Crawford: Sotomayor Hearings Political Disaster For GOP
Via Atrios, Craig Crawford describes the political disaster that the GOP has decided to perpetrate upon itself:
Watching Lindsey Graham's gotcha grin as he needled Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor with disingenuous and rhetorical questions you had to wonder what was so funny. Does the Republican senator think it is amusing that he and his party's condescending tone toward the Hispanic woman was costing them ethnic votes with each passing hour of Tuesday's Judiciary Committee hearing?
. . . Even if they vote for her, the fallout for Republicans could reach well beyond Hispanic voters. They are coming across as a bunch of snarky and bitter old white men who cannot bear the thought of their kind losing power.
The only thing that can make it worse for the GOP will be, as I noted earlier, if no Republicans vote for Sotomayor's confirmation. Here's hoping.
I watched clips of both Sessions and Graham. They were both disgusting.
These two calling anyone a racist is like the pot calling the kettle... Well, you know.
states?
Will our own turdwipe Edsign not resign and, as he stated, run for re-election in 2012?
If so then it would be time to move to Canada, Vancouver BC, to escape this madness!
I am so pissed about Mr. Holyer than thou Edsign, and living in Las Vegas, that I had to change my blood pressure meds.
"Let's talk dirty to the animals"
They don't care what they say cause they're republicans which means that nothing they say or do actually has consequences. If people don't vote for them it's not because they are racist, misogynistic assholes it's because the other candidate used voodoo and the election was rigged by the liberal-biased media which plays them unfairly at every turn even when repeating their lame-ass talking points verbatim despite a little thing we call the truth.
sorry got all riled up there for a second
proverbial grave. For the last two or three years I have become increasingly disgusted with them, but as a Mexican-American woman, watching them go after Sotomayor in this manner just settles it and is the cherry on the shit sundae.
"The greatest tyranny is censoring information in order to be better able to control people." - Cristina Saralegui
They can't have the shit sundae until they have eaten all of the shit taco.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
;)
"The greatest tyranny is censoring information in order to be better able to control people." - Cristina Saralegui
They've been disgusting me for a very long time now and this blatant hypocrisy, gender-bias, and racist bigotry will be their swan song... thank frickin' keerist! It's been a long time coming, and I think they've clearly shown themselves for who they REALLY are! A bunch of pompous, tasteless, immoral a$$hats!
was being the true lawyer in the group of racists. True, he took only the nasty comments from a large group of anonymous comments but he made a legal point from a political context!
Sessions is a little man with a small brain that was denied a judgeship because of being a racist. Cornyn was plodding the 'party line' -- with no effect... The rest are just slugs!
Most are toast due to the ineffective leadership displayed in other areas of Governance!
Hope the judge keeps the notes she is taking --will make a great book one day!
The only thing is... can you imagine the residual slobbering knuckledragging crazies that will still vote for them? OMFG! And most of them are tot'n fahr arms! Whoa!
I would simply say "I told you so!" I have been disgusted with WASPS and their wannabees, like O"Reilly and Tancredo since becoming, well, Chicano!
young and a little naive. I first became angry with the GOP when they passed Prop 182. I was thirteen at the time. But as I get older I'm starting to be much from observing of their bullcrap...
"The greatest tyranny is censoring information in order to be better able to control people." - Cristina Saralegui
Lindsey, Sessions and the rest are trying to show their base that they tried to prevent this "wise Latina" from getting to the Supreme Court but those far left loons outnumbered them. They don't give a damn about the Hispanic community vote, they are trying to hang on to what's left of their own party with both hands.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
Couldn't happen to a nicer pack of bastards, I say.
"The greatest tyranny is censoring information in order to be better able to control people." - Cristina Saralegui
I have a bit of trouble with the word "nicer".
The rest is fine.
There are a lot of more appropriate adjectives, I'd have to agree! ;)
"The greatest tyranny is censoring information in order to be better able to control people." - Cristina Saralegui
"more deserving"
if no Republicans vote for Sotomayor's confirmation. Here's hoping.
