That famous bit has always baffled me. The Kefauver hearings were televised. But although the witnesses were subpoenaed and could not refuse to be cross-examined, they were not compelled to appear on live TV. Costello simply could have told the subcommittee, "No cameras," and that would have been that. Instead, he agreed to appear--if they only televised his hands. If anything, it made things worse for him because it underscored the furtive nature of the Mafia. A rare mistake for the "Prime Minister."