Above the graphic "Democrats Gone Too Far?", Katie Couric interviewed Delaware senator Joe Biden. Was Katie speaking from feminine solidarity, or was she assuming the role of Democratic strategist, concerned that her party had hurt itself with its latest antics?
In any case, she gave Biden a rather rough going-over, beginning with her question as to whether the Dems had indeed gone too far in their questioning that ultimately led to Mrs. Alito's weeping. Without apologizing, Biden recommended that the current confirmation process be junked. Since nominees are so cautious in their comments, Biden suggested cutting out the hearings entirely and going directly to a Senate floor debate on nominations.
Talk then turned CAP, the Princeton alumni group of which Alito was a nominal member and that lay at the root of much of yesterday's contentiousness. Biden admitted that Alito was no bigot. But he claimed that CAP was anti-woman, and offered up in evidence the group's desire to keep Princeton all-male. We'll be looking for Biden's impassioned floor speech someday, condemning Hillary Clinton for attending and supporting Wellesley, which flatly excludes men.
When a dubious Katie asked Biden if really he thought Alito was indeed anti-woman or anti-minority, the most he could muster were generalities to the effect that in his decisions Alito often sides with the government or employers.
Katie then trained her sights on Biden's motormouth, quoting this brutal assessement by Washington Post columnist Richard Cohen:
"[Biden's] tendency, his compulsion, his manic-obsessive running of the mouth has become the functional equivalent of womanizing or some other character weakness that disqualifies a man for the presidency. It is his version of corruption, of alcoholism, of a fierce temper or vile views -- all the sorts of things that have crippled candidates in the past."
If Biden had any sense, he would have offered a humorous, self-deprecating apology. Incredibly, he did virtually the opposite, lamenting that in focusing on the length of his statement people didn't pay sufficient attention to the important things he said!
When his political epitaph is written some day, it might read: "Here Lies Joe Biden, Buried Under His Own Words."
Meanwhile, Katie's 'subliminable' message to her Dem buddies seemed clear: "lay off, boys - you're hurting yourselves!"
