Do you think the House Democrats should boycott the Benghazi select committee or show up with air horns and silly string, or perhaps pumpkins and watermelons (a la Dan Burton)?
Are Silly String and air horns expressly forbidden by the rules of the Benghazi committee? Asking for a friend.
— David Waldman (@KagroX) May 7, 2014
I would be tempted to go full Bozo (and Bozo is a lovely person who makes children happy) but my red nose, orange hair and big shoes would not be good optics. The Republicans are the clowns. Outclowning them is bad optics IMO.
As for boycotting, I’m not sure what the downside would be. Is there any substantial reason for there to be a voice of reason present to challenge the Repubs on their nonsense? Maybe only one Dem needs to show. If given fair speaking time for the caucus, that might be a good optic:
Repubs are so silly, it only takes one Dem to fend off the lies.
Studies show, children generally dislike clowns.
Republicans get media attention and sympathy for going Bozo. Democrats get lectured about propriety.
That would just encourage the Republicans to self-righteously play the “Four Dead Americans” card. They can exploit the deaths for political gain, but Dems had better not be dismissive, because it’s disrespectful. IOKIYAR.
They should show up wearing Guy Fawkes masks.
Or bring vuvuzelas!
All of the Democratic Party members in the House of Representatives should have nothing to do with this Benghazi fiasco.
Instead numerous press conferences should be called to bring out:
The cost of this type of committee and what as already been spent of Benghazi.
The numerous attacks during the Bush Administration.
The GOP blocking Unemployment benefits.
The cost of over 50 times to end ACA.
The waste of public funds by the GOP on bogus committees.
They should bring stuff to the hearings to set the stage. Large tubs of pop corn or big boxes of Cracker Jacks. Orville Redenbacher freshly microwaved and opened just as the hearing starts to put that circus aroma in the air. Cheap cell phones with circus music ringtones. If the Dems get to ask the witnesses questions….they should be sure to slide in a clown joke.
No, sir horns are right out. The Republicans would think it was a call to prayer.
Cow bells, on the other hand…
I’m with Geov. Needs more cow bell.
Since the media is mostly in the tank for conservatives, the Democrats need to be there. A boycott won’t get reported, and then the Republican take on the hearings is all that will get aired. Also, the witnesses will need some support. It’s hard to keep your cool when everybody else speaking is an enemy trying to rattle you.
Best would be for the Democrats to show up and spend every question highlighting the kangaroo court nature of the proceding. Ask the witnesses about how strange it is that similar situations have never been shown before, ask about the Republicans misrepresenting statements, ask about the existence of classified info the investigation may reveal (like the informants who got outed), ask about how many resources have been wasted, etc.
Some staged mockery may be useful too.
no. they should not attend
A simple dollar clock, along the lines of the “deficit clocks” the Republicans love so much, should do nicely. While the committee wastes money, the clock can add a visual element to remind everyone how quickly our window is going down the drain in that room.
That’s how you do political theater in this era.
History points out the need for the Democrats to engage, viz., the Soviets walked out of the UN Security Council in protest to the Communist Chinese not having a UN seat as opposed to Nationalist China.
A few months later the Security Council voted to intercede in Korea, which would have never happened since the USSR had veto power in the Security Council.
It might be fun if the Overpass Light Brigade showed up outside.
The Republicans are virtually hanging themselves day after day after day.
The last thing the Democrats should do is get in their way.
Don’t attend the hearings or take part in them, and let the Republicans run that clown car all by themselves.
Please proceed, House Republicans.
(Showing up in clown suits or making fools of themselves would be the most stupid thing they could do. Don’t show up, don’t be clowns. Republicans are the clowns.)
We should show up with serious questions exposing the complete hypocrisy of the investigation. We should also defend the administration witnesses who are compelled to testify. This will get more airtime than empty chairs will.