[Big_Monkey]

"But just imagine a public hearing and the Jack Nicholson “you can’t handle the truth moment”. The one where some Bush official or military officials lays out what doing nothing to KSM would have led to. Then follows it up by pointing to the members of the committee who were fully briefed on the interrogation methods.

You assume that moment would be televised. I'll wager that the damaging information will be unclassified, while the exculpatory testimoney will be labeled "classified" and as such will be given during closed-door sessions. The GOP has no power. They don't control the hearing procedures in the House nor the Senate.

[Numbers Guy]

You raise good points. I do think that the Democrats overestimate the public’s acceptance of their view—and will want to try to publicly humiliate Bush. They had control of both houses in 1987 yet still thought public hearings were the way to go, then North basically blew them away.

We shall see of course . . .