Full House
In my experience here at GalleryWatch, I’ve come to find that most congressional hearings go on with far less than a majority of the congressmen and women that are on the committee and maybe a handful of spectators. Half empty hearing rooms are accepted as the norm.
However, today I experienced the exact opposite. There was so much interest in the hearing that it had actually filled, to the point that they had stopped letting people in. What made today special? General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker were testifying before the Senate Armed Services committee on the status of Iraq. I didn’t get to cover the hearing, unfortunately, but I was sent to gather the testimony. Just being in that room was kind of awe-inspiring.
There were rows upon rows of press tables. Every seat in the audience was filled with an assorted mix of staffers and interested citizens in business attire and demonstrators dressed head to toe in pink or in black burqas with their hands painted red.
Likewise, there wasn’t a single Senator on the committee who wasn’t there. Sen. McCain was there, delivering his opening statement as Ranking Member. Chairman Carl Levin, Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton, Joe Liberman, Ed Kennedy, Lindsey Graham– all in their respective seats. It certainly was a sight to see, and something I think I’ll always remember.