I’m sorry, I just don’t get what’s going on with the Alito thing?

[newtothegame]

Is this seriously worth the obsession? A head nod and silent lip-moving? Why do we care so much?

I guess I didn’t know this President was THAT off limits. This isn’t a monarchy with an infallible, untouchable President, as much as some here apparently want to carry on Bush's legacy. What’s with the off-with-his-head-mentality?

The guy shook his head. Slightly. To himself. And said nothing outloud. Yes, he's a dousche, but what's the outcry, and how is a head nod at all a reflection of judicial temperament? I had NO idea there was that much precedent re: SC Justice's facial expressions until today.

ed for sp

[dorkulon]

1. My guess is that everyone was primed for outrage by Joe Wilson's outburst last year.

I agree, this is nothing.

[newtothegame]

3. True. n/t

[katmondoo]

2. You have to believe Corporations deciding the Presudentcy is OK

It all started because Obama critized the court for their decision to allow Corporations to give unlimited funds to candidates, is that what you would like?

[newtothegame]

4. And Alito disagreed with him. Alito is wrong, but it's still a democracy isn't it?

President Obama isn't off limits.

[katmondoo]

5. I Meant to write Presidency

My typing is not the best

[Orrex]

6. Alito's behavior didn't occur in a vacuum or behind closed doors

Republicans are practically vomiting in disgust over Obama's shocking effrontery in daring to speak ill of a Supreme Court ruling, as if no Republican has ever cast aspersions on a SCOTUS decision. Their frenzy in condemning him is preposterously over the top, and Alito's "look at me" moment serves only to highlight the far-Right's love of far-Right judicial activism.

Sammy should act like a grown-up and at least pretend that he knows how to be have in public.

[Arkansas Granny]

14. Sammy knows how to behave in public, he just chose not to do so.

He acted very unprofessionally and out of character for a member of SCOTUS in order to draw attention to his disagreement with the President. It was a childish, petulant act.

[applegrove]

61. Yup. He should be talked about. He knew very well he was not supposed to react.

He needs to answer for that.

[Zywiec]

7. Some people aren't happy unless they are outraged about something n/t

[emilyg]

60. Bingo - typical DU and

they milk it for days.

[Cha]

64. You're typical.

[NoFace]

65. No you are!

I'm telling mom!
Mo-o-o-om! Cha's touching meeeee!

[emilyg]

67. Ah - the cheerleader speaks again.

[Bluebear]

78. fool

[Vickers]

8. I encourage Repukes to publicly reveal their douchebagness!!!

:thumbsup:

[ClassWarrior]

9. He's a corrupt thug. If this will help highlight his corruption and thuggery...

...then what's your problem with the outrage?

NGU.

[Enrique]

10. judges aren't supposed to do that n/t

[OnionPatch]

11. I absolutely agree with you. It seems very petty to me.

Not worthy of so much attention from our side. I'm disappointed our side is hyping this up so much. It's stupid.

[jonnyblitz]

12. I find the extreme outrage rather bizarre. nt

[DrDan]

13. I am with you - we should focus outrage on the GOP senators who

are consciously trying to screw up any legislation. They should be constantly exposed to the public.

Alito's gesture was not appropriate - but that is as far as it goes. What the GOP Senate is doing is genuinely hurting citizens.

[Vinnie From Indy]

15. I think it is wonderful and completely appropriate

I think it is great because it puts a face to the evil that will effect all of our lives. Alito can become the poster boy for the further selling of our government to the highest bidder.

Lastly, anytime a right-wing, lying douchebag is called out, I like it!

[Jamastiene]

16. I cannot speak for anyone else.

My reason: It's fun.

I mean, look at the pout on this guy's face right before said it.


It's just plain fun for me.

As far as everyone else, I'm sure you'll hear their reasons from them.

[blondeatlast]

42. Yup, and since I saw it live and was on DU at the time,

I don't fault anyone for enjoying this.

[madmom]

17. Because he is a justice of the highest court in the land and he is supposed to be impartial! By

doing this he is showing his republican leanings. They were all so worried about Sotomayor siding with the dems, but didn't worry about the bush appointees! Either way they are ALL suppose to be impartial and leave their personal views at home, not out where the whole world can see them.They knew that when they agreed to take the job, he failed!

[Xenotime]

35. Can we vote them out of office? Since he can't be trusted now.

[madmom]

36. They can be impeached, but it's not an easy process, and will never happen in

our lifetime I'm afraid. Unless of course it is a dem appointed justice.

[tritsofme]

50. Impartial to what?

Alito shows his Republican leanings with very vote he makes and every decision he writes.

He was responding to direct criticism from the President, not to a random political jibe about HCR or taxes. I think that Obama's criticism and Alito's response were both on the edge of appropriateness for a SOTU, but neither stepped over the line.

