Judge Samuel Alito's confirmation hearing

[kapkomet]

Laike Balta said, there is no reason to think it would be left up to the states for very long.  If the powers that be are willing to consider a constitutional ban on gay marriage then or course a constitutional ban on abortion would be dearer still to the anti-abortion powers.

And that insenses me. Assholes.

 

STAY OUT OF IT. There's my lib view of the day.

[Balta1701]

Laike Balta said, there is no reason to think it would be left up to the states for very long.  If the powers that be are willing to consider a constitutional ban on gay marriage then or course a constitutional ban on abortion would be dearer still to the anti-abortion powers.

If that case were overturned, then why would they need a constitutional ban? It'd be a lot harder to pass, it'd take a lot longer, and it probably would in fact fail. They could do it very simply with just a simple majority in both houses by passing a law.

[FlaSoxxJim]

If that case were overturned, then why would they need a constitutional ban?  It'd be a lot harder to pass, it'd take a lot longer, and it probably would in fact fail.  They could do it very simply with just a simple majority in both houses by passing a law.

I guess, but why not go the same route with gay marriage if they really ever intended for it to get anywhere?

[kapkomet]

I guess, but why not go the same route with gay marriage if they really ever intended for it to get anywhere?

Because it's all a ploy to stir up their respective bases, nothing more, and nothing less.

[Rex Kickass]

Agreed.  Texas, some gerrymandering.  The other 49 states, democratic ineptness.

Actually, in 2004 - I don't believe there was a net change in house seats except for Texas for either party.

[Cknolls]

Actually, in 2004 - I don't believe there was a net change in house seats except for Texas for either party.

 

You want gerrymandering? check this out.

 

http://home.wlu.edu/~journalism/J203/nc-12.htm

[NorthSideSox72]

You want gerrymandering? check this out.

 

http://home.wlu.edu/~journalism/J203/nc-12.htm

 

OK, that is quite possible the most ridiculous looking district I've ever seen. Wow. I can see why you'd want to split Durham from Raleigh, but what is the deal with the tail on that thing?!

 

Something to keep in mind, though. That bizarre shape may or may not be helpful to the Dems, which i think is what you are getting at. It may in fact make other districts more Republican. Or not - I have no idea. Just saying it may not be so obvious.

[Balta1701]

OK, that is quite possible the most ridiculous looking district I've ever seen.  Wow.  I can see why you'd want to split Durham from Raleigh, but what is the deal with the tail on that thing?!

 

Something to keep in mind, though.  That bizarre shape may or may not be helpful to the Dems, which i think is what you are getting at.  It may in fact make other districts more Republican.  Or not - I have no idea.  Just saying it may not be so obvious.

I still like California's 23rd myself...it's never more than 5 miles across.

 

[Rex Kickass]

Remember Mrs. Alito running out in tears? Might be a publicity stunt. Check this out from Time's website....

 

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,...1148113,00.html

 

The most dramatic moment of the day came when the judge's wife, Martha-Ann Bomgardner, who had been sitting behind him, left the hearing room in tears. She left when Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) was apologizing to Alito for his treatment by the opposition. Graham, who was present at a White House preparation session for Alito, mocked Democrats for their relentless questioning about the Princeton group by asking Alito rhetorically if he is "really a closet bigot." After Alito replied that he is "not any kind of a bigot," Graham continued: "Guilt by association is going to drive good men and women away from wanting to sit where you're sitting.... Judge Alito, I am sorry that you've had to go through this. I am sorry that your family has had to sit here and listen to this." After a break, the judge escorted his wife back in. Conservatives seized on the incident to complain about Democratic "bullying," and said they plan to make the incident a cause celebre. "When will the media shame these people for their behavior?" Sean Rushton, executive director of the administration-friendly Committee for Justice, asked in a blast e-mail to journalists. The always-alert Creative Response Concepts, a conservative public relations firm, sent this bulletin: "Former Alito clerk Gary Rubman witnessed Mrs. Alito leaving her husband's confirmation in tears and is available for interviews, along with other former Alito clerks who know her personally and are very upset about this development."

[kevin57]

Mrs. Alito's exit in tears guarantees her husband's confirmation...without a filibuster, and without a whole lot of acrimony.

 

I'm not looking at her tears cynically. I would guess they're quite genuine.

 

I'm just assessing the political implications.

[Balta1701]

Mrs. Alito's exit in tears guarantees her husband's confirmation...without a filibuster, and without a whole lot of acrimony.

Interestingly enough, the press accounts of her leaving don't refer to her as "Mrs Alito", they refer to her as Martha-Ann Bomgardner.

[EvilMonkey]

Remember Mrs. Alito running out in tears? Might be a publicity stunt. Check this out from Time's website....

