When I listen to this clip it sounds like Sen. Graham, who is a graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law, is pulling what I call the “Dark Mysterious Forces” maneuver. Of course he’s not saying she has a poor judicial temperament, but Dark Mysterious Forces compel that conclusion, and require that he bring this to her attention. He also invokes “fairness” to signal that he is being fair, and it would be uncollegial to suggest otherwise. If I close my eyes it sounds like I am at a faculty meeting.
–Ann Bartow
ETA: A post at Media Matters claims “Nets silent on sexism of anonymous quotes Graham used.” Really? What about this or this or this or this or this?
“Judge Guido Calabresi, former Yale Law School dean and Sotomayor’s mentor, now says that when Sotomayor first joined the Court of Appeals, he began hearing rumors that she was overly aggressive, and he started keeping track, comparing the substance and tone of her questions with those of his male colleagues and his own questions.
“And I must say I found no difference at all. So I concluded that all that was going on was that there were some male lawyers who couldn’t stand being questioned toughly by a woman,” Calabresi says. “It was sexism in its most obvious form.” ”
Given the white male point of view that informs Senator Graham’s posturing, I’m sure it never occurred to him that sexism on the part of male attorneys could be informing these comments.
Despicable, disingenuous, smirking asshat.
I agree with thebewilderness regarding the sexism at play.
In 2009, we should be way past negatively judging women for the same qualities which are positively attributed to a man.
Additionally, by virtue of her utter calm and complete decorum during “questioning” by Graham, Sessions, et al, I would think any & all issues regarding her temperament should be put to rest once and for all.
Melissa
Check out the daily show and stay with it ’til ~4:20 for Jon Stewart’s comparison of how Sen. Graham treated Sonia Soyomayor and Samuel Alito. To say the difference is unbelievably striking is the understatement of the year.
Micah Snead is a blogger who recently moved from South Carolina.
Here’s the link to the post on his new site, which has the daily show clip.
Thanks!