Official Alito Hearing Thread – Day 4 – Thread 1 GD IS NONFUNCTIONING

[Viva_La_Revolution]

at the moment...

Good Morning Everyone! :donut:


Have we heard anymore about the CAP records being unsealed?




5 minute countdown...

[dogday]

1. Anyone else feel that Mrs. Alito might want to sit

this session out? I mean we would not want the poor dear coming to tears again. If she can't control herself, she needs to stay out of the hearings...

[EST]

4. I agree. Iffn' ya cain't stand the heat...

[PA Democrat]

17. Where are my smelling salts?

I do declare, I feel another case of the vapors coming on.

And the "liberal" media that is not particularly friendly to strong and independent political wives (Hillary and Teresa, for example) just eats up and oozes sympathy for this display of the week, emotionally fragile woman. I thought that stereotype went out in the 1950's.

[selmo7]

61. That's the point about the stereotype

They WANT FIFTIES WOMEN to come back - Barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen!

[dogday]

29. The more I look at Mrs. Alito, the more she

looks like a tough old bird to me. She looks tough, not a little sissy woman. She does not look like the kind that would just break down like that...

[agingdem]

52. She looks a lot like ...

DeLay's wife...same hair salon, perhaps?

[txindy]

56. As long as she's out of eyesight, I'm happy

The hypocrisy from and about her is nauseating. The SCLM has reached a new low. **sniffle** **sniffle** Why don't they report on her smirks and angry stares, if she fascinates them so? :eyes:

[EST]

2. G'morning.

Haven't heard a whisper.

[mrcheerful]

3. Haven't heard anything

even on TK's site theres been no mention about the cap document

[MuseRider]

5. YAY

thanks for the threads. I have heard or seen as much as I can but always get a great feel for what I missed on these threads. Funeral today so I will miss much of it.

:yourock: DU, you really keep me up when I can't be there.

[EST]

63. My sympathies for your loss.

[MuseRider]

119. Thank you but it is a friends loss

and I am going to give him a big hug and support since he did that for me. I will be fine but I am worried about him.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

Damn, I wish I could read lips better, that staffer just said" Cap Files"

talking to Spector....

[CornField]

8. I saw that too

Unfortunately, I have to go and get the children out the door for school. Will check back in later.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

9. CRAP!!

no mention of his name in the files... Shit! damn! :(

[MuseRider]

10. So did he lie

to get a job in the Reagan administration?

[Connie_Corleone]

11. That's what I've been thinking all along.

LIAR!!

[mrcheerful]

14. So does being caught in a lie matter?

[MuseRider]

16. Nope.

I can't imagine why we would hold him to that after everything that has happened since 2000.

[dogday]

22. Better a liar than a bigot? nt

[Pacifist Patriot]

20. Where are the membership lists though? There seemed to be

an implication that he might not have even been a member. If that is the case than he lied on his application in 1985. Regardless, he padded a resume by including an organization with which he had no participation whatsoever.

[havocmom]

33. Weren't we all pretty sure the stall was on until records scrubbed?

If you are asking for files via neocon enabling GOP rubber stamp critters, what real hope can you have the files are real & complete?

Yep, if he's on the list he's a bigot. If not a liar. OR the files are a ruse and the are resorting to fraud AGAIN.

Tough call.

[Pacifist Patriot]

36. This is what happens when you abuse trust.

We'll never believe they are doing things on the up and up. I'll always have doubts the Kennedy staff got the full files.

[havocmom]

107. Either the CAP files have been scrubbed or Alito lied years ago

to advance his career! Either way, things are NOT 'on the up and up' on this issue. They are SO busted.

Our job is to make enough noise about the inconsistency that MSM is forced to bring it up. Damn, Kennedy works so hard for all of us, we need to cover his back during the spin which will be partly used to try and discredit him personally.

Ted Kennedy is old school DEM in DC and he doesn't need to kiss asses of crooks like Abramoff. He is bright, strong and tenacious and the neocons can't buy him. Makes him one dangerous man and they will keep trying to destroy him. EvilDUers, join me in making much noise to point out the fact that Kennedy has shown serious problem for Alito's credibility. Make sure the MSM does not use this stunt to discredit the gentleman from Massachusetts!

Fire up your printers and get those LTTE going out. Post on all the boards you can. Call your local talk/spew radio shows. Let them hear us.

The possibilities:

Alito lied to advance his career when he said he was a CAP member.

He was a member of the bigoted group and the files have been scrubbed.

[txindy]

74. Yep. It's the Nat'l Guard record scrubbing all over again

But now Scalito looks like a liar. Which he should, 'cause he is.

