NYC Letter: We're Not Saying, We're Just Saying

Day 131 of CHOPE

There is coincidence. And then there is synthetic irony.

There are, of course, some in Washington who are attempting to draw old battle lines and playing the usual political games, pulling a few comments out of context to paint a distorted picture of Judge Sotomayor’s record.

... Congress returns this week and I hope the confirmation process will begin without delay. No nominee should be seated without rigorous evaluation and hearing; I expect nothing less. But what I hope is that we can avoid the political posturing and ideological brinksmanship that has bogged down this process, and Congress, in the past. ... [A]nd I’m calling on Democrats and Republicans to be thorough, and timely in dealing with this nomination.

Mr. Obama,
President of the United States
WEEKLY ADDRESS: President Obama Calls for Thorough
and Timely Confirmation for Judge Sonia Sotomayor*
Saturday, May 30, 2009 (White House)

"Bogging down the process, and Congress" -- Mr. Obama knows that of which he speaks. He is the only president to have filibustered a Supreme Court nominee.

[Hat tip: Gateway Pundit]

OBAMA JOINS FILIBUSTER BID AGAINST ALITO
But Senator Criticizes Tactic, Says It Will Fail.

WASHINGTON January 30, 2006 (Chicago Tribune) - Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) said he would vote Monday to filibuster Judge Samuel Alito's confirmation to the Supreme Court, but he conceded the effort would be futile and criticized Democrats for failing to persuade Americans to take notice of the court's changing ideological face.

Mr. Obama on Sunday on ABC News' "This Week":

The Democrats have to do a much better job in making their case on these issues. These last-minute efforts -- using procedural maneuvers inside the Beltway -- I think has been the wrong way of going about it.

And yet. And yet he voted to play along, which is to say he supported the very "political posturing and ideological brinksmanship that has bogged down this process" that he decries today. At least Ted "I'll Drive" Kennedy (D-MA) voted his conscience, such as it is.

CHOPE.

Political posturing. Ideological brinksmanship. When it suits.

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* We see that Mr. Obama has here scaled back his earlier "twenty centuries" to the more modest "two centuries" consistent with American history.