Official Alito Hearing Thread – Day 3 – Thread 5

[Viva_La_Revolution]

Thread 1
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x106359

Thread 2
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x106806#107023

Thread 3
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x107348#107929

Thread 4
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x108042#108181

[Viva_La_Revolution]

1. Spector tried to call lunch break...

hee hee

[LSK]

3. his food is getting cold lol

[MADem]

4. And he DID get that letter---oopsie, Arlen!!!

Teddy put his staff's response into the record!

[in_cog_ni_to]

6. HA! Gotcha!

Take that Arlen!

[Skidmore]

2. What did Coburn say?

I spent a large portion of my morning look at my dentist's nasal hairs.

[in_cog_ni_to]

5. I don't know. I go deaf

when repukes speak. I can't figure that out. :)

[underpants]

7. He said he was amused at what Durbin said

Check the threads (I know they are long).

[Skidmore]

17. Hey, undie, what happened to

your po'd shorts? The sight of them huffin'&puffin' across your signature line always made me smile. Did you wear them out?

[underpants]

22. What?

[Skidmore]

47. LOL!!

Nothin' like a pair of shorts with an attitude.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

9. Ooohhh. Did ya get laughing gas?

I feel like I'm on it now. You missed some fireworks my friend!

[jillan]

20. That Durbin originally was anti-abortion, but changed his mind.

Durbin was not in the room when it was said. Coburn said it as a proof that people are allowed to change their minds - as in what Alito said in the 1980's.

Now what I want to know, is how many times Coburn called John Kerry a flip-flopper?

[jillan]

24. Does Alito have alzheimers?

Excuse me, but I am in the same age group as him, and I remember very well what I did in college, even tho my mental facilities were not always intact.

So this bs about how he can't remember why he joined CAP. bsbsbsbsbsbs.
And if it isn't bs, than it must be the early stages of alzheimers.

[in_cog_ni_to]

8. Ugh! Cornyn introducing ASScroft!!!

:puke::puke: I wonder if they had to cover the boobs today?

[Skidmore]

10. An endorsement by Ashcroft speaks volumes...and the

megaphones are pointed in the direction of Falwell, Roberston, and their zombies.

[underpants]

ACK! Ashcroft endorsing Alito

Well if there was any doubt it is gone now.

[maxrandb]

67. Too Much Material

You'd have to cover every Republican Senator and media person in the room. Our budget just won't cover that much blue satin.

[Surya Gayatri]

11. Oh,Oh,

here goes a mutual oral satisfaction session presided over by creep Cornyn.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

14. FORMER Attorney General - If you please!

[BR_Parkway]

38. Refused to say if he was asked to be there by the Prez - why are cons

always trying to hide things? If, as they so loudly claim often, that the American public is in their camp and supports everything they do - why do they go to such lengths to cover up? They should be standing proudly, yelling at the top of their lungs that they are trying to do what the "majority" wants.

[Clara T]

12. Why did Alito join the ROTC at Princeton?:"It was draft-related"

Samuel Alito joined the ROTC at Princeton for one reason, and for one reason alone: So he wouldn't get killed in Vietnam. By 1969 -- Alito's sophomore year -- the Selective Service had gone to the draft lottery system, and were preparing to end the system of educational deferments that had kept people like Alito out of the war. Alito's birthday -- April 1, 1950 -- came up No. 32 that December, which all but guaranteed that the young Princetonian would be called up.

But the ROTC was a way to avoid serving as cannon fodder on the front lines and possibly a pathway to service in the Army Reserve, which -- just like George W. Bush's service in the Texas Air National Guard -- would have kept Alito out of the draft and away from the steamy, lethal jungles of the Mekong Delta. So in 1970 -- right after the lottery -- young Sam Alito took a very sudden interest in military affairs.

