Feingold pursued an unusual line of questioning

[Cocoa]

any video of Alito looking "uncomfortable?" Was it because of the oil on the seats?

http://blogs.washingtonpost.com/campaignforthecourt/2006/01/sen_feingold_1.html

<snip>

In the process, however, he pursued an unusual line of questioning that made Alito visibly uncomfortable. He asked Alito whether the subject of the eavesdropping and its legality came up during his rehearsals for the nomination.

After some hesitation, Alito, who was taken aback, said that the general area of wiretapping and foreign intelligence did come up.

Who was present during these practice sessions, asked Feingold.

"Nobody at these practice sessions has ever told me what to say," Alito stated, answering an unasked question, somewhat defensively.

Feingold said he only wants to know if Alito got any feedback on the subject or any suggestions from the administration on how to answer these questions.

"Not on the substance," said Alito.

Alito was then looking uncomfortable. "Nobody actually told me what the president was asserting. . . . I found the letter on the Internet, myself."

more...

[AX10]

1. That's our Russ!

:kick:

"In the process, however, he pursued an unusual line of questioning that made Alito visibly uncomfortable. He asked Alito whether the subject of the eavesdropping and its legality came up during his rehearsals for the nomination."

Feingold is asking the serious questions. Good to know.

[FreedomAngel82]

19. He, Kennedy and Schumer are kicking ass

I love it. Thank God for them right now.

[mikelgb]

36. Right.

And I like the fact that feinstien picked up on his little caveat in his gratuitous answer earlier in the morning where he said: (rough quote) "court orders are generally required for wiretaps" I heard this and gasped... I was hoping someone would interrupt and call him on it right there... kudos difi on that catch.

[cantstandbush]

64. Giving all those who want to the ammunition to vote him down. n/t

[EVDebs]

52. Did Feingold hint at questions about 'suspending Constitution' ?

A related thread delves into where the committee should be headed

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x104764

since in the Reagan administration he obviously 'signed off' on plans that would have let Ollie North and the gang unconstitutionally 'suspend' the constitution in order to round up and detain dissenters to any wars ginned up by the administration.

Seems Alito is merely a 'sockpuppet' for those who wish to destroy the Constitution rather than 'preserve, protect, and defend' it.

[rodeodance]

2. drats, i had to work this afternoon and missed this. thanks for posting.

[undeterred]

3. love that man

he's a lawyer who loves the law and loves this country

[IndyOp]

4. So did they give him the URL of the letter on the Internet?

Who the f* is he kidding?!?!

And Russ: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

[ClassWarrior]

5. YESSSSSSSSSSSSS... Go Russ.

B-)

NGU.

[babylonsister]

6. Thanks. I didn't get to hear Russ. This is good! nt

[proud patriot]

7. This is Important

[tularetom]

8. I knew it I knew it I knew it

Alito appears to me to have a very tenuous grip on his temper and it looks like a tiny bit of deft probing by the Dems could provoke a memorable unjudicial tantrum right in front of god and everybody. I hope some of the other committee members took notice of his discomfort at this line of questioning and apply the needle a bit more at upcoming sessions.

[hang a left]

27. You know his temperature has been taken.

I can't wait for tomorrow.

[alittlelark]

9. I heaerd that snippet on KPFA today.

They are broadcasting ALL of the confirmation hearings.

http://www.kpfa.org/

[radio4progressives]

14. Hey! Hey! KPFA! Whose Radio? Our Radio!

psst... Did you vote for the last listener elections LSB?

[alittlelark]

24. I didn't vote. I did not have near the info to vote well

I have commented on that. I hope to vote in the next election. Realistically, I want my on air personalities to advocate.... they don't allow that.

[radio4progressives]

32. i know... it's a very frustrating issue.. we should talk later about that.

pm me later...

[alittlelark]

46. I shall.... it is disturbing.

[Tsiyu]

10. President Feingold

...yep...rolls right off the tongue.

[radio4progressives]

13. Yep! It sure the Hell does! Pres. Feingold: Leader of the Free World!

:applause:

[Tsiyu]

17. And we also have to keep that little "Internet" comment of Alito's

front and center.

