“David Souter’s a girl,” said Rush Limbaugh in 2006. “Everyone knows that. What’s the big deal? I’m talking about attitudinally here, folks.”(Did Rush really say that? Yeah.)
O.K., a show of hands: Who’s the bigger man: the prescription-drug abuser with the cigar stuffed in his mouth, or the buff older gentleman puffing his way up one of the more strenuous climbs in New England?
May 14, 2009
"The farewells depicting David Souter don’t do him justice."
That's the teaser on the front page of the NYT website, and I really thought I was clicking over to an article about the mark Justice Souter has made on legal doctrine — some specifics about the cases and the modes and methodologies of constitutional intepretation. But no, it was only about how the man loves to hike in New Hampshire. And then there was the gratuitous swipe at Rush Limbaugh:
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I'm not sure there's anything inherently manly in hiking. It seems an activity equally accessible and interesting to both sexes.
And attitudinally, Souter is a girl. Which is why it's so absolutely important his replacement be a woman.
“David Souter’s a girl,” said Rush Limbaugh in 2006.
Well, he never demanded a raise so there might just be something to that.
Wait, are they comparing John F. Kennedy to Souter in that second paragraph?
"The farewells depicting David Souter don’t do him justice."
Forgotten, but not yet gone.
"Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.” ...
Alinsky's maxim works quite well with the People-reading electorate.
They say that sometimes a clerk at the end of the day would place a hand on his back to gently guide him out the door but such affection was a ruse, one of those yellow sticky notes was placed on his back that read, "kick me."
Pat, you're describing Limbaugh's targeting Souter, right?
Where does one rank Souter against his fellow justices in terms of judicial/philosophical/persuasive impact? For simplicity's sake, we can stick use the last Rehnquist court lineup.
I think that no matter how you define the terms of "impact" -- meaning was Kennedy/O'Connor the most important by virtue of their swing votes or least important because the precedents will die the second they leave the court -- Souter is basically on par with Thomas. Neither is the standard-bearer for an ideology like Scalia or Breyer. But they've each had a few notable opinions that will hang around in Con Law books and appellate briefs for quite some time. They're also not forgotten deadweights like, oh I dunno, Minton.
In Souter's case, that's his antitrust work and the Grokster case, and for Thomas I'll say the cross-burning case and a number of concurrences or separate dissents (Med Marijuana, presidential power during wartime, etc.).
Wow, the article if full Stupid liberal comments. What about:
"Now consider Souter’s polar opposite on the Court, in manner and philosophy, the ever-combustible Justice Antonin Scalia. A father of nine — talk about a 19th-century man — Nino Scalia’s idea of a fantasy getaway involves Dick Cheney as a bunkmate in a fortress stocked with single-malts.
Scalia, remember, rode with Vice President Cheney on Air Force Two to a hunting excursion in 2004 that had all the trappings of clueless British royalty on holiday, complete with ground travel to prey in armored S.U.V.’s and sycophants at every turn who all but tracked birds by radar. It rained over several days and the ducks were scarce, giving Scalia much time to get to know the central figure in a secrecy case he would soon help to decide."
There's so much smug ignorance, stupidity, and off-the-wall weirdness in this, I just stopped reading. Egan seems to be the arch-typical NYT writer.
And I think we now know "LuckyOldSon's" true identity.
Physical pursuits are manly? Hiking is manly? This will be news to my very active wife, who, for my 41st birthday, arranged a 4 day hike for the two of us through the White Mountains of New Hampshire.
Good to see the New York Times is as sexist as ever.
For some reason I don't equate the word 'buff' with Souter.
Souter? Buff? It is to laugh.
Why the hell does anyone care what Rush says?
rcocean, you glossed over the worst of that article: The apostrophe after S.U.V.
(shudder)
How long can the MSM & elite libs pound on people like Rush and Miss California before the majority of Americans ask WTF?
Why the hell does anyone care what Rush says?Because he's usually interesting, and often funny.
Why he was brought up in this context I have no idea.
“David Souter’s a girl,” said Rush Limbaugh in 2006.
Well, in the world of Obama jurisprudence, isn't that a compliment?
After all, how else could Souter achieve the "empathy" needed to be a great justice?
"Gratuitous" I am not sure that word means what you think it means.
HW Bush's greatest mistakes?
4th greatest - "Read my lips, no new taxes".
3rd greatest - "David Souter".
2nd greatest - Allowing a 3rd party challenge to emerge by being obsessed with his New World Order - instead of the economy.
1st Greatest - Boosting the lesser-qualified and rocky George W. Bush for President - rather than waiting for his very well qualified, intelligent, and great leader son Jeb Bush to run in 2004 or 2008.
I agree its gratuitous, why bring that quote up in that article? But I think the NYT comeback is fair, given Rush's setup.
I do not understand why conservatives love Rush. A foul-mouthed sexist obese drug addict purporting to tell the world what it means to be "manly"?
I have no feelings fer or agin the man, but if it pisses you off, is that not reason enough?
Speaking of gratuitous
Exactly.
Howevermuch I avoid listening to Limbaugh, I am gladdened that he is a burr under your saddle.
He's not. He's just evidence of the limits of my understanding of the hard right wing. The fact that right wingers have made him the most popular radio show and defer to him as the de facto spokesperson for their movement actually delights me.
I read the news and ask a question like "hmm the Obama admin sent a car czar to fix auto industry and its lagging sales so why is Chrysler now forced to cut 25% of its dealer network? Does this car czar know what that will do to jobs in this country??? It's like Obama is intentionally destroying our auto industry".
Keep in mind the auto industry represents about 10% of the country's GDP but it appears the Obama stimulus has I guess not helped this huge sector much! So I ask WTF good was the stimulus which spent maybe 3% of the $787 Billion stimulus on auto buyer credits. It should have been like $50 Billion to get more cars off the dealer lots. Obama's does not understand economics and his moves make very little sense to me.
