Suitably Flip

ReHatched: Follow-Up Chat With Senator Orrin Hatch

We've just finished a discussion with Senator Orrin Hatch, following up on our meeting yesterday, a synopsis of which is available here.

On Teddy Kennedy's freshly thrown tantrum about voting in closed session on a subpoena for the writings of CAP members (paraphrased throughout):

It's totally inappropriate and a further indication that the Democrats can't win on the merits, facts, or law, so they need to use innuendo to try to distort Alito's character.  If we do need to consider this subpoena, I think we should do it in the open.  This is "another bush league attempt to delay" proceedings.  If we did this, "we'd be destroyed in the press."

This now means a 3rd round of questioning is likely and we will probably be here until at least Saturday.  Republicans should stop asking questions after this round, but that can be hard to do.

Assessing this obstructionist strategy, which has the Daily Kos in a gleeful snit:

It makes them look ridiculous.  The Democrats cater to liberal groups and in so doing, fail to treat the nominee with the dignity and respect he deserves.  I have no doubt the Democrats are getting their marching orders from external liberal groups.  Just read their blogs and listen to the comments of the Senators.

On Alito's performance:

Alito is holding up tremendously.  I didn't think anyone could match up to Chief Justice Roberts, but substantively, Alito has outmatched him.  From a true judgeship standpoint, he has a mastery I've never seen.  No nominee I've ever seen has been so thorough about the methodologies involved in the process of deciding cases.

Whoever is President deserves true deference for his or her nominees, and we should vote for them as long as they're qualified (in terms of ethics, ability, temperance, decency, honor, and intelligence).  As much as you might differ with Roberts and Alito, they're both qualified.

Comments

ReHatched: Follow-Up Chat With Senator Orrin Hatch

We've just finished a discussion with Senator Orrin Hatch, following up on our meeting yesterday, a synopsis of which is available here.

On Teddy Kennedy's freshly thrown tantrum about voting in closed session on a subpoena for the writings of CAP members (paraphrased throughout):

It's totally inappropriate and a further indication that the Democrats can't win on the merits, facts, or law, so they need to use innuendo to try to distort Alito's character.  If we do need to consider this subpoena, I think we should do it in the open.  This is "another bush league attempt to delay" proceedings.  If we did this, "we'd be destroyed in the press."

This now means a 3rd round of questioning is likely and we will probably be here until at least Saturday.  Republicans should stop asking questions after this round, but that can be hard to do.

Assessing this obstructionist strategy, which has the Daily Kos in a gleeful snit:

It makes them look ridiculous.  The Democrats cater to liberal groups and in so doing, fail to treat the nominee with the dignity and respect he deserves.  I have no doubt the Democrats are getting their marching orders from external liberal groups.  Just read their blogs and listen to the comments of the Senators.

On Alito's performance:

Alito is holding up tremendously.  I didn't think anyone could match up to Chief Justice Roberts, but substantively, Alito has outmatched him.  From a true judgeship standpoint, he has a mastery I've never seen.  No nominee I've ever seen has been so thorough about the methodologies involved in the process of deciding cases.

Whoever is President deserves true deference for his or her nominees, and we should vote for them as long as they're qualified (in terms of ethics, ability, temperance, decency, honor, and intelligence).  As much as you might differ with Roberts and Alito, they're both qualified.