WP/Milbank: Bipartisan Agreement: Roberts Was Just Terrific

[kskiska]

By Dana Milbank

(snip)

Ordinarily, the first day of hearings for a Supreme Court nominee would be full of pomp and pageantry. But Alito had the misfortune of following by just four months the confirmation of the witty, charming and erudite John G. Roberts Jr. -- and there was a palpable sense of detachment in the hearing room yesterday.

Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.) arrived late for the nominee's opening remarks. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) lost his place while reading his speech. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) referred to the nominee as "Alioto," confusing him with the former mayor of San Francisco. Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) bounced so impatiently in his chair that he appeared to be riding a mechanical horse. Former New Jersey governor Christine Todd Whitman, who introduced Alito to the committee, referred to the nominee as "President Alito," then told the TV cameras she met Alito when she was "governor of New York."

Then there was Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), who, just seconds after announcing that he would yield the floor to Sen. Russell Feingold (D-Wis.), called a recess and pushed back his chair to stand up. "Pardon me," Specter said, remembering his promise to Feingold. "I was so anxious for the recess, I jumped the gun a little."

(snip)

Alito entered Hart 216 with the lawmakers and, pausing as he reached his wife's seat, extended his hand to her. Rather than shake her husband's hand, Martha Ann Alito sensibly rose and gave him a kiss -- on the cheek. When senators delivered their speeches, Alito sat unnaturally still, feet flat on the ground, elbows on armrests, hands in lap, wearing an expressionless face.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/09/AR2006010901825.html

[snowbear]

1. The "Ali-o-to" by Senator Kennedy was pretty funny...

http://eliteleague.co.uk/forum/images/smilies/lol!.gif Dana Milbank caught most of the screw-ups by Arlen Specter, but he didn't mention the slip-up when Senator Specter accidently called Russ Feingold "Judge Feingold" (right before the 1st break)

Either that or I missed it in that WAPO article somehow.. :shrug:

After he said that, Wolf Blitzer commented to Jeffrey Toobin and Jeff Greenfield.. "I believe Senator Feingold is an attorney, but I don't think Arlen Spector meant to call him a judge"

Gee.. ya think Wolf?

[kainah]

2. heard Christine Todd Whitman

say she was governor of New York. I thought that was an especially odd lapse.