Because "series of tubes" and "series of pipes" are both a dumbed-down inaccuracy. The Internet is a mesh of millions of computers that happen to be connected

Because "series of tubes" and "series of pipes" are both a dumbed-down inaccuracy. The Internet is a mesh of millions of computers that happen to be connected by wire or fiber optics or some other transmission medium. Fiber optic cables are the closest to "tubes" one could analogize, since it has a thing (light) being pushed through a cylindrical device, but it does a complete disservice to the technological advancements to dumb the whole of the Internet down to "series of tubes". The attacks on Stephens were very justified in that as a leader of the committee, he should have been much more well-versed in the actual technologies used. He should have wanted to be more well-versed. And if lobbyists had that much pull and sway over him and what he "knows" and how he presents it, then the ridicule was even more justified. You can try to sugar coat his ineptitude all you like with a plethora of excuses, but, in my opinion, he got what he deserved with the ridicule.