Gen. David Petraeus waited to testify on Capitol Hill, where the microphones weren't working at the start. AP Photo by Susan Walsh
by Mark Silva
After months of anticipation for the testimony of Army Gen. David Petraeus on Capitol Hill, and more than a half-hour of sonorous speeches in preface from leaders of the two House committees hearing his testimony today, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq opened with a defeaning silence.
The microphones weren’t working at the tables of either Petraeus or U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker, helplessly facing the House committees with a slow shaking of their heads.
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) warned at the start of the hearing that the acoustics in this Capitol hearing room were poor. But he had no idea that the House staff had failed to complete one of the basic checklists for any bar-room rock band – a sound check.
The voices of protesters in the hearing room were heard at the start – and Skelton had them evicted from the room – but the voices of Petraeus and Crocker had to hold while a recess was called to retool the sound system --- “Testing…. Testing….’’
“Out they go,’’ Skelton said of the vociferous protesters in the room. “Please remove the person making the disturbance.’’
“Those who are displaying a sign – out they go,’’ said Skelton. “This is a very serious hearing, we’re not about to have this nonsense… How we doing with the microphone?’’
Not so well.
“Are we fixed yet?’’ Skelton asked after several minutes of failed tries of the mics.
“I’m told it will take five minutes to fix the microphone,’’ he said at 1:22 pm EDT. "We’ll take a five-minute break.''
And they did.
At 1:27 pm, the chairman called on the general:
“General, does it work?’’
“It does, Mr. Chairman,’’ said Petraeus, ending a 15-minute delay and recess in the hearing with the start of an afternoon of testimony and questions. “It is…'' the general said at the start, "possible to achieve our objectives in Iraq…’’
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Comments
The same Democrat House that wants to run a war, can't get its own microphones working?
Posted by: Bruce | September 10, 2007 1:43 PM
Bruce,
Is that all you can really come up with? Lord help this Democracy Lost with people like you around.
Posted by: Paul | September 10, 2007 1:56 PM
Boo on the Democrats for lousy security. Not smart.
Posted by: David Ross | September 10, 2007 2:02 PM
A "defeaning" silence? That's a new word to me and to Merriam-Webster. Now I'm curious as to what you meant. Whatever. General Petreus deserves another star and a battle ribbon for having to deal with the know-nothing Democrats on the committee.
Posted by: Monroe | September 10, 2007 2:05 PM
A "defeaning" silence? That's a new word to me and to Merriam-Webster. Now I'm curious as to what you meant. Whatever. General Petreus deserves another star and a battle ribbon for having to deal with the know-nothing Democrats on the committee.
Posted by: Monroe | September 10, 2007 2:05 PM
Allardice,
You're a one man GOP propaganda machine, did they give you a brown shirt yet?
Knock yourself out, RNC Brucie!
Posted by: John E | September 10, 2007 2:10 PM
Allardice,
You're a one man GOP propaganda machine, did they give you a brown shirt yet?
Knock yourself out, RNC Brucie!
Posted by: John E | September 10, 2007 2:10 PM
More, unadulterated crap from the Crapper-in-Chief, John E.
Posted by: John D | September 10, 2007 2:47 PM
The Republicans are beyond empty, they stand for nothing but invective and robbing us blind. They have zero to show for 7 years in teh White House except gross arrogance after Katrina and beyond stupidity after 9/11 in going into a third country having nothing to do with it, lying and cajoling and full of it all teh way. It is hilarious Republicans and how they can't state one positive thing about the White House and its policies. People who can still support this bilge from their side are far worse than anyone who supported Clinton through Monica.
If they can't se this, that tehy are a complete joke which history will laugh at if not ignore, well, they are even denser than I give them credit for.
The Democrats are innefective but tehyw ouldn't have let people float dead after Katrina. Liberals are wishy washy, not radical leftists like you parroting quacks say all the time. Grow up and go read something intelligent and truthful for a whil and stop clogging the internet up with your dumbass ridiculous double talk and nonsense
Posted by: Paul Luchter | September 10, 2007 2:56 PM
What message is God trying to tell us by turning off the microphones at such an important hearing?
Posted by: Evangelical Joe | September 10, 2007 3:33 PM
I seem to have heard that after Pearl Harbor the first major US Army battle occured in Africa. At least this president didn't attack a third continent. Did Algeria have ties to Japan?
As to the aftermath of Katrina don't forget God helps those who help themselves. Since it's not PC to say many in N.O. may be lazy, blame God.
Posted by: whatnow | September 10, 2007 3:40 PM
"I seem to have heard that after Pearl Harbor the first major US Army battle occured in Africa. At least this president didn't attack a third continent. Did Algeria have ties to Japan?"
whatnow-
Oh where to begin with your silliness...
All right, lets see the Invasion of North Africa took place in November 1942.
By that time the US had fought the battles in the Phillipines, the Battle of Coral Sea, the Battle of Midway and invaded Guadalcanal.
So you are in fact quite wrong that the invasion of North Africa was the first major battle after Pearl Harbor.
As to the invasion of North Africa, I'm sure that even your ignorance doesn't extend to the fact that we invaded North Africa to fight the Germans, who had declared war on us.
What does Katrina have to do with this, other than to give you the opportunity to use an "un-PC" stereotype?
Posted by: Tony | September 10, 2007 4:04 PM
I watched the entire hearing. All it turned out to be is the General feeding the panel with more bs and the typical argument between Dems and Reps. Nothing new. Oh and strange protesters in pink. lol
Posted by: GEN COBRA | September 11, 2007 12:15 AM