Union Pub is packed with people watching the Comey testimony… and waiting for Trump to tweet. (Photo by Becky Little)

By DCist contributor Becky Little

Throngs of Washingtonians flocked to the city’s bars this morning, which opened early and offered up a host of specials to watch fired FBI Director James Comey give testimony before the Senate intelligence committee. Over at Union Pub, which promised free drinks whenever Trump tweets, the crowd is a mix of people who believe they’re watching our generation’s Watergate and others who are waiting to get drunk off the president’s Twitter ravings (there’s even a screen showing his feed live). So far, no dice. But the day is young. Becky Little is on the scene.

9:50 a.m.: Oh my god. There are TV stations outside and the bar is already packed. Trump hasn’t tweeted about Comey yet, but weirdly, the GOP already did yesterday.

10:05 a.m.: It’s standing room only at the bar. Union Pub just went from roaringly loud to silent as the hearings begin.

10:10 a.m.: A young husband and wife at the bar said they skipped work to be here and watch a part of history. The wife thinks this is the Watergate of her lifetime. Comey still hasn’t spoken, Trump still hasn’t tweeted, and everyone seems to be waiting for the drama to start.

10:15 a.m.: A woman said she took the day off to come here because “it’s the most D.C. thing you can do.” She doesn’t want to give her name because she’s skipping work—actually, most people seem to not want to give their name because they’re skipping work. As Comey begins to speak, people cheer and take pictures of the TV screen (which is turned to Fox News, for some reason).

10:20 a.m.: Huge laughs at the bar when Comey said that he first saw the news he was fired on television.

10:22 a.m.: There are cheers and “awws” when Comey said he was sad to leave his colleagues. One or two people mumble at the bar that they’ll miss him (?)

10:30 a.m.: A man named Tsolmondorj Natsagdorj said that he came here today “to get f*cked up for free.” He added that “I was hoping that my boy Trump would do me dirty” by tweeting so he could get a free drink. Natsagdorj said he canceled three meetings to be here today. So far, his boy Trump has not come through.

10:36 a.m.: The bar exploded with laughter when Comey said he felt compelled to write a memo about Trump because the meeting was so unusual.

10:41 a.m.: One of the bartenders said that the bar had some beer reps come in earlier today to help stock up in case Trump tweets. He predicted the patrons may earn one or two rounds on the house before the testimony is over.

10:44 a.m.: Huge laugh when Comey said he started taking notes when Trump dismissed Sessions and Kushner because “I knew something was about to happen that I needed to pay very close attention to.” A lot of people really DO NOT want to talk about why they’re here and whether they’re skipping work. Dudes standing by the window reluctantly admit that they’re here today because they’re hoping to get free drinks.

10:57 a.m.: Huge laughs again when Comey said “Lordy, l hope there are tapes.” One woman at the bar said she didn’t expect this to be so funny. “I expected it to be more boring.” She hopes that important information comes out during the testimony, but in the meantime “it’s like a telenovela.”

11:10 a.m.: Two dudes in suits said that they’re “supposed to be at a different hearing right now,” but they’re skipping to watch this at the bar. Obviously, neither would give their names. “Being at a bar is better than being at work,” one of them said. The other, pointing at a TV screen displaying Trump’s tweets, said they are hoping to get some free drinks.

11:13 a.m.: The sound went out on the TV for a few seconds and everybody freaked out. Someone shouted, “Free drinks?”

11:18 a.m.: Another guy who doesn’t want to give his name joked that he came here because he “thought this was game four of the NBA finals.” Asked if he’s disappointed that he hasn’t gotten a free drink yet, he replied, “I kind of knew he wasn’t gonna tweet because I think he’s giving a speech right now.” Someone else mentioned that Trump might be giving a speech, but no one seems to know for sure. [editor’s note: the president is reportedly watching with a small group of lawyers and advisers]

11:25 a.m.: Susan Klau, a recent graduate of American University, said she’s here because the Comey testimony has been “hyped up for so long,” and “only in D.C.” would she get to attend an event like this. Regarding the clear entertainment that the other people in the bar are getting out of this, she said that Comey and the senators know what they’re doing—they’re playing to the crowd. But “beyond the laugh lines, I wanna be here to see what [Comey] has to say,” she added.

11:41 a.m.: Comey said he had to break a date with his wife to have dinner with Trump. Entire room goes “Awwwww.” Then Comey said he wished that he’d spent the night with his wife instead of Trump and everyone cheered.

11:46 a.m.: There are actually a fair amount of recent college graduates here. Or maybe it’s just that they’re more willing to talk about themselves because they don’t have jobs that they’re skipping to be here. Rebeca Berger, another recent American University grad, said she came today because she was “kind of curious who would be here.” She’s less surprised that so many people showed up, more surprised that she got so close to the bar. She’s been refreshing her phone the whole time hoping to see a tweet from Trump.

11:57 a.m.: Someone just shouted “guys, listen to this shit!” The bar had been getting noisy as, obviously, people were getting tipsy. People are quiet now, focused back on the TV screens.

12:02 p.m.: Overheard about Trump: “I think he’s giving a speech right now but his son is tweeting a bunch.” Just checked to see if it was Donald Jr. or Eric—looks like it’s both. [editor’s note: this does not trigger the free drink deal]

12:08 p.m.: The serious listeners are trying to get the crowd to shut up again. One dude shouted: “Free impeachment hearings, listen to ‘em!”

12:23 p.m.: One woman, Melissa Jackson, said that she came here today to see everyone’s reactions. “I think this is known as a bipartisan kind of spot, although it seems pretty liberal at the moment,” she said. And she’s right. If there are any Trumpers here, they’re keeping to themselves.

12:30 p.m.: More noise drama. Someone yelled, “Shut up everybody! You’re here for a reason!” There have been several reporters making their way through the crowd all day, but some people have been shunning their questions because they really are here to sit quietly and watch the show.

12:35 p.m.: Everyone is confused by John McCain’s questions. One guy shouted to the louder patrons: “McCain is making an ass of himself, listen!”

12:38 p.m.: People clapped when the moderator told McCain, “Senator your time has expired.” One woman said of McCain’s shenanigans, “that was very very weird—I wasn’t expecting that.”

12:41 p.m.: Comey stood up to exit and the room applauded. Still no tweets from Trump. One woman pointed to his tweets from yesterday on the screen and said “that is so scripted … I know he didn’t write that.”

12:45 p.m.: Union Pub is buying a round on the house anyway! The Twitter screen is now displaying a gif of Oprah giving everyone a car, and a bartender is walking around handing bottles of Budweiser (recently re-branded America) to everyone. Oh, and another bartender is walking around with a tray of free shots. Happy #ComeyDay.

This post has been updated. Watch Comey’s testimony here.

Filed Under: comey, james comey, testimony,