Hope? Nope. Going to be a fact. The whole GOP is totally clueless.
Vote GOP and move forward to the 18th Century.
...that either Collins or Snowe--or both--will vote to confirm her. Maybe 1 or 2 others who are growing increasingly concerned that the Repugs have badly mishandled this confirmation process.
Not only that. By attacking someone relatively moderate, like Sotomayor, and obviously qualified, they've not "kept their powder dry" for the potential future time when Obama nominates someone to replace Kennedy or Scalia (who's a fat old smoker).
can one choke on smoking old fat?
Let these racist bastards immolate. And silently stand by with a gasoline can.
Yes, Lindsey did think he was being entertaining. He was trying to be cute as he planned to say, Hey little lady, this is white man country and we don't think you are ready to obey our good old boy rules. A wise Latino would be home cooking and leave the smart stuff to us guys.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
...may I try on your sparkly shoes?"
Graham as being 'cute'! He was using all his legal skills to preach to his republican base without being obtuse!
The rest of the slugs are just grandstanding!
Graham tried to trick the Judge into repeating the sentence about wise Latinos by pretending he couldn't find his copy of the quote. He knew people hearing her voice saying the words might make a bigger impact than just his reading the words. The Judge did not take his bait and good for her.
It's like having an accused murderer on the stand and handing them the weapon used in the murder. The visual of that person holding the gun is a strong one for the jury.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
he the lawyer playing with her the judge... like taking a pocketknife to a gunfight!
The sick treatment of Sotomayor by the Republicans is likely more meaningful in pissing off woman than Hispanics. The Republicans already lost the Hispanic vote. The are likely pissing off the 50% of the population that are woman, a contiguency that they still get a good share of vote.
Just kidding...there's room at the top for everyone.
GOP. Recent immigrants to this country from Latino countries are more likely to sympathize with the surface of what Repugs profess to be about (family values, the tradition of small entreprenuership, etc.), but they are getting a nasty introduction to how the GOP really feels. It will be so sweet if the new arrivals realize the GOP is their natural enemy and not the friends they claim to be.
"The greatest tyranny is censoring information in order to be better able to control people." - Cristina Saralegui
I hope it's a wake up call - long overdue too.
... of that loony-tunes Sheriff Blow, er Joe supporter screaming about shooting men/women/children who cross the border illegally.
Because, y'know, it's not like they can tell the difference, or care. I mean, you really think someone whose head is full of that much hate and percolating violence likes ANY immigrants?
If the republicans want to remain relevant they have to stop their core racism otherwise they are getting flushed down the toilet forever as they become the permanent minority.
Politics is for the present, but an equation is for eternity. Albert Einstein
when we get rid of the Stepford-wife-women, we're a majority (certainly worldwide) and those old white boys will have to reckon with that!
I often wonder... don't they know women feed them and they sleep with women, you've gotta feel pretty safe to do that... (most of 'em attest to this at least)... I wouldn't want to be pissing women off too much, you know...
I could NOT possibly in any way, shape or form be more disgusted with these turds in the collective punch bowl. They are beneath contempt and words fail me. Why ANY female would vote for ANY rethuglican, is beyond me! Rechhh Ptuuuie!
Most people I know who are interested in politics and the SCOTUS are not watching the proceedings live--they're getting their view of it on the evening news or from the blogs/news feeds they read.
The summaries I have seen of the hearings (and I'm talking mostly from teevee news) has been at least somewhat critical of the types of questions Sotomayor has been asked: the news has insinuated she has had to endure attacks based on her sex and ethnicity--which she has.
Hard to tell how that will play in any one community, but this is the news that's being put out there--especially by the "Good Morning Everybody in America" happy infotainment shows on network. The GOP is kicking it's own butt by carrying on its condescending/insulting/insistent attack-dog-gotcha lines of questioning because those who are paying any attention at all are hearing only this side of them. Sort of the way Democrats were portrayed by the news during Alito's confirmation ("making his wife cry" and all that). That's gonna hurt them, I think.
