When does the handwringing about Bork getting Borked begin?
Unlike soonergrunt, I’ve always felt that if you haven’t got anything nice to say about anybody, come sit next to me.
In the meantime:
Robert Bork, Ronald Reagan’s one-time nominee to the Supreme Court, mumbles from beneath low-hanging jowls: “The coverage of this war is unbelievable. Even Fox News is unbelievable. You’d think we’re the only ones dying. Enemy casualties aren’t covered. We’re doing an excellent job killing them.”
Jeffrey Toobin says Bork “was an unrepentant reactionary who was on the wrong side of every major legal controversy of the twentieth century. The fifty-eight senators who voted against Bork for confirmation to the Supreme Court in 1987 honored themselves, and the Constitution. In the subsequent quarter-century, Bork devoted himself to proving that his critics were right about him all along.”
Remember, the dysfunctional state of American politics today is entirely the product of Dems blocking Bork’s nomination
— Jim Newell (@jim_newell) December 19, 2012
ranchandsyrup
I’m sure that someone like Jennifer Rubin is penning a screed right now about it a/k/a “JRubbin one out”.
reflectionephemeral
The whole “Borking” term was a wise enough PR move on the GOP’s fault. Nominate a shrill extremist for a lifetime Supreme Court appointment, then profess heartbreak, shock, and offense when people attack his views.
Not really a rational complaint, though.
Toobin was right– he is what we thought he was. The future looked as bright and as clear as the black tarmacadam. The Constitution doesn’t say the Senate has to confirm every Robert Bork, John Bolton, and Harriet Miers the GOP wants to throw at us.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
I were a fresh faced lad at the time, but it gets glossed over, now that we all agree that Reagan was Grate Presdinent, that nominating Bork was a consciously provocative act on Reagan’s part (or… somebody’s… would that have been Meese or Regan pulling the strings in ’86?), up there with Bush II nominating Bolton for the UN, but with a lifetime, independent appointment.
MikeJ
Dems didn’t “block” the nomination. They voted. They voted against him, but there was a vote. They stood up in public and said, “fuck no.”
Violet
Hilarious. I hope you win the Moore Award this year. I’ll be voting for you.
BGinCHI
I thought the Swedish chef on the Muppet Show said it well:
Bork Bork Bork.
Simple. Definitive.
Gex
Balloon-Juice calendar arrived! My “kids” made it into the calendar too!
JPL
Remember, the dysfunctional state of American politics today is entirely the product of Dems blocking Bork’s nomination
Really, really.. how old is this guy..Bork thought it was up to states whether or not they allowed birth control…wtf
Bork said he changed his mind on earlier writings that gave blacks the right to vote only if they paid but never changed his mind on treatment of females..
Maybe this guy thinks torture is acceptable also. I am sickened…
Bubblegum Tate
The Toobin piece is terrific. It succinctly explains why Bork is so loathsome.
There’s also this AlterNet piece from 2011: Why Conservatives Need To Stop Whining about Robert Bork.
? Martin
beltane
@JPL: I’m pretty sure Jim Newell is being sarcastic here.
Naive and Sentimental
It wasn’t until I read it somewhere on a blog that Borking was a verb about slandering someone.
From how I’d heard it used from context I interpreted it as a noun as in “The computer is borked!” meaning to be so dysfunctional or broken as to be completely unusable.
? Martin
@MikeJ:
Along with 6 Republicans.
Valdivia
and I had the ‘pleasure’ of sitting next to him at a conference once. See my neocon/retrograde record of acquaintances is truly something to hhis about
the Conster
That’s my favorite quote from Steel Magnolias.
It occurred to me today though, that Obama would be replacing Bork if he’d been affirmed. Instead we got Kennedy, who as it turns out isn’t any less reliable a conservative vote.
JPL
@beltane: thanks.. i didn’t link.. but I’m old enough to remember Bork’s ideas.
Karen in GA
Great title.
schrodinger's cat
Who is this Bork person? He looks kinda funny and sounds like a standard issue wing nut. What makes him special?
shortstop
@the Conster: Steel Magnolias may have used it, but Alice Roosevelt Longworth came up with it.
Regnad Kcin
It’s like they always say, out near Delta Quadrant, “never provoke the Bork.”
dmsilev
@the Conster: That may be true now, but in years past, Kennedy was at least vaguely reachable as a moderate. Bork sure as hell wouldn’t have been. I’ll take “was somewhat moderate for a couple of decades and then descended into wingnuttery” as a step up from “wingnut through and through”.
David in NY
@the Conster:
You are not gay, I take it. Or a juvenile facing the death penalty.
Cermet
@reflectionephemeral: The GOP borked Mier’s, not the democrats … .
