A Word from the President/ Un mot de la présidente

Abstract

At the end of July, Robert Mueller testified to Congress about the content of his report, filed earlier on the question of foreign interference in the 2016 American presidential election. He was not eager to testify. His report was complete, and there was nothing else to say. Nevertheless, he proceeded to answer questions – hostile and friendly ones, well-informed questions and some completely out of left field – for seven hours.

It was, according to widespread reports in the media, a poor performance. Why? Because it wasn’t entertaining. Because he didn’t say anything more than he had said in the report itself. Because there was no spectacle, at least not of Mueller’s making. 2 Because, to paraphrase Juvenal, his testimony provided bread but not a circus.