Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Some confirmation "moments"

Day Three of the confirmation hearings, as the Washington Post points out alot of the claims made from Democrats has not happened. Nor am I suggesting it should become a free for all, it's basically what I expected despite the earlier hype. There have been some serious moments that other news sources/blogs have discussed and there have been some fun comments, though I wouldn't suggest any of them quit their day jobs for a shot at the comedy club circuit.... Some of my favorite non-serious moments from the past two days:

This is called the potted plant routine, Russ.

I was so anxious for the recess, I jumped the gun a little.

If you asked me who a mainstream liberal is, I would be the worst person to pick, because I do not hang out over there.

They have sat patiently -- impatiently all day.

We may move the swearing in to the beginning of the ceremony in the future so they can all go out and do something productive.

I think that may have constituted cruel and unusual punishment.

Did you say super-duper?

It's a good photo op for Senator Hatch. Senator Leahy's complaining..We can just balance it on Orrin's head.

You know, I felt that that would be your answer. I really did.

Senator, I had never attended a non-coeducational school until I went to Princeton. And after I was there a short time, I realized the benefits of attending a coeducational school.

But again, this is just by way of why some of us are puzzled. Because if I was aware of it, and I didn't even like Princeton...

Can the president cut your pay? ALITO: No, he can't do that. The Constitution says that, fortunately. Well, nobody can. The president certainly can't, and Congress can't either.

I want my two minutes back.

The chairman was disturbed by my snoring over here.

I guess there's no rule against beating a dead horse, or we'd all have quit a long time ago.

Well, if a strict constructionist is a judge who doesn't make things up, than I'm a strict constructionist.

However so far? Senator Kennedy wins with...

Be quiet over there.

Scurrilous dogs.

23 comments:

Unknown said...

Well Senator Kennedy is up again, however today the bulk of the questioning seems to be what the definition of "initial period" means.

Of, relating to, or occurring at the beginning; first

See if Congress just had dictionaries it would go much faster...

:-)

Unknown said...

Well here we go, the first major spat between Kennedy and Specter. That should give the pundits something to talk about during the lunch recess.

Unknown said...

Well that was fast...

Things really got ugly--really ugly--between Sens. Kennedy and Specter.
Kennedy (D-Mass) asked further hostile questions on CAP--the Princeton University concerned alumni organization that, among other things, opposed co-education at the university. Kennedy said he did not think Alito's responses to the committee on CAP "add up." Kennedy proposed issuing a subpoena to the owner of the organization's records and go into executive session to do so.
Specter reacted angrily, asking why Kennedy had not brought this up in public as opposed to consulting with Specter on it in advance. Kennedy claims he sent Specter a letter. Specter, angrily, said he never got one.
"If you're going to rule it [a subpoena] out of order, I want to have a vote on that," Kennedy said.
"I take umbrage agt you telling me what I received," Specter said, with growing anger.
Kennedy: "I would appeal the ruling of the chair."
Specter: "There's been no ruling of the chair."
Kennedy says he's moving for an executive session and "we're gonna have votes of this commlittee again and again and again" until Specter goes along.
Specter: "I'm not going to have you run this committee," Specter said. "I will consider it in due course."


http://blogs.washingtonpost.com/campaignforthecourt/

Unknown said...

(typos were not mine, obviously this was submitted in a hurry by the blogger)

Subcomandante Bob said...

More on the Alito hearings at National Nitwit, America's number one source for REAL disinformation and a big fan of Liberal Common Sense.

Lisa once gave Subcomandante Bob $5 when he was dirt broke, and a severe rebuke when he was bad.

Unknown said...

lmao Bob, that was not a severe rebuke, it was done with much love.

:-)

Unknown said...

If anyone really cares about the CAP membership issue...

Application from 1985

Page 15 puts it in context page 16 concerns the reference that is causing all of this discussion.

Anonymous said...

My favorite moment thus far is:

"See if Congress just had dictionaries it would go much faster..."

Oh, wait, nobody there had the sense to ask for a dictionary.
:-(
The scary thing for me is...we PAY these guys to do this.

