Sunday, July 12, 2009

Prediction: Kabuki Theater Performance to Cause Collateral Damage

Looks like the Republicans are going to try to make the upcoming confirmation hearings for Sonia Sotomayor revolve around Frank Ricci. Dahlia Lithwick reports that the GOP has announced he'll be testifying. (Because of his vast knowledge of Constitutional law? Uh …)

I'm sure I'm far from the first to think "Joe" the "Plumber," v2.0.

I expect the GOP and all of their trained seals on the teevee and in the wingnutosphere will alternate between barking his praises and howling about THE LEFT'S VICIOUS ATTEMPTS TO VICIOUSLY DESTROY HIM. And it does look like Ricci is not exactly the poster boy you want up there, if you're all about hating on affirmative action and those Democratic trial lawyer types: In 1995, he sued, claiming discrimination prevented him from being hired (because of dyslexia); in 1998, he threatened to sue over being fired, eventually settling before the case went to court; and of course, most recently, he was part of the now-famous lawsuit that bears his name.

Ah, well. I guess I don't feel bad for Ricci. He'll undoubtedly get a book deal, at least.

I had already planned not to follow the hearings, after the agony caused by the last few I've sat through out of some weird belief that it was the duty of an informed citizen. This just adds to it.

Hat tip to Phil Nugent at No More Mister Nice Blog, who observes:

Certainly there is nothing novel, at this late date, about white Republican males nominating someone for the John Wayne Heroic Self-Reliance Medal on the basis of how loudly he can whine.

David Weigel has the full list of GOP witnesses for the hearings. Will there be gun nuts? Oh, yes, there will be gun nuts, too.

2 comments:

Kevin Robbins said...

Ricci makes a great representative for the "Republican as victim" meme that the GOP has adopterd.

Kevin Robbins said...

Adopted

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