Patterico's Pontifications

2/20/2016

Justice Scalia And The Hypocrisy of Democrats

Filed under: General — Dana @ 9:07 am



[guest post by Dana]

President Obama and Mrs. Obama paid their respects to Justice Scalia at the Supreme Court yesterday. It took less than two minutes. Which is a whole lot better than having to sit through a long, boring funeral, right??

While Josh Earnest was evasive a few days ago when asked whether golf is on the president’s schedule for today, he indicated yesterday how the president will spend at least part of his weekend. Perhaps between tee-off times:

On Friday, Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary, said that Mr. Obama intends to spend much of his weekend digging through information about possible nominees to the Supreme Court.

“The president’s team over the course of this week has spent a lot of time preparing materials for the president’s review,” Mr. Earnest said. Mr. Obama will spend a “significant portion” of his weekend reviewing those materials, he said.

President Obama’s own hypocrisy notwithstanding, he has made it clear that he believes the Senate has an obligation to act on any nominee he brings forth, right here and now, and for the Senate not to act is yet another example of Republican obstructionism. But, of course, when he was in the Senate, it was different:

We also know that Hillary Clinton believes the same as the president:

Untitled-1

But Clinton goes even farther, at least by saying publicly that any delay is typical Republican racism at work. Because when Republicans adhere to the Constitution oppose President Obama, it can be for no other reason.

And Harry Reid also agrees with the president:

“If my Republican colleagues proceed down this reckless path, they should know that this act alone will define their time in the majority,” Reid wrote. “Thinking otherwise is fantasy. If Republicans proceed, they will ensure that this Republican majority is remembered as the most nakedly partisan, obstructionist and irresponsible majority in history.”

But Harry Reid, like Hillary Clinton and President Obama, is just one more big, fat hypocrite.

And let’s not forget Chuck Schumer, who in 2007 certainly sang a different tune than he does today:

Hypocrisy, thy name is Democrat. These are loathsome people, but *by not attending the service for Justice Scalia today, the president loses out on an opportunity to at least give the appearance of meaning it when he lamented his inability to “reduce the polarization and the meanness in our politics.”. I’m not even talking about him leaving the vacancy appointment to the next president, but just attending the funeral of one of the most brilliant and profound jurists of our day. Had he been able to muster up the dignity and selflessness to attend, and in spite of his political differences with Justice Scalia, President Obama could have demonstrably taken the high road and reminded the nation that an extraordinary American, who worked tirelessly to uphold and protect the U.S. Constitution, deserves to be honored. Unfortunately, the high road is bereft of the pettiness and polarization and meanness in politics that are the lifeblood of this president.

So, ultimately, it’s best that the president opt out of today. Because if he did attend, there is no doubt that his hypocrisy, deceit, and lack of respect for the Constitution would accompany him, tainting that upon which Justice Scalia stood.

*This assumes that the Scalia family made no request that President Obama not attend the services. I haven’t been able to find any confirmation of such a request.

–Dana

68 Responses to “Justice Scalia And The Hypocrisy of Democrats”

  1. Good morning.

    Dana (86e864) — 2/20/2016 @ 9:08 am

  2. This assumes that the Scalia family made no request that President Obama not attend the services

    .

    I suspect that the Scalia family has too much class to make an otherwise quite reasonable request.

    Joe - From Texas (debac0) — 2/20/2016 @ 9:18 am

  3. Obama has always been very uncomfortable in the presence of true greatness, even in the case of a deceased Supreme Court Justice. It makes him feel puny, both in gravitas and intellect, as he knows deep down he is an illusion.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 2/20/2016 @ 9:21 am

  4. Obama was scared that Biden would go up to him and whisper that the Scalias wanted a meeting and that Biden would host it on his territory at the Vice-President’s residence.

    nk (dbc370) — 2/20/2016 @ 9:21 am

  5. As both powerline and legal insurrection have noted – The vast majority of Scalia’s current and past clerks lined the entrance to the Supreme court as a show of deep respect.

    Not likely that will happen with any of the other justices, with the possible exception of Thomas.