Unknown said...

I know Stephanie, this is such a huge waste of time. If it were a court of law they could at least say "asked and answered" rather than have to go thru the same questions over and over again.

Though Judge Alito just admitted "I am what I am"....I'm waiting for someone to write about that comment.

Headline: Judge Alito steals Popeye's Line...

:-)

Cyberseaer said...

There was a time when broadcast TV showed these hearings. I remember since it cut into my cartoons. The two I remember was Bork (white dude with the bad goatee, name most likely misspelled) and Thomas. But that was brought to an end when the major networks found out that most people turned off the sets and started to build lives on their own. Well, that can't happen. So network TV kept running their soap operas and TV talk shows and the ratings went through the roof, while all the news cable stations ran the confirmation hearings and kept scoring the horrible ratings, as always.

Glad to hear that the two Senators had a pising match in front of all who watched. There was confusion on whether people were watching bad history being made or just bad TV like Jerry Springer.

Another wasted tax dollar week on a judge that the Democrats will quasi attack and then the committee will confirm anyway. Well, it is a tax paid sleeping pill for insomiaics.

Unknown said...

I have discovered that the impression that people who watch CSPAN are intelligent is very false. The majority of people who called in demonstrated they do not have a clue. One woman ranted about how angry she would be if Alito wasn't elected....another few threw in the Kennedy bridge incident...

Sometimes I fear for our country knowing that these people are the ones who think they are informed....

Cyberseaer said...

Very true Lisa. I just read about the hearing and, what a shock, the Republicans think Alito is a great man and the Democrats feel that there is something about the man that they don't like.

I loved reading that Kennedy had a problem that Alito couldn't remember about be a member of CAP, twenty years ago, and that says bad things about the judge's integrity. Hey Ted, let's talk about your reading skills and integrity. Like the parts in the DMV Handbook that discussed not driving while drunk. But that part may not have been of the DMV Handbook all those years ago. Let's discuss the law, since Ted is a lawyer. Did he miss the part on leaving the sence of an accident and manslaughter? But I will back away from that. This isn't about Teddy.

Sen. Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat, said, "Judge Alito has responded, but he has not answered," (on the abortion issue). Well, duh. If he answers that the wrong way, like I will find a way to overturn Roe vs Wade, then he has given the Democrats the ammo they need to not confirm him. Hey Chuck, SHUT UP!!

I just love reading the greatest and most powerful High School in this country, US Congress, showing the "Maturaty" of it's members.

Should Alito be "elected"? ;) I don't know enough on him to say so one way or the other, but I bet you that the high schoolers know everything about him. This is just a showcase of each politician to prance around and later tell people "See what I did" in attempts to get re-lected. VOID them. (Shameless plug)

Care of Sweety Technician said...

I have problems with the "I don't recall" deal regarding his membership in the CAP group. Not only because of the issue of women and minorities, but because his statement of not recalling is completely ridiculous. He could say anything about why he was in the group, it's not like any of the former members of the group (a likely conservative bunch that wants to see him in the Supreme Court) would come forward to contradict him...

Having a conservative Supreme Court ruling against many issues I feel strongly about scares me... a lot. However, a story on NPR today about the GOP's strategy with lobbyists beggining with good old Newt scared me even more. They changed rules so that only lobbyists who contributed to their campaigns AND employed former republican officials would gain access to powerful politicians. They say that business who used to contribute 50/50 to both parties before then now contribute 75/25 in favor of republicans. Not only does this mean that the Republicans have done a wonderful job dumbing the public, demonizing liberalism, and ensuring they have lots of money, but is also underscores the fact that our government is by some people, of some people, and for some people, and unless you have a lot of money to give to them, you're ain't it... and yet we coast along thinking our leaders are out there for us.

Unknown said...

Good shameless plug C...