Women's and Hispanic leadership organizations across the country are watching the whole thing, and not missing a single condescending insult - and I bet they are completely unsurprised by what they see. But, oh boy, this will trickle down.
My favorite part may be how they simply don't understand why it is so offensive of them to lump all Hispanics together and expect Sotomayor to represent for them all. As cool as she has been, I've seen a couple of expressions on her face when that has happened that I know will resonate across Latin communities and be totally overlooked by the racists.
Actually, it wasn't a Democrat that made her cry, she started crying during the time that Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham was kissing Alito's ass and characterizing questions from some of the Democrats.
If Sotomayor wants speed things up - all she needs to do is cry and run from the room after one of these assholes beats up on her?
*
Better yet, her mother should cry. I've said from the beginning that if her mother began to cry the hearings would be over and she would be confirmed on the spot.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
8 years after his Pop lost to Clinton?
always has been, always going to be.
"They are coming across as a bunch of snarky and bitter old white men who cannot bear the thought of their kind losing power."
That's who they are - and they feel so entitled they don't even know they should be covering it up.
Hey, as Oprah says, "When people show you who they are, believe them."
My question isn't how clueless are they? My question is, how much do the have to show us who they truly are before we finally believe what they are showing us?
It's not as if it isn't pretty damn obvious.
We all could only hope that the Reslug party dies and goes away leaving only their tiny base of frustrated racist haters and wing-nut terrorists left.
Doesn't Lindsey have to vote for her now since she didn't have a "meltdown". God knows he tried to melt her but she was made of sterner stuff. I doubt Sessions will vote for her after the the bullshit he said about her.
I wonder if Lindsey would have said to a male Judge that he would be confirmed if he didn't have a meltdown. Probably not, because everyone knows only women become emotional and meltdown. Men just clutch the pearls.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
is one brilliant tough cookie, and the reich wing pigs will learn that to their chagrin. You don't get to where she is, as a female and as a Latina, by being a push-over. The end of the rein of pasty faced white men can not come soon enough.
young, twentysomething, multiethnic Latina, I'm the future of this country, and Mr. Goofy Ears and Miss Lindsey will be its sad past...
"The greatest tyranny is censoring information in order to be better able to control people." - Cristina Saralegui
My nieces and nephews include Asian-Hispanic, Asian-Caucasian, and Asian-African.
I have to say, the future is looking pretty damn good.
It's a wonderful site to see, and I noticed Sotomayor pointed out her mixed nieces and nephews that were there with her, which I thought was cool.
"The greatest tyranny is censoring information in order to be better able to control people." - Cristina Saralegui
Go forth and kick major butt!!
;)
"The greatest tyranny is censoring information in order to be better able to control people." - Cristina Saralegui
even though I'm a gringa from the suburbs of Detroit.
I grew up in an all white neighborhood, my kids have no idea of what that would be like - thank God.
They look at these old white farts as if they were escapees from a museum exhibit - and the old white farts have no idea that they are perceived that way by the vast majority of young people.
This is a good thing.
When racism is as inherently part of one's psychiatric genetics as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or alcoholism are, an individual's ability to reject, ignore or hide his/her racist thinking and behavior is not something that individual has dominion/control over. What we are seeing in Republican behaviors toward Judge Sotomayor are systemic/intrinsic defects in the leadership of today's Republican Party.
Now, can we have a concerted effort to get them the hell out of power?
I totally agree with you... and yes, it's time to put them out to pasture.
You have to watch this clip of Tom arnold and Sean Hannity debating issues like Sotomayor, Health care, Sarah Palin, etc. Arnold does quite well.
http://progressnotcongress.org/?p=2185
how the government is so corrupt and it should not be trusted. Given that up until 6 months ago, that same guy was part of the government for 8 years.
Their projection is just unbearable.
Factless Hannity got spanked by an actor. Lol.
that a bunch of rich white old males calling a minority woman a "bigot" would generate.
