Louisville Courier Journal Editorial: The Merry Justice.
The merry justice
After three days of intensive questioning, the nation knows nothing more about Solicitor General Elena Kagan's views on the law than it did before she testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee. This exercise has deteriorated steadily since the 1990s, as has the entire judicial confirmation process, which is less a serious inquiry and assessment than a partisan circus.
Without question, however, Ms. Kagan emerged unscathed and likely to be confirmed as the next associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. And when she dons her robe, Americans will know one thing about her: She has a great sense of humor.
Indeed, the word for Ms. Kagan is merry. For instance, on Tuesday she was asked by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., where she was on Christmas, a simple query that she thought was the lead-up to a question about whether terror suspects like the would-be Christmas day bomber should be given Miranda warnings.
When she started to demur, Sen. Graham interjected: "I just asked you where you were on Christmas."
Then with a twinkle in her eye, Ms. Kagan responded with perfect timing: "You know, like all Jews, I was probably in a Chinese restaurant."
She even brought a smile to the face of dour Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa., with her answer to his question about televising sessions of the Court. "It means I'd have to get my hair done more often," she said.
Again and again, in tense situations, the Kagan charm shone through. And one asset we feel sure she will bring to the bench will be the ability to make even the sourest of the other eight justices crack up when deliberations grow tense.
Say goodnight, Elena.
Editor's comment: No wise Supreme Court Justice wants to get "BORKED", so they all choose to excersize their Fifth Amendment right to remain silent, hence we have Kabuki dances at the Senate CONfirmation hearings.
So I *SIGH* in DISGUST.
After three days of intensive questioning, the nation knows nothing more about Solicitor General Elena Kagan's views on the law than it did before she testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee. This exercise has deteriorated steadily since the 1990s, as has the entire judicial confirmation process, which is less a serious inquiry and assessment than a partisan circus.
Without question, however, Ms. Kagan emerged unscathed and likely to be confirmed as the next associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. And when she dons her robe, Americans will know one thing about her: She has a great sense of humor.
Indeed, the word for Ms. Kagan is merry. For instance, on Tuesday she was asked by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., where she was on Christmas, a simple query that she thought was the lead-up to a question about whether terror suspects like the would-be Christmas day bomber should be given Miranda warnings.
When she started to demur, Sen. Graham interjected: "I just asked you where you were on Christmas."
Then with a twinkle in her eye, Ms. Kagan responded with perfect timing: "You know, like all Jews, I was probably in a Chinese restaurant."
She even brought a smile to the face of dour Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa., with her answer to his question about televising sessions of the Court. "It means I'd have to get my hair done more often," she said.
Again and again, in tense situations, the Kagan charm shone through. And one asset we feel sure she will bring to the bench will be the ability to make even the sourest of the other eight justices crack up when deliberations grow tense.
Say goodnight, Elena.
Editor's comment: No wise Supreme Court Justice wants to get "BORKED", so they all choose to excersize their Fifth Amendment right to remain silent, hence we have Kabuki dances at the Senate CONfirmation hearings.
So I *SIGH* in DISGUST.
Labels: News reporting
posted by KYJurisDoctor at 11:27 AM
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