Why Angry Old Men Calling a Meeting to Yell at a Woman Is Always a Spectacular Failure

[progressoid]

Twice in recent weeks, we’ve gotten to watch hotly anticipated Congressional hearings, in which mostly male Republican members got the chance to grill powerful women who had upset them. In both cases, those members of Congress ended up looking like damn fools. How’d that happen?

There are lots of good reasons why neither the #Benghazi squad yelling at Hillary Clinton nor the House Oversight Committee yelling at Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards worked out particularly well for Congress. Some of it stems from the fact that both hearings were show trials, a purely partisan effort to show the folks back home how erectly principled their conservative principles are. But there’s also a visual, theatrical reason: watching a body composed predominantly of white men shout at, interrupt, and harangue a dignified, composed woman has always been a bad look, and in 2015, it’s one the public will no longer accept.

...

For someone who just wants to get to the truth, Jordan spent much of his time interrupting Clinton, spinning out a lengthy conspiracy theory that Clinton deliberately hid what she knew about the attack.

In one of the most-Vined moments of the hearing, Clinton tried a few times to respond, then eventually just sat back and just looked at him with a weary smile while he sputtered

Then, when he finally piped down, she went in, calmly and deliberately, while Jordan looked at his notes, at the audience, at his lap, anywhere but at Clinton. She started by icily offering to send him a copy of her memoir so he could familiarize himself what she’d actually done in the days and weeks following the attack. Then, and not for the last time that day, she accused him of impugning the reputations of military and intelligence personnel who responded and investigated.

more...
http://theslot.jezebel.com/why-angry-old-men-calling-a-meeting-to-yell-at-a-woman-1738194096

[PatrickforO]

1. They looked like bullies.

Most Americans don't like watching someone be bullied. We root for the underdog. We hope the tables turn. We have an irrational believe that good will win, that the truth will prevail.

That's why the Benghazi witch hunt has backfired so badly.

[emulatorloo]

2. And she stood up to them.

[drmeow]

8. They are bullies

but this time the American people got to see it.

[Smarmie Doofus]

3. That may be generally true, but ......

...were any of the 'angry old men' older than Clinton?

[yeoman6987]

4. Actually no.

[napi21]

5. Is that a problem for you?

Truthfully, I'd have never thought to insert age into this debacle. If you insist, then I will say the experiened woman showed them all just who is in control and the winner of their show.

[Smarmie Doofus]

6. Read the headline. n/t

[NBachers]

9. That sure is a great point you make there, dude. Tell me, where you going with this?

Three Gowdy, is that you?

Living up to your name, I give you credit for that.