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.
It was so remarkable, I sent them an email. I was truly stunned, after watching the hearings today (or at least this part of it) and then to see how they edited the tapes to fit their story it was shocking. They won't get away with it and they just show us yet again that they are the fools we see them as.
I agree with those who say you are being too harsh on Sen Graham. With enough photo-shop and video-editting these days, anyone can look very good or very bad, getting taken out of context.
He was rightly pointing out that the Dems were bordering on abusive.... Indeed, I wonder, would the Dems tolerate *spying* and *abusive interrogations* against terrorists, like they want to do on Republican nominees?!?!
No I did not. Didn't you take a short breath when you heard the question from Graham? Thinking, "why is he joining the Democrats in attacking Alito?" Graham, for the sake of making a point (albeit a good one) put the judge (and his wife) on the spot when he wasn't expecting it, and gave the MSM the opportunity to spin, distort and lie about what actually happened. No doubt those who don't know the story will come away from their local late news thinking the nominee was attacked by a fellow Republican, or at the very least his wife was driven to tears by the harsh question.
I was thinking something very similar to this today.
Why doesn't some Senator point to Kennedy, and say into his mic, "This that fat drunken sack of pig **** over there? He is a coward, a drunk, and a murderer. I yield the rest of my time."
Correction:
Why doesn't some Senator point to Kennedy and say:
"See that fat drunken sack of pig **** over there? He is a coward, a drunk, and a murderer. I yield the rest of my time."
Graham has made some good points during this whole thing, though, as when he pointed out the absurdity of Ted Kennedy taking it upon himself to define what is and is not a 'mainstream conservative.' And unlike McCain, Graham has promised to vote to invoke the nuclear/constitutional option should the Dems filibuster Alito.
Here you have a loving wife crying from the tremendous stress of the ordeal as any good American might from the constant barrage of "friendly fire" attacks on your spouse in front of the whole country by Democrat senators trying to foster more hate than debate.
Contrasted in the same moment by the next Justice of the Supreme Court sitting boldly and restrained without so much as a grimace on his face.
Nothing could irritate the Democrats more than a nominee who doesn't fall into the same irritating pattern of unprofessional sermonizing in disingenuous attempts to provide the American public with the facts.
This American is far more impressed with the Alitos than I ever imagined.
I predicted this earlier today:
Drudge: Alito Wife Leaves Hearing in Tears After Dem Attack
Posted by savedbygrace to MplsSteve
On News/Activism 01/11/2006 5:11:02 PM CST · 199 of 547
Will the MSM report this tonight?
If they do, they'll blame it on Graham.
Post Reply | Private Reply | To 77 | View Replies
correction
"See that fat drunken sack of pig **** over there,my esteemed coleague? He is a coward, a drunk, and a murderer. I yield the rest of my time"
I wouldn't worry about it too much. The AP is grasping at straws.
Even ultra-leftist Gloria Borger's report on tonight's ultra-leftist CBS Evening News indicated that it was harsh questioning by Democrats that led to her breakdown. She ended her report indicating that many people are "asking if the Democrats went too far" in their criticsm of Alito. When the #1 outlet for DNC propaganda (CBS) is getting it the right context, you know it's getting out to the populace.
The day we hear those questions is the day the Democrats have a nominee and those are the litmus tests.
Do you honestly believe that if he was attacking the nominee he would have continued with no you're not? I don't think so
Maybe it's just me but your primary link doesn't work and the exerpted stuff doesn't read like it should. Is it actually what was written or your interp of it?
Methinks even the 'Rats understand today was not a good day for their Party.
Totally. That release of tension is what triggers those types of reactions. Think of any time you almost got into a fight and then didn't: your hands start shaking after the danger has passed.
You're an ass.
I thought it was a lame approach by the Goober. Kind of like sneaking up on someone loaded for bear and when he's discovered he says 'BOO'.
Alito may have been thinking, is he friend or foe? Not too smart for the Goober.
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