Reporting!

Weird, I know, but it looks like Mike O'Hanlon's testifying before a House subcommittee in a bit, so I think I'll head over.

Comments

You should do more of this, considering the access you have.

Posted by Fred | July 31, 2007 12:57 PM

I'm not sure how valuable showing up is as opposed to just reading the transcripts.

Posted by Matthew Yglesias | July 31, 2007 1:03 PM

I'm not sure how valuable showing up is as opposed to just reading the transcripts.

Yeah but you get to feel more like an insider.

Too Many Steves click my link.

Posted by Freddie | July 31, 2007 1:09 PM

"I'm not sure how valuable showing up is as opposed to just reading the transcripts."

There's the opportunity for heckling, should the mood strike you.

Posted by Njorl | July 31, 2007 1:11 PM

Thanks, Freddie, that's more detail than I had read before on the Taliban thing. I'm still not sure whether the anti-opium money went to the Taliban, or through the NGO channels we were using to get aid to Afghans.

Posted by too many steves | July 31, 2007 1:15 PM

I'm not sure how valuable showing up is as opposed to just reading the transcripts.

Just one more argument in favor of a more Westminster-style parliamentary government. The British House of Commons always rocks that shit. If George Galloway is any indication, even subcommittee testimonies are a blast.

Posted by sangfroid826 | July 31, 2007 1:29 PM

There's the opportunity for heckling, should the mood strike you.

Exactly. Since O'Hanlon will be lying continually - after all, anybody who says there is any chance whatsoever that the surge works must be lying - Matthew has ample opportunity to simply shout "liar!" every time O'Hanlon lies. Right?

Posted by Al | July 31, 2007 1:33 PM

Al:
When did you decide to join the reality based community?

Posted by Joe Klein's conscience | July 31, 2007 1:46 PM

"I'm not sure how valuable showing up is as opposed to just reading the transcripts."

I was assuming you might actually get to talk to someone while there -- perhaps a Senate staffer or someone? More generally, you are a prominent national blogger living in D.C., so I imagine you could get face time with some folks at foreign embassies, government officials, etc. Maybe I'm way off base here, but it seems like a guy with your hook-ups could do more fact-finding and less speculating than the rest of us.

Posted by Fred | July 31, 2007 2:47 PM

Anyone read Chait on Yglessias on Pollack/O'hannlon?

http://www.tnr.com/blog/the_plank?pid=130241

Ouch.

Posted by Dave | July 31, 2007 4:05 PM