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Roberts Hearing Should Be Delayed

By Jeralyn, Section John Roberts
Posted on Sun Sep 04, 2005 at 09:09:16 AM EST
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I wrote on Friday that confirmation hearings for Judge Roberts should be delayed in the wake of the Katrina disaster. Armando at Daily Kos shared this view.

It seems some Democrats are coming round to this way of thinking. TV news this morning is reporting that Sen. Chris Dodd says Bush should ask O'Connor to stay on. Republicans, including Sen. John Cornyn, apparently want to press on with the hearings.

My prediction: They will be delayed. No one's heart is in them.

Update: Word reaches me that Kennedy and Schumer are calling for a delay out of respect.

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    Roberts Hearing Should Be Delayed | 11 comments (11 topical)
    Re: Roberts Hearing Should Be Delayed (none / 0) (#1)
    by DonS on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:12 PM EST
    "no one's heart is in them" [the hearings]. I take the meaning here, and I have given a bit of thought to it myself. Without attaching undue animus to it, perhaps this is exactly the time that a seriousness and gravity can be brought to hearings that was absent last week. Now if the Senators lack the courage or the stomach to rise to the occasion that is a different thing. These people are elected and paid to be extraordinary individuals, with public service their supposed brief. When, if not now, better to show the steel necessary to right our tottering republic?

    Re: Roberts Hearing Should Be Delayed (none / 0) (#2)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:12 PM EST
    DonS-Are you forgetting the broad power congress granted Smirk shortly after 9/11, which allowed him to go into Ayrak in violation of International law. The right uses disaster to push their agenda on the distracted masses. The dems cave because they do not want to seem partisan when the nation needs to be united in the face of a national crises. Fascism 101. We need to wait until the Senators have gotten their heads back on straight.

    Re: Roberts Hearing Should Be Delayed (none / 0) (#3)
    by aw on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:12 PM EST
    They might as well kill and bury our rights to privacy right now. Or they could just cremate them.

    Re: Roberts Hearing Should Be Delayed (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:12 PM EST
    I think DonS is partially right about the atmosphere of seriousness that should hang over the hearings, but I also think for decorums sake the hearings be pushed back a couple of days. But then again with his callous disregard for minorities and women it probably suits John Roberts just fine to not have them postponed. In fact I bet he wouldn't mind if his hearings pre-empt all of that unsightly sobbing on TV over all those dead poor people. It is something he just doesn't want to worry his pretty little head over.

    Re: Roberts Hearing Should Be Delayed (none / 0) (#5)
    by DonS on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:12 PM EST
    Squeky, I am well aware of the rights use of disaster and the dems penchant to pander if not cave. If there is to be the beginning of a new accountability . . . which includes cutting through the rw "patriotic" sham, just what will be the proper time for that to start? If ever.

    Re: Roberts Hearing Should Be Delayed (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:12 PM EST
    Believe it or not, the disaster is not the only responsibility the government has. The last thing we need is a whole term of 4-4 decisions. The Senate has no role in disaster recovery other than money allocation - what the heck else do they need to be doing?

    Re: Roberts Hearing Should Be Delayed (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:13 PM EST
    Don't delay it, shift it 1) Everyone is ready for Roberts -- The congress will not do much now re Katrina so let them get on with the hearings. 2) On the other hand, re the Renquiest death, let whoever decide to appoint Rogers to the Renquiest seat, with the Supreme Court deciding who will be acting Chief, and O'Connors staying on for a while, and then let us work thru the appointment for the second seat and the Chief without a time pressure.

    Re: Roberts Hearing Should Be Delayed (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:13 PM EST
    Any Senator who stands up and says that the Roberts nomination should be put on hold because his or her heart "just isn't in it" is saying that they are not prepared to do the job they ran for and accepted and should step down immediately so that someone who is prepared to do the job can be appointed in their place. With Rhenquist's death this weekend, the Roberts nomination is more important than ever and it needs to be settled so that we can then move on to another nomination and get that one settled as well. The last things we need right now is a Supreme Court that can't make a decision or a Senate unwilling to do its job.

    Re: Roberts Hearing Should Be Delayed (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:13 PM EST
    justpaul and JR, the SCOTUS can work without a ninth member and the scenarios have already been worked out. Also the replacement for Rehnquist won't be able to occupy his seat until after, well after, October, so delaying for a couple of days won't make a difference one way or another in regards to Roberts, but it would go a long way in repairing the Republican image that took and is taking a huge hit with the lack of compassion being displayed by GOP members. But oh yeah, it is more important to insure gays can't marry, women can't get abortions, and intelligent design reign supreme over the U.S. And this is exactly what hacks like you two are hoping will happen getting Roberts and another fascist in place quickly. Also, justpaul, your illogical statement about any member of the Senate saying we should, out of respect for the dead, postpone the Roberts hearings for a few days should step down and be replaced is juststupid. But yet again, why should you care about being respectful of poor, dead black people. They mean absolutely nothing to you, so why don't you just grow a backbone and say so.

    Re: Roberts Hearing Should Be Delayed (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:13 PM EST
    And JR, I bet you didn't mind that after 9/11, with the exception of a couple instances, this country did grind to a halt. But Hurricane Katrina can't be used to kill some mud people in the Middle East, so in your mind we have probably mourned way too long for the NO dead. This hurricane has been far more destructive in the number of lives and economic repercusions, but you seem to be treating this as a mild annoyance. This was so big in scale that I could understand that you might still not understand completely the ramifications of this disaster, but I don't think that is it. You just don't care and it is obvious from the comment in this thread and in others. So as I and others mourn the deaths of our fellow citizens, why don't you give us a little break from your immense wisdom.

    Re: Roberts Hearing Should Be Delayed (none / 0) (#11)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:15 PM EST
    DonS-All things being equal, during a time when a nation is under disaster mode there is a natural tendency to be cooperative and support the leader. With NOLA Bush showed weak leadership and is taking heat for it but since he will show only strong resolve with Roberts it is not a good time for those opposed to him to go up against the President. Like a moth to flame the nation will follow a strong leader during a time of crisis. Fascism works its way in when people are scared. In some way his weak leadership during NOLA prolongs the crisis and ultimately could work for him when he chooses to tell the nation who needs to be immediately appointed to the SC. I bet a knee-jerk reaction(Fascism 101). Delaying the process until the nation calms down is the only way to regain some power; the WH has still not delivered a single document requested by congress about Roberts. Not one.

    Roberts Hearing Should Be Delayed | 11 comments (11 topical)