Do Biden, Schumer, and Kennedy bear any of the Alito blame?

[vi5]

I'm not saying they do. If we had a unified front in the full Senate then what they did or didn't do would be moot. And I do think the entire proceedings of the hearings has become a total joke. But to what degree do folks on here think they could have done a better job? I think Kennedy did o.k. And even if he had a less than stellar performance he's built up enough good will with me that I'm willing to not bear too much ill will (although I do feel this is one of the most important things he had to do). And while Schumer had some half decent moments and questions his performance felt half hearted as well. But Biden. Oh lord Biden. I know this will get me flamed but my tolerance for him decreases every single time I see him speak. He tries so hard to be this witty, charismatic tough guy and it always comes across as calculated and forced grandstanding to get himself on the news and in the headlines and I think his performance questioning Alito is a prime example of this.

I don't know. I just felt that there was a lot of low hanging fruit to pick with their questions and the approach they took that could have pulled Alito and his beliefs more into the light but that didn't happen. I think that the prime example that sticks in my craw is the Ruth Bader Ginsburg quote. Why did Lindsay Graham have to pull out that quote and turn it around to a negative? Why didn't one of our Dems pull it out and say "Mrs. Ginsburg had the courage and honesty to answer that question in a straight forward and forthright manner. Will you do the same?" Admittedly I didn't watch every minute of the hearings so if this did happen then I apologize.

Just looking for people's thoughts. Like I said if we had a unified democratic front in the senate this would all be a moot point. But I'm wondering now that all is said and done how much do people feel those dems I mentioned could have done better?

[Rene]

1. Biden is an absolute jerk. Kennedy is fabulous. Schumer will stick to

gis guns. They should have questioned how Alito made all that money...working as a judge. Somebody paid him a great deal. If it was speaking fees...who was it? Did the CAP organization pay him! Alito stinks like a weasel and works like a deceptive hunting wolf.

[neverevergivein]

4. I think Schumer

could have been more adamant against Alito. Kennedy was great. Biden only serves himself. I'm most disappointed in Dianne Feinstein.

[meegbear]

2. The repugs were afraid of Scalito being borked ...

so they attacked Kennedy early and often.

[vi5]

3. Agreed, but that aspect of it was predictable...

The only thing more predictable than them attacking a Clinton is them attacking Ted Kennedy.

[meegbear]

6. True, but a Clinton wasn't on the judiciary committee

[vi5]

7. Jeez, can you imagine.....

I don't know whether there clock like predictability should make me laugh or cry. Then I realize that despite the predictability that our side STILL manages to get blindsided by them, and it mostly makes me cry.

[cali]

5. I thought they all did fairly poorly

I support and admire all of them, but jeez, what a fumble. Biden's loggueria, Schumer's tone of voice, and Kennedy's shrillness in the face of Alito's polite and low keyed mien, just didn't work. It looked petty and personal. Schumer did ask some half decent questions, but I really felt that by and large, the Senators were all over the map.

[Darkhawk32]

11. I have to agree. Their style just looked awful.

Some of the substance was there to a degree, but in this world, style counts (and perceptions too).

The questions needed to be fast and hard-hitting. Taking 10 minutes to ask a question is just not acceptable.

[Talismom]

8. I've just been wondering why nobody said something to the effect...

"Judge Alito, given the concern expressed by many conservatives about judicial activism, I need to ask you whether or not you consider stopping the counting of votes in an election--such as, for example Bush v. Gore--in other words, the effective appointment of an executive by the judiciary branch to be in accordance with the consitution and judicially conservative?"

How could he have smuggly danced around that answer and not created a stir? How did the dems. let this opportunity pass them by?

[Vinca]

9. The whole lot of them talked too much!

Alito might have hung himself if they let him talk more.

[Ninga]

10. Well, who else is there in the leadership????? Our leadership

has gotten stale and no longer seems to be able to bring its top game to the table.

Each Senator has a staff that goes deep and wide and each Senator should have come to the table with solid, unrefutable facts and been more patienet then Alito.

The absence of strategy from the Dems is glaring and disturbing.

[Armstead]

12. I wish Kennedy had stuck to the issues

he's probably the most passionate and consistent advocate for the rights and nterests of the people in the Senate.

He had plemnty of ammo to grill Alito on those issues. I wish he'd done that, instead of the personal stuff.

Biden was awful. Schumer was good on substance but off putting.

I think Feingold and Durbin did best, atleast from thge parts I saw.