The formidable Mike Pompeo testified Wednesday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Pompeo gave a powerful and informative opening statement, but from then on, the hearing devolved into a three-hour circus to behold.  Apparently, not one of the Democrats sitting there heard that opening statement.  Instead, each and every Democrat, when he got his chance to question Pompeo, made a complete and utter fool of himself.

Clearly, Pompeo has a lot of I.Q. points on all of them.  They asked their questions as accusations, especially regarding Trump's sit-down with Putin in Helsinki.  When they did not like the beginning of an answer, they rudely interrupted to make certain Pompeo was unable to finish.

It drives them crazy that they have not been provided a transcript for exactly what was said between the two leaders.  They never cared, however, when Obama had private meetings with other leaders or when he quite literally sold America out to them off or on a hot mic. 

Despite the many facts to the contrary, each Democrat senator accused Trump of being soft on Russia when in truth it was Obama who was pathetically soft on Russia.  (It was Clinton who colluded with Russia to take Trump down and out.)  Obama knew of Russian attempts at cyber-meddling in our elections but told investigators to stand down.  He knew that their feeble Facebook attempts could not, would not affect the outcome. 

Each Democrat accused Trump of "confusing the public and our allies."  They now quote and believe the thoroughly propagandistic Russian press, which implied that Trump caved to Putin.  Pompeo got a chuckle out of that one. 

Pompeo patiently answered each Democrat's repetitive questions and accusations; he answered the same questions the same way over and over again.  Repeatedly, the Democrats on the committee refused to hear.  They loathe President Trump for winning, and their contempt for him oozes out of their mouths with every derogatory word.

The amusing aspect to their performances is the obvious fact that they think they are so smart, smarter than Pompeo and smarter than Trump.  What is true is that the lot of them on the committee are rather dimwitted by comparison to this president and this secretary of state.  If people doubted this, they do not any longer if they watched the hearing yesterday.

Senators Menendez, Cardin, Shaheen, Coons, Udall, Murphy, Kaine, Markey, Merkley, and Booker embarrassed themselves.  They refused to acknowledge Trump's toughness on Russia, no matter how many times Pompeo listed all such actions taken, two hundred and sixteen of them.  They interrupted Pompeo constantly.

New Jersey's Menendez was particularly uncivil, as though he is some paragon of ethical behavior.  Like mean-girl cliques in middle school, Menendez & Company cannot abide that they do not know every word spoken between Trump and Putin in Helsinki.  Menendez badgered Pompeo relentlessly without letting him speak.  He rejected any answer that did not conform to his preconceived, imaginary notion of what occurred there.

New Jersey's Senator Booker was particularly unintelligible.  It is doubtful anyone understood what he went on and on about.  Who knew that the word "adoptions" is code for "sanctions"?  The others just rudely asked the same questions over and over and over again.

Their demands to hear from the interpreter and to see her notes were just silly.  Since when are they entitled to absolute knowledge of private meetings of the president?  Each of them ignored or belittled Trump's success with North Korea.  "Where's the evidence?" one bleated.  How about that no missiles have been launched by the Norks?  Not one since the Singapore summit was set. 

The Republicans were at least polite and respectful, even complimentary to the secretary of state, but none of them raised a challenge to their insolent Democrat counterparts.  Not one.  They are too polite, too afraid to defend Trump and Pompeo, despite all they have accomplished.  This was a wishy-washy bunch of Republicans.  The Dems were angry and insulting.  The Pubs were barely there.

No matter in the end; Pompeo was masterful.  He actually knows things and can explain them.  By the end, it is fair to say that nearly every senator in the room acquitted himself poorly.  There is not one star among them, not one real leader.

The Democrats were all nags.  The Republicans were all cowards.  Pompeo, however, was a bright light.  Never, over the eight years of the Obama administration, was there even one Cabinet member as brilliant or impressive as Pompeo.  Trump chose this man wisely.

Who were they?

• Bob Menendez, New Jersey, Ranking Member
• Ben Cardin, Maryland
• Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire
• Chris Coons, Delaware
• Tom Udall, New Mexico
• Chris Murphy, Connecticut
• Tim Kaine, Virginia
• Ed Markey, Massachusetts
• Jeff Merkley, Oregon
• Cory Booker, New Jersey

Full video of the hearing via C-SPAN 3: