Joe Biden Votes in the Name of 2008

Three Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee have voted YES to confirm John Roberts--Patrick Leahy, Herb Kohl, and shockingly, Russ Feingold.

Ted Kennedy, Dianne Feinstein, Chuck Schumer, and Dick Durbin have voted against one of the most qualified individuals, one of the best legal minds that has ever come before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Joe Biden, after doing a Kabuki dance, also voted NO.

During the hearings of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Biden said:

“[T]he public is best served by questions that initiate a dialog with the nominee, not about how she will decide any specific case that may come before her, but about the spirit and the method she will bring to the task of judging. There is a real difference … between questions that focus on specific results or outcomes, the answers to which would risk compromising a nominee’s independence and impartiality, and questions on judicial methods and philosophy. The former can undermine the dispassionate and unprejudiced judgment we expect the nominee to exercise as a Justice. But the latter are essential and contribute critically to our public dialog.”

Regarding Roberts, however, Biden said that because Roberts was not forth-coming on specifics, he's "unwilling to take the constitutional risk" to vote YES.

He bloviated about the rights of the American people being taken away. Biden claimed that Roberts refused to answer questions about where he stood on specific issues, something that would have directly violated Biden's own standard for Ginsburg.

Biden said he voted NO reluctantly.

Obviously, Biden has made the political calculation that it would be in his best interests to assuage those of the mind that Roberts is remarkably qualified. He did so by stating his reluctance to vote NO, by over and over again saying the vote was a "tough call."

Biden appealed to moderates and independents by noting that he recognized the stellar credentials of Roberts. He said he knew Roberts was very capable.

To satisfy the far Left extremists, Biden realized he had to vote NO. He calculated that his potential to be a factor in the 2008 presidential race would be lost if he didn't vote according to the wishes of the radical fringe and the vocal and well-moneyed Hollywood Left.

Apparently, Biden realizes that the Democrat Party is controlled by the radical Left. In the end, he chose to cozy up to them rather than alienate these extremists.

Here's another possibility:

Biden may believe that Hillary Clinton, the likely 2008 Dem nominee for president, will vote to confirm Roberts.

Assuming that Hillary will continue to present herself as a centrist, she may want to choose someone with a NO Roberts vote in his pocket for a running mate.

One thing is certain. Biden's "NO vote Kabuki dance" had nothing to do with principle and everything to do with political posturing.

Rather than voting on the merits of John Roberts, Biden did his part to further politicize the process of confirming judicial nominees.

Although Roberts will be confirmed, hearing Democrats try to rationalize their NO votes makes it a sad day.

Witnessing the cheapening of the Supreme Court nomination process is very disheartening.

Biden voted with his personal political interests in mind. Case closed.