Why did Senator Graham ask Kagan what she was doing on Christmas?

[usregimechange]

Everyone forgot about the question after Kagan's hilarious quip:

"Like all Jews, I was probably at a Chinese restaurant."

But what about the question...

The context indicates that he was asking a lead-up about the Christmas day bomber. However, it's possible that this was a part of the Republicans broader attempt to paint her as a liberal more radical than she actually is. And not quite like "us."

If that is the case, and they have not been above this in the past, shame on them. If they did attempt to use religion as a political tool, again, they are the people who are not like "us."

"No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States." -United States Constitution, Article VI.

[geckosfeet]

1. Simply to make sure that everyone knows. What other possible motivation was there?

Was what she was doing on Christmas at all relevant, in any possible way, to the proceedings at hand?

[MadMaddie]

2. That's exactly why he asked

It was inappropriate and no one called him on it. They will keep doing these things until they get their hands slapped.

[pacalo]

6. Well, off camera, I believe Sen. Leahy alluded to the fact that Sen. Schumer was probably doing the

same thing as Kagan (eating at a Chinese restaurant?) or something to that effect, meaning that even one of Graham's committee members was Jewish.

[KonaKane]

3. It seems as though they were joking with each other.

This little exchange is being way over analyzed, I think. There are much worse things to be concerned with regarding Kagan's questioning.

[Spazito]

4. Well, given the question was posed by Senator Graham...

one can be sure the intent was NOT without an agenda, an agenda being put forth by the repubs, that being 'she is different than 'us'', no different than, imo, the crap being put forward by the birfers re President Obama. He is the epitome of pure racist, anti-semitic slime, imo.

What I don't get is he seems to get a pass for his crap more often than others of his ilk do, what's with that?

[hedgehog]

5. It's an old joke about Jews eating Chinese on Christmas Day

because supposedly only Chinese restaurants are open. (Like I said, an old joke.) I think Senator Graham had heard the joke for the first time and wanted to show off his arcane knowledge to the world.

[iamjoy]

7. Her Response Was A Gem

and I knew exactly what Senator Graham and the rest of them were doing - it's not really that they are anti-Semitic. I'm sure some of their best friends are Jewish

:eyes:

No, they were determined to use anything they could to show that Kagan was "different" than "normal" Americans. Had this been a Jewish nominee picked by a Republican president, a Jewish nominee who shared a judicial philosophy with Clarence Thomas, well, then the only references to faith would have been to try to demonstrate how like "normal" Americans she (or he) was.

I don't think most Republicans are really anti-Semitic, just like I don't think they're really racist. I do think many politicians are quite willing to tap into the bigotry of others to score a political victory. Sometimes I think the honest bigot is preferable.

[blondeatlast]

20. "...willing to tap into the bigotry of others to score a political victory." EXACTLY. nt

[Booster]

8. He wanted to hammer home to his base that she is different:

not one of us. That she doesn't celebrate Christmas like "we" Christians, as if that is somehow evil and just un-American.

[msongs]

9. jew baiting by a southern good ol' boy - nothing new about that nt

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

10. Yes.

[Renew Deal]

11. Maybe he wants her to come over?

:party:

[Schema Thing]

12. It was an innocent and humorous exchange.

Deal with it.

[kestrel91316]

17. Nothing innocent about it.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

13. Well he could either do that, or address her as Jewey McJew. He went with the

subtler way.

[Doctor_J]

14. To find out if she is part of the War On Christmas

A dog whistle to get a few more teabaggers out in November.

[Lint Head]

15. I was born and raised in South Carolina. It is a racist state.

My apology to anyone still living there. Graham did this on purpose. Racism in the US is subliminal in the 21st century. It is a message to his S.C. voters that he knows a Jew when he sees one and he will call them out. This jerk gave a speech at a private party next to my brother in law's house the last time he ran for office. You could hear him over the fence. He said things there he could never say to a mass audience because he was among native, white South Carolinians. I have heard other powerful people there say things in private that would curl the hair on the back or your neck.
He is a cynical opportunist and could care less about the American people.

[kestrel91316]

16. He couldn't come right out and ask if she was a Jew, so this was the

next best thing.

You had to ask???

[kenny blankenship]

18. Because he's a vicious little shit?

But I'm sure you knew that already.

[Robeson]

19. To point out that she is Jewish, and not a Christian...

...her answer was priceless.

[hvn_nbr_2]

21. He probably intended to make her part of the war on Christmas. nt

[EOTE]

22. I took it as a joke.

I think initially he was talking about the Christmas Day bomber. When she asked for clarification and asked what he was referring to specifically, he played off her banter and agreed that yes, he just wanted to know where she was. It seems to me that he was playing the straight man.

[onenote]

23. +1