The Volokh Conspiracy - At the Roberts Hearings, the Senators were in full Foghorn Leghorn mode.--

Watching the Roberts hearings today, it is striking how ineffective most of the senators on both sides are in their questioning.

They used most of their time to make speeches and often didn't listen to Roberts' answers.

Most senators seemed extensively but poorly prepared and had trouble reading their own notes.

The senators were in full Foghorn Leghorn mode (a Warners cartoon character based on another fictional character, Senator Claghorn).

Comparing Roberts to these stereotypes of senators, on affect alone (leaving aside ideology and background) it would be hard to prefer any of these characters to Roberts for nearly any difficult administrative or judicial post. The only possible exception that I saw (and I missed a few senators) was Biden, who was smart and fiesty, if arguably a bit unfair. [I missed the more incoherent part of Biden's questioning.]

Even the attempt to moralize at Roberts' expense failed utterly, because Roberts came off as more principled and fair than any of those who were questioning. He may indeed be Bork without a beard and without a long record of controversial opinions (I don't think he is), but no one merely watching the hearings would have thought so.

Even the senators attempting to lecture Roberts on ethics appear to believe that they have lost this one, unless Roberts makes a major gaffe (which is unlikely if the senators do most of the talking).

It appears that it's all over but the senators' posing for the cameras.

(click to enlarge)

"Pay attention to me boy. I'm not talkin' just to hear my head roar. No no no, ya doin' it all wrong."

"What's the big, I say what's the big idea. Don't stand there gawkin' son, speak up. Now cu, I say cut that out, what's it all about boy, elucidate!"

"I keep pitchin' em and you keep missin' 'em. Ya way off, I say ya way off this time son."

"Say something! Explain yourself! Your tongue's flappin' but no noise is coming outta your big mouth!"

"But I got, I say, I gotta show the little egghead I still got a couple of tricks up my sleeve. Smart boy, got a mind like a steel trap...full of mice."

	[Jim Lindgren, September 13, 2005 at 6:54pm] Trackbacks At the Roberts Hearings, the Senators were in full Foghorn Leghorn mode.-- Watching the Roberts hearings today, it is striking how ineffective most of the senators on both sides are in their questioning. They used most of their time to make speeches and often didn't listen to Roberts' answers. Most senators seemed extensively but poorly prepared and had trouble reading their own notes. The senators were in full Foghorn Leghorn mode (a Warners cartoon character based on another fictional character, Senator Claghorn). Comparing Roberts to these stereotypes of senators, on affect alone (leaving aside ideology and background) it would be hard to prefer any of these characters to Roberts for nearly any difficult administrative or judicial post. The only possible exception that I saw (and I missed a few senators) was Biden, who was smart and fiesty, if arguably a bit unfair. [I missed the more incoherent part of Biden's questioning.] Even the attempt to moralize at Roberts' expense failed utterly, because Roberts came off as more principled and fair than any of those who were questioning. He may indeed be Bork without a beard and without a long record of controversial opinions (I don't think he is), but no one merely watching the hearings would have thought so. Even the senators attempting to lecture Roberts on ethics appear to believe that they have lost this one, unless Roberts makes a major gaffe (which is unlikely if the senators do most of the talking). It appears that it's all over but the senators' posing for the cameras. (click to enlarge) "Pay attention to me boy. I'm not talkin' just to hear my head roar. No no no, ya doin' it all wrong." "What's the big, I say what's the big idea. Don't stand there gawkin' son, speak up. Now cu, I say cut that out, what's it all about boy, elucidate!" "I keep pitchin' em and you keep missin' 'em. Ya way off, I say ya way off this time son." "Say something! Explain yourself! Your tongue's flappin' but no noise is coming outta your big mouth!" "But I got, I say, I gotta show the little egghead I still got a couple of tricks up my sleeve. Smart boy, got a mind like a steel trap...full of mice."