Catdaddy...I agree with you that there is more to the CAP story and wish that for once it could just be something as simple as "One of my former Princeton buddies told me about it and several of us knew it was a way to network to get jobs and since I was a former ROTC member it made sense. I paid my dues and didn't pay much attention to what else they were doing. It looked good on a resume." That's what I have a feeling would be the truth from spending a small amount of time researching this and reading some of the many articles, a few written by current Princeton students. Yet, all of these people the judges and the politicans don't want simple real life answers. They play games. Just like promising crap at election time that they know very well they won't do. A Supreme court nomination has become more political it's less about skill as a judge and more about personal issues that frankly if the person was a good judge would have little impact.

Alito is conservative, yet anyone Bush nominates is going to be conservative. Is Alito a good judge? I think for the most part he is not as bad as the few cases selected. Especially after reading some of them and seeing what the real issue was about. He only dissented in about 80 cases if what was reported today was accurate. That's not quite a rouge conservative judge to be feared.

Most importantly, the Republicans do have a majority so unless something alot more dramatic than his involvement in CAP comes up I really don't see him not being confirmed. I think some of the damage being done to the process will come back to haunt the Democrats once they regain control of Congress and/or the Whitehouse.

Unknown said...

The money part of politics does scare me more too Catdaddy. One of the many reasons why I don't like the two party political system it becomes the real power rather than the candidates who many times dance to get the money that these parties raise. The Republicans have done a better job at this which is why they hold the majority. It's very hard for a person to run against an incumbent as it is let alone be able to fight the huge amount of dollars that are generated.

Campaign finance reform has done nothing to stop this, because of course those who are charge of this are the ones making the rules. Which is why it is harder for a third party candidate to even get on a ballot let alone participate in televised debates. They know how to eliminate the competition....

Anonymous said...

cyber,

"(Shameless plug)"

I gaurantee, I don't mind!
:-)

The immaturity of the Congress is indeed disturbing. The Dems can't admit this isn't their choice to make and get on with discussing Alito's qualifications. And, though I'm not watching, I'm sure the Reps are doing plenty of gloating to egg them durned Dems on.

It's truly sad that these people "represent" us.

Anonymous said...

Lisa,

"One of my former Princeton buddies told me about it and several of us knew it was a way to network to get jobs and since I was a former ROTC member it made sense. I paid my dues and didn't pay much attention to what else they were doing. It looked good on a resume."

While that may be a relatistic answer, it's not one he can "safely" say. Were I a Dem in there, I would use that answer to ask the question... "Okay, what else on your resume is just for show and doesn't really qualify you for the post of SC judge?"

While it sounds innocuous enough, it is potentially something that could bring into question his actual qualifications, versus merely his political leanings. It's a game of words, and honesty (unfortunately) isn't the way to win.

Unknown said...

Agreed Stephanie, hence the dancing but it would be refreshing to have the truth be the issue for all involved once in a while.

I believe most if not all of the Senators, Republicans and Democrats alike know this is probably the truth as well, for a moment Biden almost said as much.

Now, time to try to get some sleep, it appears the terrorist pup is tired or she's faking it, waiting until I lie down to spring into action....lol

Sweet dreams to all

:-)

Anonymous said...

Dream well...of honest politicians...well-behaved puppies...and lots and lots of personal interviews!

Good night!

Care of Sweety Technician said...

A friend on mine once said that he would like to run for president, shamelessly court special interests, take as much money as possible from anybody willing to give it, use it to win the election, and then do everything he wanted to do (pro environement, social programs, anti abusive business, etc.) regardless of its effects on lobbyists and special interests....

He did realize that he would be a one term president that would have to do a good job fending off impeachment and/or assassination attempts...

Unknown said...

I might have actually voted for him.

:-)

Anonymous said...

Hey, as long as he made some needed changes...

Alas, a candidate shouldn't have to lie, cheat and steal in order to get elected to honestly do some good.

Hooda Thunkit (Dave Zawodny) said...

Lisa,

honest politicians = oxymoron.

During the hearings, did they serve popcorn and cotton candy along with the caliope music?

I think I only saw one ring though, the center ring.

But there was no lack of clowns...

:-( or :-)

The choice is NOT an easy one.