[Sydnie]

6. Good Morning

Getting ready for today. Just crawled out of bed. Took a while to catch up last night. Seems I missed some fireworks yesterday! :rofl:

[MuseRider]

7. So he gets cheering crowds

and the Democrats are being unreasonable? A cheering crowd? I guess I must not have been paying attention all these years. Somehow I don't ever remember that kind of public scene over a judicial nominee. :shrug:

[dogday]

I did not know this was a spectator sport

I guess if Mrs. Alito can run out of the rooms in tears, the people can clap. And they say the Democrats have no cooth...

[Surya Gayatri]

35. Natural reaction

of the rabid right-wing base. They sense that they are on the verge of attaining victory after 40 years of struggle--domination of the SCOTUS..

[librechik]

12. Specter right now on CN: "no mention of Alito in the Rusher papers"

Specter said he talked to Rusher personally. What more do we need? Two codgers talking about their memory of 30 years ago ought to be good enough, right?

we still need them, to characaterize the group better--hope they are opened anyway

[sasha031]

13. Leahy up

thank you for doing this, having these threads.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

15. Death Penalty - Leahy up...

DNA evidence has shown innocents executed... What would you do if you had a case like this?

[sasha031]

23. can't even answer this question

should a innocent man be executed.

[KittyWampus]

18. So I hear Mrs. Alito had a BREAKDOWN yesterday. With an unstable wife

perhaps Alito should reconsider. The stress is obviously too much for his family.

[Pacifist Patriot]

31. Much ado about nothing. She went to tears when Graham was

complimenting her husband. It wasn't the attacks that set her off.

[hlthe2b]

41. I'm not intentionally cruel, but I'm amazed at all the sanctimonious

postings from DUers yesterday scolding us for even discussing Mrs. ALito's tears and whether or not they were "pre-ordained" so to speak.... :eyes:


God, they were annoying as they popped up to scold the rest of us every 5 seconds yesterday!

[Pacifist Patriot]

47. I missed that, but good grief...

if people can comment on her wardrobe, her facial expressions and speculate about sedatives why can't people speculate on the source of her tears?

Frankly, I wish spouses weren't even there. It's immaterial and distracting.

[hlthe2b]

77. I agree... They should be there the day of opening statements..

or at least for the nominee's opening statement and that's it.

[txindy]

68. You're not kidding

The PC police were like toddlers on sugar here yesterday. :eyes:

[Karmakaze]

19. One question I would like to see Alito asked:

Tell me, if abolishing the right to abortion or granting the President unlimited power is constitutional, why do you seem to dodge answering any questions that attempt to elicit your beliefs in these areas? If for example Roe Vs Wade is a legitimate topic for review, why are you afraid to give a yes or no answer? Why are you afraid to let people know where you stand?

[Pacifist Patriot]

26. Yes! Someone really needs to ask that. Email blitz to one of the

afternoon Dems?

[malaise]

28. Re the Kennedy questions to ask thread from GD

ask him to ask Borkalito to explain the role of the Senate in the appointment of a Supreme Court Judge and what the separation of powers is supposed to mean in this process. Then ask who coached him and if Graham (a senior Senator) violated this process.

[Old Vet]

21. If he had nothing to do with CAP, Why use it as a reference???

[Pacifist Patriot]

24. Padding a resume. Does his name actually appear as a member?

They said his name didn't appear anywhere. What about on membership lists? Did he lie about even being a member?

[Old Vet]

25. Than he lied using them as a reference-Right?

[Pacifist Patriot]

27. Depends. He could have joined and done nothing after that.

So technically he'd be a member. It's dumb to use as resume fodder if you haven't done anything with an organization. Misleading anyway.

[mrcheerful]

30. Remember the only lies that matter are the

ones about getting a bj on easter sunday by a jew.

[jillan]

32. Anybody catch Washington Journal this morning?

The dem haters were out in full force.

We should be ashamed of ourselves, and how dare Teddy even talk. It was hot today, and I was really disappointed in the dem callers.

I tried and tried to get thru.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

34. the delusional really have it for TK!

McChimpy and his Pickles are immune though...

[sasha031]

39. freepers jam the phones

it's awful, they are no nothing idiots, cruel and unusual. i had to shut it off

[jillan]

46. Is it normal to have your legal counsel with you at these hearings?

I'm talking about Rachel Brandt and Ed Gillespie that are sitting behind Alito like his shadow.

[Sydnie]

60. Yeah, it is fairly normal. n/t

[Dinger]

111. They Cut Off Dem callers, Not Repugs

I caught that.

[Old Vet]

45. God forbid the dems bite back as vicious as the repugs-

They play to win,whatever it takes. What the hell is there to lose to filibuster this man? Public sentiment,Why are they fluffing this guy? I dont get it.

[rodeodance]

37. did Mrs. A. cry when Specter said he padded his resume?