    Joe - From Texas (debac0) — 2/20/2016 @ 9:22 am

  6. #4: His father had warned him of this in a dream.

    Kevin M (25bbee) — 2/20/2016 @ 9:26 am

  7. #3: It always makes him check his heels.

    Kevin M (25bbee) — 2/20/2016 @ 9:28 am

  8. nk (dbc370) — 2/20/2016 @ 9:21 am

    Heh.

    felipe (56556d) — 2/20/2016 @ 9:33 am

  9. I don’t think Obama wanted to go to the funeral but this is the current reason for not attending:

    White House spokesman Josh Earnest pointed to Biden’s personal relationship with Scalia’s family and said Obama’s decision about the Mass was a “respectful arrangement” that took into account his large security detail.

    DRJ (15874d) — 2/20/2016 @ 9:34 am

  10. you may not have meant this, but for me, you evoked the one of the last scenes in the movie “No country for old men” where Chigurh checks his heels on the porch upon leaving Carla Jean Moss.

    felipe (56556d) — 2/20/2016 @ 9:39 am

  11. I don’t see the point of the hypocrisy charge. As with other issues both parties adjust their positions depending on which party controls the White House. I am sure you could find numerous quotes from Republicans during the GWB administration about how nominees were entitled to a vote.

    James B. Shearer (0f56fb) — 2/20/2016 @ 9:42 am

  12. Obama sent exactly zero Senior White House officials to Margaret Thatcher’s funeral. Not even the Vice President or the Secretary of State. And we know how much they enjoy traveling.

    Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 2/20/2016 @ 9:45 am

  13. It is true that the Democrats never a denied a vote any of President Obama’s(sic) nominees.

    nk (dbc370) — 2/20/2016 @ 9:46 am

  14. Godwin alert!

    I know, James. Kind of like charging Hitler with murder.

    But I, for one, am relieved that I will not get hear Obama say “I know many, here today, thought Tony was a great Justice…”

    felipe (56556d) — 2/20/2016 @ 9:49 am

  15. The funeral service was beautiful.

    DRJ (15874d) — 2/20/2016 @ 9:52 am

  16. I am watching it now on C-span.

    felipe (56556d) — 2/20/2016 @ 9:56 am

  17. Every one of those quotes from Obama, Hillary!, Reid and Schumer should be printed on a 3×5 card and handed to every Republican candidate and every Republican spokesman or those likely to do interviews this weekend. The moment the question is asked about an Obama Supreme Court candidate the card should be whipped out and read aloud followed by: we Republicans will follow the precedent set by the democrats on this issue and all other issues.

    Rev. Hoagie™® (f4eb27) — 2/20/2016 @ 10:08 am

  18. DRJ, at 9 – I think that’s a real problem for the President in general: hosting the President is … burdensome.

    That said, in my view, the funeral of a sitting Associate Justice is a state occasion, and the President has a responsibility to *offer* to be there.

    aphrael (3f0569) — 2/20/2016 @ 10:14 am

  19. 2. …I suspect that the Scalia family has too much class to make an otherwise quite reasonable request.

    Joe – From Texas (debac0) — 2/20/2016 @ 9:18 am

    Still, it’s entirely possible that the family made their wishes known even if they didn’t carve those wishes in marble.

    Clearly, I’m getting something wrong.

    Here’s how I look at it. A man’s funeral is about going to God. It’s not about the Supreme Court, even if you were on the Supreme Court. When you die you are no better or worse than anyone whose case was heard by the Supreme Court.

    Your funeral isn’t an event.

    If that makes me classless, so be it.

    Steve57 (b30def) — 2/20/2016 @ 10:17 am

  20. There is an entirely classy way to signal, “Your presence is not welcome.”

    Steve57 (b30def) — 2/20/2016 @ 10:24 am

  21. Yes, it was a beautiful service, DRJ, and the setting was nothing less than spectacular in the best sense of the word.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 2/20/2016 @ 10:30 am

  22. #19 Steve57, death is about going to God. But I think a funeral is actually a ceremony for the living. It enables friends and family of the recently departed to mourn together, and to pay final respects. It’s a comfort to the surviving family members when members of the community attend a funeral of their loved one. And since Justice Scalia was to a degree, a public figure, there’s a prurient interest by society to view it on television.
    Funeral traditions also are a means of society re-affirming the sanctity of life.

