Comments on: Scalia’s virtue

By: Jon Swift

Jon Swift — Wed, 03 May 2006 07:04:21 +0000

Liberal Media Attacks Stephen Colbert

Colbert attacked the liberal media and praised the President and for that he is being excoriated.

By: Ed

Ed — Tue, 02 May 2006 20:17:13 +0000

I may be completely wrong, but I interpreted Scalia’s laughter more as a reflection of how much he likes being in the limelight (i.e., he’s an egomaniac), and a reflection of his good-humor persona (which may well be authentic, but also serves to disguise his egomania), rather than a particularly noteworthy ability to laugh at his own expense.
He may have the latter, but, after all, the bit wasn’t really so funny as to provoke the kind of laughs Scalia offered, and in any case the “self-expense” here was quite minor; being uptight about it would have been far more ridiculous and petulant-looking than the Preznit’s uptightness over the jokes at his well deserved–but much greater–expense.

By: benton

benton — Tue, 02 May 2006 16:53:32 +0000

This was the only one of Colbert’s gibes that involved a moment of personal weakness, a lapse of temper. The rest was really about civic virtue. These are, despite the efforts of Joe Klein et al, very different spheres. Making fun of Scalia the way Colbert did is humor in the vein of Bush using an impersonator to smooth out his vocal tics. Shining a spot light on your ability to laugh at yourself in this way is supposed to butress your reputation and increase the legitimacy in which your other actions are viewed. If Colbert had talked about Bush v Gore or Scalia’s conflicts of interest (duck hunting) in the pointed way he critiqued both the press and the president things might have gone differently…..

By: rlj

rlj — Tue, 02 May 2006 15:08:01 +0000

I’m surprised that people expected anything different than what Stephen Cobert delivered. Watching him at the dinner was just like watching his show – some really, really funny and some not so funny.
To get a good read on what he is all about all you had to do was watch his show last night when he even poked fun at himself. He showed people in the audience not laughing at him. Typical Stephen.

By: rlj

rlj — Tue, 02 May 2006 15:07:30 +0000

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 02 May 2006 13:44:35 +0000

LOTS of people can convincingly fake a huge belly laugh. Who HASN’T laughed hard at a boss’s stupid joke?

By: Joe S.

Joe S. — Tue, 02 May 2006 01:14:31 +0000

A lawyer colleague of mine died about a year or so ago, and I went to his funeral. Scalia spoke. I believe that Scalia and the deceased lawyer were friends with long Republican connections. Scalia was eloquent, heartfelt, and touching: just the guy you would want for your eulogy. I think Scalia is a mensch. But then again, it doesn’t signify much to anybody but his family, friends and neighbors. De Maistre personally ministered to those awaiting execution.

By: Justice Kennedy

Justice Kennedy — Mon, 01 May 2006 18:12:05 +0000

Except death penalty cases. They’re not funny, dammit.

By: paul

paul — Mon, 01 May 2006 15:12:58 +0000

When you’re a supreme court justice, you can afford to find pretty much anything funny.

By: ccobb

ccobb — Mon, 01 May 2006 15:03:43 +0000

As Kid Oakland put it on his blog:
“One of [Colbert's] targets, Antonin Scalia “got it”, and laughed along heartily as only someone with a lifetime appointment can.”
The rest of the crowd had election cycles and/or jobs to worry about.
http://kidoaklandblog.blogspot.com/2006/04/colbert-moment.html

By: Henry

Henry — Mon, 01 May 2006 13:13:45 +0000

The virtue of Scalia’s that you cite is a personal one. He may also be a good husband and father. But, except to people who associate with him personally, it is of no relevance to his official conduct, and not only does not make up for Bush v. Gore, but could not, even in principle.

By: dougyg

dougyg — Mon, 01 May 2006 11:39:09 +0000

Beside Scalia being, vicious, hypocritcal and hatefull he is supposed to have the best sense of humor on the bench according to the Law Clerks that work there.
I see your point.