Here is an open thread to discuss the Alito confirmation hearings, which are already underway.
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by John Cole| 34 Comments
This post is in: Politics
Here is an open thread to discuss the Alito confirmation hearings, which are already underway.
Comments are closed.
Bill from INDC
I’ll kick it off with something the typical Balloon Juice commenter will appreciate:
HANDS OFF MY WOMB, OBERSTOMPENFUHRER ALITO!
Davebo
I think the Senate should go back to handling judicial confirmation hearings the way they did in the 90’s. IE. Never scheduling them.
We won’t have to listen to Senators drone on for hours without a question. John won’t risk exposure to Ted Kennedy, and no judges will ever get an up or down vote in the Judicial Committee or the full Senate.
Seems like a good resolution eh?
And do you really think that Republican Senators won’t complain about candidates not getting an up or down vote?
Blue Neponset
Bill from INDC,
Unless ‘Bill’ is short for Wilhemina I doubt you have a womb.
akaoni
Watching the hearings, Alito comes off as a snobby, elitest, jerk. I’m not making a comment about his fitness to be on the SCOTUS, but he just seems like an ass to me. Anyone else have a similar impression?
The Disenfranchised Voter
I think the most imporant issue is executive power. I think most people feel this way too.
The Disenfranchised Voter
*important
Paddy O'Shea
AfterDowningStreet.org has an amusing piece up today regarding the sensitivity of yesterday’s announcement from the President on the Alito nomination. Apparently his handlers didn’t think he was up to it, and decided to use technology to help him out.
So much is at stake, you know. What if the Snoopgate deal should go to the Supreme Court? Gonna need old Sammy there for that one.
Bush Wore Wire for Alito Remarks
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/6617
The Other Steve
He’s no Roberts. He doesn’t seem to have a great grasp of what he’s talking about, as Roberts did.
He is coming off somewhat like a Thomas. As you say the snobby, elitist, jerk.
Jack Roy
And “oberstompenfuhrer” means “leader of the marching band.”
Bill from INDC
I didn’t say that Balloon Juice commenters were coherent. Though credit where credit is due …
Unless ‘Bill’ is short for Wilhemina I doubt you have a womb.
… you can’t put anything past them!
Zifnab
Is anyone else watching Joe Biden? Does he know how to ask a question? More importantly, does he know how to SHUT THE FUCK UP!
You want to know why the Democrats don’t get elected. Run on sentences. That’s why.
The Other Steve
Apparently troops got an expected treat yesterday in Maine.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/01/10/clinton.troops.ap/index.html
Bill Clinton’s plane had stopped for fuel, but apparently had some mechanical problems and was delayed in leaving. As a result, he had a chance to meet with units returning from Iraq.
Quite a warm reception too. Apparently the Republican goal of turning the soldiers against Democrats isn’t working so well.
ppGaz
Yes, we’ve never been strong on sentence diagramming.
The Disenfranchised Voter
All I have to say is that Alito’s explanation of what he tought the Unitary Executive theory meant is obviously bullshit.
I’m sorry but you can’t expext me to believe that what you really meant by Unitary Executive theory is merely that the President is the head of the executive. Is there any other theory? Honestly, does anyone not think the President is the head of the Executive.
Luminous Estuary
The Other Steve,
I can certainly understand why our troops would be excited to see Bill Clinton. Most people who work for bad bosses have the option of voting with their feet and joining the competition. Our military people, however, do not have such an option. Nor can they express their low opinions about the boss in question.
But they can always show their enthusiasm for people they respect. And we’re free to draw our conclusions from that.
Luminous Estuary
Disenfranchised Voter,
It looks to me that the thrust of both this thread and the Senate hearings this morning is more about executive power than womens’ reproductive rights. And given the current uproar regarding President Bush’s warrantless wiretapping, wouldn’t it be ironic if that was the issue that sank Alioto’s nomination?
