Just What Did They Expect?

Everybody and their brother has written a column in the last day or two about how Hilary mopped the floor with Senate Republicans in last week's hearing (she did) and how stupid and ill prepared our guys were (they are and they were). What exactly I wonder, were they expecting?

They have screwed this thing up from the beginning, and I'm referring to both sides. We've got an Ambassador killed along with several others in a war torn Arab country on Sept. 11th. and we ain't getting answers, or at least answers that aren't so asinine and absurd as to embarrass a tenth grader (but obviously not a Democrat). Now, if you're a Republican and for some strange reason you think the American people are entitled to the facts (and if a few Democrat scalps come with the deal that's ok too) then what is to be done? Think about it. As a prosecutor the first thing you do is bring in the suspects and get them on record, as in immediately! Then as the case develops and the facts become known you can see who is full of merde. Hilary knows this all too well, that's why she has ducked and dodged for four long months not because she bumped her head (bullshit!), or solely because of the election (that was part of it but not necessarily her priority) but because HER ass was hanging out. Get nailed with something like this and her presidential ticket is punched before she gets on the train. From her perspective there is no way she can go before the Senate and tell the truth, that being State screwed up royally and got an Ambassador killed. So it was vitally important to buy a little time to see how things shake out so her story is THE story. Now, she can control the intelligence people and the American press easily enough, but you never know if some foreign journalist might investigate and actually find out what happened. Or, even the locals could rat you out just for fun, so time was needed to go in and maybe spread some hush money around. Yep, best to wait a while, get things under control and then when you're sure some Republican isn't going to pull a rabbit out of a hat and catch you in a lie, then and only then go in and brass your way through; which is exactly what she did.

This is an excellent strategy (with Bill's fingerprints all over it) especially considering Hilary is an experienced, accomplished liar (having learned from the best). But that still doesn't explain the astounding ineptitude displayed by the Republicans. They asked the wrong questions and they asked them in a foolish way. For example, to my knowledge nobody ever asked what Stevens was doing in Benghazi to start with. Why was he there? Why on September 11th.? Why no security? When did you realize there was a problem in Benghazi? Why wasn't help forthcoming? Who made the decision not to send in help? Who said it was the video, and what evidence do you have to support that assertion?

And what really stood out to me was how they conducted the hearing. Allowing Hilary to wave her arms around and shout for the cameras is not the way to go. Any idiot could have seen that coming a mile away. They needed to keep her under control and act like lawyers with a hostile witness. Don't get ahead of yourself. Ask one question at a time and don't allow Hilary to pontificate and filibuster. No two part, three part or five and six part questions. You're just giving Hilary carte blanche to ramble and talk about what she wants to talk about. One question at a time, get an answer or beat her brains out until you do get an answer. Then move on to the next question. Lead her to where you want to go not where she wants to take you.

This is just fundamental lawyer stuff and I swear, I feel like Casey Stengel in 1962 "Doesn't anybody know how to play this game?!" I'm at a loss, I don't know if these guys are stupid, intimidated or what? But I know this, this was an opportunity to bring Hilary down and get a little payback to boot, and once again our guys blew it.