearing was a dreadful mistake.

Whether GOP lawmakers realize it or not, they created a platform for the leading Democratic presidential candidate to speak before the nation and appear knowledgeable, articulate, compassionate, and competent. Simultaneously, the committee’s Republicans, who spent months preparing for today’s epic showdown, were hopelessly clueless and small.

Which strategic genius in Republican Party thought it’d be a good idea to pit Hillary Clinton against obscure, unprepared, far-right members of Congress? Why on earth would the GOP go out of its way to make the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination look like the adult in the room?

Clinton has often been blessed with incompetent opponents, but this is ridiculous....

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/gops-benghazi-committee-comes-unglued via Steve Benen, via msnbc

9 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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GOP's Benghazi Committee comes unglued: (HILLARY GROUP) (Original Post) DeepModem Mom Oct 2015 OP
I feel pretty sure I know why they thought this was a good idea phantom power Oct 2015 #1
Total Tea Party stupidity on full public display gohuskies Oct 2015 #2
I am an Atheist but I am going to pray that Saturday Night Live does the Benghazi hearings... Walk away Oct 2015 #3
They most certainly will. Agschmid Oct 2015 #7
this is what Hillary thinks of the Republicans on the Benghazi committee... riversedge Oct 2015 #4
Love it! workinclasszero Oct 2015 #8
K&R! stonecutter357 Oct 2015 #5
K & R, good statement on the incompetence of her opponents. Thinkingabout Oct 2015 #6
"Clinton has often been blessed with incompetent opponents, but this is ridiculous...." Cha Oct 2015 #9

phantom power

(25,966 posts)
1. I feel pretty sure I know why they thought this was a good idea
Thu Oct 22, 2015, 06:20 PM
Oct 2015

And it's because what they did to Bill Clinton wasn't very different, and ultimately it worked. They kept throwing shit against that wall until they got lucky with the Lewinsky thing.

I think they were all basically thinking they'd do the same thing with Benghazi. Keep hammering and eventually something would crack open.

gohuskies

(1,153 posts)
2. Total Tea Party stupidity on full public display
Thu Oct 22, 2015, 06:26 PM
Oct 2015

The GOP members of this committee are too blindly stupid and arrogant to put away their partisan knives in hopes of cornering Sec. Clinton into an 'oops' moment. The country needs to vote out these rude misogynistic a-holes and find legislators willing to govern responsibly. Christ, they can't even propose a sane budget other than slashing taxes on the 1% and killing middle-class Americans. Truly a sad day for all Americans.

Walk away

(9,494 posts)
3. I am an Atheist but I am going to pray that Saturday Night Live does the Benghazi hearings...
Thu Oct 22, 2015, 06:28 PM
Oct 2015

this weekend.

Please please PLEASE!!!!!!

riversedge

(69,730 posts)
4. this is what Hillary thinks of the Republicans on the Benghazi committee...
Thu Oct 22, 2015, 06:31 PM
Oct 2015


NYTNarrative Retweeted
#Hillary2016 ?@CareyOrcutt 3h3 hours ago

My reaction to the #BenghaziCommittee @TGowdySC as well!

Cha

(295,929 posts)
9. "Clinton has often been blessed with incompetent opponents, but this is ridiculous...."
Thu Oct 22, 2015, 11:46 PM
Oct 2015

Steve Benen is has a good way of putting it!

Thank you DM M!

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