President Bush would have no one to blame but himself. That is of course, if he was capable of such introspection.
James C.
How on earth does Judge Alito do it? He sits there calmly and impassively as he is lectured on morality and ethics by such Senators as: the (presumed) reformed alcoholic that once drove off a bridge while in an alcoholic stupor, abandoning his young companion to die a lonely death while he sought help from long time family retainers on how to salvage his career…another Senator who once was a candidate for the Nation’s highest office, but who was forced to abandon that campaign only when he was caught repeatedly plagiarizing a prominent foreign politician….and another Senator who slimes our brave soldiers in Iraq with slanderous comparisons to Nazis…My God, putting up with this should be worth more than a mere seat on the Supreme Court.
Of course, it couiild be worse…he could have to read the brain farts from the idiots and morons who post their drivel on sites like this.
Paddy O'Shea
Jimmy C: Your outrage is so selective. If you wish to harp upon the shortcomings of others, you should look no further than the pillow-clutching mother’s darling who nominated this Executive Branch lapdog.
James C.
Paddy O’Shea, I assume that what you just wrote qualifies as your “brain fart” of the day.
Paddy O'Shea
Jimmy C: And your contribution here can only be the end product of your hourly bout with Limbaurrhea.
By the way, where does one go to get a serviceable AM radio these days? The same Salvation Army outpost that supplies you with underwear? Or do you just go over to your mom’s house and listen in there ..
LITBMueller
I love how they discussed the Unitary Executive Theory like it was as common as peanut butter. But, in fact, the “version” most people are concerned about is a very extreme and obscure one! I wish the Senators knew more about what they were trying to pin on Alito, because he seemed to be able to do enough of a brush off questions without sustaining a “hit.”
Zifnab
Ah. See. This is an excellent example of a run on sentence. Democrats need to stop doing this.
James C.
Good old Paddy O’Shea, once a poor peasant, always a poor peasant. You really should go get a job, get off relief and stop projecting your personal lifestyle on others. Most of those of your likely background stopped taking handouts from the Salvation Army and other charitable organizations once they got off the bottle (or drugs). You really should try it!
Paddy O'Shea
Jimmy C: You’ve the creativity of a slug. Stop stealing my material.
Zifnab
Lindsey Graham is psychotic. I’m serious. That dude is seriously unhinged. I’m amazed a guy like that can get into the Senate. I’m just saying…
The Disenfranchised Voter
Graham is a total nut.
Then again, so are most of the Republicans…
The Disenfranchised Voter
I want to amend my post above…
Cornyn is worse than Graham.
The Other Steve
James C. is DougJ again. Clearly, now instead of Pat Robertson he’s pretending to be the anti-James Carter.
The Other Steve
Best line I’ve heard all day. Question to Orrin Hatch on MPR… So if Alito says such and such is Settled Law, then your side is going to be pretty upset right?
Hatch… Nope. Settled Law doesn’t mean it’s not bad law and has to change. At one time Dred Scott was considered Settled Law.
Ah ha! So essentially this whole hearing is BULLSHIT because the conservatives are too fucking afraid of their own shadow to tell us what they really think.
Sojourner
Maybe this one will listen. God knows Scalia didn’t.
BlogReeder
I thought Alito looked nervous instead. His answers weren’t as smooth as Roberts but I thought he answered them well. I wonder if he was prepped before hand because he seem to know a lot about the discrimination cases Biden asked him about. Of the hundreds of cases he tried, how can anyone remember that much detail off the top of their heads? (I hope that wasn’t a run-on sentence)
ppGaz
I think Alito is smart, knowledgeable, and well coached. He needs 60 votes, and he knows how to get them.
Good for him. Unless there is a Thomas moment coming in these hearings, IMO, this game is over. Confirm, and move on.
moflicky
gee, ya think?
BlogReeder
I’m shocked! As I was watching I thought how Harriet Mier would have answered. Or not answered actually.