Post #4210949

2026-07-29 19:47 UTC

I've testified on the Hill a bunch of times. Never under circumstances where I was the focus of delusional accusations, but I've been asked my share of moderately hostile or just plain dumb questions, because that's just how congress is. It's hard even when you're free to respond fully. Fauci's composure and resolve was exceptional.

Replies (2)

@mattblaze@federate.social 2026-07-29 19:59

Irony: Fauci's hearing today was in the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee, which is the parent committee of the Subcommittee on Investigations, which was where the Army-McCarthy hearings were held. Have they no sense of decency?

Open ##4210948
@karlauerbach@sfba.social 2026-07-29 20:02

@mattblaze@federate.social During one hearing, a Senator got uppity with me - he was very condescending. I found a good way to shut him down - essentially using the Crocodile Dundee style of topic expansion to reverse condescend - i.e. by using the ""that's not a knife - *this* is a knife" approach. He got really ticked off. But I didn't mind; he was a jerk anyway and I was glad when he washed out on his bid to be President. My approach to testifying was to do as much work as possible beforehand with congress-critter staff to make sure we are speaking the same language - which is especially important when the topic is technical (or medical). This same approach works well with journalists. Sometimes this preparation can take months or even years. (I once got my company's DC lobbyist really angry at me because I was getting better access to various Senators than he did.)

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