 

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,...1148113,00.html

So the wife of a man being grilled by alot of very inept Senators leaves in tears over the anguish her husband is experiencing, and it MAY be a political ploy. However, the grieving mother of a war veteran uses her 15 miutes of fame to become a shill for all things liberal and she is merely 'expressing her grief'? Hmmm.

[FlaSoxxJim]

So the wife of a man being grilled by alot of very inept Senators leaves in tears over the anguish her husband is experiencing, and it MAY be a political ploy.  However, the grieving mother of a war veteran uses her 15 miutes of fame to become a shill for all things liberal and she is merely 'expressing her grief'?  Hmmm.

 

I understand that you understand the orders of magnitude difference between losing your son and watching your husband get a Senate beatdown, so I won't even dwell on that.

 

But, don't you think Mrs. Bomgardner/Alito expected that her husband was going to be put on the spot during the confirmation hearings? I very much suspect the outburst was for effect, to paint the Dems as big bad bullies for doing their job. Especially when interview opportunities were being lined up with associates of hers within an hour of the incident. Mrs. Alito may have received some coaching as well I'd guess.

 

Regardless of the outcome, and despite the MSM saying quick confirmation is iminent, the Dems should filibuster.

 

Alito failed to substantively engage his record during the hearings, and so failed to sway anybody that he is anything more than an extreme conservative idealogue. I think if the Dems filibuster and ultimately Alito is confirmed anyway(likely), that is still far preferable to letting the nomination go unchallenged. During the filibuster, lots of time can be given to spelling out not only Alito's character and positions, but also the executive abuses that have come to a head in the NSA affair and the fact that that sort of consolidation of power in the executive suits Judge Alito just fine. Throw in several re-readings of the Constitution, especially the 4th amendment, and have every Democratic Senator note that they in no way intended for the 9/14 Joint Resolution for the use of force in Afghanistan to extend the executive authority to conduct warrantless surveilance against US citizens. The MSM will be unable to ignore all of that and will finally have to explain the facts of some of these issues to the public.

[EvilMonkey]

I think if Bush gets another chance to nominate someone maybe he should nominate Teddy himself! Let's see him stand up to the same kind of attacks he and his ilk seem to like spewing. I wonder what publications Teddy subscribes to that have statements in it that would make him 'guilty by association'? I am sure there would be questions about Mary Jo, and who knows what else. Maybe even into questions about where his family money came from to begin with?

 

And yes, Fla, I understand the difference you mentioned. But the underlying idea is still the same, In a partisan way, those against Alito were quick to condemn his wife's acts as a mere ploy, but yet steadfastly defend Sheehan, who is as big a publicity-whore as there ever was.

[YASNY]

I think if Bush gets another chance to nominate someone maybe he should nominate Teddy himself!  Let's see him stand up to the same kind of attacks he and his ilk seem to like spewing.  I wonder what publications Teddy subscribes to that have statements in it that would make him 'guilty by association'?  I am sure there would be questions about Mary Jo, and who knows what else.  Maybe even into questions about where his family money came from to begin with? 

 

And yes, Fla, I understand the difference you mentioned.  But the underlying  idea is still the same,  In a partisan way, those against Alito were quick to condemn his wife's acts as a mere ploy, but yet steadfastly defend Sheehan, who is as big a publicity-whore as there ever was.

 

Kennedy wouldn't have the balls to sit on that hot seat. No way in hell.

[FlaSoxxJim]

I think if Bush gets another chance to nominate someone maybe he should nominate Teddy himself!

 

Ah, if only that ever could happen. That woule be the third successive GWB SCOTUS nominee to crash and burn, and that woudl be so much bigger than any attempt to embarass any single man on the stand.

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

I think if Bush gets another chance to nominate someone maybe he should nominate Teddy himself!  Let's see him stand up to the same kind of attacks he and his ilk seem to like spewing.  I wonder what publications Teddy subscribes to that have statements in it that would make him 'guilty by association'?  I am sure there would be questions about Mary Jo, and who knows what else.  Maybe even into questions about where his family money came from to begin with? 

 

And yes, Fla, I understand the difference you mentioned.  But the underlying  idea is still the same,  In a partisan way, those against Alito were quick to condemn his wife's acts as a mere ploy, but yet steadfastly defend Sheehan, who is as big a publicity-whore as there ever was.

 

 

God forbid a mans wife gets upset when her husband is subjected to unfair and unduly harsh criticism from a bunch of leftist no-nothings. Aren't liberals the one preaching compassion for others?

 

Leftist hypocrasy number 53245124512.

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

Ah, if only that ever could happen.  That woule be the third successive GWB SCOTUS nominee to crash and burn, and that woudl be so much bigger than any attempt to embarass any single man on the stand.

 

 

3rd straight?

 

Alito will be sitting on the court here soon and he's crashing and burning?