[Common Sense Party]

54. Does it state in the U.S. Constitution that Justices cannot express

an opinion regarding the decisions they have made?

[Half and Half]

18. I agree with the OP, but...

the head shaking made me completely forget I was listening to a Black President...

[newtothegame]

20. :)

[existentialist]

19. I agree--sort of

What have we come to when every silent note to oneself it picked up and analyzed, and criticized?

If the television crews hadn't been hyper vigilant we never would have known.


On the other, from what I've read it appears that Obama is correct on the point, and Alito is simply factually wrong. And if he is factually wrong at this point, after briefs and argument, and dissenting opinion showing clearly that he is wrong, then irrespective of a possible breach of etiquette by the news crews in picking up and reporting his silent gestures, do we have a deliberate no nothing ignoramus for a Supreme Court Justice?

[spanone]

21. r e s p e c t

[shraby]

22. What part of impartiality do you not understand? That is

supposed to be a judge's stock in trade. That judge made a decision that was biased toward big business against the ordinary citizen, and then made a biased remark toward the president. The noise was such that we couldn't tell if it was audible or not. He is not proper material for the supreme court..it's his kind that makes me disdain capitalizing the words anymore.

[kentuck]

23. Alito showed his hand ...

Obama is not a king but neither are the Supreme Court Justices. It doesn't much matter if a monarchy is in one person's hands or in 5 persons' hands. It is still being ruled by one entity.

Alito and his friends knew what they were doing by their ruling. They were removing the people from the electoral process and putting corporations in charge. This may not bother some people but it was a pre-meditated act of anti-democracy. Alito only shook his head because he was caught with his hand in the cookie jar and the President pointed it out in front of the American people.

[MicaelS]

24. This is just another manufactured news controversy

By the mainstream media. The media loves to invent or inflate controversy so they can sell air time and newspapers.

[ClassWarrior]

25. Maybe, but if it helps to highlight the Extreme Court's corruption, what's your problem with it?

NGU.

[Tippy]

26. For far to many years Democrats have ...let it slide...This has embolden Rethugs,,,After all

The (not so Supreme Court) have made decisions where they trashed our Constitution before. They to need to be held accountable...

[swilton]

27. A Lot of Hot Air and Grandstanding

The senators love the limelight

Where are some substantive actions or plans to fix the SC ruling that were the sunstance of the so-called Alito mumbleing and head nodding?

Better time could be spent trying to fix the health care crap of a bill or getting substantive cuts in greenhouse gases or fighting our defacto knee jerk military/imperialist over-reach reactions to the world's problems

[Democrat_in_Houston]

28. I agree with you. He stuck up for his ruling.

Now, how are we going to pull the teeth out of this?

[woo me with science]

29. What a brilliant shift in framing this is for Republicans.

and it is a crying shame that Democrats happily participate. I swear nobody here can resist a shiny object.

You can tell a real outrage from faux outrage very easily. Just reverse the roles, Republican to Democrat, and imagine the howls you would be hearing here if Justice GINSBURG were being attacked over a brief facial expression caught on camera.

Outrage over the SC decision, not the facial expression, is the real reason for the anger of Democrats. But count the number of posts on the FACIAL expression versus the decision itself.

What a remarkable shift they have perpetrated on Democrats, and Democrats gleefully participate.

Once again, the American people are diverted from the real issue. Once again, they are taught instead that Democrats are frothing partisans who have no sense of perspective and want to control people down to the looks on their faces during a speech.

What a shame.

[ClassWarrior]

39. Why are you distorting what happened? It wasn't "just a facial expression." He spoke out loud.

NGU.

[rvablue]

46. +1!

[Marr]

47. I disagree. I think people talk about Alito's behavior as a kind of

shorthand for the blatant political bias of the court that produced that decision. I think the complaints are well warranted.

[DutchLiberal]

57. You're 100% right. Wish I could recommend your post.

[RedCrayons]

30. Yeesh

Alito was probably just surprised that Obama hadn't actually read the Supreme Court's opinion.

If he had read it, he'd have known that the ruling didn't strike down the the foreign corporations part of the law.

[Igel]

31. Achilles disparaged the Trojans' heroes.

And one of the cursed Trojans not only refused to accept his insult with gratitude but made mute retort.

The Myrmidons, therefore, are up in arms at the dissing of their leader and the dishonor that has fallen to them all.

[treestar]

32. It is not a monarchy

There is no power to have him beheaded.

All of the complaints are directed to his manners. Heretofore, when Presidents were white, such things as Joe "you lie" Wilson and Samuel "no way" Alito did not happen, due to good manners and basic respect.

Or were not reported in the media.

[Nye Bevan]

33. If I was a SC Justice no way would I attend the SOTU

Trying to maintain a poker face for the entire time would be torture.