    And as Yogi Berra said, “You should always attend other people’s funeral, otherwise they might not come to yours!” (LOL)

    Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 2/20/2016 @ 10:37 am

  23. Call me crazy but ….no investigation into the cause of death of a sitting judge is a smoking gun.

    jrt for Cruz (bc7456) — 2/20/2016 @ 10:38 am

  24. He does have a large security detail, aphrael, and he should. But it hasn’t stopped him from going to dinner during the busy work week when DC traffic is at its worst, or from playing golf on the weekend. I think DC and this funeral could handle a legitimate work-related disruption on a weekend.

    DRJ (15874d) — 2/20/2016 @ 10:38 am

  25. Steve57 (b30def) — 2/20/2016 @ 10:17 am

    You are right, Steve57. That is why the U.S. flag covering the casket is removed at the entrance to the Church and replaced with Liturgical covering for the Mass in order to mark that transition from the temporal world to the eternal world; from the profane to the sacred.

    felipe (56556d) — 2/20/2016 @ 10:40 am

  26. The family wants no autopsy, but lays his body in a casket of the supreme court building of Dc for people to parade around…. So you go from no fan fare to all fan fare…. odd.

    jrt for Cruz (bc7456) — 2/20/2016 @ 10:41 am

  27. JRT,

    The other day you claimed to be Catholic, yet you are now characterizing a traditional Catholic viewing and funeral as if it has become an episode of The X Files meets The Kardashians. He was a public figure and people want to pay their respects.

    Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 2/20/2016 @ 10:50 am

  28. As I said before, betrayed by speech.

    felipe (56556d) — 2/20/2016 @ 10:53 am

  29. One can be Catholic and not agree with a viewing. I respect and lean towards privacy at all times. I just don’t know how respectful it is to encourage voyeurism. Now, he has one son out of his 9 that is a Priest, and two sons that are lawyers. I get that they want to share his death with the public, but it just struck me a bit odd.

    I have been a Catholic for 50 years. Sorry, I’m not so easily impressed. The Church has become more of a business than a house of worship. We should all just be Christians…. would make more sense.

    jrt for Cruz (bc7456) — 2/20/2016 @ 10:58 am

  30. JRT, if you read the obituaries in your local newspaper, you’ll see that many Catholic families have a viewing for their Uncle Joe when he passes away. Your visceral reaction to something so traditional in American Catholicism does strike an odd chord. I don’t know how “business” is invoked in this. Are the Scalias charging ten dollars a head to view him?

    Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 2/20/2016 @ 11:06 am

  31. Call me crazy but ….no investigation into the cause of death of a sitting judge is a smoking gun.

    jrt for Cruz (bc7456) — 2/20/2016 @ 10:38 am

    FIFY

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 2/20/2016 @ 11:07 am

  32. Ha ha… we all knew that was coming ….from the juvie

    jrt for Cruz (bc7456) — 2/20/2016 @ 11:09 am

  33. 30.JRT, if you read the obituaries in your local newspaper, you’ll see that many Catholic families

    …………………………………………………………………………….
    and strangers don’t parade around….I watched the CNN spectacle on TV. It was odd.

    tons of cell phones and selfies at the casket….. not a good idea imo

    jrt for Cruz (bc7456) — 2/20/2016 @ 11:12 am

  34. C-span…not CNN

    jrt for Cruz (bc7456) — 2/20/2016 @ 11:16 am

  35. “and strangers don’t parade around…”

    Then you have never been to a funeral or attended a viewing, Christian or otherwise, because they do.

    felipe (56556d) — 2/20/2016 @ 11:17 am

  36. DRJ – sure. As I said, he has a responsibility to *offer* to be there. Although I think both the family and the Chief Justice (as the head of the respective branch of government) also have the authority to say “no”.

    aphrael (3f0569) — 2/20/2016 @ 11:18 am

  37. Father Scalia’s Homily was most beautiful, full of faith in Jesus Christ, full of humility and thankfulness.

    felipe (56556d) — 2/20/2016 @ 11:19 am

  38. JRT,

    Pentecostal…am I right? (LOL)

    We’re talking about him because he was a public figure…correct? By definition, people who didn’t know him the way they might “known” your neighbor’s Uncle Joe, still want to pay their respects. They feel they knew him through his contributions to society. I’m sure it brings tremendous comfort to the Scalias to discover that total strangers mourn his passing.

    Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 2/20/2016 @ 11:20 am

  39. Why would the family say No to the President if he wanted to be present? Do you really think they have a tight schedule on today, of all days, or that they might not want Obama to honor their father? Is there was even a 1% chance that this was the family’s choice instead of Obama’s?

    DRJ (15874d) — 2/20/2016 @ 11:24 am

  40. White House spokesman Josh Earnest pointed to Biden’s personal relationship with Scalia’s family and said Obama’s decision about the Mass was a “respectful arrangement” that took into account his large security detail.

    Yah. The large security detail that Obama could have ordered to be dialed back for this one time.

    Bill H (dcdd7b) — 2/20/2016 @ 11:25 am

  41. “I’m sure it brings tremendous comfort to the Scalias to discover that total strangers mourn his passing.”

    It most certainly brought comfort to me and my family at “our” funerals. And we were made to know that we brought comfort to the other families at “their” funerals.

    felipe (56556d) — 2/20/2016 @ 11:28 am

  42. http://cnsnews.com/news/article/barbara-hollingsworth/porn-scandal-rocks-pennsylvania-state-government

    slightly OT…. but the judicial system seems to be lacking integrity… I wonder why???

    pornography and the slick Willy’s of the world are destroying civilization.

    jrt for Cruz (bc7456) — 2/20/2016 @ 11:28 am

  43. Hmmm, maybe Biden asked Obama?

    felipe (56556d) — 2/20/2016 @ 11:29 am

  44. this is about Nevada it’s from national soros radio so it’s snide and tendentious but i was kinda surprised

    What about Republicans?

    They caucus on Tuesday, and much like in Iowa, they gather together and vote using paper ballots. None of this standing next to your neighbors publicly showing who you support stuff like the Democrats do. Turnout is expected to be even lower for the Republicans.

    this is the first i’m hearing of this what’s going on

    or is this just npr being npr

    happyfeet (831175) — 2/20/2016 @ 11:31 am

  45. He does have a large security detail, aphrael, and he should. But it hasn’t stopped him from going to dinner during the busy work week when DC traffic is at its worst, or from playing golf on the weekend. I think DC and this funeral could handle a legitimate work-related disruption on a weekend.

    DRJ (15874d) — 2/20/2016 @ 10:38 am

    Even better point. Which mean Josh’s latest lame excuse is just as bogus as possible.

    Bill H (dcdd7b) — 2/20/2016 @ 11:32 am

  46. from the comments there

    Nevada switched to caucuses in 2008. This was a corrupt maneuver to game the system and give unions more power. By removing the privacy of voting it forces union members to adhere to the union’s candidate or face severe recrimination. In addition, a caucus denies those unable to attend an hours long event the right to have a say.

    happyfeet (831175) — 2/20/2016 @ 11:33 am

  47. When she passes, I’m all for jrt being cremated and her ashes put in a matchbox for safekeeping.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 2/20/2016 @ 11:35 am

  48. DRJ – I have no idea. I was surprised, honestly, that the family allowed the funeral to be *televised*.

    I guess the thing is that, for me, a funeral is about the opportunity for *those who loved* the deceased to come together in their grief and experience a ritual which might, in some ways, have a healing effect on them.