I am just waiting for someone to remind these assholes if indeed "they have no sense of decency."
Don't these Republicans yet realize that they are doing themselves more harm by continuing their racist and obstructionist agenda? Even worse, by allowing shitsnakes like Lord Limpballs, Hannity The Manatee, Bill-O The Clown and Hen Peck to be the mouthpieces for them, along with turds like Sessions and Graham.
If they keep this up, they will not only further alienate the hispanic and female voters, they will also piss off other minorities who see the GOP as an all-white party of bigots and nutcases who do not cater to them.
republican disaster, huh?
Good thing they're no longer in charge of FEMA.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
I have disagree that the Sotomayor hearings are a 'disaster' for the GOP. They are not really losing votes with these actions. They are trying to impress their base, the Joe Plumbers, and the NRA.
Contrast these hearings to the 1991 Clarance Thomas hearings, in which Democrats asked legitimate questions of Judge Thomas, and then got a royal ass-kicking by Thomas, the GOP, and the mainstream media (Anita Hill got the worst treatment of all). The Democrats ran with their tail between their legs and couldn't block Thomas. Even Biden, who voted against Thomas, nearly apologized for the treatment Thomas received from the committee. I hated Biden for 10 years after those hearings!
We Democrats know what a 'disaster' is, right?
Now gay sex and Republicans....THAT'S a disaster!
Do you believe that if Republicans felt they could gain votes from Independents, Moderates or Liberals they'd choose NOT to do that and focus strictly on their nutjob base anyway? They have no other option but to focus on their nutjob base because their base is SO NUTS, that they'd go ballistic if a Conservative Republican Senator said anything that they might interpret as an attempt to placate Independents, Moderates or Liberals. Republicans have become so dependent on extremists that they can't win with them and they can't win without them. That's a lose/lose scenario of their own creation, but they simply have no choice but to dance with the nutjobs that brung em!
Do you believe that if Republicans felt they could gain votes from Independents, Moderates or Liberals they'd choose NOT to do that and focus strictly on their nutjob base anyway? They have no other option to focus on their nutjob base because their base is SO NUTS, that they'd go ballistic if a Conservative Republican Senator said anything that they might interpret as an attempt to placate Independents, Moderates or Liberals. Republican have become so dependent on extremists that they can't win with them and they can't win without them. That's a lose/lose scenario of their own creation, but they simply have no choice to dance with the nutjobs that brung em!
as a percentage of voters, "snarky and bitter old white men" and their political base are decreasing every year.
so, by flaunting their racism and sexism these "snarky and bitter old white men" might appeal to their base, but they further reduce their chances of being a mainstream party.
So who do you figure David Gregory will have on MTP Sunday? Lindsey or Sessions or both?
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
Then throw in Cornyn for balance.
Then the round table of, Malkin ,Coulter, Savage and Limbaugh.
For equal representation.
What is your conceptual, continuity?
with Frank Luntz, followed by Liz Cheney with a bad case of PMS.
Bill O'Rielly and Glen Beck on.
What is your conceptual, continuity?
No; as always, John McCain.
They still exist. But they're fixing that problem, slowly but surely.
Would you all (Bloggers) stop focusing solely on the fact that the GOP is THROWING the Hispanic vote away as if it were garbage ---- and recognize that the way they are treating her is as much about the fact that she is a woman as it is about her ethnicity.
They are also hurting themselves with the women's vote.
I do agree that the Hispanic community will take their outrageous treatment of her personally - and they should.
But - if you doubt what I say - wait until Obama's next female nominee is named. Pat Buchanan will explode on your television screens.
(with a little luck - the next nominee ALSO be brown and we can watch ALL the re=Thug heads explode)
*
the kitchen, as maids, gardners and servers at the clubs.
As long as they are the same shade as Sarah Palin
ridiculous, a bunch of old white guys afraid because the country finally got tired of their bullshit, just can't seem to stop talking about a statement taken completely out of context and jabbering on about it.