[FlaSoxxJim]

God forbid a mans wife gets upset when her husband is subjected to unfair and unduly harsh criticism from a bunch of leftist no-nothings.  Aren't liberals the one preaching compassion for others?

 

Leftist hypocrasy number 53245124512.

 

Did Mrs. Alito's coaching not cover the fact that her husband might actually be asked to explain how his documented history as a conservative idealogue and basically someone who will apparently say anything to get a job leaves him qualified to sit on the high court?

[FlaSoxxJim]

3rd straight? 

 

Alito will be sitting on the court here soon and he's crashing and burning?

 

I took Evil's hypothetical of GWB getting another crack at a nomination as entering a scenarion in which Alito was not confirmed. That seems the logical jump since his response was to my post urging a filibuster, and since I do not see any other Justices retiring in the next three years.

 

As I'd noted earlier, Alito's eventual confirmation is, unfortunately, likely. Hopefully it does not happen without the Dems showing some backbone in opposing him first though.

[kapkomet]

Interestingly enough, the press accounts of her leaving don't refer to her as "Mrs Alito", they refer to her as Martha-Ann Bomgardner.

Gee, I wonder why? No bias there.

[kapkomet]

Did Mrs. Alito's coaching not cover the fact that her husband might actually be asked to explain how his documented history as a conservative idealogue and basically someone who will apparently say anything to get a job leaves him qualified to sit on the high court?

Wow.

 

I should just start beleiving this coming from you, but I can't.

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

Did Mrs. Alito's coaching not cover the fact that her husband might actually be asked to explain how his documented history as a conservative idealogue and basically someone who will apparently say anything to get a job leaves him qualified to sit on the high court?

 

 

Say anything to get him a job? Interesting how you can take the moral high ground here when his harshest critic would say anything to get out of a manslaughter rap for getting wasted and driving his girl off a pier. Kennedy is nobody to question anyones character. :rolly

[southsideirish71]

"It's laughable that Ted Kennedy of all people is attacking Judge Alito's integrity. Senator Kennedy was one of the most outspoken defenders of Judge Stephen Breyer during his confirmation hearing when similar issues arose just over a decade ago. Just as he did with Chief Justice Roberts, Ted Kennedy will undoubtedly oppose Judge Alito's nomination, all he's doing is injecting naked partisan politics into what should be a dignified process."

 

- Tracey Schmitt, RNC Press Secretary

 

But Kennedy Defended Judge Stephen Breyer Over Recusal Issue:

 

"The White House Scrambled ... To Defuse Perhaps The Most Thorny Potential Problem Area For Breyer - Possible Conflicts Of Interest Over His Investment In Lloyd's Of London. Recent Media Reports Have Raised Questions About Whether Breyer Should Have Recused Himself From Eight Superfund Toxic Waste Cases That Indirectly Affected The Global Insurance Syndicate." (Andrew Miga, "Breyer To Face Questions On Superfund Cases," The Boston Herald, 7/12/94)

 

-- "Breyer Reportedly Recused Himself From Cases Involving Asbestos Damage, But Made Rulings On Superfund Cases." (Andrew Miga, "Breyer To Face Questions On Superfund Cases," The Boston Herald, 7/12/94)

 

"Sen. Edward M. Kennedy And Sen. Howard M. Metzenbaum, Democrat Of Ohio, Squabbled Over Whether Breyer Had Exercised Poor Judgment In Ruling On Environmental Cases While He Held Investments In A Firm That Insures Polluters." (Ana Puga, "Biden Accuses Breyer Of Elitism," The Boston Globe, 7/15/94)

 

-- "Metzenbaum Appeared To Irritate Kennedy, Biden And Sen. Orrin G. Hatch Of Utah, The Committee's Senior Republican, By Raising Questions About Breyer's Investments In Lloyd's Of London, A Subject The Committee Leaders Had Hoped To Dismiss On Tuesday When Breyer Vowed To Divest Himself Of The Investment." (Ana Puga, "Biden Accuses Breyer Of Elitism," The Boston Globe , 7/15/94)

 

-- Kennedy: "You've Asked For My Opinion Whether Judge Breyer's Committed A Violation Of Judicial Ethics In Investing In Lloyds Name And Insurance Underwriting While Being A Federal Judge. In My Opinion, There Was No Violation Of Judicial Ethics." (Sen. Edward Kennedy, Committee On The Judiciary, U.S. Senate, Hearing, 7/14/94)

Edited January 13, 2006 by southsideirish71

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

 

 

His job is to be a partisan hack. No more, no less. People like him aren't interested in whether Alito would make a good judge or not but rather to oppose simply for the sake of opposition.

 

Fortunately, however, leftist hypocrites like Kennedy are nothing more than a noisy irritant and nothing more.