Baptism by Fire

"It was never my intention to ever imply that this committee was political, because we all know it is not."  – Congressman Kevin McCarthy on the U.S. House Select Committee on Benghazi

While I'm not sure I'd go as far as Rolling Stone's Mark Taibbi to say that the GOP effectively got Hilary Clinton elected president by giving her the opportunity to appear presidential and cool under pressure as they grilled her relentlessly for nine or so hours under the media glare, they certainly didn't do themselves any favors. (Taibbi even references the film All the President's Men by suggesting that the Republicans even managed to make people feel sorry for Clinton, effectively humanizing her.)

Although the hearing pretty quickly broke down into petty partisan backbiting and shouting among its members, Clinton shrewdly positioned herself above the fray, making a statement that the truth about the Benghazi incident was above political ideology and weighed on her heavily.

Of course, it didn't help that the GOP also shot itself in the foot prior to the hearings when Congressman Kevin McCarthy let slip out that the Congressional investigation was politically motivated. I doubt anyone following this circus thought otherwise anyway, but it was still bracing to hear someone within the GOP camp gleefully admit it, however inadvised the comment may have been. Regardless, McCarthy's comments put the GOP and the committee chair, Congressman Trey Gowdy, on the defensive both going into and during the hearings. So it came off a bit hypocritical to question Clinton on the political motivations of her own actions following the incident even as they insist their own ongoing hearings aren't.

A buddy of mine supports Clinton because she's now proven and become virtually bulletproof. Over the years (and decades), the GOP has thrown everything it has at both Hilary and Bill Clinton with little to show for it—it's clear they don't feel they can fight Clinton on the issues, so they have to go into the mud. While this impenetrability has been partly the result of expert political spin, there may be also voter fatigue at work. As much negative as the GOP has thrown at Clinton, she remains standing and has managed to even become the anointed frontrunner. These hearings and the continuing e-mail issue to which Bernie Sanders gave voice to most people's exasperation over the issue were additional tests of fire that only seem to strengthen Clinton's legitimacy as a presidential candidate.