NYT: Democrats Prepare Ground to Challenge Judge Roberts

[bettyellen]

By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICKWASHINGTON, July 22

- As the Supreme Court nominee John G. Roberts continued courting senators, Democrats began laying the groundwork on Friday to challenge him in his confirmation hearings, in part by seeking to shift the focus from volatile issues like abortion to the broader subjects of personal privacy and government power.

snip.....

"Be careful that you don't translate this entire process into a referendum on Roe v. Wade," Senator Richard J. Durbin, Democrat of Illinois and a member of the Judiciary Committee, told reporters on Friday after meeting with Judge Roberts for about 40 minutes.
Mr. Durbin said he did not expect the nominee to offer his view of that 1973 decision, which first established abortion rights and could come up again before the court. But Mr. Durbin said he did expect him to discuss the constitutional principles underlying the decision - and specifically the right to privacy that the court first established eight years earlier in Griswold v. Connecticut, which involved the far less controversial right to buy contraceptives.

snip...
.....(Senator) Kennedy warned of "an enormous danger" if the Supreme Court turned away from the broad New Deal interpretation of the Commerce Clause. "Can you imagine the sort of nation we would be if each state had to pass each civil rights law separately?" he asked. "We would be a lesser nation."

more:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/23/politics/politicsspecial1/23confirm.html?hp&ex=1122091200&en=fb39f9e37379e238&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[NAO]

1. It would be nice if they could just *assume* everyone knew Roberts would

overturn Roe, and then make the case that whether or not you want Roe overturned, you don't want Roberts.

Sen. Kennedy has really correctly framed the debate - it is corporations vs. the people that is at stake with Roberts.

[Skink]

2. IMO...

The repugs want another Kennedy. Albeit a free market Kennedy. Even they know over turning Roe would be the end for them.

[VegasWolf]

7. Almost. I agree the guy is a corporatist. Surprised the unions aren't

weighing in. I'm not so convinced that he cares that much
about social conservatism.

[seriousstan]

3. Durbin is already in Robert's pocket.

http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/ns/news/story.jsp?id=2005072215570002391123&dt=20050722155700&w=RTR&coview=

"I want to go into this hearing with an open mind," Durbin, told reporters. "I want to give him the chance" to answer questions on a variety of topics.


Durbin said they discussed a number of topics during the 40-minute meeting, aimed largely at getting an overall measure of the nominee.


"It was a positive measure," Durbin said.

[LynneSin]

5. You lost me there - where did Durbin say "I'm drinking the grape Kool-aid"

He said what I would expect any democratic senator to say after having a private meeting with Roberts. Democrats are not going to defeat this nomination by shouting the loudest. This is a chess game with the Bush Regime where if we start pushing our big pieces out there too quickly without a plan we'll end up stuck with this guy on the court. Durbin SHOULD go in there and listen to what Robert has to say and he SHOULD come out of there with a poker face and make such profoundly undetermined catch phrases like "I want to give him a chance"

This is the beginning of the game and right now we're getting our pawns lined up appropriately. Durbin wasn't drinking the grape kool-aid, he was simply doing what he is suppose to do and not make any kind of out-there comments that'll startle the repukes.

[upoceg]

9. well put, LynneSin

points that should be remembered.

i know it's too soon to hope, but maybe the dems are finally starting to learn the opposition game circa 2005.
I worry though, that Kennedy's referencing the New Deal specifically.
Most of this country forgets that it happens to be the most important series of social policy ever enacted in this country, mostly because the neocons have been feeding them the line that the New Deal is evil socialist blah blah blah for the last 25 years, and they've been buying it.

but still, cheers for teddy on this one.

[Rose Siding]

6. I don't think that's necessarily so

Durbin has creds this way -and he has already nixed the guy once, so he may be trying to dispel the idea that he has any preconception.

Those remarks are more reasonable than saying he's going into the hearings with a closed mind, won't give him a chance and it that he had a lousy first impression :shrug:

[0007]

17. Duh?

[54anickel]

4. Cripes, how did we ever get here? We've been thrown back to protecting

gains made by the New Deal?

Americans have been sooooo distracted by wedge issues such as Roe v Wade and separation of church & state...not that these aren't important mind you. But these f'ing corporatist are REALLY going after all the gains made by the middle class since the New Deal.

[VegasWolf]

8. Exactly!! Well said. Actually the redneck freepers are the ones that

will get screwed by this guy since they don't have any money.

[Iowa]

11. Exactly!

When the government ceases to protect the people from corporate excess (which they are already doing) any feeling of personal security we may have now will be wiped out. Our standard of living will plummet. The suffering they cause will be immeasurable and the pain will be so widespread and dramatic that we'll forget all about the issues that were used to divert our attention. This is hugely important. They must be stopped.

[bettyellen]

13. yup.

[burrowowl]

10. Bravo Kennedy!

kick!

[Robbins]

12. Roberts

We will soon know which Dems have true backbone. And this will all
have bearing on the future. Any senator planning to run for President
In 2008 Is dead In the water If they vote to confirm him. I am unsure
who I would support since Dean Isn't running but If Kerry shows backbone,and the other senators running do not. He has moved closer to getting my support.

[wli]

14. yeah, it's pretty much "who's not an AEI mole?"

The DLC and GOP are the same, mere fronts for the AEI. It comes down to voting records.

[wli]

15. Bush v. Gore and Iran-Contra shenanigans

I think there was another fiasco floating out there somewhere but I forgot it already.

[DoYouEverWonder]

16. He's not only a corporatist

He's a partisan, political activists based on the little we already know about his activities in the 2000 FL Recount and his work has a registered lobbyist during the 2004 Campaign.

[bettyellen]

18. ...

[Toots]

19. "We would be a lesser nation."

Ummm IMO We are a lesser nation and this Administration has made us so.

[Booster]

20. During questioning, I hope the Dems don't spend all their time on

Roe vs Wade; it seems it's clear where he stands on that, but I want them to bring up his stance on civil rights especially where it affects our black brothers & sisters, and his view on corporations against the little guy. This guy is bad news for little people.