Sitting in the hot seat before the House Benghazi Selected Committed chaired by Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), former Secretary and Democratic front-runner of State Hillary Rodham showed grace-under-pressure, a different demeanor when she testified before a Senate Benghazi panel Jan. 23, 2013. Trying to tie Hillary to the lax security that cost the lives of 52-year-old Amb. Chris Stevens and three other Americans Sept. 11, 2012, Gowdy’s committee has been accused by Democrats of using the committee to degrade Hillary’s 2016 presidential bid. Hillary asked the committee to “reach for statesmanship,” over partisanship to once-and-for-all get to the bottom of how and why terrorists were able to attack the U.S. mission, killing Stevens and three other Americans. Despite the tragedy, Hillary told the committee that “retreat from the world is not an option,” even in risky places like Libya.
Combing through thousands of Hillary’s emails, GOP committee members seemed intent on finding a “smoking gun,” linking Hillary to denying security requests to the Benghazi mission. Instead of focusing on failures to track terrorist movements or intercepts plots, GOP members seem focused on linking Hillary to denying vital security requests to the Benghazi mission leading to a preventable attack. “Why were there so many requests for security equipment and personnel and why were those requests denied in Washington?” asked Gowdy, making it out like Secretary Clinton were responsible for the deaths. “What did our leaders in Washington do or not do, and when” pointing fingers at Hillary when, in reality, she was not at the operation al level responsible for providing security or, for that matter, tracking intel for possible terrorist threats by various groups in the area.
After recent revelations from key Republicans and one former investigator on the Select Committee saying that the inquiry was a partisan witch-hunt, Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) called for the committee to disband. “It is time and it’s time now, for Republicans to end this taxpayer-funded fishing expedition,” Mr. Cummings, calling for a “shift from politics to policy,” referring to credible reports that the committee was misused to go after Hillary’s campaign. Hillary was asked by Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) to recount what she felt, following the Sept. 11, 2012 attacks that killed Stevens and four other Americans, about being accused by Republicans of causing their deaths. “It’s a very personally painful accusation. It has been rejected band disproven by nonpartisan, dispassionate investigators, but, nevertheless, having it continued to be bandied around is deeply distressing to me,” Clinton confessed.
Hillary kept her cool but wanted the committee, and public, to know she lost more sleep than anyone on the committee. “You know, I would imagine that I’ve thought far more about what happened than all of you put together. I’ve lost more sleep that all of you together,” Hillary told the committee, showing the kind of response from someone falsely accused. Gowdy hoped putting Hillary in the hot seat would create the kind of gotcha moment, vindicating his committee’s work. Hillary told Gowdy that most of her work as secretary of state was conducted without emails, on the telephone and in conferences. Gowdy and his GOP partisans on the committee and in the media have tried to pin responsibility for the Sept. 11, 2012 attack on Hillary. Gowdy’s entire objective lacks basic common sense that somehow a Cabinet head was responsible for a terrorist attack at a remote part of North Africa.
Sitting in the hot seat and taking the Republican barrage was the best publicity and proving ground for Hillary en route to the White House. Withstanding withering cross-examination by committee Republicans proved to the voters that Hillary was up to the test. No matter how you spin the outcome of today’s Benghazi hearing, it left little doubt that Hillary would take the committee’s best shot and stay on her feet. Whether or not the public agrees with Cummings that the committee should be disbanded is anyone’s guess. Watching Hillary testify exposed to the media and public that Hillary can take a punch without getting rattled. “I have been racking my brain about what more could have been or should have been done,” said Hillary, showing sensitivity to the fact that Stevens and three Americans lost their lives. She listened Republicans’ indictment without overreacting.
Billed as Gowdy v. Hillary, today’s House Select Committee hearing did exactly the opposite of what House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) told Fox News Sean Hannity Sept. 28: That the Benghazi committee successfully degraded Hillary’s chances of becoming president. Baptizing Hillary by fire in the committee highlighted all her experience and political skills, leaving her looking more presidential than ever. Gowdy tried his best to tie the four deaths to Hillary’s negligence or incompetence. “Let me assure you it is not,” Gowdy told the committee his investigation was not about going after Hillary politically. “This investigation is about four people who were killed representing out country on foreign soil,” said Gowdy, answering Democratic critics who want the inquiry ended. Gowdy got his day in court with Hillary but Hillary got a free audition for the White House.