[Pacifist Patriot]

38. Looked like a vacuous grin to me.

[Pacifist Patriot]

40. Really petty observation here.

Alito's voice drives me nuts. Does he sound whiney or is it just me?

[mrcheerful]

42. Its his insincerities that make him sound that way

lier's voices do that when they lie.

[rodeodance]

44. Alito agreeing--Congress has major oversite duty (when will they carry out

this responsibility-is my question).

[WinkyDink]

92. OMG! WHINY to the MAX!

Grating, whiny, annoying, want-to-slap-him voice!

[deminks]

43. Can we get Nora O'whatever a job at Fox?

I think it would be a good fit. She was on BSNBC drooling over the rumor that there was no mention of Alito in the CAP documents. I think she belongs on Fox, so I don't have to watch her ever again. Dan Abrams was actually fair with his summary. I switched to Cspan quickly, though.

[jillan]

50. Nora is a media whore - plays it both ways.

She filled in for Tweety when the Abramhoff scandal took off, and she was all over the repugs for that.

[dogday]

53. She is not a journalist

she is a Bush cheerleader, a plant, probably CIA.... :sarcasm:

[sasha031]

48. who is up after Leahy?

[rodeodance]

49. specter opening from daidly kos (I missed this).

hu Jan 12, 2006 at 07:10:41 AM PDT

The hearings start. Specter announces that Alito is not mentioned in the Board of Director documents and is not in the list of contributors. Apparently the documents are quite limited in their scope and there could not have been the mention of Alito given the nature of the documents.

The question remains, why did Alito join a racist and bigoted organization and why did he list his membership in CAP in his job application to Ed Meese.

[rodeodance]

51. and the link

http://dailykos.com/

[rodeodance]

54. selective memory for sure.

from same Kos link:

During questioning, Alito told the Senate Judiciary Committee that he couldn't recall the organization, the Concerned Alumni of Princeton.

. . . Alito said he was not actively involved in the group and repudiated several of its controversial statements about minorities, homosexuals and women. He said they did not reflect his beliefs.

Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer of New York suggested that perhaps Alito listed his membership in the group on a 1986 job application to attract the attention of conservatives in the Republican executive office who were doing the hiring.

"I was applying for a position in the Reagan administration and my answers were truthful statements," Alito said. "I was trying to outline the things that were relevant to obtaining a political position."

[DemonFighterLives]

70. Most people wouldn't join a club without being in agreement

with the members and/or the agenda. This makes him a racist and a bigot or else he needs to answer why he thought it was good to put it on his resume.
:argh:

[Sydnie]

55. So was he a member or did he LIE on that application

and that lie is the rock on his rope now?

[Old Vet]

59. I agree........

[hang a left]

57. Just coming in....

So he was not even on the membership lists of CAP?

[Pacifist Patriot]

58. Not sure.

[deminks]

65. Either way

Did he boast of belonging to an exclusionary group to feed the racist chauvinist, classist Reagan era staffers? Or did he really belong because he believed in their cause? Either way, I would say this will not go away for him. What becomes of it, I do not know.

[hang a left]

69. I think it is a non issue at this point.

People pad their resumes all the time. BFD. It would be an issue if he actually an active donating member.

[Sydnie]

73. Hey, he's not applying for a job at the local WalMart here

Padding his resume for that , that would be a non issue. He's applying to decide how we are treated. I think it's still an issue.

[hang a left]

80. He was applying for a position in the Justice Dept in 1985.

Look, I'm no fan. I just see it the way I see it. No big deal. His statements, opinions, and dissents are far more indicative of who this guy really is.

[nickinSTL]

103. It is an issue.

This guy would be a Supreme Court Justice!

If you think the ethics of a Supreme Court Justice are no big deal...

[Pacifist Patriot]

62. Call me crazy, but I don't see a problem with hypothetical questions.

When I interviewed job applicants I gave them hypothetical situations to assess their opinions, judgment and problem solving skills. I asked for their opinions on "academic debates" to evaluate whether or not their opinion would mesh well with the environment and my opinions.

Alito's refusal to answer hypotheticals is driving me nuts. He's telling us nothing!

[hang a left]

64. Whoa

Mrs. A. flashing some leg today.

[Pacifist Patriot]

66. I'm waiting for someone to snipe about her wearing white in winter.

Or maybe a crack about her ugly necklace.

I really really wish spouses weren't involved in this process. They are distracting and completely immaterial.

[txindy]

72. No cracks today, probably

She finally took either her mother or daughter's advice and stopped being a visual distraction. She needs to smack whoever gave her advice earlier, though.

[EFerrari]

75. Do you think so? I think they provide another way for us

to know the nominee. A bit more context.

[Sydnie]

81. I do too

Their body language says alot.

