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Failures of Leadership Email Print

By sdf
01/16/2006 01:57:02 AM EST

John A. is certainly right (though I don't agree that all Dems are equally to blame), as is profmarcus, that after much anticipation of a battle over Alito, the remarks emerging from the Democrats  (or I would emphasize some Democrats) represent a profound failure of leadership.  I have, perhaps through a spasm of wishful thinking, been willing to attribute the reports of "glum Democrats" to a SCLM eager to parrot the latest administration line, but it's impossible to ignore the remarks of prominent Dems this weekend.

We Californians have long since learned not to be disappointed with (or at least not surprised by) Dianne Feinstein's shortcomings, her self-important forays into a "reasonableness" that would be best left for fellow self-important blowhards such as Biden and Lieberman.  Still (as Georgia10 noted over at Kos), Feinstein's comments Sunday morning are both pathetic and sadly telling:

This might be a man I disagree with, but it doesn't mean he shouldn't be on the court.

I can never tell whether it is incredible disingenuousness or incredible naivete (or some combination of the two) that prompts the Biden/Lieberman/Feinstein wing of the Democratic Party to imply that Washington continues to be run by a gentleman's (or gentlewoman's) rulebook; that the other side plays by any notion of fairness whatsoever; that there can be "reasonable" disagreements with a man who sees no problem with strip-searching 10 year old girls or the infinite expansion of presidential power. That there is anything remotely important about her casting an entirely symbolic "no" vote against his confirmation after having supported cloture.

But it was this DiFi quote that I really just can't wrap my mind around, that is really incredibly revealing of the cocoon in which she and certain other Senate Democrats see Washington::

I was impressed with his ability to maintain a very even demeanor.

She was impressed that he kept an even frakking demeanor?  Jesus Christ, she really does think that this is an elaborate game, perhaps a debating society, and he fielded all of the judges questions with poise and calm.  Flying f**king spaghetti monster.  In what fantastically insane universe should the fact that he was able to avoid answering questions smoothly and efficiently count to his credit?

At any rate, it is also telling that these loose comments escaped her despite Harry Reid's asking Democrats to reserve judgment before their Wednesday meeting.  So Feinstein, as Biden and Lieberman have done at other times, undercuts the Party if for no other reason than that she loves the sound of her own voice.

Can't wait to talk to her staffers on Tuesday ...

-- Stu


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Failures of Leadership | 4 comments (4 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)
Feinstein's comments (none / 0)
are the kind that break Democratic hearts.

Thanks for highlighting this, Stu.

I don't think we should let anyone (Democrat or Republican) off the hook for their comments or behavior.

Fortunately, Al Gore is making us proud right now on C-Span, talking about the Constitutional crisis.

Taxes shall be levied according to ability to pay. That is the only American principle. FDR

by btyarbro on 01/16/2006 12:36:33 PM EST

Indeed (none / 0)
Alas, I'm sure that Feinstein, if asked, would say that she was disappointed that Gore didn't keep a calm and even demeanor during his [incredibly moving, incredibly articulate] speech ...

-- Stu

by sdf on 01/16/2006 01:33:36 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Thinking on their feet (none / 0)
That's what was lacking in this case.  Several times, Alito was caught out by questions that drew responses that left him open, but in every case the senators -- intent on reading the next point in their script, or getting back to their pontificating -- let him loose.

On the CAP question alone, Alito allowed that he might have put down the organization because it fit well with the Reagan administration's goals, but he got off with only the most vague of thought on how the organization fit the conservative agenda.  Detailed questioning should have made him either state outright, or by ommission, that it was the link to CAP's anti-affirmative action roots that made it attractive resume padding.

Want to bet that more CAP information surfaces soon after Alito is confirmed for life?

by Devilstower on 01/16/2006 04:34:35 PM EST

Infuriating (none / 0)
Can she really be that clueless? We're out here working our asses off trying to get them to fiibuster and go for impeachment and she just hands it to them? Can't Californians find a Democrat with a brain?

Support the Women's Autonomy and Sexual Sovereignty Movements.

by Morgaine Swann on 01/16/2006 07:59:29 PM EST

Failures of Leadership | 4 comments (4 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
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