Trojan Horse Twins

We will find no more eloquent, bright-eyed, pleasant nominee for the Supreme Court than John Roberts. Unlike President Bush, he speaks clearly and easily and demonstrates a towering intellect. But he and Dubya have much in common.

When George Bush ran for President in 2000, he cast himself as a moderate, ensuring voters that he stood at the center of most issues. He wanted to be a uniter, not a divider. He rarely answered any question in depth, and based his appeal on a warm smile and a pleasant demeanor--the beer buddy candidate. And it worked. People believed him and voted for him.

Five years later, we know that he misled us, that the person he claimed to be was a lie. He turned out to be a radical, and his manipulative, spiteful team had a radical agenda. It took the public a long time, distracted by 9-11, to see clearly the vast chasm between the Bush rhetoric and the Bush agenda. Not only was he a divider, but the core of his Rove-spun election strategy depended on division! He claimed to represent regular Americans, but spent most of his energy assisting the wealthy and handing out favors to incompetent cronies. He and his team made inexcusable blunders, and promoted those most responsible.

Further, Bush has presided over the most secretive, paranoid administration since Nixon, and seems incapable of answering spontaneous or critical questions without turning red-faced and fumbling his words. Recently, while taking partial responsibility for the Katrina-response failure, he avoided the cameras, turning back and forth as though his skin were on fire. Clearly, his handlers forced him to say something he didn't really believe. And shortly thereafter, his address to the United Nations came with the most rageful, angry, smirking smile I have seen him give. But no matter how he tries to smile or dodge or pretend to be sorry, his poll numbers show that the public no longer buys his spin.

So who does he nominate for the Supreme Court? Another good-time smiling man, John Roberts. Not a single Senator could get him to admit to a feeling, much less an opinion. And he was carefully coached in how to avoid saying anything that might reveal his thoughts on Roe, eminent domain, or the scope of Federal power. The character witnesses that followed his testimony fell into two camps. Detractors, who criticized his track record, and Supporters, who could only praise his personality.

Like Bush, Roberts is a Trojan Horse nominee. He looks great, has a warm smile, and seems a nice guy, someone you would want to have a beer with. He claims to have no agenda, no ideology, but this is a dishonest, semantic dodge. He has clearly formed opinions on the scope of Federal power, the propriety of Roe and the legitimacy of civil rights legislation. And yet he refuses to share those opinions. He wants us to believe he can ignore them, that he can be perfectly, saintly impartial.

But Roberts doesn’t want to share his opinions because he might become the next Robert Bork, rejected by offended Senators. Once on the court, the real Roberts will emerge from behind the carefully crafted deception and reveal himself for a Radical Right Conservative. His notions of the scope of Federal power are tantamount to an agenda, an ideology, and they were reflected in his prior writings, writings he categorically disavowed as reflections of the policies of his bosses. Sadly, we will be hearing his opinions when he becomes Chief Justice and begins turning back the clock. His deceptive cloak fits perfectly with the rest of the Bush Presidency. One big lie.