Napoleon
His role in the Sat Nt. Mass. in and of itself disqualified him.
the Conster
@shortstop:
Didn’t know that, but I sure enjoyed Olympia Dukakis channeling her. They’re my kind of women.
shortstop
@the Conster: It also sounds like something Dorothy Parker would’ve said had she thought of it. My favorite Parkerism that never gets quoted is her comment on the girls at a (I think) Yale dance: “If all those sweet young things were laid end to end, I wouldn’t be surprised.”
Oh, but maybe that ties with a telegram she sent to her editor, Harold Ross, when he started dunning her for late copy on her honeymoon: “Too fucking busy, and vice versa.”
Spaghetti Lee
We are the Bork. Resistance is futile.
(Also, guys, it’s Jim Newell. You know, ex-Wonkette guy? He’s kidding.)
Villago Delenda Est
Jim Newell is either a total fuckhead, or he’s trying to compete with Doug J for the internets for today.
ranchandsyrup
@Villago Delenda Est: He’s trolling a la DougJ.
At the LOOG, the inevitable “partisanship never existed until Bork” post is up. http://ordinary-gentlemen.com/blog/2012/12/the-first-contemporary-culture-warrior/
And Another Thing...
He was also a hypocrite.
from Think Progress
“By Matt Corley on Jun 8, 2007 at 1:08 pm
Claiming the Yale Club of New York City “wantonly, willfully, and recklessly” failed to provide easy to climb staging, conservative uber-activist Judge Robert Bork is suing the club for $1,000,000 in compensatory damages, plus punitive damages from a fall Bork sustained while mounting the dais at the club for a scheduled speech. Bork, an infamous tort reform advocate, hasn’t always been such a fan of suing for punitive damages, at least when other people do it.”
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2007/06/08/13748/tort-reformer-robert-bork-sues-yale-club/
Roger Moore
@Spaghetti Lee:
FTFY.
shortstop
@And Another Thing…: Yep, we were talking about that in the earlier thread. The best part of that story isn’t that brave tort reform crusader Bob Bork sued the Yale Club for a million fucking bucks when he went boom-boom. It’s that he got all huffy and hysterical when people mocked him for it.
Bullies with thin skins = most beloved specimens of humanity.
SatanicPanic
@ranchandsyrup: At the very least I hope his rejection established the precedent that no one with a comb-over that bad should serve on the court.
Lojasmo
@Gex:
How do I get this callendar? I am disappoint?
shortstop
@SatanicPanic: And that, as much as anything, sealed Harriet Miers’ fate.
ranchandsyrup
@SatanicPanic: Remember when he went with the goatee to distract from the combover? That was almost C. Everett Koopesque in its funnehness.
Roger Moore
@SatanicPanic:
Can we establish that his comb-over is an Eighth Amendment violation?
SatanicPanic
@shortstop: OHHHHH!
Hungry Joe
Was in an elevator with him once, in the Wyndham Hotel on 58th Street. Just Mr. & Mrs. Bork and Mr. & Ms. Hungry Joe. I thought fast (for once) and looked right through him, pretending I didn’t know him from Adam’s off ox. Figured that might hurt. Or not. But it was either that, or hit him.
ranchandsyrup
@shortstop: Shut the intertrons down. It can’t get better than that today. We are in your debt.
Enhanced Mooching Techniques
The article from the National Review,,.. just wow, they really a ship load of clueless, smug in their own ignorance, assholes.
Bubblegum Tate
O/T, but I just saw that while Facebook Wingnut Barometer still has “Benghazi” as his middle name (stupid, but true), he has a friend who still has “Breitbart” as his middle name. Well, isn’t that just precious and pathetic.
shortstop
@ranchandsyrup: I am humbled by your kind words, but Culture of Truth has this whole show in the palm of his or her hand.
eemom
@shortstop:
Thank you. The comparison of Harriet Miers to Robert Bork HAD been driving me crazy until this actual similarity was pointed out.
JPL
@schrodinger’s cat: I’m not sure is this a joke but he was the first person nominated where people stepped up to protect their rights. He wrote a paper earlier saying restaurants should serve who they want. That one he said he was wrong.. He thought states should decide whether or not they allowed birth control pills. That one he didn’t deny. Yup all those years of birth control should be decided by states.
ranchandsyrup
@shortstop: True that. Culture of Truth is killing it.
MoeLarryAndJesus
And with Bork’s passing, the King Tut beard is extinct.
shortstop
@ranchandsyrup: I think he or she went to eat dinner or something, heedless of OUR needs.
ranchandsyrup
@shortstop: prolly for the best. My face hurts from laughing. My face hurts everyone else too.
SatanicPanic
@shortstop: I’m still giggling like a child. Today has been a banner day for internet snark.
El Cid
Yeah. I’m glad we’re not seeing the meanness and dysfunction of an America where that lunatic asshole was on the Supreme Court.
shortstop
@SatanicPanic: It’s been a wonderful day! I feel like Mary Bailey, the richest woman in town! <—-not snark
JPL
Can I say, once again, that concealed weapons are for wusses.