[newtothegame]

38. No doubt. n/t

[Politicub]

34. The Alito apologists on DU have the effect of causing me to be more set in my opinion

that he should resign immediately.

I have no compunction to defend Alito, and when he was confirmed I remember thinking that he was one of wordy choices of SOTU justices made in the last 50 years or perhaps ever. And his confirmation would come back to bite America.

And lo and behold, the odious creation of person-hood for corporations did move us back 100 or so years as it applies to campaign finance.

[Orsino]

37. Your friendly corporate media helpfully focusing on Alito's facial expressions...

...rather than the corrupt ruling which triggered this.

[TexasObserver]

40. You're right about one thing. You don't get what's going on with Alito.

First of all, why do you misstate the facts, as if there's not video we can all see which contradicts your statement of the facts?

He was sitting in the traditional spot, doing what the Supremes do - listening respectfully. When the president took the Supreme Court to task, Mr. Alito looked like he had just dropped a load in his pants. Then he said, twice, "that's not true!" He said it to those GOP justices sitting beside him. He said it clearly enough that all the cameras recorded it.

He's not a neophyte. He's been confirmed and in front of cameras. He's savvy enough to bring to the hearings his weepy wife, to sit in the camera view behind him, crying like a 13 year old with a broken heart. Why? To help him stave off legitimate criticism for his role in a racist organization he had belonged to since college.

Stop being naive, and stop making excuses for this scum bag. If you don't see the importance of this, at least take the time to figure out why you're wrong. He's a supreme court justice. His job is to be impartial, to not be political, to not get whipped up with political fervor ANY TIME. He didn't do that. In a chamber full of congress members and partisans, the conduct of this one justice stood out. That's wrong on so many levels, and it demonstrates why this justice should not be on the court. He's a right wing political hack, no different than the ones who run the GOP everywhere.

[newtothegame]

43. He didn't say anything about conservative, liberal, republican, democrat.

What "political fervor" did he get whipped up with exactly?

[TexasObserver]

44. The fact that you don't understand means you're not paying attention.

Or, it means you're not being truthful when you say that. I don't know what your game is, but your "golly, gee, I just don't understand" is really lame.

Apparently this is the first State of the Union you've ever seen, and you have no idea what standards the Supreme Court justices should meet. Your ignorance is the reason you don't understand what everyone else does. The good news is you can cure ignorance.

[cbdo2007]

41. I agree - silently responding to a non-partisan statement by the President is not

being partisan.

Unless people think that everyone who disagrees with something Obama has done/said is a Republican now...if so the DU must be about 95% Repube by now.

[rvablue]

45. I totally agree with you and can't believe I'm only the 3rd rec on this.

Who cares?

[hfojvt]

48. because we follow cable TV and cable loves 'topics' like this

"Starting today, the world will cluck, muse, fuss and fume about What Justice Alito Did. (“Not true,” the Justice seemed to say, as Obama commented on last week’s “Citizens United” decision.) For pundits, the incident will make a lovely time-killer, driven by conflict and personality—and fueled by loops of videotape. These are the trivial social dramas around which our discourse now turns."

...

"Alito will star on cable this week, seeming to mouth the words, “Not true.” But how well will the merits of this matter get fleshed out in these discussions? Just a guess: Americans will be able to choose their facts, depending on which programs they watch. Overall, a great deal of heat will get dispensed, perhaps not a great deal of light."

http://www.dailyhowler.com/dh012810.shtml

A battle like this also allows us to choose a gang. When one side discusses it, they will talk about how Alito shows that the Republican Sharks are so vile and disrespectful to our glorious leader. When the other side discusses it they will talk about how vile the Democratic Jets are for using the SOTU to politically attack the SCOTUS.

Let's get ready to rrruuummmmbbbllleee!!!

[11 Bravo]

49. No, apparently you don't get it. "Judicial restraint" is probably a foreign concept as well.

[FLDCVADem]

51. Judicial restraint is irrelevant to a conversation

about him making a face and mouthing some words.

Much ado about nothing. As someone said upthread, some people aren't happy unless they're outraged about something.

[ClassWarrior]

52. Wow, lots of posters I've never seen before soft-pedaling evidence of blatant RW partisanship...

...from an Extreme Court justice. Hmmm. Interesting.

NGU.

[newtothegame]

53. Your desperate search for trolls is amusing...

but there are other functions for this site you know. There's discussion, and research, and all kinds of cool stuff. Start with the toolbar at the top of the page :)

[ClassWarrior]

55. Oh yeah, did I mention the OP?...

NGU.

[newtothegame]

59. I don't care who you mentioned.

The extreme paranoia on DU about a troll takeover gets old.