After all, Rightie Tightie pundits constantly claim that the Internet is bullshit, and only fanatics use it as a news source. So what does that make Alito? :shrug:

[shanti]

49. oh, is that so?

so me and many others are "fanatics"? what was the quote? i'm not able to catch the hearings live.

[thinkingwoman]

43. He's got my vote. nt.

[cascadiance]

11. Yup great Russ!

Need to send him a note to follow this up with a question on whether Alito would support continuing to dismiss ALL cases involving security whistleblowers, etc. with the States Secret privilege without opinion. And explain why he would do so if he would follow what the court has been doing, or in what situations he would rule differently than the court has been! Russ would be the guy to ask this question!

[radio4progressives]

12. I watched this with absolute pleasure and pride ...

almost felt like a naughty voyeur .... ;)

President Russ Feingold.... Leader of the Free World....

cleaning out the fascists thugs that hijacked America in 2000.

yes, I like the sound and THOUGHT of that... yes siree, i do. :applause:

[Sydnie]

16. It's an idea that is growing on me for sure n/t

[goclark]

15. what letter was he looking for on the internet

What a weird thing to say.

Beside the fact that "nobody TOLD him"---- translation,

They didn't TELL him, they gave him a piece of paper and he read what they wanted him to know.

Does he think we are CRAZY!

Yes he does.

[radio4progressives]

33. i caught that but i didn't know what the hell they were talking about..

anybody else know?

[Marie26]

56. Looks like the Att. Gen. justification for NSA spying

Alito said he read the letter from the "assistant atttorney general" himself on the Internet. It looks like he was talking about a letter that Ass. Att. Gen. Moschella wrote to Congress that supposedly layed out the "legal justification" for the NSA spying program.

http://www.nationalreview.com/pdf/12%2022%2005%20NSA%20letter.pdf (it's a PDF file)

[bvar22]

18. Feingold definitely "KNOWS" something.

I heard this part during the afternoon "work commute".
Feingold's questioning struck me as the kind of questions that a lawyer asks (already knows the answer).
Alito was tap dancing all over the place trying to evade a direct answer.
Something BIG is buried here, and Feingold has the shovel.

[FreedomAngel82]

20. I hope so

Tomorrow's questioning should be interesting. I'll have to try to go and watch that part. Sounds like he has something planned perhaps. I hope so! Maybe whatever it is can save us.

[Hailtothechimp]

22. Durbin's leading off, so he will set the tone.

I was intrigued by his reference to the mining disaster in opening statements. Let's see if that leads anywhere.

[EVDebs]

23. Maybe ol' Alito knows something about Ollie North and the 'suspension' of

the Constitution that the Reagan era presidency/administration was setting up.

"" On July 5, 1987, Chardy reported over the KNT News Wire that
Marine Lt. Col. Oliver North helped draft a plan in 1984 to impose
martial law in the United States in event of an emergency.
According to Chardy, the secret plan called for suspension of the
Constitution, turning control of the government over to the
little-known Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), appointment
of military commanders to run state and local governments, and the
declaration of martial law in the event of such a crisis as nuclear
war, violent and widespread internal dissent or national opposition to
a U.S. military invasion abroad.
North helped draft the plan to impose martial law while serving
as the NSC's laiason to FEMA. Chardy reported that an administration
official said the contingency plan was written as part of an executive
order or legislative package that Reagan would sign and hold within
NSC until such time as a severe crisis arose. "It is not known whether
Reagan signed the plan," Chardy added.
The plan was extraordinary enough to even frighten then-Attorney
General William French Smith into protesting to Robert McFarlane,
North's NSC boss at the time, that FEMA was establishing itself as an
"emergency czar" and "exceeding its proper function as a coordinating
agency for emergency preparedness."
This secret plan to declare martial law in the event of internal
dissent or national opposition to a U.S. military invasion abroad took
on an added dimension as citizens gathered to protest the nation's
intervention in Honduras in March, 1988.""