John Wayne had a holster. Why does Congress want us to walk through metal detectors? Do they think that our gun laws are dangerous? Write your congress folk and call them wusses.
schrodinger's cat
@JPL: No joke, serious question, in my defense, I was too young to follow politics during the Bork nomination.
ArchPundit
Goddammit Doug–You missed that Newell is making fun of Jennifer Rubin here
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2012/12/19/robert-bork-r-i-p/
Jennifer, you ignorant slut, Bork helped found the fucking Federalist Society in 19fucking82. I swear to fucking God the stupid must burn. Jesus Fucking Christ the Washington Post needs to hire a fucking editor who can at least look shit up on Wikipedia for her.
Now tell me what Kennedy said that is not true:
Mustang Bobby
He was an adviser to the Romney campaign, too. Dodged that bullet.
Calouste
OT, but it’s clear what the NRA is going to propose on Friday, as the field is already being prepared by Senators Manchin (D-NRA) and Rockefeller (D-NRA):
Blame video games.
shortstop
@Calouste: I think you’re underestimating them. I think they’re finally ready to make a serious concession: a 29-round maximum for clips.
PeakVT
@MoeLarryAndJesus: I was going to say what about Lou Albano, but it turns out he passed away in 2009.
gene108
@schrodinger’s cat:
He was honest enough to tell America what the right-wing’s real agenda is.
Think of him like a trial balloon. The Right sent to the Senate to tell the American public what the Right really thought.
America generally didn’t agree with the Right.
The Right then realized they couldn’t be so forth right and found better strategies to implement their agenda of rolling back any and all social and economic advances for the common man caused by the New Deal and Great Society, thereby returning America to a neo-Gilded Age society.
Calouste
@shortstop:
I think DailyKos front pager Hunter got it right earlier today when discussing Manchin’s comments:
RSA
Brad DeLong has posted a Senate transcript in which you can appreciate how smart Ted Kennedy was, and how radical Robert Bork was.
An inflation calculator tells me that $1.50 in 1966 is worth $10.50 today. Would you pay ten bucks to vote today? I would. But would every registered voter make that same choice? I don’t think so.
Roger Moore
@Calouste:
I think the NRA is going to make a real concession. They’re accepting that people who want gun control do not need to DIAF; they can just STFU instead. Of course if we fail to acknowledge how serious a concession this is, we move back into DIAF territory.
Double Nickel
My Mom taught me to never speak ill of the dead. It is a good rule.
Or something like that.Suffern Ace
@Roger Moore: Yep. My guess is that the freedom of the press to report on mass shootings will be curtailed. And that gangsta rap and baggy jeans will be barred. Well show them youth a thing or two.
shortstop
@Double Nickel: Nonsense. Being dead doesn’t confer some special virtue on us. As we live our lives, so we’ll be remembered.
Southern Beale
So in other words, just your average modern Republican.
RSR
” if you haven’t got anything nice to say about anybody, come sit next to me.”
LOL…that’s my wife’s family’s mantra…hahaha
Jay C
Too late: it started on the evening of October 23, 1987. And hasn’t, AFACBT, abated a bit in the 9,189 days since.
ShadeTail
@Double Nickel:
“It’s wrong to speak ill of the dead!”
“OK, if you say so. Gosh, Stalin was certainly efficient!”
Cacti
Ted Kennedy’s greatest Senatorial accomplishment might have been keeping that crypto-fascist off the Supreme Court.
Patricia Kayden
From Toobin’s article
As Senator Edward Kennedy put it in a famous speech on the Senate floor, “Robert Bork’s America is a land in which women would be forced into back-alley abortions, blacks would sit at segregated lunch counters, rogue police could break down citizens’ doors in midnight raids, schoolchildren could not be taught about evolution, [and] writers and artists would be censored at the whim of government.”
Read more: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2012/12/postscript-robert-bork-1927-2012.html#ixzz2FYPPXhZU
That says it all.
Bruce S
After two Republican AGs resign rather than disgrace themselves in service to the Watergate criminal conspiracy, Bork steps up to follow Nixon’s orders and commit a firing of independent investigative counsel which was found to be illegal.
Enough said about this douchebag.
schrodinger's cat
@gene108: Thanks for all the Philly tips! Went to the Penn Museum, Reading Market and Independence Hall and saw the Liberty Bell.
jamick6000
Has anyone else seen the thing about David Brooks teaching a class on humility at Yale???
(I feel like that’s the setup to an amazing joke, but it’s true.)
JasonF
@Hungry Joe:
I would have had to resist the urge to look him straight in the eye, shake his hands with a big grin on my face, and say “You know — you and I have something in common! I’ve never served on the Supreme Court either!”
shortstop
@JasonF: Priceless.
Bruce S
@Double Nickel:
“My Mom taught me to never speak ill of the dead. It is a good rule.”
Presumably your Mom also taught you that other good rule about honesty being the best policy.
Sebastian Dangerfield
Doug, I think this may be your best use of a song title/lyric evah. Bravo.