    President Obama clearly isn’t one of those people, here. So those who *are* among those people would be *right* to turn him away, if his presence was going to inconvenience them or irritate them or what have you.

    aphrael (3f0569) — 2/20/2016 @ 11:40 am

  49. Cruz Supporter, at 38: indeed, and that’s why I categorized it as a state occasion. It’s also why the Supreme Court was (IMO) right to have his body lie in state and allow public respect-paying yesterday.

    aphrael (3f0569) — 2/20/2016 @ 11:41 am

  50. I like the way they sang the Sanctus, especially

    “Pleni sunt caeli in terra gloria tua”

    with a cadence on “terra” before “gloria tua.”

    This has the salutary effect of emphasizing God’s glory. I will lobby to implement at least a fermatta on “terra” in our Parish. The way we sing it, there is hardly time for a singer to breath between “terra” and “gloria.”

    felipe (56556d) — 2/20/2016 @ 11:50 am

  51. The fact that Obama might not have personally cared for Scala is immaterial. Families mourn alone but this family’s deceased held an important national podition. They could no more privatize the funeral than they could his working hours. Thus, a funeral like this is where the nation honors a Supreme Court Justice. The President represents the nation. He should have been there.

    DRJ (15874d) — 2/20/2016 @ 11:52 am

  52. “when she passes, each one she passes goes… meh.”

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 2/20/2016 @ 11:55 am

  53. Colonel, I am tempted to doubt jrt’s is a female, simply because it was claimed. I think jrt is “one of ours.”

    felipe (56556d) — 2/20/2016 @ 11:56 am

  54. We are going to burn in Hell, colonel. You for joking, and I for laughing.

    felipe (56556d) — 2/20/2016 @ 11:57 am

  55. here is how you deactivate your twitter account

    1.) you click on your icon pic in the top right

    2.) you get a dropdown and you click on settings

    3.) you want the first option “Account” so click on that

    4.) at the very bottom of that page you will see a link for “deactivate my account”

    5.) then on the next page you just click the twitterblue deactivate button

    bam

    Your account is now deactivated.

    Your account will be permanently deleted in 30 days.

    happyfeet (831175) — 2/20/2016 @ 11:58 am

  56. Good Antonio Carlos Jobin allusion!

    felipe (56556d) — 2/20/2016 @ 11:59 am

  57. Jobim!

    felipe (56556d) — 2/20/2016 @ 11:59 am

  58. TI mean to fight fire with fure. The Senate should “suggest” candidates they find suitable that have the same gender/race as the president nominates. I know it’s ridiculous to have to do this but we live in rediculous times.

    Mgron (51c83c) — 2/20/2016 @ 12:02 pm

  59. What if I don’t have a Twitter account?

    nk (dbc370) — 2/20/2016 @ 12:02 pm

  60. Stupid autocorrect, time to fight fire with fire.

    Mgron (51c83c) — 2/20/2016 @ 12:04 pm

  61. Mozart’s Ave verum, after Communion, was sublime!

    felipe (56556d) — 2/20/2016 @ 12:06 pm

  62. nk (dbc370) — 2/20/2016 @ 12:02 pm

    Then you are screwed, dude.

    felipe (56556d) — 2/20/2016 @ 12:07 pm

  63. nonono not having a twitter account is noble and just

    happyfeet (831175) — 2/20/2016 @ 12:08 pm

  64. Short and squat and long of tooth
    The Cruz supporting girl stops breathing and
    When she passes, each one she passes goes meh

    When she posts she’s like a mamba
    That’s black she bites and sways so gently
    When she passes, each one she passes goes meh
    But we read her so sadly
    How can we tell her, “We like Cruz”
    Yes, I would vote for him gladly
    But each day, when she posts so ghastly
    She must have that A-ADD

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 2/20/2016 @ 12:10 pm

  65. Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 2/20/2016 @ 12:10 pm

    The crowd goes wild. Frilly undies thrown onstage. Nine months (to the day) later countless children born, and named Haiku.

    felipe (56556d) — 2/20/2016 @ 12:16 pm

  66. And it was good, too.

    felipe (56556d) — 2/20/2016 @ 12:18 pm

  67. That was fun

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 2/20/2016 @ 12:23 pm

  68. That was a good one, Colonel. I still suspect she’s pentecostal!

    Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 2/20/2016 @ 1:36 pm


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