The Chairman of the House Oversight Committee Elijah Cummings made a plea during his closing remarks that you should listen to if you didn’t hear it.  Cummings has had his share of health challenges the last few years, but the 68-year-old Baltimore Democrat gave an impassioned closing argument that brought the witness to tears and most of the media writing about it the next day.

First of all, he acknowledged Michael Cohen’s criminal behavior and told him the day before, “If you lie, I will nail you to the cross.”  He mentioned that in his closing.  Yet, unlike the Republicans on the Committee, he didn’t to shame the disgraced lawyer.  Rather, he showed empathy.  Here’s part of what he had to say:

“Let me tell you the picture that really, really pained me. You were leaving the prison, you were leaving the courthouse, and, I guess it’s your daughter, had braces or something on. Man that thing, man that thing hurt me. As a father of two daughters, it hurt me. And I can imagine how it must feel for you. But I’m just saying to you — I want to first of all thank you. I know that this has been hard. I know that you’ve faced a lot. I know that you are worried about your family. But this is a part of your destiny. And hopefully this portion of your destiny will lead to a better, a better, a better Michael Cohen, a better Donald Trump, a better United States of America, and a better world. And I mean that from the depths of my heart.”

It would have been easier to kick Cohen when he’s down or call out the Republicans for their antics but he chose the high road and in my opinion SHOWED all of us how to be better.  As Americans, we have the capacity to show empathy and compassion, forgive our enemies, and invite others who don’t share our views to dialogue.  That’s what makes America great.