The Senate testimony of James Comey has inarguably been good for some Senators, and painfully embarrassing for others. But nobody, it seems, more confused the Americans watching than John McCain, with a lengthy, rambling closing questioning of Comey.
McCain, who’s criticized Trump in the past, seemed overly fixated on Hillary Clinton’s email server, and confused as to why Comey saw that case as finished in July, but that the investigation into Trump’s potential ties to Russia is still ongoing. In fact, McCain seemed to imply, bizarrely, that he was confused as to why Clinton wasn’t a person of interest in this investigation as well, despite being the target of the hacking. And that, in turn, confused everybody else watching:
Everyone listening to Mcain: pic.twitter.com/QR4RnU2u1C
— Trevor Noah (@Trevornoah) June 8, 2017
https://twitter.com/jasondashbailey/status/872855309328556032
Is this McCain line of questioning as cringe-inducing for everyone as it is for me?
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) June 8, 2017
strangest thing I've ever seen from John McCain
— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) June 8, 2017
Senator McCain has in essence just asked why Comey didn't prosecute Clinton for helping the Russians get Trump elected.
— Keith Olbermann⌚️ (@KeithOlbermann) June 8, 2017
Still trying to figure out what McCain was trying to accomplish with his questions #ComeyTestimony pic.twitter.com/U3kJvwOIr5
— Caitlyn (@TheSunOlake) June 8, 2017
https://twitter.com/AndrewHusband/status/872854541124997120
How is two investigations ending at different times this confusing for John McCain? #ComeyDay
— Adam Tod Brown (@adamtodbrown) June 8, 2017
[mccain looking at an omelette] how can these eggs be cooked while there are other eggs in the kitchen that are uncooked? i am confused
— Bob Vulfov (@bobvulfov) June 8, 2017
I always suspected that Clintion was conspiring with the Russians to lose her own campaign for President Comey, thanks Mr. McCain
— DansGaming (@Dansgaming) June 8, 2017
The confusion is reasonable. Comey was asked about the Hillary Clinton investigation multiple times in the course of a hearing ostensibly about Russian interference with the 2016 election and potential ties between the Trump administration and the Russian government, but McCain’s line of questioning seems to have confused the two separate events as part of the same thing. Hopefully, in the closed session Comey is now heading into, the line of questioning will be more clear, and Comey can offer the committee more information.