Mueller testimony: Did it really leave you any wiser?

Mueller's carefully chosen words in response to the various questions posed to him did nothing to advance the cause of pro-impeachment Democrats.

Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller finally testified yesterday before the House Judiciary and Intelligence Committees in the US about his report into Russian election interference and President Donald Trump. And while the testimony was ongoing, the US president was, as expected, tweeting out about how Mueller was lying about not applying for the job of the FBI director, apparently in a bid to undermine the testimony as coming from a person who wasn't being completely honest.

"It has been reported that Robert Mueller is saying that he did not apply and interview for the job of FBI Director (and get turned down) the day before he was wrongfully appointed Special Counsel. Hope he doesn't say that under oath in that we have numerous witnesses to the interview, including the Vice President of the United States!" Trump tweeted as the Mueller testimony was underway. At the end of the day, however, Mueller's testimony did not categorically lift the veil of mystery surrounding whether or not there was collusion with the Russians or obstruction of justice, something that Trump has harped on for long now.

Mueller's carefully chosen words in response to the various questions posed to him did nothing to advance the cause of pro-impeachment Democrats. Mueller was deliberate but not definite in his answers. He did, however, reiterate that he did "not exonerate" the US president despite the latter's claims to the contrary but went on to once again say, just like he has on numerous occasions, that "it is not my purview". Answering in monosyllables, Mueller was a master of omission and did not divulge anything much more than what his 448-page redacted report had earlier offered.

However, Mueller did once again say that Trump can be charged for obstruction of justice after he leaves the office and also answered in the affirmative when asked if Trump had asked staff to falsify records relevant to an ongoing investigation. "I would say that's generally a summary," is how he answered it. This, in a nutshell, was how his testimony went. Inconclusive. Just like his redacted report. Didn't leave us any wiser, did it? I would say that's