Posted on 01/11/2006 7:24:25 PM PST by SmithL
A group cleverly called People for the Alito Way says the Associated Press wrongly characterized its an episode at Samuel Alito's hearing today that left his wife in tears.
The AP story, which followed an exclusive from the Drudge Report, placed the blame on a Republican senator rather than committee Democrats -- a fact the conservative group says is just plain wrong.
After taking a steady beating from Senate Democrats today, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R.-S.C.) offered an apology to Alito. (Read the full transcript.)
"Judge Alito, I am sorry that you've had to go through this," Graham said. "I am sorry that your family has had to sit here and listen to this."
Alito's wife, Martha-Ann Bomgardner, at this point had begun to choke up. She exited the hearing room and returned after a break holding her husband's hand.
But, according to the AP's account, it was a comment Graham made moments earlier that triggered Bomgardner's emotions.
"And really what I would look at to believe you're not -- and I'm going to be very honest with you -- is: How have you lived your life? Are you really a closet bigot?" Graham asked rhetorically.
The AP story reports:
"Martha-Ann Bomgardner, who had sat behind her husband for hours of questioning over several days, left as her husband was being questioned by Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.
"'Are you really a closet bigot?' Graham asked Alito. The nominee said no, and Graham said, "No sir, you’re not."
Commenting on the AP story, Coalition for a Fair Judiciary President Kay Daly said: “Mrs. Alito has shown grace under pressure after months of abuse at the hands of well-funded, left wing organizations and their Democratic minions on the Senate Judiciary Committee,” said Kay Daly. For the Associated Press to misrepresent these events in an attempt to smear Republican Senator Lindsey Graham sets a new low in the already subterranean level of journalistic standards on display in Judge Alito’s confirmation process.”
Mr. Bluey is editor of Human Events Online.
Yep. ABC news made it sound as if Graham caused her to become upset.
Sen Graham's voice cracked when he offered the apology to Mrs. Alito..BTW, isn't she a lovely woman with a great smile?
Reminds me of when Kerry mentioned Dick Cheney's daughter's sex life during live debate. One wonders how she kept it together like she did.
wow.. the AP takes a statement out of context to make a republican look bad... imagine that ;\
I recommend they line the Senators up and let Mrs. Alito ID th offending party by kicking them right in the ****s. What's the chance her target will be a republican?
Actually, I think that was Edwards. I was waiting for Cheney to jump out of his seat and strangle the Breck Girl. But he didn't. He used his entire rebuttal to thank Senator Edwards for the kind remarks about his family.
The media-politcal establishment knows no shame.
I was just watching (for a few minutes) ANderson Cooper 360. They had this report on blaming her tears on Graham, and in fact, they edited the tapes of the hearings, showed her crying when Lindsay made his comment, and then showed her returning with her husband, and then showed Lindsay making the apology statement -- just the I'm sorry part, not the part about what the democrats have put the family through. It was pure propaganda -- at its worst. Only enforces all of our opinions of CNN -- CNN LIES.
Didn't Kerry follow up during the last debate with W?
I am of a different type... and also from Assachoosyours (MA)
I would have kicked over the table, (while screaming at my a@@hole Senator) and sniffed his water bottle for all the world to see..
I then would have grabbed his tie and bitch slapped him accross the face until he cried or I was arrested..
but hey...
That's just me!
P.S. If my hubby allowed me to attend, he would have had the smarts to put me in a fashionable strait jacket..
perhaps duct taping my mouth!
I blame Graham for this episode. In his search for the limelight and the dramatic, he asked the question "Are you a closet bigot?" Even without the teary exit, the press would have concentrated on the question with the comment, "Republican senator questions nominee on bigotry" and spin it to make him look bad ("Have you stopped beating you wife yet" type of question). If Graham hadn't been grandstanding, the whole episode wouldn't have happened. He and McCain are fellow RINO's who seek the spotlight only for themselves.
Yes, he got emotional for a moment..
I was telling my mom about this. She didn't believe me, of course, and then she saw the ABC story, called me and said I shouldn't get all of my news online. I just emailed her about 4 articles including this thread.
"... I think if you were to talk to Dick Cheney's daughter, who is a lesbian, ..."
Instead of crying she should have stood up and called Kennedy a drunk, secretary/mistress drowner.
CNN's Anderson Cooper misreported the truth about what happened today too with regard to Graham.
Check this out, mo1 and txsleuth.
While flipping thought the channels earlier tonight, I saw that obsequious talking kumquat Keith Olbermann and his initial reaction was "There's no crying in Senate hearings!!!!!" And I thought the pinko hippies were supposed to be "understanding and sensitive."
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