A Brady embrace for Clinton before Benghazi hearing

Hillary Clinton faced hours of contentious questioning by Republican members of the U.S. House Thursday.  But her long day started with a hug and a kiss from U.S. Rep. Bob Brady, chairman of the Philadelphia Democratic Party.

Brady later said he thought Clinton would like to see "a real friendly face" before her testimony started.

"I said I'm here to give you some moral support and a kiss," Brady said he told Clinton when he hugged her as she entered the hearing. "She said 'They're going to keep trying to discredit me but the truth is the truth.'"

Clinton, the Democratic front-runner for president and former secretary of state, was grilled about the 2012 Benghazi terrorism attacks that killed the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other Americans.

Brady, the force behind bringing the Democratic National Convention to Philadelphia in July, said the Republican efforts were starting to backfire and are now helping Clinton's bid for the White House.

"She's getting all this good publicity," said Brady. "She's looking like a woman who can handle herself. She's looking very presidential."

Brady is not a member of the House Select Committee on Benghazi but all U.S. House members are allowed to attend the hearing and sit in the audience.  Brady didn't stick around for the testimony.

"That place is packed," he said.

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