In early 2006 America was up to its ears in congressional hearings for Judge Samuel A. Alito, appointed by President Bush to replace exiting United States Supreme Court justice Sandra Day O'Connor. The Senate Judiciary Committee-eight Republicans and seven Democrats-must confirm the president's appointment in a formal inquiry, called, interestingly, a hearing. In the weeks leading up to the inquisition, senators, when pressed for their opinions on the president's choice for the High Court, invariably would reply, "We'll have to wait to hear from the judge when he's before our committee."

 

At Judge Alito's hearing in January 2006, each of the fifteen senators was allotted thirty minutes, on the nation's behalf, to draw out the court appointee on any topic or issue. Regrettably for Judge Alito and the public, the fifty television cameras chronicling the proceedings must have caused amnesia among the committee members, who forgot everything but the opportunity to talk.