http://www.skepticfiles.org/mys1/pc17.htm

Maybe while in the DOJ from 1981-1987 Samuel Alito came across something dealing with this 'suspension of the Constitution' stuff. It's a valid line of questioning, and I think Feingold has opened a vein on the Cheney crowd from back in the good ol' days. After all, given his background in the Reagan White House,

""From 1985-1987, Alito served in the Office of Legal Counsel as Deputy Assistant Attorney General where he provided constitutional advice for the Executive Branch"" from the Bush White House's official website
http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/judicialnominees/alito.html ,

the question is begging to be answered..."what was your role in the approval of Ollie North's plans to suspend the Constitution, and how would you characterize such an action as 'Constitutional', Mr. Alito ?"

[radio4progressives]

37. Interesting... Have you sent it to his office yet?

Call his staff? No Wait... Fax it to him.

[radio4progressives]

41. Shit! Alito was part of the goddam Secret Government in the Reagan WH!

fuck, i didn't get it!! Now I do! jeese, I'm being dense.

Feingold has got to be all over this like flies on shit i hope.

Jesus - We have the JFK assinators combined with the Iran Contra fucks, combined with the Niguagara Death Squad hit man, combined with the Secret Government cabal - EVERY FUCKER ALIVE ARE THERE just about is there.

[EVDebs]

53. The wordplay involved with these guys and media is great too

Specter's "magic bullet" on observation is also known as the "pristine bullet". NO bullet going through that much flesh and bone could come out looking like it supposedly does today. Therefore...what's it doing in the record of 'evidence' ? www.assassinationscience.com has great info on the Zapruder film and autopsy photos showing that one or the other (or both) had been doctored.

Iran Contra lunacy speaks for itself too. Missiles to Iran and military hardware also to Iraq. This is classic 'Third Option' b.s. from Ted Shackley FYI.

Everything's on a 'need to know' basis, even what goes to the Supreme Court now I suppose.

Looneytunes, absolutely looneytunes.

[radio4progressives]

45. Well, I betcha Hitchens sent this to Feingold already and probably more..

Since he wrote about it...

so, maybe this is what Feingold was on to... I hope round 3 exposes more.

[ClayZ]

29. My feeling too.

Feingold has something. He was brilliant today. It was a thing of beauty to watch!

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011006Q.shtml

Alito and His Coaches


For Supreme Court nominee, hearings are an inside game.

Washington, DC - In the first hours of Samuel Alito's Senate confirmation hearings on Monday, Judiciary Committee member Lindsey Graham, the Republican senator from South Carolina, may very well have irreparably compromised himself.

At the hearing, Graham told Alito, nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, that he had already decided in Alito's favor. "I don't know what kind of vote you're going to get, but you'll make it through. It's possible you could talk me out of voting for you, but I doubt it. So I won't even try to challenge you along those lines."

snip>
The coaching session for Alito has raised a few eyebrows.
snip>




:kick:

[FreedomAngel82]

35. Looks like Graham put his foot in his mouth

Looks like he could have put his foot in his mouth and can screw things up. Boy I don't want to be him when that happens and Bush finds out!

[radio4progressives]

30. yep... I agree. this is what i think...

first, i need to say that i got to watch Feingold and i highly recommend that this is watched in a repeat broadcast or go on line to C-Span.

two important points came to my mind -

first that I think you're right. Feingold KNOWS something that very nearly got revealed in the press vis a vis Rosenbaum, the journalist who just got offed after reporting on some sort of skull duggery type of connections between Alito, Abramoff AND elections fraud (if memory serves - posted at Raw Story this past Sunday or Monday)..

So I agree with you, I think it is major.

the other thing i suspect Feingold was doing, was setting the table for conflict of interest issues regarding Vangaurd and other investments, where Alito should have recused himself - i think Feingold is going to nail him in round 2. (i hope)

If there is something that Feingold knows that's really hot, i hope that enough evidence falls together to keep Alito from being confirmed.

