ÿþ<html> <head> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1"> <title>OnlineColumnist®.com: Putin Punishes Georgia</title> <meta name="generator" content="Adobe GoLive 4"> <style type="text/css"> .style3 { height: 68px; } .MsoNormal {} h1 {margin-bottom:.0001pt; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; font-weight:normal; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; } .style4 { font-size: large; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial; } .style6 { height: 69px; } h2 {margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; } .style7 { font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold; } .style8 { font-size: small; } </style> </head> <body bgcolor="white" vlink="black"> <center> &nbsp;<table cool width="624" height="2719" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" gridx="16" showgridx gridy="16" showgridy> <tr> <td width="133" height="118" rowspan="2" valign="top" align="left" xpos="0"> <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html"><img height="110" width="62" src="images/discobolos.logo.transp.gif" border="0"></a></td> <td width="7" height="118" rowspan="2"></td> <td width="482" colspan="2" valign="top" align="left" xpos="140" class="style6"><img height="75" width="450" src="images/banner.GIF"></td> <td width="1" height="118" rowspan="2"></td> <td width="1" class="style6"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="79"></td> </tr> <tr height="39"> <td width="182" height="39"></td> <td width="300" height="39" valign="top" align="left" xpos="322"><a href="aboutdiscobolos.html"><img height="14" width="267" src="images/divisionofNEW.GIF" border="0"></a></td> <td width="1" height="39"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="39"></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="624" colspan="6" valign="top" align="left" xpos="0" class="style3"> <table border="0" width="100%" bgcolor="black" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td> <table border="0" width="100%" bgcolor="#99ffcc" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4"> <tr> <td align="center"> <div align="left"> <a href="index.html"><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong> HOME</strong></font></a><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong> &#8226; <a href="articlesindex.html">ARTICLES</a> &#8226; <a href="books.html">BOOKS</a> &#8226; <a href="teflon.html"> THE </a><a href="teflon.html">TEFLON</a><a href="teflon.html"> REPORT</a> &#8226; <a href="mailto:letters@onlinecolumnist.com"> REACTIONS</a> &#8226; <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html">ABOUT DISCOBOLOS</a></strong></font></div> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> <tr height="2"> <td width="133" height="2"></td> <td width="489" height="2576" colspan="3" rowspan="2" align="left" xpos="133" content valign="top" csheight="2573"> <p class="style4">Supreme Court Nominee Kagan Grilled</p> <p><b><font face="Arial,Geneva,Helvetica">by John M. Curt</font></b><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b>is<a href="books.html"><br> </a></b></font><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b> (310) 204-8700</b></font></p> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><i>Copyright July 2, 2010<br>All Rights Reserved. </i></font>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </p> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <p class="MsoNormal"> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="style7">F</span><span class="style8">a</span>cing a Fourth-of-July-style grilling, President Barack Obma s nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court Eleana Kagan endured a withering barrage by Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Usual and customary hazing goes with the territory for nominees of the ruling party, in this case Democrats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Kagan, who s served in two Democratic administrations, was lambasted by Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) for blocking military recruiters when she was dean of Harvard Law School.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Kagan politely took exception, telling Sessions that recruiters visited with law students  every single day I was dean. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Pushing further, Kagan withstood the salvo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> I m just a little taken aback by the tone of your remarks because it is unconnected to reality, said Sessions, prompting another measured response.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> I respect and indeed I revere the military, remarked Kagan, sidestepping the question.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Nomination hearings have degenerated into a dog-and-pony show, where the opposition party cross-examines, seeking any chance to embarrass the nominee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Enduring the pressure, more than disseminating real information, becomes the real test of nominee s personal strength or character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Taking the barrage, withstanding the attack and politely responding becomes the measure of worthiness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Judiciary committee Republicans painted Kagan as a  liberal or  progressive, as if it were a criminal act.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Early in the hearing, Sen. Lindsay O. Graham (R-S.C.) informed Kagan it was OK to be a liberal, as long as she didn t practice  judicial activism, where judges try legislate from the bench rather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Republicans don t seem too concerned about conservative nominees practicing conservative  activism, where they re rulings advance conservative causes and agendas.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Conservatives don t like Kagan s views on gun control or abortion, where she favors gun control laws and more accessibility to family planning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Sessions concern about Kagan s opposition to on-campus military recruiting, stems from his views that liberals don t support the military.