This archive report was first published on 13 November 2019.
Impeachment Hearing: A Historic Moment Unfolds ¶
As the nation prepares for the first public impeachment hearing, Democrats and Republicans are busy rehearsing their lines and perfecting their scripts. The hearing, set to take place on Wednesday, marks a significant moment in American history, with the House Intelligence Committee poised to grill key witnesses in the impeachment inquiry.
According to sources, Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee began a marathon prep session on Tuesday afternoon, meticulously working through question scripts in a secure office that had been repurposed as a rehearsal room. Meanwhile, Republicans were busy prepping their own lines, with Representative Kevin McCarthy, the top House Republican, joining them for a time.
As the hearing approaches, television critics are weighing in on the significance of the modern media environment in shaping public opinion. James Poniewozik, our television critic, notes that the impeachment hearings have become a dramatic reading of material that's already come out in the press, with the moral verdict on President Trump's actions taking center stage.
With the hearing set to be broadcast live on television, the nation will be watching as Democrats and Republicans clash over the fate of the President. But as James Poniewozik points out, the fragmentation of our experience of public life means that people may be getting their hearing news from different sources, from cable news to social media feeds.
