Hey, one question at a time...hehe!
Here you go.
"Watching the embattled executive weather several hours of angry cross-examination on Capitol Hill last week, one almost felt sorry for the man."

     (Assistindo/vendo o executivo assediado/sabatinado passar/enfrentar/encarar várias horas de sabatina/questionamento inflamado/amargo sobre o Capitol Hill na semana passada, alguém (ou qualquer um) quase teria pena do homem.)

    Assistindo/vendo o executivo assediado/sabatinado amargar várias horas de
sabatina/questionamento  frio/rigoroso/hostil sobre o Capitol Hill na semana passada, alguém  quase teria pena do homem.

   It´s not a plain translation, I stuck to the sense, not the literal meaning.

   Obviously there are room to improvements, but in a quick way it would do. At least, I think so.