Armed with their best political-pun drinking games, Americans have descended upon the nation’s bars today, aware that it’d be a serious error to watch James Comey’s testimony unfold completely sober. Understanding the high stakes, many bars have extended really stellar day-drinking specials. One of the most celebrated was at Union Pub on Capitol Hill, a watering hole that promised free shots every time Trump tweets. Sadly, the joke’s been on them today — media report that the president has sworn off Twitter for the former FBI director’s entire hearing. So the mood’s probably a little somber there, but bar-goers seem to be treating the viewing parties elsewhere as can’t-miss extravaganzas.
Shaw’s Tavern, a Beltway bar throwing a “Comey Hearing Covfefe” with Russian vodka specials, had to put up rope and stanchions like it’s the district’s hottest dance club:
CNN’s Jake Tapper, meanwhile, says all the cool political-scandal observers are doing shots and ambulance chasers at the famed Beltway bar Hung Jury:
For many patrons both in and out of the Beltway, though, this is about more than just a few good laughs and a round of Impeach-mint Juleps:
Still, it’s hard to beat the commitment level of people tuning in on the West Coast, where there’s a three-hour time difference. Ryan Mac, a San Francisco BuzzFeed reporter who started livetweeting and slamming Smirnoff-spiked chocolate milk in his local bar at the literal crack of dawn, found he was in good company:
