I’ve been trying to process how I feel about the circus that is most of the confirmation hearings for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. No, that’s unfair to clowns. The middle school recess that the GOP bullies have turned these hearings into.
Before turning to the school bullies, I want to thank Sen. Cory Booker, whose words moved me to tears. This clip is about 20 minutes long and all very worth it, but if you don’t have the time, start around the 14-minute mark. I am deeply grateful for Sen. Booker’s speech – it was an act of healing to watch it and, I hope, to speak it.
[Image description: split screen showing Sen. Cory Booker (Black man in dark suit with red tie) on the left and Judge Jackson (Black woman in royal blue suit and black shell; she has shoulder-length braids and glasses) on the right. The video is captioned.]
But what to say of the white boys hurling ignorant insults at this brilliant, brave woman? I want to find a way to apologize to her, as if some ignorant, racist, drunken relative of mine had crashed a civilized gathering at which I had the privilege of listening to and learning from her. I’m grateful that she has a wonderful family and a supportive network of friends with whom she can process this bullshit. And I want to send her comfort food, maybe a big bowl of pasta and a chocolate chip cookie. Or whatever is her favorite when she can get home, kick off the heels, and feel safe amongst people who love her. You don’t deserve any of this, Judge. But you do deserve to be on the Supreme Court.
Godspeed.
Thought Snax 
Absolutely!
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Thanks for this
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When Elena Kagan went through this process, there was a vile, anti-Semitic editorial in The Washington Post, of all places. Her appearance before the Committee was quite memorable. To highlight her religion, Lindsey Graham asked her what she did on Christmas Day. Not missing a beat, she replied: “Like most Jews, I was eating in a Chinese restaurant” or something to that effect. When the uproarious laughter subsided, Graham retreated. But his recent close election and that of Ted Cruz signaled to them an intense need to send a message to the base. This time there will be no retreat, making Senator Booker’s comments all the more poignant and powerful. Given the DINOs in the Senate, I can only hope that this extraordinarily brilliant nominee succeeds and that her opponents do not take away Senator Booker’s elation over her success.
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They were awful. And now that I’ve been through my own confirmation hearing featuring Republicans making screechy political speeches to impugn my fitness for office utterly baselessly, I feel this one in my gut. We’re in a scorched earth environment with no rules, and it will not end well.
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Wow. Just wow. Thank you, Sen. Booker. Thank you, Judge Jackson.
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Thank you for writing this. It is painful beyond words to experience the barely cloaked misogyny and racism expressed by deeply insincere opportunists who are playing to a rabid populism. We have devolved past the “dog whistle” stage of plausibly deniable divisiveness and into something that I can’t even articulate. I am heartbroken for my country.
(As Jean told Jorts on Twitter: “It’s not a fog whistle if we can all hear it.”)
Judge Brown Jackson—May this be the last time you have to tolerate such dumb-assert silently. May you be the author of many many majority opinions that shut this bs down!
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