3.27.2009

Color me incredulous

I find many things in life deeply frustrating. Driving in Boston, for example. Filling out the various forms sent to me by insurance companies. The lack of decent Mexican food in northern New England.

Wanna know what else I find deeply, deeply frustrating? That this man is the Senate Majority Leader.

Via HuffPo, he has given us the following gem of political thought:
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Friday that John Roberts misled the Senate during his confirmation hearings by pretending to be a moderate — and that the United States is now “stuck” with him as chief justice. “Roberts didn’t tell us the truth. At least Alito told us who he was,” Reid said, referring to Samuel Alito, the second Supreme Court justice nominated by President George W. Bush. “But we’re stuck with those two young men, and we’ll try to change by having some moderates in the federal courts system as time goes on — I think that will happen.”
*thudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthudthud*

Oh, I'm sorry. I was just banging my head against a wall. Sometimes it helps.

Riddle me this, readers. Harry Reid is the Senate Majority Leader, yes? Becoming Majority Leader involves a political process, which comes as the culmination of a great many preceding political processes? Yes? Right? He wasn't born Majority Leader, was he? He didn't spring, fully-formed, from Chuck Schumer's head, correct?

So how is it that I, a complete schmo who has been elected to precisely zero public offices, could have told you that Justice Roberts was probably going to be exactly the kind of conservative Chief Justice we have observed him to be, but our esteemed Majority Leader seems compelled to make ridiculous pronouncements that it's all one big surprise to him? Did he fail to recall the words "compassionate conservatism," with all their meaningless glory? Did he think that somehow W., despite all evidence to the contrary, was somehow angling to put stealth moderates on the bench? Had he been spending all of his time between public appearances on MARS?!?!??

Look, Harry. I know you were pretty much hosed over Roberts and Alito. There was all that hoo-ha about the "nuclear option," and you were stuck. I know. But just because Roberts is handsome and well-spoken doesn't mean he was fooling anyone. Or, at least, he shouldn't have. If, honest and for-truly, you were fooled, then it makes you look like a tool to admit it.

3 comments:

  1. Sen. Reid didn't vote for Mr. Roberts. Either Sen. Reid originally thought Mr. Roberts was unqualified (unlike, say, the ABA which unanimously gave him its highest rating) or Sen. Reid originally thought Mr. Roberts was not a moderate[1]. Clearly the issue could not have been Mr. Roberts' qualifications, so Sen. Reid is being disingenuous at best when he claims Mr. Roberts "lied to the Senate."

    The fact that the head of the Senate Democrats, the party in power for the past two years, is such a transparent lying moron goes a long way towards explaining the Recent Troubles that have visited our fair nation.


    [1] If Sen. Reid was of the view that Mr. Roberts was a moderate and yet voted against him, the alternative is that Sen. Reid is lying now when he says he wants moderates on the Court. Heads Sen. Reid is lying, tails he isn't telling the truth.

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  2. Harry Reid has barely said in a sincere word in his life. He's what people who hate all politicians think all politicians really are.

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  3. > He didn't spring, fully-formed, from
    > Chuck Schumer's head, correct?

    Oh, God, I laughed and laughed and laughed over this line. People in my office think I'm having some sort of episode.

    My favorite Reidism, regarding Ted Stevens: "My personal feeling, you guys, I don't know what good that [would do]... He was a real war hero too, you know. He's been punished enough."

    Seriously, Harry, it's time to pack it in.

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