Boxer and Feinstein: Two pro-choice senators, two views of John Roberts

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 8/19/5 | Carolyn Lochhead

[SmithL]

Washington -- Fourteen years ago, Professor Anita Hill's explosive charges of sexual harassment during the Senate confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas helped produce the election a year later of California's two senators in "The Year of the Woman."

Next month, Democratic Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein will play starring roles in another contentious Supreme Court confirmation hearing for the nominee of another President Bush, where women's issues again promise to eclipse all others.

Although their views on the core issue of preserving abortion rights are identical, their styles and strategies are wildly different. Judging from their statements so far, Boxer and Feinstein appear likely to split on the nomination of Judge John Roberts.

Their strikingly divergent approaches, analysts say, reflect a deeper divide within the Democratic Party over how to handle the Roberts nomination while trying to win back the White House and Congress.

Boxer is an agitator from the left who threatened in a speech in San Francisco this month to "use all the parliamentary tools I've been given as a U.S. senator'' to delay a vote on Roberts if necessary, stopping just short of threatening a filibuster.

Feinstein is a moderate who, the day after he was nominated, declared Roberts safe from filibuster barring some shocking revelation.

"Nobody expects this president to appoint a liberal to the court," Feinstein said in an interview that day. "It isn't going to happen."

[Vigilanteman]

Boxer also makes ChiFi look intelligent. Boxer has got to be grateful to the voters of Washington for electing Patty (Osama) Bin Murray. Thanks to her, she's only the second dumbest member of the U.S. Senate.

[cubreporter]

Well, maybe there is hope for California yet! Boxer is a loser.

[atlanta67]

on is liberal, the other is completely unhinged

[Kevin OMalley]

I suppose as a Californian, and these are my representatives, that I should read this. But I'll probably have to take a shower afterwards.

[FixedandDilated]

Well, though she's a liberal, I kind of like Diane Feinstien. She's that rare thing - an old fashioned liberal. She's to the left, but I believe she can be trusted to sit in the high councils of state. I don't doubt her loyalty to this country.

I can't disagree with you about what you said. I was too young to pay much attention to the events in San Francisco at the time you refer to. But I do recall reading that she may have blown the police's case on the Zodiac killer by revealing information that they were keeping in reserve, something about the shoes and shoe prints. So of course, the killer was forewarned and probably tossed his shoes in the bay. Maybe someones else remembers the details.