Hi, this is Justin and I'm traveling with my partner across the country with

three cats, a dog and a bird. You're listening to the MPR Politics podcast, which

was recorded at... I can hear the cats. It's two or three Eastern on Tuesday,

September 14th. Things may have changed by the time you listen to this. Hopefully,

our animals have forgiven us for moving them. All right, here's the show.

Mara, do you think the cats and the birds need breaks too or just the dog and

the people? I don't know. No, I think cats need breaks. I don't know, cats are so

much more durable. Maybe they could just drive across the country in one sitting.

Who knows, their mysteries to me. I don't want to find out. Hey there, it's the

MPR Politics podcast. I'm Scott Tetrow, I come from the White House. I'm Mara

Lias and National Political Correspondent. And Secretary of State Anthony Blinken,

maybe would have preferred to drive across the country with three cats, the bird,

and a dog over the past two days. He was testifying before Congress this morning

and yesterday on the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. And I say that because it

was a tough crowd. Michelle Kalamant covers the State Department and diplomacy for

NPR. Hey, Michelle. Hi there. So usually these things have a very predictable

pattern. Your own party gives you softballs to the point where often I will just

tune out of a hearing I'm following when it's the own party asking questions.

And you get tough questions from the other side. This one was really different.

Let me turn to the focus of today's hearing was the Secretary, the execution of

the US withdrawal was clearly and fatally flawed. This committee expects to

receive a full explanation of the administration's decisions on Afghanistan

...