They are Embarrassing not only themselves, but the rest of the country as well.
These "confirmation hearings" have turn into nothing more that a chance for them to stump for their tiny minority of whacko's.
hey, craig crawford, that is *flips thru GOP book of bullshit terms*, lesse hear, ah yes, that is 'reverse racism'...
lindsey Graham appears to be incurable. He's counting "angels on a pin", yet he will not let it go...
He wants to gloss over his chest thumping pettiness.
"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-
Re=Thugs are terrified of the Brown Woman.
*
Click this.
that they don't even know what kind of damage that they are doing to themselves. I had the same feeling during the Clarence Thomas Hearings and how disrespectful they were to Anita Hill.
Only when the last tree has died
and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught
will we realize we cannot eat money.
Someone mentioned this up thread but it's worth another mention. Women of all races are watching this. We see these assholes treating a woman like a lesser being and it's frustrating as hell. This woman is at least their equal and in most cased their superior when it comes to legal knowledge, among other things. When I see a man treat a woman the way she has been treated it causes me to feel a deep bitter feeling about them. Some decent republican male should stand up and tell these cavemen to shut the fu*k up and stop making a mockery of this thing. I'm sure more than a few Republican women are feeling this anger, whether they will admit it or not.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
since I'm both Hispanic and a woman, but I deeply understand why women of all backgrounds should be disgusted with these sorry excuses for men.
"The greatest tyranny is censoring information in order to be better able to control people." - Cristina Saralegui
She has been more than their equal throughout this. they look like the putzes they are.
As for Republican women feeling anger, don't kid yourself. They'll blame Sotomayor for stepping over her bounderies. She's only being subjected to this because she has dared to go where only whites are supposed to go.
white privledge will be stronger than solidarity with a woman of another color.
"The greatest tyranny is censoring information in order to be better able to control people." - Cristina Saralegui
where only white men are supposed to go... don't think for one minute these good ol' boys like women of any color; certainly not over men. :)
One would think that the GOP and related media have already dug a hole too deep to get out of, take the last 8 years or so, but they continue to astound me with their baseless hate, fear and discontent. They are rubber and we are glue. No matter what happens, their spin turns it around. Amazing!! Just hoping that the balance of sanity prevails over evil.
Gee I wonder why? If we're lucky, by the end of the confirmation hearing it will be 99.9.
You think these GOP geniuses would have gotten a clue when 95% of African Americans voted for Obama in November. Obviously not, since the only people they care about are wealthy, old white men that they hang with at the country club.
"We will find fulfillment not in the goods that we have, but in the good we can do for each other."
Robert F. Kennedy
I could never understand why any self-respecting Hispanic would ever support the GOP anyway. The Rethugs do not like Hispanics. The whole "family values" talking point is just a smokescreen.
Because, of course, their 'family values' are far superior to the work ethic, respect for education/learning, honesty, responsibility, fairness, and other lessons my parents (and grandparents) gave me.
Very nicely played by Obama. He knew these mouthbreathers couldn't resist. His next nominee should have a military background and be gay.
"They are coming across as a bunch of snarky and bitter old white men who cannot bear the thought of their kind losing power."
Better get used to it, ya old whiteys. From now on, you're going to have to work, like the rest of us. The power paradigm is shifting.
They'll be talking up the glory of the Bush years all through their twilight years. Ah, the days when privileged white men could push around, gang up on and steal from the poor, the ethnic, women, the gays, the intellectuals, the middle class, basically everybody outside of their little country club.
Did he do a no-no like Milbank? He was one of my favorite TV commentators and now I never ever see him. :(
Doesn't matter if 20 GOPpers vote for this woman. The perception is that old, white, angry, and thinly veiled racists control their party. They have not just lost the Hispanic vote, the young voters today think the country would be better off if these geezers would just go off and die somewhere.
is as a maid or cook, and it shows.
"They are coming across as a bunch of snarky and bitter old white men who cannot bear the thought of their kind losing power."
In other words 'showing their true selves.'
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