Back to Bashin'

I knew yesterday's niceties wouldn't last too long. News of Brown's resignation overshadowed the Roberts hearing. Still, the coverage of the short affair had a few lines that brought be back to my old self. Everytime I read about a congressmen, I feel a combination of anger and humor, both in equal parts.

Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) made 49 first-person references in a 10-minute statement that was, ostensibly, not about himself.

Ah yes, the ego of a congressman is not something to be easily topped, at least outside of Hollywood. Thanks for reminding me why I have such a hard time voting for either of the two major parties. Check your ego at the door next time. Please?

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) showed exceptional emotional versatility, working a crossword puzzle during the hearing and then choking back a sob while making a prosaic statement about partisanship.

I really hope he finished the crossword. I can understand the man's need to take a break. His job is pretty hard. I mean, where else can a person make $158,100 a year for showing up to the occasional dull speech or a roll call and vote? Then again, if I had to listen to Mr. Schumer talk about himself for ten minutes, you can bet I'd be engaging in a harder drug than a crossword puzzle. So maybe Coburn does get a pass...

A television camera behind Coburn caught the senator working a crossword puzzle. But Coburn went from detachment to emotional overdrive when it was his turn to talk; seconds after asserting that "a super-legislator body is not what the court was intended to be," he paused and wept.

...but crying? Come on, Tom, you're a big kid now. I probably shouldn't be ripping on the guy since it would appear that I agree with him, at least when it comes to the high court. Still, I don't know if the tears are helping anybody. The whole republic is coming down, Mr. Coburn. It's okay, the light will be carried forth by another people at another time. You just get back to your crossword puzzle.

The rest of the article is pretty dull, as small bits are thrown out by senators, leading me to believe that the Roberts nomination is going to be a cakewalk for Bush. Funny that majority party thing.

Only two more points left to make. Roberts gave a pretty short speech. No, I don't know what that means. But he did reference baseball.

Roberts delivered what may have been the shortest opening statement by a modern Supreme Court nominee -- less than seven minutes, including the thank-yous and two baseball metaphors.

I keep going back and forth on this Roberts fellow. He's Catholic and he likes baseball. Should be nothing but good news. We'll see I guess.

Lastly, the small group of protesters cracked me up.

With the nation distracted by the hurricane and flooding down south, neither left nor right nor middle displayed much energy. By 10:30 a.m., only 170 people had showed up for public tickets to witness the noon proceedings -- making unnecessary the plastic cordons and the queue signs leading almost all the way to Union Station. Outside the Russell Senate Office Building at 11 a.m., a grand total of 21 people demonstrated against Roberts, chanting: "Two-four-six-eight, separation of church and state!"

Twenty-one people. Wow. If the reporters can count the exact number of people in your protest, it's not a protest. It's a field trip. Sometimes you just have to chuckle.