Dignity

A confirmation hearing must be something more than just dignified. It must be thorough and unphased by the rhetoric of a desperate president. It must be unvarnished with a heavy emphasis on uncovering all the facts and truth.

And my hope, of course, is that the American people will be impressed by the process. It's very important that members of the Senate conduct a dignified hearing. The Supreme Court is a dignified body; Sam is a dignified person. And my hope, of course, is that the Senate bring dignity to the process and give this man a fair hearing and an up or down vote on the Senate floor.Again

Again, I ask, simply because a president says something does that make it true? If that were the case why is Tom DeLay in such hot water?

The implication by the president is that while the SCOTUS and Alito may well be dignified, perhaps Congress is not? But I suggest, that simply becuase the W, Rove and Co has trod all over the Constitution and the American people in the past doesn't mean we have to bend over and take it up the Constitutional rhectum some more.

I'm remembering the sceen in Animal House when one of the plegdes gets paddled: Wham, Thank you Sir, May I have Another? Wham... Good ol' George is familiar with hazing as a member of the Skull and Bones. No doubt he is used to dishing it out, but we don't want our Congresional reps to simply ask for more.

The time to fight back is now.

Here, a member of the MSM asks very pointed questions as to what the President means by questioning the dignity of his congress. Have a gander at the lack of creativity and no answers provided by Scotty and tell us what you think:

Q Scott, from this podium -- and the President in his remarks went out of his way to call on Congress to conduct dignified hearings for Judge Alito. And what's implicit in that is somehow that the attacks against Alito, the questions that have been raised prior to this hearing may veer toward the undignified. So what specifically is undignified about the discourse and the questions that have been raised about his record so far?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think you've seen there have been a lot of dishonest attacks and misrepresentations about Judge Alito, primarily from groups that are outside the mainstream. These are groups that want to inject partisan politics into our judiciary, and the President believes that our judiciary should be above partisan politics.

Judge Alito is someone that all Americans can be proud of, and I think the American people want to be proud of. And I think the American people want to be proud of the Senate committee hearings, as well. And so that's why the President has said he hopes that there will be a civil and dignified hearing. There was a civil and dignified hearing, by and large, when it came to the nomination of now-Chief Justice Roberts. And we appreciated the Senate for moving forward in a fair and civil and dignified way. I think all you have to do is --

Q What is undignified about probing his, A, past political views and prior statements on issues that may be within --

MR. McCLELLAN: I didn't say there was. I didn't say there was. In fact --

Q Then what's -- you just said that there have been partisan attacks, people are trying to bring political or partisan views into the confirmation process. What's undignified about that? I mean, in other words, it sounds like this is kind of a chilling effect that the President is attempting --

MR. McCLELLAN: No.

Q -- which is, don't try to rough this guy up, or else we're going to brand you as being somehow, you know, foul-mouthed senators.

MR. McCLELLAN: No. In fact, the Senate has a very important role to play in confirmation hearings --

Q So what is undignified about the discourse?

MR. McCLELLAN: It will provide an opportunity for a vigorous and healthy debate about our judiciary and the proper role of judges in our judicial system. And the President has simply said that he hopes that the hearings are respectful and civil and dignified.

Q You're not responding to what has been undignified about the discourse so far.

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, there are some that have tried to raise questions about his integrity. Judge Alito is someone of the highest integrity. He is someone who is widely respected by those who know him best -- not only for his judicial temperament, but for his integrity and his character. And the American Bar Association, in their unanimous -- they gave him its highest rating, unanimously well qualified to serve on the bench. And they said that -- in their language that the nominee, "meets the highest ethical standards of integrity, professional competence and judicial temperament."

Q Therefore that shouldn't be part of a hearing -- questions about his character and integrity should not be part of his hearing?

MR. McCLELLAN: No, there are some groups that have --

Q Is that what you're saying, that they shouldn't be asking those questions?

MR. McCLELLAN: No, no, no. There are some groups that have misrepresented facts relating to cases he has decided; there are groups that --

Q That's fine. Are you saying that that should not be part of a hearing?

MR. McCLELLAN: -- are engaging in dishonest attacks. It should be an honest, open and thorough discussion of his views and how his --

Q You want to set parameters for what should and shouldn't be asked in his hearings; is that what the President is saying?

MR. McCLELLAN: I'm just using -- no, that's what you're saying. Go ahead, Helen.