As a black man, I can’t watch the hearings. The shamelessness of the republicans party (combined with the collective shrug by the press) takes my anger to places that are truly unhealthy. This language the GOP is using will get more people killed. It’s a guarantee. And the press soft-pedals all of it. I’ll just to read all of you to find out what’s happening.
What's particularly galling is the fact that Hawley, Cruz and Graham are all lawyers who are acutely aware of sentencing guidelines and how judicial discretion works. Suggesting a judge is "soft" because she doesn't agree with a prosecutor's sentencing recommendation is beyond naive for a lawyer, but it resonates with the Ohio diner rubes. Hawley et al. should be embarrassed to put on this cynical, unethical and dishonest display, and the media should feel an ethical obligation to point out what is going on.
Hawley's performance and the MSM reaction was simply disgraceful. I'll get right to the point here. If Americans don't flood to the polls in November and vote to give the Dems a much larger majority in both the House and the Senate, we are simply doomed as a nation. Unlike Ukraine, our country will be destroyed without one missile being fired at it.
A bunch of old white men mansplaining MLK to Ketanji Brown Jackson is as iconic of this era as anything we will see in political history books in 20 years. It was an outrage. I do not know how Judge Jackson maintained her composure, I certainly didn’t when I was watching.
Everything that Hawley, Cruz, and Cotton say/do this week must be filtered through the prism of their presidential ambitions. This is all a game to them, and a source of future campaign ads.
The modern GOP does not try to attract new voters, they only try to cement the old ones to the base and keep them quivering with rage.
The dog whistles to the base is truly deplorable. My mother always told me to never trust those who constantly accuse others of something....they may be guilty of the same thing. I have no doubt that this bizarre harping on pedophilia is really some sort of pain from doing the same despicable act to others.
It did not seem as if the press -- or especially TV news -- just shrugged. The video highlights were weighted heavily in favor of the circus -- Graham staging his walkout, Hawley's attack, and that despicable Cotton asking his simple-minded multiple choice questions. The republicans on that committee were just running their election propaganda. Thank you to Cory Booker for putting a civilized ending on the day.
It is despicable how crass and unrelated to qualification and merit, these SCOTUS hearings have become. To try to tar an honorable jurist as supporting pedophilia, these people are beyond the pale and should be censured, if not expelled from the Senate!
Remember the guy in "Outlaw Josey Wales" that operated the river crossing. He would sing Dixie when the Reb's approached or Battle Hymn of the Republic when the Yank's approached. "Journalistic Integrity" has almost become an oxymoron in the MSM. It's nothing but profit-driven commerce for the most part. That's true for politics, as well. Ironically, a big part of America's recent accelerated slide into autocracy has been the result of decisions (or non-decisions} made by the right-wing-dominated bought-and-paid-for Supreme Court. That's another reason why the Q-pub's don't want Ms Brown on the court, in my opinion. She has too much integrity.
I watched a little of the hearing and had to turn away; it was too enraging. The GOP has sunk to the deepest fathoms, and have shown us that there is no bottom. And the political press gives them oxygen. The inappropriate questions, histrionics, and deliberate mischaracterizations display how pathetic the GOP have become. They do it because they know they can get away with it; the media will not call them out—certainly not with the force or frequency with which they go after Dems. These same reporters cheerily predict the GOP will take control of Congress—without mentioning 1/6 or the further damage they have promised to do. And these political reporters do not care.
Everything you mention about these sessions is galling but what most galls me is the lack of questions trying to determine how she might rule on constitutional issues. Pedophiles are not protected by Constitutional law nor is that an issue. Exactly what’s taught in school (other than a tacit ban on hate speech) is not a Constitutional issue.
I did hear her response to some questions on Roe and Plesey where she said the Supreme Court had settled those issues (as did Kavanaugh). I don’t know who asked them or specifically what the questions were but point to whoever that was - those are relevant issues.
So maybe the Press should call out how irrelevant all of this GQP questioning is, as well as how wrong and distracting it is and how it’s all about election campaign memes, not determining her suitability for the bench. . Or maybe that’s too complicated for both the journalists and their audience.
$10 to the first senator (or the judge herself) who looks Hawley in the eye and says “So what exactly are you saying here?” The question conservatives have spent at least 40 years scurrying away from answering.
$100 to whoever can make Hawley actually cry. Which doesn’t look difficult.
The good news: my partner and I went on our first date on 12/3/96 to see Weezer at Roseland with a post-concert drink at the Russian Samovar. Alas, both establishments have been closed but we are still together. But enough about me... The bad news: we live in America, where slavery is still considered "no biggie." Watching the Republican display of skullduggery made me feel hopeless and embarrassed (and brought me back to my early 20's). We are truly a people in trouble (h/t Sarah Schulman).
The Pre$$titute$ are hell bent on doing whatever it takes to kneecap Joe. They are gladly marching lockstep with the GOP to tank Jackson just like they destroyed Debo Adegbile
The headlines Eric cites say it all as they each link in shorthand the fabulous Ketanji Brown Jackson to child pornography. Each implies that these reckless allegations are credible and need Jackson’s defense to knock them down RATHER than Hawley et al to defend their accusations even though they are bogus, dangerous and made up nonsense. Linking Hawley to Qanon is a no brainer given the now iconic picture of him cheering on the 1/6 jerks. The msm shamelessness is screaming from their headlines as they insert distorted notions in them perpetuating a lie, hoping to soil her stellar reputation. CLICKS. $$$$. Reprehensible.
As a black man, I can’t watch the hearings. The shamelessness of the republicans party (combined with the collective shrug by the press) takes my anger to places that are truly unhealthy. This language the GOP is using will get more people killed. It’s a guarantee. And the press soft-pedals all of it. I’ll just to read all of you to find out what’s happening.