That summer, he attended a six-week training camp at Fort Knox, Ky. -- which was necessary to catch up with the two years of the ROTC program that he hadn't participated in. And friends say that strong passion for the military he spoke of this morning simply did not exist:

"It was draft-related," college roommate Mark Dwyer said of Alito's decision. "I joined the teacher preparation program. We were all focused on the draft lottery when those numbers got called. We thought about where we were. Sam looked like he was sure to be drafted. He said, 'If I'm going into the Army, I might as well be an officer.'"


http://www.pnionline.com/dnblog/attytood/archives/cat_n...

[underpants]

15. BAM!

Awesome

[Viva_La_Revolution]

35. Good find!

Thanks!

[CornField]

37. Of course, as it was for 99% of the people who joined at that time

Are we really ready to believe that all the Ivy Leaguers suddenly woke up in 1969 and 1970 with an unbelievable urge to serve in the military? They didn't go into the ROTC or other National Guard positions out of duty or honor, they went there as cowards, seeking only to save their own rear ends.

[DemonFighterLives]

13. Pukey's are fillibustering C-spn time in between sessions

Cornyn introducing several co-conspirators. Asscroft among them. I think I'm going to be sick. :puke:

Our liberties will be more secure with alito- Ashcroft :puke:

[in_cog_ni_to]

