BloggeRhythms

Ordinarily, Charles Krauthammer comes across as one having a very clear and exceptionally rational understanding of the workings of DC, especially regarding the faults and foibles of the incumbent and his whole administration. Quite often, if not frequently, I concur fully with his analysis’ and interpretations. 

 

Nonetheless, I disagree with a conclusion he stated yesterday about a Republican led hearing regarding Benghazi, as follows: “These hearings are a big political risk for Republicans. Going into the 2014 election, they stand to benefit from the major issues — Obamacare, the economy, chronic unemployment — from which Benghazi hearings can only distract. Worse, if botched like previous hearings on the matter, these hearings could backfire against the GOP, as did the 1998 Clinton impeachment proceedings.”

 

As far as the major issues are concerned, Mr. Krauthammer's absolutely correct. These are glaring examples of Democrat failures and ineptitude. But so is Benghazi, as well. And from the way Mr. Krauthammer posed his premise, it seems to imply that Republican voters can’t focus on more than a few items at a time. However, I doubt that’s the case at all.

 

And simply for comparisons sake, looking at a similar situation, I refreshed my memory about Watergate, a case which Democrats absolutely refused to give up pursuing.   

 

According to Wikipedia this involved, “the burglary and illegal wiretapping of the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee in the Watergate complex by members of President Richard Nixon's re-election committee and subsequent abuse of powers by the president and administration officials to halt or hinder the investigation into the same.”

 

Now, without going into all the details, here’s a brief recap of the timeline:

 

September 3, 1971: "White House Plumbers" E. Howard Hunt, G. Gordon Liddy et al. break into the offices of Daniel Ellsberg's psychiatrist Lewis Fielding looking for material that might discredit Ellsberg, under the direction of John Ehrlichman or his staff within the White House. This was the Plumbers' first major operation.

 

March 4, 1974: "Watergate Seven" indicted

 

So, in this case, it took two and a half years to resolve the matter with thousands of hours invested by hordes of people collecting, reviewing and analyzing data. Then, eventually, the truth came out for which the guilty paid the price.

 

Consequently, it’s highly doubtful much can or will be lost by Republicans while the Benghazi investigation works in the background. And, just as important to people like Mr. Krauthammer, I’m sure he’ll be ecstatic when Bill Clinton’s wife is found complicit and incompetent from the start. 

 

That’s it for today folks.

 

Adios