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Most conservatives characterize Barack as America s liberal laureate, despite approving 51,000 more troops in Afghanistan and naming terrorist-busting Centcom Commander Gen. David Petraeus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> Betraying the antiwar movement, Obama has actually been most kind to the military, granting former U.S. Afghan Commander Stanley McChrystal s request for more troops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Naming Petraeus as McChrystal s replacement indicates Barack has no intent of ending the war anytime before the July 2011 timetable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Obama s antiwar supporters haven t appreciated his military commitments.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Sessions tried to paint Kagan, as Harvard Law School dean, as anti-military, when, in fact, she simply followed the university anti-discrimination policy especially as it applies to gays in the military.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Because the military uses  don t ask, don t tell, Kagan reflected that point of view.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> I ve only cried once during this process, Kagan said, after reading a ex-marine and 2008 Harvard law graduate who praised her treatment of the military in the law school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Ending  don t ask, don t tell remains a controversial subject for the public and members of the military.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>While criticized as a hypocritical policy,  don t ask, don t tell continues to force gays and lesbians into hiding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Kagan, who s rumored to be a lesbian, has strong feelings about the military continuing what already amounts to unconstitutional discrimination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Kagan knows she needs to contain her predilections on the Supreme Court.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Sen. John Kyl (R-Ariz.) questioned Kagan s admiration of the Supreme Court Associate Justice Thurgood Marshall with whom she clerked in 1988, winning the nickname  shorty, for her 5-foot-3-inch frame.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Kyl insulted Marahall as an  activist judge, implying strongly that Kagan would be the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Kyl wanted to know whether Kagan was biased toward protecting the rights of the disadvantaged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> If you confirm me, You ll get Justice Kagan, you won t get Justice Marshall, letting Kyl know she thinks the  glory of the courts is the its accessibility to all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>She rejected Kyl pigeonholing her as a  progressive in the mold of President Barack Obama.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Calling her a  legal progressive, Kagan rejected a label given to her by a senior White House official.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> I honestly don t know what the label means, said Kagan, though admitting she s worked for two Democratic administrations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Kagan s performance at the national  dog-and-pony-show showed she s able to roll with the punches, showing politeness but firmness while holding her own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>She showed good common sense not taking Sen. Herb Kohl s (R-Wis.) bait, asking her to comment about other High Court justices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Kagan s Teflon skills have served her well dodging the cross-examination from Republicans on the committee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Controlling her defensiveness and ire has paid off, as she appears poised to pass the test and become the next associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Showing her comfort and sense of humor Kagan brought down the house responding to Graham.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Coming off the wall, Graham asked her,  Where were you on Christmas Day? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Kagan responded,  Like all Jews, I was probably at a Chinese Restaurant. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Her sense of humor has won her plaudits on both sides of the aisle.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <b>John M. Curtis </b>writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He&#x2019;s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of <a href="books.html">Dodging The Bullet</a> and <a href="books.html">Operation Charisma</a>.</p> </td> <td width="1" height="2576" rowspan="2"></td> <td width="1" height="2"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="2"></td> </tr> <tr height="2574"> <td width="133" height="2574" valign="top" align="left" xpos="0"><img height="172" width="111" src="images/johninframe3.jpg"></td> <td width="1" height="2574"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="2574"></td> </tr> <tr height="1" cntrlrow> <td width="133" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="133" height="1"></td> <td width="7" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="7" height="1"></td> <td width="182" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="182" height="1"></td> <td width="300" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="300" height="1"></td> <td width="1" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="1"></td> <td width="1" height="1"></td> </tr> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2" width="597"> <tr> <td><font size="1" face="Arial,Geneva,Helvetica"> <hr noshade size="1"> </font><a href="index.html"><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong> Homecobolos> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">©1999-2005 <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html"> Discobolos Consulting Services, Inc.</a><br> (310) 204-8300<br> All Rights Reserved. </font></td> </tr> </table> </center> </body> </html>