16. Here's the GOOD GUYS!

Yay!

~~~~un-mute~~~~

[DemonFighterLives]

19. What a relief

I hope Teddy goes off!

[Karmakaze]

18. Did you guys miss the Grassley dig at Alito?

I sure didnt see it coming but Grassley said at the end of his time that (to paraphrase) Roberts also did not seem to have a grasp on congress' intent in regards to a provision in relation to qui tam and that he wondered if there should be two justices on the SC with that lack of understanding.

I can't remember the specific way he put it but it was something to do with finding that information gathered from a FOIA request was considered public disclosure by Alito in a ruling when Congress' intent was not to include such sources of info.

Damn I wish I had taken notes or something :) but I was surprised that Grassley sounded like he was AGAINST Alito.

[lavenderdiva]

27. I thought the same thing!

It sure didn't sound like he was FOR Alito, at the end. Now Teddy is really going off, in a good way, about Alito's selective memory! Go Teddy!

Did anyone notice how when Teddy et al walked in on Ashcroft's mike time, Ashcroft just faded away, and Teddy et al took over? It was WONDERFUL!!!

[cascadiance]

58. Grassley's wrong about a lot of things, but is principled in a few places.

Like his support for having our security agencies need to show some sense of accountability with his support for Sibel Edmonds, etc. I think he must have some personal issues with what some security agency like the FBI might have done to him or some friend of his in the past. Perhaps it started with our handling of Waco or Ruby Ridge, etc. Who knows. But I'm sure he doesn't want someone in that would give abusive people too much power in our security agencies. Didn't hear that question, but if it was related to this, I could see how he might have taken a "contrarian" position in this case.

[in_cog_ni_to]

21. Leahy...the repukes had decided to confirm Alito BEFORE

they asked him any questions.

He wants to know how Alito feels about spying on citizens.

Ted..."Equal Rights for All" This nation does not want to go back and fight this battle again...Gay rights, Rights of women.

He)Alito) joined a group who were anti-equal rights? it sounds like and Specter won't give him the file on CAP.

[Surya Gayatri]

30. For the Repukes

this hearing is little more than an opportunity to service each other and Alito in public, and to distort, twist and deflect any legitimate Dem concerns.

[DemonFighterLives]

34. Ted is relentless

This issue will grow. Gays, Women, Minorities. OMG- Scalito joined the super duper right wing group and I'm sure it was not just his quest for knowledge like a good college boy?

[Viva_La_Revolution]

23. WHAT ARE THEY HIDING?

by not releasing the CAP records?

Kennedy speaking...

[in_cog_ni_to]

28. His support of DISCRIMINATION when he was a member.

I think.

[CornField]

59. One of two things

1 -- he was never a member, just pulled the name of a conservative campus group to pad his resume.

2 -- he was a member and, contrary to what he is trying to put forth in these hearings, he was an active member well aware of CAP's mission.

[DemonFighterLives]

65. I say number 2

this is more damaging than padding his resume for Nixon. Nixon wasn't a crook.

[CottonBear]

25. Ted Kennedy press conference: What is the committee trying to hide?

Q. "Why can he remember other things in great detail (67 dissents in detail) but not remember anything about CAP?"

[Viva_La_Revolution]

26. When they return.... Biden, then Kyl

Same order as yesterday.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

32. Call-ins now...

[WahooJunkie]

29. kennedy just said what i've been thinking all along

he can remember 67 dissentions in great (nauseating) detail but can't remember a damn thing about what he thought CAP was about?

nice.

[Surya Gayatri]

39. Maybe the poor guy

has circuit overload--his gray matter is just overburdened, don'cha know?

[gkhouston]

97. well then let's not burden him any further

with the responsibility of being a Supreme. :thumbsdown:

[Straight Shooter]

105. Zing!

:7

[CottonBear]

31. CSPAN is going to replay Kennedy-Spector smackdown after callers! n/t

[in_cog_ni_to]

36. WOOHOO! Lets listen and see if Specter DOES

deny the letter ever got to him. I swear he said he didn't have it/never got it. This will be good. You always pick up so much more on the repeats.

[CottonBear]

42. I didn't get to watch it the first time so I can't wait!

I'm at work trying to watch/listen and check in with DU while completing a site plan and making phone calls. :eyes: It's hard to work and be an informed citizen too! I find my sleep suffering as I watch CSPAN reruns at all hours of the night...;)

[dweller]

61. it sounds like Kennedy asked

specter "you said you did get the letter?" and not " you did get the letter" and then specter jumped on him taking umbrage at him saying what he did nor did not get.

dp

[Surya Gayatri]

62. Did you catch it...

in the very first seconds of the exchange, Specter half turns to the staff members behind him and says "We did get a letter..." and then Ted says "So, you did get it?". But these two statements practically cancel each other out--very hard to hear. SG

[dweller]

33. Kennedy requested the CAP info

