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Identity crisis
Kevin Drum makes the same analysis of the meaningless showmanship that goes on in a Supreme Court nomination as I did, but throws out a really good offhand observation:
Conservatives, who seem constitutionally incapable of viewing any non-white nominee as anything other than identity politics run wild, have already decided she's just a crass affirmative action hire.
Right-wingers, as always, are very adept at taking their own flaws and turning around as ammo against their opponents. Miguel Estrada, Condollezza Rice, and Alberto Gonzales were all grossly incompetent at, and unqualified for, their jobs, and yet all three were defended instantly by the right with accusations of racism and/or sexism. Meanwhile, with the possible exception of the guy who played Kumar, is there a single non-white male in the Obama administration, including Obama himself, who was not immedately dismissed by right-wing punditry as being hyped because of that non-white male status?
Of course, the bigest irony remains in the right embracing the candidacy of Sarah Palin, one of the most stunning examples of placing identity politics over legitimate qualifications in the history of American elections. I can only dream that in 2012, the Republican primary candidates will be asked to defend her qualifications four years prior lest they admit that the GOP are the greatest practitioners of abusing affirmative action around.
"Supreme guide"
Oh god, are we going through this crap again? It's about abortion. It's entirely about abortion. Yes, Bush's right-wing appointees obviously had hard-wired opinions on Affirmative Action and gun ownership and torture but it's still just about abortion. That's what liberals are going to demand. That's what right-wingers are going to bitch about. Stop acting like that's not what's happening with an increasing series of stupid fake issues and euphemisms.
Especially with a Democrat doing the nominating, I really don't get why a potential Justice has to play this coy little game with the Senate Republicans. I don't really see what's wrong with a Supreme Court nominee- who I would assume has a little bit of legal knowledge- pointing out that it wouldn't really be so bizarre and outrageous of them to agree that something declared legal only thirty years ago is (gasp!) still legal today.
And yes, Obama's nominee is going to be filibustered. The Republicans might as well just admit that as well. This stupid posturing nonsense for no one except the television cameras is infuriating.