[flyarm]

51. HE KNOWS LINDSEY GRAHAM WAS ONE OF THE TUTORS!!

a certain conflict of interest to be one of his tutors when he is sitting on judgement of the very man he will vote on!!
it actually is probably an ethics violation!!!!!!!

fly

[Marie26]

59. Alito knows something too

He was so incredibly nervous & evasive. His voice kept rising like people do when they're lying or afraid - I could swear he was afraid of Feingold. Alito knows something, and he's worried Feingold knows too. You could also tell how he answered the questions - very defensive & answering questions that weren't asked. He's not a very good lyer.

This little tap dance bothered me the most -

FEINGOLD: OK. Who was present at these practice sessions where these questions were discussed? And who gave you feedback or suggestions or made any comment whatsoever on the answers you gave?
ALITO: Nobody at these sessions or at any of the sessions that I had has ever told me what to say in response to any question.
FEINGOLD: I just asked -- were there no comments...

So WHO WAS THERE during these practice sessions? Alito neatly sidestepped that question & focused instead on what they said - distracting Fiengold from his first question. I wouldn't be surprised if Bush himself was visiting - he personally visited the NY Times editors about the NSA story; it'd make sense that he'd visit his SC nominee as well to make sure he's "on board".

Washington Post has full transcripts for anyone who couldn't watch it -
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/10/AR2006011001087.html

[il_lilac]

21. also fishy is who helped coach him

Is'nt Lindsey Graham in a conflict of interest?

[radio4progressives]

31. You think it was Graham? hmmm interesting..

I was thinking it was white house legal staff, but ya know.. i think you're on to something.

i don't know if it's a conflict of interest but i do think it's interesting that Feingold felt compelled to try and call him out on it, and also to spank those assholes on the committee for their bullshit whining, all on live tv!

[politicasista]

25. kick

:kick:

[FreedomAngel82]

39. Someone on Malloy is talking about this now!

He is talking about how Feingold asked Alito about the coaching and of course Alito denied it and claimed he had never been through these type of hearings before and wasn't familiar with the routine. He has never been through it but he has to go through these type of hearings to become the judge he is now. So he lied under oath.

[stop the bleeding]

26. this is very important, I wonder if Feingold stumbled onto something or

does he "actually" know/smell something. I would love to be at his office for the discussions on this. He has been saying impeachment as much as Conyers lately. :popcorn:

K&R.

[happydreams]

70. Delete

[berni_mccoy]

28. "Nobody at these practice sessions has ever told me what to say,"

When he wasn't EVEN ASKED THE QUESTION.

That alone is ENOUGH FOR A FILIBUSTER

[EvolveOrConvolve]

34. Alito appeared uncomfortable AND evasive

What is he hiding? From his answers, it seems obvious that someone in the administration prepped him with the "right" answers to the questions of illegal wiretaps, presidential power, and the war on terror.

It's highly unethical at best, and shows that Alito puts political ideology over the rule of law and the constitution. That should automatically preclude him from a position on the Supreme Court.

[radio4progressives]

38. Alito was thrown off guard, stammered and stuttered and yes very evasive

N/T

[EvolveOrConvolve]

40. I got the feeling

that he was trying to find a way to answer the question without lying - he is under oath. Other Dems need to hammer home this point until he either tells the whole truth, or until they catch him in a lie.

[radio4progressives]

42. oh honey, it's a lot more serious than what we saw on tv today...

read up thread..

[lyonn]

47. Mehlman was one of the preppers

He mentioned it on tv yesterday. I noticed him sitting behind, and to the right on the screen, of Alito. You gotta know they went over the FISA and wire tap issue. At one point when the questioning got dicy, and I believe it was during this time that Mehlman coughed a couple of times. Hummm?

[eve_was_framed]

44. I saw the exchange and I was totally riveted with it!

[Stand and Fight]

48. Good stuff... n/t

[Justice Is Comin]

50. Feingold's last sentences on his last round

should be, "you were tutored, prepped, coached and rehearsed on the questions that were likely to come before you on this committee. Do you think we should place a judge on the Supreme Court for a lifetime appointment who needs to have coaching sessions before his confirmation hearing? I would like a yes or no."