in his letter to Spector and the need to subpeona the records. Spector responded thru staff that he would not do that. Kennedy responded (thru staff) that it was a mistake.

from Kennedy on Cspan, and i think they are going to replay the verbal exchange btwn them.

dp

[FSogol]

41. Did Arlen get his lunch break? n/t

[Viva_La_Revolution]

40. Abortion again...

She started off well, I thought she might have something to say about womens rights....

Womens rights to not have a choice over their own bodies, apparently. :eyes:

[CottonBear]

44. "...Fetus comes from the Latin for 'little one'..." & host hangs up. n/t

[WahooJunkie]

48. what a complete idiot

and this is why i dont watch washington journal


if i watched a cancer operation wherein a large mass of tumors were removed, and then i were shown the remains of said tumor, i would be horrified and disgusted because my reaction, that is largely instinctual and visceral, has almost nothing to do with conscious thought. so now cancer surgeries, due to the graphic and often troubling images associated with them, are morally wrong?

what a stupid silly ignorant argument she was trying to articulate.

[dogday]

43. Showing Kennedy/Spector Fight Now on C-SPAN

[dogday]

49. Spector is noticeably dragging his ass

on this he did say he received something....

[Viva_La_Revolution]

45. replaying Kennedy request now....

Here comes the juicy part... :bounce:

[underpants]

46. C-SPAN!! REPLAY OF TED AND ARLEN NOW!!!

http://www.c-span.org/

[Catherine Vincent]

51. Kennedy mailed it, Specter didn't receive it.

Blame the government. :eyes:

[underpants]

53. That was a lot more tame than the first time

:grr:

[in_cog_ni_to]

50. Specter said he DID NOT GET TED'S LETTER. LIAR.

I love Ted!

[CottonBear]

55. CSPAN hosts said to expect a ruling from the chair later today.

:popcorn: I can't wait. Arlen was acting all pissy and offended.

[underpants]

56. Didn't you get the memo?

[dogday]

52. Kennedy did not deserve what Spector dished

out. He is acting out of guilt cause he knows they need to subpoena those records...

[CornField]

54. Spector said he received the letter, before he said he didn't

Of course, now we know he did & his staff even responded. Poor, Arlen.

[dogday]

57. Exactly, and he tried to cover it up

once he realized he slipped. He over-reacted to the situation and was very unprofessional...

[DemonFighterLives]

60. His loyalties are showing

Remember this guy believes in magic bullets so anything is possible.

[tedzbear]

63. SPECTRE absolutely freaked.

See what happens when a Democrat actually does a little pushing? Too bad Biden, et al. will continue to lob soft balls. Don't they realize this is a crucial, momentous event in American history? They should be kicking ass in high gear like Kennedy.

Watch Biden continue to be the pro-corporate pussy he really is. (but I hope I'm wrong)

[Surya Gayatri]

76. As if we didn't know...

Biden has no loyalty or responsibility to anyone but Biden. He is a prime example of what's wrong with Congress in general and the Dem party in particular--career pol just in it as a lucrative lifetime free lunch. He's embarrassing. If I was from Delaware, I'd cringe to think he was the image of my state. SG

[lavenderdiva]

64. I'm glad you heard this too!

Specter said he received the letter, right off the bat! Then he went into this whole tirade against Kennedy after Kennedy said, 'You DID get a letter?'

Then later Specter says, '...I hope you won't mind if I give you the specifics, that there was no letter which I received. I take umbrage at your telling me what I received. I don't mind your telling me what you mailed. But there is a big difference between what's mailed and what's received. And you know that.'

[dogday]

68. That was another thing- when Kennedy

said that, he posed it as a question, not a statement and then Spector said don't tell me what I received. Kennedy asked him, did you get the letter?

[DemonFighterLives]

71. It was like he misunderstood Ted

and then raised it up a notch. As the chairman he should have said we will get the records and that's all. Instead he goes off about threats.
Teddy will keep bringing it up and the other real dems. should do the same. They have some actionable stuff going now.

[stevedeshazer]

86. Magic bullet shithead clearly said at first that he got the letter

He then got all defensive, saying TK didn't know what mail he received. Fucking liar.

[Dinger]

66. Poll Within Thread, Sort Of: Will Scalito Get In? I Say NO!!!!!

[Old Vet]

69. Check out what the rude pundit says about alito, Filibuster!

[FSogol]

74. Link? N/T

[tedzbear]

72. It depends on this committee's Democrats and how willing they...

...are to get to the bottom of Scalito's dark side and shine some light on it for all to see.

If they don't, I doubt that the Democratic Party as a whole will have the gumption to proceed with a fillibuster (biz as usual).

[ewagner]

73. IF and that's a big IF

the Dems can find an embarrassing "smoking gun" in Alito's past, the Repubs will drop him like a hot potato(e)(the "e" added for lurking freepers) ....and then they will try to pin the Dems with an "undignified" confirmation process, accuse us of "playing politics" (like wtf???? isn't politics what we're SUPPOSED to be playing)...

[Pacifist Patriot]

78. Borked!

[The Witch]

