The reason Schiff starts off the hearings with long opening statements and ends the hearings with long closing statements is to set the narrative for the media, which dutifully regurgitates it. The reason he set the rules to give him and his chief counsel the first 45-minutes of every hearing, is again to set the narrative for the media, which dutifully regurgitate what comes of it. And the reason Schiff takes a “short break” after his 45-minute period is completed is so he can hold forth with the press outside the committee room, once again setting the narrative that the media dutifully regurgitate.
