Tim Cook’s testimony on Apple’s taxes: The reviews are in

Headlines reporting on the fact of the hearing tended to use metaphors of violence (“rip,” “lambaste,” “clash,” “spar,” “fend off”) or of high-temperature torture (“grilled,” “under fire,” “hot seat”).

But the journalists who reported on the atmospherics — and, dare I say, the substance — of the hearing told a very different story. Sample headlines:

• New York Times Bits Blog: Apple’s Chief Charms Capitol Hill
• Reuters: Tim Cook’s improbable victory in Washington
• Politico: Apples Cook shines in D.C. spotlight
• Forbes: 5 Ways Apple’s Tim Cook Stayed Cool Under Fire
• Bloomberg Businessweek: Ten reasons Tim Cook dominated Congress
• The Atlantic Wire: Senators Turn Tim Cook’s Hearing into a Genius Bar Visit
• Wall Street Journal: Senators to Apple: We Love the iPhone
• CNN Money: Apple’s Tim Cook is Wall Street hero for a day
• Salon: Apple’s biggest sin: Popularity

My take (with apologies for the pugilistic metaphor): No one laid a glove on him.