Read these words below to know all you need to know about the live testimony today of former special counsel Robert Mueller on Wednesday on Capitol Hill.
Mueller wrapped up his first appearance this morning; his second appearance is occurring this afternoon.
Said Chris Wallace of Fox News about Mueller’s appearance, “I had to laugh a little bit when you just talked about the testimony by Robert Mueller, because I think ‘testimony’ has to be put in quotes. It really hasn’t been much testimony.”
“Frankly, I think you [the other commentators] both have been very kind. I think this has been a disaster for the Democrats.”
“And I think it’s been a disaster for the reputation of Robert Mueller. He has seemed very uncertain with his brief … He doesn’t seem to know things that are in the report. He’s been attacked a number of times and you would think that almost anybody else would have defended his own integrity and the integrity of the investigation and over and over. [Yet] Mueller just sits silent and allows the attacks from the Republicans to sweep over him and says nothing.”
“Mueller just sits silent and allows the attacks from the Republicans to sweep over him and says nothing.”
Added Wallace, “I think it does raise questions about the degree to which he was actually in charge of and in control of this report because he doesn’t seem very much in control or charge of what the final report was. I should say whether he was in charge of the investigation — because he doesn’t seem in charge of what the report actually says.”
President Donald Trump, quick to react, tweeted this out:
“This has been a disaster for the Democrats and a disaster for the reputation of Robert Mueller.” Chris Wallace @FoxNews
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 24, 2019
Conservative commentator, radio show host and writer Wayne Dupree noted bluntly of the appearance, “Mueller looked like a doddering old fool, slumped over his desk. ‘What was the question?’ ‘What did you say?’ ‘You can read it.’ ‘Can you repeat that?'”
Bret Baier of Fox News said of the morning’s testimony, “It was halting and slow and painful.”
He added, “If Democrats wanted this to be about the movie, it was sometimes not a great narrative to watch.”
CNN’s David Axelrod noted, “This is very, very painful.”
This is very, very painful.
— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) July 24, 2019
He later added this comment on his Twitter feed: “Not a commentary on the content. The report is damning. That was reenforced today. He [Mueller] has been an exemplary public servant, as people are both sides attested, but he clearly was struggling today and that was painful.”
And look at this comment from MSNBC’s Ari Melber: “Bob Mueller’s testimony today was not assertive, let alone aggressive. Bob Mueller’s grasp and presentation of the underlying facts … was not very detailed. It didn’t build in the way some had hoped.”
"Bob Mueller's testimony today was not assertive, let alone aggressive. Bob Mueller's grasp and presentation of the underlying facts … was not very detailed. It didn't build in the way some had hoped." – @AriMelber pic.twitter.com/ygmv2PURyR
— TheBeat w/Ari Melber (@TheBeatWithAri) July 24, 2019
As the Republican National Committee pointed out in a message this morning, Mueller stressed that the evidence “did not establish” any conspiracy with Russia by the Trump campaign.
Mueller also showed that his investigation was never curtailed, stopped, or hindered at any time by anyone — “and Mueller even shut down Democrat Hakeem Jeffries’ allegation of obstruction, explaining, ‘I’m not supportive of that analytical charge.'”
For its part, Politico made this observation: “Mueller also noted that despite 10 potential instances of obstruction of justice, ‘based on Justice Department policy and principles of fairness, we decided we would not make a determination as to whether the president committed a crime.'”
See these other reactions — then share your own thoughts below.
Question: Did you write even one paragraph of the Mueller Report?
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) July 24, 2019
Much as I hate to say it, this morning’s hearing was a disaster. Far from breathing life into his damning report, the tired Robert Mueller sucked the life out of it. The effort to save democracy and the rule of law from this lawless president has been set back, not advanced.
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) July 24, 2019
NPR on Mueller: ‘He’s not on top of his game ‘
— Paul Bedard (@SecretsBedard) July 24, 2019
“Where’s the rest of it?” https://t.co/MU2NpoF8n0
— Conservative Review (@CR) July 24, 2019
Rep. Louie Gohmert: "You hired a bunch of people who did not like the President. Now, let me ask you, when did you first learn of Peter Strzok's animus towards Donald Trump?"
Robert Mueller: "In summer of 2017."#MuellerHearings https://t.co/z9QXddIQh9 pic.twitter.com/FmcMIH9Ip2
— The Hill (@thehill) July 24, 2019
This article has been updated.
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