Then I listen to Rush and he poses similar questions.
If he is a burr under someone's saddle, I'd think it would be serious people who take conservatism seriously.
Joseph:
Nothing could make a lib like you happy.
There was a really funny exchange of Leave Rush Aloooone! proportions over at the Corner blog this week. What a bunch of suck-ups.
He's just evidence of the limits of my understanding of the hard right wing. .
Well the one thing that Rush does stand for and is pretty serious about is his celebration of individual achievement and how we are better served by personal responsibility and achivement rather than dependence on the government for all our needs. Perhaps your problem is you focus on those soundbites that offend you and miss the real message of what he's saying. If you're one who thinks it takes a village than naturally Rush's belief in individualism will be anathema to your beliefs.
..actually delights me.
Hardly. If it 'delighted you, you wouldn't act so bewildered, much less mention it. If he were so damaging to the right, you'd say not a word.
the hard right wing?
Hardly; Limbaugh's more of a populist, of the old self-reliant American variety.
personal responsibility, like using your housekeeper to smuggle your drugs for you.
personal responsibility, like using your housekeeper to smuggle your drugs for you..
Yes you're right Joe. Because no one has never been addicted to prescription drugs before. I mean it's just like cruising the strip to score some blow just like Betty Ford used to do right?
I keep forgetting how tolerant liberals can be and then I get a refresher. Thanks.
Actually only some at NR-Online want to "Leave Rush Alone".
Lowery (or was it Goldberg?) did their usual fence straddling and a couple others attacked Rush and a couple defended him.
That NRO prints *any* attack on Rush - tells you everything about their brand of "conservatism".
Joseph:
I think that housekeeper has since taken a job with Joe Biden's daughter.
Personal responsibility doesn't mean 'never sin', it means 'owning up to your sin' and taking the consequences.
Lefties are all about socializing the consequences (while privatizing any gains).
The farewells depicting David Souter don't do him justice.
"He who would pun would pick a pocket." --Dr. Maturin, Master and Commander
(Excepting Ruth Anne, natch.)
"... the buff older gentleman puffing his way up one of the more strenuous climbs in New England?"
There are no strenuous climbs in New England. Only a sissy would think so. Although, I suppose what you make of the terrain counts: Taking all day to hike up Mt. Washington, not strenuous. Running up Mt. Washington, strenuous.
I regularly see stickers on the back of cars around here bragging about having driven up Mt. Washington. Pride in very small accomplishments is more common than it ought to be. IMHO
John Mccain's mom went off on Limbaugh. Now are we going to hear Rush puff about old lady Mccain?
I hope so.
Titus:
I don't think they will pay an appearance fee to the guest unless they agree to bash Rush.
dbp: Mount Washington? How about this?
http://www.pikespeakmarathon.org/
I have friends who have done this. They say most of the vomiting occurs on the descent.
Cedarford - You got it nearly right; however, 2nd biggest HW Bush mistake =
Looking at watch during debates.
Interesting thought about his boosting George over Jebb, thus screwing everyone, especially Jebb. I am not convinced that happened however, as HW might have entered the picture a bit after the ball was already rolling.
Marcia, now that is what I'm talking about!
I hiked up Mt Rainier (about the same elevation as Pikes) when I was in college and the last thousand feet of vertical was hellish: Take three steps, double over and pant for a minute, repeat.
One consideration is that Pikes is only around 8,000 feet higher than Denver, while Rainier is about 14,000 feet higher than Seattle. Washingtonians just are not as used to altitude as Coloradans.
Anyway, my wife (barely) puts up with my horizontal marathon efforts. She'd put me to the curb if I tried to go vertical on her.
Joe: Why the hell does anyone care what Rush says?You'll have to ask POTUS, since Obama was the one who felt a need to attack upwards.
And who is David Souter?
Fen - "And who is David Souter?"
Mini-brain rears his ugly head.
rcocean said..."Wow, the article if full Stupid liberal comments. What about:"
What the fuck are you trying to say?
If you want to throw like a girl, try throwing left handed (if you're right handed).
Girls are that way with both hands, is all.
It's something like getting the footwork all wrong. I haven't analyzed it out.
helpless and demoralized, the conservative ilk looks on in sadness at the farewell to Justice Souter knowing fully that perhaps not again in their lifetimes will they have the opportunity to nominate to that lofty post....
with sadness the 6-7 remaining guilt-tinged conservatives, each with a shiny button of Rush with a cigar dangling out his ass, drift silenty into the sunset...fearful and loathing the long dark night ahead....
dbp,
Pierce County (where Mt. Rainier is located) has the largest elevation differential of any county in the US: sea level to 14,410ft. Most of us (of course) live in and around Tacoma, pretty much at sea level.
"rcocean said...Wow, the article if full Stupid liberal comments. What about:""
What the fuck are you trying to say?"Egan is that you? Sorry, I was trying to say:
"Wow, this article *IS* full of stupid liberal comments. What about:"
If I was the one picking justices Limbaugh would go on the court before Souter.
hdhouse, the great mind that he is, wrote "drift silenty" in sentences that begin with lower case letters.
He very smart! Just ask him.
NVKD...ahhh what the "l"...silently...there. feel better?
ask others if i'm smart or not....ask yourself too. ask why you get whipped on here like a rented mule.
Well, what's the ratio of male-to-female hikers, and what's the ratio of male-to-female cigar smokers?
Seriously, if that's the contrast you bring up, I've got to conclude that you're secretly on Limbaugh's side.
hdhouse - delusional, illiterate and stupid - the liberal trifecta.
Keep trying, boy, eventually you will make sense and write like a high school graduate.
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