Day 1
The Hearing
Like voyeurs at the unraveling of our government, we learned on day one of the January 6 Committee Public Hearings that we missed some video camera footage and angle shots.
‘Day 1’ was reserved for identifying ‘what you are about to see,’ ‘stuff we know you haven’t seen before’ but now can say you saw from what happened on January 6.
Absent the ‘stuff we haven’t seen but will soon see,’ the thrust of Day 1 was a public plea of sorts. Many public pleas, in fact.
First, a plea from January 6 Committee Chair Bennie Thompson to honor the tradition of Washington’s Farewell Address and Lincoln’s Memo, that the peaceful transfer of power is giving up power honorably, relinquishing authority to those whom the people have chosen to succeed you.
Next, a plea from Vice Chair Liz Cheney to honor the words of Republican President Ronald Reagan when he said that the people decide the future of their governing, not those in power,
Next, a plea from Capitol Police Officer Caroline Edwards to move beyond what people call you, beyond the slurs and physical threats designed to hurt and harm, to serve your country honorably as your granddad did at the Choisin Reservoir Battle.
Next, a plea from British Filmmaker Nick Quested to honor a subpoena from Congress to provide documentation on what happened on January 6 and the night before. His, the camera shots, that had not been released to the public until tonight’s gaveled proceedings.
In sum, pleas to honor, witness, and keep watching. To awake, to stir from America’s grip-like amnesia. The “United States of Amnesia,” as the late political commentator and novelist Gore Vidal once proclaimed.
On a scale of 1 to 5, former Vice President Mike Pence and the Vice President Chief of Staff, Mark Short, came off a “5”. in respect. Indeed, America on January 6 may have experienced an improvised 25th Amendment type phone call exchange between Pence and Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley.
The Vice President, who escaped the symbolic noose, survived to gavel in a new President.
That was close, huh?
More later.
On a scale of 1 to 5, the West Wing staffers lawyers and Cabinet members who resigned post January 6, came off a “4.5” in respect, and a “5” for showing up at the Committee’s request.
Country over party, over loyalty to a tyrant?
More later.
On a scale of 1 to 5 in respect, Sean Hannity, Fox News impresario, came off a “4,” for cautioning the President and his minions. The President’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, a “4,” for siding with AG William Barr (also a “4”) about the election result conspiracy.
She can’t resign, or can she?
More later.
In case we missed them, the pundits were allowed commentary time as chairman Thompson gaveled in recesses. On MSNBC no commercials, straight to Rachel Maddow and company. As a group they acted surprised at the new footage. A ‘oh my gosh, did you see that? We haven’t seen that before,’ moment.
Their ‘this is what we just saw,’ eye rubbing felt weird and contrived.
What is yet to come is the terror wreaked on America that day and continuing non-stop into America’s future.
Missing are the camera shot angles from the vantage of fleeing lawmakers, bipartisan victims of terror.
Call it a ‘coup.’ Call it what you want.
Our roles have not been assigned.
June 10
ReplyForward