What's particularly galling is the fact that Hawley, Cruz and Graham are all lawyers who are acutely aware of sentencing guidelines and how judicial discretion works. Suggesting a judge is "soft" because she doesn't agree with a prosecutor's sentencing recommendation is beyond naive for a lawyer, but it resonates with the Ohio diner rubes. Hawley et al. should be embarrassed to put on this cynical, unethical and dishonest display, and the media should feel an ethical obligation to point out what is going on.
Hawley's performance and the MSM reaction was simply disgraceful. I'll get right to the point here. If Americans don't flood to the polls in November and vote to give the Dems a much larger majority in both the House and the Senate, we are simply doomed as a nation. Unlike Ukraine, our country will be destroyed without one missile being fired at it.
A bunch of old white men mansplaining MLK to Ketanji Brown Jackson is as iconic of this era as anything we will see in political history books in 20 years. It was an outrage. I do not know how Judge Jackson maintained her composure, I certainly didn’t when I was watching.
Everything that Hawley, Cruz, and Cotton say/do this week must be filtered through the prism of their presidential ambitions. This is all a game to them, and a source of future campaign ads.
The modern GOP does not try to attract new voters, they only try to cement the old ones to the base and keep them quivering with rage.
The press has got to revive reporting shamefullness and quit confusing it with principle. I'm not holding my breath.
The dog whistles to the base is truly deplorable. My mother always told me to never trust those who constantly accuse others of something....they may be guilty of the same thing. I have no doubt that this bizarre harping on pedophilia is really some sort of pain from doing the same despicable act to others.
"It's one more drop in the bucket when it comes to dealing with the left and their problem with pedophilia.”
That is Orwellian nonsense, and probably deliberate. The right wing propaganda machine is executing its mandate with malice aforethought.
It did not seem as if the press -- or especially TV news -- just shrugged. The video highlights were weighted heavily in favor of the circus -- Graham staging his walkout, Hawley's attack, and that despicable Cotton asking his simple-minded multiple choice questions. The republicans on that committee were just running their election propaganda. Thank you to Cory Booker for putting a civilized ending on the day.
It is despicable how crass and unrelated to qualification and merit, these SCOTUS hearings have become. To try to tar an honorable jurist as supporting pedophilia, these people are beyond the pale and should be censured, if not expelled from the Senate!
Remember the guy in "Outlaw Josey Wales" that operated the river crossing. He would sing Dixie when the Reb's approached or Battle Hymn of the Republic when the Yank's approached. "Journalistic Integrity" has almost become an oxymoron in the MSM. It's nothing but profit-driven commerce for the most part. That's true for politics, as well. Ironically, a big part of America's recent accelerated slide into autocracy has been the result of decisions (or non-decisions} made by the right-wing-dominated bought-and-paid-for Supreme Court. That's another reason why the Q-pub's don't want Ms Brown on the court, in my opinion. She has too much integrity.
I watched a little of the hearing and had to turn away; it was too enraging. The GOP has sunk to the deepest fathoms, and have shown us that there is no bottom. And the political press gives them oxygen. The inappropriate questions, histrionics, and deliberate mischaracterizations display how pathetic the GOP have become. They do it because they know they can get away with it; the media will not call them out—certainly not with the force or frequency with which they go after Dems. These same reporters cheerily predict the GOP will take control of Congress—without mentioning 1/6 or the further damage they have promised to do. And these political reporters do not care.
Everything you mention about these sessions is galling but what most galls me is the lack of questions trying to determine how she might rule on constitutional issues. Pedophiles are not protected by Constitutional law nor is that an issue. Exactly what’s taught in school (other than a tacit ban on hate speech) is not a Constitutional issue.
I did hear her response to some questions on Roe and Plesey where she said the Supreme Court had settled those issues (as did Kavanaugh). I don’t know who asked them or specifically what the questions were but point to whoever that was - those are relevant issues.
So maybe the Press should call out how irrelevant all of this GQP questioning is, as well as how wrong and distracting it is and how it’s all about election campaign memes, not determining her suitability for the bench. . Or maybe that’s too complicated for both the journalists and their audience.
$10 to the first senator (or the judge herself) who looks Hawley in the eye and says “So what exactly are you saying here?” The question conservatives have spent at least 40 years scurrying away from answering.
$100 to whoever can make Hawley actually cry. Which doesn’t look difficult.
The good news: my partner and I went on our first date on 12/3/96 to see Weezer at Roseland with a post-concert drink at the Russian Samovar. Alas, both establishments have been closed but we are still together. But enough about me... The bad news: we live in America, where slavery is still considered "no biggie." Watching the Republican display of skullduggery made me feel hopeless and embarrassed (and brought me back to my early 20's). We are truly a people in trouble (h/t Sarah Schulman).
The Pre$$titute$ are hell bent on doing whatever it takes to kneecap Joe. They are gladly marching lockstep with the GOP to tank Jackson just like they destroyed Debo Adegbile
The headlines Eric cites say it all as they each link in shorthand the fabulous Ketanji Brown Jackson to child pornography. Each implies that these reckless allegations are credible and need Jackson’s defense to knock them down RATHER than Hawley et al to defend their accusations even though they are bogus, dangerous and made up nonsense. Linking Hawley to Qanon is a no brainer given the now iconic picture of him cheering on the 1/6 jerks. The msm shamelessness is screaming from their headlines as they insert distorted notions in them perpetuating a lie, hoping to soil her stellar reputation. CLICKS. $$$$. Reprehensible.