The Daily Show Lampoons The Sotomayor Confirmation Circlejerk

@Beau Nerd: Hmmm... not so much that: it isn't the lack of the 'sensational' or the 'exciting' in her responses that bothers me. I instead DO expect an occasional flash of wit, and linguistic elegance. After all, whomever takes up the role of Supreme Court Justice, must build law with language. It is their tool in the same way that a bricklayer uses stone and mortar. Thus, they should demonstrate some facility with this skill. In fact, it should be one of their defining characteristics. Language is more than a pedestrian method to transmit information. It can stimulate, inspire, and elevate. It can dredge up emotion and move people, even beyond the logic of the message. Looking for inspiration here, I don't see whether or not she is capable of constructing argument in this manner. Which is why I am concerned. I want to see a flash.. a spark.. something...

@m4ximusprim3: "..Being boring and monotone is the only way to not give them any ammunition... sadly...

Which is why it was so painful to watch. And they show no sign of just getting on with it. There seems to be some unwritten law, that whoever is unhappy with a judicial nominee, must wheedle and cajole them, regardless of the pointlessness of the whole endeavor. Left or Right, it makes no difference, apparently. Why don't they just ask her to expose her bottom, and give them a willow switch? Caning? I dunno. But it sure won't make any difference to the outcome. It exemplifies the egregious and completely out of control behavior that has become the norm in Washington. If the outcome is certain; and in this case, it pretty much IS, civilized people ought to behave better. Honestly.

The Republican's have a problem with a "Wise Latina" as they so obviously prefer a "Hot Latina" like Sandford's mistress.

@RubyBegonia: "Don't you agree, Puerto Ricans and other Mexicans are unsuitable for any position of responsibility due to their unstable emotional nature?" - Jefferson Beauregard Sessions (R-Confederate State of Alabama)

@DoctorNine's D9 Cat: Let's also hope that we don't don't hold to the expectation that "brilliant" people must also be somehow exciting, simply to fulfill the exigencies of the culture of sensationalism, which seems to be dominant at the moment.

@DoctorNine's D9 Cat: From what I can tell, the whole point of the confirmation hearing is to get her to say something off the cuff that they can all jump on and parade around with like a head on a stick. Being boring and monotone is the only way to not give them any ammunition.

sadly...

m4ximusprim3

@DoctorNine's D9 Cat: Golly, you didn't see any evidence of brilliance from someone being asked the same question over and over? And there's a glut of "really, really well qualified candidates," other than Sotomayor, who's been in the Federal courts system for 17 years? David Souter, whom she is replacing, had been a circuit judge on the US Court of Appeals for two months before he was nominated for the Supreme Court.

RubyBegonia

@nozer: Ooh, yes. We've long been overdue for some romance in America's highest court, and she and Thomas were meant for each other. Imagine the touching tableau that could have been: her gazing upon him during oral arguments, her heart in her empty, doll-eyes, basking in his mute adoration. NOW who will break that antiquated bootie-on-the-bench taboo?

MightiestMugg

@MightiestMugg: Forget Bork, what about America's Sweetheart, Harriet Miers?

"You Know How Those People Are" from Sessions and his fellow Confederates for hours. If Sotomayor reacts in the smallest way, blinks or the slightest of smirks, it proves that she has that hot hot fiery Latin blood we just can't have on the highest court.

Republicans must be envious of east coast liberal elites for bagging Sotomayor: a racist hispanic (according to her detractors) strikes two demographics coveted by the republican party.

Sigh. Just think how much fun the news would be if they HAD confirmed Bork.

MightiestMugg

The best part of that clip is when Jon Stewart mentions Carlos Mencia's not at the network any more.

This was great - but the whole Lenny Dykstra - Jim Cramer thing was amazing. Stewart cut Cramer off at the knees before, but this, this was like rubbing his now-raw-and-stumpy leg ends in salt like some sort of oozy margarita glass.

I wandered past a TeleVoid Device yesterday while munching a bagel, and observed her halting, calculated, monotone replies, to an obviously exasperated set of frankly somewhat hostile senators. It was painful. Nowhere did I see evidence of the brilliance that she is supposed to embody. But, as our Executive branch seems to have chosen her, instead of any other from amongst a glut of really, really well qualified candidates, she must be, right? I truly hope she is the best mind we can place on the court, however, by what I saw, I can't confirm that she is. She will have to successfully debate with Justice Roberts et al, and he isn't going to be impressed by her Horatio Alger story, only the quality of her arguments. Let's hope we aren't getting a poorer advocate than we might otherwise have had, simply to fulfill the exigencies of the culture of identity, which seems to be dominant at the moment.

Since she hasn't had her complete meltdown yet and is not showing any signs of cracking under the "stress" of these proceedings, can we just confirm her. I'll concede that she's wiser than me, race and gender notwithstanding. Now, your honor, what's the story with your niece?

@Bobby Big Wheel: the best part of this comment is the repping of the Whale. The Elephant's Waltz lives! Awersome.

great_white_snark