70. I just got back from a meeting. What letter?

Please feed me, I've been a cube rat....

[CottonBear]

75. Check upthread: a letter from ted to Arlen requesting CAP records

Arlen freaked out and said he never got a letter and in any case Ted wasn't in charge and then he banged his gavel a lot and then his staff said: Oops! we did get the letter.

Later today it'll be mentioned when (hopefully) it's put intot he record. Hee, hee

[DemonFighterLives]

77. Spector tied to claim that Kennedy doesn't know if he got a letter

that Kennedy sent to him questioning Alito on CAP. Kennedy wants to subpoena them and spector was dragging his feet. Teddy even had a reply letter saying that Spector got it.

[CottonBear]

81. Spector's staff finally confirmed he DID get the letter.

It will be brought up when they reconvene (hopefully).

Ted smacked down Arlen. Arlen melted down and banged his gavel a lot.

Ted wants to get to the SEALED documents of the CAP founder at the library of congress (sealed until the guy's death).
:popcorn:

[CornField]

83. Those would be interesting reading -- very interesting

And maybe not just in the realm of Alito, which may be why there's such a rukus about them.

[CottonBear]

84. If they weren't controversial & contain names they wouldn't be sealed n/t

[DemonFighterLives]

88. There has to be some juicy details

Who could seal them or why is a question. I suspect the founder could maybe do what he want with them or were they court ordered to hand them over and agreed to seal them until his death.
The racists are scattering.

[tedzbear]

85. Not only did Spectre get Teddy's letter, he denied his request.

So Teddy sent a dissenting reply. Spectre has been caught red handed blocking the release of crucial information.

[lavenderdiva]

79. read here:

link: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2362122&mesg_id=2362158

its a letter regarding Alito's membership in CAPS. It was a group he belonged to while he was at Princeton. Apparently, they are very biased against women, blacks, handicapped, etc. He even touted membership in this group in a resume he gave the Reagan Administration when he wanted to work for them. Now he has disavowed any knowledge of membership, and Kennedy wants to introduce proof that he indeed belonged to this group and KNEW he belonged to this group. Bottom line: it would prove his extreme views and also that he LIED under oath during these hearings.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

80. Klein from Boston Globe reporting on CSPAN

there are records from a former member, they are sealed, trying to get ahold of them to see if Alito is lying....

[CottonBear]

82. The CAP founder's document are sealed in the Library of Congress.

Ted wants to get to the SEALED documents of the CAP founder at the library of congress (sealed until the guy's death).

edit: Mmmm? Why would they be sealed? :popcorn:

[tedzbear]

87. Yes, why are they sealed and when were they sealed?

Recently???

[CottonBear]

89. I have no idea. Hopefully we'll know more soon. This is juicy. n/t

[Old Vet]

90. Bet theres some shredders humming now.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

91. They're back from Lunch

I hope it sits well.... I think there will be more fireworks soon....

[FSogol]

93. Any guesses to Arlen's next excuse/delay?

I'm guessing Naptime!

[Viva_La_Revolution]

92. From his 1985 application.....

page 15 of 21

"Most recently, it has been an honor and source of personal satisfaction for me to serve in the office of the Solicitor General during President Reagan's administration and to help to advance legal positions in which I personally believe very strongly. I am particularly proud of my contributions in recent cases in which the government has argued in the Supreme Court that racial and ethnic quotas should not be allow and that the Constitution does not protect a right to an abortion."

[Rainscents]

94. Do you think, Biden will talk about himself again today?

:crazy:

[LSK]

95. Biden up?

[VolcanoJen]

96. Jesus, can CNN do the President's bidding, or what?

Unbelievable how they just spent five minutes propping Alito up.

Ed Henry, Congressional Reporter: "It's obvious how frustrated the Democrats are. Alito just remains calm and cool, while the Democrats fly off the handle."

Wolf Blitzer: "Ted Kennedy is under a lot of pressure from the activists."

I'M GOING TO FUCKING THROW MY TV OUT THE WINDOW

[Rainscents]

98. Why don't you watch C=Span? Less stress!

[Tsiyu]

104. I wonder how guys like Blitzer sleep at night

Truly. Makes me glad i don't have cable, even if I miss out on seeing the hearings.

He doesn't even try to hide the fact that **'s dick is in his mouth, does he?

[CottonBear]

99. Switch to the SPAN baby! It's better for your health (and your TV!) n/t

[VolcanoJen]

100. Thanks, Rain and Cotton!

My TV thanks you, too. :hug:

[Dinger]

103. That Henry Prick Has Pissed Me Off Before

I hated him when he was on C-Span, and it's worse now that he's on CNN. Little prick.

[hang a left]

101. Biden...

doing a better job so far today.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

102. Thread 6 up!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x109206

[LeftCoast]

106. Locking - Please continue discussion here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x109206