SCOTUS Smackdown
With Scooter Libby indicted and Harriet Miers weeping in her pillow, it is only fitting that Halloween begins the next chapter for the Great Pumpkin currently residing in the White House. The selection of U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Samuel Alito for the Supremes sets the stage for the ideological battle that both the far right and far left have been itching for.
From AP:
"Alito has been dubbed 'Scalito' or 'Scalia-lite' by some lawyers because his judicial philosophy invites comparisons to Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. But while Scalia is outspoken and is known to badger lawyers, Alito is polite, reserved and even-tempered."
Well, at least he's polite. That's nice.
Yep, this president is definitely a uniter, if by uniter you mean it in the profoundly ironic sense.
posted by Chase McInerney @ 7:02 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
If this blog is going to (appropriately) castigate Trent Lott for his insensitive comments last week, then it's only right that everyone should condemn the ethnic slur hinted at in the numerous "Scalito" references.
Why don't they call him a "wop" and get it over with?
Only it gets worse. Chris Matthews slammed the Democrats today for circulating a talking points memo that implies Alito failed to prosecute mobsters because he's ... well, you know (Italian).
Red Dirt, I disagree bigtime that a nickname of "Scalito" is anywhere in the same league as ridiculing him for his Italian heritage. I think it's just what it implies: There is a similarity in the name, and Scalia is an uber-conservative. I don't see an ethnic slur in that at all.
I do, however, agree that it is completely bigoted and out of line to accuse the guy of not prosecuting Mafia figures because he's Italian. That is beyond the pale. I'd be surprised if any serious-minded Democrat, regardless of how partisan, would push that talking point.
But back when Ruth Bader-Ginsburg was nominated, she also had to endure her share of "New York Jew" cracks from the right (even though she wasn't a New Yorker). What can you say? People suck.
I'm NO Bush supporter, but this guy didn't have much of a choice. He's week and he needs his base now. The question is: Is he strong enough to bring home a victory for his base?
Republican Ohio Senator Mike DeWine -- part of the bipartisan group that negotiated a way out of the nuclear option -- said he would vote for the nuclear option if dem's threaten a filibuster on scalito....the walk off of the AP story was a quote from DeWine saying he knew hardly anything about the candidate. Huh?
Is this crescendo of partisanship ever going to end? I'm so fed up with BOTH sides. Are there no intellectual heroes out there ready to sacrifice private-sector earning for public service?
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