Transcript: Judiciary Panel Senators on 'FOX News Sunday'

FOX ^ | 7/24/05 | FOX

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

SCHUMER:...Here's what we want to do, Brit. We simply want to determine if Judge Roberts is a mainstream thinker. He'll be a conservative mainstream thinker. We know that President Bush has the right to nominate a conservative and not an ideologue, someone who will impose his views upon the American people.

How do you determine that? There are a lot of different ways. There's the questions he answers. Now he has a little bit of a judicial record. He's been on the court. And there are documents....

SCHUMER:Sixty percent of the American people say they want to know his views, if you can believe these polls. And so he can figure out the way. There's not one way to do it.

And if there is some question he feels uncomfortable in answering, he's a very brilliant man, he can figure out other ways to allay our concerns....

But there is not a set rule that says we must have this, this or this or we can't vote for him....

SCHUMER: Look, you listen to everybody's viewpoint, there's no question. But we have to make up our own minds. And it should be based on one question -- at least for me it is, and I think it is for most of my Democratic colleagues. And that is: Is Judge Roberts going to be a judge who is within the mainstream, who interprets the law, not one who makes law and imposes his views? It was, frankly, quite the same as what Attorney General Gonzales said on the show a few minutes earlier....

SCHUMER:Justice Ginsburg didn't. But Justice Ginsburg, unlike Judge Roberts, had a full record. She had been on the court of appeals for nine or 10 years. She had written 305 opinions that touched on many issues....

[rwa265]

"SCHUMER: Look, you listen to everybody's viewpoint, there's no question. But we have to make up our own minds. And it should be based on one question -- at least for me it is, and I think it is for most of my Democratic colleagues."

And that one question for Chucky is: Is there a snowball's chance in hades that Roberts will vote to limit abortion in any way, shape, or form?

I expect Chucky to vote no, no matter what Roberts says.

[Unam Sanctam]

And that is: Is Judge Roberts going to be a judge who is within the mainstream, who interprets the law, not one who makes law and imposes his views?

I'm sure none of the Roe or Lawrence justices did that...

[CWOJackson]

"In his confirmation testimony two years ago, Roberts said that judges should be "ever mindful that they are insulated from democratic pressures precisely because the Framers expected them to be discerning law, not shaping policy," and added: "That means that judges should not look to their own personal views or preferences in deciding the cases before them. Their commission is no license to impose their preferences from the bench."

[savedbygrace]

If you don't like his answers, Senator Schumer, then vote Nay. It's that simple.

Being a Drama Queen about it isn't going to advance your cause . . . unless your cause is to be a Drama Queen.

[The Electrician]

We know that President Bush has the right to nominate a conservative and not an ideologue

Chuckie, Chuckie, Chuckie... Where does it say that in the Constitution? Oh, it doesn't say anything of the sort? OK, now I understand why they call you a 'putzhead'...

[technomage]

But Justice Ginsburg, unlike Judge Roberts, had a full record.

What a lame excuse. Why were those questions asked in the first place if she had a "full record"?

The bottom line is Ginsburger was right not to answer those questions, as will Roberts be right!

[Howlin]

Precisely.

I think he IS a queen anyway.

[highlander_UW]

We simply want to determine if Judge Roberts is a mainstream thinker. He'll be a conservative mainstream thinker. We know that President Bush has the right to nominate a conservative and not an ideologue, someone who will impose his views upon the American people.

Poor befuddled Chucky...actually, Bush does have the right to nominate even a rabid right wing ideologue far out of the mainstream...however he did not. But you have no rights to place limits on who is nominated, you simply have a right to vote for or against him.

[savedbygrace]

I think he IS a queen anyway.

Then he's acheived his goal. He'll be so happy.

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

You found the right quote. Who are the liberals to be defining mainstream? How long have these dipwads been losing elections?

[anniegetyourgun]

Chuckie has a full record too.....of crap.

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Almost there. Let's say Judge Roberts answered Schumer's questions, what difference do you think that would have on his vote?

[savedbygrace]

Not a single jot or tittle.

(Heh, heh, heh. He said tittle.)

[RoseofTexas]

This battle is gonna get REAL nasty and Roberts will most likely get Boltonized! If the pubs would've shown some backbone from the very beginning against the RATS they would not have been bullied into a corner every time a judge came up for confirmation! Having a majority you'd think the RATS would be running a tad scared but instead we still have Bolton unconfirmed, and some nominees pulling out because of the long wait. I honestly believe Roberts is going to have a hard time being confirmed because most of pub senators lack the walnuts to fight the stinking trash the RATS are about to unload on Roberts and his wife. If you think Oct. is a deadline...FORGETABOUTIT! It's gonna get down right dirty and nasty. We haven't seen nothing yet!

[OXENinFLA]

This just came on down here.


Chuckie saying he wants to vote for Roberts.


OH PLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLEASE!!

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Why do you think the American people are going to rally around Schumer and Durbin et al?

[OXENinFLA]

Schumer: Well, as Alberto Gonzales wisely said, it's premature to answer any of these things yes or no. But let me say this. This is not a game of "gotcha."

I gave Judge Roberts a list of 60 or 70 questions. I gave them in advance because I don't want to surprise him or try get him to slip up or try to nail him and push him in a specific direction. I want to have a real discussion. And he's been great.

I asked him at the beginning of our meeting, could we have a few more meetings. And the answer is yes. And tomorrow, I'm going to call him and I'm going to say, Judge Roberts, you are one of the best lawyers in America. All I need to vote for you is to be convinced in my heart that you will be a mainstream justice, somebody who interprets law, doesn't try to make law by imposing your views upon us.

He did it again!

[commonasdirt]

"SCHUMER:Sixty percent of the American people say they want to know his views, if you can believe these polls."

I certainly doubt any poll figure quote coming from the mouth of this huge steaming load.

[RoseofTexas]

"Why do you think the American people are going to rally around Schumer and Durbin et al?"

Because they have the omWhores behind them to tarnish this good man's reputation. Look how they nearly destroyed what's his name, Guiliani's NYPD head, and how they have literately frozen out Bolton, Estrella gave up because he knew the pubs lacked backbone and 4 years was long enough, Rove 24/7 etc! Don't get me wrong, I give the American folk a lot of credit, it's the RATS and the stinking presstitutes who will milk Roberts past for all it's worth! Decency and honesty has been tossed out the window as far as the RATS and OMwhores are concerned. This means war to them, and they'll fight Roberts confirmation tooth and nail!!