[defendandprotect]

56. Sensitivity has built up since the previous speech with GOP commentary!!

[Skittles]

58. it is worth the obsession

it was completely out of line for a supreme court justice

[Warren Stupidity]

62. The court is not elected and is not supposed to be partisan.

Consequently they, meaning the judges that constitute the Supreme Court, are in fact held to and are supposed to uphold a different standard than that which applies to Congress or the President.

It isn't the presidency that is off limits, odd you would infer that, it is the court and the justices that are supposed to stay out of the fray, even when they are directly criticized.

[The Midway Rebel]

63. The OP is correct.

Can we please get back to talking about Susan Boyle!

:sarcasm:

[Cha]

66. "Alito's 'Not True' Was Out of Line; Court Deserves Obama Smack"

snip>

.."So, kudos to Barack Obama, that former constitutional law professor, for saying it right to the justices' faces last night.

"With all due deference to separation of powers, last week the Supreme Court reversed a century of law that, I believe, will open the floodgates for special interests, including foreign corporations, to spend without limit in our elections.

"I don't think American elections should be bankrolled by America's most powerful interests or, worse, by foreign entities," said the president. "They should be decided by the American people."

<snip>

"The Court deserved the smackdown it got from the President of the United States last night, and Justice Sam Alito's rude protest--this year's Joe Wilson outburst--was just further proof of what a bunch of political hacks the justices have become."

<more>
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/john-farrell/2010/01/28/alitos-not-true-was-out-of-line-court-deserves-obama-smack.html

[Bluebear]

68. "Slightly. To himself. Silent. A head nod." - what are these, GOP talking points?

Anyone who saw the tape saw him being demonstrable in his objection to what was being said.

[TexasObserver]

70. Yes. Alito sympathizers are outing themselves.

Who knew he had defenders here?

Now we do.

The extent to which some posters go to advance clearly GOP talking points is one of those things that really makes a person say "what?!" This lying sack of shit ascended to the court with one baldfaced lie after another. He should have been bounced, but he LIED under oath. Isn't that what got Clinton impeached? And he wasn't a supreme court justice lying under oath to become a supreme court justice.

[t0dd]

69. Agreed. thanks for this post. nt

[Bluebear]

74. wow

[mmonk]

71. I guess it frustrates people because he is saying Obama is lying

when clearly he wasn't. He is a justice that in his appointment hearings himself lied concerning legal precedence.

[gleaner]

72. You tell me what this stuff is about ...

I would have expected it under Bush. That is where all this craziness about tones of voice and criticism being "evil" and no sour faces began. They always dished it out, but never wanted a response in kind.

Now you see it everywhere. Alito did not like being criticized. So he pulled a face like a two year old. So what? He is a petty little man who does much to harm all of us. Did everyone expect a benediction from him? Obama is a grown up or so we are told to believe. He will either get over it or stay mad for a long, long time.

Past performance by his staff and supporters show that in their minds he is that off limits. No matter how people frame what they say or intend what they say, it is usually an invitation to be told to shut up or it unleashes a torrent of name calling. I think it's a crock. We were supposed to be created equal and free speech is still legal unless that has been forbidden today when I wasn't looking. Politicians by the nature of the positions they actively and avidly seek have got to expect disagreement, criticism and even anger directed at them and the positions they espouse. Nobody is universally beloved, and no one should seek to be. Unless they want Kool-Aid with their cookies.

[TexasObserver]

73. Alito is typical of the right wing ideologues appointed by the GOP to the courts.

If you were to rate the federal judges in America by their ideology, you'd find that the GOP appointees of the past 29 years have been toxic, overall. There's an occasional O'Connor or Souter, but the norm has been the Scalias, the Alitos, the Thomases.

The most political appointments in America are those to the federal bench and the federal prosecutors. The GOP uses those positions for political gain, and they only want hard core GOP hacks in those positions. That's why the GOP senator from New Mexico thought he could call up a US Attorney in New Mexico appointed under Bush II and give him instructions for a political prosecution.

[gleaner]

76. Thanks good analysis ...

I have a good sense of Alito and the behavior is typical of the men you are describing. I was referring to the hours of media coverage and all of the angst that he acted the way that he did. He and the other justices who lean toward the right are rude, uncouth and generally venial. They take no trouble to appear to be any other way.

I was wondering why the audience receiving of his scorn was so surprised and outraged by his behavior. You generally get what you expect, and he is an idiot. He acted like an idiot. Why raise your blood pressure so? Tell him he acted like a fool and get on with life.

[protect our future]

75. In this case, I'm glad the media obsessed over it.

The media was ready to forget about the Supreme Court decision giving corporations the go-ahead to buy our elections.

Blowing the Alito mumble all out of proportion means that the media continues talking about the Supreme Court's ruling.

Except for the political world and political junkies, few people took notice of what the SCOTUS decision could mean for our country. Now, hopefully, many more Americans have been enlightened.

[Iggo]

77. Yes.