I watched quite a bit of the hearings today, and my impressions.
1. Democrats are going to be happy with Ms Clinton's performance relative to not giving up any sound bites and she DID do a great job in that vein.
2. I cannot speak to her body language, etc but she did maintain her composure.
3. AP already has begun a FACT CHECK...most of what they print thus far is based on "spin" and not lies. One interesting catch is when Ms Clinton said that she never emailed during the day. AP says that at least 1/3 of her emails were sent on workdays between 8 and 6 ! Also interesting is her backing off quite a bit on Blumenthal when caught saying she didnt solicit then hearing emails read showing not the case. Here is the link to the short and quick fact check.
News from The Associated Press
4. The Republicans are playing some political games with the committee, and frankly I find no fault with that. I recall Speaker Pelosi actually bragging about the number of hearings that she had conducted on Iraq. I think perhaps the gaffe made a few weeks ago allowed the Democrats to drop any pretenses and simply ignore Benghazi today and instead spend the time backing Ms. Clinton.
More on my not having a problem with the Republicans making politics out of this. First, has there been any shootings in this country, especially those involving a white policeman and a black male or a mass shooting that was not made into a political issue immediately ?
And of course, her infamous quote from the debate when she called the enemy to be Republicans. Joe Biden sort of cleared the air on that one but she did say it and sure she meant it.
5. I felt and will wait for the pundits to go through it but I think her remarks on the emails were confusing and every changing.
6. Lastly not on Benghazi, but in politics in general. I hope that Paul Ryan election to House Speaker, along with this committee will mark the beginning of a new policy with the Republicans. For so long, and allow me to compliment the Democratic party, the Democrats has been the aggressor. For some reasons the Republicans find that difficult to do. I am hoping that the party will now come together and join the fray.
I am not looking for a fight here; I sincerely believe that the Republicans have been lackeys for years and part of it, maybe the largest part, the lack of unity within the party. I am hoping they will now come together and begin to be more aggressive THAT might bring everyone together once they both are on the attack. Sometimes, it takes that and for so many years, it has been a one way street.