[Pacifist Patriot]

88. Yes I do.

The speculation I've seen here and elsewhere based on her appearance has had absolutely no correlation to his fitness as a Supreme Court nominee. I have no problem with the spouse being part of the background check and investigation, but the presence in the courtroom is utterly unnecessary.
I find her presence over his shoulder distracting and annoying.

The whole concept of the "supportive spouse" feeds into cultural expectations I don't particularly care for. I realize that's just my personal opinion.

[EFerrari]

110. Well, the public has no access to the background check. n/t

[Pacifist Patriot]

113. The committee does.

[EFerrari]

118. Yes, they do. For all the good it does them.

:(

[Sydnie]

67. Well, we can't see the whites of her eyes ....

she looks totally drugged out today. I wonder if she will stay awake for the whole thing.

[in_cog_ni_to]

71. Her eyes are swollen.

She must have weeped all night.:cry::cry:

[mrcheerful]

76. Come on guys whats going on?

My gf turned the TV to the Jerry show and I'm missing all de fun!

[sasha031]

78. you can wtach it here

http://www.c-span.org/watch/cspan_rm.asp?Cat=TV&Code=CS

[mrcheerful]

82. Thank you

[DemonFighterLives]

83. Leahy quit and thanked everybody

Spector is talking now.

[Old Vet]

79. Spector sure is inpartial

[txindy]

84. When Scalito comes out against stem cell research, he won't be

This will hit Specter where he lives - literally. His life, and many others, hang in the balance. But, then, he can't see past the end of his nose.

[in_cog_ni_to]

90. Has Scalito even been asked about stem cell research?

I haven't heard his view.

I wonder if Specter will ask him his thoughts? I would think that would be a major issue for Arlen.:shrug:

[txindy]

96. Specter came out FOR it in a big way back during his chemo treatments

Said that his life depends on it and publicly fought the Cabal's position.

No, Specter hasn't asked Scalito about it. Surprise, surprise. I think he's too busy trying to stack the SC to fight off the looming corruption court battles he and his Abramoff-kissing colleagues will undoubtedly face.

[DemonFighterLives]

85. Specter reserves his time

Hatch reserves his 25 minutes.
Kennedy up!

:yourock:

[selmo7]

87. Predict he'll remember it?

He can't remember being involved in CAP and doesn't know why he put it on his resume??? I don't THINK so.

[in_cog_ni_to]

86. GO TED!

[DemonFighterLives]

89. Kennedy on Unitary Presidency

Separation of powers?
Morrison decision- Presidential contol of policy making.
Kennedy: what is your view?

[Viva_La_Revolution]

91. Alito says wouldn't change executive power...

[DemonFighterLives]

93. Alito doesn't think it will affect the balance of powers

Kennedy- It does have to do with it
Alito- Humprey's executor is leading precedent- core function of executive is enforcing the law
Kennedy- we are interested in your view of "enhanced role of executive"

[Viva_La_Revolution]

94. NEW THREAD question - GD or GDP?

GD is back up... anybody care which forum?

[Pacifist Patriot]

95. I don't care.

[in_cog_ni_to]

97. GD! n/t

[selmo7]

100. Think it's better to go back to GD

for new people just coming in on the threads.

[hang a left]

109. I do.

[WinkyDink]

98. Alito has no gravitas. He's clearly just an ordinary schmoe.

There is zero reason to put him on our highest court.
Except he might be smarter than Zombie Roberts.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

99. Vanguard again....

This is still a sticky point for him...

[DemonFighterLives]

101. Kennedy moving on Vanguard

Recusal practices - according to your sworn promise
Alito- yes I would recuse and including sisters co.

[Pacifist Patriot]

102. I'm really over Vanguard. Hasn't Teddy made his point on that?

[DemonFighterLives]

106. If Teddy can trap him on this I like it

Alito sure dodges around on this topic.
Profiteer meet corruption

[Pacifist Patriot]

108. I just realized Kennedy was taking a new tactic.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

104. THREAD 2 is up

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x117538

in GD ;)

[sasha031]

105. Go Kennedy

:headbang:
Sam Seder said Vanguard stop shot way up when Alito was sitting, he made lots of $, can't seem to remember though

[Chimichurri]

112. Orrin Hatch, just walk over and pull down Scalito's pants already

you know you want to!

Sorry for being so crass, but this man is couldn't be anymore accomidating.

[Pacifist Patriot]

114. His knees have got to be killing him!

[cyberpj]

115. Cue the crying - Hatch is playing outraged at Kennedy's questions. nt.

[cyberpj]

116. Biden's back. Without his Princeton hat today. nt.

[cyberpj]

117. Question: Didn't I read they would list those who "prepped" him today?

To expose whether or not "Huckleberry" Graham was there?

[Pacifist Patriot]

120. Watch Feingold. It'll come up then.