[BurtWorm]

54. Hey, Cocoa! You made the Daou Report on salon.com!

http://daoureport.salon.com/

Look at the left column under "On the Radar"

[smartvoter]

55. Feingold continues to exceed all expectations for politicians. nt

[deutsey]

57. I noted how Alito evaded the question about who was there.

Very interesting.

I still think the fascist will be on the SC, unfortunately, but I'm glad for the Senators who are at least holding his feet to the fire.

[BurtWorm]

58. This was the very end of the exchange, according to the transcript.

FEINGOLD: Does it strike you as being inappropriate for members of the Department of Justice or the White House staff who are currently defending the president's actions in the NSA domestic spying program to be giving you advice on how you might handle questions about that topic in the hearing?

ALITO: It would be very inappropriate for them to tell me what I should say. And I wouldn't have been receptive to that sort of advice. And I did not receive that kind of advice.


http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/10/politics/politicsspecial1/text-day2.html?pagewanted=print


In other words, Alito seems to be saying that yes he was murderboarded by DoJ and NSA staff. We have to take his word for it that they didn't give him advice, whatever that means. Maybe they just happened to be passing by the room when the murderboard was being given and they were down a couple of stand-ins. :eyes:

[Marie26]

61. They just gave him advice about "style"

not "substance." You know, what tie to wear, remembering to smile, etc. The NSA & DOJ lawyers are sort of like the Miss Manners of the government & just teach nominees about the rules of etiquette. Didn't you know that?

[BurtWorm]

62. Sure, that makes perfect sense.

Look at what they did for Condi! :thumbsup:

[Straight Shooter]

60. Alito is extremely evasive in his responses.

I've never heard anyone respond to direct questions quite in the manner he does. There is a lot of fancy footwork, a lot of dog and pony show, but nothing forthright and straightforward about him whatsoever.

I've only watched him on liveoaktx's videos, but he makes me want to jump up and shout, "Just answer the damn question that was asked, not the question you want to answer!"

[Avalux]

63. He's a weasel.

I've watched most all of the hearing thus far and as it progresses, he's convincing me we will be in serious trouble if he's confirmed.

[Marie26]

65. He is a weasel

This isn't a factual analysis or anything, but he is a weasel. I almost couldn't take watching him as he weaseled out of one question after another. I didn't like his voice, his messed-up tie, his attitude. There was something kind of creepy about him. He also didn't seem all that bright. Roberts was conservative, but at least he was direct & self-assured in his answers. You got the sense he was his own man. With Alito, I get the sense he is a toady for somebody else. And he's definitely trying to hide something.

[Avalux]

66. I agree with you, and

this isn't factual analysis either, but did you happen to observe Mrs. Alito's body language yesterday? I noticed it last night while watching a replay on CSPAN. Any time a Dem questioned Sammy boy, she averted her gaze off to the right or left and sat expressionless, sometimes even frowning. But when a Repug questioned him, she looked directly at the questioner and became quite animated, smiling etc.

Very telling, IMHO, as to what kind of person both of them are. He's GOP yes man.

[Marie26]

67. Yes, she annoyed me too

Wow, I guess I'm easily annoyed, huh? She was very obvious in her body language & expressions as to which Senators she agreed with. I think that's probably part of the reason she's there.

[happydreams]

73. Delete

[The Backlash Cometh]

68. What a find. What a find.

Good job, Cocoa! Very, very interesting line of questioning.

"I found the letter on the Internet, myself."

But who told him where to look?

[LincolnMcGrath]

69. RUSS RUSS RUSS!

Thanks cocoa

[spanone]

71. Go Russ, Alito gives me the creeps. How did this guy grow up in the 60s?

..and the seventies.

[annabanana]

74. he was that really out-of-sorts kid

that never partied, got his jollies watching those brothers corner the silver market, kept his hair short and wondered if he'd EVER get laid...

[happydreams]

72. Feingold doesn't need to "know" specifics.

If he knows anything about these fascists he can assume they will have trouble with this and that they have been winking and nodding at each other.

I suggested this line of inquiry yesterday at this topic:


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[samhsarah]

75. go Russ n/t