Vapid and Hollow Charade: Day One

That is how Elena Kagan has referred to the process, which began today with the Senate Judiciary Committee, the one that is considering her appointment to the United States Supreme Court. The former Harvard Law School dean said that the process should include a “focused discussion of constitutional values, to ascertain the values held by the nominee and to evaluate whether the nominee possesses the values that the Supreme Court most urgently requires.” (The word "values" is used three times there. Heh.) One wonders if the Republicans will oblige her with the tough questioning she demands of them. Certainly the Washington Times has made the case for the opposition.

As Ms. Kagan's nomination hearings begin ... what we now know about her should disturb fair-minded Americans, and should embolden moderate senators of both parties to avoid rubber-stamping her ... Until Ms. Kagan became solicitor general, she not only had never been a judge, but she also had not even argued a single appeals case ...

There is sufficient precedent for a Supreme Court justice never having been a judge, even in recent years. But never having argued an appeals case? And to think she still managed to become dean of Harvard Law School. Amazing!

As you can imagine, the proceedings were pretty intense, as the junior senator from Minnesota could hardly contain himself.
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