Patterico's Pontifications

10/18/2005

Only Elitists Read Books!

Filed under: Judiciary — Patterico @ 8:40 pm



From Harriet Miers’s testimony in that 1989 voting rights case comes this nugget, as explained by patricksemmens.com:

On lines 15 and 19, as a response to questions about whether she has read books on the subject on which she is being questioned, Miers answers:

“I probably can shorten this line of questioning… if you just asked me when’s the last time I read a whole book.”

At least I know what question Senators should pose to her: what are the last five books you read? If one of them is “Fun with Dick and Jane,” you’ll know we’re in trouble.

Don’t like it that she can’t write to save her life? Elitist! Don’t like it that she doesn’t read books? Elitist!

*Sigh.*

We were promised someone in the mold of Scalia and Thomas. We’re getting someone in the mold of George W. Bush.

Scared yet?

(Link via Confirm Them.)

UPDATE: I forgot that Miers, when recently asked what she reads for relaxation, mentioned John Grisham. That explains why she wasn’t reading books in 1989; Grisham didn’t become popular until the 1990s.

I understand her affinity for Grisham. Like Miers, he is a lawyer and an atrocious writer. (Uh-oh! Did I say that out loud? I’m in for it now . . . Does it help that I love Stephen King? Just because you’re a popular writer doesn’t mean you’re a rotten writer — but it doesn’t mean you’re a good writer, either.)

14 Responses to “Only Elitists Read Books!”

  1. Well it is W.’s call.

    Isn’t it?

    Flap (cc77c4)

  2. Is there anyone in the Senate with the brains and the guts to take her apart in testimony? I mean just rip her apart by questioning her in a John Houseman Paper Chase manner on fine points of law? And show that she’s a hack?

    TCO (d7c35a)

  3. The only person I know who has the knowledge is Cornyn, and he supports her.

    Patterico (4e4b70)

  4. Damn those people who are too busy doing things to read books! What in tarnation is wrong with them?

    Put me down as one who doesn’t read a lot of books either. Guess I’m just dumb that way….but wait….I read Patterico…does that count???

    antimedia (c73fb6)

  5. Well, see, I’m so dern stoopid I completely forgot to respond to TCO’s question.

    No, there isn’t. You should have realized that after the smoking hulk left behind by Roberts. If you put all the Senators on the Judiciary Committee together (except for Cornyn – he’s Texan!) they wouldn’t amount to one first year law student. Don’t look for them to burn Miers. They don’t have the smarts to do it.

    antimedia (c73fb6)

  6. Put me down as one who doesn’t read a lot of books either. Guess I’m just dumb that way….but wait….I read Patterico…does that count???

    We’ll give Patterico readers a pass. If Miers can prove she has been a regular Patterico reader for the last two years, I’ll give her a pass, too.

    Patterico (4e4b70)

  7. At least it wasn’t Jaqueline Suzanne.

    Kevin Murphy (6a7945)

  8. Wasn’t her job to READ to W?

    Flap (cc77c4)

  9. I expect that she will nod approvingly and often during Joe Biden’s 15 minute “question” and follow up with “whatever you like, Senator, I like that too.” At which time he will proclaim her a judicial genius.

    Harry Arthur (40c0a6)

  10. Ugh, this just makes things even worse.

    Her supporters are arguing full-tilt for the Roman Hruska standard of judicial appointment. I love the Pickwickian standard of “qualified” that Miers’s defenders throw around.

    They argue for the homespun practical wisdom evinced by a disgustingly sycophantic and intellectually hidebound bureaubot with a prose style that would shame Dilbert’s (TM) Pointy-Haired Boss.

    I’ve never been so disgusted with so-called conservatives in my life. Apparently, the only thing they want to “conserve” is boundless stupidity.

    Ernest Brown (645009)

  11. Patty,

    Could you take her apart? Could Volokh? Could Roberts? Scalia? Johnny Cochran? David Boies?

    I really want to see someone make her cry. Then we can get the whole “don’t hit girls” thing from the sympathizers…

    TCO (4dd7d6)

  12. Hey! Grisham’s a far better writer than Miers. Obviously, neither is as good as King, some of whose short stories are literary genius that will be well-respected in 100 years. (This is not sarcasm.)

    You can read The Firm; solid book. You’re telling me you could read 250 pages of Miers? I don’t believe you.

    –JRM

    John R. Mayne (de6363)

  13. You can read The Firm; solid book. You’re telling me you could read 250 pages of Miers? I don’t believe you.

    Tried reading the Firm. Got 50 pages in and couldn’t take it any more.

    I actually did read the Pelican Brief — the only Grisham book I have read. I thought the subject matter sounded interesting. I came out of it thinking that it was drivel.

    Michael Connolly is my man. I have read everything the guy has ever written — with the exception of his latest, which I haven’t gotten yet.

    Patterico (1614f6)

  14. King is no good either.

    TCO (3c2924)


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