It's clear to me that Fulbright was the instigator here, or he at least must have been in cahoots with the far left, and the vvaw, and other groups.
Sure - it was easy to notice how Fulbright and other Demos softballed the Q&A and were even accomidating towards kerry. They basically gave him a pass to make any claim, forward any allegation without hard scrutiny in return.
The times being as they were, the significance of this hearing flew right by most people's notice - particularly where kerry echoes almost word-for-word the North Vietnamese demands at the Paris talks.
Not so these days.